AUTONOMOUS HANDLING MACHINE

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to the field of handling machines comprising a pivotally mounted boom and a tool, such as a bucket for example, which is mounted articulated on the boom.

[0002] The invention relates in particular to a handling machine of the aforementioned type which is autonomous, that is to say is capable of moving and carrying out handling operations in an automated manner, without the intervention of a driver. Technological background

[0003] In the state of the art, there are autonomous vehicles and machines that are capable of moving and / or carrying out industrial or agricultural operations in an automated manner. These vehicles include spatial detection sensors, such as cameras, time-of-flight cameras, LIDARS, radars or ultrasonic sensors, for example. These spatial detection sensors generate signals that include information representative of the position of objects located in the vehicle's environment and which are processed by a control unit in order to control the vehicle's movements accordingly.

[0004] There are also handling machines comprising a pivotally mounted boom and a tool, such as a bucket for example, which is mounted articulated on the boom. Such a machine is for example known from document US 2008 / 208395 A1. These machines are most often used in environments with a high concentration of particles, dust and debris suspended in the air. Furthermore, given their movements, the boom and its tool constitute obstacles to the perception of objects located in the environment of the machine, and in particular of the material to be handled by the tool. Summary

[0005] An idea underlying the invention consists of proposing an autonomous handling machine comprising a pivotally mounted boom intended to receive a tool and at least one spatial detection sensor in which said spatial detection sensor is positioned in a position: guaranteeing it a satisfactory field of perception which is only slightly impacted by the obstacles constituted by the lifting arm and the tool; and limiting the risks of it being covered with a deposit of particles or debris.

[0006] Another idea underlying the invention is to propose a handling machine of the aforementioned type which is compact.

[0007] According to a first aspect, the invention proposes an autonomous handling machine comprising: a chassis; and a boom which is intended to receive a tool and which is mounted articulated on the chassis between an extreme lowered position and an extreme raised position, the boom comprising two lifting arms extending on either side of a longitudinal plane of the machine, in which the chassis comprises a projecting portion which projects upwards between the two lifting arms, said projecting portion projecting beyond the two lifting arms when the boom is in the extreme lowered position; and in which the machine comprises a spatial detection sensor which is fixed to a top of the projecting portion.

[0008] Thus, the positioning of the spatial position sensor on the aforementioned projecting portion makes it possible, on the one hand, to limit the exposure of said spatial detection sensor to dust resulting in particular from the material which is handled by the tool and, on the other hand, to offer an excellent field of perception, in particular on the material to be loaded. In particular, the spatial detection sensor surmounts the chassis as well as the boom and its tool, in particular when the boom is in the extreme lowered position. In addition, taking into account the arrangement of the projecting portion between the lifting arms, the position of the spatial detection sensor is central.

[0009] According to one embodiment, this arrangement is particularly advantageous in that, given the arrangement of the projecting portion, it is capable of absorbing the transverse forces exerted on the boom, which makes it possible to limit the risks of the boom becoming irreversibly deformed.

[0010] According to embodiments, such a handling machine may have one or more of the following characteristics.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the machine does not have a cabin intended to accommodate a driver, which makes the machine particularly compact.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the boom has a transport position in which it is located when the machine is moving, said transport position being located between the extreme lowered position and the extreme raised position, the projecting portion also projecting upwards beyond the two lifting arms when the boom is in the transport position. This makes it possible to provide the spatial detection sensor with a field of perception which is not or only slightly hindered by the boom and its tool when the machine is moving.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the spatial detection sensor is chosen from cameras, for example stereoscopic, time-of-flight cameras, LIDARS, radars and ultrasonic sensors.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the boom is mounted articulated on the chassis by means of an articulation device comprising a front connecting rod and a rear connecting rod, the rear connecting rod being pivotally mounted on the chassis about a first axis and on the boom about a second axis, the front connecting rod being pivotally mounted on the boom about a third axis and on the chassis about a fourth axis, the first axis, the second axis, the third axis and the fourth axis being parallel to each other and orthogonal to the longitudinal plane of the machine. Such articulation means are particularly advantageous in that they make it possible to obtain kinematics preventing, or at least limiting, the longitudinal displacement of the center of gravity of the machine when the boom is pivoted. The risks of the machine tipping over are thus limited.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the front connecting rod is positioned between the two lifting arms and the fourth axis is positioned on the protruding portion of the chassis. This contributes in particular to the compactness of the machine.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises a tool-carrying frame which is intended to receive the tool and which is pivotally mounted on a front end of the boom.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the first, second, third and fourth axes are positioned so that, during a movement of the boom between the extreme lowered position and the extreme raised position, an articulation axis of the tool-carrying frame on the boom moves horizontally over a distance h and vertically over a distance v with h less than 15% of v, preferably less than 10% of v, for example of the order of 7% of v. This makes it possible to significantly limit the risks of the machine tipping over since the center of gravity of the machine moves little in the longitudinal direction of the machine during movements of the boom.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises a lifting cylinder which comprises a first end pivotally mounted on the boom and a second end pivotally mounted on the chassis.

