File retrieval robot

Abstract

This utility model discloses a file retrieval robot, belonging to the field of robotics. The file retrieval robot includes an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) cart, a housing, a telescopic component, a placement component, a pick-and-place assembly, and an industrial control computer. The housing is mounted on the AGV cart, and has openings on opposite sides. Placement components are hinged to opposite sides of the housing, allowing them to pass through the openings and enter the housing. One end of the telescopic component is hinged to the housing, and the other end is hinged to the placement component. The pick-and-place assembly is mounted on the housing. The industrial control computer is electrically connected to the telescopic component, the pick-and-place assembly, and the AGV cart. This utility model's file retrieval robot utilizes the cooperation of the telescopic component and the placement component. During retrieval, the placement component opens to provide operating space; after completion, it closes, reducing side space occupation and facilitating AGV cart movement in narrow spaces. The pick-and-place assembly works in conjunction with the AGV cart to accurately and quickly grasp and place files, completing the task in one smooth motion, improving efficiency, avoiding human error, and ensuring accurate and stable file management.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of robotics, and in particular relates to a file retrieval robot. Background Technology

[0002] In modern society, record management is of paramount importance in various institutions. Currently, the vast majority of record storage facilities still rely on manual retrieval of files. Staff must rely on memory or indexes to navigate through numerous shelves to find specific files. This process is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also extremely inefficient. Especially in large archives containing massive amounts of documents, manual retrieval can take hours or even longer to find the required file.

[0003] Manual handling of files is also prone to errors. Over long periods of repetitive work, staff may become fatigued and mistakenly take files, causing delays or errors in subsequent work. Furthermore, manual operation makes it difficult to ensure the orderly storage of files; haphazard placement may lead to loss or damage, posing a serious threat to the integrity of the records.

[0004] With the rapid development of science and technology, robotics has been widely applied in various fields. Introducing robotics into the field of records management has become an urgent need to solve the aforementioned problems. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to propose a file retrieval robot to overcome at least one of the above-mentioned defects in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] The document retrieval robot provided by this utility model includes an AGV trolley, a box, a telescopic component, a placement component, a retrieval and placement assembly, and an industrial control computer. The box is installed on the AGV trolley, and has openings on both opposite sides of the box. Placement components are hinged to both opposite sides of the box, and the placement components can pass through the openings to enter the box. One end of the telescopic component is hinged to the box, and the other end of the telescopic component is hinged to the placement component. The retrieval and placement assembly is installed on the box and is used to retrieve documents into the placement component and to retrieve documents from the placement component. The industrial control computer is installed inside the box and is electrically connected to the telescopic component, the retrieval and placement assembly, and the AGV trolley.

[0008] Preferably, the placement component is hinged to the housing via a hinge.

[0009] Preferably, the placement component includes a placement frame and protrusions, with several protrusions on opposite side walls inside the placement frame, and the protrusions are spaced apart.

[0010] Preferably, several protrusions on each side wall of the placement frame are arranged into several groups of protrusions, and the groups of protrusions are spaced apart along the length of the placement frame. Each group of protrusions includes several protrusions distributed vertically.

[0011] Preferably, the protrusion includes a base plate and an arc-shaped portion. The base plate is mounted on the inner wall of the placement frame, the arc-shaped portion is fixed to the base plate, and the arc-shaped portion protrudes from the base plate.

[0012] Preferably, the outer wall of the placement frame extends upward to form a cover plate.

[0013] Preferably, the telescopic component is a telescopic cylinder or an electric push rod.

[0014] Preferably, the pick-and-place assembly includes a base, a multi-axis robot, a thumb cylinder, and clamping plates. The base is installed on the housing, and multi-axis robots are installed on opposite sides of the base. Thumb cylinders are installed at the ends of the multi-axis robots, and clamping plates are fixed to the two gripping ends of the thumb cylinders.

[0015] Preferably, it also includes a vision sensor, which is mounted on the base and connected to the industrial control computer.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows:

[0017] 1. By cooperating with the telescopic component and the placement component, the placement component opens to provide operating space during retrieval and closes after completion, reducing the space occupied on the side and facilitating the movement of the AGV in narrow places. The retrieval and placement components work together with the AGV to accurately and quickly grab and place files, completing the work in one go, improving efficiency, avoiding human error, and ensuring accurate and stable file management.

[0018] 2. The protrusion consists of a base plate that is firmly installed on the inner wall of the placement frame and an arc-shaped part that protrudes into the space inside the frame. This unique structure creates a gap between the file and the side wall when the file is placed inside the placement frame, preventing the retrieval components from scratching the frame wall, ensuring efficient and smooth file retrieval, preventing scratches and damage, and maintaining the integrity and safety of the file.

