Adaptive tracking control system and method for a suspended power trolley

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of suspension conveying equipment control, and particularly relates to a self-adaptive tracking control system and method of a suspension power trolley, which comprises a power main frame, a load suspension frame, a central pivot and a movable swing arm, the power main frame and the load suspension frame are hinged through the central pivot to realize relative rotation decoupling in a horizontal plane, and the self-adaptive tracking control system further comprises a tracking sensing module arranged at the movable swing arm, a self-adaptive tracking controller and a servo rotary drive mechanism arranged at the central pivot, the tracking sensing module collects the deflection angles of the left and right movable swing arms in real time, the self-adaptive tracking controller calculates the deflection angle difference and calculates the target heading angle of the load suspension frame to generate a control instruction when the angle difference exceeds a preset threshold, and the servo rotary drive mechanism drives the load suspension frame to actively rotate around the central pivot relative to the power main frame based on the control instruction, so that active self-adaptive tracking over a bend is realized through electromechanical cooperation, load inertia interference is effectively resolved, and the stability and safety of operation are ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of control technology for suspended conveyor equipment, and specifically to an adaptive tracking control system and method for a suspended power trolley. Background Technology

[0002] Suspended powered trolleys are widely used in automated production lines in automobile manufacturing, machining, warehousing and logistics, as well as in transportation equipment in cultural and tourism parks, to achieve efficient cross-regional aerial transfer. Traditional suspended trolleys typically consist of a powered main frame that moves in the air, and a load-bearing frame suspended below the powered main frame to support heavy materials.

[0003] However, with increasingly stringent requirements for the operating cycle time and load capacity of suspended conveyor systems, the existing purely mechanical passive tracking scheme of suspended power trolleys has its shortcomings. When the trolley carries a large load and enters a curve at high speed, the load-bearing frame and suspended material below will experience severe motion lag due to their enormous linear inertia, generating a relative deflection reaction torque at the connection between the power frame and the load-bearing frame. Since this deflection reaction torque is completely transmitted upward to the power frame, it forces the power frame to undergo unexpected lateral torsion, exceeding the compensation limit of the guide wheels. This directly leads to the guide wheels being subjected to extremely severe lateral compression and hard friction, which not only significantly shortens the service life of the guide wheels but also easily causes the trolley to vibrate, jam, or even derail at curves.

[0004] To address the aforementioned issues of cornering tracking deviation and wear, some existing improvement solutions attempt to introduce dual-motor differential drive into the main power frame to compensate for the deflection reaction force. However, these solutions often require a complete reconstruction of the vehicle's motion dynamics model, significantly increasing the size, weight, and modification cost of the powertrain.

[0005] In summary, existing suspended powered vehicles lack a control scheme that can both retain the lightweight traditional design of the driving and guiding mechanisms while proactively mitigating the inertial interference from the load below when dealing with heavy loads and high-speed cornering conditions. Therefore, how to cleverly utilize the existing power structure to achieve electromechanical coordinated active adaptive tracking cornering at a relatively low structural modification cost has become a technical challenge that urgently needs to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adaptive tracking control system and method for a suspended power vehicle, aiming to solve the technical problem that existing suspended vehicles, under heavy load and high-speed cornering conditions, generate a deflection reaction torque due to the inertial lag of the load below, leading to torsion of the upper power frame, severe wear of the guide wheels, and the risk of derailment. At the same time, it overcomes the shortcomings of existing dual-motor differential drive solutions, which are bulky and have high modification costs. With a lower structural modification cost, it achieves electromechanical coordinated active adaptive tracking cornering, fundamentally eliminating the inertial interference of the load below, and ensuring the stability and safety of the vehicle's operation.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention provides an adaptive tracking control system for a suspended powered vehicle, comprising:

[0008] The system includes a power main frame, a load-bearing hanger, a central pivot connecting the two, and a movable swing arm symmetrically hinged to the power main frame. The power main frame and the load-bearing hanger are hinged together via the central pivot to achieve relative rotational decoupling in the horizontal plane. The movable swing arm is used to elastically abut against the side of the suspension track to follow the changes in the alignment of the suspension track for tracking and guidance.

[0009] Also includes:

[0010] A tracking and sensing module is installed at the movable swing arm. The tracking and sensing module is used to collect the deflection angle of the left and right movable swing arms relative to the power main frame in real time.

[0011] An adaptive tracking controller is communicatively connected to the tracking sensing module. The adaptive tracking controller is configured to receive the deflection angle and calculate the deflection angle difference between the left and right movable swing arms in real time. In response to the deflection angle difference exceeding a preset threshold, the controller calculates the target heading angle of the bearing gantry based on the deflection angle difference and generates control commands according to the target heading angle.

