A food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of serving mechanism for serving robot, including rotating mechanism, horizontal telescopic mechanism, up-down telescopic mechanism and dog claw, the rotating mechanism can be set on the platform of serving robot, or set in the side of serving robot;The upper part of rotating mechanism supports horizontal telescopic mechanism;The horizontal telescopic mechanism can be horizontally telescopic, to carry out horizontal position adjustment, and horizontal telescopic mechanism is connected with up-down telescopic mechanism downwards;The up-down telescopic mechanism extends from horizontal telescopic mechanism downwards, and extends downwards, to grip the standardization dinner plate of dish, and the dish is transported, and up-down telescopic mechanism can also be adjusted in position, and dog claw is installed in the lower part of up-down telescopic mechanism.The application adjusts the angle of up-down telescopic mechanism by rotating mechanism, adjusts the front-back position of up-down telescopic mechanism by horizontal telescopic mechanism, and adjusts the up-down position of dog claw by up-down telescopic mechanism, to realize the accurate placement of dish.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of food serving robots, and specifically relates to a food delivery mechanism for food serving robots, used to place dishes on a table. Background Technology

[0002] With the advancement of intelligence, food delivery robots are being applied to our lives. Food delivery robots are automated devices used in the catering industry, primarily for automatically delivering dishes to designated locations in restaurants or canteens. These robots typically possess components such as navigation systems, robotic arms, and trays, enabling precise food delivery. For example, patent application 202011594996.5 discloses an intelligent restaurant food delivery robot, comprising a robot body and a clamping structure. Two spheres are fixedly connected to the side wall of the robot body, and a column is fixedly connected to the bottom end of each sphere. A clamping structure is provided at the ends of the two columns that are furthest from each other. The clamping structure includes a long column, the surface of which is fixedly connected to the column body. A frame is fitted onto the surface of the long column, and the inner wall of the frame is slidably connected to the long column. A connecting frame is fitted onto the surface of the frame, and the inner wall of the connecting frame is slidably connected to the frame body. An elastic column is rotatably connected to the bottom end of the frame.

[0003] However, these serving robots can only deliver dishes to the table; people still need to set the plates, which is inconvenient.

[0004] This led to patent application 202210379197.9, which describes an automated food serving robot. The robot includes a main frame, a camera, a robotic arm, wheels, and a central controller. The main frame has a tray for supporting the food dishes. The central controller is electrically connected to the camera, robotic arm, and wheels. In this invention, the automated food serving robot collects real-time image data of the dining table through the camera, analyzes the available space on the table, and controls the robotic arm to move the food from the tray to the available space, thus achieving automated food serving. This allows the robot to not only deliver food to the target table but also place it on the table.

[0005] However, because the robotic arm grips and transports the plates, and the robotic arm has vertical gripping joints, when the plates are released from the table, they are tilted. This means that the plates cannot be placed horizontally on the table, which causes soup to spill out, resulting in food waste and contamination of the table. Moreover, the robotic arm needs to go through the processes of picking up, rotating, transferring, and placing, making the control program complex and uneconomical.

[0006] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a food delivery mechanism that can enable food delivery robots to place plates horizontally. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned problems, the present invention aims to provide a food delivery mechanism for a serving robot, which can place the plate horizontally on the table to prevent spillage of soup; and is simple and convenient to control.

[0008] Another objective of this invention is to provide a food delivery mechanism for a serving robot. This food delivery mechanism adjusts the angle of the vertical telescopic mechanism through a rotating mechanism, adjusts the front-to-back position of the vertical telescopic mechanism through a horizontal telescopic mechanism, and adjusts the vertical position of the gripper through the vertical telescopic mechanism, thereby achieving precise placement of dishes and simulating the effect of human placement of plates, thus providing users with better dining service.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows:

[0010] A food delivery mechanism for a serving robot includes a rotating mechanism, a horizontal telescopic mechanism, a vertical telescopic mechanism, and a gripper.

[0011] The rotating mechanism can be set on the platform of the serving robot or on one side of the serving robot; the upper part of the rotating mechanism is supported by a horizontal telescopic mechanism.

[0012] The horizontal telescopic mechanism is capable of horizontal extension and retraction for horizontal position adjustment, and is connected downward to the vertical telescopic mechanism.

