Fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing

Abstract

The application discloses a fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing. First, the visual detection device detects the appearance of the fruits on the main conveying belt, and removes unqualified fruits. The qualified fruits are placed on the weighing trays of each AGV trolley by the grabbing manipulator. The on-board weighing module collects weight data in real time and uploads the data to the upper computer control system to form a selected data set. The upper computer control system dynamically selects a group of AGVs from the selected data set according to the preset packing target weight, so that the total weight meets the target requirement. According to the current position of each AGV, the selected AGVs are allocated to the target parking position in the packing area, and the parking array in the packing area is reorganized to match the array type end effector. After each AGV reaches the specified parking position, the packing manipulator grabs the fruits from multiple AGVs at one time and packs the fruits into the same packaging box to complete the packing. The application realizes the automatic screening, distributed weighing, dynamic packing and array packing integrated operation of the fruits, and can reduce weight overflow, improve raw material utilization rate and packing efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fruit sorting and packing, and in particular to a fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing. Background Technology

[0002] In the current fruit sorting and processing field, the mainstream operating model typically employs a grading and packing scheme. This method first uses visual or weight detection equipment to sort fruits according to preset weight grades, and then manual or automated equipment packs fruits of the same grade into fixed quantities. However, with the increasing demand for more precise net weight in end-sales packaging, the traditional grading model is gradually revealing its limitations in handling such tasks. On the one hand, because the quantity of each grade of fruit is difficult to match with order targets in real time, a large amount of fruit that cannot be packed into full boxes is easily generated at the end of the production line, leading to inventory backlog and losses. On the other hand, to ensure that the net weight meets the standards, the traditional method of packing by quantity usually avoids the risk of short weight by overfilling, and the resulting weight overflow increases the raw material costs for enterprises to some extent. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to solve the problems in the prior art and provide a fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing. Multiple AGVs carry a certain number of fruits and form discrete weight units. The host computer control system determines a target AGV set that meets the target packing weight based on the weight data of the multiple AGVs and assigns corresponding packing area parking positions to the AGVs in the target AGV set. After the AGVs in the target AGV set form a packing array in the packing area that matches the array-type end effector gripping unit, the packing robot grips the fruits on the corresponding carrying pallets and packs them into fruit boxes.

[0004] The technical solution adopted in this invention is as follows: A fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing includes a main conveyor belt, a vision inspection device, a fruit gripping robot, a defective fruit collection unit, multiple AGV carts, a fruit gripping robot, a fruit packing area, a host computer control system, and multiple functional areas. Fruits are inspected by the vision inspection device on the main conveyor belt; qualified fruits enter the packing section, and finally, the fruit packing robot completes the packing.

[0005] The main conveyor belt is a belt-type conveyor belt used to accommodate two fruits placed side by side for transporting fruits to be sorted. A vision inspection device is located above and / or on both sides of the main conveyor belt to inspect the appearance quality of the fruits and generate inspection results. A defective fruit collection unit is used to collect defective fruits. A fruit-grabbing robot is located behind the vision inspection device and at the end of the main conveyor belt. The fruit-grabbing robot is a multi-joint industrial robot with a flexible suction cup or gripper structure as its end effector, used to grab defective fruits to the defective fruit collection unit and grab qualified fruits onto the AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) cart.

[0006] The AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) is equipped with a weighing tray, and an onboard weighing module is integrated below the weighing tray to collect weight data in real time when fruit is placed on it. The AGV navigation module includes a QR code scanner and / or a LiDAR navigation unit for recognizing ground positioning markers; the AGV control system module is an embedded microcomputer responsible for navigation, motion control, and processing weight information; the communication module on the AGV is a wireless communication microcontroller that uploads the AGV's operating status, weighing data, and location information to the host computer control system via wireless communication.

[0007] The system comprises four functional areas: an empty vehicle area, a loading area, a waiting area, and a boxing area. These areas are distinguished by different ground positioning markers, which are QR code labels laid along each functional area and the travel path. The AGVs determine their own position by recognizing the positioning markers and travel according to the preset path. The empty vehicle area has several empty waiting positions where unloaded AGVs wait for loading instructions. The loading area is where the fruit-grabbing robot picks up fruit and loads it onto the AGVs. AGVs in the empty vehicle area move to this area to load the fruit after receiving instructions. The waiting area has several waiting positions where AGVs loaded with fruit but not yet boxed stop. The boxing area has a matrix arrangement of boxing positions. The number and arrangement of the positions are dynamically adjusted according to the amount of fruit required for each box, and each position corresponds exactly to a fixed stopping point for the robot's grasping operation.