[0012] The system includes a servo rotary drive mechanism located at the central pivot. The control end of the servo rotary drive mechanism is communicatively connected to the adaptive tracking controller. Both ends of the servo rotary drive mechanism are fixedly connected to the main power frame and the load-bearing hanger, respectively. The servo rotary drive mechanism is used to drive the load-bearing hanger to actively rotate relative to the main power frame around the central pivot based on the control command.

[0013] Preferably, the movable swing arms are symmetrically distributed at multiple points along the travel direction of the main power frame, including at least: front swing arm assemblies arranged on both sides of the front end of the main power frame; and rear swing arm assemblies arranged on both sides of the rear end of the main power frame; each movable swing arm is rotatably connected to the main power frame via a vertical hinge shaft, and each movable swing arm is rotatably equipped with a tracking guide wheel at its free end; a tension spring is obliquely connected between the main power frame and each movable swing arm, and the tension spring is configured to provide an elastic preload that causes the corresponding movable swing arm to deflect outward, so that each tracking guide wheel always remains in contact with the suspension track.

[0014] Preferably, the tracking sensing module includes multiple angle encoders, which are coaxially mounted on the vertical hinge shafts of the front and rear swing arm groups respectively. The angle encoders are used to measure the absolute mechanical deflection angle of the corresponding active swing arm relative to the power frame in real time, and send the absolute mechanical deflection angle as the deflection angle to the adaptive tracking controller.

[0015] As a preferred embodiment, the logic of the adaptive tracking controller for calculating the deflection angle difference and solving the target heading angle includes: calculating the first deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the front swing arm group; calculating the second deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the rear swing arm group; comparing the first and second deflection angle differences, and determining that the deflection angle difference exceeds a preset threshold when the difference or rate of change between the two indicates that the vehicle is entering a curve; establishing a track curvature model based on the numerical ratio of the first and second deflection angle differences and the inherent wheelbase of the suspended power vehicle, and outputting the target heading angle of the load-bearing gantry matching the current curve based on the track curvature model.

[0016] Preferably, the adaptive tracking controller includes: a state monitoring unit with a built-in angle difference calculation model, which calculates the deflection angle difference in real time based on the received deflection angles of the left and right movable swing arms and the angle difference calculation model; a heading calculation unit with a built-in preset threshold, which compares the received deflection angle difference with the preset threshold in real time; calculates the target heading angle of the bearing gantry based on the deflection angle difference when the deflection angle difference exceeds the preset threshold; and outputs a target heading angle with a value of zero when the deflection angle difference does not exceed the preset threshold; and a command synthesis unit, which is communicatively connected to the state monitoring unit and the heading calculation unit, and generates control commands based on the target heading angle and sends them to the control terminal of the servo rotary drive mechanism.

[0017] Preferably, multiple sets of anti-tipping guide mechanisms are fixedly installed at both ends of the top of the main power frame. Each set of anti-tipping guide mechanisms includes a pair of top guide wheels fixed to the top of the main power frame by a mounting base plate.

[0018] Preferably, the four top guide wheels are arranged in a rectangular array on the mounting base plate, and the rotation axis of each top guide wheel is parallel to the axis of the central pivot. The top guide wheels are configured to engage with the upper flanges of the suspension track in a limited rolling fit, so as to provide a rigid attitude reference for the main frame to resist the reaction torque when the servo rotary drive mechanism drives the load-bearing hanger to rotate actively.

[0019] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an adaptive tracking control method for a suspended powered vehicle, applied to the aforementioned adaptive tracking control system of the suspended powered vehicle, comprising:

[0020] The deflection angles of the movable swing arms on the left and right sides relative to the power main frame are collected in real time.

[0021] Receive the deflection angle and calculate the difference in deflection angle between the left and right movable swing arms in real time;

[0022] The deflection angle difference is compared with a preset threshold: if the deflection angle difference exceeds the preset threshold, the target heading angle of the bearing gantry is calculated based on the deflection angle difference; if the deflection angle difference does not exceed the preset threshold, the target heading angle with a value of zero is output.

[0023] Control commands are generated based on the target heading angle, and the servo slewing drive mechanism drives the load-bearing gantry to actively rotate relative to the power main frame around the central pivot based on the control commands, so as to achieve relative rotation decoupling in the horizontal plane.

