An automatic plug-in motor robot system

Abstract

The application discloses an automatic plug-in motor robot system, which comprises a controller, a robot and a socket assembly device installed on a socket arranged in a protective house, and a plug mounting rack arranged in the protective cover, the system collects image information of a positioning plate of the plug mounting rack and the socket through a visual identification unit at the end of the robot to assist the robot in positioning, the end clamp is adapted to the plug through a positioning connector on the end clamp and a connector hole on the positioning plate, the plug is gripped, the limiting plate on the plug mounting rack is installed in a limiting clamping seat of the socket assembly device, accurate alignment of the plug and the socket is completed, and finally, the limiting clamping seat is driven to translate and advance through a linear driver, reliable press-fit plug-in of the plug and the socket is realized; therefore, the application realizes safety protection of various functional modules of the system through the arrangement of the protective device, so that the system can adapt to outdoor severe weather and prolong the service life of the equipment.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automatic plugging and unplugging robot technology, and more particularly to a robot system suitable for use in harsh outdoor environments that can automatically plug and unplug aviation plugs. Background Technology

[0002] In mining bulk material transportation operations, large conveyors play a crucial role, responsible for transporting mined ore and other bulk materials from the mining site to subsequent processing areas. In actual operation scenarios, multiple conveyors often need to be docked to achieve long-distance, large-scale material transportation. Although the conveyors themselves have built-in batteries, their capacity is only sufficient to sustain short-distance movement and cannot provide continuous power during long-term operation. Therefore, an additional power supply module is required to maintain power for the conveyors during transmission, primarily relying on high-voltage aviation connectors to provide 10KV power.

[0003] Traditionally, the high-voltage aviation connectors between two conveyors are manually connected. In this manual operation, workers must manually align the connector with the socket and forcefully insert it to ensure a secure connection. Similarly, when the conveyors are disconnected, the connector must be manually removed from the socket. The inventors discovered that this manual method of connecting and disconnecting power has the following drawbacks in practice:

[0004] (1) High labor intensity: The high-voltage aviation plug is large and heavy, and manual handling and plugging / unplugging require a lot of physical strength.

[0005] (2) Difficulty in ensuring docking accuracy: During manual operation, due to human visual errors, the instability of hand operation, and the heavy weight of the plug itself, it is difficult to ensure that the plug and socket are accurately docked every time. If the docking is not in place, it may lead to poor contact between the pins inside the plug and socket, which will affect the stability of power transmission and signal. This may not only cause equipment failure and interrupt transportation operations, but may also damage the equipment and increase maintenance costs.

[0006] (3) Low operating efficiency: There are usually dozens of conveyors at a work site, which occupy a large area when connected in series. Manually plugging and unplugging high-voltage aviation plugs requires many people to work back and forth in the material yard, resulting in low operating efficiency. This will prolong the preparation time and downtime of the operation, reduce the operating efficiency of the entire mine bulk material transportation system, and affect the mine's production progress.

[0007] (4) High safety risks: The mining environment is complex and has many adverse factors such as dust, humidity and vibration. In such an environment, workers face safety risks such as electric shock and injury from falling plugs when manually plugging and unplugging high-voltage aviation plugs. Once a safety accident occurs, it will not only threaten the lives of workers, but also bring huge economic losses and social impact to the enterprise.

[0008] (5) Low input and output of labor: The time interval between each docking and disconnection of the conveyor unit is long, usually more than 48 hours between operations. This task is completed by a dedicated person, which wastes labor costs.

[0009] Based on this, the inventors developed an intelligent unmanned mine solution, which can be found in Chinese invention patent CN120840437A, which discloses a high-voltage plug-in and unplugging power system and transportation equipment suitable for all-weather unmanned open-air operations. Although this solution can realize the automatic plugging and unplugging of high-voltage aviation plugs, it reduces manual intervention, improves operational efficiency, and reduces errors and safety risks caused by human factors.

[0010] However, the inventors discovered that the above technical solution still has the following problems in practical applications: the outdoor setting of the robot and controller is not conducive to the operational safety of the system and affects the service life of the equipment.

