Multi-robot cooperative automatic unstacking control method and device for car tipping machine

Abstract

This invention discloses a method and apparatus for automatic unloading and reloading control of a multi-robot collaborative tippler, relating to the field of robot collaborative control technology. The method includes: constructing a master-slave communication architecture for the tippler, comprising a master PLC acting as the network master and multiple working robots acting as network slaves, all connected to a fieldbus; the master PLC generating collaborative control commands based on the tippler's operating instructions; controlling the unloading and reloading operations of the multiple robots based on the collaborative control commands; before control implementation, acquiring the angular velocities of the master and slave motors via the fieldbus, calculating the angular velocity deviation, and generating an auxiliary control quantity that is superimposed on the slave motors to achieve angular velocity synchronization between the master and slave motors. This invention solves the technical problem in existing technologies where insufficient synchronization accuracy of master and slave motors in multi-robot collaborative operation scenarios affects the coordination and accuracy of collaborative control in multi-robot unloading and reloading operations, achieving the technical effect of improving the operational stability of the tippler and the accuracy and automation level of multi-robot collaborative unloading and reloading operations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of robot collaborative control technology, specifically to a method and device for automatic unloading and recovery operation control of a multi-robot collaborative tippler. Background Technology

[0002] Tipplers are key large-scale pieces of equipment in railway transportation and port bulk material handling operations. They are widely used in the unloading of trains carrying bulk materials such as coal and ore. The operation requires manual intervention to complete tasks such as uncoupling, brake release, and coupler separation, resulting in low efficiency and high safety risks, especially in harsh environments with high dust and noise levels, threatening the health of operators. Introducing multiple robots into the tippler uncoupling and recoupling process to achieve unmanned and intelligent operation has become an important development direction. However, tippler uncoupling and recoupling operations involve the coordinated actions of multiple robots within a limited space, including uncoupling, lifting, brake release, and recoupling, placing extremely high demands on the robots' synchronization, coordination, and reliability. Existing multi-robot collaborative control adopts a distributed control architecture, with each robot operating independently and lacking a unified collaborative scheduling mechanism. This easily leads to problems such as action conflicts and timing disorders. At the same time, the master-slave motor synchronization control of existing tippers mostly adopts a PID adjustment method based on speed deviation. Under steady-state conditions, it can basically meet the tipping requirements. However, during the unloading and reloading operation, robot actions such as unhooking and hooking will generate dynamic load disturbances, causing instantaneous angular velocity deviations between the master and slave motors. This causes the tipping mechanism to vibrate, resulting in the accumulation of positioning errors of the robot's end effector. This affects the timing matching and action coordination of multi-robot collaborative operations. How to achieve high-precision angular velocity synchronization of master and slave motors under dynamic disturbances of robots, and on this basis, perform unified unloading and reloading operation scheduling for multiple robots, is a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field.

[0003] Therefore, in the current related technologies, there is a technical problem that the synchronization accuracy of master and slave motors is insufficient in multi-robot collaborative operation scenarios, which affects the coordination and accuracy of multi-robot decomposition and reconstruction collaborative control. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an automatic unloading and reloading operation control method and device for multi-robot collaborative tippler operations, which solves the technical problem in the prior art where the synchronization accuracy of master and slave motors is insufficient in multi-robot collaborative operation scenarios, affecting the coordination and accuracy of multi-robot unloading and reloading operation control. It achieves the technical effect of improving the stability of tippler operation and the accuracy and automation level of multi-robot collaborative unloading and reloading operations.

[0005] This application provides a multi-robot collaborative automatic unloading and reloading operation control method for a tippler. The method includes: constructing a master-slave communication architecture for the tippler, wherein the master-slave communication architecture includes a master control PLC as a network master station and multiple operating robots as network slave stations, and the master-slave communication architecture is connected to a fieldbus; the master control PLC generates collaborative control instructions based on the operation instructions of the tippler; and performs unloading and reloading operation control on the multiple operating robots based on the collaborative control instructions. The tippler has a master motor and slave motors. Before performing unloading and reloading operation control on the multiple operating robots based on the collaborative control instructions, the method includes: acquiring the master angular velocity of the master motor and the slave angular velocity of the slave motor through the fieldbus; determining an auxiliary control quantity based on the angular velocity deviation obtained by comparing the master angular velocity and the slave angular velocity; and superimposing the auxiliary control quantity onto the slave motor to achieve synchronization of the angular velocities of the master motor and the slave motor.

[0006] In a possible implementation, the fieldbus refers to the Profibus-DP fieldbus.

[0007] In a possible implementation, the network master station and the network slave station exchange data periodically through process data objects of type PPO.

