An automated document retrieval system robot including a visual aid

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of visual auxiliary automated storage and search sample system mechanical hands, it includes visual auxiliary automated storage and search sample system mechanical hand and includes: mounting seat, horizontal moving mechanism, lifting mechanism, mechanical gripper and support frame and visual auxiliary mechanism;Horizontal moving mechanism is set on the bottom plate of support frame, mounting seat is slidably arranged on horizontal moving mechanism, lifting mechanism is fixedly arranged on horizontal moving mechanism, mechanical gripper, visual auxiliary mechanism are all arranged on lifting mechanism and mechanical gripper and visual auxiliary mechanism are located in the same plane, bottle storage support for storing sample bottle is provided on the side wall of support frame, and one side of bottle storage support is provided with calibration plate.The mechanical hand is set through the setting of visual auxiliary mechanism, the position of taking storage is photographed before each operation of storing sample bottle, the accuracy of mechanical hand positioning is detected and judged, the mechanical hand with deviation is corrected, avoid the collision caused by positioning deviation when mechanical hand stores sample bottle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of robotic arm technology, and more specifically, to a robotic arm for an automated sample retrieval system that includes vision assistance. Background Technology

[0002] Pricing solid fuels often requires sampling and calorific value determination. The small amount of fuel sampled as the basis for pricing often needs to be bottled and stored for a period of time for testing and traceability. Records are usually started from the date the coal sample results are reported, and the coal sample is required to be stored for two months to check whether the previous results are correct.

[0003] In existing technologies, traditional methods of storing coal samples involve manually placing the samples onto shelves in the storage room. When a sample needs to be reviewed, a person retrieves it from the storage room. Currently, robotic arms are used for mechanized sample storage and retrieval. A typical sample storage system includes several modules: a sample bottle input module, a robotic arm for handling, a storage rack / point, and a sample bottle output module. The workflow of the sample storage system includes: 1. Storage process: a) A sample bottle is transferred from another facility or manually and placed into the sample bottle input module; b) The designated storage location for the sample bottle is specified; c) The robotic arm retrieves the bottle; d) The robotic arm moves the sample bottle; e) The robotic arm stores the bottle. 2. Retrieval process: a) An external retrieval request is issued, specifying which sample bottle to retrieve; b) The robotic arm moves to the designated storage location and retrieves the bottle; c) The robotic arm transports the retrieved sample bottle and delivers it to the sample bottle output module. Typical sample storage and retrieval systems require a robotic arm and a large number of storage points / racks for sample bottles. However, most existing robotic arms rely on manual control or sensors to determine the position of sample bottles during transport. This leads to problems such as bottles tipping over, veering off course, and inaccurate positioning during transport. Furthermore, the mechanism is prone to errors during long-term operation, which can cause collisions between the robotic arm and the sample bottle racks.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a robotic arm that can accurately identify sample bottle racks and sample bottles and calibrate them. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a robotic arm for an automated sample storage and retrieval system that includes vision assistance. The robotic arm provided by this invention, through the coordinated arrangement of a vision assistance mechanism and a calibration plate, enables the robotic arm to determine the accuracy of its positioning and adjust and correct its position during the sample storage and retrieval process.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of this utility model is as follows:

[0007] A vision-assisted automated sample storage and retrieval system robot is used for the automated storage and retrieval of solid fuel sample bottles. The vision-assisted automated sample storage and retrieval system robot includes: a mounting base, a horizontal movement mechanism, a lifting mechanism, mechanical grippers and a support frame, as well as a vision-assisted mechanism.

[0008] The horizontal moving mechanism is mounted on the base plate of the support frame, the mounting seat is slidably mounted on the horizontal moving mechanism, the lifting mechanism is fixedly mounted on the horizontal moving mechanism, the mechanical gripper and the visual aid mechanism are both mounted on the lifting mechanism, and the mechanical gripper and the visual aid mechanism are located in the same plane to perform visual positioning of the sample bottle held by the mechanical gripper. A bottle storage bracket for storing sample bottles is provided on the side wall of the support frame, and a calibration plate is provided on one side of the bottle storage bracket.

[0009] Preferably, the visual aid mechanism includes a camera, a lens, and a light source, wherein the camera, lens, and light source are arranged one by one perpendicular to the bottle holder, and the central axes of the camera, lens, and light source are collinear.

[0010] Preferably, the horizontal moving mechanism includes a linear drive slide rail, the mounting base is slidably disposed on the linear drive slide rail, and the lifting mechanism is fixedly disposed on the mounting base.

