Autonomous mobile robot

Abstract

This invention provides an autonomous mobile robot for transporting items loaded on its top surface. The robot includes: a bottom frame; a pair of main drive units positioned below the bottom frame and operated by a drive motor; and four casters positioned adjacent to the lower corners of the bottom frame, wherein each main drive unit includes: a roller bracket fastened to the drive motor; a main roller rotatably fastened to the roller bracket and rotatable by receiving power from the drive motor; a suspension spring positioned between the roller bracket and the bottom frame; a stop bracket fastened to the roller bracket; and an upper stop positioned on the bottom surface of the bottom frame facing the stop bracket.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capable of stable movement. Background Technology

[0002] Industrial robots were developed as part of factory automation management. Recently, the applications of robots have expanded further, with robots being developed for everyday life, as well as medical and aerospace applications.

[0003] In industrial robots, robots that perform precise assembly work repeatedly execute the same operations and repeat the operations at predetermined positions without encountering unexpected situations, thus automation using robots has begun.

[0004] However, transportation areas, including travel zones (i.e., driving areas) where the occurrence or non-occurrence of unexpected events can be determined, have not yet been actively commercialized using robots. However, recently, with the improvement in the performance of sensors that identify the surrounding environment and the development of computer technology capable of rapidly processing the identified information, the number of traveling robots has increased rapidly.

[0005] In industry, robots responsible for transportation functions have attracted attention, and competition in robotics technology is intensifying. When loading items onto the top of robots transporting large quantities or large objects, there is a problem that the robot must remain stationary while loading and unloading, which reduces its efficiency.

[0006] An autonomous mobile robot is used as a logistics robot, which takes the form of a loading structure for transporting loaded goods, rather than directly loading goods onto it.

[0007] Autonomous mobile robots need to enter the space beneath a loading structure and lift / raise / raise the bottom surface of the loading structure to transport it. To support loads of 500 kg or more, a complex support structure is required. However, there are limitations on the height the autonomous mobile robot can reach beneath the loading structure, making it difficult to achieve a stable lifting structure.

[0008] In addition, the autonomous mobile robot may have a problem that the main roller's grip may be weakened because the weight before and after loading is different and the load supported by multiple rollers is also different. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This disclosure aims to provide an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) capable of stable movement.

[0010] An autonomous mobile robot is provided, configured to transport items loaded on its top surface. The autonomous mobile robot includes: a bottom frame; a pair of main drive units positioned below the bottom frame and operated by a drive motor; and four casters positioned adjacent to the lower corners of the bottom frame. Each main drive unit includes: a roller bracket fastened to the drive motor; a main roller rotatably fastened to the roller bracket and rotatable by receiving power from the drive motor; a suspension spring positioned between the roller bracket and the bottom frame; a stop bracket fixed to the roller bracket; and an upper stop positioned on the bottom surface of the bottom frame facing the stop bracket.

[0011] The autonomous mobile robot may further include: a stop actuator that selectively introduces a stop block into the space between the stop support and the upper stop and removes the stop block from the space; and a controller that controls the drive motor and the stop actuator.

[0012] The stop block may include a first inclined surface, the height of one end of the first inclined surface being less than the height of the other end, and the stop actuator may change the insertion amount of the stop block.

[0013] The autonomous mobile robot may further include: a lifting module, which is mounted on top of the bottom frame and has a variable height in the vertical direction; and a top frame, which transitions from a standby state to a raised state while being spaced upward from the bottom frame by the lifting module, and the controller may operate the stop actuator to insert the stop block into the space between the stop bracket and the upper stop before the lifting module is raised.

[0014] The autonomous mobile robot may further include: a lifting sensor that senses the lifting height of the top frame; and an upper sensor that senses the contact between the top frame and the bottom surface of the loading structure. The controller may stop operating the lifting module and instead operate the drive motor when both the lifting sensor and the upper sensor are activated.

[0015] The controller can control the length of the stop actuator so that when the drive structure passes over a stepped floor surface, the stop block remains in contact with the upper stop and the stop support.

[0016] The autonomous mobile robot may further include a lidar module that senses the vertical height of the floor surface in front of it, and the controller may determine whether the step exists based on the vertical height difference of the floor surface sensed by the lidar module.

[0017] The autonomous mobile robot may also include a step sensor that senses the position of one side of the roller bracket or the stop bracket, and the controller may determine the floor surface on which the drive structure has the step when the step sensor senses a change in the position.

[0018] The stop actuator can keep the stop block under pressure when the autonomous mobile robot is moving.

[0019] The autonomous mobile robot may also include a stop elastic portion located between the stop actuator and the stop block.

[0020] The surface of the first inclined surface of the upper stop or the stop support facing the stop block may include a second inclined surface.

[0021] The roller bracket may include a suspension hinge positioned adjacent to the axis of the main roller and fixed to the bottom frame.

[0022] The suspension hinge and the upper stop can be positioned in opposite directions relative to the main roller.

[0023] The autonomous mobile robot may also include a lower stop facing the bottom surface of the stop support.

[0024] The upper stop can be fixed to the bottom surface of the bottom frame and can be configured to contact the stop bracket on a flat ground.

[0025] The autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can avoid the reduction in rigidity caused by bending and shaping using a plate-shaped base plate.

[0026] Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can improve the accuracy of SLAM because the lifting unit does not interfere with the field of view of the lidar.

[0027] Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can modularize the lidar and 3D camera, which facilitates their installation on the main body.

[0028] Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can fine-tune the angle of the lidar to obtain accurate information about obstacles and terrain ahead.

[0029] Furthermore, regardless of whether a loading structure is installed, the autonomous mobile robot of this disclosure can move stably without slipping by stably distributing the load to the rollers of the drive unit.

[0030] Furthermore, since the load is not concentrated on any particular roller, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can prevent slipping even when traversing a floor surface with steps.

[0031] The effects that can be obtained from this embodiment are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains can clearly understand other unmentioned effects from the above description. Attached Figure Description

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a cloud system based on a 5G network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an autonomous mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a robot control system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 4 This is a top perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0036] Figure 5 This is a bottom-view perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] Figure 6 This is a view illustrating the process of the autonomous mobile robot of this disclosure docking with the loading structure.

[0038] Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] Figure 8 This is a plan view of an autonomous mobile robot according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0040] Figure 9 This is an exploded perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] Figure 10 This is a plan view of an autonomous mobile robot according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0042] Figure 11 This is a comparison diagram of the support area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot according to the first and second embodiments of this disclosure.

[0043] Figure 12 This is a perspective view showing the bottom frame of an autonomous mobile robot according to the present disclosure.

[0044] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram showing the lifting unit of an autonomous mobile robot according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram showing the lifting module of an autonomous mobile robot according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0046] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view showing an autonomous mobile robot in standby mode according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0047] Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional view showing an autonomous mobile robot in a raised state according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0048] Figure 17 This is a perspective view showing the optical sensor module of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0049] Figure 18 This is an exploded perspective view showing the optical sensor module of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0050] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram showing the horizontal guide protrusion and the angle markings formed on the horizontal guide hole of the optical sensor module of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0051] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram showing the uneven terrain surface sensed by lidar before and after the optical sensor module of the autonomous mobile robot of this disclosure is adjusted for horizontality.

[0052] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram showing the field of view of the 3D camera of the optical sensor module of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0053] Figure 22 This is a perspective view showing the main drive unit of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0054] Figure 23 This is a cross-sectional view showing the main drive unit of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0055] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the propulsion force of the main drive unit of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0056] Figure 25 and Figure 26 This is a schematic diagram showing the load distribution of the drive unit of an autonomous mobile robot without a stop module.

[0057] Figure 27 This is a schematic diagram showing the load distribution of the drive unit of the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein.

[0058] Figure 28 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an improved embodiment of the stop module of the main drive unit of the autonomous mobile robot of this disclosure.

[0059] Figure 29 It shows Figure 28 A flowchart illustrating the operation method of the stop module of the autonomous mobile robot. Detailed Implementation

[0060] The exemplary embodiments disclosed herein will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the sake of brevity, identical or equivalent parts may have the same reference numerals and will not be described again. Generally, suffixes such as “module” and “unit” are used to refer to elements or parts. Such suffixes are used herein merely for ease of description and are not intended to give any particular meaning or function. In this disclosure, for the sake of brevity, content well-known to those skilled in the art is generally omitted. The accompanying drawings are provided to aid in the easy understanding of various technical features, and it should be understood that the embodiments presented herein are not limited to the drawings. Therefore, in addition to the embodiments specifically illustrated in the drawings, this disclosure should be construed as extending to any modifications, equivalents, and alternatives.

[0061] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, etc., may be used in this document to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are generally used only to distinguish one element from another.

[0062] It should be understood that when a component is described as being "connected" to another component, the component can be directly connected to the other component, or there may be intermediate components. Conversely, when a component is described as being "directly connected" to another component, there are no intermediate components.

[0063] Singular representations may include plural representations, unless their meaning is entirely different from that in the context.

[0064] The terms used herein, such as “comprising” or “having,” should be understood as being intended to indicate the presence of certain components, functions, or steps disclosed in the specification, and should also be understood that more or fewer components, functions, or steps may also be used.

[0065] A robot is a machine device capable of automatically performing specific tasks or operations. Robots can be controlled by an external control device or embedded within it. Robots can perform tasks that are difficult for humans to perform, such as repeatedly performing pre-set operations, lifting heavy objects, and performing precise or arduous tasks in extreme environments.

[0066] To perform such tasks, robots include actuators or motors, which enable the robot to perform various physical operations, such as moving robot joints.