[0008] In a possible implementation, the multiple operating robots include an unhooking robot, a forward-hooking robot, and a re-hooking robot. The collaborative control commands include a disengagement control command, a forward-hooking control command, and a re-hooking control command. Based on the collaborative control commands, the multiple operating robots are controlled to perform unhooking and re-hooking operations, including: according to the disengagement control command, controlling the unhooking robot installed on the loaded shunting machine track to unhook the tipper, obtaining an unhooking signal; when the main control PLC determines that the unhooking signal meets a first predetermined constraint, according to the forward-hooking control command, controlling the forward-hooking robot installed at the front end of the shunting machine boom to forward-hook the tipper, obtaining a forward-hooking signal; when the main control PLC determines that the forward-hooking signal meets a second predetermined constraint, according to the re-hooking control command, the re-hooking robot installed on the empty car track side to re-hook the tipper, obtaining a re-hooking signal; when the main control PLC determines that the re-hooking signal meets a third predetermined constraint, subsequent car pushing operations are performed.

[0009] In a possible implementation, when the main control PLC determines that the uncoupling signal does not meet the first predetermined constraint, a preset safety interlock logic is introduced to prevent the loaded shunting locomotive from pulling the car to the tippler.

[0010] In a possible implementation, when the main control PLC determines that the positive hook signal does not meet the second predetermined constraint, it activates the torque sensor to obtain the guiding resistance timing of the positive hook robot; it performs a variation weighted analysis on the timing characteristic parameters obtained by analyzing the guiding resistance timing to obtain the guiding resistance index; if the guiding resistance index exceeds a predetermined threshold, it issues an abnormal warning and performs a jamming release process on the coupler according to the abnormal warning.

[0011] In possible implementations, the timing characteristic parameters include at least the maximum resistance value and the resistance constant duration.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the unhooking robot integrates a collision avoidance safety protection mechanism. The body of the unhooking robot has a collision-resistant solid structure beam. When the unhooking robot accidentally collides with the heavy-duty shunting locomotive, the impact force is transmitted to a preset collision-resistant concrete block through the collision-resistant solid structure beam, thus preventing damage to the body structure of the unhooking robot.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the unhooking robot has a flexible manipulator, which has a reverse self-protection function. If the carriage moves unexpectedly during the unhooking process, the manipulator can automatically detach from the contact.

[0014] This application also provides an automatic de-recovery operation control device for a multi-robot collaborative tippler. The device includes: a communication architecture construction module for constructing a master-slave communication architecture for the tippler, wherein the master-slave communication architecture includes a master control PLC as a network master station and multiple working robots as network slave stations, and the master-slave communication architecture is connected to a fieldbus; a collaborative control instruction generation module for the master control PLC to generate collaborative control instructions based on the operation instructions of the tippler; and a de-recovery operation control module for performing de-recovery operation control on the multiple working robots based on the collaborative control instructions. The tippler has a master motor and slave motors. The de-recovery operation control on the multiple working robots based on the collaborative control instructions includes: acquiring the master motor's angular velocity and the slave motor's angular velocity through the fieldbus; determining an auxiliary control quantity based on the angular velocity deviation obtained by comparing the master motor's angular velocity and the slave motor's angular velocity; and superimposing the auxiliary control quantity onto the slave motor to achieve synchronization of the angular velocities of the master motor and the slave motor.

[0015] This application proposes a multi-robot collaborative automatic unloading and reloading control method and device for tippler operations. It constructs a master-slave communication architecture for the tippler, including a master PLC acting as the network master and multiple working robots acting as network slaves, with the master-slave communication architecture connected to a fieldbus. The master PLC generates collaborative control commands based on the tippler's operation instructions. Based on these commands, the system controls the unloading and reloading operations of the multiple working robots. Before control implementation, the angular velocities of the master and slave motors are acquired via the fieldbus. The angular velocity deviation is calculated and then used to generate an auxiliary control quantity, which is superimposed on the slave motors to achieve angular velocity synchronization between the master and slave motors. This solves the technical problem in existing multi-robot collaborative operation scenarios where insufficient synchronization accuracy of the master and slave motors affects the coordination and accuracy of multi-robot unloading and reloading collaborative control. It achieves the technical effect of improving the operational stability of the tippler and the accuracy and automation level of multi-robot collaborative unloading and reloading operations. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of this disclosure will be briefly described below. Flowcharts and structural diagrams are used in this application to illustrate the operations performed by the apparatus according to the embodiments of this application. It should be understood that the preceding or following operations are not necessarily performed precisely in sequence. Instead, various steps can be processed in reverse order or simultaneously as needed. Furthermore, other operations can be added to these processes, or one or more steps can be removed from these processes.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot collaborative tippler provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the automatic unloading and recovery control device for a multi-robot collaborative tippler provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure labeling: Communication architecture construction module 10, collaborative control instruction generation module 20, decompression operation control module 30. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To further illustrate the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention in order to achieve the intended purpose, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments, based on the specific implementation methods, structures, features and effects of the present invention.

[0021] This application provides an embodiment of an automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot collaborative tippler, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the method includes: Step S100: Construct a master-slave communication architecture for the tipper, wherein the master-slave communication architecture includes a master PLC as the network master station and multiple working robots as network slave stations, and the master-slave communication architecture is mounted on a fieldbus.

[0022] Step S100 further includes that the fieldbus refers to the Profibus-DP fieldbus.

[0023] Step S100 further includes periodic data exchange between the network master station and the network slave station through a process data object of type PPO.