[0011] Preferably, the lifting mechanism includes a lifting slide rail and a lifting plate arranged perpendicular to the slide block, and the lifting plate is slidably disposed within the lifting slide rail.

[0012] Preferably, the mechanical gripper includes a pair of grippers for gripping sample bottles and a clamping drive device for driving the pair of grippers to move closer or further apart. The clamping drive device is disposed on the lifting plate and the output end of the clamping drive device is connected to the pair of grippers.

[0013] Preferably, the clamping drive device includes a linear motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0014] Preferably, each of the paired grippers has a padding layer on its opposite side to prevent damage to the sample bottle.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0016] This automated sample storage and retrieval system, featuring a vision-assisted robotic arm, utilizes mechanical grippers and a vision-assisted mechanism positioned on the same plane. Before each sample bottle retrieval operation, the vision-assisted mechanism photographs and identifies the retrieval location. The vision-assisted mechanism detects and judges the accuracy of the robotic arm's positioning; if inaccurate, the robotic arm compensates for the deviation before proceeding with the sample bottle retrieval, avoiding collisions caused by positioning errors. This effectively improves the operational safety of the robotic arm and extends its service life. Furthermore, the automated sample storage and retrieval system's robotic arm, through its horizontal movement mechanism, lifting mechanism, and mechanical grippers, achieves mechanized and automated sample bottle handling, avoiding the high labor intensity associated with manual handling of coal sample bottles. It also eliminates human contact, reduces human intervention, lowers labor intensity, and improves economic efficiency. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the robotic arm of the automated sample storage and retrieval system with vision assistance, which is part of this utility model.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the visual-assisted automated sample retrieval system robotic arm of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the robotic arm in the automated sample retrieval system with vision assistance in this utility model;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the vision-assisted mechanism of the robotic arm in the automated sample retrieval system of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 5 This is the accuracy detection operation process of the robotic arm in the automated sample storage and retrieval system based on this utility model;

[0022] Figure 6 This is the debugging procedure for the sampling bottle location of the robotic arm in the automated sampling system based on this utility model.

[0023] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0024] 1. Support frame; 2. Horizontal moving mechanism; 21. Linear drive slide rail; 3. Mounting base; 4. Lifting mechanism; 5. Mechanical gripper; 51. Gripper; 6. Vision assisting mechanism; 61. Camera; 62. Lens; 63. Light source;

[0025] 7. Sample bottle; 8. Calibration plate. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0027] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0028] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention.

[0029] like Figures 1-3 As shown, an automated sample storage and retrieval system robot with vision assistance is used for the automated storage and retrieval of solid fuel sample bottles 7. The automated sample storage and retrieval system robot includes: a mounting base 3, a horizontal moving mechanism 2, a lifting mechanism 4, a mechanical gripper 5, a support frame 1, and a vision assistance mechanism 6. The horizontal moving mechanism 2 is disposed on the base plate of the support frame 1, the mounting base 3 is slidably disposed on the horizontal moving mechanism 2, the lifting mechanism 4 is fixedly disposed on the horizontal moving mechanism 2, the mechanical gripper 5 and the vision assistance mechanism 6 are both disposed on the lifting mechanism 4, and the mechanical gripper 5 and the vision assistance mechanism 6 are located in the same plane to perform visual positioning of the sample bottle 7 held by the mechanical gripper 5. A bottle storage bracket for storing the sample bottle 7 is provided on the side wall of the support frame 1, and a calibration plate 8 is provided on one side of the bottle storage bracket.

[0030] In this embodiment, the robotic arm of the automated sample storage and retrieval system, through mechanical grippers 5 and a vision-assisted mechanism 6 arranged on the same plane, enables the robotic arm to photograph and identify the retrieval position before each operation of storing or retrieving sample bottles 7. The vision-assisted mechanism 6 detects and judges whether the robotic arm's positioning is accurate. If it is inaccurate, the robotic arm compensates for the deviation before storing or retrieving the sample bottles 7, avoiding collisions caused by positioning deviations during storage or retrieval. This effectively improves the operational safety of the robotic arm and extends its service life. Simultaneously, the robotic arm of the automated sample storage and retrieval system, through the horizontal movement mechanism 2, lifting mechanism 4, and mechanical grippers 5, achieves mechanized automatic retrieval and placement of sample bottles 7, avoiding the problem of high labor intensity caused by manual handling of coal sample bottles 7. It also avoids human contact, reduces human intervention, lowers labor intensity, and improves economic efficiency. Furthermore, the pattern of the calibration plate is not limited to checkerboard, grid, dot array, or ring array. The calibration plate can be installed vertically or at an angle; to account for dust interference, the calibration plate can be tilted downwards at a certain angle, and a dust cover should be added, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0031] like Figure 4 As shown, the visual aid mechanism 6 includes a camera 61, a lens 62, and a light source 63. The camera 61, lens 62, and light source 63 are all arranged perpendicularly to the bottle holder, and the central axes of the camera 61, lens 62, and light source 63 are collinear. The camera 61, lens 62, and light source 63 are all electrically connected to an external power source.