[0067] Due to issues such as high manufacturing costs and the flexibility of robot manipulation, industrial or medical robots with specialized appearances for specific tasks were first developed.

[0068] Given that industrial and medical robots are designed to repeatedly perform the same tasks in designated locations, mobile robots have recently been developed and brought to market. Robots used in the aerospace industry can perform exploration missions on distant planets that are difficult for humans to reach directly, and these robots are driven.

[0069] To perform driving functions, robots have actuators, one or more rollers, frames, brakes, casters, motors, etc. To enable robots to recognize the presence or absence of surrounding obstacles and move while avoiding them, evolutionary robots equipped with artificial intelligence have recently been developed.

[0070] Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the technological field of studying artificial intelligence or the methods for implementing artificial intelligence. Machine learning refers to the technological field used to define the various problems dealt with in the field of AI and to study the methods needed to solve these problems. Machine learning is also defined as algorithms that improve the performance of a task through continuous experience.

[0071] Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are models used in machine learning, and can refer to overall models with problem-solving capabilities. They are composed of artificial neurons (nodes) that form a network through synaptic connections. An ANN can be defined by the connection patterns between neurons in different layers, the learning process for updating model parameters, and the activation functions that generate output values.

[0072] Artificial neural networks (ANNs) may include input layers and output layers, and may optionally include one or more hidden layers. Each layer includes one or more neurons, and an artificial neural network (ANN) may include synapses that connect neurons to other neurons.

[0073] In an artificial neural network (ANN), each neuron can output a function value of an activation function that is received with respect to the input signal received through synapses, weights, and deflections.

[0074] Model parameters can refer to parameters determined through learning, and can include synaptic connection weights and neuron biases. Furthermore, hyperparameters refer to parameters that should be set before learning in a machine learning algorithm, and include learning rate, number of iterations, mini-batch size, initialization function, etc.

[0075] The purpose of training an artificial neural network (ANN) can be viewed as determining model parameters that minimize the loss function based on the robot's intended use or application area. The loss function can be used as a metric to determine the optimal model parameters during the learning process of the artificial neural network (ANN).

[0076] Based on the learning method, machine learning can be divided into supervised learning, unsupervised learning, and reinforcement learning.

[0077] Supervised learning refers to the method of training an artificial neural network (ANN) in states with given training data labels. Here, the label can refer to the correct answer (or result value) that the artificial neural network (ANN) should infer when the training data is input into the ANN. Unsupervised learning refers to the method of training an artificial neural network (ANN) in states without given training data labels. Reinforcement learning can refer to a learning method in which an agent defined in a specific environment learns to select an action or sequence of actions that maximizes the cumulative compensation in each state.

[0078] In artificial neural networks, machine learning implemented as a deep neural network (DNN) with multiple hidden layers is also called deep learning, and deep learning is a part of machine learning. In the following text, machine learning is used in the sense that it includes deep learning.

[0079] Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is applied to robots, thus enabling robots to be categorized as guide robots, autonomous mobile robots, cleaning robots, wearable robots, entertainment robots, pet robots, and unmanned aerial robots, among others.

[0080] A robot may include a robot control module for controlling its operation, and the robot control module may refer to a software module or chip implemented in hardware.

[0081] By acquiring sensor information from various types of sensors, robots can obtain their state information, detect (identify) their surrounding environment and objects, generate map data, determine driving paths and plans, respond to user interactions, or determine necessary operations.

[0082] The robot can perform the above operations using a learning model consisting of at least one artificial neural network (ANN). For example, the robot can use the learning model to identify its surrounding environment and objects, and can use the identified environmental or object information to determine the necessary operations. Here, the learning model can learn directly from the robot or from an external device such as an artificial intelligence server.

[0083] In this scenario, the robot can perform necessary operations by directly generating results using a learning model, or it can perform operations by transmitting sensor information to an external device (such as an artificial intelligence server) and receiving the resulting information.

[0084] Robots can drive autonomously using artificial intelligence. Autonomous driving refers to a technology in which a mobile object, such as a robot, can autonomously determine the optimal path and move while avoiding collisions with obstacles. Currently applied autonomous driving technologies can include technologies that allow mobile objects (e.g., robots) to maintain their current driving lane while moving; technologies that allow mobile objects to automatically adjust their speed (e.g., adaptive cruise control) while moving; technologies that allow mobile objects to automatically travel along a predetermined path; and driving technologies that automatically set a path to the destination after determining the destination.

[0085] To perform autonomous driving, mobile objects such as robots can include a large number of sensors to identify data about their surroundings. For example, sensors can include proximity sensors, lighting sensors, accelerometers, magnetic sensors, gyroscopes, inertial sensors, RGB sensors, infrared (IR) sensors, fingerprint sensors, ultrasonic sensors, optical sensors, microphones, lidar, radar, and so on.

[0086] The robot can navigate autonomously not only based on information collected by sensors, but also on image information collected by RGBC and infrared (IR) cameras, and sound information collected by microphones. Furthermore, the robot can move based on information received through a user input unit. Map data, location information, and information about the surrounding environment can be collected via a wireless communication unit. This collected information is essential for autonomous driving.

[0087] Map data can include object identification information for various objects arranged in the robot's movement space. For example, map data can include object identification information for fixed objects such as walls and doors, as well as other object identification information for movable objects such as flower pots and tables. Furthermore, object identification information can include name, type, distance, location, etc.

[0088] Therefore, a robot can primarily consist of sensors, various input units, and wireless communication units to collect data that can be learned by artificial intelligence. It can then perform optimal operations by integrating various types of information. The learning processor used to execute artificial intelligence can perform learning by being installed in a controller embedded in the robot. It can send the collected information to a server, perform learning through the server, and resend the learning results back to the robot, enabling it to perform autonomous driving based on the learned information.

[0089] Robots equipped with artificial intelligence can collect information about their surroundings even in new locations to create a complete map and accumulate a wealth of information about the locations of major activity areas, enabling them to drive more accurately autonomously.

[0090] The robot may include a touchscreen or buttons to receive user input and may receive commands by recognizing the user's voice. To convert the voice input signal into a string, the processor may use at least one of a speech-to-text (STT) engine for converting voice input into a string and a natural language processing (NLP) engine for obtaining information about the intention corresponding to the user input.

[0091] In this scenario, at least one of the STT engine and the NLP engine may include an artificial neural network (ANN) trained by a machine learning algorithm. Furthermore, at least one of the STT engine and the NLP engine may be trained by a learning processor, by the learning processor of an artificial intelligence server, or by distributed processing of the training results.

[0092] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating a cloud system 1000 based on a 5G network according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0093] refer to Figure 1 The cloud system 1000 may include an autonomous mobile robot 100, a mobile terminal 300, a robot control system 200, various devices 400, and a 5G network 500.

[0094] Autonomous mobile robot 100 is a robot that transports goods (items) from a point of origin to a destination. Autonomous mobile robot 100 can move directly from a logistics center to its destination. Alternatively, after the autonomous mobile robot is loaded onto a vehicle at the logistics center and transported by the vehicle to the vicinity of the destination, it is unloaded from the vehicle and then moved to the destination.

[0095] Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot 100 can move items to their destination both outdoors and indoors. The autonomous mobile robot 100 can be implemented as an AGV, and an AGV can be a transport device that moves on the floor using sensors, magnetic fields, vision devices, etc.

[0096] The autonomous mobile robot 100 may include a storage area for storing items, which may be divided into multiple local storage areas to hold various items, and different types of items can be placed in the local storage areas. Therefore, mixing of items can be prevented.

[0097] Mobile terminal 300 can communicate with autonomous mobile robot 100 via 5G network 500. Mobile terminal 300 can be a device carried by a user—who installs partitions in the storage area to load items—or a device carried by the recipient of the loaded items. Mobile terminal 300 can provide information based on images, and mobile terminal 300 can include mobile devices such as mobile phones, smartphones, and wearable devices (e.g., watch-type terminals, glasses-type terminals, HMDs).

[0098] The robot control system 200 can remotely control the autonomous mobile robot 100 and respond to various requests from the autonomous mobile robot 100. For example, the robot control system 200 can use artificial intelligence (AI) to perform calculations based on requests from the autonomous mobile robot 100.

[0099] Furthermore, the robot control system 200 can determine the movement path of the autonomous mobile robot 100. When there are multiple destinations, the robot control system 200 can determine the order of the destinations.

[0100] Various devices 400 may include a personal computer (PC) 400a, an autonomous vehicle 400b, a home robot 400c, etc. When the autonomous mobile robot 100 arrives at the destination of the goods, the autonomous mobile robot 100 can deliver the goods directly to the home robot 400c through communication.

[0101] Various devices 400 can be connected to autonomous mobile robot 100, mobile terminal 300, robot control system 200, etc. via 5G network 500 through wired or wireless means.

[0102] The autonomous mobile robot 100, mobile terminal 300, robot control system 200, and various devices 400 are all equipped with 5G modules to send and receive data at rates from 100Mbps to 20Gbps (or higher), enabling the transmission of large video files to various devices and minimizing power consumption through low-power operation. However, depending on the embodiment, the transmission rate may vary.

[0103] 5G networks can include 5G mobile communication networks, short-range networks, the Internet, etc., and can provide a communication environment for devices through wired or wireless means.

[0104] Figure 2 This is a block diagram illustrating the appearance of an autonomous mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. (Refer to...) Figures 3 to 5 An autonomous mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described.