[0024] Preferably, a master-slave communication architecture for the tippler is constructed based on the Profibus-DP fieldbus. This architecture includes a master PLC acting as the network master and multiple working robots acting as network slaves. The master PLC has bus control rights and is responsible for initiating all communications, sending instructions to the slaves, and receiving data from the slaves. The multiple working robots, such as the unhooking robot and the hooking robot, cannot initiate communication proactively; they can only passively respond to the master's requests, execute the instructions sent by the master, and report their own position, speed, completion signal, and other statuses to the master. DP stands for Distributed Peripheral Device, an industrial communication protocol specifically designed for high-speed, cyclical data exchange between automated control systems and field devices (such as robots, frequency converters, and sensors). It adopts a master-slave communication mode and is very suitable for scenarios with high real-time requirements, such as the collaborative control of tipplers.

[0025] Preferably, the network master station and the network slave station exchange data periodically through process data objects of type PPO. PPO is a standardized data message format defined in the Profibus-DP protocol, which specifies the data type and arrangement of communication between the master and slave. PPO typically contains operating parameter data for the master station to configure, modify, or read the slave station. For example, the master PLC can adjust the robot's motion speed curve, torque limit value, or working mode through PPO. It also contains process data for periodically and in real time exchanging control commands and status information. From master station to slave station, this includes coordinated control commands (such as "start unhooking", "execute forward hook", "stop rehooking"), target position, speed setpoint, etc. From slave station to master station, this includes the robot's real-time status ("unhooking completed", "forward hook in place", "fault alarm"), joint angle, motor angular velocity feedback, etc., and this exchange is forced once every communication cycle (a few milliseconds to tens of milliseconds).

[0026] Preferably, periodic data exchange is the core working mechanism of Profibus-DP, also known as cyclic data communication. The master PLC polls all slave robots connected to the bus sequentially within a fixed, very short time period, such as 10 milliseconds. Specifically, the master PLC sends a PPO message to the first slave robot, containing the latest collaborative control instructions or process data for that robot. Upon receiving the instruction, the robot immediately returns a PPO message to the master station within the current cycle, containing its current status and feedback data. The master PLC updates its internal data image upon receiving the feedback. The master PLC then polls the second, third, and so on, until all robots have been polled, at which point the next cycle begins. The master PLC can precisely know the time interval between obtaining the latest status of all robots and sending a new instruction. Collaborative instructions issued by the master station (such as "all robots stop simultaneously") arrive at all slave stations almost within the same bus cycle, ensuring precise synchronization of multi-robot actions, thereby achieving precise, synchronous, and reliable control of the tippler's unloading and recovery operations.

[0027] In step S200, the main control PLC generates collaborative control instructions based on the operation instructions of the tipper.

[0028] Preferably, the tippler's operating instructions are high-level, non-specific commands issued from the operator station in the central control room, the unloading operation management system, or the automated scheduling system to the main control PLC. These commands describe the tasks to be completed, such as "start unloading the 5th car," "execute the unloading and reloading operation process for the entire train," "emergency stop all current operations," and "enter maintenance mode." After receiving the tippler's operating instructions, the main control PLC decomposes, breaks down, and arranges them into sub-instructions for different robots based on preset process logic, safety interlock conditions, and real-time status. Specifically, the macro-operating instructions are broken down into sub-tasks in a time sequence. For "start unloading the 5th car," it is automatically decomposed into "execute uncoupling," "execute forward hooking," "start tippler tipping (synchronized with motor)," "execute recoupling," and "allow car pushing." Then, the executing slave station equipment for each sub-task is determined, for example, "execute uncoupling" → uncoupling robot, "execute forward hooking" → forward hooking robot, and "execute recoupling" → recoupling robot. Next, specific executable control instructions are generated for each target robot, including action targets, parameters, and constraints. For example, the instruction sent to the unhooking robot is "start unhooking", the target hook ID is 5, the maximum torque is 100Nm, and the speed mode is low speed. The instruction sent to the hooking robot is "start hooking", the guide stroke is 50mm, and the timeout is 5s. All instructions are time-series synchronized to ensure that the macro-level operational requirements can be accurately transformed into micro-level control tasks that multiple robots can execute collaboratively, generating the lowest-level control commands that each robot can directly execute, i.e., collaborative control instructions.

[0029] Furthermore, the tipper has a main motor and a slave motor. Based on the cooperative control command, it performs decoupling and recombining operation control on the multiple working robots. The process includes: acquiring the main motor speed and the slave motor angular velocity through the fieldbus; determining an auxiliary control quantity based on the angular velocity deviation obtained by comparing the main motor speed and the slave motor angular velocity; and superimposing the auxiliary control quantity onto the slave motor to achieve synchronization of the angular velocities of the main motor and the slave motor.