[0019] According to one embodiment, the lifting cylinder is placed in the longitudinal plane and located in a space between the front connecting rod and the rear connecting rod.

[0020] According to one embodiment, the projecting portion comprises two uprights, preferably parallel to each other, and arranged between the two lifting arms respectively on either side of the longitudinal plane of the machine, the front connecting rod being pivotally mounted around the fourth axis between said uprights.

[0021] According to one embodiment, the chassis comprises two side members which extend longitudinally on either side of the longitudinal plane, between the two lifting arms, the side members being connected to each other by cross members, the two uprights of the projecting portion being respectively formed in one and the other of the two side members.

[0022] According to one embodiment, the front connecting rod comprises a bent portion which has an upwardly oriented concavity so that a front portion of the front connecting rod, located in front of said bent portion, is located between the two uprights of the projecting portion when the boom is in the extreme lowered position. This contributes to the compactness and aesthetics of the machine. This bent portion also makes it possible to free up additional space at the top of the projecting portion to be able to position the spatial detection sensor there.

[0023] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises two anti-friction pads which are respectively fixed on a lateral face of one and the other of the uprights so as to be positioned between said upright and one of the lifting arms when the boom is in the extreme lowered position. Thus, the anti-friction pads make it possible to limit the friction likely to occur between the boom and the projecting portion of the chassis, in the event of transverse bending of the boom.

[0024] According to one embodiment, the machine further comprises a body fixed to the chassis, said body having a central recess in which the boom is housed in the extreme lowered position.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises a first geolocation antenna fixed to the top of the projecting portion and a second geolocation antenna arranged at a distance along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the first geolocation antenna. This makes it possible to estimate, in addition to the position of the machine, its heading and pitch.

[0026] According to one embodiment, the second geolocation antenna is attached to the top of a rear portion of the bodywork, behind a rear end of the boom.

[0027] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises a front axle and a rear axle, which are each mounted on the chassis along a transverse axis and are each equipped with two wheels, the machine further comprising an electric motor which is coupled to at least one of the front and rear axles via a transmission device.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises an electrical energy storage device comprising one or more batteries and connected to the electric motor, said electrical energy storage device being arranged in a housing space of the body, positioned behind the rear axle. This makes it possible to form a counterweight intended to compensate for the load carried by the tool.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the body has a height that decreases from front to rear. Such an arrangement makes it possible to free up space at the front, which contributes to improving the forward field of perception of the spatial detection sensor.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises: a tool-carrying frame which is intended to receive the tool and which is pivotally mounted on a front end of the boom, a dump cylinder which is pivotally mounted, on the one hand, on a balance beam and, on the other hand, on the boom; and a dump connecting rod pivotally mounted on the balance beam and on the tool-carrying frame.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the tipping cylinder is pivotally mounted on the boom by means of fixing lugs each projecting upwards from a cross member connecting the two lifting arms, said fixing lugs being located at the front of the projecting portion, below the top of the projecting portion when the boom is in the extreme lowered position. The fixing of the fixing lugs on the cross member in the longitudinal plane makes it possible to position the tipping cylinder in the center. The forces exerted by the tipping cylinder are thus centered, which makes it possible to use only one.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the fixing ears are located below the top of the projecting portion when the boom is in the transport position.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises a control unit equipped with means for processing the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor which are configured to deliver information relating to a position of the objects in the environment of the machine as a function of said signal delivered by the spatial position sensor, said control unit being configured to control the movement of the machine and / or of the boom and / or of the tool-carrying frame as a function of said information.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the machine comprises a first sensor for delivering a signal representative of the relative position of the boom relative to the chassis and a second sensor for delivering a signal representative of the relative position of the tool-carrying frame relative to the boom, the control unit being connected to the first sensor and to the second sensor and being configured to deliver a value of a first variable α1 representative of the angle of inclination of the boom relative to the chassis as a function of the signal delivered by the first sensor and deliver a value of a second variable α2 representative of the angle of inclination of the tool-carrying frame relative to the boom.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the control unit is configured to generate a relative position setpoint of the boom and control the stroke of the lifting cylinder as a function of said setpoint and the signal representative of the relative position of the boom with respect to the chassis delivered by the first sensor.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the control unit is configured to generate a relative position setpoint of the tool-carrying frame and to control the stroke of the tipping cylinder as a function of said setpoint and the signal representative of the relative position of the tool-carrying frame delivered by the second sensor.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the control unit comprises in memory: a first reference value α1 reference and a second reference value α2 reference; and reference information representative of the position of the tool frame relative to the spatial position sensor in a position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1 reference and the second variable α2 takes the second reference value α2 reference; the control unit being configured to: controlling the movement of the arrow and the tool frame to reach a verification position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1 reference and the second variable α2 takes the second reference value α2 reference; processing the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor so as to obtain verification information representative of the position of the tool frame relative to the spatial position sensor in said verification position; and detecting a malfunction in response to a discrepancy between the stored reference information and the verification information.