[0024] Preferably, the movable swing arm includes at least a front swing arm assembly arranged on both sides of the front end of the main power frame, and a rear swing arm assembly arranged on both sides of the rear end of the main power frame. The logic for calculating the deflection angle difference and solving the target heading angle specifically includes: calculating the first deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the front swing arm assembly; calculating the second deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the rear swing arm assembly; comparing the first deflection angle difference and the second deflection angle difference, and determining that the deflection angle difference exceeds a preset threshold when the difference or rate of change between the two indicates that the vehicle is entering a curve; establishing a track curvature model based on the numerical ratio of the first deflection angle difference and the second deflection angle difference, combined with the inherent wheelbase of the suspended power trolley, and outputting the target heading angle of the load-bearing gantry matching the current curve based on the track curvature model.

[0025] Preferably, before determining that the deflection angle difference exceeds a preset threshold, an anti-interference filtering process is also included: a sliding time window filtering is performed on the real-time collected first and second deflection angle differences; the low-frequency variation components of the filtered first and second deflection angle differences are extracted to eliminate high-frequency transient change signals caused by local manufacturing tolerances or uneven joints of the suspension track; only when the filtered low-frequency variation components show a monotonically increasing trend within a preset time period and their absolute value exceeds the preset threshold is it determined that the suspended power vehicle has truly entered the curve characteristic, thereby triggering the calculation of the target heading angle.

[0026] Through the above technical solution, the present invention achieves the following technical effects:

[0027] According to the present invention, the adaptive tracking control system of the suspended power trolley achieves rotational decoupling between the power main frame and the load-bearing hanger in the horizontal plane through a central pivot, and introduces a servo rotary drive mechanism between the two. When the trolley is cornering, the system can actively drive the load-bearing hanger to rotate to the target heading angle in advance or synchronously, actively overcoming the linear inertial lag caused by the large mass load, changing passive towing to active steering, thereby fundamentally eliminating the deflection reaction torque transmitted to the upper power main frame.

[0028] Thanks to the active compensation of the deflection counter-torque below, the main power frame no longer bears unexpected lateral torsional forces when cornering, which brings the force on the guide wheel back to the normal design range. This greatly reduces the violent lateral compression and hard friction between the guide wheel and the side of the suspension track, which not only significantly extends the service life of the guide wheel and track, but also effectively avoids serious safety hazards such as vibration, jamming or even derailment of the trolley at the curve, and greatly improves the operational safety.

[0029] While achieving the aforementioned active risk avoidance and guidance protection, the overall solution of this invention reuses existing mechanical structures, demonstrating advantages such as low modification costs and lightweight design. This solution acquires physical change data of the track alignment by deploying a tracking sensing module at the movable swing arm, eliminating the need for expensive and complex external visual or laser navigation equipment. Furthermore, the system only requires the addition of a servo rotary drive mechanism at the central pivot, retaining the lightweight design of the original walking drive and guidance mechanisms. This avoids the complete reconstruction of the walking powertrain required in a dual-motor differential solution, significantly reducing the size, weight, and overall vehicle modification costs of the equipment.

[0030] Furthermore, this invention constructs a highly efficient closed-loop electromechanical collaborative control mechanism. The adaptive tracking controller can process the deflection angle difference between the left and right movable arms in real time to intuitively reflect the curvature of the current track. When this angle difference exceeds a preset threshold, the system can achieve millisecond-level calculation and output the target heading angle command. This adaptive tracking control based on real-time physical road conditions enables the suspended trolley to adapt to complex curves with different curvatures and support higher operating speeds under heavy loads, effectively improving the overall cycle time and transportation efficiency of automated production lines, logistics systems, or transportation systems. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of an adaptive tracking control system for a suspended power vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A three-dimensional structural diagram of an adaptive tracking control system for a suspended power vehicle from another perspective.

[0033] Figure 3 This is a side view of an adaptive tracking control system for a suspended power vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 4 This is a front view of an adaptive tracking control system for a suspended power vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Top view.

[0036] Figure 6 This is a reference diagram showing the usage status of an adaptive tracking control system for a suspended power vehicle on a suspended track, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 7 This is a block diagram illustrating the functional modules of the adaptive tracking controller in this embodiment of the invention.

