Mobile robot and mobile means

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a mobile robot and a mobile means, the mobile robot comprising a brake unit connected to a fixing bracket positioned on the upper surface of the body of the mobile robot, wherein a connector of a cart connects to the brake unit so that when the traveling mobile robot stops, the cart also stops moving.

Description

Mobile robots and vehicles

[0001] The present invention relates to a mobile robot and a moving means capable of stopping the movement of the cart together when the mobile robot stops moving in combination with the cart.

[0002] Robots have been developed for industrial use to take on a specific role in factory automation. Recently, the scope of robotics applications has expanded, with developments now encompassing not only medical and aerospace robots, but also robots for everyday use.

[0003] Among industrial robots, robots that perform precise assembly work have been developed for automation because they perform the same movements repeatedly and repeat the same movements in a fixed location without any unexpected situations.

[0004] However, the transportation sector, including driving, which requires the ability to assess emergencies, has not yet seen widespread commercialization of robots. However, with the recent advancements in sensors capable of perceiving the surroundings and the advancements in computer power capable of quickly processing and responding to perceived information, the number of autonomous robots is increasing.

[0005] Industrially, robots that perform transportation functions are attracting attention, and competition is intensifying. In addition to robots that transport large or bulky items, there is a growing demand for robots that transport smaller items to their destinations.

[0006] To automate and improve efficiency in logistics transport, it is required that a robot move toward a cart loaded with goods, engage with the cart, and move together with the cart.

[0007] However, in order for the robot to move the cart to the destination while combined with the cart, it is necessary to prevent the cart's center of gravity from being biased during the robot's movement to prevent the cart from tilting and falling over or an uneven load from being applied to the robot.

[0008] In particular, since the weight of the cart transporting the goods is heavier than the weight of the robot and has greater momentum, even if the robot stops, the cart does not stop immediately and continues to push the robot.

[0009] Due to the aforementioned issues, conventional robots were inherently slow, leading to reduced material transport efficiency. Furthermore, applying brakes to the wheels themselves, as a solution to these issues, was difficult due to the size and spatial constraints of the wheels themselves.

[0010] Therefore, a means is needed to reduce the constraints on the robot's movement so that when the robot stops moving, the cart that was moving in conjunction with the robot also stops, thereby increasing the efficiency of material transport.

[0011] The present invention relates to a mobile robot and a means of transportation, and more specifically, to a mobile robot and a means of transportation that can stop the movement of the cart together when the mobile robot stops moving by being combined with a cart.

[0012] In addition, the purpose is to provide a mobile robot and a means of transportation that can stably stop a moving cart even when the moving speed of the mobile robot changes or the mobile robot suddenly stops.

[0013] In addition, the purpose is to provide a mobile robot and a means of transportation that can increase work efficiency by increasing the moving speed of the mobile robot by stably stopping a moving cart.

[0014] The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the technical field to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0015] The present invention provides a mobile robot comprising: a body including a driving part; a fixed bracket positioned on an upper surface of the body; and a brake unit connected to the fixed bracket, to which a connector of a cart is connected, and which stops the movement of the cart when the driving part stops moving, wherein the brake unit comprises: a towing bar having one end connected to the fixed bracket; a guide groove formed at the other end of the towing bar to extend in a first direction, which is a driving direction of the driving part, and in which a first elastic member is located; a fastening shaft having a guide block formed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and inserted into the guide groove to contact the first elastic member; a brake frame coupled to the fastening shaft; and a connector holder coupled to one end of the brake frame and through which a connector of the cart passes and is fastened.

[0016] The guide block of the above-mentioned fastening shaft can move in the first direction along the guide groove when the driving part stops driving and apply elastic force to the first elastic member.

[0017] The guide block of the above-mentioned fastening shaft is formed in a square shape so that the fastening shaft does not rotate when moving along the guide groove.

[0018] The brake unit may include a wheel frame having one end coupled to the other end of the towing bar; a rotating shaft disposed in the second direction and rotatably coupled to the other end of the wheel frame; and a towing wheel coupled to the rotating shaft and rotating together with the rotating shaft.

[0019] The brake frame may be rotatably coupled to the fastening shaft as an axis, and rotates by movement of the cart in the first direction when the driving part stops driving, and the brake unit may include a braking unit that stops rotation of the traction wheel by rotation of the brake frame.

[0020] The braking unit may include a brake drum connected to the rotating shaft and rotating together with the traction wheel; a brake wheel arranged adjacent to the brake drum and coupled to the other end of the brake frame; and a brake pad coupled to the brake wheel and causing friction with the brake drum.

[0021] The above brake wheel includes a brake bar formed by extending from an outer circumferential surface and hinged to the other end of the brake frame, and can rotate together with the rotation of the brake frame and bring the brake pad into close contact with the brake drum.

[0022] The connector holder may include a fastening groove formed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, in which a second elastic member is positioned; and a stopper pin coupled to the second elastic member, which moves in the third direction along the fastening groove when the connector of the cart is fastened and applies an elastic force to the second elastic member to fix the connector of the cart.

[0023] The connector holder may be rotatable about an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

[0024] The above towing bar can be rotated about the third direction as an axis.