[0038] This allows the processing unit to detect anomalies, such as deformations of the protruding portion, the boom or the tool frame or malfunctions or displacements of the first or second sensor.

[0039] According to an alternative or complementary embodiment, the control unit comprises in memory: a first reference value α1 reference; and reference information representative of the position of the arrow relative to the spatial position sensor in a position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1 reference; the control unit being configured to: controlling the movement of the arrow to reach a verification position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1 reference; processing the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor so as to obtain verification information representative of the position of the arrow relative to the spatial position sensor in said verification position; and detecting a malfunction in response to a discrepancy between the stored reference information and the verification information. Brief description of the figures

[0040] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the following description of several particular embodiments of the invention, given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the accompanying drawings. [ fig.1 ] There figure 1is a front right perspective view of a handling machine, according to one embodiment, in which the boom is shown in the transport position and equipped with a bucket. fig.2 ] There figure 2 is a perspective view similar to that of the figure 1 in which the arrow is shown without a tool. fig.3 ] There figure 3 is a top view of the handling machine of the figure 1 . [ fig.4 ] There figure 4 is a front view of the handling machine figures 1 to 3 with the boom in transport position and equipped with a bucket. fig.5 ] There Figure 5 is a right side view of the handling machine figures 1 to 4 with the boom in the transport position. [ fig.6 ] There figure 6 is a right side view of the handling machine figures 1 to 5 with the arrow in an intermediate position in which the tool is located opposite the spatial position sensor. fig.7] There figure 7 is a right side view of the handling machine figures 1 to 6 with the boom in an extreme raised position. [ fig.8 ] There figure 8 is a partial right side view of the handling machine figures 1 to 7 in which the boom is in an intermediate position and in which only the chassis and the boom are shown. fig.9 ] There figure 9 is a schematic representation of the control unit of the handling machine and of various sensors equipping said handling machine. Fig. 10 ] There figure 10 is a right side view of the handling machine with the boom in an extreme lowered position. Description of the embodiments

[0041] By convention, the "longitudinal" direction of the handling machine corresponds to the front-rear orientation. Furthermore, the "transverse" direction is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The terms "rear" and "front" correspond respectively to the abbreviations AR and AV indicated in the figures and are used to define the relative position of one element with respect to another in the longitudinal direction. The terms "front" and "rear" are adopted here in relation to the tool loading direction, i.e. the tool is positioned at the front of the machine. This definition does not prefigure the preferred direction of movement of the machine, which can therefore occur either forward or backward.

[0042] In reference to the figures 1 to 10 , a handling machine 1 is described according to one embodiment. The machine 1 comprises a chassis 2, visible in the figure 8, and an arrow 3 which is mounted articulated on the chassis 2 by an articulation device described below, and at the end of which is mounted a tool-carrying frame 4 intended to receive a tool 5. By tool, we mean, for example, forks or a bucket, such as a simple bucket, a silage bucket, a distributor bucket or others.

[0043] The chassis 2 is movable. To this end, in the embodiment shown, the machine 1 comprises two axles, a front axle 6 and a rear axle 7, which are each mounted on the chassis 2 along a transverse axis and are each equipped with two wheels, one on the left and the other on the right. At least one and preferably both the front 6 and rear 7 axles are steering axles, i.e. are equipped with means for varying the orientation of the wheels relative to the longitudinal direction of the machine 1.

[0044] The machine 1 comprises a body 8 which rests on the chassis 2 and is fixed thereto. The body 8 has housing spaces for receiving equipment of the machine 1.

[0045] The machine 1 comprises at least one electric motor, not shown, which is fixed to the chassis 2 and which is coupled to at least one of the front 6 or rear 7 axles, or to both, by means of a mechanical or hydraulic transmission device. The machine 1 also comprises an electrical energy storage device, not visible, which comprises one or more batteries and which is connected to the electric motor in order to supply it with electrical energy. Advantageously, the electrical energy storage device is arranged in a housing space 9, shown for example in the figure 1, which is arranged at the rear of the bodywork 8, behind the rear axle 7. Taking this arrangement into account, the bodywork 8 has a height which decreases from the rear to the front.