[0011] Therefore, it is necessary to propose a new technical solution to address the problems existing in the current technology. Utility Model Content

[0012] This application provides an automatic plugging and unplugging robot system to solve the problem that existing automatic plugging and unplugging robots are difficult to apply in harsh outdoor weather.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0014] This application provides an automatic plugging and unplugging robot system, including a socket assembly device, a controller, and a robot communicatively connected to the controller, all installed in a protective house. The robot's end effector is equipped with an end gripper and a vision recognition unit, and the end gripper includes one or more positioning connectors.

[0015] It also includes a plug mounting bracket set inside the protective cover. The plug mounting bracket includes a limiting plate and a positioning plate connected to the limiting plate. The limiting plate has mounting holes that are adapted to and connected to the side wall of the plug. The positioning plate has insertion holes corresponding to the positioning connector.

[0016] The socket assembly device includes a socket mounting plate and a linear driver. The socket mounting plate has a connection hole that adapts to and connects to the side wall of the socket. The actuating end of the linear driver is provided with a limiting seat that adapts to the limiting plate. The limiting seat is disposed opposite to the socket.

[0017] The visual recognition unit is used to collect image information of the positioning plate and the socket. The controller is configured to control the robot's actions according to the image information, so that the robot can install the limiting plate onto the limiting card after it is adapted and connected to the plug mounting bracket through the positioning connector.

[0018] The linear actuator is configured to receive control commands from the controller and, according to the control commands, move the plug mounting bracket closer to or further away from the socket mounting plate, thereby completing the automatic insertion and removal of the plug and socket.

[0019] Furthermore, in the above technical solution, the robot, socket assembly device, and controller are all housed in a protective enclosure built at the tail of the first conveyor, and the plug mounting bracket is housed in a protective cover built at the head of the second conveyor. The first and second conveyors are connected end-to-end. The robot is used to grab the plug mounting bracket at the head of the second conveyor and place its limiting plate in the limiting bracket at the tail of the first conveyor, so that the plug and socket are properly matched and aligned.

[0020] Furthermore, the protective cover is provided with a storage rack for mounting the plug mounting bracket.

[0021] Furthermore, an electric lifting door is provided at the opening of the protective cover, and an opening and closing button is provided next to the electric lifting door. The robot can collect image information of the opening and closing button through the visual recognition unit. The controller is configured to control the robot's actions according to the image information, so that the robot can open the door by pressing the opening and closing button through the positioning connector. A pressure sensor is provided on the plug mounting bracket. The pressure sensor is connected to the controller signal. The controller is configured to control the electric lifting door to close according to the pressure signal collected from the pressure sensor.

[0022] Furthermore, the robot is an industrial six-axis robot, and the robot's end effector is equipped with a force sensing sensor. The visual recognition unit includes a 2D camera or a 3D camera. The visual recognition unit and the force sensing sensor are respectively connected to the controller signal. The end effector includes a connecting plate connected to the robot's end effector. The positioning connector includes a positioning pin disposed on the connecting plate. The positioning pin is a columnar structure or a plate-like structure perpendicular to the connecting plate.

[0023] Furthermore, the positioning plate is disposed above the limiting plate, and the surface of the positioning plate is parallel or coplanar with the surface of the limiting plate, and the surface of the limiting plate is perpendicular to the length direction of the plug; the left and right sides of the limiting plate are respectively formed with insertion posts, and the limiting card includes a slot for accommodating and accommodating the two insertion posts.

[0024] Furthermore, the insertion post is a plate-shaped protrusion extending from the edge of the limiting plate toward the front and / or rear surface of the limiting plate; or, the insertion post is a columnar structural member extending downward from the bottom of the limiting plate.

[0025] Furthermore, the limiting plate is provided with one or more alignment pins, the alignment pins pointing in the insertion direction of the plug, and the socket mounting plate is provided with alignment holes corresponding to the alignment pins. When the plug is aligned and inserted into the socket under the drive of the linear driver, the alignment pins are inserted into the alignment holes accordingly.

