A transport robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function

Abstract

This invention relates to a handling robot, and more particularly to a handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment capability. It includes a robot body, a steering component rotatably connected to the robot body, an electric slide rail fixedly connected to the steering component, a clamping component connected to the slider of the electric slide rail, and two opposing fixed plates fixedly connected to the robot body. This invention uses a pressure sensor to monitor the load in real time and drives a linear motor to move the battery compartment horizontally, achieving dynamic autonomous adjustment of the center of gravity. This effectively counteracts the overturning torque caused by heavy loads or high lifting, improving operational safety and stability. Simultaneously, it innovatively introduces a mechanical linkage mechanism that combines a Z-shaped guide groove with a lifting frame, allowing the rollers to be suspended in the air under normal conditions and automatically lowered as the battery compartment moves. This, combined with the energy absorption of a first spring, avoids unnecessary frictional wear while also providing shock absorption and protection.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a handling robot, and more particularly to a handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function. Background Technology

[0002] In modern logistics, intelligent manufacturing, and other automation fields, material handling robots are widely used for tasks such as material transfer and loading / unloading. However, when a robot grasps heavy objects or lifts goods too high, the entire machine is prone to tilting or even tipping over due to torque imbalance, seriously threatening the safety of equipment and personnel. Traditional solutions often rely on increasing the chassis size, adding counterweights, or limiting the maximum load, but this not only sacrifices the robot's flexibility and energy efficiency but also makes it difficult to cope with dynamically changing load conditions.

[0003] Existing handling robots generally lack the ability to actively intervene in the tilting process. Once the tilting begins, they can only urgently drop the goods to straighten the robot. During the straightening process, due to the lack of a multi-stage shock absorption mechanism, the robot experiences severe vibrations during the reset process after a sudden tilt, affecting the accuracy of subsequent operations.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues, there is an urgent need for a handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment capabilities to solve the core technical challenge of center of gravity instability and tipping risk caused by load changes. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the risks of instability and tipping over in existing handling robots due to load changes, this invention provides a handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment capabilities.

[0006] A handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function includes a robot body, a steering component rotatably connected to the robot body, an electric slide rail fixedly connected to the steering component, a clamping component connected to the slider of the electric slide rail, two opposing fixed plates fixedly connected to the robot body, each fixed plate having a Z-shaped guide groove on its opposing surface, a linear motor fixedly connected to the fixed plates, a battery compartment for center of gravity adjustment fixedly connected horizontally between the moving ends of the two linear motors, a placement plate for placing batteries fixedly connected inside the battery compartment, a pressure sensor disposed between the clamping component and the slider of the electric slide rail, the pressure sensor being electrically connected to the linear motors via a control module, and a grounding buffer assembly disposed between the two guide grooves, which is used to automatically lower and contact the ground in the event of a tipping, providing auxiliary support and impact energy absorption to protect the batteries inside the battery compartment.

[0007] In one embodiment, the grounding buffer assembly includes a lifting frame slidably connected between the two guide slots, a lifting block slidably connected inside the lifting frame in the vertical direction, a first spring fixed between the lifting block and the lifting frame, and a roller rotatably connected to the lifting block.

[0008] In one embodiment, a sliding frame is slidably connected to one side of the fixed plate in a horizontal direction, a bearing rod is rotatably connected to the side of the robot body near the clamping member, a connecting rod is rotatably connected between the bearing rod and the sliding frame, and a second spring is fixedly connected between the sliding frame and the adjacent fixed plate.

[0009] In one embodiment, the sliding frame is configured as an I-beam shape.

[0010] In one embodiment, the battery compartment moves into contact with the sliding frame during autonomous center of gravity adjustment.

[0011] In one embodiment, a fixed cylinder is fixedly connected to the lifting frame, a piston rod is fixedly connected to the lifting block, the fixed cylinder is slidably connected to the piston rod, an exhaust frame is slidably connected to the fixed cylinder, a second air hole is opened on the exhaust frame, and a first air hole distributed circumferentially is opened on the side of the fixed cylinder away from the second air hole.

[0012] In one embodiment, the pore size of the first pore is not less than the pore size of the second pore.