[0046] The boom 3 comprises two lifting arms 12, 13 which extend longitudinally, parallel to each other and which are arranged on either side of the median longitudinal plane of the machine 1. The two lifting arms 12, 13 are connected to each other by means of crosspieces 14, 15, 16.

[0047] The boom 3 is mounted to move relative to the chassis 2 between an extreme lowered position, shown in the figure 10 , and an extreme raised position, shown on the figure 7 The arrow 3 is thus able to take a plurality of positions between the two aforementioned extreme positions and in particular a transport position, shown in the figures 1 to 5in which the tool-carrying frame 4 is positioned at a sufficient distance from the ground so as not to reduce the ground clearance of the machine 1.

[0048] The boom 3 is mounted articulated on the chassis 2 by means of an articulation device comprising two connecting rods, namely a front connecting rod 17 and a rear connecting rod 18, notably visible on the figures 7 and 8 . The rear connecting rod 18 is, on the one hand, pivotally mounted on the chassis 2 around an axis A (visible on the figure 8) and, on the other hand, pivotally mounted on the boom 3 about an axis B. The front connecting rod 17 is, on the one hand, pivotally mounted on the chassis 2 about an axis C and, on the other hand, pivotally mounted on the boom 3 about an axis D. The four geometric axes A, B, C and D are parallel to each other and oriented transversely. The axes A, B, C and D thus define the vertices of a deformable quadrilateral. The axes A, B, C and D are positioned so that when the front connecting rod 17 and the rear connecting rod 18 straighten, the boom 3 tilts and the front end of the boom 3 rises relative to its rear end. According to an advantageous embodiment, the axes A, B, C and D are further positioned so that the articulation axis G of the tool-carrying frame 4 relative to the boom 3 moves only very little horizontally during the movement of the boom 3.Thus, according to an advantageous embodiment, during the movement of the boom 3 between the extreme lowered position and the extreme raised position, the articulation axis G moves vertically by a distance v and horizontally by a distance h; with h less than 15% of v, preferably less than 10% of v and for example of the order of 7% of v.

[0049] In the embodiment shown, this kinematics of the arrow 3 is obtained in particular thanks to the position of the axis C on a projecting portion 11 of the chassis 2, that is to say at a height greater than that of the axis A.

[0050] As represented in particular on the figures 1 to 4, the body 8 has a central recess 19 in which the lifting arms 12, 13 as well as the front connecting rod 17 and the rear connecting rod 18 are housed at least partially when the boom 3 is in the transport position. Furthermore, the lifting arms 12, 13 have a general shape which substantially follows the profile of the upper surface of the body 8, when the boom 3 is in the transport position. In other words, in the transport position of the boom 3, the lifting arms 12, 13 are, from the rear to the front, inclined downwards. The lifting arms 12, 13 further comprise a bent portion 20 whose concavity is oriented towards the ground so that the front end of said lifting arms 12, 13 is positioned in front of the chassis 2 and the body 8 of the machine 1, when the boom 3 is in the transport position or in the extreme lowered position.

[0051] According to the embodiment shown, the rear connecting rod 18 comprises two articulation flanges which respectively carry an articulation axis cooperating with one and the other of the two lifting arms 12, 13. Furthermore, the front connecting rod 17 is positioned between the two lifting arms 12, 13. The front connecting rod 17 therefore extends in the median longitudinal plane of the machine 1. Furthermore, the front connecting rod 17 is articulated on a projecting portion 11 of the chassis 2 which projects, between the two lifting arms 12, 13, upwards, beyond said lifting arms 12, 13 when the boom 3 is in the transport position or in the extreme lowered position.

[0052] In the embodiment shown, the projecting portion 11 comprises two uprights 21, 22, parallel to each other, and arranged between the two lifting arms 12, 13, respectively on either side of the median longitudinal axis of the machine 1. As shown in particular in the figure 8, these uprights 21, 22 are formed in a single piece with the two longitudinal side members of the chassis 2 which are connected to each other by crosspieces, and extend on either side of the median longitudinal plane, between the two lifting arms 12, 13.

[0053] According to an advantageous embodiment, the projecting portion 11 also makes it possible to absorb the forces exerted on the boom 3 in a transverse direction and tending to cause it to bend, which makes it possible to limit the risks of the boom 3 becoming irreversibly deformed. Furthermore, in the embodiment shown, the projecting portion 11 comprises anti-friction pads 23, visible in particular on the figure 8, which are each fixed on a lateral face of one of the uprights 21, 22 of the projecting portion 11. The anti-friction pads 23 are thus each positioned between one of the uprights 21, 22 and one of the lifting arms 12, 13 when the boom is in the transport position or in the extreme lowered position. The anti-friction pads 23 are made of a material having a low coefficient of friction, such as polyamide 6 for example. The anti-friction pads 23 are each spaced transversely from one of the lifting arms 12, 13 by a determined clearance so that one of said lifting arms 12, 13 only comes into contact with the corresponding anti-friction pad 23 when said lifting arm 12, 13 is subjected to a transverse force causing it to flex in the direction of said anti-friction pad 23.