[0026] Furthermore, the surface of the socket mounting plate is perpendicular to the length direction of the socket; the limiting bracket includes a slot connected to the execution end of the linear driver, the limiting plate is vertically inserted into the slot, so that the plug and the socket are positioned opposite each other, and the linear driver can drive the limiting bracket to extend and retract according to the plug-in command signal or unplug command signal received from the controller to realize automatic plugging and unplugging; the linear driver includes a servo electric cylinder or a ball screw.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0028] 1. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system provided in this application achieves reliable plugging and unplugging of plugs and sockets through the cooperation of a robot and a linear actuator. This not only improves docking accuracy, work efficiency, and safety, but also reduces the labor intensity and labor costs of personnel. This application uses a vision recognition unit at the end of the robot to collect image information of the positioning plate and the socket, achieving precise visual positioning. The positioning connector on the end gripper is matched and plugged into the socket hole on the positioning plate to grasp the plug mounting bracket. The limiting plate on the plug mounting bracket is installed in the limiting card seat of the socket assembly device to complete the precise alignment of the plug and socket. Finally, the linear actuator... The actuator drives the limit holder to move and advance, realizing a reliable pressing connection between the plug and the socket. During the process, the robot plays the role of picking up the plug and accurately aligning the plug and socket. The linear actuator realizes the specific insertion and removal actions. Therefore, this application reduces the force burden on the robot by using a linear actuator, reduces the system's load requirements on the robot, and extends the robot's service life. Moreover, compared with the robot linear actuator, it can more reliably realize the reliable insertion and removal of the plug and socket. In addition, this application sets up a protective house and a protective cover to protect the robot and the controller, improve the system's safety protection performance, and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0029] 2. This application provides an electric lifting door at the opening of the protective cover, which can provide dustproof, waterproof and safety protection. The button-type opening and closing method of the electric lifting door can be adapted to the pressing operation of the positioning connector at the end of the robot.

[0030] 3. This application sets a force sensing sensor at the end of the robot's execution end. By setting the force sensing sensor, the resistance and pressure changes experienced by the robot's end can be sensed in real time. When the controller detects abnormal force based on the force sensing sensor, such as excessive or insufficient resistance, the force feedback control system will adjust the robot's movements in a timely manner to avoid collisions.

[0031] 4. The positioning connector on the robot end effector is a columnar or plate-shaped positioning pin. When the positioning pin is plate-shaped, one positioning pin is fitted and plugged into a long strip-shaped connector hole to achieve plug mounting plate gripping. When the positioning pin is a slender column, multiple positioning pins can be set to correspond one-to-one with multiple connector holes to achieve plug mounting plate gripping.

[0032] 5. This application provides plug-in posts on the left and right sides of the limiting plate, which are connected to the limiting card seat through plug-in. The expected function is achieved through a simple structure, and this plug-in connection method is easy for robots to operate.

[0033] 6. This application provides one or more alignment pins on the limiting plate and alignment holes corresponding to the alignment pins on the socket mounting plate. The alignment pins and alignment holes can prevent misalignment during plugging. For example, if the plug and the pin are not aligned, the alignment pin will not be able to pass through the alignment hole smoothly during the plugging process and will abut against the socket mounting plate, thereby preventing the plug and socket from being misaligned and damaged.

[0034] 7. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system provided in this application can be used for the automatic plugging and unplugging of high-voltage aviation plugs and sockets on large bulk material conveyors. In specific applications, two conveyors are docked end to end. The robot, socket assembly device, and controller can all be set up in a protective house built at the tail of the first conveyor, and the plug mounting bracket can be set up in a protective cover built at the head of the second conveyor. The robot can grab the plug mounting bracket at the head of the second conveyor and place the limiting plate on it into the limiting bracket at the tail of the first conveyor, so that the plug and socket are properly matched and aligned. Since the large bulk material conveyor is set up outdoors, this application provides installation protection for the robot, socket assembly device, controller, and plug mounting bracket to extend the service life of the equipment and improve the safety of use. Attached Figure Description

[0035] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort. It should be understood that the specific shapes and structures shown in the drawings should not generally be regarded as limiting conditions for implementing this application. For example, based on the technical concepts disclosed in this application and the exemplary drawings, those skilled in the art are able to easily make conventional adjustments or further optimizations to the addition / reduction / classification, specific shapes, positional relationships, connection methods, and size ratios of certain units (components).