[0013] The present invention has the following advantages:

[0014] This invention monitors the load in real time using a pressure sensor and drives the battery compartment to move horizontally using a linear motor, achieving dynamic and autonomous adjustment of the center of gravity. This effectively counteracts the overturning moment caused by heavy loads or high lifting, improving operational safety and stability. At the same time, it innovatively introduces a mechanical linkage mechanism that combines a Z-shaped guide groove with a lifting frame, allowing the rollers to be suspended in the air under normal conditions and automatically triggered to lower as the battery compartment moves. This works in conjunction with the first spring to absorb energy, avoiding unnecessary frictional losses while also providing protection and shock absorption.

[0015] This invention utilizes a linkage support mechanism consisting of a sliding frame, connecting rod, and bearing rod to simultaneously deploy rigid support legs (bearing rods) when the battery compartment moves, providing more stable anti-overturning support than rubber tires, and is especially suitable for soft foundations or uneven ground conditions.

[0016] This invention achieves a "fast compression and slow return" motion characteristic by setting up a composite buffer system of a first spring and pneumatic damping: it responds quickly during emergency lowering and rebounds slowly during reset, which not only ensures timely protection but also avoids impact rebound, significantly improving the shock absorption effect. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram from the first perspective of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram from the second perspective of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the components of the present invention, including the fixing plate, linear motor, and battery compartment.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the fixing plate of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the components of the present invention, such as the fixing plate, battery compartment, and lifting frame.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the components of the present invention, such as the fixed cylinder, piston rod, and exhaust frame.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the components of the present invention, such as the fixing plate, connecting rod, and bearing rod.

[0024] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the connecting rod, bearing rod, and sliding frame components of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the piston rod and exhaust frame components of the present invention.

[0026] In the attached figures: 101, robot body; 102, steering component; 103, electric slide rail; 104, clamping component; 105, fixing plate; 1051, guide groove; 106, linear motor; 107, battery compartment; 1071, placement plate; 108, lifting frame; 109, lifting block; 110, first spring; 111, roller; 112, pressure sensor; 201, connecting rod; 202, bearing rod; 203, sliding frame; 204, second spring; 301, fixing cylinder; 302, piston rod; 303, first air hole; 304, exhaust frame; 305, second air hole. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Example 1: This invention provides a handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function, such as... Figures 1 to 5As shown, it achieves intelligent grasping of goods, dynamic center of gravity balance, and overturning protection by integrating pressure sensing, linear motor 106 drive, Z-shaped guide groove 1051 guidance, grounding buffer, and linkage bearing structure. The technical solution of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0029] The handling robot mainly includes a robot body 101, which is an integral frame structure with wheels installed at the bottom for autonomous movement on the ground. A steering component 102 is rotatably connected to the upper left side of the robot body 101. This steering component 102 can rotate around a vertical axis and is typically driven by a servo motor, allowing for flexible adjustment of the gripping direction. An electric slide rail 103 is fixed to the steering component 102, arranged vertically, and its slider can slide up and down under motor drive. A gripping component 104, which is a pneumatic or electric gripper, is connected to the slider for grasping and handling goods.

[0030] Two opposing fixed plates 105 are fixed to the robot body 101, arranged parallel to each other on both sides of the lower part of the robot body 101. Each fixed plate 105 has a Z-shaped guide groove 1051 on its opposing surface, which is composed of an upper horizontal section, a middle oblique section, and a lower horizontal section connected sequentially to form a specific guide trajectory. Linear motors 106 are fixed to the fixed plates 105, and the moving ends of the two linear motors 106 are jointly fixedly connected to a battery compartment 107 used for center of gravity adjustment. The battery compartment 107 is slidably disposed between the two fixed plates 105 in the horizontal direction and can move left and right under the drive of the linear motors 106, thereby changing the overall center of gravity position of the robot. A placement plate 1071 is fixedly fixed inside the battery compartment 107 to securely install the battery pack, ensuring that the power system does not shift or loosen during movement. The battery compartment 107 and its battery pack are initially placed in the center at the bottom of the robot body 101, so that the center of gravity of the whole machine falls in the center of the chassis support surface, avoiding instability, slippage when turning or wear of one side of the tires due to its own weight imbalance.

[0031] Crucially, a pressure sensor 112 is installed between the clamping member 104 and the slider of the electric slide rail 103. This sensor monitors the load on the clamping member 104 in real time and transmits the signal to the control module. The control module determines the current load status based on a preset threshold: if the load is normal, normal operation is maintained; if the load exceeds the limit, a command is immediately sent to the linear motor 106 to drive the battery compartment 107 to move away from the clamping member 104 to counteract the overturning moment caused by the heavy load.