[0030] Preferably, before controlling the unloading and reloading operations of multiple robots, the angular velocities of the master and slave motors of the tippler are synchronized in real time to eliminate the angular velocity deviation between the master and slave motors and ensure the smooth operation of the tippler's tilting mechanism. Specifically, the tippler's tilting drive system adopts a master-slave motor cooperative drive mode. The master motor is responsible for outputting the main driving force, and its operating state is directly given by the control system. It is the "instruction issuer." The slave motor assists in outputting driving force, and its task is to follow the operating state of the master motor. It is the "instruction follower." If the motors are not synchronized properly before allowing the robots to move, it may lead to inaccurate positioning of the robots and collisions with the tippler. The motor synchronization control must be completed first before the "start unloading and reloading operation" command can be issued to the unhooking robot, the hooking robot, etc.

[0031] Preferably, the main control PLC uses the PROFIBUS-DP fieldbus to periodically (e.g., every 10 milliseconds) simultaneously read the master motor's angular velocity and the slave motor's angular velocity, respectively. This simultaneous acquisition via the bus ensures the time synchronization of the two angular velocity data, avoiding calculation errors caused by different data arrival times. Then, the angular velocity deviation between the master and slave angular velocities is calculated: angular velocity deviation = master motor speed - slave angular velocity. If the deviation is positive, it indicates that the slave motor is rotating slower than the master motor, meaning the slave motor's speed is too low. If the deviation is negative, it indicates that the slave motor rotates faster than the master motor, meaning the slave motor speed is too high. Based on the magnitude and trend of the angular velocity deviation, a correction value is calculated by a positional PID controller as an auxiliary control quantity, typically an increment of voltage, current, or torque. The larger the deviation, the larger the auxiliary control quantity. If the deviation persists, the auxiliary control quantity accumulates to eliminate steady-state error. The master PLC sends the auxiliary control quantity to the slave motor driver via the fieldbus in the form of a torque setpoint. This auxiliary control quantity is added to or subtracted from the original angular velocity setpoint command, forming a speed / torque closed-loop control. Through real-time detection, deviation calculation, and superimposed compensation in a closed-loop control system, the slave motor's angular velocity continuously approaches and maintains consistency with the master motor. Even with load fluctuations (such as uneven material distribution within the vehicle), dynamic adjustments can be made to achieve steady-state synchronization of the master and slave motor angular velocities, providing a smooth, torsion-free, and highly dynamic mechanical operating platform for precise multi-robot decomposition operations.

[0032] Step S300: Perform decompression and recombination operation control on the multiple work robots based on the collaborative control command.

[0033] Step S300 further includes: the multiple operating robots include a decoupling robot, a forward-hooking robot, and a recoupling robot; the collaborative control instructions include a disengagement control instruction, a forward-hooking control instruction, and a recoupling control instruction; according to the disengagement control instruction, the decoupling robot installed on the loaded shunting machine track is controlled to decouple the tipper, obtaining a decoupling signal; when the main control PLC determines that the decoupling signal meets a first predetermined constraint, according to the forward-hooking control instruction, the forward-hooking robot installed at the front end of the shunting machine boom is controlled to forward-hook the tipper, obtaining a forward-hooking signal; when the main control PLC determines that the forward-hooking signal meets a second predetermined constraint, according to the recoupling control instruction, the recoupling robot installed on the empty car line side is controlled to recouple the tipper, obtaining a recoupling signal; when the main control PLC determines that the recoupling signal meets a third predetermined constraint, subsequent car pushing operations are performed.

[0034] Preferably, the "uncoupling and re-coupling" operation is a collective term for "uncoupling operation" (unhooking and forward hooking) and "re-coupling operation" (re-hooking). Multiple operation robots include unhooking robots, forward hooking robots, and re-hooking robots. The unhooking robot is installed on the loaded shunting machine track and executes the unhooking control action according to the uncoupling control command in the collaborative control command. The forward hooking robot is installed at the front end of the shunting machine boom and executes the forward hooking control action according to the forward hooking control command in the collaborative control command. The re-hooking robot is installed on the empty car track side and executes the re-hooking control action according to the re-coupling control command in the collaborative control command. Each type of robot is dedicated to one operation, with clear division of labor and installation position close to its work object, reducing the movement distance and improving the response speed.

[0035] Preferably, according to the disconnection control command, the uncoupling robot installed on the loaded car shunting locomotive track controls the uncoupling of the tippler, that is, opening the coupler connection between the cars, separating the car to be unloaded from the cars in front and behind, and outputting an uncoupling signal indicating that the uncoupling action has been completed or the status is normal. The loaded car shunting locomotive is responsible for pushing loaded cars into the tippler, and the uncoupling robot is installed on its track, allowing it to move with the cars or operate at fixed points. When the main control PLC determines that the uncoupling signal meets the first predetermined constraint, which includes at least the following: uncoupling completed, uncoupling position correct, no fault alarm, and safety interlock conditions met, according to the forward hooking control command, the forward hooking robot installed at the front end of the car shifter arm controls the forward hooking of the tippler, including guiding and aligning the coupler, and outputting a forward hooking signal indicating that the forward hooking action has been completed. The front end of the car shifter arm is a key position for interaction between the car shifter and the cars; the forward hooking robot is installed here for easy direct operation of the coupler.