[0038] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating an adaptive tracking control method for a suspended power vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 9 This is a planar schematic diagram of the geometric kinematics solution model for the target heading angle of the suspended power vehicle in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Reference numerals: 1. Power main frame; 2. Bearing hanger; 3. Central pivot; 4. Servo rotary drive mechanism; 5. Tracking sensing module; 6. Adaptive tracking controller; 7. Suspension rail; 11. Movable swing arm; 12. Front swing arm assembly; 13. Rear swing arm assembly; 14. Vertical hinge shaft; 15. Tracking guide wheel; 16. Tension spring; 17. Anti-tipping guide mechanism; 61. Status monitoring unit; 62. Heading calculation unit; 63. Command synthesis unit; 171. Mounting base plate; 172. Top guide wheel. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0042] To address the technical shortcomings of existing suspended power trolleys in handling heavy loads and high-speed cornering conditions, where the lower load-bearing frame and heavy materials experience severe motion lag due to linear inertia, this leads to the transmission of a deflection reaction torque to the upper power main frame. This forces the power main frame to undergo unexpected lateral torsion, resulting in severe lateral compression and rapid wear of the guide wheels, and even causing trolley vibration, rail jamming, and derailment risks. Furthermore, to overcome the high modification costs and bulky structure of existing dual-motor differential compensation schemes that require powertrain reconfiguration, this invention proposes an active adaptive tracking control based on electromechanical coordination.

[0043] The adaptive tracking control system for a suspended power trolley proposed in this embodiment of the invention decouples the power main frame and the load-bearing hanger in the horizontal plane through a central pivot at the mechanical structure level, and innovatively introduces a servo rotary drive mechanism at this pivot node; at the electronic control logic level, it reuses the existing movable swing arms as the sensing end of the physical changes in the track line, and accurately identifies the curvature characteristics of the curve by collecting and calculating the deflection angle difference between the left and right movable swing arms relative to the power main frame in real time.

[0044] When the system determines that the trolley has entered a curve and the deflection angle difference exceeds a preset threshold, it actively calculates and outputs a target heading angle command, using a servo rotary drive mechanism to drive the lower load-bearing frame to rotate proactively in advance or synchronously. This solution transforms the passive towing of heavy-load materials into active steering, fundamentally eliminating the inertial interference and deflection reaction torque caused by the large mass load below. While retaining the lightweight design advantages of the existing travel drive and guidance mechanisms, it achieves a significant improvement in the system's cornering stability and safety with extremely low structural modification costs.

[0045] like Figures 1-7As shown, an adaptive tracking control system for a suspended powered vehicle includes a main power frame 1, a load-bearing hanger 2, and a central pivot 3. The main power frame 1 and the load-bearing hanger 2 suspended below are vertically hinged together via the central pivot 3, thereby achieving relative rotational decoupling between the two in the horizontal plane and providing a basis for the degree of freedom of subsequent active tracking actions.

[0046] Multiple sets of movable swing arms 11 are symmetrically hinged to the outside of the main power frame 1. The movable swing arms 11 are used to elastically abut against the side of the suspension track 7 to track and guide the suspension track 7 according to the physical changes in its linearity.

[0047] Specifically, the movable swing arms 11 are symmetrically distributed at multiple points along the travel direction of the power main frame 1, including at least a front swing arm assembly 12 arranged on both sides of the front end of the power main frame 1, and a rear swing arm assembly 13 arranged on both sides of the rear end of the power main frame 1. Each movable swing arm 11 is rotatably connected to the power main frame 1 via a vertical hinge shaft 14, and a tracking guide wheel 15 is rotatably mounted on the free end of each movable swing arm 11.

[0048] To ensure the continuous effectiveness of the guide, a tension spring 16 is obliquely connected between the power main frame 1 and each movable swing arm 11. The tension spring 16 is configured to provide an elastic preload that continuously deflects the corresponding movable swing arm 11 outward, so that each tracking guide wheel 15 always maintains a tight fit with the side of the suspension rail 7 without gap during vehicle travel.

[0049] To achieve active attitude intervention and control, this embodiment deploys a tracking sensing module 5 at the movable swing arm 11 and a servo rotary drive mechanism 4 at the central pivot 3. The tracking sensing module 5 specifically includes multiple angle encoders, which are coaxially mounted at the vertical hinge shafts 14 of the front swing arm assembly 12 and the rear swing arm assembly 13, respectively. The angle encoders are used to measure the absolute mechanical deflection angle of the corresponding movable swing arm 11 relative to the power main frame 1 in real time and output this absolute mechanical deflection angle as the deflection angle in real time. The two ends of the servo rotary drive mechanism 4 are rigidly fixedly connected to the power main frame 1 and the load-bearing hanger 2, respectively.

[0050] The adaptive tracking control system of the suspended power vehicle also includes an adaptive tracking controller 6, which is communicatively connected to the control terminals of the tracking perception module 5 and the servo rotary drive mechanism 4. The adaptive tracking controller 6 logically includes a state monitoring unit 61, a heading calculation unit 62, and a command synthesis unit 63.