[0008] The fruit packing robot has an array-type end effector, which includes multiple independent gripping units arranged in a matrix. Each independent gripping unit is a flexible suction cup, which is used to grab fruit from multiple AGVs at once and pack them into the same packaging box after the AGVs arrive at the designated parking position and are arranged.

[0009] The various components of the solution are coordinated and scheduled by a host computer control system. The host computer control system generates AGV combinations that meet the target packing weight based on each discrete weight unit, and controls the selected AGVs to form a target array in the packing area corresponding to the end effector of the packing robot. Then, the packing robot performs the packing operation.

[0010] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention can reduce weight spillage during the packing process, improve the utilization rate of fruit raw materials, and help improve the efficiency of packing operations. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional view of a fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing according to the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 This is a layout diagram of parking spaces in each functional area.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) structure.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a diagram showing the installation relationship of each module of the AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle).

[0015] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the installation relationship between the weighing pallet and the weighing module of the AGV trolley.

[0016] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view showing the installation relationship between the weighing pallet and the weighing module of the AGV trolley.

[0017] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an array-type end effector for a packing robot.

[0018] Figure 8 This is a geometrical diagram showing the correspondence between the container loading area's docking positions and the gripping units.

[0019] Figure 9 This is a block diagram showing the communication relationship between the host computer control system and each execution unit.

[0020] In the diagram: 1. Main conveyor belt; 2. Vision inspection device; 3. Fruit grasping robot; 4. Defective fruit collection unit; 5. AGV trolley working plane; 6. AGV trolley; 7. Empty vehicle area; 8. Loading area; 9. Waiting area; 10. Boxing area; 11. Boxing robot; 12. Full box fruit conveyor belt; 13. Fruit box; 61. AGV chassis; 62. AGV upper support plate; 63. AGV shell; 611. Inertial measurement unit; 612. AGV control system module; 613. Motor speed control module; 614. AGV navigation module; 615. Infrared obstacle avoidance module; 616. AGV communication system module; 617. Battery module; 621. Weighing pallet; 622. Weighing module; Detailed Implementation

[0021] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] like Figure 1 , Figure 2As shown, in a fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing, a vision inspection device 2, a defective fruit collection unit 4, and a fruit-grabbing robot 3 are arranged along the main conveyor belt 1. The vision inspection device 2 is located above and / or on both sides of the main conveyor belt 1 to collect image information of the passing fruits and determine their appearance quality. The fruit-grabbing robot 3 is located behind the vision inspection device 2 and at the end of the main conveyor belt 1, respectively used to remove defective fruits and grab qualified fruits. An empty vehicle area 7, a loading area 8, a waiting area 9, and a packing area 10 are distributed on the working plane 5 of the AGV vehicle. Each area is marked with a QR code positioning mark in a preset array. The AGV vehicle 6 achieves precise positioning and path tracking by recognizing the QR code mark. The packing robot 11 is located next to the packing area 10. The feeding end of the full-box fruit conveyor belt 12 is within the working range of the packing robot 11, and the discharging end extends to the subsequent station to transport the full fruit boxes 13 out of the system.

[0023] like Figure 1 As shown, the main conveyor belt 1 is used to sequentially transport the fruits to be sorted to the subsequent workstations. The vision inspection device 2 collects image information of the passing fruits and uploads it to the host computer control system. The host computer control system generates inspection results based on preset appearance quality standards. When the inspection result is unqualified, the host computer control system controls the fruit-grabbing robot 3 to grab the fruit and place it in the unqualified fruit collection unit 4. When the inspection result is qualified, the fruit is transported to the end by the main conveyor belt 1, where it is grabbed by the fruit-grabbing robot 3 and placed on the weighing tray 621 of the AGV trolley 6. The grabbing center of the robot 3 is vertically aligned with the geometric center of the weighing tray 621 of the AGV trolley 6, ensuring that each fruit is placed within a preset placement area at the center of the weighing tray. This ensures that the array-type grabbing unit of the subsequent packing robot 11 can form a stable correspondence with the fruit positions on each AGV tray. The working cycle of the fruit-grabbing robot 3 is coordinated with the conveying speed of the main conveyor belt 1, and the grabbing action is triggered in real time according to the arrival signal of the AGV trolley 6.