[0036] Preferably, when the main control PLC determines that the hooking signal meets the second predetermined constraint, which includes at least the completion of hooking, the coupler being aligned in place, and the absence of abnormal jamming, the hooking robot installed on the empty car track side performs hooking control on the tipper according to the re-coupling control command. This reconnects the couplers between the unloaded empty cars to restore the train formation, and outputs a hooking signal indicating that the hooking action is complete. The empty car track side is the area where the empty cars remain after unloading from the tipper; the hooking robot is installed here to facilitate hooking operations on the unloaded cars. When the main control PLC determines that the hooking signal meets the third predetermined constraint, which includes at least the completion of hooking, the coupler being connected in place, and the safety interlocking conditions being met, subsequent pushing operations are performed, including pushing the hooked empty cars out of the tipper area to make room for the unloading of the next car. By breaking down the macroscopic "unhooking and re-coupling operation" into executable, orderly, and safety-verified automated steps, multi-robot collaborative control is achieved.

[0037] Furthermore, step S300 also includes, when the main control PLC determines that the uncoupling signal does not meet the first predetermined constraint, introducing a preset safety interlock logic to prohibit the loaded car shunting machine from pulling the car to the tipper.

[0038] Preferably, the preset safety interlock logic is a "prohibit operation if conditions are not met" protection mechanism. This mechanism automatically prevents dangerous actions and avoids equipment damage or safety accidents when an abnormality occurs during the uncoupling process. When the main control PLC determines that the uncoupling signal does not meet the first predetermined constraint, including the uncoupling robot failing to successfully open the coupler, uncoupling not being completed, incorrect uncoupling position, coupler not separating, or fault alarm, the preset safety interlock logic is triggered. A "prohibit traction" flag is set inside the PLC, and the "forward / traction" signal is no longer sent to the shunting locomotive's driver. The "pull" command may trigger an emergency stop or deceleration stop if the shunting locomotive is in motion. The shunting locomotive is responsible for pulling fully loaded wagons from the waiting area into the tippler's tilting station. Pulling a wagon to the tippler means that the shunting locomotive hooks the wagon to be unloaded and pulls it along the track into the tippler. If the hook is not unhooked and the wagon to be unloaded is still connected to the wagon behind it, forcibly pulling it may cause the connected wagons to be pulled into the tippler together, resulting in multiple wagons being squeezed and derailed inside the tippler, causing serious damage to the equipment.

[0039] Furthermore, step S300 also includes: when the main control PLC determines that the positive hook signal does not meet the second predetermined constraint, activating the torque sensor to obtain the guiding resistance timing of the positive hook robot; performing variation weighted analysis on the timing characteristic parameters obtained by analyzing the guiding resistance timing to obtain the guiding resistance index; if the guiding resistance index exceeds a predetermined threshold, issuing an abnormal warning, and performing jamming release processing on the coupler according to the abnormal warning.

[0040] Step S300 further includes that the timing characteristic parameters include at least the maximum resistance value and the resistance constant duration.

[0041] Preferably, when the main control PLC determines that the positive hook signal does not meet the second predetermined constraint, indicating abnormal resistance (jamming), substandard position accuracy, maximum resistance exceeding the safety threshold, or failure to complete the correction action within the specified time, an abnormality type judgment is performed. If the position accuracy indicated by the hook signal is not up to standard, the hook robot is triggered to re-execute the guidance and positioning. If the indicated action times out, the current hook task is terminated and a timeout fault is reported. If the indicated guidance resistance is abnormal, the torque sensor installed on the joint or end effector of the hook robot is activated to collect the resistance torque during the guidance process and obtain the guidance resistance timing of the hook robot. This includes multiple resistance values ​​recorded in chronological order, reflecting the dynamic process of resistance changing with the guidance stroke. Then, key characteristic parameters are extracted from the guidance resistance timing, including the maximum resistance value and the resistance constant duration. The maximum resistance value is the maximum resistance reading that occurs during the entire guidance process, representing the peak resistance at the jamming point, used to determine the severity of the jamming, such as slight jamming or complete jamming. The resistance constant duration is the length of time that the resistance is maintained at a high level during the guidance process, representing the duration of the jamming, used to determine the persistence and stability of the jamming. The high-level resistance is dynamically determined based on the historical operation data or calibration parameters corresponding to the current car model. For example, the high resistance judgment threshold for the current car model can be obtained from the preset resistance threshold table after the main control PLC reads the car model.

[0042] Preferably, since different characteristic parameters contribute differently to the "severity of jamming," different weights are assigned to them based on factors such as the car body model and ambient temperature. For example, a weight configuration table is established: for the C70 type open wagon, the maximum resistance value is weighted at 0.7, and the resistance constant duration is weighted at 0.3; for the C80 type wagon, the weights are set at 0.6 and 0.4 respectively. When the ambient temperature is below -10℃, the resistance constant duration weight increases by 0.1, and the total weight is normalized to 1. Then, a variation weighted analysis is performed on the time-series characteristic parameters to generate a positive resistance index. Since the maximum resistance value and the resistance constant duration have different dimensions, each time-series characteristic parameter is normalized before weighted fusion, mapping it to the [0, 1] interval. Normalization can use the extreme value normalization method, where the normalized value = (Actual value - Minimum value) / (Maximum value - Minimum value), where the minimum and maximum values ​​are determined based on historical operation data. Then, the normalized characteristic parameters are weighted and summed to obtain the guiding resistance index. This index is then compared with a predetermined threshold, which is calibrated through experiments or historical data. For example, in the joint commissioning experiment of a certain model tipper and a C70 type carriage, the maximum guiding resistance index under normal operation was 0.38, and the minimum value under slight jamming was 0.42. Therefore, 0.4 is used as the dividing point between normal and slight jamming. A guiding resistance index range of 0~0.4 indicates smooth guiding without jamming; a range of 0.4~0.7 indicates slight resistance; and a range greater than 0.7 indicates severe jamming, triggering an early warning and handling mechanism.