[0054] The front end of the front connecting rod 17 is housed in the space provided between the two uprights 21, 22. Furthermore, as shown in particular on the figures 7 and 8 , the front connecting rod 17 has a bent portion 39 whose concavity is oriented upwards. Thus, when the boom 3 is in the transport position or in the extreme lowered position, the front portion of the front connecting rod 17, that is to say that which is arranged in front of the bent portion 39 is also located between the two uprights 21, 22 of the projecting portion 11, which contributes to the compactness and aesthetics of the machine 1.

[0055] Machine 1 includes a lifting cylinder 24, also shown in the figures 7 and 8, allowing the boom 3 to move between the extreme lowered position and the extreme raised position. To do this, the lifting cylinder 24 has one end which is mounted articulated on the chassis 2 around a hinge axis E and another end which is mounted articulated on the chassis 2 around a hinge axis F. Thus, when the lifting cylinder 24 deploys, it causes a movement of the boom 3 towards the extreme raised position. On the contrary, when the lifting cylinder 24 retracts, it causes a movement of the boom 3 towards the extreme lowered position.

[0056] The machine 1 comprises a tool-carrying frame 4 which is intended to be secured to a tool 5 and which is mounted articulated at the front end of the boom 3 around an axis G. The tool-carrying frame 4 is thus able to take a plurality of positions between two extreme positions, namely an extreme digging position, shown in the figures 1 to 4, and an extreme dumping position, not shown.

[0057] A tipping cylinder 25 acts on the tool-carrying frame 4 via a rocker arm 26 so as to pivot said tool-carrying frame 4, around the axis G, relative to the boom 3. The tipping cylinder 25 has a first end which is mounted articulated on the lifting arms 12, 13 around an axis H. More particularly, in the embodiment shown, the first end of the tipping cylinder 25 is mounted articulated on two fixing lugs 27, 28 which each project upwards from the crosspiece 15 connecting the two lifting arms 12, 13. The second end of the tipping cylinder 25 is mounted articulated on the rocker arm 26 around an axis I. As shown in particular in the figure 4, when the boom 3 is in the transport position or in the extreme lowered position, the fixing ears 27, 28 are located in front of the projecting portion 11, close to it. The fixing ears 27, 28 extend to a height lower than that of the projecting portion 11 when the boom 3 is in the transport position or below it and therefore do not harm the field of perception of the spatial detection sensor 10 in the aforementioned positions.

[0058] The two ends of the rocker arm 26 are respectively mounted articulated on the boom 3 around an axis J and on a tipping rod 29 around an axis K. Said tipping rod 29 is further mounted articulated around an axis L on the tool-carrying frame 4 so that the pivoting movement of the rocker arm 26 around the axis K causes the tool-carrying frame 4 to pivot around the axis G. The axes G, J, K and L are parallel to each other and oriented transversely. The axes G, J, K and L thus define the vertices of a deformable quadrilateral.

[0059] In the configuration shown, when the dumping cylinder 25 deploys, it causes the tool-carrying frame 4 to pivot relative to the boom 3, around the axis G, towards the extreme dumping position, whereas, on the contrary, when the dumping cylinder 25 retracts, it causes the tool-carrying frame 4 to pivot relative to the boom 3 towards the extreme digging position.

[0060] Machine 1 further comprises a hydraulic control circuit, shown schematically in the figure 9 , which is configured to provide control of the lifting cylinder 24 and the dumping cylinder 25. The hydraulic circuit comprises in particular a reservoir 35, a pump 36 connected to the reservoir 35 as well as a flow-sharing distributor 37. The pump 36 is also supplied with electrical energy by the electrical energy storage device described above. The flow-sharing distributor 37 is configured to put the hydraulic fluid coming from the pump into communication with the lifting cylinder 24, with the dumping cylinder 25 or simultaneously with the lifting cylinder 24 and the dumping cylinder 25.

[0061] As shown in the figures 1 to 8 And 10, the machine 1 comprises at least one spatial detection sensor 10, that is to say a sensor generating signals which comprise information representative of the position of the objects located in the environment of the machine 1. The spatial detection sensor 10 is fixed on the projecting portion 11, preferably at its top. The spatial detection sensor 10 is chosen from cameras and in particular stereoscopic cameras, time-of-flight cameras, LIDARS, radars and ultrasonic sensors. In the embodiment shown, the spatial detection sensor 10 is a stereoscopic camera.