[0105] Reference Figure 2 The autonomous mobile robot 100 may include a main body, which includes a storage area 50, and the components described below may be included in the main body. The autonomous mobile robot 100 may include a communication unit 130, an input unit 120, a sensor unit 140, an output unit 150, a memory 185, a roller drive unit 170, a controller 180, and a power supply unit 190. Figure 2 The components shown are not always necessary to realize the autonomous mobile robot 100. Therefore, it should be noted that the autonomous mobile robot 100 according to this disclosure may include more or fewer components than those listed above.

[0106] The communication unit 130 may include a wired or wireless communication module capable of communicating with the robot control system 200.

[0107] As an optional embodiment, the communication unit 130 may be equipped with modules for GSM, CDMA, LTE, 5G, WLAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, RFID, infrared communication (IrDA), ZigBee and NFC communication.

[0108] The input unit 120 may include a user input unit 122 for receiving information from a user. Alternatively, the input unit 120 may include a camera 121 for inputting image signals and a microphone 123 (hereinafter referred to as a "microphone") for receiving audio signals. Here, the camera 121 or microphone 123 may be considered a sensor, and the signals acquired from the camera 121 or microphone 123 may be referred to as sensing data or sensor information.

[0109] Input unit 120 can acquire input data that will be used when performing model learning using learning data and a learning model to obtain output data. Input unit 120 can also acquire unprocessed input data. In this case, controller 180 can extract input feature points as preprocessing of the input data.

[0110] Camera 121 can be positioned at the front to detect obstacles in front, such as... Figure 3 As shown, multiple cameras 121 can be arranged at different angles. More specifically, the multiple cameras 121 can have different capture directions, such as a camera for wide-angle recognition of the forward-looking area and a camera for capturing the floor.

[0111] Alternatively, cameras with different functions can be provided. For example, wide-angle cameras, infrared (IR) cameras, etc., can be provided. The camera can be used as a sensor unit 140 for detecting surrounding objects.

[0112] User input unit 122 may be equipped with a touch panel that overlaps with buttons or display 151. Optionally, user commands can be input remotely via communication unit 130. In this case, user input unit 122 may include a PC 400 or remote control device provided separately from autonomous mobile robot 100.

[0113] Since the user input unit 122 includes all methods capable of receiving user commands, the user input unit 122 can recognize user commands through speech recognition. That is, a speech recognition device that analyzes the speech collected from the microphone 123 and extracts user commands can also be used as the user input unit 122.

[0114] The input unit 120 may include an item information input unit, which can receive information such as item dimensions, item weight, destination information, and information about the shipping requester. In this case, the item information input unit may include a code reader.

[0115] The sensor unit 140 can use various sensors to acquire at least one of the following: internal information of the autonomous mobile robot 100, surrounding environmental information of the autonomous mobile robot 100, and user information.

[0116] At this time, sensor unit 140 may include various types of sensors for identifying the autonomous driving environment. Representative examples may include distance detection sensor or proximity sensor 141 and lidar 142.

[0117] The proximity sensor 141 may include an ultrasonic sensor that can identify nearby objects and determine the distance to the objects based on the time it takes for the emitted ultrasonic waves to return. Multiple proximity sensors may be arranged circumferentially or positioned on top to detect obstacles located on top.

[0118] LiDAR 142 is a device that accurately represents the appearance of the surrounding environment by emitting laser pulses and receiving light reflected from surrounding objects. The operating principle of LiDAR 142 is similar to that of radar, but LiDAR 142 and radar use different electromagnetic waves, resulting in LiDAR 142 and radar being designed with different technologies and different application ranges.

[0119] Lasers can damage human eyesight because they use light with wavelengths of 600 to 1000 nanometers. The lidar 142 uses wavelengths longer than lasers and is used not only to measure distance to targets but also to measure speed and direction of movement, temperature, atmospheric substance analysis, concentration measurement, and more. Furthermore, the sensor unit 140 may include illumination sensors, accelerometers, magnetometers, gyroscopes, inertial sensors, RGB sensors, infrared (IR) sensors, fingerprint sensors, ultrasonic sensors, light sensors, optical sensors, and more.

[0120] Output unit 150 can generate various output signals related to vision, hearing, and / or touch. Output unit 150 may include an optical output unit for outputting visual information, a display 151, etc. Output unit 150 may include a speaker 152 for outputting auditory information, an ultrasonic output unit for outputting ultrasonic signals of inaudible frequencies, etc., and a tactile module for outputting tactile information.

[0121] The lifting module 160 is a structure that raises and lowers the top surface of the main body, such that the top surface of the main body supports the lower part of the loading structure. The lifting module 160 may include an actuator / motor that applies force in the vertical direction.

[0122] The memory 185 can store data that supports various functions of the autonomous mobile robot 100. The memory 185 can not only store multiple applications (or programs) driven by the autonomous mobile robot 100, but also store the data and commands required to operate the autonomous mobile robot 100.

[0123] Furthermore, memory 185 can store information required for operations using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and artificial neural networks. Memory 185 can store deep neural network models. These deep neural network models can be used to infer result values ​​from new input data rather than from learned data, and the inferred values ​​can serve as the basis for determining what is needed to perform a specific operation.

[0124] The power supply unit 190 can receive external or internal power under the control of the controller 180, enabling it to supply the received power to the components included in the autonomous mobile robot 100. The power supply unit 190 may include, for example, a battery. The battery 191 may be an embedded battery or a replaceable battery. The battery can be charged via wired or wireless charging methods, and the wireless charging method may include magnetic induction or magnetic resonance methods.

[0125] The drive unit 170 is a device for moving the autonomous mobile robot 100, and may include rollers or legs, and may include a roller drive unit and a leg drive unit for controlling the rollers or legs.

[0126] Multiple rollers mounted on the bottom surface of the roller drive unit can be controlled to move the autonomous mobile robot 100, including the main body. The rollers may include main rollers 1711 for rapid driving, casters 173 for changing direction, and auxiliary casters for stable driving, so that the loaded item L will not fall off during driving.

[0127] Controller 180 is a module for controlling the configuration of autonomous mobile robot 100. Controller 180 may refer to a data processing device embedded in hardware, which has physically structured circuitry to perform functions expressed by code or commands included in a program. As an example of a data processing device embedded in hardware, such an exemplary data processing device may include processing devices such as microprocessors, central processing units (CPUs), processor cores, multiprocessors, ASICs, and FPGAs, but the scope of this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0128] For example, the controller 180 can collect the above information through the input unit 120. The input to the input unit 120 may also include touch input on the display.

[0129] Based on the collected information, the controller 180 can transmit information about the items L loaded in the loading area 50 to the mobile terminal 300 via the communication unit 130 (see [link]). Figure 1 ).

[0130] refer to Figure 3 The robot control system 200 may include an artificial intelligence (AI) server. An AI server can refer to a device that uses machine learning algorithms to train an artificial neural network or uses a trained artificial neural network. Here, the robot control system 200 may include multiple servers to perform distributed processing and may be defined as a 5G network. In this case, the AI ​​server may be included as part of the construction of the autonomous mobile robot 100, and may also enable the autonomous mobile robot 100 to perform at least a portion of the AI ​​processing.

[0131] The robot control system 200 may include a communication unit 210, a memory 230, a learning processor 240, a processor 260, etc.

[0132] The communication unit 210 can send data to and receive data from external devices (such as autonomous mobile robot 100).

[0133] The memory 230 may include a model storage unit 231. The model storage unit 231 may store learned or already learned models (or artificial neural networks 231a) through the learning processor 240.

[0134] The learning processor 240 can train (or learn) the artificial neural network 231a using training data (also called learning data). The learned model can be used when loaded into the robot control system 200 of the artificial neural network, or it can be loaded into an external device such as the autonomous mobile robot 100 and then used.

[0135] The learning model can be implemented as hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. If all or some of the learning model is implemented as software, one or more commands constituting the learning model can be stored in memory 230.

[0136] The processor 260 can use the learning model to infer the result value of new input data and can generate a response or control command based on the inferred result value.

[0137] Figure 4 This is a top perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 5 This is a bottom perspective view showing an autonomous mobile robot 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The autonomous mobile robot 100 of the present disclosure can be moved by a drive unit 170 located below the body 110. The body 110 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 may have a box-like form, and the body 110 may be composed of a bottom frame 111, a middle frame 112 and a top frame 113.

[0138] The bottom frame 111 has various components mounted on its top surface, a drive unit 170 mounted on its bottom surface, and serves as the base of the main body 110. The intermediate frame 112 is fastened to the upper part of the bottom frame 111 and covers the components mounted on the bottom frame 111. The intermediate frame 112 can form the side profile of the main body 110, and its top surface can be partially opened for operation of the lifting module 160.

[0139] The top frame 113 may include a flat top surface so that a loading structure can be mounted thereon. The vertical height of the top frame 113 can be adjusted by a lifting module 160 located on the bottom frame 111, and the lifting module 160 and the drive unit can be arranged on the same plane to achieve a low-profile body 110.

[0140] The top frame 113 may include a contact pad 114 made of an elastic material, such as silicone or polyurethane, to cushion and prevent slippage when the loading structure comes into contact with the top surface of the top frame. The top surface of the top frame 113 may further include an upper sensor 147, such as a proximity sensor or a contact sensor, to determine whether it is mating with the loading structure.

[0141] The top frame 113 may include a battery replacement hole 1139 at a location corresponding to the battery mounting portion 119 to facilitate battery replacement 191. The battery 191 may be removable, and for ease of battery replacement, as... Figure 5 As shown, the battery replacement hole 1139 may not have a cover.