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall layout of the automatic plugging and unplugging robot system provided in this application on a large bulk material conveyor in one embodiment, mainly showing the installation layout of the robot, socket assembly device, plug mounting bracket and protective house;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a robot and socket assembly device installed in a protective house in one embodiment;

[0038] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a structure in one embodiment where the plug mounting bracket is disposed inside a protective cover;

[0039] Figure 4This is a schematic diagram of the robot picking up the plug when two conveyors are arranged in a straight line in one embodiment.

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of the robot picking up the plug when the two conveyors are arranged at an angle in one embodiment;

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of the positioning plate on the 3D camera positioning plug mounting bracket provided at the end of the robot in one embodiment.

[0042] Figure 7 This is a point cloud diagram of a positioning plate on a plug mounting bracket, obtained using a 3D camera in one embodiment.

[0043] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the state of the robot identifying the socket position after grasping the plug mounting bracket in one embodiment.

[0044] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the point cloud of a socket obtained using a 3D camera in one embodiment;

[0045] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of an installation structure in which a robot inserts the limiting plate of a plug mounting bracket into a limiting slot in one embodiment.

[0046] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly structure of the plug mounting bracket and socket assembly device after the robot retreats in one embodiment;

[0047] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the plug and socket connection status in one embodiment.

[0048] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0049] 1. Controller;

[0050] 2. Robot; 21. End effector; 22. Positioning connector; 23. Vision recognition unit;

[0051] 3. Plug mounting bracket; 31. Limiting plate; 311. Connecting post; 312. Alignment pin; 32. Positioning plate; 321. Connecting hole;

[0052] 4. Socket assembly device; 41. Socket mounting plate; 411. Alignment hole; 42. Linear actuator; 43. Limiting bracket; 431. Connecting slot;

[0053] 5. Plug;

[0054] 6. Socket;

[0055] 7. Protective housing;

[0056] 8. Protective cover;

[0057] 9. First conveyor;

[0058] 10. Second conveyor. Detailed Implementation

[0059] The present application will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0060] In the description of this application: unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more. The terms "first," "second," etc., in this application are intended to distinguish the objects referred to and do not have any special meaning in terms of technical connotation (e.g., they should not be construed as an emphasis on importance or order). Expressions such as "including," "comprising," and "having" also mean "not limited to" (certain units, components, materials, steps, etc.).

[0061] The terms used in this application, such as "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and "middle," are generally used to facilitate intuitive understanding by referring to the accompanying drawings, and are not absolute limitations on the positional relationships in the actual product. Changes in these relative positional relationships, without departing from the technical concept disclosed in this application, should also be considered within the scope of this application.

[0062] This application provides an automatic plugging and unplugging robot system that can be widely used in various engineering automatic power connection scenarios, such as power connection scenarios for intelligent torpedo tanks and large bulk material conveyors. Compared with traditional automatic plugging and unplugging robots, this automatic plugging and unplugging robot system has higher connection reliability and is particularly adaptable to large and heavy plugs and sockets. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system provided in this application will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0063] This application provides an automatic plugging and unplugging robot system, mainly including a controller 1, a robot 2 communicatively connected to the controller 1, a socket assembly device 4, and a plug mounting bracket 3, such as... Figure 1 .in:

[0064] The end effector of robot 2 is equipped with an end gripper 21 and a vision recognition unit 23. The end gripper 21 includes one or more positioning connectors 22, such as... Figure 6 .

[0065] The plug mounting bracket 3 includes a limiting plate 31 and a positioning plate 32 connected to the limiting plate 31. The limiting plate 31 has mounting holes that adapt to and connect with the side wall of the plug 5. The positioning plate 32 has insertion holes 321 corresponding to the positioning connector 22. Figure 6 .