[0025] A mobile robot comprising a body including a driving part, a fixed bracket positioned on an upper surface of the body, and a brake unit connected to the fixed bracket; and a cart including a connector connected to the brake unit of the mobile robot, wherein the brake unit comprises: a towing bar having one end coupled to the fixed bracket; a guide groove formed at the other end of the towing bar to extend in a first direction, which is a driving direction of the driving part, and in which a first elastic member is positioned; a fastening shaft having a guide block formed in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and inserted into the guide groove to contact the first elastic member; a brake frame coupled to the fastening shaft; and a connector holder coupled to one end of the brake frame and through which a connector of the cart passes and is fastened, wherein the brake unit provides a moving means for stopping the movement of the cart when the driving part stops moving.

[0026] The connector of the cart may include a side projection that is inclined and protrudes in the opposite direction to the first direction on the side; and a stopper projection that protrudes spaced apart from the side projection.

[0027] The connector holder may include a fastening groove formed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, in which a second elastic member is positioned; and a stopper pin coupled to the second elastic member, which moves in the third direction along the fastening groove when the connector is fastened, and applies an elastic force to the second elastic member to fix the connector.

[0028] The above stopper pin, when the connector is connected, comes into contact with the side projection and moves in the third direction, and can be positioned between the side projection and the stopper projection by the second elastic member.

[0029] The guide block of the above-mentioned fastening shaft moves in the first direction along the guide groove when the driving part stops moving and applies elastic force to the first elastic member, and the cart can be stopped from moving in the first direction by the elastic force applied to the first elastic member.

[0030] The brake unit may include a wheel frame having one end coupled to the other end of the towing bar; a rotating shaft disposed in the second direction and rotatably coupled to the other end of the wheel frame; and a towing wheel coupled to the rotating shaft and rotating together with the rotating shaft.

[0031] The brake frame is rotatably coupled about the fastening shaft as an axis, and rotates by movement of the cart in the first direction when the driving part stops moving, and the brake unit includes a braking unit that stops rotation of the traction wheel by rotation of the brake frame, and the cart can be stopped from moving in the first direction by driving the braking unit.

[0032] The braking unit may include a brake drum connected to the rotating shaft and rotating together with the traction wheel; a brake wheel arranged adjacent to the brake drum and coupled to the other end of the brake frame; and a brake pad coupled to the brake wheel and causing friction with the brake drum.

[0033] The above brake wheel includes a brake bar formed by extending from an outer circumferential surface and hinged to the other end of the brake frame, and can rotate together with the rotation of the brake frame and bring the brake pad into close contact with the brake drum.

[0034] The mobile robot and the moving means according to the present invention can stop the movement of the cart together when the mobile robot stops moving in combination with the cart.

[0035] In addition, the moving cart can be stably stopped even when the moving speed of the mobile robot changes or the mobile robot suddenly stops.

[0036] In addition, since the moving cart can be stopped stably, the moving speed of the mobile robot can be increased, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0037] The effects that can be obtained from the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a cloud system based on a 5G network according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining the configuration of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a robot control system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a drawing showing a shape in which a connector of a cart is connected to a brake unit of a mobile robot in a moving means according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating a brake unit of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a drawing showing a fastening shaft in a brake unit of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 8 is a drawing showing the AA cross section of Figure 6.

[0046] FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining a guide block of a fastening shaft moving along a guide groove in a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] FIG. 10 is a rear view of a brake unit of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] FIG. 11 is a side view of a brake unit of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 12 is a drawing for explaining stopping the rotation of a traction wheel through a brake unit of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] FIG. 13 is a side view of a braking unit of a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] FIG. 14 is a drawing for explaining the driving of the braking unit of the brake unit in a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] FIG. 15 is a drawing for explaining the connection between a mobile robot and a cart according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Fig. 16 is a drawing showing a BB cross-section of Fig. 5, which is a cross-sectional view of a connector holder to which a connector is connected, cut along the xz plane.

[0054] FIG. 17 is a drawing for explaining the rotation of the connector holder and the towing bar of the brake unit in a mobile robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] Hereinafter, embodiments disclosed in this specification will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Regardless of the drawing numbers, identical or similar components will be given the same reference numbers, and redundant descriptions thereof will be omitted. The suffixes "module" and "part" used for components in the following description are assigned or used interchangeably only for the convenience of writing the specification, and do not in themselves have distinct meanings or roles. In addition, when describing the embodiments disclosed in this specification, if it is determined that a specific description of a related known technology may obscure the gist of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. In addition, the attached drawings are only intended to facilitate easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in this specification, and the technical ideas disclosed in this specification are not limited by the attached drawings, and should be understood to include all modifications, equivalents, and substitutes included in the spirit and technical scope of the present invention.

[0056] Terms that include ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are used solely to distinguish one component from another.

[0057] When a component is referred to as being "connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that it may be directly connected or connected to that other component, but that there may be other components intervening. Conversely, when a component is referred to as being "directly connected" or "connected" to another component, it should be understood that there are no other components intervening.

[0058] Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0059] In this application, terms such as “include” or “have” are intended to specify the presence of a feature, number, step, operation, component, part or combination thereof described in the specification, but should be understood not to exclude in advance the possibility of the presence or addition of one or more other features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

[0060] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a 5G network-based cloud system (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a robot control system (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0061] FIG. 1 illustrates a 5G network-based cloud system (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 1, a cloud system (1000) may include a mobile robot (100), a mobile terminal (300), a robot control system (200), various devices (400), and a 5G network (500).

[0063] A mobile robot (100) is a robot that transports goods from a starting point to a destination. The mobile robot (100) can move directly from a logistics center to a destination, or it can be loaded onto a vehicle from the logistics center to the vicinity of the goods destination, then unloaded near the destination and moved to the destination.