[0032] In this embodiment, a calibration plate 8 is provided on one side of the bottle holder. When the vision assistance mechanism 6 moves to the front or back of the calibration plate 8 following the mechanical gripper 5, the camera 61 takes a picture of the calibration plate 8 and calculates the "attitude" of the "current" camera 61 relative to the calibration plate 8. This yields the current posture of the robotic arm below the calibration plate 8, which includes the spatial coordinates in the XYZ direction and the angular coordinates around the XYZ axis. Then, by comparing the current posture of the robotic arm with the preset standard posture, the deviation of the robotic arm from the standard state is obtained. If the deviation is not zero but relatively small, the deviation value is fed back to the robotic arm for posture correction through the horizontal movement mechanism 2 and the lifting mechanism 4. If the deviation is significant, manual intervention can be used to adjust it, thereby eliminating malfunctions such as collisions caused by the accumulation of errors at the end of the robotic arm or tooling due to wear, maintenance, or replacement.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, the horizontal moving mechanism 2 includes a linear drive slide rail 21, a mounting base 3 slidably disposed on the linear drive slide rail 21, and a lifting mechanism 4 fixedly disposed on the mounting base 3. The lifting mechanism 4 includes a lifting slide rail and a lifting plate disposed perpendicular to the slide base, with the lifting plate slidably disposed within the lifting slide rail. The mechanical grippers 5 include a pair of grippers 51 for gripping the sample bottle 7 and a clamping drive device for driving the pair of grippers 51 to move closer or further apart. The clamping drive device is disposed on the lifting plate, and its output end is connected to the pair of grippers 51. The clamping drive device includes a linear motor, a cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder. Pads are provided on opposite sides of each pair of grippers 51 to prevent damage to the sample bottle 7.

[0034] In this embodiment, the combined action of the horizontal moving mechanism 2, the lifting mechanism 4, and the clamping drive device enables the gripper 51 to move in multiple dimensions, thereby transporting the sample bottle 7 from its initial position to its target position. When the sample bottle 7 reaches the target position, the gripper 51 is released. During the transport of the sample bottle 7, because the gripper 51 continuously clamps the sample bottle 7, its position remains unchanged, avoiding the phenomena of bottle tipping, deviation, and inaccurate positioning caused by existing transport devices. The padding layer on the side of the gripper 51 further prevents damage to the sample bottle 7 during transport. A pair of sliders are provided at the bottom of the mounting base 3, and both pairs of sliders are slidably mounted within the linear drive rail 21. A pair of lifting blocks are provided on one side of the lifting plate, and both pairs of lifting blocks are slidably mounted within the lifting rail.

[0035] Furthermore, such as Figure 5As shown, based on the aforementioned automated storage and retrieval system robot with vision assistance, this application also provides a positioning vision-assisted accuracy detection operation process: First, before use, the accurate position of the robot is confirmed. The robot moves from its initial position to the calibration plate 8, and the camera 61 takes a picture of the calibration plate 8. Then, the calibration plate 8 in the image is detected by a visual calibration algorithm. Using the pre-calibrated intrinsic parameter data of the camera 61 and the known size information of the calibration plate 8, the "current" posture of the camera 61, i.e., the robot, relative to the calibration plate 8 is calculated, which is the relative positional relationship between the camera 61 and the calibration plate 8. Then, the "current posture" is compared with the "standard posture" (the accurate position of the robot) recorded when the equipment was initially debugged, and the "posture deviation" of the robot is calculated. If the deviation is not zero but relatively small, the deviation value is fed back to the robot for posture correction. If the deviation is large, the system needs to be stopped, an alarm is issued, and personnel intervention is required. This can eliminate malfunctions caused by wear, maintenance, or replacement of the robot or tooling, resulting in the accumulation of errors at the robot's end effector and changes in posture. Before each bottle storage operation, the robotic arm visually checks the accuracy of the bottle's position and also inspects the status of the storage support, such as whether the support is missing or deformed. If the support is malfunctioning, the storage operation is stopped. Furthermore, although the shape and storage method of bottles differ across different sample storage systems, there is a correct storage posture. If a bottle accidentally tipes over, slips, or tilts, the robotic arm will fail to retrieve it directly and may even damage the sample bottle 7 or the equipment. The visual assistance mechanism 6 can also detect the presence and correct posture of the sample bottle 7 before retrieval.