[0066] The socket assembly device 4 includes a socket mounting plate 41 and a linear actuator 42. The socket mounting plate 41 has a connection hole that adapts to and connects with the side wall of the socket 6. The actuating end of the linear actuator 42 is provided with a limiting seat 43 that adapts to the limiting plate 31. The limiting seat 43 is positioned opposite to the socket 6. Figure 8 .

[0067] The visual recognition unit 23 is used to collect image information of the positioning plate 32 and the socket. The controller 1 is configured to control the robot's actions according to the image information, so that the robot can install the limit plate 31 onto the limit card seat 43 after it is adapted and connected to the plug mounting bracket 3 through the positioning connector 22. The linear driver 42 is configured to receive the control command of the controller 1 and drive the plug mounting bracket 3 to move closer to or away from the socket mounting plate 41 according to the control command, thereby completing the automatic insertion and removal of the plug 5 and the socket 6.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment of this application, robot 2 is an industrial six-axis robot with extremely high spatial degrees of freedom. Its end effector is equipped with a force sensing sensor, and the visual recognition unit 23 includes a 2D camera or a 3D camera. The visual recognition unit 23 and the force sensing sensor are respectively connected to the controller 1. The visual recognition unit 23 can help the robot to locate itself, while the force sensing sensor can monitor the force on the robot's end effector to prevent the robot from colliding.

[0069] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the end effector 21 includes a connecting plate connected to the robot's end effector, and the positioning connector 22 includes positioning pins disposed on the connecting plate. The positioning pins are columnar or plate-shaped structures perpendicular to the connecting plate. When the positioning pin is plate-shaped, one positioning pin is fitted into an elongated insertion hole 321 to achieve plug mounting plate gripping; when the positioning pin is a slender column (such as a square column, cylinder, etc.), multiple positioning pins can be set to correspond one-to-one with multiple insertion holes 321 to achieve plug mounting plate gripping.

[0070] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the positioning plate 32 is disposed above the limiting plate 31, and the surface of the positioning plate 32 is parallel or coplanar with the surface of the limiting plate 31. The surface of the limiting plate 31 is perpendicular to the length direction of the plug, and the vertical arrangement of the limiting plate 31 facilitates the robot to complete the insertion and removal actions. Connecting posts 311 are formed on the left and right sides of the limiting plate 31, and the limiting bracket 43 includes a connector slot 431 for accommodating and accommodating two connecting posts 311. Figure 8 This plug-in connection method is not only simple and reliable in structure, but also easy for robots to operate.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the insertion post 311 is a plate-shaped protrusion extending from the edge of the limiting plate 31 toward the front and rear surfaces of the limiting plate 31, i.e., the limiting plate 31 has an "H" shaped structure; or the insertion post 311 is a plate-shaped protrusion extending from the edge of the limiting plate 31 toward the front or rear surfaces of the limiting plate 31, i.e., the limiting plate 31 is similar to a "C" shaped structure. Accordingly, the slot 431 on the limiting card seat 43 is designed to match its shape and size.

[0072] In another preferred embodiment of this application, the insertion post 311 is a columnar structural member extending downward from the bottom of the limiting plate 31, and correspondingly, the insertion slot 431 on the limiting card seat 43 is a columnar groove adapted to be inserted into the two columnar structural members.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the limiting plate 31 is provided with one or more alignment pins 312, the alignment pins 312 pointing in the insertion direction of the plug, and the socket mounting plate 41 is provided with alignment holes 411 corresponding to the alignment pins 312. When the plug is aligned with the socket under the drive of the linear driver 42, the alignment pins 312 are inserted into the alignment holes 411. The alignment pins 312 and alignment holes 411 can play a role in preventing misalignment during insertion. For example, if the plug and the pin are not aligned, during the plugging process, the alignment pins 312 will not be able to pass through the alignment holes 411 smoothly and will abut against the socket mounting plate 41, thereby preventing the plug and socket from being misaligned and damaged.