[0064] In addition, the mobile robot (100) can move items to a destination not only outdoors but also indoors. The mobile robot (100) can be implemented as an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), and the AGV can be a transport device that moves by sensors, magnetic fields, vision devices, etc. on the floor.

[0065] A mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a storage area for storing items. The storage area may be divided to accommodate various items, and various types of items may be placed in the multiple divided partial storage areas. Accordingly, mixing of items may be prevented.

[0066] The mobile terminal (300) can communicate with the mobile robot (100) via a 5G network (500). The mobile terminal (300) can be a device carried by a user who installs a partition in a storage area to load items, or a device carried by a recipient of loaded items. The mobile terminal (300) can provide information based on images, and the mobile terminal (300) can include mobile devices such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, a wearable device (e.g., a smartwatch, a smart glass, a head mounted display (HMD)).

[0067] The robot control system (200) can remotely control the mobile robot (100) and respond to various requests from the mobile robot (100). For example, the robot control system (200) can perform calculations using artificial intelligence based on requests from the mobile robot (100).

[0068] In addition, the robot control system (200) can set the movement path of the mobile robot (100), and when there are multiple destinations, the robot control system (200) can set the movement order of the destinations.

[0069] The various devices (400) may include a personal computer (PC, 400a), an autonomous vehicle (400b), a home robot (400c), etc. When the mobile robot (100) arrives at the transport destination of the goods, it can directly deliver the goods to the home robot (400c) through communication with the home robot (400c).

[0070] Various devices (400) can be connected wirelessly or wiredly to a mobile robot (100), a mobile terminal (300), a robot control system (200), etc. through a 5G network (500).

[0071] The above-mentioned mobile robot (100), mobile terminal (300), robot control system (200), and various devices (400) are all equipped with 5G modules to transmit and receive data at speeds of 100 Mbps to 20 Gbps (or higher), enabling transmission of large-capacity video files to various devices and minimizing power consumption by operating at low power. However, the transmission speed may be implemented differently depending on the embodiment.

[0072] The 5G network (500) may include a 5G mobile communication network, a local area network, the Internet, etc., and may provide a communication environment for devices with or without wires.

[0073] FIG. 2 is a drawing for explaining the configuration of a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The description will be made with reference to FIG. 4, which illustrates a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0074] A mobile robot (100) may include a body (101, see FIG. 4) including a storage area, and the components described below may be included in the body (101). The mobile robot (100) may include a communication unit (110), an input unit (120), a sensing unit (140), an output unit (150), a driving unit (170), a control unit (180), a memory (185), and a power supply unit (190).

[0075] The components illustrated in FIG. 2 are not essential for implementing a mobile robot (100), and thus the mobile robot (100) described in this specification may have more or fewer components than the components listed above.

[0076] The communication unit (110, Transceiver) may include a wired or wireless communication module capable of communicating with the robot control system (200) of FIG. 1.

[0077] As an optional example, the communication unit (110) may be equipped with modules related to GSM (Global System for Mobile communication), CDMA (Code Division Multi Access), LTE (Long Term Evolution), 5G, WLAN (Wireless LAN), Wi-Fi (Wireless-Fidelity), Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), ZigBee, and NFC (Near Field Communication) communication.

[0078] The input unit (120) may include a user input unit (122) for receiving information from a user. As an optional embodiment, the input unit (120) may include a camera (121) for inputting a video signal and a microphone (123) for receiving an audio signal. Here, the camera (121) or the microphone (123) may be treated as a sensor, and a signal acquired from the camera (121) or the microphone (123) may be referred to as sensing data or sensor information.

[0079] The input unit (120) can obtain input data to be used when obtaining output using learning data and a learning model for model learning. The input unit (120) can also obtain unprocessed input data, in which case the control unit (180) can extract input features as preprocessing for the input data.

[0080] A camera (121) is positioned in front of the mobile robot (100) to detect obstacles in front, and a plurality of cameras may be positioned at different angles as illustrated in Fig. 3. A plurality of cameras (121) with different shooting directions may be provided, such as a camera that broadly recognizes the front and a camera that photographs the floor.

[0081] Alternatively, cameras with different functions may be provided. For example, a wide-angle camera, an infrared camera, etc. may be provided. In addition, the camera may serve as a sensing unit (140) to detect surrounding objects.

[0082] The user input unit (122) may be equipped with a button or a touch panel for touch input. Alternatively, user commands may be input remotely via a communication unit (110). In this case, the user input unit (122) may include a personal computer (400) or remote control device separately provided from the mobile robot (100), as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0083] The user input unit (122) includes all methods for receiving user commands, and thus can recognize user commands through voice recognition. That is, a voice recognition device that analyzes voices collected by a microphone (123) to extract user commands can also function as the user input unit (122).

[0084] The input unit (120) may include a product information input unit, wherein the product information input unit may receive information on the size of the product, weight information, destination information, information on the transport requester, etc. In this case, the product information input unit may include a code reader.

[0085] The sensing unit (140) can obtain at least one of internal information of the mobile robot (100), information about the surrounding environment of the mobile robot (100), and user information using various sensors.

[0086] At this time, the sensing unit (140) may include various types of sensors for recognizing the surroundings for autonomous driving. Representative examples include a distance detection sensor or, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a proximity sensor (141) and a lidar (142).