[0142] The control box 181 can be mounted on the bottom frame 111, in which multiple base plates serving as controllers are stored, and the top frame 113 can include a maintenance opening 1138, which includes an openable cover for maintaining the control box 181.

[0143] The drive unit 170, power supply unit 190, controller 180, sensing unit 140, lifting module 160, etc., can be installed inside the flat, box-shaped main body 110. The controller 180 can generate a route to the destination using a pre-stored map or a map received from a server, and can identify surrounding objects via the sensing unit 140 and move to the destination by avoiding obstacles not on the map.

[0144] The sensing unit 140 may include a lidar 142 capable of generating a precise two-dimensional map. The lidar 142 may be positioned on the body 110, and the lidar 142 may require a long opening in the horizontal direction to adequately ensure the sensing angle.

[0145] This disclosure can be made possible by using lidar 142 as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 The lidar 142 is positioned between the top frame 113 and the middle frame 112, utilizing the gap between them to ensure the sensing angle of the lidar. The lidar 142 can be positioned at either the front or rear portion of the autonomous mobile robot. Figure 5As shown, the drive unit 170 may consist of a pair of main drive units 171 that rotate by receiving power from a drive motor and a plurality of casters 172 supporting the main body 110. The pair of main drive units may be arranged symmetrically in the left-right direction at the center of the main body 110, and the casters 172 may be arranged at the four corners of the main body 110.

[0146] The caster 172 is rotatable about a vertical axis, so the roller axle of the caster can be positioned perpendicular to the direction of travel of the autonomous mobile robot 100. The main drive unit 171 may include suspension springs to minimize vibration when traversing uneven surfaces of the floor.

[0147] The main drive unit 171 may include a speed reducer to increase the propulsion of the drive motor. The main roller 1711 of the main drive unit 171 is larger than the caster roller 1721 of the caster 172. For example, the main roller 1711 may use a 6-inch roller, and the caster roller 1721 may use a 3-inch roller.

[0148] Figure 6 This is a view showing the process of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure docking with the loading structure 10.

[0149] When the autonomous mobile robot 100 enters the loading structure 10 (e.g.) Figure 6 After clearing the space under the rack or pallet truck shown, the vertical height of the upper housing 610 increases, allowing the top surface 611 to contact the bottom surface of the loading structure 10, thereby lifting the loading structure 10.

[0150] The autonomous mobile robot 100 can use the sensing unit 140 to enter the space between the rollers of the loading structure 10 and can operate the lifting module 160 below the loading structure 10 to control the contact between the top frame 113 and the bottom surface of the loading structure 10.

[0151] The autonomous mobile robot 100 can move to its destination with the loading structure 10 placed on it. Upon reaching the destination, the autonomous mobile robot 100 can lower the vertical height of the lifting module 160 and then move out of the space below the loading structure 10.

[0152] Because the vertical height of the bottom surface of the loading structure 10 is equal to or less than about 300 mm, the height of the autonomous mobile robot is required to be equal to or less than 280 mm in order to access the space below the bottom surface of the loading structure.

[0153] When the loading structure 10 and the autonomous mobile robot 100 are constructed separately, the autonomous mobile robot 100 can continue to transport items even during the loading or unloading process, thereby increasing the number of items that one autonomous mobile robot 100 can transport.

[0154] Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot 100 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 8 It shows Figure 7 A plan view of the autonomous mobile robot 100, in which the middle frame 112 and the top frame 113 have been removed.

[0155] The autonomous mobile robot 100 may include a main body 110 consisting of a bottom frame 111, a middle frame 112, and a top frame 113. A battery 191, a lifting module 160, a control box 181 including multiple base plates, a lidar 142, etc., may be mounted on the top surface of the bottom frame 111. A drive unit 170 located on the bottom surface of the bottom frame 111 may consist of a pair of main drive units 171 and four casters 172.

[0156] The bottom frame 111 may include a plate-shaped base plate 1115. A problem with the bottom frame 111 is that the vertical height of the main body 110 increases when the bottom frame 111 is spaced from the floor by the dimensions of the main roller 1711. Therefore, existing autonomous mobile robots 100 ensure space for the main roller 1711 by bending the bottom frame 111. However, the bottom frame 111, which protrudes upwards at the location of the main roller 1711, has relatively weak rigidity.

[0157] The curved bottom frame 111 of this disclosure uses a flat, plate-shaped base plate 1115 to enhance low rigidity. The base plate 1115 may include openings to ensure mounting space for the main roller 1711, battery 191, etc. The base plate 1115 may include a pair of first openings 1111 on both the left and right sides for accommodating the main roller of the main drive unit 171. Through the first openings 1111, the upper end of the main roller of the main drive unit 171 and the suspension structure can be positioned above the base plate 1115, thereby reducing the vertical height of the base plate 1115 from the floor.

[0158] Furthermore, in the structure positioned above the base plate 1115, the shafts of the battery 191 and the lifting module 160 are only left with space between the base plate 1115 and the top frame 113, which cannot ensure sufficient space.

[0159] In order to use a larger battery 191, a second opening 1112 can be defined in the base plate 1115, and a downwardly protruding battery 191 mounting portion 119 can be defined in the second opening 1112.

[0160] The lifting module 160 may include a vertically positioned shaft that moves in a vertical direction, and the travel of the lifting module 160 may not be adequately guaranteed when the shaft can only move on the top surface of the base plate 1115.

[0161] Therefore, the base plate 1115 may include a third opening 1113 into which the shaft is inserted, such that the shaft can protrude downward from the base plate 1115.

[0162] When the bending process is omitted by using a plate-shaped base plate 1115, errors that occur during bending and the reduction in stiffness caused by bending can be prevented. However, since the stiffness decreases as the number of openings increases, the bottom frame 111 may further include rigid bars 115a and 115b to increase stiffness.

[0163] The autonomous mobile robot 100 may include a first rigid rod 115a located on the top surface of a base plate 1115. The first rigid rod 115a may include a pair of first rigid rods extending along a first direction (travel direction) and spaced apart from each other along a second direction (width direction) perpendicular to the first direction.

[0164] The first rigid rod 115a may include a pair of first rigid rods, rather than passing through the center, to house the lifting module 160 and the battery 191 internally. The pair of first rigid rods 115a may be arranged adjacent to the first opening 1111, and the top surface of the base plate 1115 may be divided into three spaces in the width direction by the pair of first rigid rods 115a.

[0165] The intermediate area between the first rigid rods 115a can be used to place the battery 191 or the control box 181, thereby increasing the utilization rate of the internal space of the main body 110.

[0166] In one example, reference Figure 5 It may also include a second rigid rod 115b positioned on the bottom surface of the base plate 1115. The second rigid rod 115b may extend in a second direction and be spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The second rigid rod 115b may be positioned orthogonally to the first rigid rod 115a to prevent bending deformation or damage to the bottom frame 111. The second rigid rod 115b may be positioned between the caster 172 and the main drive unit 171.

[0167] The bottom frame 111 may also include an edge skirt that projects downward along the periphery of the base plate 1115. The drive unit 170 may be covered so as not to be exposed to the outside via the edge skirt 1114, thereby protecting the drive unit 170. A bumper 117 may also be included to prevent damage to the edge skirt 1114 due to collisions with obstacles or the like.

[0168] The control box 181, lifting module 160, battery 191, and sensors (such as lidar 142) can be placed on the top surface of the bottom frame 111. The intermediate frame 112 can cover the components mounted on the bottom frame 111 and can be connected to the bottom frame 111.

[0169] The intermediate frame 112 may also include a top surface 1125 that covers the top surface of the component. However, the lifting module 160 should be connected to the top frame 113 by extending through the intermediate frame 112, and the top frame 113 should be positioned above the intermediate frame 112 such that the middle portion of the top surface 1125 can be open.

[0170] The top frame 113 can be fastened to the lifting module 160 mounted on the bottom frame 111 and can move vertically based on the operation of the lifting module 160. To stably support the loading structure 10, the top frame 113 can be formed as a plate with a predetermined thickness. The top surface of the top frame 113 can be flat, but for rigidity and for fastening to the lifting module 160, its bottom surface may include an uneven surface.

[0171] The lifting module 160 has a variable height in the vertical direction, and the lifting module 160 in this embodiment is an integrated lifting module 160, which can operate multiple screw jacks 1651 in the vertical direction through a lifting motor 1655.

[0172] The lifting module 160 in this embodiment may include a lifting motor 1655, multiple screw jacks 1651, and a power transmission screw 1653. The power transmission screw 1653 is horizontally arranged above the lifting motor 1655 and transmits the power of the lifting motor 1655 to the screw jacks 1651.

[0173] The lifting motor 1655 can be positioned at the center in the width direction and can be connected to the power transmission screw 1653 via a gear block 1654 (e.g., a helical gear). The power transmission screw 1653 can be positioned along a first direction and a second direction and can operate the screw jacks 1651 arranged at multiple points.

[0174] The lifting module 16 in this embodiment may include four screw jacks 1651. Since they are operated by a lifting motor 1655, the four screw jacks 1651 can move synchronously. Therefore, the top frame 113 can move vertically without tilting, and the top frame 113 can be fixed to the upper end of the screw jacks 1651.

[0175] Each screw jack 1651 may include a screw shaft arranged in a vertical direction, which can be introduced and withdrawn along the bottom surface of the base plate 1115. The bottom frame 111 may include a cap (not shown) covering the downwardly projecting screw shaft.

[0176] like Figure 8As shown, the square area A1 defined by the four helical jacks 1651 becomes the support area for the loading structure 10. The wider the support area, the more stable the movement during travel. However, when the gap between the laterally arranged pair of helical jacks 1651 widens further or when the pair of helical jacks 1651 moves further in the front-back direction, interference occurs with the field of view (FOV) of the lidar 142.

