Load handling method using drones

Abstract

To provide a method for handling a load that eliminates the need of fixing a support post to a floor surface or a ceiling surface and is free from restriction of a movable range.SOLUTION: A method for handling a load using a drone is constituted of a drone and an arm connected to the lower part thereof. The arm includes: an operation part for controlling a flight state of the drone in the lower part; and a load part for holding a load in the lower end.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for using a load handling device consisting of a drone and an arm connected to the bottom of the drone. [Background technology]

[0002] The applicant and inventors of this case have been actively researching and developing balancer-type load handling devices for many years, and are manufacturing and selling them based on the results of their research. Figure 1 shows an overview of the load handling device manufactured and sold by the applicant. This is a load handling device in which horizontally rotating arms 14, 15 are connected to the tip side of an articulated arm mechanism consisting of a first arm 11, a second arm 12, and a connecting link 13, and a load section 16 equipped with a hook or the like for holding a load is provided at the lower end of the horizontally rotating arms 14, 15.A drive source 18 is provided to apply a rotational driving force to the rotation axis (support) P of the horizontally rotating arms 14, 15 having the load section 16, and the load section 16 is moved horizontally without inertia within a horizontal plane using the output of the drive source 18 (Patent Documents 1 to 3).

[0003] The above-mentioned load handling device is provided with a drive source 18 and an operating unit 17 for controlling its operation, so that the load supported by the load section 16 attached to the lower end of the horizontal rotating arms 14, 15, which are inverted L-shaped when viewed from the side, can be held at the desired height in a pseudo-zero gravity state and moved horizontally without inertia. For this reason, it has come to be widely used as a crane-like articulated assisting device with a simple structure in various work sites, such as for transferring containers, loading machine tools, and assembling engines.

[0004] However, the following problems have been recognized as inherent problems in this type of balancer-type load handling device. First, in order to support the horizontally rotating arm, it is necessary to fix the support P to the floor or ceiling. Therefore, the load handling device is always fixed in a predetermined place and cannot be moved arbitrarily. Furthermore, the range in which the load supported by the load unit can be moved is limited to the range in which the arm can be extended. Specifically, the area enclosed by the dashed line in Figure 1 is the movable range of the load unit. For this reason, the use of the load handling device is limited to the specific purpose envisioned at the time of installation, and once installed, it is difficult to repurpose it for other purposes.

[0005] On the other hand, attempts to use drones to carry out various tasks have been made in various fields, and there are also some technologies related to using drones to handle loads. Patent Document 4 describes a drone cart in which a drone unit with multiple propellers is attached to the underside of the base of the cart, and openings are provided in the parts of the base that correspond to the propellers. This drone cart is said to reduce the burden on workers who transport heavy loads. Patent document 5 also describes an article moving system in which a lifting mechanism and a drone are connected by a wire, and the system describes how the drone holding an article is lifted up by winding up the wire and moved to a predetermined position.

[0006] However, in these methods of transporting goods, drones are used to either transport goods by air or to reduce the weight of the goods they carry, so the power output of the drone only needs to be large enough to transport the goods by air or small enough to reduce the load of the goods it carries, and there is no need to adjust the power output according to the weight of the load. In other words, it was not considered that drones would be used to handle items by adjusting the power output according to the weight of the item and holding the item at a specified height in a pseudo-zero gravity state. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-170563 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4546747 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 4669801 [Patent Document 4] Patent No. 6376580 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-18757 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the conventional balancer-type load handling devices described above and to provide a method for using a load handling device with excellent characteristics. That is, the problem to be solved is to provide a load handling method that does not require fixing the support columns to the floor or ceiling surface and can handle loads without being restricted in the range of movement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The load handling method using a drone according to the present invention has the following configuration. [1] A load handling method using a drone, comprising a drone and an arm connected to its lower part, the arm being connected to a part of the drone offset from the center, with an operating unit at the bottom that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load unit at the bottom that holds a load, the load being held in the load unit, the load being transported in a stationary state (pseudo-zero gravity state), and, if necessary, performing a specified task while maintaining the held state. [2] A method of assembling a machine using a drone, comprising a drone and an arm connected to its lower part, the arm being connected to a part of the drone offset from the center, with an operating unit at the bottom that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load unit at the bottom that holds a mechanical part, the method comprising holding the mechanical part in the load unit, transferring the mechanical part to a machine in the middle of assembly in a stationary state (pseudo-zero gravity state), and attaching the mechanical part to the machine while maintaining the held state as necessary. [3] A method for transporting an injured person using a drone, the drone being composed of a drone and an arm connected to its lower part, the arm being connected to a part of the drone offset from the center, with an operating unit at the bottom that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load part at the bottom that holds the injured person, the method comprising placing the injured person on a stretcher and securing the injured person to the load part, transporting the injured person in a stationary state (pseudo-zero gravity state) while keeping the injured person horizontal, and providing treatment while maintaining the held state as necessary. [4] A method for removing obstacles using a drone, the drone being composed of a drone and an arm connected to its lower part, the arm being connected to a part of the drone offset from the center, having an operating unit at the bottom to control the flight state of the drone, and having a load unit at the bottom to hold an obstacle, the method for removing obstacles using a drone, which comprises holding the obstacle in the load unit, transporting the obstacle in a stationary state (pseudo-zero gravity state), and performing a specified process while maintaining the held state as necessary. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the load handling device of the present invention, a load supported on a load section attached to the lower end of an arm is lifted by a drone and held at a predetermined height. This creates a pseudo-zero gravity state for the lifted load, allowing the operator (worker) of the device to move the load to any location in three-dimensional space near the load handling device along any route and perform any handling process, such as assembling an engine or loading it into a machine tool. The load handling device of the present invention can be used for a variety of purposes in addition to the various tasks in factories described above, such as transporting injured people and removing obstacles in initial rescue operations at natural disaster sites.