[0087] The proximity sensor (141) may include an ultrasonic sensor that recognizes nearby objects and determines the distance to the objects based on the time it takes for the emitted ultrasonic waves to return. A plurality of proximity sensors (141) may be provided along the perimeter of the mobile robot (100), and may also be provided on the upper side of the mobile robot (100) to detect obstacles above.

[0088] Lidar (142) is a device that precisely maps its surroundings by emitting laser pulses and receiving the light reflected from surrounding objects. While similar in principle to radar, it utilizes different electromagnetic waves, resulting in different technologies and applications.

[0089] Lasers can damage human eyesight because they use light with a wavelength of 600 to 1000 nm. Lidar (142) uses a longer wavelength and is used to measure not only the distance to a target object, but also its speed and direction, temperature, and the analysis and concentration of surrounding atmospheric substances.

[0090] In addition, the sensing unit (140) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a light sensor, an acceleration sensor, a magnetic sensor, a gyro sensor, an inertial sensor, an RGB sensor, an infrared sensor, a fingerprint recognition sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a light sensor, a Hall sensor, etc.

[0091] The output unit (150) can generate output related to visual, auditory, or tactile sensations. The output unit (150) can include an optical output unit that outputs visual information, a display (151), etc., a speaker (152) that outputs auditory information, an ultrasonic output unit that outputs ultrasonic signals belonging to an inaudible frequency, etc., and a haptic module that outputs tactile information.

[0092] The memory (185) stores data that supports various functions of the mobile robot (100). The memory (185) can store a number of application programs (or applications) that run on the mobile robot (100), data for the operation of the mobile robot (100), and commands.

[0093] Additionally, the memory (185) can store information necessary for performing operations using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and artificial neural networks. The memory (150) can store a deep neural network model. The deep neural network model can be used to infer result values ​​for new input data other than training data, and the inferred values ​​can be used as a basis for judgment to perform a certain action.

[0094] The power supply unit (190) can supply power to each component of the mobile robot (100) by receiving external power or internal power under the control of the processor (190). The power supply unit (190) includes a battery, which may be a built-in battery or a replaceable battery. The battery may be charged using a wired or wireless charging method, and the wireless charging method may include a magnetic induction method or a magnetic resonance method.

[0095] The driving unit (170) is a means for moving the mobile robot (100), and may include wheels or legs, and may include a wheel driving unit and a leg driving unit that control the wheels or legs. Referring to FIG. 4, a plurality of wheels provided on the bottom surface of the wheel driving unit can be controlled to move the mobile robot (100) including the body (101).

[0096] The wheel may include a main wheel (171) for driving the mobile robot (100) and an axle on which the wheel rotates, as well as a caster including a main shaft that rotates in conjunction with the body (101), and an auxiliary caster that reinforces support to prevent loaded items from falling during driving.

[0097] The leg drive unit (not shown) can control a plurality of legs to move the body according to the control of the control unit (180). The plurality of legs may correspond to a configuration formed so that the mobile robot (100) can walk or run. The plurality of legs may be implemented as four, but the embodiment is not limited thereto. Referring also to FIG. 4, the plurality of legs may be formed as an integral part by being coupled to the body (101) of the mobile robot (100), or may be implemented in a form that is attachable to and detachable from the body (101).

[0098] The mobile robot (100) can move the body (101) through a driving unit (170) having at least one of the wheel driving unit and / or leg driving unit described above. However, in this specification, an embodiment in which the wheel driving unit is mounted on the mobile robot (100) will be mainly described.

[0099] The control unit (180) is a module that controls the components of the mobile robot (100). The control unit (180) may refer to a data processing device built into hardware that has a physically structured circuit to perform a function expressed by a code or command included in a program.

[0100] As an example of a data processing device built into hardware, it may include processing devices such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a processor core, a multiprocessor, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA), but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0101] The control unit (180) can collect information through the input unit (120). The input of the input unit (120) may also include a touch input on the display (151). Based on the collected information, the control unit (180) can also transmit the collected information to the mobile terminal (200) illustrated in FIG. 1 through the communication unit (110).

[0102] FIG. 3 is a drawing illustrating a robot control system (200) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0103] The robot control system (200) may include an AI server. The AI ​​server may refer to a device that trains an artificial neural network using a machine learning algorithm or utilizes a trained artificial neural network. Here, the robot control system (200) may be comprised of multiple servers to perform distributed processing, and may be defined as a 5G network. In this case, the AI ​​server may be included as part of the mobile robot (100) and perform at least a portion of the AI ​​processing within the mobile robot (100).

[0104] The robot control system (200) may include a communication unit (210), memory (230), a learning processor (240), and a processor (260).

[0105] The communication unit (210) of the robot control system (200) can transmit and receive data with external devices such as a mobile robot (100).

[0106] The memory (230) may include a model storage unit (231). The model storage unit (231) may store a model (or artificial neural network, 231a) being learned or learned through the learning processor (240).

[0107] The learning processor (240) can train an artificial neural network (231a) using learning data. The learning model can be used while mounted on the robot control system (200) of the artificial neural network, or can be mounted on an external device such as a mobile robot (100).

[0108] The learning model may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. If part or all of the learning model is implemented in software, one or more instructions constituting the learning model may be stored in memory (230).

[0109] The processor (260) can use a learning model to infer a result value for new input data and generate a response or control command based on the inferred result value.

[0110] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a drawing illustrating a shape in which a connector (630) of a cart (600) is connected to a brake unit (160) of a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. Here, the mobile means according to one embodiment of the present invention refers to both the mobile robot (100) and the cart (600).