[0051] The status monitoring unit 61 has a built-in angle difference calculation model, which is used to calculate the deflection angle difference between the left and right movable swing arms 11 in real time based on the received deflection angle. The heading calculation unit 62 has a built-in preset threshold, which is responsible for comparing the deflection angle difference with the preset threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, the target heading angle of the bearing gantry 2 is calculated; if it is not exceeded, the target heading angle with a value of zero is output. The command synthesis unit 63 is responsible for converting the target heading angle into a control command and sending it to the servo rotary drive mechanism 4. The servo rotary drive mechanism 4 outputs torque based on the command, which directly drives the bearing gantry 2 to rotate actively relative to the power main frame 1 around the central pivot 3.

[0052] To enable those skilled in the art to fully and clearly implement the adaptive tracking control described in this invention, the following detailed derivation and disclosure of the heading calculation unit 62, which reverse-engineers the local mechanical displacement signal, namely the deflection angle difference between the left and right movable swing arms, into global three-dimensional spatial parameters of the track, and finally transforms it into the underlying geometric kinematic algorithm of the target heading angle of the bearing gantry 2.

[0053] like Figure 9 As shown, firstly, a local relative coordinate system for the suspended trolley is established in the horizontal plane (XY plane): the geometric center of the power frame 1 is taken as the origin O, the rated longitudinal travel direction of the power trolley is taken as the positive X-axis, the positive Y-axis is perpendicular to the X-axis pointing to the left in the horizontal plane, and the Z-axis is perpendicular to the XY plane and pointing upwards to satisfy the right-hand rule. The inherent wheelbase of the power trolley is defined as the longitudinal distance d between the vertical hinge axis 14 of the front swing arm assembly 12 and the vertical hinge axis 14 of the rear swing arm assembly 13; the central pivot 3 is located at the origin O; the effective turning radius of each movable swing arm 11, i.e., the distance from the center of the vertical hinge axis 14 to the geometric center of the tracking guide wheel 15, is l.

[0054] When the suspended powered vehicle enters an unknown curve with a radius of curvature R at a certain attitude deviation angle, due to the rigid constraint of the sidewall of the suspension track 7, the front left and front right swing arms in the front swing arm assembly 12 are forced to rotate around their corresponding vertical hinge axes 14, and their measured absolute mechanical deflection angles are respectively and The outward swing is defined as positive; similarly, the absolute mechanical deflection angles of the left and right rear swing arms in the rear swing arm assembly 13 are respectively... and .

[0055] After acquiring the four absolute mechanical deflection angles, the condition monitoring unit 61 first calculates the local deflection angle difference between the front and rear swing arm assemblies using the angle difference decomposition calculation model: First deflection angle difference: Second deflection angle difference: .

[0056] Because the tracking guide wheel 15 is always in close contact with the inner wall of the suspension track 7 under the preload of the tension spring 16, the angle difference and This visually reflects the lateral physical displacement of the front and rear geometric centers of the main power frame 1 from the centerline of the suspension track 7. In industrial large-radius curves, due to the typically small deflection angle, the small-angle linear approximation condition is satisfied, resulting in a local lateral deviation at the centerline of the front swing arm hinge. and local lateral deviation at the center line of the rear swing arm hinge. The following geometric constraint equations must be satisfied:

[0057] ;

[0058] .

[0059] Based on the aforementioned local lateral deviation, the heading calculation unit 62 calculates the current global attitude parameters of the main power frame 1 by combining the baseline distance d between the front and rear swing arms. Specifically, the attitude angle between the current longitudinal axis (X-axis) of the main power frame 1 and the tangent direction of the local track centerline of the curve, i.e., the heading deviation angle. It can be obtained by the following formula:

[0060] .

[0061] Simultaneously, by combining the geometric coordinate projections of the forward and backward lateral deviations within the curve, a three-point concyclic geometric analytical equation is established regarding the track curvature radius R. In this embodiment, the reciprocal of the current local track curvature radius R, i.e., the curvature... The solution is:

[0062] .

[0063] After fully reconstructing the global orbital space parameters, in order to ensure that the suspended load-bearing frame 2 and the heavy-load materials perfectly match the theoretical trajectory of the curve, the passive towing is transformed into active tangential adaptation. The target heading angle that the load-bearing frame 2 should rotate relative to the power main frame 1 is determined. The geometric attitude lag of the powered vehicle itself must be compensated for. Based on the geometric relationship of the axis tangent, the target heading angle... The final kinematic equations are:

[0064]

[0065] In the formula, This refers to the suspension bearing wheelbase or characteristic span of the suspension point for the load-bearing hanger 2. The above-derived... Substituting the real-time analytical expression for R, we can obtain the heading control law, which is entirely expressed by the small local mechanical deflection angle:

[0066]

[0067] The heading calculation unit 62 completes the algebraic evaluation of the aforementioned kinematic control law within a millisecond-level control cycle. The command synthesis unit 63 then calculates the final target heading angle. The pulse or bus torque command is converted into a servo rotary drive mechanism 4, which drives the central pivot 3 to deflect precisely by the command angle. This perfectly counteracts the linear inertial reaction torque generated by heavy load and high speed in the hardware structure, achieving high-precision electromechanical cooperative active adaptive tracking.