[0011] In particular, it is no longer necessary to fix the support pillars to the floor or ceiling, as was necessary in conventional balancer-type load handling devices, and the range of movement is not limited to the range in which the arms can be extended. Therefore, the degree of freedom in the work content can be improved significantly compared to when work is performed using a conventional balancer type load handling device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of a conventional balancer-type load handling device. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 shows an outline of the type A load handling device of the present invention, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a plan view seen from above. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 shows an outline of the B-type load handling device, where (a) is a side view and (b) is a plan view. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows an outline of a C-type load handling device, with (a) being a side view and (b) being a plan view. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Below, a specific embodiment of the load handling device using a drone of the present invention will be described.

[0014] (Drone) In the load handling device of the present invention, it is preferable to use one of the following three types of drones. Note that yawing, pitching, and rolling, which will be explained below, are names that distinguish the rotation of the drone from the viewpoint of the rotation axis. Yawing means rotation around the up-down axis, pitching means rotation around the left-right axis, and rolling means rotation around the front-to-back axis.

[0015] The type of load handling device (Type A) shown in Figure 2 uses the simplest type of drone, and is equipped with multiple (four) main rotors 1 connected to the drone's frame F, and an arm 2 connected to the drone's center of gravity so that the load is applied to the center of the drone. The arm 2 has an operating unit 3 at its bottom that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load unit 4 at its bottom that holds the load.

[0016] The drone used by the type of load handling device (Type B) shown in Figure 3 has multiple (four) main rotors 1 connected to a frame F, which perform rolling control, yawing control, and pitching control, and a balance control rotor 5 that performs auxiliary pitching control. In addition, the drone used by the type of load handling device (Type C) shown in Figure 4 is equipped with a single-axis main rotor 1 connected to a frame F, and as auxiliary rotors that control rotation, an attitude control rotor 6 that performs rolling control, an anti-torque rotor 7 that performs yawing control, and a balance control rotor 5 that performs pitching control.

[0017] Each type of load handling device has the following characteristics: First, drones used with Type A load handling devices have the load at the center of the drone, making it easy to control roll. However, because the worker operates the load handling device directly below the drone, they are subject to all of the drone's wind pressure.

[0018] In the drones used with Type B and Type C load handling devices, the arm 2 with the load section 4 that holds the load is attached to a part that is offset from the center of the drone, so the worker is hardly exposed to the drone's wind pressure. However, since there is an increased possibility that the drone will rotate, control is required to suppress the drone's rotation. Specifically, in order to balance the weight of the load supported on one end of a virtual balance beam with the main rotor as a fulcrum, it is necessary to equip the other end with a balance control rotor 5 that generates downward lift and controls pitching. In the load handling device introduced in the prior art, the weight of the load held by the load section 16 at the lower end of the horizontally rotating arms 14, 15 was balanced by a balance weight, motor, etc. as a balancer to handle the load. The load handling devices of types B and C of the present invention can be said to handle loads using a mechanism that is mechanically similar to the balancers of the prior art.