[0024] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, after receiving the movement command from the host computer control system, the AGV 6 starts the AGV navigation module 614 to move towards the target location. The AGV navigation module 614 of the AGV 6 includes a QR code scanner and / or a lidar navigation unit. The host computer control system has a built-in electronic map to provide path information to the AGV 6. The AGV 6 also includes an infrared obstacle avoidance module 615, which is used to detect obstacles in the running path. The AGV control system module 612 controls the AGV 6 to decelerate, stop, or give way based on the detection results to ensure the safety of multiple vehicles passing through and to enable the AGV 6 to operate stably between different functional areas.

[0025] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the upper support plate 62 of the AGV is fixed above the chassis 61 of the AGV. The weighing module 622 is installed between the upper support plate 62 and the weighing tray 621, and is fixedly connected to the weighing tray 621. It is used to collect the weight data of the fruit on the weighing tray 621 when the AGV is stationary. Preferably, to improve the stability of weight data collection, the data output by the weighing module 622 can be collected and processed multiple times to obtain the final weight data. The weighing module 622 collects the weight data of the fruit in real time and uploads the weight data, AGV number, and time information to the host computer control system through the AGV communication system module 616 of the AGV 6. The inertial measurement unit 611 is used for attitude detection and navigation correction, and the motor speed control module 613 is used to realize the AGV's walking drive and speed adjustment. The two work together to complete the precise motion control of the AGV. The battery module 617 provides energy for the entire AGV.

[0026] The loaded AGV 6 moves to the waiting area 9. The waiting area has multiple waiting bays. The host computer control system maintains a candidate dataset of AGVs parked in each waiting bay. This candidate dataset includes at least the AGV number and the weight of the fruit it carries. Preferably, the candidate dataset may also include the time information of the corresponding AGV entering the waiting area. Based on the weight data of the multiple AGVs, the host computer control system determines the target set of AGVs that meet the target packing weight.

[0027] After selecting a set of AGVs that meet the target packing weight requirements, the host computer control system begins task allocation and scheduling. The system assigns corresponding parking positions in the packing area 10 to the AGVs in the target set, ensuring that the AGVs in the target set form a packing array in the packing area 10 that matches the end effector's gripping unit. Subsequently, the host computer control system provides path information to the AGVs based on a preset electronic map and coordinates the movement of the AGVs in the target set to their corresponding parking positions in the packing area. Through this process, the host computer control system reassembles the selected discrete weight units into a spatial array corresponding to the end effector of the packing robot, laying the foundation for subsequent one-time gripping and packing.

[0028] like Figure 7 , Figure 8As shown, the end effector of the packing robot 11 adopts an array structure, including multiple independent gripping units arranged in a matrix. Each gripping unit is a flexible suction cup. The docking positions in the packing area 10 are arranged in a matrix, and the center-to-center distance between adjacent docking positions is equal to the center-to-center distance between adjacent gripping units in the end effector of the packing robot 11. This distance is preset based on the number of fruits required per box and the average diameter of the fruits. With the above settings, when the selected AGV trolley 6 docks at the designated position, the weighing pallets 621 of each AGV form a packing array in space that corresponds one-to-one with the gripping unit array of the end effector. When generating the target docking array, the host computer control system dynamically determines the number of rows and columns of the array based on the number of selected AGVs and generates the coordinates of each docking position according to the preset spacing. The multiple gripping units of the array-type end effector of the packing robot 11 synchronously grip the fruits on multiple AGV trolleys and load them into the fruit boxes.

[0029] like Figure 9 As shown, the host computer control system establishes communication connections with the main conveyor belt 1, the vision inspection device 2, the fruit-grabbing robot 3, the AGV trolley 6, and the packing robot 11. Specifically, the main conveyor belt 1 receives control commands from the host computer control system and works in conjunction with the fruit-grabbing robot 3 to complete the grasping operation; the vision inspection device 2 uploads the collected images and appearance inspection results to the host computer control system; the controller of the fruit-grabbing robot 3 receives grasping commands from the host computer control system and provides feedback on the execution status; the AGV trolley 6 uploads weighing data, location information, and operating status in real time through the AGV communication system module 616, and receives movement commands, docking position allocation commands, and return commands from the host computer control system; the packing robot 11 receives grasping commands from the host computer control system and provides feedback on the operation status. The host computer control system integrates a box-making decision module, a path planning module, and a task scheduling module. It is used to dynamically generate AGV combinations based on uploaded data, allocate parking positions in the box-packing area, and coordinate the movement of AGVs in the target AGV set to the corresponding parking positions in the box-packing area, thereby realizing fully automated control from fruit inspection to full box output.