[0013] The vertical telescopic mechanism extends down from the horizontal telescopic mechanism and extends downward to grip the standardized plate holding the food and transport the food. The vertical telescopic mechanism can also be adjusted in vertical position.

[0014] The claw is installed at the lower part of the upper and lower telescopic mechanism.

[0015] Furthermore, the rotating mechanism includes a rotating motor and a support tube. The rotating motor is located at the lower part of the support tube and can drive the support tube to rotate. The support tube is connected to a horizontal telescopic mechanism. When the support tube rotates, it drives the horizontal telescopic mechanism to rotate, so as to adjust the telescopic direction of the horizontal telescopic mechanism.

[0016] Furthermore, the upper end of the support tube has a groove for placing the horizontal telescopic mechanism to support it.

[0017] Furthermore, the rotating mechanism also includes a base on which a rotating motor and a support tube are mounted. The base is used to mount the food serving robot on its platform or to fix it to the side of the food serving robot.

[0018] Furthermore, the horizontal telescopic mechanism includes a horizontal telescopic drive motor, a housing, a screw, a nut, a crossbeam, a guide rail, a guide rail slider, and a connector. The output shaft of the horizontal telescopic drive motor is connected to a screw, which is threadedly connected to a nut. A crossbeam is fixed to the outside of the nut, and the crossbeam is mounted on the guide rail slider, which slides on the guide rail. The housing has at least two sections, one on the outside and one on the inside. The inner section is mounted on the guide rail slider. When the horizontal telescopic drive motor drives the screw, the screw acts in the opposite direction on the nut, which in turn moves the crossbeam and the guide rail slider forward, thereby causing the inner housing to extend. Reversing the screw causes the inner housing to retract, thus adjusting the horizontal position. Simultaneously, a magnet and a sensor are provided at the bottom of the horizontal telescopic drive motor. The magnet is located at the bottom of the horizontal telescopic drive motor, and a sensor (usually the sensor is mounted on a circuit board) is located on the outside of the magnet.

[0019] Furthermore, the horizontal telescopic mechanism also includes a mounting frame and a conduit. The guide rail is fixed on the mounting frame, which is located inside the horizontal telescopic drive motor. The guide rail and conduit are fixedly installed on the mounting frame. The conduit is used to run cables to control the motor and the food delivery process. The other end of the inner section of the housing is connected to a connector, and the conduit passes through the connector to realize the electrical connection between the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms.

[0020] Furthermore, the connector is connected to the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms. Specifically, the outer end face of the connector has a U-shaped groove, which is used to connect the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms.

[0021] Furthermore, the catheter has five tubes, corresponding to two power lines, one trachea, one USB line, and one CAN bus.

[0022] Furthermore, the screw extends through the middle of the mounting bracket, and five guide tubes are set on the mounting bracket and distributed around the screw to surround the screw without affecting its operation.

[0023] Furthermore, at least a portion of the power cord, USB cable, and CAN bus are spirals to meet the requirements for telescoping.

[0024] Furthermore, the vertical telescopic mechanism includes a vertical telescopic drive motor, upper and lower housings, upper and lower screws, upper and lower nuts, upper and lower crossbeams, upper and lower guide rails, upper and lower guide rail sliders, and a base. The output shaft of the vertical telescopic drive motor is connected to the upper and lower screws, and the upper and lower screws are threadedly connected to the upper and lower nuts. The upper and lower crossbeams are fixed to the outside of the upper and lower nuts, and the upper and lower crossbeams are mounted on the upper and lower guide rail sliders. The upper and lower guide rail sliders slide on the upper and lower guide rails. The upper and lower housings have at least two sections, one on the outside and one on the inside. The inner section is mounted on the upper and lower guide rail sliders. When the vertical telescopic drive motor drives the upper and lower screws, the upper and lower screws act in opposite directions on the upper and lower nuts, which in turn drive the upper and lower crossbeams and the upper and lower guide rail sliders to move downward, thereby causing the inner upper and lower housings to extend. Reversing the upper and lower screws causes the inner upper and lower housings to retract, thereby achieving vertical position adjustment.