[0019] Furthermore, the drone used in the C-type load handling device in Figure 4 has a single main rotor 1, so it requires control similar to that of a helicopter. In other words, the main rotor 1 controls the ascent and descent when operated and the hovering when not operated, while the attitude control rotor 6 controls the attitude in the roll direction without being linked to other controls. The balance control rotor 5 also controls the rotation in the pitch direction that occurs due to changes in the weight of the load being lifted. Although the balance control rotor 5 is depicted as a downward-facing rotor in Figures 3 and 4, it goes without saying that it can also be an upward-facing rotor with blades or with the rotation reversed. Furthermore, the antitorque rotor 7 has a function of controlling yawing in order to suppress the reaction torque that occurs due to the main rotor being a single shaft.

[0020] (drone output control) In the load handling device of the present invention, when the load is lifted to a predetermined height in the load section, the drone's output must be adjusted to balance the weight of the load and create a pseudo-weightless state for the load. Otherwise, the drone will fly away while still holding the load, or the weight of the load will simply be reduced and the load will not be able to be lifted. Therefore, the load handling device of the present invention is characterized by adjusting the power output of the drone according to the weight of the load in order to realize this pseudo-zero gravity state. Specifically, it has a control mechanism that controls the power output to be appropriate for each operation stage, from lifting the load, holding the load in the air for specified handling, and placing it in the specified location.

[0021] (Operation unit) The operating unit in the load handling device using a drone of the present invention may be fixed to the arm, but if operability is taken into consideration, it may also be detached from the arm and configured to be operable wirelessly.

[0022] (How to operate) After lifting a load using the load handling device of the present invention, the lifted load can be handled in various ways while the load is in a pseudo-zero gravity state. For example, an operator (worker) of the device can move the held load to any nearby location by grasping and moving the arm of the aerial handling device of the present invention. Also, while the load is in a zero gravity state, the load can be handled in various ways, such as loading it into a machine tool or assembling an engine. [Industrial Applicability]

[0023] The drone-based load handling system of the present invention can be used for the same purposes as conventional balancer-type load handling systems, such as container transfer, machine tool loading, and engine assembly in various manufacturing plants. Furthermore, the use of drones as a power source has significantly improved its convenience, and it is expected to be used in a variety of situations beyond factory use, including handling heavy materials, such as in initial rescue operations following natural disasters. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] F Drone frame 1 Main Rotor 2 Arms 3 Control section 4 Load section 5 Balance Control Rotor 6 Attitude Control Rotor 7 Antitorque rotor 11 First Arm 12 Second Arm 13 Connecting Ring 14,15 Horizontally rotating arm 16 Load section 17 Control section 18 Power Source P-post

Claims

1. A method for handling loads using a drone, comprising: The drone is It consists of a frame with a rotor and an arm connected to its bottom. The arm is connected so that its tip is positioned at a portion horizontally offset from the center of the drone, and has an operation unit at the rear end of the arm that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load unit below that that holds a load, Operate the operation unit, The load is held by a load section; The load is transferred in a stationary state (pseudo-weightless state), and a predetermined operation is performed while the load is held as needed. Load handling method using drones.

2. A method for assembling a machine using a drone, comprising: The drone is It consists of a frame with a rotor and an arm connected to its bottom. The arm is connected so that its tip is positioned at a position horizontally offset from the center of the drone, and has an operation unit at the rear end of the arm that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load unit below that that holds mechanical parts, Operate the operation unit, The mechanical component is held by a load portion; The machine parts are transferred to a machine in the middle of assembly in a stationary state (pseudo-zero gravity state), and are attached to the machine while maintaining the holding state as necessary. How to assemble machinery using drones.

3. A method for transporting an injured person using a drone, comprising: The drone is It consists of a frame with a rotor and an arm connected to its bottom. The arm is connected so that its tip is positioned at a portion horizontally offset from the center of the drone, and has an operating unit at its rear end that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load unit at its lower end that holds the injured person, Operate the operation unit, A stretcher containing an injured person is fixed to the load-bearing portion; It involves transporting the injured person in a horizontal, stationary state (simulated zero gravity) and providing medical treatment while maintaining the support position as needed. How to transport injured people using drones.

4. A method for removing an obstacle using a drone, comprising: The drone is It consists of a frame with a rotor and an arm connected to its bottom. The arm is connected so that its tip is positioned at a portion horizontally offset from the center of the drone, and has an operation unit at its rear end that controls the flight state of the drone, and a load unit at its lower end that holds an obstacle, Operate the operation unit, The obstacle is held by a load portion; The obstacle is transported in a stationary state (pseudo-weightless state), and if necessary, a predetermined process is carried out while the obstacle is being held. How to remove obstacles using drones.

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