[0074] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the plug mounting bracket 3 further includes a support plate spaced apart from the limiting plate 31. The support plate has a through hole allowing the plug to pass through. The support plate and the limiting plate 31 are connected by an intermediate connecting plate parallel to the length direction of the plug. A positioning plate 32 is mounted on the intermediate connecting plate. That is, the limiting plate 31, the support plate, and the intermediate connecting plate constitute a fixed bracket mounted on the outer wall of the plug or the outer wall of the plug cable, providing a reliable structure for the robot to position and grasp the plug. Furthermore, regarding the connection method between the plug and the plug mounting bracket 3, a clamp can be provided on the side wall of the plug, and then the clamp can be securely connected to the limiting plate 31. This achieves a secure connection between the plug and the plug mounting bracket 3, and is easy to assemble and modify. Similarly, the connection method between the socket and the socket mounting plate 41 can also be configured in this way.

[0075] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the surface of the socket mounting plate 41 is perpendicular to the length direction of the socket; the limiting bracket 43 includes a slot 431 connected to the execution end of the linear driver 42, and the limiting plate 31 is vertically inserted into the slot 431, so that the plug and the socket are arranged opposite to each other. The linear driver 42 can drive the limiting bracket 43 to extend and retract according to the plug-in command signal or unplug command signal received from the controller 1 to realize automatic plugging and unplugging.

[0076] In a preferred embodiment of this application, the linear actuator 42 is a servo electric cylinder or a ball screw, or other linear drive structures that can meet the target load.

[0077] In a specific application example, the automatic plugging and unplugging robot system provided in this application can be applied to the plugging and unplugging scenario of a large bulk material conveyor. Since the large bulk material conveyor is located outdoors, safety protection can be installed on the automatic plugging and unplugging robot system to ensure its safety.

[0078] Specifically, multiple large bulk material conveyors are typically installed end-to-end in sequence. Taking two conveyors as an example... Figure 1 The first conveyor 9 and the second conveyor 10 are connected end to end. The robot 2, the socket assembly device 4 and the controller 1 can all be set in the protective house 7 built at the tail of the first conveyor 9. The plug mounting bracket 3 is set in the protective cover 8 built at the head of the second conveyor 10. The robot is used to grab the plug mounting bracket 3 at the head of the second conveyor 10 and place the limiting plate 31 on it in the limiting card seat at the tail of the first conveyor 9 so that the plug and socket are properly matched and aligned.

[0079] Preferably, a storage rack for installing the plug mounting bracket 3 is provided inside the protective cover 8. For example, the storage rack is provided with a slot or other structure that matches the bottom of the limiting plate 31 of the plug mounting bracket 3. The plug mounting bracket 3 is snapped into the storage rack, which can effectively prevent the vibration of the conveyor during operation and ensure that the plug is placed in a fixed position as much as possible.

[0080] A removable dust cover can also be installed at the opening of the protective cover 8. Before the robot grasps the plug mounting bracket 3, it first positions the dust cover, removes it, and places it in the designated position before positioning and grasping the positioning plate 32. Alternatively, the dust cover can be set as an electric lifting door. The robot can automatically open the door by pressing the open / close button to facilitate robot grasping. A pressure sensor can be installed on the storage rack of the plug mounting bracket 3. After the robot removes the plug mounting bracket 3, the controller 1 receives the signal from the pressure sensor and controls the electric lifting door to automatically close after a target set time.