[0025] Furthermore, the upper and lower telescopic mechanism also includes upper and lower mounting frames and upper and lower guide tubes. The upper and lower guide rails are fixed on the upper and lower mounting frames. The upper and lower mounting frames are located inside the upper and lower telescopic drive motor and are fixedly installed with the upper and lower guide rails and upper and lower guide tubes. The upper and lower guide tubes are used to run cables to control the motor and the food delivery process. The other end of the inner section of the upper and lower housing is connected to a base. The guide tubes pass through the contact base to realize the electrical connection to the claws.

[0026] Furthermore, the telescopic base is equipped with an interface and control circuit for telescopic movement and claw control, enabling control of the vertical position adjustment, claw gripping, and release of the plate.

[0027] Furthermore, the upper and lower conduits have five tubes, corresponding to two power lines, one air tube, one USB line, and one CAN bus, respectively.

[0028] Furthermore, the upper and lower screws extend through the middle of the upper and lower mounting brackets, and five SMS conduits are set on the upper and lower mounting brackets and distributed around the upper and lower screws to ensure that the two power lines, one air tube, one USB line, one CAN bus, and the upper and lower screws do not interfere with each other.

[0029] Furthermore, at least a portion of the power cord, USB cable, and CAN bus are spirals to meet the requirements for telescoping.

[0030] Furthermore, an upper and lower motor brake is provided at the front end of the upper and lower telescopic drive motor. The upper and lower motor brake controls the rotation of the upper and lower screw by controlling the start and stop of the upper and lower telescopic drive motor.

[0031] Furthermore, the interfaces include a USB interface and a CAN bus interface.

[0032] Furthermore, a camera is also provided on the top of the vertical telescopic mechanism. The camera is a 3D camera, which is used to identify the specific situation of the table in real time, so that the horizontal telescopic mechanism can adjust its front and back position, and the vertical telescopic mechanism can adjust its vertical position, so that the dishes can be placed smoothly on the table.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0034] 1. This invention adjusts the angle of the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms through a rotating mechanism, adjusts the front and rear positions of the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms through a horizontal telescopic mechanism, and adjusts the upper and lower positions of the claws through the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms, thereby achieving precise placement of dishes and automatically placing dishes on the table. The control is simple and convenient.

[0035] 2. Simulates the effect of manually placing plates, providing users with a better dining service.

[0036] 3. Using food carriers and standardized plates for serving is more efficient.

[0037] 4. It can be used with mobile robot platforms. Attached Figure Description

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure implemented by the present invention.

[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the rotating mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0040] Figure 3 This is a front view of the rotating mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0041] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A cross-sectional view along the AA direction.

[0042] Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the rotating mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal telescopic mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0044] Figure 7 This is a front view of the horizontal telescopic mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0045] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 Cross-sectional view along the BB direction.

[0046] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the horizontal telescopic mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0047] Figure 10This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal telescopic mechanism for the hidden housing implemented in this invention.

[0048] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal telescopic mechanism for concealing the housing and joints as implemented in this invention.

[0049] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the horizontal telescopic drive motor and the magnet implemented in this invention.

[0050] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the horizontal telescopic state achieved by the present invention.

[0051] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the outer shell structure implemented in this invention.

[0052] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical telescopic mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0053] Figure 16 This is a front view of the vertical telescopic mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0054] Figure 17 yes Figure 16 A cross-sectional view along the CC direction.

[0055] Figure 18 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical telescopic mechanism of the hidden shell implemented in this invention.

[0056] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical telescopic mechanism for another angle-concealing shell achieved by the present invention.

[0057] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram of the vertical telescopic mechanism that allows the housing to be hidden at another angle, as implemented in this invention.

[0058] Figure 21 This is an exploded view of the vertical telescopic mechanism implemented in this invention.

[0059] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the application scenario of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0060] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention.

[0061] Reference Figure 1As shown, the food delivery mechanism for a serving robot implemented by the present invention includes a rotating mechanism 1, a horizontal telescopic mechanism 2, and a vertical telescopic mechanism 3. The rotating mechanism 1 can be set on the platform of the serving robot or on one side of the serving robot. The upper part of the rotating mechanism 1 is supported by the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2. The horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 can be horizontally extended and retracted for horizontal position adjustment. The horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 is connected downward to the vertical telescopic mechanism 3. The vertical telescopic mechanism 3 extends down from the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 and extends downward to grasp the standardized plate holding the food and transport the food. The vertical telescopic mechanism can also be vertically adjusted.