[0062] According to an advantageous embodiment, the machine 1 comprises at least one other spatial position sensor, which is advantageously of a different type from the spatial detection sensor 10 described previously and making it possible to ensure redundancy of the information collected. The machine 1 may in particular comprise other spatial position sensors, such as LIDARS for example, at the front and rear of the machine 1, for example under its chassis 2.

[0063] Furthermore, the machine 1 is equipped with a sensor which is configured to deliver a measurement signal representative of the relative position of the boom 3 with respect to the chassis 2. According to one embodiment, this sensor is an angle sensor which is positioned opposite one of the articulation axes A, B, C, D, E, F of the rear connecting rod 18, the front connecting rod 17 or the lifting cylinder 24 on the boom 3 or the chassis 2. In the embodiment shown, an angle sensor 30 (whose position is indicated on the figures 7 and 8 ) is positioned opposite the articulation axis D of the front connecting rod 17 on one of the lifting arms 12, 13.

[0064] The machine 1 is also equipped with a sensor which is configured to deliver a measurement signal representative of the relative position of the tool-carrying frame 4 with respect to the boom 3. According to one embodiment, the second sensor is an angle sensor which is positioned opposite one of the articulation axes G, H, I, J, K, L of the tool-carrying frame 4, of the tipping cylinder 25, of the rocker arm 26 or of the tipping rod 29. In the embodiment shown, an angle sensor 31 (whose position is indicated on the figures 7 and 8 ) is positioned opposite the articulation axis J of the balance 26 on the arrow 3.

[0065] Machine 1 further comprises two geolocation antennas 32, 33, shown in particular on the figure 3, of the GNSS type for example, making it possible to deliver information representative of the position of the machine 1 in space. Advantageously, the machine 1 comprises at least two geolocation antennas 32, 33 which are positioned at two different locations, which makes it possible to deduce from the signals delivered by these two geolocation antennas 32, 33, information representative of the heading of the machine 1 in space. The two geolocation antennas 32, 33 are here spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction. One of the geolocation antennas 32 is fixed on the spatial position sensor 10, at the top of the projecting portion 11, while the other geolocation antenna 33 is fixed to the top of the rear part of the body 8 of the machine 1, behind the rear end of the boom 3.Such an arrangement is advantageous in that it allows the geolocation antennas 32, 33 to be arranged at a significant distance from each other, in particular greater than if they were positioned in the same transverse plane, which makes it possible to obtain better sensitivity in determining the heading of the machine 1. In addition, this arrangement makes it possible to obtain information relating to the pitch of the machine, that is to say the angular displacement of the machine 1 around a transverse axis. This arrangement can make it possible to retain geolocation information for as long as possible when the machine 1 enters a building, whether it does so in reverse or forward motion.

[0066] Furthermore, as shown in the figure 9, the spatial position sensor 10, the geolocation antennas 32, 33 as well as the sensors 30, 31 for delivering a signal representative of the relative position of the boom 3 with respect to the chassis 2 and a signal representative of the relative position of the tool-carrying frame with respect to the boom 3 are connected to a control unit 34.

[0067] The control unit 34 is notably equipped with processing means: to process the signals collected by the spatial position sensor(s) 10 and deliver information relating to the position of the objects in the environment of the machine 1. The information includes in particular three-dimensional coordinates of a plurality of points on the surface of the objects; to process the signals delivered by the geolocation antennas 32, 33 and deliver information relating to the position, heading and pitch of the machine 1; to process the signal delivered by the sensor 30 and deduce therefrom the value of a variable α1 representative of the angle of inclination of the boom 3 relative to the chassis 2; and to process the signal delivered by the sensor 31 and deduce therefrom the value of a variable α2 representative of the angle of inclination of the tool-carrying frame relative to the boom 3.

[0068] The control unit 34 also comprises control means which are configured to: autonomously control the movement of the machine 1 in space; and autonomously control the pivoting of the boom 3 relative to the chassis 2 and of the tool-carrying frame 4 relative to the boom 3; based on an instruction relating to a handling mission to be carried out, information relating to the position of the objects in the environment of machine 1 and information relating to the position, heading and pitch of machine 1.

[0069] In order to autonomously control the movement of the machine, the control unit 34 is configured to generate instructions to an electric motor 38 which is coupled to at least one of the front 6 and rear 7 axles via a transmission device. Furthermore, the control unit 34 also makes it possible to control the movement of cylinders 40, 41 which are each associated with one of the front 6 and rear 7 axles and make it possible to modify the orientation of the wheels. In the embodiment shown, the cylinders 40, 41 are hydraulic cylinders and are connected to a pump 36 and to a flow-sharing distributor 37 (here the same as those ensuring the control of the lifting cylinder 24 and the tipping cylinder 25) which are controlled by the control unit 34.