[0111] The mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can move through a driving unit (170) located at the lower part of the body (101), as described above with reference to FIG. 2. In addition, the body (101) of the mobile robot (100) can have a box-shaped form, and can have a flat form since only components such as the driving unit (170), battery, and board assembly need to be mounted.

[0112] However, for the convenience of use, the display (151) may be placed on the upper side of the body (101) via a vertical bracket (102) considering the user's eye level. In addition, the display (151) may be equipped with a touch sensor and may function as an output unit (150) as described above with reference to FIG. 2, as well as an input unit (120). In this case, the user may input a destination and change the function settings of the mobile robot (100) via the display (151).

[0113] Referring to FIG. 5 together, when the mobile robot (100) and the cart (600) are combined, the vertical bracket (102) on which the display (151) is positioned can be positioned in the front direction (x-axis direction) of the mobile robot (100) so that there is no interference with the cart (600).

[0114] In addition to the function of positioning the display (151), the vertical bracket (102) can also position a camera (121) or a speaker (152).

[0115] Referring to FIG. 5, considering the height of the cart (600), it is necessary to detect the presence of obstacles up to the top of the mobile robot (100). Since the detectable range is expanded when the camera (121) is positioned in the upper direction (z-axis direction), a vertical bracket (102) can be used to place the camera (121) at a certain height.

[0116] Accordingly, a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may be equipped with a camera (121) positioned at a predetermined height, and may also be equipped with a pair of cameras, one facing forward and one positioned obliquely downward.

[0117] Additionally, a speaker (152) may be provided to provide a warning sound or notification to the user, and may be positioned on the vertical bracket (102) taking into account the position of the user's ears.

[0118] The lidar (142) and proximity sensor (141) can be located on the body (101), and since the lidar (142) has a wide sensing range, the body (101) may include a long groove as shown in FIG. 4 to expand the sensing range of the lidar (142).

[0119] Proximity sensors (141) may be positioned in multiple numbers along the perimeter of the body (101) to precisely detect the location. Since obstacles in the front direction (x-axis direction) of the mobile robot (100) are primarily a problem, and a cart (600) may be positioned at the rear of the mobile robot (100), the proximity sensors (141) may be positioned only in the front of the body (101).

[0120] Referring to FIG. 2, the main wheel (171) constituting the driving unit (170) is connected to a motor to directly transmit driving force to the body (101), and the speed of the motor can be adjusted to control the moving speed of the mobile robot (100). In addition, the caster (not shown) may include an axle, which is the rotation axis of the wheel, and a main shaft that is arranged perpendicular to the axle and rotates with respect to the body (101). The moving direction of the driving robot can be controlled using the caster, or the moving direction can be changed by adjusting the left and right rotation speed of the main wheel (171). The body (101) can also rotate in place by adjusting the direction of the caster, and the driving unit (170) of this type can play a role in helping the mobile robot (100) avoid obstacles and move in a limited space.

[0121] The mobile robot (100) may be of a type that can load items on its own, but the mobile robot (100) of the present invention is a type of mobile robot (100) that moves a cart (600) by connecting it to a cart (600) loaded with items.

[0122] A mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a fixed bracket (130) positioned on the upper surface of a body (101) and a brake unit (160) connected to the fixed bracket (130). In addition, a connector (630) of a cart (600) may be connected to the brake unit (160).

[0123] In particular, the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can stop the movement of the cart (600) when the driving part (170) stops moving through the brake unit (160). More specific details regarding this will be described later.

[0124] Referring to FIG. 5, in a transportation means according to one embodiment of the present invention, a cart (600) includes a loading space on the upper surface of a transfer plate (610) and may have a layered structure to stably load a large quantity of items. In addition, unlike as illustrated in FIG. 5, the cart (600) may be configured without a side frame to facilitate loading and unloading of items.

[0125] The cart (600) may include a plurality of movable wheels (620) at the bottom. The movable wheels (620) may be positioned on at least four corners for stable transportation. In addition to the four corners, an additional movable wheel (620) may be positioned in the middle in the longitudinal direction (x-axis direction). In this case, the cart (600) can be stably moved even when the cart (600) is lengthened in one direction.

[0126] FIG. 6 is a drawing illustrating a brake unit (160) of a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a drawing illustrating a fastening shaft (162) in a brake unit (160) of a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating a cross-section taken along line AA of FIG. 6. And FIG. 9 is a drawing for explaining a guide block (1621) of a fastening shaft (162) moving along a guide groove (1611) in a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0127] As described above, since the weight of the cart (600) transporting the goods is heavier than the weight of the mobile robot (100) and thus has greater momentum, even if the mobile robot (100) stops, a problem may occur in which the cart (600) does not stop immediately and continues to push the mobile robot (100).

[0128] Due to the aforementioned problems, the movement speed of the mobile robot (100) was inevitably slow, and thus the efficiency of material transport was inevitably reduced. Furthermore, to address the aforementioned problems, it was difficult to apply a brake device to the moving wheel (620) mounted on the cart (600) itself due to limitations in the size and space of the moving wheel (620) mounted on the cart (600).

[0129] Accordingly, a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a brake unit (160) and can stop the movement of a cart (600) through the brake unit (160). Here, the brake unit (160) may include a towing bar (161), a fastening shaft (162), a brake frame (163), and a connector holder (164).