[0036] See Figure 6 Based on the aforementioned automated sample storage and retrieval system robotic arm including vision assistance, this application also provides a point-of-care debugging step, which includes the adjustment and correction of the robotic arm gripper center and the sampling bottle 7. The steps include: before calibrating each robotic arm retrieval and storage point, first move the robotic arm so that the camera 61 is aligned with the preset position to take a picture, and use a machine vision algorithm to locate the position of the feature points of the target point, thereby calculating the deviation between the robotic arm gripper center preset according to the design drawings and the actual retrieval and storage point. Feed this deviation back to the robotic arm for supplementary correction, and take another picture. If there is still a deviation of more than ±0.5mm, move the robotic arm so that the camera 61 is aligned with the corrected point to take another picture, and use a machine vision algorithm to locate the position of the feature points of the target point, thereby calculating the deviation between the robotic arm gripper center preset according to the design drawings and the actual retrieval and storage point. Repeat the above steps until the deviation between the robotic arm gripper center preset according to the design drawings and the actual retrieval and storage point does not exceed ±0.5mm. Then save the current point as the point for subsequent robotic arm retrieval and storage of the sampling bottle 7.

[0037] In one embodiment, the camera 61 is mounted on one side of the mechanical gripper 5. The center of the gripper of the robotic arm and the center of the field of view of the camera 61 are not necessarily the same. If they are not concentric, before taking a picture, the robotic arm is moved so that the center of the camera 61 is aligned with the target take-up point. Then the robotic arm is moved so that the center of the gripper is aligned with the target take-up point. The deviation of the visual output is simply added to the fixed offset between the center of the gripper and the center of the field of view of the camera 61.

[0038] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0039] The above embodiments only illustrate several implementation methods of this utility model, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An automated sample storage system robot including vision aid for automated access of solid fuel sample storage bottles, the automated sample storage system robot including vision aid for automated access of solid fuel sample storage bottles comprising: The automated storage and retrieval system robot with visual assistance includes: a mounting base, a horizontal movement mechanism, a lifting mechanism, mechanical grippers and a support frame, as well as a visual assistance mechanism; The horizontal moving mechanism is mounted on the base plate of the support frame, the mounting seat is slidably mounted on the horizontal moving mechanism, the lifting mechanism is fixedly mounted on the horizontal moving mechanism, the mechanical gripper and the visual aid mechanism are both mounted on the lifting mechanism, and the mechanical gripper and the visual aid mechanism are located in the same plane to perform visual positioning of the sample bottle held by the mechanical gripper. A bottle storage bracket for storing sample bottles is provided on the side wall of the support frame, and a calibration plate is provided on one side of the bottle storage bracket.

2. The robotic arm of the automated sample retrieval system including vision assistance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The visual aid mechanism includes a camera, a lens, and a light source. The camera, lens, and light source are all arranged perpendicular to the bottle storage bracket, and their central axes are collinear. The camera, lens, and light source are all electrically connected to an external power source.

3. The robotic arm of the automated sample retrieval system including vision assistance according to claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal moving mechanism includes a linear drive slide rail, the mounting base is slidably disposed on the linear drive slide rail, and the lifting mechanism is fixedly disposed on the mounting base.

4. The robotic arm of the automated sample retrieval system including vision assistance according to claim 3, characterized in that, The lifting mechanism includes a lifting slide rail and a lifting plate that are perpendicular to the slide block, and the lifting plate is slidably disposed within the lifting slide rail.

5. The robotic arm of the automated sample retrieval system including vision assistance according to claim 4, characterized in that, The mechanical gripper includes a pair of grippers for gripping sample bottles and a clamping drive device for driving the pair of grippers to move closer or further apart. The clamping drive device is disposed on the lifting plate and the output end of the clamping drive device is connected to the pair of grippers.

6. The robotic arm of the automated storage and retrieval system including vision assistance according to claim 5, characterized in that, The clamping drive device includes a linear motor, a pneumatic cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder.

7. The robotic arm of the automated sample retrieval system including vision assistance according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each pair of grippers has a padding layer on its opposite side to prevent damage to the sample bottle.

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