[0177] Furthermore, since the screw shaft protrudes downwards, it should be positioned so as not to interfere with the caster 172, allowing the screw jack 1651 to be positioned without overlapping with the caster 172, such as... Figure 8 As shown.

[0178] Figure 9 This is an exploded perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot 100 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 10 yes Figure 9 A plan view of the autonomous mobile robot 100, in which the middle frame 112 and the top frame 113 have been removed.

[0179] and Figure 7 Unlike the embodiments described above, the lifting module 160 in this embodiment consists of multiple independent lifting units 161, which can be operated individually. Each independent lifting unit 161 has a greater... Figure 7 The integrated lifting module is cheaper and has the advantage of supporting a larger load.

[0180] However, since the independent lifting unit 161 operates alone, the top frame 113 may tilt when one lifting unit 161 fails, and in some cases, the top frame 113 may be damaged.

[0181] Because the length of the lifting unit 161 in the longitudinal direction is greater than Figure 7 The length of the illustrated embodiment provides stable support for the top frame 113, but makes it difficult to ensure mounting space on the bottom frame 111.

[0182] Specifically, the lidar 142 has a field of view equal to or greater than 200°, and the lifting unit 161 should be positioned so as not to interfere with the field of view of the lidar 142, so that surrounding obstacles and terrain can be accurately identified.

[0183] To ensure the safe movement of the autonomous mobile robot 100, the field of view (FVA) of the front lidar 142 needs to be as large as possible. To ensure the field of view of the front lidar 142a, the front lifting unit 161a can be arranged with a narrower horizontal spacing than the rear lifting unit 161b.

[0184] In addition to the front-side lidar 142a, the autonomous mobile robot 100 disclosed herein may also include a rear-side lidar 142b to sense obstacles not only in front but also behind.

[0185] Since the rear lidar 142b senses an area opposite to the direction of travel, its field of view (RVA) may be narrower than that of the front lidar 142a. Therefore, the spacing between the rear lifting units 161b can be slightly wider than the spacing between the front lifting units 161a.

[0186] Since the first rigid rod 115a is located on the top surface of the base plate 1115, the front lifting unit 161a can be located inside the first rigid rod 115a, and the rear lifting unit 161 can be located outside the first rigid rod 115a.

[0187] like Figure 10 As shown, due to the narrow spacing between the front lifting units 161a, the front lifting units 161a can actually be located behind the front lidar 142a. Because the front lifting units 161a are arranged between the pair of first rigid rods 115a, the field of view (FVA) of the front lidar 142a can be extended to approximately 250°.

[0188] The field of view (RVA) of the rear lidar 142b is required to be 200° smaller than that of the front lidar, and even if the arrangement spacing of the rear lifting units 161b is wider than that of the front lifting units 161a, they will not interfere with the field of view (RVA) of the rear lidar 142.

[0189] The four lifting units 161 can be arranged so as not to interfere with the 250° field of view (FVA) of the front lidar 142a and the 200° field of view (RVA) of the rear lidar 142b. (As described above...) Figure 8 Unlike the embodiments described above, the support area A2 defined by the four lifting units 161a and 161b has different widths on the front and rear sides.

[0190] However, since there is no shaft screw moving in the vertical direction, an arrangement overlapping the casters in the vertical direction is feasible, allowing the lifting unit 161 to be arranged in a more... Figure 7 The embodiments in the text are more prominently displayed forward and backward.

[0191] Figure 11 This is a comparison diagram of the support area of ​​the autonomous mobile robot 100 according to the first and second embodiments of this disclosure. Figure 7 The support region A1 in the first embodiment has a rectangular shape, but compared with the first embodiment, Figure 9The support region A2 in the second embodiment has a larger width on the rear side, a smaller width on the front side, and is longer in the front-rear direction (first direction).

[0192] In the second embodiment, the shape is not rectangular, but the size of the support area is increased, thus ensuring sufficient support force.

[0193] Figure 12 This is a perspective view showing the bottom frame 111 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure. The lifting module 160 in the first and second embodiments differs from each other, but the remaining components, such as the drive unit 170, battery 191, and control box 181, are similar.

[0194] Since the components other than the lifting module 160 are the same in the first and second embodiments, the basic structure of the bottom frame 111 can adopt the same structure. For example... Figure 12 As shown in (a), the battery mounting portion 119 and the rigid rod 115a can be fastened to the base plate 1115, which includes a first opening 1111 and a second opening 1112, to form a basic bottom frame 111.

[0195] The bottom frame 111a in the first embodiment and the bottom frame 111b in the second embodiment can be implemented by attaching lifting mounting brackets 116a and 116b, respectively, which correspond to the shape of the lifting module 160 installed on the base bottom frame 111.

[0196] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram showing the lifting unit 161 of an autonomous mobile robot 100 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram showing the lifting module 160 of an autonomous mobile robot 100 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0197] The lifting module 160 in the second embodiment includes four lifting units 161, and Figure 13 Image (a) shows the lifting unit 161 in standby mode, while Figure 13 (b) shows the lifting unit 161 in the raised state.

[0198] The independent lifting unit 161 in this embodiment may include a lifting base 1611 fixed to the bottom frame 111, a lifting top 1612 that moves vertically relative to the lifting base 1611, and actuators 1615 and 1616 that are positioned between the lifting base 1611 and the lifting top 1612 and have variable lengths.

[0199] Actuators 1615 and 1616 may include a screw sleeve 1616 formed on the lifting base 1611 in the manner of a screw jack, an actuator screw 1615 that is introduced into and withdrawn from the screw sleeve by rotation, and an actuator motor 1617 that provides rotational force to the actuator screw 1615.

[0200] Since the lifting unit 161 in this embodiment has an actuator screw 1615 located on the lifting top 1612, the actuator motor can also be connected to the lifting top 1612. In the lifting state, as... Figure 13 As shown in (b), the actuator screw 1615 can push the lifting top 1612 upward while being pulled out / pulled out of the screw sleeve.

[0201] The lifting module 160 in the second embodiment consists of four independent lifting units 161. Therefore, when one of the independent lifting units is not operated or is not synchronized, the vertical height of at least one independent lifting unit 161 is different, and the top frame 113 may tilt or be damaged.

[0202] To prevent damage to the top frame 113 when the lifting units 161 are out of sync, the top frame 113 can be positioned on top of the lifting units 161 without having to directly fasten the independent lifting units 161 to the top frame 113.

[0203] However, to prevent the top frame 113 from being pushed out of the lifting top 1612 of the lifting unit 161 and thus misaligned, anti-slip protrusions 1613 formed on the lifting top 1612 may be included. The top frame 113 may include anti-slip grooves 1136 into which the anti-slip protrusions 1613 are inserted. Furthermore, a lifting pad 1614 may be added to the top surface of the lifting top 1612 to prevent misalignment between the top frame 113 and the lifting top 1612.

[0204] However, in this case, the top frame 113 is not fixed to the lower structure, and therefore can be easily separated from the body 110. In order to fix the top frame 113 to the body 110 without restricting the vertical movement of the top frame 113, a lifting guide 163 connecting the top frame 113 and the bottom frame 111 of this disclosure to each other may be included.

[0205] refer to Figure 14 The lifting guide 163 may include a guide pin 1631 fixed on the top frame 113 and a guide flange 1632 fixed on the bottom frame 111, and the guide pin 1631 is inserted into the guide flange 1632.

[0206] The lifting guide 163 also includes a vertically extending pin-shaped member that affects the field of view of the lidar 142. Therefore, as... Figure 10As shown, the lifting guide 163 can be positioned adjacent to the lifting unit 161 and can be positioned so as not to interfere with the field of view of the lidar 142.

[0207] In addition, the lifting guide 163 can protrude below the base plate 1115, so that the lifting guide 163 can be positioned so as not to overlap with the drive unit 170 located below the base plate 1115.

[0208] like Figure 10 As shown, the front lifting guide 163a can be positioned outside the first rigid rod 115a, while the rear lifting guide 163b can be positioned between the pair of first rigid rods 115a.

[0209] Figure 15 This is a cross-sectional view showing an autonomous mobile robot 100 in standby mode according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure, and is along... Figure 10 The sectional view taken by line AA in the figure. Figure 16 This is a cross-sectional view showing an autonomous mobile robot 100 in a raised state according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 15 and Figure 16 As shown, guide pin 1631 extends through guide flange 1632 and protrudes onto the bottom surface of base plate 1115. Guide pin 1631 may include a pin stop 1633 at its lower end to prevent it from deviating from guide flange 1632. Figure 16 As shown, when the lifting module 160 is switched to the lifting state, the pin stop 1633 can contact the bottom surface of the base plate 1115.

[0210] like Figure 16 As shown, because the lifting unit 161 and the top frame 113 are not fixed to each other, when the top frame 113 is lifted and one side of the top frame 113 is pressed, the other side of the top frame 113 may be lifted upwards. However, the pin stop 1633 located at the lower end of the guide pin 1631 can contact the bottom surface of the base plate 1115 to prevent the top frame 113 from deviating.

[0211] The stop 1633 may include an elastic member, such as polyurethane or a spring. When the robot is in a raised position or when the autonomous mobile robot 100 is moving, the elastic member can prevent the stop 1633 and the lifting frame from contacting each other and generating noise. In addition, when an impact is applied to one side of the top frame 113, the elastic member can absorb the impact applied to the stop 1633 of the lifting guide 163 located on the other side of the top frame 113.