[0019] 3. The outer wall of the placement frame extends upward to form a cover. This covers the opening and prevents external debris from falling into the placement frame.

[0020] 4. Multi-axis robotic arms are installed on both sides of the base, which enables the pick-and-place assembly to operate on both sides simultaneously, completing more pick-and-place tasks per unit time and effectively shortening the overall working time.

[0021] 5. By combining a multi-axis robotic arm with a thumb cylinder, precise picking and placing operations can be achieved, reducing errors and uncertainties caused by manual operation.

[0022] 6. The vision sensors installed on the base can collect and analyze images of the surrounding environment and files in real time, identify information such as file position, posture, and features, and transmit it to the industrial control computer. This helps the multi-axis robot to accurately position itself, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of file retrieval and placement. It can also monitor the environment in real time and feed back information such as obstacles, personnel activities, and abnormal retrieval and placement operations to the industrial control computer, helping it to make decisions and control the AGV and retrieval and placement operations, ensuring that the robot operates stably and safely in complex environments. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram (first-person perspective) of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention (second perspective).

[0025] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A magnified structural diagram of A in the middle.

[0026] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the housing, telescopic component, placement component, and industrial control computer of this utility model.

[0027] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the telescopic component, part of the box body, and part of the placement component of this utility model.

[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the placement component in the open state of this utility model.

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the closed state structure of the placement component of this utility model.

[0030] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the placement component of this utility model.

[0031] Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the protrusion of this utility model.

[0032] Figure 10 This is the control block diagram of this utility model.

[0033] The labels in the attached diagram are as follows: 1-AGV trolley, 2-box body, 3-telescopic component, 4-placement component, 5-picking and placing assembly, 6-opening, 7-hinge, 41-placement frame, 42-protrusion, 421-base plate, 422-arc part, 411-cover plate, 51-base, 52-multi-axis robot, 53-thumb cylinder, 54-clamping plate, 8-industrial control computer, 9-vision sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0035] Contents not described in detail in this specification are existing technologies known to those skilled in the art. In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that terms such as "center," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are used only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description. They 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 limiting this utility model. Furthermore, terms such as "first," "second," and "third," etc., are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0036] like Figures 1 to 10 As shown, the file retrieval robot provided in this embodiment includes an AGV trolley 1, a housing 2, a telescopic component 3, a placement component 4, a retrieval and placement assembly 5, and an industrial control computer 8. The housing 2 is installed on the AGV trolley 1. The housing 2 has openings 6 on both the left and right sides. Placement components 4 are hinged to both the left and right sides of the housing 2. The placement components 4 can pass through the openings 6 and enter the housing 2. The inner end of the telescopic component 3 is hinged to the housing 2, and the outer end of the telescopic component 3 is hinged to the placement component 4. The retrieval and placement assembly 5 is installed on the housing 2 and is used to retrieve files into the placement component 4 and to retrieve files from the placement component 4.

[0037] This document retrieval robot achieves autonomous movement with the help of AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) 1. It can quickly traverse the document storage area according to a preset path, completely eliminating the tedious method of manually searching for documents and greatly saving search time. AGVs, also known as automated guided vehicles, are industrial vehicles that automatically or manually load goods, automatically travel along a set route, or tow a cargo trolley to a designated location, and then automatically or manually load and unload goods. The AGVs can be commonly used warehousing AGVs on the market. Taking a large archive as an example, AGV 1 can accurately reach the target document location, increasing efficiency several times compared to manual walking and significantly accelerating the overall document retrieval process.

[0038] The telescopic component 3 and the placement component 4 work together ingeniously to enable the convenient opening and closing of the placement component 4. When retrieving or placing files, the placement component 4 opens, providing ample operating space for the retrieval and placement assembly 5, facilitating its quick placement or removal of files from the placement component 4. After the retrieval or placement operation is completed, the telescopic component 3 drives the placement component 4 to close, effectively reducing the space occupied on the side of the robot and creating favorable conditions for the subsequent flexible movement of the AGV trolley 1 in narrow spaces.

[0039] During transportation, the placement component 4 can be flexibly stored into the box 2 under the action of the telescopic component 3, forming a stable storage environment. This comprehensively reduces the risk of damage to the archives due to collisions, drops, or other reasons during handling, effectively ensuring the integrity and security of the archives.

[0040] The retrieval and placement component 5 works in conjunction with the AGV vehicle 1, ensuring a seamless and rapid document retrieval and placement process. The retrieval and placement component 5 accurately and quickly grasps and places documents, while the AGV vehicle 1's efficient movement and positioning capabilities enable the document retrieval and placement work to be completed in one go, greatly improving work efficiency. At the same time, it avoids problems such as mis-grabbing or misplacement of documents caused by fatigue or negligence in manual operation, effectively reducing human error and ensuring the accuracy and stability of document management.