[0043] Preferably, if the guiding resistance index exceeds a predetermined threshold, the main control PLC issues an abnormal warning, such as a "hooking hook stuck" message popping up on the central control room interface or an audible and visual alarm. Based on the abnormal warning, the PLC performs a hook-and-coupler removal procedure. Specifically, for minor stuckness or foreign object clamping, the hook-and-coupler robot performs small forward and backward reciprocating movements to attempt to loosen the stuck object; for rust or slight deformation, a large torque (within a safe range) is applied to the stuck point for a short time; for particulate matter stuckness, the vibration mechanism at the end of the robot is activated to help loosen it; for dryness or rust, the automatic lubrication device is triggered to spray lubricant onto the hook; for severe stuckness or mechanical damage, if automatic removal fails, manual intervention is reported.

[0044] Furthermore, step S300 also includes that the unhooking robot is integrated with an anti-collision safety protection mechanism, and the body of the unhooking robot has an anti-collision solid structure beam. When the unhooking robot collides accidentally with the heavy vehicle shunting machine, the impact force is transmitted to the preset anti-collision cement block through the anti-collision solid structure beam to avoid damage to the body structure of the unhooking robot.

[0045] Preferably, the uncoupling robot integrates a collision avoidance safety protection mechanism. When a collision is unavoidable, the force transmission path designed in the structure allows the collision force to bypass the fragile robot body, such as joints, shell, and reducer, and transfer to an external fixed object capable of withstanding the impact. Specifically, when the uncoupling robot accidentally collides with a shunting locomotive—that is, when the uncoupling robot extends its reach for operation, the shunting locomotive or the car it pulls collides with the robot body—for example, the uncoupling robot's and the shunting locomotive's working areas highly overlap; the shunting locomotive's traction trajectory for entering and exiting the tippler is long; the uncoupling robot's extended robotic arm occupies track space near the coupler; or there are positioning errors, communication delays, or sensor failures. In the event of program malfunctions, the impact force is transmitted to the pre-set anti-collision concrete block through the anti-collision integrated structural beam. The anti-collision integrated structural beam is a specially designed load-bearing component installed on the robot body, running through key parts of the robot body to form a complete force transmission channel. It is a beam-type component made of high-strength materials (such as structural steel) and rigidly connected to the robot body, but the force transmission path points to the concrete block. The pre-set anti-collision concrete block is cast in the direction in which the robot may collide with the ground and is rigidly connected to the foundation to withstand accidental impacts. After a severe collision, the concrete block may be damaged, but the repair cost is far lower than replacing the robot. Thus, in the case of unavoidable collisions, the robot body structure is effectively protected from damage, and maintenance costs and downtime are greatly reduced.

[0046] Furthermore, step S300 also includes that the unhooking robot has a flexible manipulator, wherein the flexible manipulator has a reverse self-protection function, and if the carriage moves unexpectedly during the unhooking process, the manipulator can automatically detach from the contact.

[0047] Preferably, the flexible robotic arm and reverse self-protection function ensure that if the carriage moves unexpectedly during the uncoupling process, the robotic arm can automatically disengage, avoiding damage to the robotic arm and carriage or causing more serious accidents. Specifically, the uncoupling robot has a flexible robotic arm whose fingers are made of elastomeric materials such as silicone or polyurethane, possessing a certain degree of deformability. Driven by springs or tendons, the fingers can adapt to the shape of the coupler and maintain contact with a slight adhesion. Disengagement occurs when the external force exceeds a threshold. The flexible robotic arm has a reverse self-protection function, meaning that when it detects that the direction of the external force is opposite to the normal operating direction or abnormally increases, it actively or passively disengages from contact. For example... The mechanical structure design allows for automatic disengagement when the force exceeds a threshold (e.g., magnetic coupling, spring clips). When the force / torque sensor detects an excessive reverse force, the control system actively opens the gripper. Easily breakable / easily detachable connectors are designed to break / detach under overload conditions. If the car body moves unexpectedly during the uncoupling process, such as the shunting locomotive erring to traction the car body, brake failure causing the car body to slide under gravity, the tipper operating, or the car body starting to tip over at an inappropriate time, the manipulator can automatically disengage, that is, all force transmission connections between the manipulator and the coupler are released, thereby preventing the manipulator from being pulled down, the robot body from being knocked over, or the coupler from being damaged, prioritizing the overall safety of the equipment and system.