[0070] In order to autonomously control the pivoting of the boom 3 relative to the chassis 2, the control unit 34 generates a relative position setpoint for the boom 3 and controls the stroke of the lifting cylinder 24 as a function of said setpoint and of the measurement signal representative of the relative position of the boom 3 relative to the chassis 2 delivered by the sensor 30. Furthermore, in order to autonomously control the pivoting of the tool-carrying frame 4 relative to the boom 3, the control unit 34 generates a relative position setpoint for the tool-carrying frame 4 relative to the boom 3 and controls the stroke of the tipping cylinder 25 as a function of said setpoint and of the signal delivered by the sensor 31, and representative of the relative position of the tool-carrying frame 4, relative to the boom 3.

[0071] Furthermore, according to an advantageous embodiment, the processing unit 34 is further configured to implement a procedure for detecting anomalies, such as deformations of the projecting portion 11, of the arrow 3 and / or of the tool-holder frame 4 or malfunctions of the sensors 30 and 31. To do this, the processing unit 34 comprises, in memory, 1 for at least one relative reference position of the tool-holder frame 4 in which said tool-holder frame 4 is located opposite said spatial position sensor 10, such as the intermediate position shown on the figure 6for example, reference information representative of the position of the tool-carrying frame 4 relative to the spatial position sensor 10. The control unit 34 also includes in memory a reference value α1 and a reference value α2 corresponding respectively to the values of the variable α1, delivered by the sensor 30, and representative of the angle of inclination of the boom 3 relative to the chassis 2 and of the variable α2, delivered by the sensor 31, and representative of the angle of inclination of the tool-carrying frame 4 relative to the boom 3, in the relative reference position of the tool-carrying frame 4.

[0072] The control unit 34 is further configured to: controlling the lifting cylinder 24 and the tipping cylinder 25 so that the tool-carrying frame 4 reaches a verification position in which the variables α1 and α2 correspond to the values α1 reference and α2 reference; processing the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor 10 so as to obtain verification information representative of the position of the tool-carrying frame 4 relative to the spatial position sensor 10 in said verification position; and verifying the concordance between the information of the stored references and the verification information.

[0073] If the match is not verified, a machine malfunction is detected. In response to this malfunction detection, the control unit 34 prohibits the movement of the boom 3 and the tool frame 4 and optionally stops the machine 1 in its entirety.

[0074] The control unit 34 can, for example, implement this anomaly detection procedure at regular time intervals or when the machine 1 is started and / or stopped.

[0075] According to an alternative or additional embodiment, the processing unit 34 comprises, in memory, reference information representative of the position of the arrow 3 relative to the spatial position sensor 10 for at least one relative reference position of the arrow 3 and a reference value α1 corresponding to the value of the variable α1, delivered by the sensor 30 in the relative reference position of the arrow 3. The control unit 34 is, furthermore, configured to: controlling the lifting cylinder 24 so that the boom 3 reaches a verification position in which the variable α1 corresponds to the reference value α1; and processing the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor 10 so as to obtain verification information representative of the position of the boom 3 relative to the spatial position sensor 10 in said verification position; and verifying the concordance between the information of the stored references and the verification information.

[0076] If this embodiment is implemented as an alternative to the previous embodiment, it will then not be able to detect anomalies relating to deformations of the tool-holder frame 4 or to malfunctions or movements of the sensor 31.

[0077] If this embodiment is implemented in addition to the previous embodiment in which the stored reference information is representative of the position of the tool-holder frame 4 relative to the spatial position sensor 10, it makes it possible to obtain more precise information as to the type of anomaly triggering the malfunction.

[0078] Some elements shown, in particular the control unit 34, can be implemented in different forms, in a unitary or distributed manner, by means of hardware and / or software components. Usable hardware components are specific integrated circuits ASIC, programmable logic networks FPGA or microprocessors. Software components can be written in different programming languages, for example C, C++, Java or VHDL. This list is not exhaustive.

[0079] Although the invention has been described in connection with several particular embodiments, it is obvious that it is in no way limited thereto and that it includes all technical equivalents of the means described as well as their combinations if these fall within the scope of the invention, as defined by the claims.

[0080] The use of the verb "comprise", "comprise" or "include" and its conjugated forms does not exclude the presence of other elements or other steps than those set out in a claim.