[0062] Reference Figures 2-5 The diagram shows the structure of the rotating mechanism. The rotating mechanism 1 includes a rotating motor 11 and a support tube 12. The rotating motor 11 is located at the lower part of the support tube 12 and can drive the support tube 12 to rotate. The support tube 12 is connected to the telescopic drive motor 21 of the horizontal telescopic mechanism. When the support tube 12 rotates, it drives the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 to rotate, thereby adjusting the telescopic direction of the horizontal telescopic mechanism.

[0063] The rotary motor 11 includes its drive control circuit, which will not be described in detail here.

[0064] In order to stably support the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2, a groove 14 is provided at the upper end of the support tube 12. The groove 14 is used to connect the telescopic drive motor 21 of the horizontal telescopic mechanism to support the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2.

[0065] The rotating mechanism also includes a base 13, which is located at the bottom. A rotating motor 11 and a support tube 12 are mounted on the base 13. The base 13 is used to be mounted on the platform of the serving robot or fixed to the side of the serving robot to support the rotating motor 11 and the support tube 12.

[0066] Rotating mechanism 1 is fixed and has no extension or retraction.

[0067] Reference Figures 6-14 The figure shows a structural diagram of the horizontal telescopic mechanism. As shown in the figure, the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 includes a horizontal telescopic drive motor 21, a housing 22, a mounting bracket 23, a screw 24, a nut 241, a crossbeam 242, a guide tube 26, a guide rail 25, a guide rail slider 251, and a connector 27.

[0068] The horizontal telescopic drive motor 21 has a screw 24 connected to its output shaft. The screw 24 is threadedly connected to a nut 241. A crossbeam 242 is fixed to the outside of the nut 241. The crossbeam 242 is mounted on a guide rail slider 251, which slides on the guide rail 25. The housing 22 has at least two sections: one on the outside, called the outer shell 221, which is mounted on the guide rail 25; and one on the inside, which is mounted on the guide rail slider 251 and called the inner shell 222. When the horizontal telescopic drive motor 21 drives the screw 24, the screw 24 acts in the opposite direction on the nut 241. The nut 241 then moves the crossbeam 242 and the guide rail slider 251 forward, thereby causing the inner shell 222 to extend. Reversing the screw 24 causes the inner shell 222 to retract, thus achieving horizontal position adjustment.

[0069] The horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 also includes a mounting frame 23 and a conduit 26. The outer shell 221 is fixed on the mounting frame 23, which is located at the rear end of the horizontal telescopic drive motor brake 212. The conduit 26 is fixedly installed and is used to run a cable 261 to control the motor and the food delivery process. The other end of the inner shell 222 is connected to a connector 27. The spiral part at the rear end of the cable is a spiral 262. The spiral 262 passes through the hole of the connector 27, so that the cable 261 passes through the connector 27 and extends into the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms 3 to realize the electrical connection between the horizontal telescopic mechanism and the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms 3.

[0070] Of the power cord, USB cable, and CAN bus cable 261, at least a portion thereof is a spiral 262 to meet the telescopic requirements and cooperate with the telescopic action.

[0071] The connector 27 is connected to the upper and lower telescopic mechanism 3. Specifically, the outer end face of the connector 27 has a U-shaped groove 28, which is used to connect the upper and lower telescopic motor 31 of the upper and lower telescopic mechanism.

[0072] The conduit 26 has five tubes, corresponding to two power lines, one air tube, one USB line, and one CAN bus. The screw 24 extends through the middle of the mounting bracket 23, and the five conduits 26 are arranged on the mounting bracket 23 and distributed around the screw 24 so as not to affect the operation of the screw 24.

[0073] A motor brake 212 is also provided at the front end of the horizontal telescopic drive motor 21. The motor brake 212 brakes the horizontal telescopic drive motor to lock the robot's movement in the event of an emergency power failure, ensuring safety. A magnet 213 is embedded at the tail end of the shaft of the horizontal telescopic drive motor rotor 211. The magnet 213 corresponds to a sensor on the control circuit board 214 to sense changes in the motor shaft, thereby realizing the control of the motor.

[0074] The horizontal telescopic drive motor 21 includes its drive control circuit, which will not be described in detail here.

[0075] The horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 is used to adjust the horizontal position.