[0068] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in order to adapt to programmable logic controllers or microcontrollers that lack efficient hardware floating-point arithmetic units in industrial sites, this solution adopts a two-dimensional data lookup table method to replace complex online nonlinear algebraic analytical calculations. Its engineering implementation logic is as follows: during the offline configuration stage of the system, based on the inherent mechanical parameters of the suspended trolley, the target heading angle corresponding to the first and second deflection angle differences under the full-range discrete combination is pre-calculated, and it is solidified and burned into the non-volatile memory of the controller as a two-dimensional mapping matrix.

[0069] During the online operation phase of the system, the controller directly uses the real-time collected and quantized deflection angle difference as the memory index address to address and read the corresponding target heading angle predetermined value. It also uses a bilinear interpolation algorithm between discrete grid nodes to smooth the output. This equivalent replacement scheme transfers the time-consuming spatial geometry calculation to the offline calibration stage, which simplifies the online control of the field controller to memory reading and basic multiplication and addition operations. It ensures the absolute real-time performance of the target command issuance with extremely low computing power overhead, and greatly improves the engineering deployment feasibility of low-cost general-purpose industrial controllers.

[0070] Furthermore, multiple sets of anti-tipping guide mechanisms 17 are fixedly installed at both ends of the top of the main power frame 1. Each set of anti-tipping guide mechanisms 17 includes a pair of top guide wheels 172 fixed to the top of the main power frame 1 via a mounting base plate 171.

[0071] For example, four top guide wheels 172 are arranged in a rectangular array on the mounting base 171, and the rotation axis of each top guide wheel 172 is parallel to the axis of the central pivot 3. Each top guide wheel 172 is configured to engage with the upper flange sides of the suspension track 7 in a limited rolling fit. When the servo rotary drive mechanism 4 outputs torque to drive the lower load-bearing bracket 2 to rotate actively, the anti-tipping guide mechanism 17 can provide a rigid attitude reference for the upper power main frame 1 to resist the reaction torque.

[0072] like Figure 8 As shown, this embodiment also proposes an adaptive tracking control method for a suspended powered vehicle based on the above system architecture. During the actual operation of the vehicle, the control flow is as follows:

[0073] First, the system uses the tracking and sensing module 5 to collect in real time the deflection angles of the left and right movable swing arms 11 in the front swing arm assembly 12 and the rear swing arm assembly 13 relative to the power main frame 1. Then, the adaptive tracking controller 6 receives the deflection angles and calculates the first deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the front swing arm assembly 12 and the second deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the rear swing arm assembly 13.

[0074] To avoid malfunctions, the system performs an anti-interference filtering process before entering the threshold comparison: the real-time collected first deflection angle difference and second deflection angle difference are filtered by a sliding time window to extract their low-frequency change components, thereby reliably eliminating high-frequency transient interference signals caused by local manufacturing tolerances or uneven joints of the suspension track 7.

[0075] Next, the system compares the difference between the first and second deflection angles after filtering. Only when the low-frequency change component continues to show a monotonically increasing trend within a preset time period, the absolute value exceeds the preset threshold, and the difference or rate of change between the two represents the characteristics of the vehicle entering the curve, is the deflection angle difference determined to truly exceed the preset threshold.

[0076] After the calculation is triggered, the heading calculation unit 62 establishes a track curvature model based on the numerical ratio of the first deflection angle difference and the second deflection angle difference, combined with the inherent wheelbase parameters of the suspended power vehicle, and outputs the optimal target heading angle of the bearing gantry 2 to match the current curve in real time according to the track curvature model; if it does not exceed the preset threshold, such as in the straight driving stage, the target heading angle with a value of zero is output.

[0077] Finally, the command synthesis unit 63 generates control commands based on the target heading angle, and drives the load-bearing gantry 2 to rotate in advance or synchronously with the power main frame 1 around the central pivot 3 via the servo rotary drive mechanism 4.

[0078] The system structure and its execution control logic in the above embodiments fundamentally overcome the significant safety hazards and wear defects of existing passive tracking schemes when dealing with heavy loads and high-speed cornering conditions. When the suspended trolley carrying a large mass load enters a curve at high speed, this invention uses the sensing arm angle difference to characterize the track curvature in real time, and actively controls the load-bearing hanger 2 to deflect towards the inside of the curve through the servo rotary drive mechanism 4 at the initial stage of deflection. This process actively overcomes the motion lag caused by the inertial linear motion of the large mass load below, transforming the passive dragging of the heavy object into active steering, thereby fundamentally eliminating the deflection reaction torque that would originally be transmitted to the upper power main frame 1.