[0041] The placement component 4 is hinged to the housing 2 via a hinge 7. The hinge 7 provides a stable connection between the placement component 4 and the housing 2, ensuring that the placement component 4 will not easily fall off or shake during robot operation, thus guaranteeing the safety of the stored files. Even if a certain impact force is generated when retrieving or placing files, the hinge 7 can withstand and maintain the stability of the connection.

[0042] The placement component 4 includes a placement frame 41 and protrusions 42. The left and right side walls inside the placement frame 41 each have a plurality of protrusions 42, which are spaced apart. The protrusions 42 on each side wall of the placement frame 41 are arranged into several groups of protrusions 42, which are spaced apart along the length of the placement frame 41. Each group of protrusions 42 includes several protrusions 42 distributed vertically. Specifically, the protrusion 42 includes a base plate 421 and an arcuate portion 422. The base plate 421 is mounted on the inner wall of the placement frame 41, and the arcuate portion 422 is fixed to the base plate 421 and protrudes from the base plate 421.

[0043] Due to its unique structure, the protrusion 42 consists of a base plate 421 and an arc-shaped portion 422. The base plate 421 is securely mounted on the inner wall of the placement frame 41, providing solid support for the arc-shaped portion 422. The arc-shaped portion 422 is fixed to the base plate 421 and protrudes into the space inside the frame. This design cleverly creates a gap between the file and the side wall of the placement frame 41 when the file is placed inside. This gap is crucial, preventing the file retrieval component 5 from scratching the side wall of the placement frame 41 during file retrieval operations. The retrieval component 5 can accurately grasp and place files in an unobstructed environment, ensuring a highly efficient and smooth retrieval process, greatly improving file retrieval efficiency, and providing comprehensive protection against unnecessary scratches and damage, effectively guaranteeing the integrity and security of the files.

[0044] The outer wall of the placement frame 41 extends upward to form a cover plate 411. This covers the opening 6 to prevent external debris from falling into the placement frame 41.

[0045] The pick-and-place assembly 5 includes a base 51, a multi-axis robot arm 52, a thumb cylinder 53, and a clamping plate 54. The base 51 is installed on the housing 2. Multi-axis robots 52 are installed on both the left and right sides of the base 51. A thumb cylinder 53 is installed at the end of the multi-axis robot arm 52. A clamping plate 54 is fixed to both clamping ends of the thumb cylinder 53.

[0046] Multi-axis robotic arms 52 are mounted on both sides of the base 51, enabling the pick-and-place assembly 5 to operate simultaneously on both sides. During the file retrieval and placement process, files in two different locations can be operated on at the same time, greatly improving work efficiency compared to a single-sided pick-and-place design. For example, in a large archive, dual-sided pick-and-place can process files on two adjacent rows of file shelves simultaneously, completing more pick-and-place tasks per unit time and effectively shortening the overall working time.

[0047] The multi-axis robotic arm 52 has multiple degrees of freedom, enabling flexible movement in multiple dimensions. It can easily adjust its position and angle to adapt to the needs of different file storage locations and layouts. The number of axes of the robotic arm represents the number of its independently moving joints; to improve the flexibility of its joints, this embodiment uses a four-axis or higher robotic arm. Whether on a high shelf or deep inside a filing cabinet, the multi-axis robotic arm 52 can accurately reach the target location, achieving precise file retrieval and placement. This flexibility allows the retrieval and placement component 5 to adapt to various complex file storage environments, improving the versatility and applicability of the equipment.

[0048] The thumb cylinder 53, as a key actuating component of the pick-and-place assembly 5, has clamping plates 54 fixed to both of its clamping ends. The thumb cylinder 53 provides a stable and precise clamping force, while the design of the clamping plates 54 further increases the contact area with the documents, ensuring that the documents are firmly clamped during pick-and-place operations and preventing them from falling or being damaged during transport. Simultaneously, by precisely controlling the air pressure of the thumb cylinder 53, the clamping force can be adjusted according to factors such as the size, weight, and material of the documents, enabling the safe pick-and-place of different types of documents.

[0049] Because the retrieval and placement component 5 enables precise operations, it reduces errors and uncertainties caused by manual operation. During the storage and retrieval of archives, it ensures that archives are stored in the prescribed location and order, improving the accuracy and standardization of archive management. At the same time, the automated retrieval and placement process reduces damage and contamination to archives caused by human factors, which is beneficial for the long-term preservation and effective use of archives.