[0212] The lifting module 160 may include a lifting sensor 146 for sensing the amount of lifting. The lifting sensor 146 may include a limit switch that senses the lower and upper ends of the operating range of the lifting module 160, i.e., the position in standby mode and the position in lifting mode.

[0213] like Figure 14 As shown, the lifting sensor 146 can be connected to the top frame 113 and move in the vertical direction to sense changes in the position of the top frame 113.

[0214] Figure 17 This is a perspective view showing the optical sensor module 145 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure, and Figure 18 This is an exploded perspective view showing the optical sensor module 145 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure.

[0215] The autonomous mobile robot 100 can use Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) technology to draw a map in real time, identify its position on the map, find the desired destination, and then move or perform the required task.

[0216] In order for the autonomous mobile robot 100 to map and measure the positions of surrounding objects to identify their locations, measurement data analysis is performed on the lidar 142 and the 3D camera 143, which are used as measuring devices.

[0217] It may be necessary to have a LiDAR 142 capable of collecting 2D data in real time over a large area and a 3D camera for 3D object recognition, and the accuracy of SLAM can be improved by precisely adjusting the position of the measurement sensor.

[0218] The LiDAR 142 and 3D camera 143 required for SLAM technology can be configured as a single optical sensor module 145 and mounted on the autonomous mobile robot 100. The optical sensor module 145 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 disclosed herein has the advantage of easily mounting the LiDAR 142 and 3D camera 143 onto the main body 110. The autonomous mobile robot 100 can mount the optical sensor module 145 on both the front and rear sides of the main body 110.

[0219] The optical sensor module 145 may include an optical bracket 1451 fixed to the base plate 1115. The optical bracket 1451 may include a mounting surface 1451a on which the lidar 142 is mounted, and may include a lidar cover 1451b for protecting the upper part of the lidar 142.

[0220] The mounting surface 1451a may include legs located on the lower portion of the optical bracket 1451, spaced a predetermined distance from the base plate 1115. The optical bracket 1451 can place the lidar 142 at a predetermined distance from the base plate 1115, such that the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the lidar 142 can be located on the top surface of the intermediate frame 112.

[0221] Since the lidar 142 has a field of view equal to or greater than 180°, a slit extending backward is required based on the position of the lidar 142. The autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure can omit the transverse long slit in the body 110 corresponding to the field of view of the lidar 142, and can utilize the space between the intermediate frame 112 and the top frame 113 as a gap to ensure the field of view of the lidar 142.

[0222] Since the lidar 142 senses objects on its sensing plane, even a 1° deformation of the lidar 142's sensing plane can yield completely different results; therefore, the placement of the lidar 142 is crucial. After mounting the optical sensor module 145 onto the bottom frame 111, zero-point adjustment of the lidar 142 should be performed, i.e., the observation surface should be adjusted to form a plane.

[0223] The optical sensor module 145 disclosed herein may include height adjustment screws 1454, which can individually adjust the vertical height of the four corners to adjust the angle of the lidar 142.

[0224] When the height adjustment screw 1454 is directly fastened to the lower part of the lidar 142 module, the vertical height of the lidar 142 may increase, and the adjustment of the height adjustment screw 1454 may become difficult due to the obstruction of the lidar 142.

[0225] This disclosure allows the adjusting block 1452 to be connected to the left and right surfaces of the lidar 142 using a fastening pin 1455, and a height adjusting screw 1454 with adjustable protrusion is placed in the lower part of the adjusting block 1452.

[0226] The lower end of the height adjustment screw 1454 can contact the mounting surface 1451a of the optical bracket 1451, and the amount of protrusion of the height adjustment screw 1454 on the adjustment block 1452 can be adjusted to adjust the distance from the mounting surface 1451a of the adjustment block 1452.

[0227] Each of the pair of adjustment blocks 1452 may have two height adjustment screws 1454 arranged in the front-back direction, and the tilt of the lidar 142 in the x-axis and y-axis directions can be adjusted by adjusting the protrusion (insertion) of the four height adjustment screws 1454.

[0228] The vertical hole 1452c into which the height adjusting screw 1454 is inserted can extend upward from the adjusting block 1452 to expose the screwdriver recess 1454b in the upper part of the height adjusting screw 1454. The insertion depth of the height adjusting screw 1454 can be adjusted by inserting a screwdriver into the vertical hole 1452c.

[0229] The lower end 1454a of the height adjustment screw 1454 has a hemispherical shape, so that even when the length of the height adjustment screw 1454 is adjusted and the adjustment block 1452 is tilted, the height adjustment screw 1454 can still maintain contact with the mounting surface 1451a.

[0230] The height adjusting screw 1454 is not fastened to the mounting surface 1451a, but rather rests on the mounting surface 1451a. Therefore, a retaining pin 1456 may be further included to secure the adjusting block 1452 to the mounting surface 1451a. The retaining pin 1456 may be located between the pair of height adjusting screws 1454, such that the central portion of the adjusting block 1452 can be secured by the retaining pin 1456, and the vertical height of the front and rear portions of the adjusting block 1452 can be changed by the height adjusting screws 1454.

[0231] Side brackets 1453 can be positioned on the left and right sides of adjustment block 1452, and each side bracket 1453 may include a height guide hole 1453a into which a height guide protrusion 1452a protruding from adjustment block 1452 is inserted. The side brackets 1453 are fixed to the base plate 1115 and secure the optical sensor module 145 to the bottom frame 111.

[0232] Figure 19 This is a schematic diagram showing the angle marks 1452b and 1453b formed on the height guide protrusion 1452a and height guide hole 1453a of the optical sensor module 145 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure.

[0233] The height guide protrusion 1452a of the adjustment block 1452 and the height guide hole 1453a of the side bracket 1453 may each include angle markers 1452b and 1453b, thereby enabling visual identification of the angle adjustment amount of the lidar 142 module. The first angle marker 1452b may be cross-shaped, and the second angle marker 1453b may have lines indicating the four angles corresponding to the cross shape of the first angle marker 1452b.

[0234] When the protrusion of the height adjustment screw 1454 is increased to... Figure 19 When adjusting the angle as shown in (a), the position of the first angle mark 1452b is as follows: Figure 19As shown in (b), the angle change occurs, and the first angle mark 1452b becomes misaligned with the second angle mark 1453b. The angle adjustment amount of the lidar 142 can be roughly identified by the naked eye via the first angle mark 1452b and the second angle mark 1453b.

[0235] Figure 20 This is a schematic diagram showing the uneven surface of the terrain sensed by the lidar 142 before and after the height adjustment of the optical sensor module 145 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure. When the lidar 142 senses a flat floor surface as shown in (a), a height error of approximately 30-40 mm occurs. Figure 20 As shown in (b), the error can be reduced by adjusting the angle of the lidar 142 using the height adjustment screw 1454.

[0236] The height adjustment screw 1454 disclosed herein has the advantage of ease of implementation because it can easily improve the accuracy of the lidar 142 without the need for expensive and complex devices.

[0237] refer to Figure 17 The optical sensor module 145 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 disclosed herein may have a 3D camera 143 positioned below the mounting surface 1451a. The 3D camera 143 has lower accuracy and a smaller field of view compared to the lidar 142, but is capable of acquiring three-dimensional images, thereby enabling simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) technology based on information sensed by the lidar 142 and the 3D camera 143 by supplementing the insufficient information of the lidar 142.

[0238] The 3D camera 143 may include a plurality of image sensors spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction to realize 3D images, and may also include an infrared camera. Because the optical sensors are positioned below the lidar 142, the intermediate frame 112 may include a camera aperture 112a for the 3D camera 143 (see [link to documentation]). Figure 9 ).

[0239] The autonomous mobile robot 100 may collide with obstacles, and in this case, the 3D camera 143 may be damaged. Therefore, the 3D camera 143 can be positioned inwardly spaced from the camera aperture 112a. However, in this case, the size of the camera aperture 112a should be increased to ensure the camera's field of view, and when the camera aperture 112a is large, its internal structure may be exposed.

[0240] The annular protrusion surrounding the camera aperture 112a may be further formed on the outside of the camera aperture 112a, but its size may be increased depending on the field of view of the camera, and it may be easily separated by impact.

[0241] The 3D camera 143 disclosed herein may further include a camera cover 1431 that protects the 3D camera 143 from the front. The camera cover 1431 may define a camera slit 1431a that is sized not to obstruct the field of view of the 3D camera 143.

[0242] Figure 21 This is a schematic diagram showing the field of view of the 3D camera 143 of the optical sensor module 145 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 according to the present disclosure. Multiple image sensors can have different fields of view. Because the camera cover 1431 is positioned closer to the 3D camera 143 than the camera hole 112a, the size of the camera slit 1431a can be smaller than the size of the camera hole 112a.

[0243] Since the field of view of the 3D camera 143 is smaller in the vertical direction, the vertical width of the camera slit 1431a can be as small as about 6 mm.

[0244] Figure 22 This is a perspective view showing the main drive unit 171 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 disclosed herein, and Figure 23 This is a cross-sectional view showing the main drive unit 171 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure.

[0245] The main drive unit 171 includes a drive motor 1712 and provides propulsion power for the mobile robot. The pair of main drive units 171 can be arranged in the left-right direction and can be positioned at the center in the front-back direction.

[0246] The main drive unit 171 can be arranged symmetrically in the left-right direction, and the casters 172 can be positioned in the front-back direction of the main drive unit 171. The casters 172 can be positioned slightly inside the main drive unit 171, so that the two rollers of the main drive unit 171 and the four rollers of the casters 172 can be arranged to form a hexagonal shape.