[0079] Because of the active compensation of the deflection counter-torque, the main power frame 1 no longer bears unexpected lateral torsional forces when cornering, so that the stress state of the tracking guide wheel 15 returns to the normal light load design range, which greatly reduces the fierce lateral compression and hard friction between the tracking guide wheel 15 and the side of the suspension rail 7. This not only significantly extends the service life of the guide mechanism and the rail, but also completely eliminates the risk of cornering vibration, jamming or even derailment.

[0080] Meanwhile, compared to the existing solution that reconstructs the entire walking power model and introduces dual-motor differential drive, this solution reuses the original walking drive and flexible swing arm guidance and other lightweight mechanical structures. Only a servo mechanism is added at the pivot node and an electronic control logic is introduced. There is no need to install expensive vision or laser navigation equipment, which greatly reduces the overall size and weight of the equipment and the cost of production line modification. It also gives the vehicle the ability to support higher operating speeds under heavy loads on complex curves, effectively improving the overall operating rhythm of the automated logistics system.

[0081] In specific engineering practices, those skilled in the art can make adaptive adjustments and equivalent replacements to some components in the above embodiments according to the application scenario. For example, in some embodiments, the angle encoder in the tracking sensing module 5 can be replaced with a non-contact high-precision Hall angle sensor to adapt to harsh industrial environments with high dust or oil pollution; the servo rotary drive mechanism 4 can also be replaced with a stepper motor module with a high transmission ratio harmonic reducer or a hydraulic rotary motor according to the extreme requirements of the load, as long as it can receive control signals and provide torque to drive the relative rotation of the bearing hanger.

[0082] This invention is not limited to the specific technical solutions described in the above embodiments. Besides the above embodiments, this invention may have other implementation methods. For those skilled in the art, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the protection scope of this invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive tracking control system for a suspended powered vehicle, applied to a suspended powered vehicle, characterized in that, include: The system includes a power main frame, a load-bearing hanger, a central pivot connecting the two, and movable swing arms symmetrically hinged to the power main frame. The power main frame and the load-bearing hanger are hinged together via the central pivot to achieve relative rotational decoupling in the horizontal plane. The movable swing arm is used to elastically abut against the side of the suspension track to follow the changes in the alignment of the suspension track for tracking and guidance. Also includes: A tracking and sensing module is installed at the movable swing arm. The tracking and sensing module is used to collect the deflection angle of the left and right movable swing arms relative to the power main frame in real time. An adaptive tracking controller is communicatively connected to the tracking sensing module. The adaptive tracking controller is configured to receive the deflection angle and calculate the deflection angle difference between the left and right movable swing arms in real time. In response to the deflection angle difference exceeding a preset threshold, the controller calculates the target heading angle of the bearing gantry based on the deflection angle difference and generates control commands according to the target heading angle. The system includes a servo rotary drive mechanism located at the central pivot. The control end of the servo rotary drive mechanism is communicatively connected to the adaptive tracking controller. Both ends of the servo rotary drive mechanism are fixedly connected to the main power frame and the load-bearing hanger, respectively. The servo rotary drive mechanism is used to drive the load-bearing hanger to actively rotate relative to the main power frame around the central pivot based on the control command.

2. The adaptive tracking control system for the suspended powered vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable swing arms are symmetrically distributed at multiple points along the travel direction of the power main frame, and include at least: The front swing arm assemblies are respectively arranged on both sides of the front end of the power main frame; and Rear swing arm assemblies are respectively arranged on both sides of the rear end of the power main frame; Each of the movable swing arms is rotatably connected to the power main frame via a vertical hinge axis. Each movable swing arm has a tracking guide wheel rotatably mounted on its free end. A tension spring is obliquely connected between the power main frame and each movable swing arm. The tension spring is configured to provide an elastic preload that causes the corresponding movable swing arm to deflect outward, so that each tracking guide wheel always remains in contact with the suspension track.

3. The adaptive tracking control system for the suspended powered vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The tracking sensing module includes multiple angle encoders, which are coaxially mounted on the vertical hinge axis of the front swing arm assembly and the rear swing arm assembly, respectively. The angle encoder is used to measure the absolute mechanical deflection angle of the corresponding movable swing arm relative to the power main frame in real time, and sends the absolute mechanical deflection angle as the deflection angle to the adaptive tracking controller.