[0048] In the above text, refer to Figure 1 This paper describes in detail the automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tippler according to embodiments of the present invention. Next, reference will be made to... Figure 2 This invention describes an automatic unloading and recovery operation control device for a multi-robot cooperative tippler according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] The multi-robot collaborative automatic unloading and reloading control device for tipplers according to embodiments of the present invention is used to solve the technical problem in the prior art where the synchronization accuracy of master and slave motors is insufficient in multi-robot collaborative operation scenarios, affecting the coordination and accuracy of multi-robot unloading and reloading collaborative control. It achieves the technical effect of improving the operational stability of tipplers and the accuracy and automation level of multi-robot collaborative unloading and reloading operations. Figure 2 As shown, the automatic unloading and recovery operation control device for a multi-robot collaborative tippler includes: a communication architecture construction module 10, a collaborative control instruction generation module 20, and an unloading and recovery operation control module 30.

[0050] The communication architecture construction module 10 is used to construct a master-slave communication architecture for the tipper, wherein the master-slave communication architecture includes a master PLC as the network master station and multiple working robots as network slave stations, and the master-slave communication architecture is mounted on a fieldbus; the collaborative control instruction generation module 20 is used by the master PLC to generate collaborative control instructions based on the working instructions of the tipper; the de-synchronization operation control module 30 is used to perform de-synchronization operation control on the multiple working robots based on the collaborative control instructions; wherein the tipper has a master motor and a slave motor, and the de-synchronization operation control on the multiple working robots based on the collaborative control instructions includes: obtaining the master speed of the master motor and the slave angular velocity of the slave motor through the fieldbus; determining an auxiliary control quantity based on the angular velocity deviation obtained by comparing the master speed and the slave angular velocity; and superimposing the auxiliary control quantity onto the slave motor to achieve synchronization of the angular velocities of the master motor and the slave motor.

[0051] The specific configuration of the communication architecture building module 10 will be described in detail below. The communication architecture building module 10 further includes: the fieldbus refers to the Profibus-DP fieldbus.

[0052] The specific configuration of the communication architecture construction module 10 will be described in detail below. The communication architecture construction module 10 further includes: periodic data exchange between the network master station and the network slave station through process data objects of type PPO.

[0053] The specific configuration of the uncoupling and re-coupling operation control module 30 will be described in detail below. The uncoupling and re-coupling operation control module 30 further includes: the multiple operating robots include an uncoupling robot, a forward-coupling robot, and a re-coupling robot; the collaborative control commands include a disengagement control command, a forward-coupling control command, and a re-coupling control command; according to the disengagement control command, the uncoupling robot installed on the loaded shunting machine track is controlled to uncouple the tippler, obtaining an uncoupling signal; when the main control PLC determines that the uncoupling signal meets a first predetermined constraint, according to the forward-coupling control command, the forward-coupling robot installed at the front end of the shunting machine boom is controlled to forward-couple the tippler, obtaining a forward-coupling signal; when the main control PLC determines that the forward-coupling signal meets a second predetermined constraint, according to the re-coupling control command, the re-coupling robot installed on the empty car line side is controlled to re-couple the tippler, obtaining a re-coupling signal; when the main control PLC determines that the re-coupling signal meets a third predetermined constraint, subsequent car pushing operations are performed.

[0054] The specific configuration of the uncoupling operation control module 30 will be described in detail below. The uncoupling operation control module 30 further includes: when the main control PLC determines that the uncoupling signal does not meet the first predetermined constraint, it introduces preset safety interlock logic to prevent the loaded car shunting locomotive from pulling the car body to the tippler.

[0055] The specific configuration of the unloading and recovery operation control module 30 will be described in detail below. The unloading and recovery operation control module 30 further includes: when the main control PLC determines that the positive hook signal does not meet the second predetermined constraint, activating the torque sensor to obtain the guiding resistance timing of the positive hook robot; performing variation weighted analysis on the timing characteristic parameters obtained by analyzing the guiding resistance timing to obtain the guiding resistance index; if the guiding resistance index exceeds a predetermined threshold, issuing an abnormal warning, and performing anti-jamming processing on the coupler according to the abnormal warning.

[0056] The specific configuration of the unwinding and recovery operation control module 30 will be described in detail below. The unwinding and recovery operation control module 30 further includes: the timing characteristic parameters at least include the maximum resistance value and the resistance constant duration.

[0057] The specific configuration of the unloading and re-shunting operation control module 30 will be described in detail below. The unloading and re-shunting operation control module 30 further includes: the unloading robot integrates an anti-collision safety protection mechanism; the body of the unloading robot has an anti-collision solid structure beam; when the unloading robot accidentally collides with the heavy-duty shunting locomotive, the impact force is transmitted through the anti-collision solid structure beam to a preset anti-collision concrete block, preventing damage to the body structure of the unloading robot.

[0058] The specific configuration of the unhooking and re-unhooking operation control module 30 will be described in detail below. The unhooking and re-unhooking operation control module 30 further includes: the unhooking robot possesses a flexible manipulator, wherein the flexible manipulator has a reverse self-protection function; if the carriage moves unexpectedly during the unhooking process, the manipulator can automatically detach from the contact.