[0130] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 together, a towing bar (161) may be connected at one end to a fixed bracket (130). In addition, the towing bar (161) may be formed to extend in a first direction (x-axis direction), which is a driving direction of the mobile robot (100), at the other end, and may include a guide groove (1611) in which a first elastic member (1612) is positioned.

[0131] The fastening shaft (162) can be arranged in a second direction (y-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction (x-axis direction). And referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 together, the fastening shaft (162) can be inserted into a guide groove (1611) to form a guide block (1621) that comes into contact with the first elastic member (1612).

[0132] The brake frame (163) can be coupled to the fastening shaft (162), and the connector holder (164) can be coupled to one end of the brake frame (163), and the connector (630) of the cart (600) can be connected through it as shown in FIG. 5.

[0133] Referring to FIG. 5, when the mobile robot (100) moves in the first direction (x-axis direction), which is the driving direction, the cart (600) connected to the mobile robot (100) also moves in the first direction (x-axis direction). As described above, since the moving wheel (620) of the cart (600) does not have a brake device for braking, even if the mobile robot (100) stops, the cart (600) moves in the first direction by the kinetic force and inertial force that move in the first direction (x-axis direction).

[0134] At this time, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the guide block (1621) of the fastening shaft (162) can move in the first direction (x-axis direction) along the guide groove (1611) and apply elastic force to the first elastic member (1612).

[0135] That is, the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can stop the movement of the cart (600) in the first direction by using the elastic force applied to the first elastic member (1612), thereby causing the cart (600) to also stop when the mobile robot (100) stops.

[0136] In addition, the present invention can reduce the moving speed of the cart (600) by using the elastic force applied to the first elastic member (1612) as described above when controlling the speed of the mobile robot (100), for example, when the moving speed of the mobile robot (100) is reduced while moving, thereby preventing the cart (600) from pushing the mobile robot (100).

[0137] And, in the brake unit (160) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the guide block (1621) of the fastening shaft (162) may be formed in a square shape as illustrated in FIG. 7. This is to allow the guide block (1621) to move in the first direction (x-axis direction) along the guide groove (1611) formed in the first direction (x-axis direction) as described above with reference to FIG. 9.

[0138] In addition, since the guide block (1621) is formed in a square shape, the fastening shaft (162) can be prevented from rotating when the guide block (1621) moves along the guide groove (1611). In addition, through this, the elastic force applied to the first elastic member (1612) can be efficiently transmitted to the cart (600).

[0139] Referring again to FIG. 6, the brake unit (160) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may additionally include a wheel frame (163) coupled to a towing bar (161), a rotating towing wheel (167), and a braking unit (168) that stops the rotation of the towing wheel (167). The specific details thereof will be described later.

[0140] FIG. 10 is a view of the brake unit (160) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the rear. FIG. 11 is a view of the brake unit (160) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side. FIG. 12 is a view for explaining stopping the rotation of the traction wheel (167) through the brake unit (160) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a view for explaining the braking unit (168) of the brake unit (160) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the side. And FIG. 14 is a view for explaining the driving of the braking unit (168) of the brake unit (160) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0141] As described above through FIG. 9, the movement of the cart (600) can be stopped by using the elastic force of the first elastic member (1612), but when the mobile robot (100) makes a sudden stop, there may be a limit to stopping the movement of the cart (600) by using only the elastic force of the first elastic member (1612).

[0142] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIGS. 6, 10, and 11, a brake unit (160) of a mobile robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a wheel frame (163) having one end coupled to the other end of a towing bar (161), a rotating shaft (166) arranged in a second direction (y-axis direction) and rotatably coupled to the other end of the wheel frame (163), and a towing wheel (167) coupled to the rotating shaft (166) and rotating together with the rotating shaft (166). In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the brake frame (163) may be rotatably coupled about a fastening shaft (162). Accordingly, the brake frame (163) may be rotated by movement of the cart (600) in the first direction (x-axis direction) when the mobile robot (100) is stopped.

[0143] Additionally, the brake unit (160) may include a braking unit (168) that stops the rotation of the traction wheel (167) by the rotation of the brake frame (163). And, the movement of the cart (600) in the first direction (x-axis direction) can be stopped through the braking unit (168).

[0144] That is, since the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention has limitations in applying a brake device to the moving wheel (620) of the cart (600) itself as described above with reference to FIG. 5, it may include a traction wheel (167) that rotates together with the rotating shaft (166) and a braking unit (168) for stopping the rotation of the traction wheel (167) and thereby stopping the movement of the cart (600). In addition, through this, even when the mobile robot (100) makes a sudden stop, the moving cart (600) can be stably stopped.

[0145] More specifically, referring to FIGS. 13 and 14 together, a brake unit (168) of a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a brake drum (1681) connected to a rotating shaft (166) and rotating together with a traction wheel (167), a brake wheel (1682) arranged adjacent to the brake drum (1681) and coupled to the other end of a brake frame (163), and a brake pad (1683) coupled to the brake wheel (1682) and causing friction with the brake drum (1681).

[0146] Here, the brake drum (1681) may include a side portion extending from the outer surface in the second direction (y-axis direction), and the brake pad (1683) may come into contact with the inner surface of the side portion of the brake drum (1681) and cause friction.

[0147] The brake wheel (1682) may be formed by extending from the outer circumference and may include a brake bar (1682a) hingedly connected to the other end of the brake frame (163). Accordingly, the brake wheel (1682) may rotate together with the rotation of the brake frame (163), and the brake pad (1683) connected to the brake wheel (1682) may be brought into close contact with the brake drum (1681) by the rotation of the brake wheel (1682).