[0032] Furthermore, a lifting frame 108 is slidably connected between the two Z-shaped guide grooves 1051. The lifting frame 108 has guide posts on both sides that cooperate with the Z-shaped guide grooves 1051, allowing it to move along a Z-shaped path. Figure 6As shown, a lifting block 109 is slidably connected inside the lifting frame 108 in the vertical direction, and a first spring 110 is fixed between the lifting block 109 and the lifting frame 108. A roller 111 is rotatably connected to the side of the lifting block 109. The diameter of the roller 111 is slightly smaller than that of the main travel wheel, and it is initially suspended in the air and does not contact the ground.

[0033] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, an I-shaped sliding frame 203 is slidably connected to the right side of the front fixed plate 105 in the left-right direction. This structure has good anti-torsional performance. The battery compartment 107 moves and contacts the sliding frame 203 during autonomous center of gravity adjustment. A support rod 202, which is a rigid metal rod, is hinged to the side of the robot body 101 near the gripper 104 via a pivot. The support rod 202 and the sliding frame 203 are rotatably connected via a connecting rod 201 to form a multi-link structure. A second spring 204 is fixed between the sliding frame 203 and the adjacent fixed plate 105 to provide a restoring force. When the battery compartment 107 moves away from the gripper 104, it pushes the sliding frame 203 to move synchronously, which in turn pulls the support rod 202 downward through the connecting rod 201 until its end contacts the ground. Since the support rod 202 is a rigid structure, it has higher support stiffness than rubber wheels, which can effectively prevent the robot from tipping over under extreme off-center loads.

[0034] like Figure 6 and Figure 9 As shown, a fixed cylinder 301 is fixedly connected to the lifting frame 108, and a piston rod 302 is fixedly connected to the lifting block 109. The piston rod 302 is inserted into the fixed cylinder 301 and slides and seals with it. An exhaust frame 304 is slidably connected to the top opening of the fixed cylinder 301 in the vertical direction, and a second air hole 305 is provided on the exhaust frame 304. A plurality of first air holes 303 are distributed circumferentially on the bottom side of the fixed cylinder 301. The diameter of the second air hole 305 is smaller than the diameter of the first air hole 303. The working principle of this pneumatic damping structure is as follows: When the lifting frame 108 moves downward relative to the lifting block 109 due to the guidance of the Z-shaped guide groove 1051 (i.e., compressing the first spring 110), the piston rod 302 slides into the fixed cylinder 301, increasing the air pressure inside the cylinder and lifting the exhaust frame 304, thus connecting the fixed cylinder 301 with the outside and allowing air to be discharged quickly, achieving rapid compression and energy absorption of the first spring 110. When the external force disappears and the first spring 110 attempts to return to its original position, the piston rod 302 is pulled outward, and the exhaust frame 304 slides down due to its own weight, closing the top opening. Air can only slowly enter the fixed cylinder 301 through the smaller second air hole 305, while the gas below the piston rod 302 is discharged from the first air hole 303, thereby generating greater damping and allowing the first spring 110 to slowly rebound. This design effectively avoids the energy released when the first spring 110 returns to its original position, preventing the fuselage from tipping over again and improving system stability.

[0035] The system operates in the following two modes:

[0036] Mode 1: Conventional Heavy-Load Self-Balancing Mode

[0037] This is suitable for situations where the weight of the goods being handled is relatively heavy or has been lifted to a high position, posing a risk of imbalance but not yet causing the robot body to tilt. After the gripper 104 grasps the goods, the pressure sensor 112 detects an overweight signal, and the control module immediately starts the linear motor 106, driving the battery compartment 107 to move horizontally away from the gripper 104. During this process, the battery compartment 107 drives the lifting frame 108 down the inclined section of the Z-shaped guide groove 1051. The lifting frame 108, through the lifting block 109, drives the roller 111 to move down to contact the ground first. At this time, the lower end of the roller 111 is at the same horizontal height as the bottom of the walking wheels of the robot body 101 (i.e., both are in contact with the ground). After contact, the lifting block 109 and the roller 111 can no longer move down, while the lifting frame 108 continues to move down relative to the lifting block 109, forcing the first spring 110 to compress and store energy, preparing for possible subsequent tipping protection and multi-stage shock absorption. Subsequently, the steering component 102 rotates 180 degrees, transporting the goods to the platform above the robot body 101 and lowering them. After the goods are unloaded, the pressure sensor 112 detects no load. After a short delay, the control module drives the battery compartment 107 to reset back to the center, the lifting frame 108 moves upward along the Z-shaped guide groove 1051, the rollers 111 leave the ground, and the system returns to standby mode.