[0081] In the claims, any reference sign in parentheses cannot be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

Claims

1. Autonomous handling machine (1) comprising: - a chassis (2); and - a boom (3) which is intended to receive a tool (5) which is mounted articulated on the chassis (2) of the machine (1), by means of an articulation device, between a lowered extreme position and a raised extreme position, the boom (3) comprising two lifting arms (12, 13) extending on either side of a longitudinal axis of the machine (1), and in which the machine (1) comprises a spatial detection sensor (10), said handling machine being characterised in that the chassis (2) comprises a projecting portion (11) which projects upwards between the two lifting arms (12, 13), said projecting portion (3) is in the lowered extreme position, in that the spatial detection sensor (10) is fixed to an apex of the projecting portion (11) and in that the articulation device comprises a front connecting rod (17) and a rear connecting rod (18), the rear connecting rod (18) being pivotingly mounted on the chassis (2) about a first axis (A) and on the boom (3) about a second axis (B), the front connecting rod (17) being positioned between the two lifting arms (12, 13) and pivotingly mounted on the boom (3) about a third axis (D) and on the projecting portion (11) of the chassis (2) about a fourth axis (C), the first axis (A), the second axis (B), the third axis (C) and the fourth axis (D) being parallel to one another and orthogonal to the longitudinal plane of the machine (1).

2. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the spatial detection sensor (10) is chosen from among cameras, flight time cameras, LIDARS, radars and ultrasonic sensors.

3. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the projecting portion (11) comprises two uprights (21, 22) disposed between the two lifting arms (12, 13) respectively on either side of the longitudinal plane of the machine (1) and in which the front connecting rod (17) is pivotingly mounted about the fourth axis (C) between said uprights (21, 22).

4. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to claim 3, wherein the front connecting rod (17) comprises a curved portion (39) which has a concavity oriented upwards, such that a front portion of the front connecting rod (17), located at the front of said curved portion (39) is located between the two uprights (21, 22) of the projecting portion (11) when the boom is in the lowered extreme position.

5. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to claim 3 or 4, comprising two antifriction runners (23) which are respectively fixed on a side face of either of the uprights (21, 22), so as to be positioned between said upright (21, 22) and one of the lifting arms (12, 13) when the boom (3) is in the lowered extreme position.

6. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a body (8) fixed on the chassis (2), said body (8) having a central reinforcement (19) in which the boom (3) is housed in the lowered extreme position.

7. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising a first GPS tracking antenna (32) fixed to the apex of the projecting portion (11) and a second GPS tracking antenna (33) disposed at a distance along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle from the first GPS tracking antenna (32).

8. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: - a tool-carrying frame (4) which is intended to receive the tool (5) and which is pivotingly mounted on a front end of the boom (2), - a tipping cylinder (25) which is pivotingly mounted, on the one hand, on a pendulum (26) and, on the other hand, on fixing lugs (27, 28), each projecting upwards from a crossmember (15) connecting the lifting arms (12, 13), said fixing lugs being located at the front of the projecting portion (11), below the apex of the projecting portion (11) when the boom (2) is in the lowered extreme position; and - a tipping connecting rod (29) pivotingly mounted on the pendulum (26) and on the tool-carrying frame (4).

9. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a control unit (34) equipped with means for processing the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor (10) which are configured to deliver information relating to a position of the objects in the environment of the machine, according to said signal delivered by the spatial position sensor (10), said control unit (34) being configured to control the movement of the machine and / or of the boom according to said information.

10. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to claim 9, comprising a first sensor (30) for delivering a signal representative of the relative position of the boom (3) with respect to the chassis (2), and a second sensor (31) for delivering a signal representative of the relative position of the tool-carrying frame (4) with respect to the boom (3), the control unit (34) being connected to the first sensor (30) and to the second sensor (31) and being configured to deliver a value of a first variable α1 representative of the tilt angle of the boom (3) with respect to the chassis (2) according to the signal delivered by the first sensor (30) and deliver a value of a second variable α2 representative of the tilt angle of the tool-carrying frame with respect to the boom (3).

11. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to claim 10, wherein the control unit (34) comprises, in the memory: - a first reference value α1reference and a second reference value α2reference; and - reference information representative of the position of the tool-carrying frame (4) with respect to the spatial position sensor (10) in a position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1reference and the second variable α2 takes the second reference value α2reference; the control unit (34) being configured to: - control the movement of the boom (3) and of the tool-carrying frame (4) to reach a verification position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1reference and the second variable α2 takes the second reference value α2reference; - process the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor (10) so as to obtain verification information representative of the position of the tool-carrying frame (4) with respect to the spatial position sensor (10) in said verification position; and - detect a malfunction in response to a discrepancy between the memorised reference information and the verification information.

12. Autonomous handling machine (1) according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the control unit (34) comprises in the memory: - a first reference value α1reference; and - reference information representative of the position of the boom (3) with respect to the spatial position sensor (10) in a position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1reference; the control unit (34) being configured to: - control the movement of the boom (3) to reach a verification position in which the first variable α1 takes the first reference value α1reference; - process the signal delivered by the spatial position sensor (10) so as to obtain verification information representative of the position of the boom (3) with respect to the spatial position sensor (10) in said verification position; - detect a malfunction in response to a discrepancy between the memorised reference information and the verification information.