4. The adaptive tracking control system for the suspended powered vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The logic for the adaptive tracking controller to calculate the deflection angle difference and solve the target heading angle includes: Calculate the first deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the front swing arm assembly; Calculate the second deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the rear swing arm assembly; By comparing the first deflection angle difference with the second deflection angle difference, when the difference or rate of change between the two indicates the characteristics of the vehicle entering a curve, it is determined that the deflection angle difference exceeds the preset threshold. Based on the numerical ratio between the first deflection angle difference and the second deflection angle difference, and combined with the inherent wheelbase of the suspended power trolley, a track curvature model is established, and the target heading angle of the bearing gantry matching the current curve is output according to the track curvature model.

5. The adaptive tracking control system for the suspended powered vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adaptive tracking controller includes: A state monitoring unit with a built-in angle difference calculation model is used to calculate the deflection angle difference in real time based on the received deflection angles of the left and right movable swing arms and the angle difference calculation model. The system includes a heading calculation unit with a built-in preset threshold. The heading calculation unit is used to compare the received deflection angle difference with the preset threshold in real time; and when the deflection angle difference exceeds the preset threshold, it calculates the target heading angle of the bearing gantry based on the deflection angle difference; and when the deflection angle difference does not exceed the preset threshold, it outputs the target heading angle with a value of zero. The system includes an instruction synthesis unit, which is communicatively connected to the status monitoring unit and the heading calculation unit. The instruction synthesis unit is used to generate the control instruction based on the target heading angle and send it to the control terminal of the servo slewing drive mechanism.

6. The adaptive tracking control system for the suspended powered vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple sets of anti-tipping guide mechanisms are also fixed at the top and bottom ends of the power main frame. Each set of anti-tipping guide mechanisms includes a pair of top guide wheels fixed to the top of the power main frame by a mounting base plate.

7. The adaptive tracking control system for the suspended powered vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The four top guide wheels are arranged in a rectangular array on the mounting base plate, and the rotation axis of each top guide wheel is parallel to the axis of the central pivot. The top guide wheels are configured to engage with the upper flange sides of the suspension track to provide a rigid attitude reference for the power main frame to resist the reaction torque when the servo rotary drive mechanism drives the load-bearing hanger to rotate actively.

8. An adaptive tracking control method for a suspended powered vehicle, characterized in that, An adaptive tracking control system for a suspended powered vehicle as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: The deflection angles of the movable swing arms on the left and right sides relative to the power main frame are collected in real time. Receive the deflection angle and calculate the difference in deflection angle between the left and right movable swing arms in real time; The deflection angle difference is compared with a preset threshold: if the deflection angle difference exceeds the preset threshold, the target heading angle of the bearing gantry is calculated based on the deflection angle difference; if the deflection angle difference does not exceed the preset threshold, the target heading angle with a value of zero is output. Control commands are generated based on the target heading angle, and the servo slewing drive mechanism drives the load-bearing gantry to actively rotate relative to the power main frame around the central pivot based on the control commands, so as to achieve relative rotation decoupling in the horizontal plane.

9. The adaptive tracking control method for a suspended powered vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The movable swing arm includes at least a front swing arm assembly arranged on both sides of the front end of the power main frame, and a rear swing arm assembly arranged on both sides of the rear end of the power main frame. The logic for calculating the deflection angle difference and solving the target heading angle specifically includes: Calculate the first deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the front swing arm assembly; Calculate the second deflection angle difference between the left and right swing arms in the rear swing arm assembly; By comparing the first deflection angle difference with the second deflection angle difference, when the difference or rate of change between the two indicates the characteristics of the vehicle entering a curve, it is determined that the deflection angle difference exceeds the preset threshold. Based on the numerical ratio between the first deflection angle difference and the second deflection angle difference, and combined with the inherent wheelbase of the suspended power trolley, a track curvature model is established, and the target heading angle of the bearing gantry matching the current curve is output according to the track curvature model.

10. The adaptive tracking control method for a suspended powered vehicle according to claim 9, characterized in that, Before determining that the deflection angle difference exceeds the preset threshold, an anti-interference filtering process is also included: A sliding time window filter is applied to the real-time collected first deflection angle difference and second deflection angle difference; The low-frequency variation components of the filtered first deflection angle difference and the second deflection angle difference are extracted to eliminate high-frequency transient change signals caused by local manufacturing tolerances or uneven joints of the suspension track. Only when the filtered low-frequency variation component shows a monotonically increasing trend within a preset time period and its absolute value exceeds the preset threshold is it determined that the suspended power vehicle has truly entered a curve, thereby triggering the calculation of the target heading angle.

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