[0059] The multi-robot collaborative automatic tippler unloading and recovery operation control device provided in the embodiments of the present invention can execute the multi-robot collaborative automatic tippler unloading and recovery operation control method provided in any embodiment of the present invention, and has the corresponding functional modules and beneficial effects of the execution method.

[0060] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention shall still fall within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-robot collaborative automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for tipplers, characterized in that, include: A master-slave communication architecture for a tipper is constructed, wherein the master-slave communication architecture includes a master PLC as the network master station and multiple working robots as network slave stations, and the master-slave communication architecture is mounted on a fieldbus. The main control PLC generates collaborative control instructions based on the tipper's operating instructions; The multiple robots are controlled to perform decompression and recompression operations based on the aforementioned collaborative control commands. The tipper has a main motor and a slave motor, and controls the de-energization and de-energization operations of the multiple robots based on the cooperative control commands, including the following: The main motor's angular velocity and the slave motor's angular velocity are obtained via the fieldbus. The auxiliary control quantity is determined by comparing the deviation between the protagonist's speed and the angular velocity obtained from the angular velocity; The auxiliary control quantity is superimposed on the slave motor to achieve synchronization of the angular velocity of the master motor and the slave motor.

2. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot collaborative tippler as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fieldbus referred to is the Profibus-DP fieldbus.

3. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tipper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The network master station and the network slave station exchange data periodically through process data objects of type PPO.

4. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tipper as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple operating robots include a hook-unhooking robot, a hook-forwarding robot, and a hook-re-hooking robot. The cooperative control commands include a disengagement control command, a hook-forwarding control command, and a hook-re-hooking control command. Based on the cooperative control commands, the disengagement and re-hooking operations of the multiple operating robots are controlled, including: According to the release control command, the uncoupling robot installed on the heavy car shunting machine track controls the uncoupling of the tippler to obtain the uncoupling signal; When the main control PLC determines that the unhooking signal meets the first predetermined constraint, it controls the hooking robot installed at the front end of the tipper arm to perform hooking control on the tipper according to the hooking control command, and obtains the hooking signal. When the main control PLC determines that the positive hook signal meets the second predetermined constraint, the re-hooking robot installed on the empty car line side performs re-hooking control on the tipper according to the re-hooking control command, and obtains the re-hooking signal. When the main control PLC determines that the hook signal meets the third predetermined constraint, it performs subsequent trolley pushing operations.

5. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tipper as described in claim 4, characterized in that, When the main control PLC determines that the uncoupling signal does not meet the first predetermined constraint, it introduces a preset safety interlock logic to prevent the loaded shunting locomotive from pulling the car to the tippler.

6. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tipper as described in claim 5, characterized in that, When the main control PLC determines that the positive hook signal does not meet the second predetermined constraint, it activates the torque sensor to obtain the guiding resistance timing of the positive hook robot; A variation-weighted analysis is performed on the time-series characteristic parameters obtained from the analysis of the positive resistance time series to obtain the positive resistance index; If the guiding resistance index exceeds a predetermined threshold, an abnormal warning is issued, and the coupler is released from jamming based on the abnormal warning.

7. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tipper as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The timing characteristic parameters include at least the maximum resistance value and the duration of constant resistance.

8. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tipper as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The unhooking robot integrates an anti-collision safety protection mechanism. The robot body has an anti-collision solid structure beam. When the unhooking robot accidentally collides with the heavy vehicle shunting machine, the impact force is transmitted to the preset anti-collision cement block through the anti-collision solid structure beam, thus preventing damage to the robot body structure.

9. The automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for a multi-robot cooperative tipper as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The unhooking robot is equipped with a flexible manipulator, which has a reverse self-protection function. If the carriage moves unexpectedly during the unhooking process, the manipulator can automatically detach from the contact.

10. A multi-robot collaborative automatic unloading and recovery operation control device for tipplers, characterized in that, The apparatus is used to implement the multi-robot collaborative automatic unloading and recovery operation control method for tippers as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, and the apparatus comprises: A communication architecture construction module is used to construct a master-slave communication architecture for a tipper, wherein the master-slave communication architecture includes a master control PLC as a network master station and multiple operating robots as network slave stations, and the master-slave communication architecture is mounted on a fieldbus. A collaborative control instruction generation module is used by the main control PLC to generate collaborative control instructions based on the operation instructions of the tipper. The unloading and recompiling operation control module is used to control the unloading and recompiling operations of the multiple operation robots based on the collaborative control instructions. The tipper has a main motor and a slave motor, and controls the de-energization and de-energization operations of the multiple robots based on the cooperative control commands, including the following: The main motor's angular velocity and the slave motor's angular velocity are obtained via the fieldbus. The auxiliary control quantity is determined by comparing the deviation between the protagonist's speed and the angular velocity obtained from the angular velocity; The auxiliary control quantity is superimposed on the slave motor to achieve synchronization of the angular velocity of the master motor and the slave motor.

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