[0030] Through the above process, each AGV 6 departs from the empty vehicle area 7, completes fruit loading in the loading area 8, enters the waiting area 9 to queue for box matching, and after being selected, travels to the boxing area 10 to unload the fruit, and finally returns to the empty vehicle area 7. This cyclical operation realizes a fully automated weighing and boxing process from the input of individual fruits to the output of entire boxes of fruits.

Claims

1. Claim 1 A fruit packing system based on AGV discrete weighing and array packing, characterized in that, It includes a main conveyor belt, a vision inspection device, a defective fruit collection unit, a fruit gripping robot, multiple AGV trolleys, a waiting area, a packing area, a packing robot, and a host computer control system; The visual inspection device is located above and / or on both sides of the main conveyor belt and is used to inspect the appearance of the fruit conveyed by the main conveyor belt. The substandard fruit collection unit is located at the corresponding position on the main conveyor belt and is used to collect substandard fruit; The fruit-grabbing robot is located behind the vision inspection device and at the end of the main conveyor belt, and is used to remove unqualified fruits and grab qualified fruits. The plurality of AGV trolleys each include an AGV chassis, an AGV upper support plate, a weighing tray set on the upper part of the AGV upper support plate, a weighing module set below the weighing tray, an AGV navigation module, and an AGV communication system module. The weighing module is used to acquire the weight data of the fruit carried by the corresponding AGV trolley. The waiting area is used to park AGV carts carrying fruit and waiting to participate in the boxing and assembly. The packing area is provided with multiple docking positions arranged in an array. The packing robot is located above the packing area, and the end effector of the packing robot includes multiple gripping units arranged in an array. The host computer control system is communicatively connected to the vision inspection device, the fruit grasping robot, the AGV trolley, and the packing robot. It is used to determine the target AGV set that meets the target packing weight based on the weight data of the AGV trolley, and to control the AGV trolleys in the target AGV set to form a packing array that matches the grasping unit in the packing area. The packing robot is used to perform packing operations on the fruits corresponding to the packing array.

2. Claim 2 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The fruit-grabbing robot is used to perform the tasks of removing substandard fruit and grabbing and loading qualified fruit.

3. Claim 3 The fruit packing system according to claim 2 is characterized in that, The fruit-grabbing robot transfers the substandard fruits identified by the visual inspection device to the substandard fruit collection unit.

4. Claim 4 The fruit packing system according to claim 2 is characterized in that, The fruit-grabbing robot places qualified fruit into a preset placement area on the weighing tray. The geometric center of the preset placement area is vertically aligned with the gripping center of the corresponding gripping unit.

5. Claim 5 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The AGV navigation module includes a QR code scanner and / or a LiDAR navigation unit, and the host computer control system has a built-in electronic map to provide path information to the AGV.

6. Claim 6 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The AGV also includes an infrared obstacle avoidance module, which is used to detect obstacles in the running path. The AGV control system module controls the AGV to slow down, stop, or give way based on the detection results.

7. Claim 7 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The weighing module is located between the upper support plate of the AGV and the weighing pallet, and is fixedly connected to the weighing pallet.

8. Claim 8 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The weighing module is used to collect the weight data of the fruit on the weighing tray when the AGV is stationary.

9. Claim 9 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The waiting area is equipped with multiple waiting spaces. The host computer control system is used to maintain a candidate dataset of AGVs parked in each waiting space. The candidate dataset includes at least the AGV number and the weight information of the fruit it carries.

10. Claim 10 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The multiple docking positions in the packing area are arranged in a matrix array, and the center-to-center distance between adjacent docking positions corresponds to the center-to-center distance between adjacent gripping units of the end effector, so that the AGVs in the target AGV set form a packing array that corresponds one-to-one with the gripping unit after they dock.

11. Claim 11 The fruit packing system according to claim 1 is characterized in that, The end effector of the packing robot is an array-type end effector, and the multiple gripping units of the array-type end effector are used to simultaneously grip the fruit on multiple AGV carts.

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