[0050] It also includes an industrial computer 8 and a vision sensor 9. The vision sensor 9 is mounted on the base 51, and the industrial computer 8 is mounted inside the housing 2. The vision sensor 9 is electrically connected to the industrial computer 8, and the industrial computer 8 is electrically connected to the telescopic component 3, the multi-axis robot arm 52, the thumb cylinder 53, and the AGV trolley 1. The industrial computer 8 can be a commonly available embedded industrial computer, such as the Advantech UNO series or the Advantech EC series. These industrial computers are compact, highly integrated, suitable for environments with limited space, have low power consumption, and low maintenance costs; or a box-type industrial computer can be used. These industrial computers have a wide variety of models, and users can customize their selection according to their needs such as expansion slots and the number of interfaces.

[0051] A vision sensor 9, mounted on base 51, can perform real-time image acquisition and analysis of the surrounding environment and files. Existing vision sensors available on the market can be used, such as laser scanners, linear and area array CCD cameras, or TV cameras. It can quickly and accurately identify the position, posture, and features of the files, such as their labels and serial numbers. Through an electrical connection with the industrial control computer 8, the vision sensor 9 transmits the acquired data to the industrial control computer 8, which processes the data and accurately calculates the specific coordinates of the file's location. This allows the multi-axis robot 52 to move more precisely to the target file's location, improving the accuracy and efficiency of file retrieval and placement, and avoiding inaccurate positioning due to human error or complex environments. The vision sensor 9 can monitor the robot's surrounding environment in real time, such as the presence of obstacles and human activity. When an obstacle is detected, the vision sensor 9 feeds the information back to the industrial control computer 8, which quickly makes a decision, controlling the AGV 1 to change its path or pause its movement to avoid collisions. Meanwhile, while the multi-axis robotic arm 52 is performing file handling operations, the vision sensor 9 can monitor the operation process in real time. Once an abnormality is detected, such as a file falling or the clamping plate 54 becoming unstable, the industrial control computer 8 can immediately issue a command to stop the operation, ensuring the safety of the robot and the files. This real-time perception and intelligent response capability of the environment enables the robot to operate stably and safely in complex and ever-changing environments.

[0052] In this embodiment, the vision sensor is an Omron FZ3 vision sensor, the multi-axis robot is an EC63, the thumb cylinder is an Airtac SMC MHC2 series, and the AGV is a CTA500Q-05.

[0053] The control method of this utility model is automatic control by an industrial control computer. The control circuit of the industrial control computer can be implemented by simple programming by those skilled in the art. The power supply is also common knowledge in the field. Since this utility model is mainly used to protect mechanical devices, the control method and circuit connection will not be explained in detail.

[0054] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this utility model, and are not intended to limit it. Although this utility model has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model.

Claims

1. A file retrieval robot, characterized by: This includes AGV carts, housings, telescopic components, placement components, pick-and-place assemblies, and industrial control computers; The box is installed on the AGV trolley; The box has openings on both opposite sides, and the placement component is hinged to both opposite sides of the box, allowing the placement component to pass through the openings and enter the box. One end of the telescopic component is hinged to the box body, and the other end of the telescopic component is hinged to the placement component; The loading and unloading assembly is installed on the housing and is used to load files into the placement component and remove files from the placement component. The industrial control computer is installed inside the enclosure; The industrial control computer is electrically connected to the telescopic component, the pick-and-place assembly, and the AGV trolley.

2. The file retrieval robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The placement component is hinged to the box body via a hinge.

3. The file-retrieval robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The placement component includes a placement frame and a protrusion. The two opposite side walls inside the placement frame each have several protrusions; The aforementioned protrusions are spaced apart.

4. The file-retrieval robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The protrusions on each side wall of the placement frame are arranged into several groups of protrusions; Several sets of protrusions are spaced apart along the length of the placement frame; Each set of bosses includes several bosses distributed vertically.

5. The file-retrieval robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The protrusion includes a base plate and an arc-shaped portion; The substrate is mounted on the inner wall of the placement frame; The arc-shaped portion is fixed to the substrate; The arc-shaped portion protrudes from the substrate.

6. The file-retrieval robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The outer wall of the placement frame extends upward to form a cover plate.

7. The file retrieval robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic component is a telescopic cylinder or an electric push rod.

8. The file retrieval robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The picking and placing assembly includes a base, a multi-axis robotic arm, a thumb cylinder, and a clamping plate; the base is mounted on the housing. Multi-axis robotic arms are installed on both opposite sides of the base; The multi-axis manipulator is equipped with a thumb cylinder at its end; Both clamping ends of the thumb cylinder are fixed with clamping plates.

9. The file-retrieval robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: It also includes visual sensors; The vision sensor is mounted on the base; The vision sensor is electrically connected to the industrial control computer.

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