[0247] The main drive unit 171 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 disclosed herein may include a drive motor 1712 that provides power, a roller bracket 1715 to which the drive motor 1712 is fastened, a main roller 1711 that is rotatably fastened to the roller bracket 1715 and rotates by receiving power from the drive motor 1712, a suspension spring 1718 that is positioned between the roller bracket 1715 and the main body 110 and has elasticity, and a stop module 1714 that limits the vertical position of the roller bracket 1715.

[0248] The drive motor 1712 can be positioned inside the main roller 1711 and can be fixed to the roller bracket 1715. The drive motor 1712 can be positioned inside the roller bracket 1715, while the main roller 1711 can be positioned outside.

[0249] When the size of the main roller 1711 is too large, the space under the mobile robot becomes too large, making it difficult to achieve a structure that can access the space under the loading structure 10, which has a height of 300 mm. In this embodiment, the main roller 1711 is implemented with a diameter of 150 mm.

[0250] Figure 24 This is a schematic diagram showing the propulsion force of the main drive unit 171 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure.

[0251] The reducer 1713 can be used to amplify the torque of the drive motor 1712. The reducer 1713 has a structure with multiple gears disposed between the drive motor 1712 and the main roller 1711, and can increase torque by reducing the rotational speed of the main roller 1711 and transmitting the reduced rotational speed to the main roller 1711, rather than reducing the rotational speed of the main roller 1711.

[0252] For example, when the speed of the drive motor 1712 with a torque of 1.27 Nm is reduced by a reducer 1713 with a reduction ratio of 25:1, and the driving force is transmitted to the main roller 1711, the torque of the reducer 1713 can be 25 times that of the drive motor 1712. However, depending on the efficiency of the reducer, a torque of 28.57 Nm, reduced to a certain extent (e.g., reduced by 10%), can be transmitted to the main roller 1711. Since the thrust is a value obtained by dividing the torque by the radius of the main roller 1711, the thrust of a pair of main drive units 171 becomes 762.7 N.

[0253] The suspension spring 1718 is a device for absorbing uneven surfaces on the travel path of the autonomous mobile robot 100. The suspension spring 1718 can be disposed between the bottom frame 111 and the roller bracket 1715, and can be in the form of a helical spring extending in the vertical direction.

[0254] Considering the placement of the suspension spring 1718, the first opening 1111 can be limited to a position in the base plate 1115 corresponding to the main roller 1711, and a suspension bracket protruding upward from the first opening 1111 can be installed, so that the suspension can be set to a state where it protrudes upward from the base plate 1115.

[0255] The suspension spring 1718 effectively absorbs impacts from the floor surface, thereby preventing damage to the autonomous mobile robot 100 and the items mounted on the loading structure 10. When only the main drive unit 171 is connected to the body 110 and the suspension spring 1718, stability issues may arise; therefore, the roller bracket 1715 may include a suspension hinge 1716 extending to one side from the suspension spring 1718 and rotatably secured to the bottom frame 111.

[0256] The suspension spring 1718 has the advantage of providing stable operation in the autonomous mobile robot 100, but in the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure, the load that the drive unit 170 should support can vary depending on whether the loading structure 10 is loaded. In particular, when a step is formed on the floor surface and the vertical heights of the floor surfaces where the main drive unit 171 and the casters 172 are located are different from each other, the weight is concentrated on the casters 172.

[0257] Figure 25 and Figure 26 This is a load distribution diagram of the drive unit 170 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 with a stop module 1714.

[0258] Figure 25 The image shows the loading structure 10 not being on top, and Figure 26 The loading structure 10 is shown in the state where it is installed on top. (a) shows the state where the floor surface is flat, and (b) and (c) show the cases where the floor surface where the main roller 1711 is located is 10 mm and 20 mm lower than the floor surface where the caster roller 1721 is located.

[0259] like Figure 25 As shown in (a), the description is based on the case where the autonomous mobile robot 100 has a mass of 240 kg. In standby mode, most of the weight of the autonomous mobile robot 100 can be loaded onto the main drive units 171. Each of the two main drive units 171 can support a load of 100 kgf, and each of the four casters 172 can support a load of 10 kgf.

[0260] When the pushing force of the main roller 1711 of the main drive unit 171 is greater than the friction of the floor surface, the main roller 1711 may slip. When the main roller 1711 slips, since the power of the drive motor is not transmitted to the main body 110, the rollers of the caster 172 do not rotate, and the autonomous mobile robot 100 cannot operate, it can be designed to apply most of the load to the main drive unit 171.

[0261] However, as Figure 25 As shown in (b), when there is a step on the floor surface, when the main drive unit 171 is located on the floor surface below the floor surface where the caster 172 is located, the suspension spring 1718 of the main drive unit 171 extends and the main roller 1711 contacts the floor surface.

[0262] However, in this case, the load transmitted to the main drive unit 171 is reduced by the suspension spring 1718. When... Figure 25When the step size shown in (c) is large, the load reduction is significant. The weight reduction in the main drive unit 171 can be transferred to the casters 172, and the load supported by the casters 172 can be increased.

[0263] Figure 26 The diagram shows the loading structure 10 positioned on top of the mobile robot. The description is based on the assumption that the loading structure 10 weighs 500 kg, and the actual transport shape is a trailer-shaped loading structure, but for comparative load description, it is represented as a 500 kg box.

[0264] The load transmitted to the main roller 1711 varies depending on the length of the suspension spring 1718. Because the caster 172 remains constant in vertical height, the length of the suspension spring 1718 is the same regardless of whether the loading structure 10 is installed. However, as shown in reference... Figure 25 The length of the suspension spring 1718 can vary according to the vertical height of the floor surface, thus the load applied to the main drive unit 171 can vary.

[0265] like Figure 26 As shown in (a), when the ground surface is flat and the main drive unit 171 and the caster 172 are at the same vertical height, even if the loading structure 10 is mounted on the autonomous mobile robot 100, the length of the suspension spring 1718 is the same, so one main drive unit 171 can only support a load of 100 kg.

[0266] Therefore, in reality, the 500 kg load of the loading structure 10 is supported by four casters 172, each caster supporting 125 kg, thus there is a problem of increased load supported by the casters 172.

[0267] In addition, when passing through Figure 26 When the steps shown in (b) and (c) are lower than the caster 172, the length of the suspension spring 1718 increases, so the load supported by the main drive unit 171 decreases while the load supported by the caster 172 increases.

[0268] In addition to the overload problem of caster 172, there is also a slippage problem of main drive unit 171. When the propulsion force of main drive unit 171 is greater than the friction force of main roller 1711, main roller 1711 will not move the main body 110 forward, but will rotate in place.

[0269] The frictional force between the main roller 1711 and the floor surface can be determined by the product of the load applied to the main roller 1711 and the coefficient of friction. In the case of a typical asphalt road, the (dynamic) coefficient of friction is approximately 0.6, and the coefficient of friction can be increased to prevent slippage by creating an uneven surface on the floor of the logistics center.

[0270] For example, when the static friction coefficient of the logistics center floor surface is 0.7, the maximum static friction force applied to the pair of main rollers 1711 under a 200 kgf load is 1372 N. This is because the propulsive force of the main rollers 1711 (in...) Figure 25 In the embodiment, the force is 762.7 N, which is less than the maximum static friction force, so it can be pushed forward without slippage.

[0271] However, when the position of the main roller 1711 is lower than that of the caster 172, the load applied to the main roller 1711 decreases, and therefore the maximum static friction also decreases. At a 10 mm step, the load is 960 N, greater than the propulsion force of the main roller, but at a 20 mm step, it is only 548.8 N, which may cause slippage.

[0272] Furthermore, even when the robot is not located on a step, as the output of the drive motor 1712 increases to transport the heavy load structure 10, slippage may occur as the propulsion force increases.

[0273] Therefore, when the suspension spring 1718 is equipped, swaying can be reduced and the impact applied to the autonomous mobile robot 100 and the loading structure 10 can be reduced, but the load applied to the caster 172 will be excessively increased, and slippage will occur when the output of the drive motor 1712 increases or when passing over steps.

[0274] Figure 27 This is a schematic diagram showing the load distribution of the drive unit 170 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure. This disclosure allows for the addition of a stop module 1714 to the main drive unit 171 to address the aforementioned problems.

[0275] See Figure 27 The stop module 1714 may include a stop bracket 1714a fixed to the roller bracket 1715, and an upper stop 1714b located on the stop bracket 1714a and fixed to the bottom frame 111.

[0276] As the roller bracket 1715 rotates around the suspension hinge 1716, the stop module 1714 can be located on the opposite side of the suspension hinge 1716 relative to the main roller 1711 to effectively limit the movement of the suspension spring 1718.

[0277] It may also include a lower stop 1714c located in the lower portion to limit the extension length of the suspension spring 1718. Because the roller bracket 1715 rotates about the suspension hinge 1716, the lower stop 1714c can be configured to be biased toward the suspension hinge 1716 compared to the upper stop 1714b.

[0278] The upper stop 1714b can be designed to contact the stop bracket 1714a when the main roller is on a flat surface, thereby transferring the installation load to the main roller 1711 through the stop module 1714. For example... Figure 27 As shown, the load added by the loading structure 10 is also evenly distributed to the main roller 1711 through the stop module 1714, so that a load of 183.5 kgf is applied to the main roller 1711.

[0279] The upper stop 1714b and the stop bracket 1714a are designed to contact each other on a flat surface, so as the load on the main roller 1711 increases, the maximum static friction increases, thereby preventing slippage.