[0076] Figure 12 The figure shows a schematic diagram of the positional relationship between the horizontal telescopic drive motor 21, the magnet 213, and the circuit board 214. As shown in the figure, the bottom of the horizontal telescopic drive motor 21 is provided with a magnet 213 and a sensor. The magnet 213 is located at the bottom of the horizontal telescopic drive motor, and the sensor is located on the outside of the magnet 213. The sensor is usually set on the circuit board 214, which integrates the motor control circuit and the sensor circuit.

[0077] Figure 14 As shown, guide rails 25 are provided on both sides of the outer casing 221, and an embedding groove 223 is provided on the inner wall of the outer casing 221. The embedding groove 223 is used to place a linear sensor to sense the extension length.

[0078] Reference Figures 15-21 The diagram shows the structure of the upper and lower telescopic mechanism. As shown in the diagram, the upper and lower telescopic mechanism 3 includes an upper and lower telescopic drive motor 31, upper and lower housings 32, upper and lower mounting brackets 33, upper and lower screws 34, upper and lower nuts 341, upper and lower crossbeams 342, upper and lower guide tubes 36, upper and lower guide rails 35, upper and lower guide rail sliders 351, and upper and lower bases 37.

[0079] The output shaft 311 of the upper and lower telescopic drive motor 31 is connected to the upper and lower screws 34. The upper and lower screws 34 are connected to the upper and lower nuts 341 by threads. The upper and lower crossbeams 342 are fixed on the outside of the upper and lower nuts 341. The upper and lower crossbeams 342 are installed on the upper and lower guide rail sliders 351. The upper and lower guide rail sliders 351 are slidably mounted on the upper and lower guide rails 35.

[0080] The lower telescopic drive motor 31 drives the upper and lower housings 32 to extend and retract via the upper and lower screws 34, thereby adjusting their vertical position. Specifically, the upper and lower housings 32 have two sections: one on the outside, called the upper and lower outer shells 321, and one on the inside, called the upper and lower inner shells 322. The upper and lower inner shells 322 are mounted on the upper and lower guide rail sliders 351, the upper and lower guide rails 35 are fixed to the upper and lower outer shells 321, and the upper and lower outer shells 321 are fixed to the mounting bracket 33. The upper and lower screws 34 have external threads, and upper and lower nuts 341 are fitted onto them. The upper and lower screws 34 and the upper and lower nuts 341 are engaged by the threads. When the upper and lower telescopic drive motor 31 drives the upper and lower screws 34 to rotate, the upper and lower screws 34 act in the opposite direction on the upper and lower nuts 341. The upper and lower nuts 341 then drive the upper and lower crossbeams 342 and the upper and lower guide rail sliders 351 to move downward, thereby extending the upper and lower inner shells 322. Reversing the upper and lower screws 34 causes the upper and lower inner shells 322 to retract, thereby adjusting their vertical position.

[0081] An up-and-down motor brake 312 is also provided at the front end of the up-and-down telescopic drive motor 31. The up-and-down motor brake 312 brakes the up-and-down telescopic drive motor 31 to stop the robot's movement in case of emergency power failure, thus ensuring safety.

[0082] The vertical telescopic drive motor 31 includes its drive control circuit, which will not be described in detail here.

[0083] The upper and lower mounting bracket 33 is located at the lower end of the upper and lower telescopic drive motor 31, and upper and lower guide tubes 36 are fixedly mounted thereon. The upper and lower guide tubes 36 are used to run cables to control the motor and the food delivery process; specifically, the upper and lower guide tubes 36 have five tubes, corresponding to two power lines, one air tube, one USB line, and one CAN bus. Among the power lines, USB line, and CAN bus, a portion of them, like the horizontal telescopic mechanism, is a spiral to meet the telescopic requirements.

[0084] Five upper and lower conduits 36 are arranged around the upper and lower screws 34, so that the cable does not interfere with the upper and lower screws 34.

[0085] Generally speaking, the telescopic structure of the vertical telescopic mechanism 3 is basically the same as that of the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2.