[0148] That is, the braking unit (168) of the mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention can stop the rotation of the traction wheel (167) by bringing the brake pad (1683) into close contact with the rotating brake drum (1681), thereby stably stopping the moving cart (600) even when the mobile robot (100) makes a sudden stop.

[0149] FIG. 13 and FIG. 14 are drawings showing one embodiment of a structure in which a brake pad (1683) is in close contact with a brake drum (1681). A coupling protrusion (1682b) may be formed on the side of a brake wheel (1682), and one end of a brake pad (1683) may be coupled to the coupling protrusion (1682b).

[0150] And, a guide pad (1684) may be included to ensure that the brake pad (1683) is in close contact with the brake drum (1681) when the brake wheel (1682) rotates. One end of the guide pad (1684) may be coupled to a fixing projection (1685) that is connected and fixed to the wheel frame (163) or the brake drum (1681).

[0151] Here, a connecting pin (1686) is positioned at the other end of the guide pad (1684), and the connecting pin (1686) is inserted into a connecting groove (1683a) formed at the other end of the brake pad (1683), so that the brake pad (1683) and the guide pad (1684) can be connected.

[0152] Accordingly, when the brake wheel (1682) rotates, the brake pad (1683) also rotates, and the brake pad (1683) and the guide pad (1684) can be brought into close contact with the brake drum (1681) by being spread toward the inner surface of the brake drum (1681) by the connecting pin (1686) inserted into the connecting groove (1683a). In addition, through this, the rotation of the traction wheel (167) can be stopped.

[0153] That is, the present invention can stably stop the cart (600) even when the mobile robot (100) suddenly stops by operating the braking unit (168) of the brake unit (160) described above. In addition, the present invention has the advantage of increasing work efficiency because it can stably stop the moving cart (600) even when the moving speed of the mobile robot (100) is increased.

[0154] FIG. 15 is a drawing for explaining the connection of a mobile robot (100) and a cart (600) according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 16 is a drawing showing a BB cross-section of FIG. 5, which is a cross-sectional view of a connector holder (164) to which a connector (630) is connected, cut along the xz plane. And FIG. 17 is a drawing for explaining the rotation of a connector holder (164) of a brake unit (160) and a towing bar (161) in a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0155] Referring to FIG. 5, in a moving means according to one embodiment of the present invention, a brake unit (160) of a mobile robot (100) may be connected to a fixed bracket (130), and a connector (630) of a cart (600) may be connected to the brake unit (160). More specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16, a connector (630) of a cart (600) may be connected to a connector holder (164) coupled to one end of a brake frame (163).

[0156] The connector (630) may include a side projection (631) that is inclined in the opposite direction to the first direction (x-axis direction) on the side and a stopper projection that is protruded spaced apart from the side projection (631).

[0157] And the connector holder (164) may be formed in a third direction (z-axis direction) perpendicular to the first direction (x-axis direction) and the second direction (y-axis direction), and may include a fastening groove in which a second elastic member (1642) is positioned. In addition, the connector holder (164) may be coupled to the second elastic member (1642), and may include a stopper pin (1643) that moves in the third direction (z-axis direction) along the fastening groove (1641) when the connector (630) is fastened, and applies an elastic force to the second elastic member (1642) to fix the connector (630).

[0158] Accordingly, the stopper pin (1643) can move in the third direction (z-axis direction) while coming into contact with the side projection (631) when the connector (630) is connected, and can be positioned between the side projection (631) and the stopper projection (632) by the second elastic member (1642).

[0159] That is, the stopper pin (1643) can pressurize and fix the connector (630) in the third direction (z-axis direction) through the second elastic member (1642), and is located between the side protrusion (631) and the stopper protrusion (632) and can prevent the connector (630) from moving in the first direction (x-axis direction).

[0160] In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 17, in a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the connector holder (164) of the brake unit (160) can rotate about the third direction (z-axis direction). This is to enable the cart (600) to move stably in consideration of the driving direction of the mobile robot (100).

[0161] In addition, even when the mobile robot (100) stops while the connector holder (164) is rotated about the third direction (z-axis direction), the brake unit (160) excluding the connector holder (164) does not rotate, so the movement of the cart (600) can be stopped by driving in the same manner as described above.

[0162] Additionally, in a mobile robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, the tow bar (161) of the brake unit (160) can rotate about the third direction (z-axis direction), thereby allowing the cart (600) to move more stably in consideration of the driving direction of the mobile robot (100). In addition, by more quickly matching the moving directions of the mobile robot (100) and the cart (600) through the rotation of the tow bar (161), the movement of the cart (600) can be stably stopped when the brake unit (160) described above is driven.

[0163] In summary, the mobile robot and the means of transportation according to the present invention, when combined with a cart, can simultaneously stop the cart when the mobile robot stops. Furthermore, the moving cart can be safely stopped even when the mobile robot's moving speed changes or when the mobile robot suddenly stops. Furthermore, the ability to safely stop the moving cart can increase the mobile robot's moving speed, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0164] The above detailed description should not be construed as limiting in any respect and should be considered illustrative only. The scope of the present invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Body including the driving part; a fixed bracket located on the upper surface of the body; and It includes a brake unit that is connected to the above fixed bracket, the connector of the cart is connected, and stops the movement of the cart when the driving part stops moving. The above brake unit, A tow bar which is connected to the above fixed bracket; A guide groove formed at the other end of the towing bar to extend in a first direction, which is the driving direction of the driving part, and in which a first elastic member is positioned; A fastening shaft having a guide block formed thereon, which is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is inserted into the guide groove and comes into contact with the first elastic member; a brake frame coupled to the above-mentioned fastening shaft; and A mobile robot comprising a connector holder that is connected to one end of the brake frame and through which the connector of the cart passes.