[0081] When the automatic plugging and unplugging robot system performs automatic plugging operations, the controller sends a plugging command signal to the robot. After receiving the plugging command signal, the robot acquires image information of the positioning plate 32 through its vision recognition unit 23 and sends the image information to the controller 1. Then, the controller 1 performs image processing and analysis to obtain the position information of the positioning plate 32 and sends an action command to the robot. After receiving the action command, the robot connects the positioning connector 22 of its end gripper 21 to the corresponding connector hole 321 on the positioning plate 32. A detection sensor can be set at the robot's end effector to detect whether the positioning connector 22 of the end gripper 21 and the connector hole 321 on the positioning plate 32 are connected. If the connection is complete, a feedback signal is sent to the controller 1 to trigger the controller 1. The next instruction is issued; then, the robot receives the instruction from the controller and collects the image information of the socket through its vision recognition unit 23. After the controller 1 obtains the image information, it processes it to obtain the position information of the socket and sends an action instruction to the robot. The robot moves the plug mounting bracket 3 according to the received instruction signal and inserts the limiting plate 31 of the plug mounting bracket 3 into the limiting bracket 43. A detection sensor can be set on the limiting bracket 43 to detect whether the limiting plate 31 of the plug mounting bracket 3 is inserted in place. If the limiting plate 31 is detected to be inserted in place, the controller sends an instruction signal to the robot, and then the robot moves away; at the same time, the controller 1 sends a power-on instruction signal to the linear driver 42. The linear driver 42 drives the limiting bracket 43 to extend outward, so that the plug and socket are adapted to connect, and automatic power-on is completed.

[0082] When the automatic plugging and unplugging robot system automatically unplugs the power, the robot collects image information of the positioning plate 32 through its vision recognition unit 23 and sends the image information to the controller 1. After image processing and analysis, the controller 1 obtains the position information of the positioning plate 32 and issues an action command to the robot. After receiving the action command, the robot connects the positioning connector 22 of its end gripper 21 to the corresponding insertion hole 321 on the positioning plate 32 and removes the limit plate 31 from the limit holder 43. Then, the controller 1 sends a power-off command signal to the linear driver 42, which drives the limit holder 43 to retract inward, causing the plug and socket to disengage, thus completing the automatic power-off.

[0083] In this process, after the robot takes the limiting plate 31 out of the limiting card seat 43, it uses the visual recognition unit 23 on it to collect image information of the storage rack used to store the plug mounting bracket 3. The controller 1 processes and analyzes the position information of the storage rack based on the image information and controls the robot to place the plug mounting bracket 3 into the storage rack.

[0084] Applying the automatic plugging and unplugging robot system provided in this application to plugging and unplugging scenarios in large bulk material conveyors can bring the following beneficial effects:

[0085] 1. Reduced labor intensity: The robot system of this application can automatically complete the plugging and unplugging of high-voltage aviation plugs of large bulk material conveyors without direct manual operation, which greatly reduces the labor intensity of workers; workers only need to perform some simple system monitoring and auxiliary operations, and no longer need to bear heavy physical labor, and the working environment is significantly improved.

[0086] 2. Improved docking accuracy: Through a high-precision visual recognition system and precise robot control algorithms, the docking accuracy between plugs and sockets can be ensured to reach an extremely high level. Compared with manual operation, this greatly reduces the incidence of problems such as poor contact and equipment failure caused by insufficient docking accuracy, improves the stability of power transmission and signal connection, and ensures the reliable operation of the conveyor system.

[0087] 3. Improved operational efficiency: The robot system operates at a much faster speed than manual operation, and can complete the insertion and removal of high-voltage aviation plugs in a short time. This greatly shortens the time for connecting and disconnecting conveyors, improves the operating efficiency of the entire mine bulk material transportation system, and increases the mine's production capacity.

[0088] 4. Enhanced operational safety: Since the operation is completed automatically by robots, workers do not need to directly contact high-voltage aviation plugs in complex and dangerous environments, effectively avoiding safety accidents such as electric shock and crushing injuries, ensuring the safety of workers and reducing the safety risks of enterprises.

[0089] Therefore, the automatic plugging and unplugging robot system provided in this application achieves reliable plugging and unplugging of plugs and sockets through the cooperation of the robot and the linear actuator, which not only improves docking accuracy, work efficiency and safety, but also reduces the labor intensity and labor costs of personnel. In addition, by setting up safety protection devices, this application improves the adaptability of the robot system to the outdoor environment and extends the service life of the robot.

[0090] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way (as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features). For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described; these embodiments not explicitly written should also be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0091] The present application has been described in a relatively specific and detailed manner above through general descriptions and specific embodiments. It should be understood that, based on the technical concept of the present application, several conventional adjustments or further innovations can be made to these specific embodiments; however, as long as they do not depart from the technical concept of the present application, the technical solutions obtained by these conventional adjustments or further innovations also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present application.