[0038] Mode 2: Overturning Protection and Multi-stage Shock Absorption Mode

[0039] This system is suitable for extreme conditions where the machine tilts due to excessively heavy or excessively high cargo. In this condition, even after the battery compartment 107 is displaced, the torque cannot be balanced, and the machine begins to tilt to the left of the clamping member 104. At this time, the right-side traveling wheel and roller 111 gradually lift off the ground, the first spring 110 releases energy, and pushes the roller 111 downwards to reset its position, making its bottom surface slightly lower than the traveling wheel. The control system immediately instructs the clamping member 104 to quickly lower the cargo to eliminate the off-center load. During the machine's return to center, the lower roller 111 contacts the ground first, and the first spring 110 compresses again to absorb energy, achieving primary shock absorption; subsequently, the main traveling wheel contacts the ground, relying on the elasticity of the rubber to complete secondary cushioning, thus protecting the battery inside the battery compartment 107. At the same time, the battery compartment 107 pushes the sliding frame 203 during movement, causing the bearing rod 202 to swing down to touch the ground through the connecting rod 201, providing rigid support and preventing secondary tipping. After completing the dual shock absorption, the system resets after a delay to ensure smooth and reliable operation.

[0040] Although this disclosure has been shown and described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made to this disclosure without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. Therefore, the scope of this disclosure should not be limited to the above embodiments, but should be defined not only by the appended claims, but also by their equivalents.

Claims

1. A handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function, comprising a robot body (101), a steering component (102) rotatably connected to the robot body (101), an electric slide rail (103) fixedly connected to the steering component (102), and a clamping component (104) connected to the slider of the electric slide rail (103). Its features are, Two opposing fixed plates (105) are fixedly connected to the robot body (101). Z-shaped guide grooves (1051) are opened on the opposing surfaces of the two fixed plates (105). A linear motor (106) is fixedly connected to the fixed plate (105). A battery compartment (107) for center of gravity adjustment is fixedly connected between the moving ends of the two linear motors (106) in the horizontal direction. A placement plate (1071) for placing the battery is fixedly connected inside the battery compartment (107). A pressure sensor (112) is provided between the clamping member (104) and the slider of the electric slide rail (103). The pressure sensor (112) is electrically connected to the linear motor (106) through the control module. A grounding buffer component is provided between the two guide grooves (1051). It is used to automatically lower and contact the ground in the case of tipping to provide auxiliary support and impact energy absorption, and protect the battery in the battery compartment (107). The grounding buffer assembly includes a lifting frame (108), which is slidably connected between the two guide slots (1051). A lifting block (109) is slidably connected in the lifting frame (108) along the vertical direction. A first spring (110) is fixed between the lifting block (109) and the lifting frame (108). A roller (111) is rotatably connected on the lifting block (109). A sliding frame (203) is slidably connected in the horizontal direction on one side of the fixed plate (105). A bearing rod (202) is rotatably connected on the side of the robot body (101) near the clamping member (104). A connecting rod (201) is rotatably connected between the bearing rod (202) and the sliding frame (203). A second spring (204) is fixed between the sliding frame (203) and the adjacent fixed plate (105). A fixed cylinder (301) is fixedly connected to the lifting frame (108), and a piston rod (302) is fixedly connected to the lifting block (109). The fixed cylinder (301) is slidably connected to the piston rod (302). An exhaust frame (304) is slidably connected to the fixed cylinder (301). A second air hole (305) is opened on the exhaust frame (304). A first air hole (303) is circumferentially distributed on the side of the fixed cylinder (301) away from the second air hole (305).

2. A handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The sliding frame (203) is configured as an I-beam.

3. A handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The battery compartment (107) moves to contact the sliding frame (203) during the process of autonomous center of gravity adjustment.

4. A handling robot with autonomous center of gravity adjustment function as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The pore diameter of the first pore (303) is not less than the pore diameter of the second pore (305).

Images