2. In paragraph 1, The guide block of the above-mentioned fastening shaft is A mobile robot characterized in that when the driving part stops moving, it moves in the first direction along the guide groove and applies elastic force to the first elastic member.

3. In paragraph 2, The guide block of the above-mentioned fastening shaft is A mobile robot characterized in that it is formed in a square shape and prevents the fastening shaft from rotating when moving along the guide groove.

4. In paragraph 1, The above brake unit, A wheel frame, one end of which is connected to the other end of the above-mentioned towing bar; a rotating shaft arranged in the second direction and rotatably coupled to the other end of the wheel frame; and A mobile robot characterized by including a traction wheel coupled to the above-described rotating shaft and rotating together with the above-described rotating shaft.

5. In paragraph 4, The above brake frame, The above-mentioned fastening shaft is rotatably connected to the axis, When the above driving part stops, the cart rotates by moving in the first direction, The above brake unit, A mobile robot characterized by including a braking unit that stops the rotation of the traction wheel by rotation of the brake frame.

6. In paragraph 5, The above braking unit, A brake drum connected to the above rotating shaft and rotating together with the traction wheel; A brake wheel arranged adjacent to the brake drum and connected to the other end of the brake frame; and A mobile robot characterized by including a brake pad coupled to the brake wheel and causing friction with the brake drum.

7. In paragraph 6, The above brake wheel, It includes a brake bar formed by extending from the outer surface and hinged to the other end of the brake frame, A mobile robot characterized in that it rotates together with the rotation of the brake frame and brings the brake pad into close contact with the brake drum.

8. In paragraph 1, The above connector holder, A fastening groove formed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and in which a second elastic member is positioned; and A mobile robot characterized by including a stopper pin that is coupled to the second elastic member and moves in the third direction along the fastening groove when the connector of the cart is fastened and applies elastic force to the second elastic member to fix the connector of the cart.

9. In paragraph 1, The above connector holder, A mobile robot characterized in that it can rotate about an axis in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction.

10. In paragraph 9, The above tow bar, A mobile robot characterized in that it can rotate about the third direction as an axis.

11. A mobile robot including a body including a driving section, a fixed bracket located on the upper surface of the body, and a brake unit connected to the fixed bracket; and A cart including a connector connected to a brake unit of the mobile robot, The above brake unit, A tow bar which is connected to the above fixed bracket; A guide groove formed at the other end of the towing bar to extend in a first direction, which is the driving direction of the driving part, and in which a first elastic member is positioned; A fastening shaft having a guide block formed thereon, which is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is inserted into the guide groove and comes into contact with the first elastic member; a brake frame coupled to the above-mentioned fastening shaft; and A connector holder is connected to one end of the above brake frame and is connected by a connector of the cart passing through it, The above brake unit, A moving means that stops the movement of the cart when the driving part stops moving.

12. In paragraph 11, The connector of the above cart is, A side projection protruding and inclined in the opposite direction to the first direction on the side; and A means of transportation characterized by including a stopper projection protruding apart from the above-mentioned side projection.

13. In paragraph 12, The above connector holder, A fastening groove formed in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction, and in which a second elastic member is positioned; and A means of transportation characterized by including a stopper pin that is coupled to the second elastic member and moves in the third direction along the fastening groove when the connector is fastened and applies elastic force to the second elastic member to fix the connector.

14. In paragraph 13, The above stopper pin, A moving means characterized in that when the connector is connected, it comes into contact with the side projection and moves in the third direction, and is positioned between the side projection and the stopper projection by the second elastic member.

15. In paragraph 11, The guide block of the above-mentioned fastening shaft is When the above driving part stops driving, it moves in the first direction along the guide groove and applies elastic force to the first elastic member, The above cart, A means of transportation characterized in that movement in the first direction is stopped by an elastic force applied to the first elastic member.

16. In paragraph 11, The above brake unit, A wheel frame, one end of which is connected to the other end of the above-mentioned towing bar; a rotating shaft arranged in the second direction and rotatably coupled to the other end of the wheel frame; and A means of transportation characterized by including a traction wheel coupled to the above-mentioned rotating shaft and rotating together with the above-mentioned rotating shaft.

17. In paragraph 16, The above brake frame, The above-mentioned fastening shaft is rotatably connected to the axis, When the above driving part stops, the cart rotates by moving in the first direction, The above brake unit, It includes a braking unit that stops the rotation of the traction wheel by the rotation of the brake frame, The above cart, A means of transportation characterized in that movement in the first direction is stopped by driving the braking unit.

18. In paragraph 17, The above braking unit, A brake drum connected to the above rotating shaft and rotating together with the traction wheel; A brake wheel arranged adjacent to the brake drum and connected to the other end of the brake frame; and A means of transportation characterized by including a brake pad coupled to the brake wheel and causing friction with the brake drum.

19. In paragraph 18, The above brake wheel, It includes a brake bar formed by extending from the outer surface and hinged to the other end of the brake frame, A means of transportation characterized in that the brake frame rotates together with the brake pad and contacts the brake drum.

Images