[0280] However, even though the upper stop 1714b and the stop bracket 1714a are designed to contact each other on a flat surface, when the upper stop 1714b and the stop bracket 1714a are spaced apart from each other on the floor surface forming a step, the load is again applied to the caster 172, such as... Figure 26 As shown in (b) and (c), the main roller 1711 may slip.

[0281] Figure 28 This is a schematic diagram illustrating another embodiment of the stop module 1714 of the main drive unit 171 of the autonomous mobile robot 100 of this disclosure.

[0282] Since the stop module 1714 in the above embodiment still has the problem that the load is not applied to the main roller 1711 when passing through the step, this embodiment can further include a stop actuator 1717 to solve the problem.

[0283] When the autonomous mobile robot 100 moves, the stop actuator 1717 selectively inserts a stop block 1717b between the upper stop 1714b and the stop support 1714a to fill the gap between the upper stop 1714b and the stop support 1714a.

[0284] The stop block 1717b may include a first inclined surface 1717d, such as Figure 28 As shown, it may also include a second inclined surface 1714e, which is located on the surface of the first inclined surface 1717d facing the stop block 1717b.

[0285] like Figure 28 As shown, when the first inclined surface 1717d faces the stop bracket 1714a, the second inclined surface 1714e can be formed on the stop block 1717b, and when the first inclined surface 1717d faces the bottom surface of the bottom frame 111, the second inclined surface 1714e can be formed on the bottom surface of the upper stop 1714b.

[0286] Due to the presence of the first inclined surface 1717d, the stop block 1717b has a smaller height at one end and a larger height at the other end, which is closer to the stop actuator 1717.

[0287] When the gap between the stop bracket 1714a and the upper stop 1714b increases, the length of the stop actuator 1717 can be extended, so that the section with a larger height of the stop block 1717b can be positioned between the stop bracket 1714a and the upper stop 1714b.

[0288] The controller 180 can sense the vertical height difference of the floor surface using sensors (such as LiDAR 142 and 3D camera 143) and determine whether there is a step in the direction of travel. When passing a step in the direction of travel, the controller 180 can control the stop actuator 1717 so that the stop block 1717b fills the gap between the stop bracket 1714a and the upper stop 1714b. With this real-time control of the stop actuator 1717, the load applied to the main roller 1711 can be distributed to the caster 172, thereby preventing slippage.

[0289] The device may include a step sensor 1714s that senses the position of one side of the stop bracket 1714a or the roller bracket 1715. When the distance from the step sensor 1714s to the stop bracket 1714a or the roller bracket 1715 changes, the controller 180 may determine that the main roller 1711 is passing over the step and operate the stop actuator 1717.

[0290] Alternatively, the stop block 1717b can be inserted when the stop actuator 1717 provides force in the direction of pressing the stop block 1717b and the gap between the stop bracket 1714a and the bottom frame 111 widens.

[0291] Alternatively, a stop resilient portion (not shown) can be inserted between the stop actuator 1717 and the stop block 1717b, which presses the stop block 1717b toward one end. When the gap between the stop bracket 1714a and the upper stop 1714b widens, the stop resilient portion can push the stop block 1717b toward one end to fill the widened gap.

[0292] Before the loading structure contacts the upper frame and applies a load, the stop actuator 1717 prevents excessive load from being applied to the caster 172 by inserting a stop block 1717b between the stop bracket 1714a and the upper stop 1714b.

[0293] Figure 29 It shows Figure 28The flowchart illustrates the operation of the stop module 1714 of the autonomous mobile robot 100. First, when the autonomous mobile robot 100 completes its movement to the space below the loading structure 10 (S110), the stop actuator 1717 can be operated (S120). When the robot is no longer below the loading structure 10, the drive unit 170 can continue moving.

[0294] Preferably, when the drive unit 170 stops, the stop block 1717b is inserted between the stop bracket 1714a and the upper stop 1714b so that it can operate before the lifting module 160 operates after the autonomous mobile robot has moved to the space below the loading structure 10. Because load distribution is impossible when the stop actuator 1717 is not operating, the lifting module 160 may not operate.

[0295] After the stop actuator 1717 is operated to fill the gap between the upper stop 1714b and the stop bracket 1714a, the lifting module 160 can be operated to move the top frame 113 upward (S130), thereby raising the bottom surface of the loading structure 10.

[0296] When multiple lifting units 161 are used, the top frame 113 will not rise stably even if one of the lifting units 161 is not operated; therefore, a lifting sensor 146 may be included. Figure 14 As shown.

[0297] The lifting sensor 146 may include a limit switch that generates a signal at the lower or upper end of the lifting module 160. When the lower limit switch is closed (S140), it can be determined that the top frame 113 has moved upward. When the lower limit switch is open, since the top frame 113 is at the lower end, it can be determined that movement is not feasible (S170), and the operation of the lifting module 160 can be attempted again.

[0298] When the lifting module 160 is operated to the upper end (S150), and the upper sensor 147 on the top surface of the top frame 113 contacts the bottom surface of the loading structure 10 and identifies the loading structure 10 (S160), it can be determined that the lifting operation is complete, and the movement of the loading structure 10 can begin (S180).

[0299] If the lifting module 160 fails to reach the upper end or the upper sensor 147 fails to identify the bottom surface of the loading structure 10, it can be determined that the loading structure 10 is not installed on the autonomous mobile robot 100, and therefore cannot begin to move (S170). When it can be determined that moving is not feasible, the operation of the lifting module 160 can be tried again (S130).

[0300] As described above, the autonomous mobile robot of this disclosure can avoid the reduction in rigidity caused by bending and forming with a plate-shaped base plate.

[0301] Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can improve the accuracy of SLAM because the lifting unit does not interfere with the field of view of the lidar.

[0302] Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can modularize the lidar and 3D camera, making it easy to mount them onto the main body.

[0303] Furthermore, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can fine-tune the angle of the lidar to obtain accurate information about obstacles and terrain ahead.

[0304] Furthermore, regardless of whether a loading structure is installed, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can move stably without slipping by stably distributing the load to the rollers of the drive unit.

[0305] Furthermore, since the load is not concentrated on any particular roller, the autonomous mobile robot disclosed herein can prevent slipping even when traversing a floor surface with steps.

[0306] The above detailed description should not be construed as limiting in any way, but should be considered exemplary. The scope of this disclosure will be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all variations within the equivalents of this disclosure are included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0307] This application claims the benefit of PCT patent application No. PCT / KR2025 / 000642, filed January 10, 2025, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.

Claims

1. An autonomous mobile robot configured to transport items loaded on its top surface, the autonomous mobile robot comprising: Bottom frame; A pair of main drive units, which are positioned below the bottom frame and operated by a drive motor; and Four casters are positioned adjacent to the lower corners of the bottom frame. The main drive unit includes: A roller bracket fastened to the drive motor; The main roller is rotatably secured to the roller bracket and can rotate by receiving power from the drive motor; A suspension spring positioned between the roller bracket and the bottom frame; The stop bracket fixed to the roller bracket; and Positioned on the bottom surface of the bottom frame to face the upper stop of the stop bracket.

2. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous mobile robot further comprises: A stop actuator configured to selectively introduce a stop block into the space between the stop support and the upper stop and to remove the stop block from the space; and A controller configured to control the drive motor and the stop actuator.

3. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 2, wherein, The stop block includes a first inclined surface, wherein the height at one end of the first inclined surface is less than the height at the other end. The stop actuator is configured to change the insertion amount of the stop block.

4. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 3, further comprising: A lifting module, which is mounted on top of the bottom frame and has a variable height in the vertical direction; and The top frame is configured to transition from a standby state to a raised state while being spaced upward from the bottom frame via the lifting module. The controller is configured to operate the stop actuator to insert the stop block into the space between the stop bracket and the upper stop before the lifting module is lifted.

5. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 4, further comprising: A lift sensor, configured to sense the height of the top frame; and The upper sensor is configured to sense contact between the top frame and the bottom surface of the loading structure. The controller is configured to stop operating the lifting module and operate the drive motor when both the lifting sensor and the upper sensor are turned on.

6. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 2, wherein, The controller is configured to control the length of the stop actuator such that the stop block remains in contact with the upper stop and the stop support when the drive structure passes over a stepped floor surface.

7. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 6, further comprising a lidar module configured to sense the vertical height of the floor surface in front of it. in, The controller is configured to determine the presence of the step based on the vertical height difference of the floor surface sensed by the lidar module.

8. The autonomous mobile robot of claim 6, further comprising a step sensor configured to sense the position of one side of the roller bracket or the stop bracket. in, The controller is configured to determine that the drive structure has passed over the floor surface having the step when the step sensor senses a change in position.

9. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 3, wherein, The stop actuator is configured to keep the stop block under pressure as the autonomous mobile robot moves.

10. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 3, wherein the autonomous mobile robot further comprises a stop elastic portion located between the stop actuator and the stop block.

11. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 3, wherein, The surface of the first inclined surface of the upper stop or the stop support facing the stop block includes a second inclined surface.

12. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein, The roller bracket includes a suspension hinge positioned adjacent to the axis of the main roller and fixed to the bottom frame.

13. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 12, wherein, The suspension hinge and the upper stop are positioned in opposite directions relative to the main roller.

14. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein the autonomous mobile robot further comprises a lower stop facing the bottom surface of the stop support.

15. The autonomous mobile robot according to claim 1, wherein, The upper stop is fixed to the bottom surface of the bottom frame and is configured to contact the stop support on a flat surface.

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