[0086] At the other end of the inner shell 322, there is an upper and lower base 37. The upper and lower base 37 is equipped with an interface and control circuit 38 (i.e., a connecting circuit board) to control the gripper 39 to grasp and release the plate. The power cord, USB cable and CAN bus are located inside the upper and lower telescopic guide tubes 36 and are connected to the interface and control circuit board 38 set in the upper and lower telescopic base 37. The movement process of the gripper 39 is controlled through the interface and control circuit board 38.

[0087] The claw 39 is located at the lower part of the upper and lower bases 37 to pick up the food.

[0088] The interfaces in the interface and control circuit 38 include a power interface, a USB interface, and a CAN bus interface. The power interface, USB interface, CAN bus interface, and corresponding control circuits are all existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0089] Meanwhile, to ensure better and more accurate serving, a 3D camera 4 is installed at the top of the vertical telescopic mechanism 3. This camera is used to identify the specific situation on the table in real time, allowing the horizontal telescopic mechanism to adjust its front-to-back position and the vertical telescopic mechanism to adjust its vertical position, so that the dishes can be placed smoothly on the table. The camera 4 and the corresponding control program are existing technologies and will not be described in detail here.

[0090] The gripper 39 adopts existing structures, such as mechanical parallel grippers, three-finger / four-finger grippers, adaptive grippers, etc., which will not be described in detail here.

[0091] The vertical telescopic mechanism 3 is used to adjust the vertical position and the gripper to grasp the plate.

[0092] Figure 17 As shown, this is one application of the present invention. In this application, the present invention is installed on one side of the food serving robot 6, which facilitates the placement and grabbing of dishes on the robot platform.

[0093] The food serving process is as follows: The food serving robot 6 delivers a plate containing the food (for ease of use of this invention, the plate is preferably a standard plate to avoid picking up irregularly shaped dishes) to the table. At this time, the rotating mechanism 1 starts to work, driving the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 and the vertical telescopic mechanism 3 to rotate. The horizontal telescopic mechanism 2 works simultaneously, so that the vertical telescopic mechanism 3 is above the plate. Then, the vertical telescopic mechanism 3 adjusts its position so that the claw 39 can correspond to the plate; then, the claw 39 is driven to grab the plate.

[0094] The vertical telescopic mechanism 3 retracts, detaching the plate from the serving robot 6 and rotating it above the dining table 5. The 3D camera 4 observes the dining table in real time, determining where the plate can be placed. Then, driven by the rotating mechanism 1 and the horizontal telescopic mechanism 2, the plate is positioned above the corresponding location. The vertical telescopic mechanism 3 extends downwards, placing the plate on the dining table, and then the gripper 39 is released. This completes the placement of the food from the serving robot to the dining table.

[0095] This invention can also be used in conjunction with food delivery robots.

[0096] In summary, the present invention has the following advantages:

[0097] 1. This invention adjusts the angle of the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms through a rotating mechanism, adjusts the front and rear positions of the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms through a horizontal telescopic mechanism, and adjusts the upper and lower positions of the claws through the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms, thereby achieving precise placement of dishes and automatically placing dishes on the table. The control is simple and convenient.

[0098] 2. It simulates the effect of manually placing plates, making food serving simpler and providing users with better dining service.

[0099] 3. Use grippers and standardized plates to serve dishes, avoiding the need to handle complicated utensils, making the serving process simpler and more reliable.

[0100] 4. It can be used with a mobile food delivery robot table that has SLAM navigation function.

[0101] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot, characterized in that, Includes a rotating mechanism, a horizontal telescopic mechanism, a vertical telescopic mechanism, and a locking jaw. The rotating mechanism can be set on the platform of the serving robot or on one side of the serving robot; the upper part of the rotating mechanism is supported by a horizontal telescopic mechanism. The horizontal telescopic mechanism is capable of horizontal extension and retraction for horizontal position adjustment, and is connected downward to the vertical telescopic mechanism. The vertical telescopic mechanism extends down from the horizontal telescopic mechanism and extends downward to grip the standardized plate holding the food and transport the food. The vertical telescopic mechanism can also be adjusted in vertical position. The claw is installed at the lower part of the upper and lower telescopic mechanism.

2. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating mechanism includes a rotating motor and a support tube. The rotating motor is located at the lower part of the support tube and can drive the support tube to rotate. The support tube is connected to a horizontal telescopic mechanism. The upper end of the support tube has a groove for placing the horizontal telescopic mechanism and supporting it.

3. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal telescopic mechanism includes a horizontal telescopic drive motor, a housing, a screw, a nut, a crossbeam, a guide rail, a guide rail slider, and a connector. The output shaft of the horizontal telescopic drive motor is connected to a screw, which is threadedly connected to a nut. A crossbeam is fixed to the outside of the nut, and the crossbeam is mounted on the guide rail slider, which slides on the guide rail. The housing has at least two sections, one on the outside and one on the inside. The inner section is mounted on the guide rail slider. When the horizontal telescopic drive motor drives the screw, the screw acts in the opposite direction on the nut, which in turn moves the crossbeam and the guide rail slider forward, thereby causing the inner housing to extend. Reversing the screw causes the inner housing to retract, thus adjusting the horizontal position. Simultaneously, a magnet and a sensor are located at the bottom of the horizontal telescopic drive motor, with the magnet at the bottom and a sensor corresponding to the outside of the magnet.

4. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The horizontal telescopic mechanism also includes a mounting frame and a conduit. The guide rail is fixed on the mounting frame, which is located inside the horizontal telescopic drive motor. The guide rail and conduit are fixedly installed on the mounting frame. The conduit is used to run cables to control the motor and the food delivery process. The rear end of the cable inside the conduit is a spiral cable to cooperate with the telescopic joint for telescopic extension and retraction. The other end of the inner section of the housing is connected to a connector, and the conduit passes through the connector to realize the electrical connection of the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms.

5. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The outer end face of the connector has a U-shaped groove, which is used to connect the upper and lower telescopic mechanisms.

6. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The conduit has five tubes, corresponding to two power lines, one air tube, one USB cable, and one CAN bus. The screw extends through the middle of the mounting bracket, and the five conduits are set on the mounting bracket and distributed around the screw. The rear spiral part of the cable inside the conduit is staggered from the moving position of the screw nut to avoid interference and achieve cable extension function.

7. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The telescopic mechanism includes a telescopic drive motor, upper and lower housings, upper and lower screws, upper and lower nuts, upper and lower crossbeams, upper and lower guide rails, upper and lower guide rail sliders, and a base. The output shaft of the telescopic drive motor is connected to the upper and lower screws, and the upper and lower screws are threadedly connected to the upper and lower nuts. The upper and lower crossbeams are fixed to the outside of the upper and lower nuts, and the upper and lower crossbeams are mounted on the upper and lower guide rail sliders. The upper and lower guide rail sliders slide on the upper and lower guide rails. The upper and lower housings have at least two sections, one on the outside and one on the inside. The inner section is mounted on the upper and lower guide rail sliders. When the telescopic drive motor drives the upper and lower screws, the upper and lower screws act in opposite directions on the upper and lower nuts, which in turn drive the upper and lower crossbeams and the upper and lower guide rail sliders to move downward, thereby causing the inner upper and lower housings to extend. Reversing the upper and lower screws causes the inner upper and lower housings to retract, thereby achieving adjustment of the vertical position.

8. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The upper and lower telescopic mechanism also includes upper and lower mounting frames, upper and lower conduits, upper and lower cables and their spiral parts. The upper and lower guide rails are fixed on the upper and lower mounting frames, which are located inside the upper and lower telescopic drive motor. The upper and lower guide rails and upper and lower conduits are fixedly installed. The upper and lower conduits are used to pass through the cables, and the rear end of the cables is a spiral part to control the motor and the food delivery process. The other end of the inner section of the upper and lower housing is connected to a base, and the conduit passes through the contact base to realize the electrical connection with the claw.

9. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 7, characterized in that, The upper and lower telescopic base is equipped with an interface and control circuit for upper and lower telescopic movement and claw control, which realizes the control of upper and lower position adjustment, claw gripping and releasing of the plate; an upper and lower motor brake is also provided at the front end of the upper and lower telescopic drive motor, which realizes the rotation control of the upper and lower screw by controlling the start and stop of the upper and lower telescopic drive motor.

10. The food delivery mechanism for a food serving robot as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the vertical telescopic mechanism is also equipped with a camera, which is a 3D camera, to identify the specific situation of the table in real time, so that the horizontal telescopic mechanism can adjust its front and back position, and the vertical telescopic mechanism can adjust its vertical position, so that the dishes can be placed smoothly on the table.

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