Claims

1. An automatic plug-in / plug-out robot system, characterized in that, The device includes a socket assembly device, a controller, and a robot that is communicatively connected to the controller, all installed inside a protective enclosure. The robot's end effector is equipped with an end gripper and a vision recognition unit. The end gripper includes one or more positioning connectors. It also includes a plug mounting bracket set inside the protective cover. The plug mounting bracket includes a limiting plate and a positioning plate connected to the limiting plate. The limiting plate has mounting holes that are adapted to and connected to the side wall of the plug. The positioning plate has insertion holes corresponding to the positioning connector. The socket assembly device includes a socket mounting plate and a linear driver. The socket mounting plate has a connection hole that adapts to and connects to the side wall of the socket. The actuating end of the linear driver is provided with a limiting seat that adapts to the limiting plate. The limiting seat is disposed opposite to the socket. The visual recognition unit is used to collect image information of the positioning plate and the socket. The controller is configured to control the robot's actions according to the image information, so that the robot can install the limiting plate onto the limiting card after it is adapted and connected to the plug mounting bracket through the positioning connector. The linear actuator is configured to receive control commands from the controller and, according to the control commands, move the plug mounting bracket closer to or further away from the socket mounting plate, thereby completing the automatic insertion and removal of the plug and socket.

2. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot, socket assembly device and controller are all set up in a protective house built at the tail of the first conveyor. The plug mounting bracket is set up in a protective cover built at the head of the second conveyor. The first conveyor and the second conveyor are connected end to end. The robot is used to grab the plug mounting bracket at the head of the second conveyor and place the limiting plate on it in the limiting bracket at the tail of the first conveyor, so that the plug and socket are properly matched and aligned. The protective cover is equipped with a storage rack for mounting the plug mounting bracket.

3. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, An electric lifting door is provided at the opening of the protective cover, and an opening and closing button is provided next to the electric lifting door. The robot can collect image information of the opening and closing button through the vision recognition unit. The controller is configured to control the robot's actions according to the image information, so that the robot can open the door by pressing the opening and closing button through the positioning connector. A pressure sensor is installed on the plug mounting bracket. The pressure sensor is connected to the controller signal. The controller is configured to control the electric lifting door to close based on the pressure signal collected from the pressure sensor.

4. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The robot is an industrial six-axis robot. The end effector of the robot is equipped with a force sensor. The visual recognition unit includes a 2D camera or a 3D camera. The visual recognition unit and the force sensor are respectively connected to the controller signal. The end effector includes a connecting plate connected to the end effector of the robot, and the positioning connector includes a positioning pin disposed on the connecting plate. The positioning pin is a columnar structure or a plate-like structure perpendicular to the connecting plate.

5. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The positioning plate is disposed above the limiting plate, and the surface of the positioning plate is parallel or coplanar with the surface of the limiting plate, and the surface of the limiting plate is perpendicular to the length direction of the plug. The left and right sides of the limiting plate are respectively formed with insertion posts, and the limiting card seat includes a slot for adapting and accommodating the two insertion posts.

6. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The connector post is a plate-shaped protrusion extending from the edge of the limiting plate toward the front and / or rear surface of the limiting plate; or, the connector post is a columnar structural member extending downward from the bottom of the limiting plate.

7. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The limiting plate is provided with one or more alignment pins, the alignment pins pointing in the insertion direction of the plug, and the socket mounting plate is provided with alignment holes corresponding to the alignment pins. When the plug is aligned and inserted into the socket under the drive of the linear driver, the alignment pins are inserted into the alignment holes accordingly.

8. The automatic plugging and unplugging robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the socket mounting plate is perpendicular to the length direction of the socket; The limiting card holder includes a socket connected to the execution end of the linear driver. The limiting plate is vertically inserted into the socket, so that the plug and socket are positioned opposite each other. The linear driver can drive the limiting card holder to extend and retract according to the plug-in command signal or unplug command signal received from the controller to realize automatic plugging and unplugging. The linear actuator includes a servo cylinder or a ball screw.

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