Parking robot and parking robot system

Abstract

The invention relates to a parking robot. The parking robot comprises a gripper (6) for a wheel (8) of a motor vehicle (10) and a first lifting device (22) for lifting the floor (24) of the motor vehicle (10) relative to the gripper (6) in the vertical direction (H), wherein the first lifting device (22) is deformable, in particular elastically deformable. The invention also relates to a parking robot system (36) comprising such a parking robot (2).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Parking robots and parking robot systems

[0003] The invention relates to a parking robot and a parking robot system for automatically transporting a motor vehicle.

[0004] A parking robot system is understood to mean, in particular, a driverless transport system for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, which automatically parks the vehicle. Such a parking robot system comprises parking robots, each of which grips a wheel of the vehicle and lifts it. The parking robot system is typically designed to transport the vehicle to a specified parking position (parking space, parking lot) within a specified infrastructure environment, for example, a parking garage or workshop.

[0005] The parking robots lift the vehicle a few centimeters by the respective wheel and then drive with the raised vehicle to the specified parking position, where the vehicle is then set down again. Such parking robots allow vehicles to be moved automatically within the infrastructure environment, thus requiring no intervention from the vehicle driver.

[0006] DE 102018221172 B4 discloses a parking robot having a base body on which a pair of wheel support arms are arranged, each pivotable between a folded and an extended position. Furthermore, the parking robot comprises a chassis supporting the base body, a height-adjustable undercarriage on which the chassis supporting the base body is arranged, and which comprises at least one drive wheel. The undercarriage is designed to adjust the chassis supporting the base body relative to the at least one drive wheel between a lowered position and a raised position.The parking robot is designed to autonomously approach a motor vehicle wheel from the outside with the chassis in the lowered position and the wheel support arms folded in, raise the wheel by unfolding the pair of wheel support arms, and then adjust the chassis supporting the base body to the raised position to increase the parking robot's ground clearance. DE 10 2017220 597 A1 describes a parking robot.This comprises a height-adjustable transport surface for transporting a motor vehicle, an adjusting device for adjusting the height of the transport surface relative to a driving surface, and a control device configured to control the adjusting device such that, after the transport surface has been loaded with a motor vehicle, it shifts the height of the transport surface relative to the driving surface from a loading position, in which the transport surface was loaded with the motor vehicle, to a transport position, in which the motor vehicle is to be transported. The transport position is located above the loading position, so that the height of the transport surface relative to the driving surface is greater in the transport position than in the loading position.

[0007] If the parking robot is positioned underneath the vehicle during transport, the vehicle's ground clearance—that is, the space beneath the vehicle floor—is correspondingly reduced. When driving up a ramp, depending on the ramp's gradient, there is a risk that the vehicle floor may accidentally contact the ground, i.e., the driving surface, and / or the parking robot.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of providing a particularly suitable parking robot. In particular, damage to the vehicle being transported during ramp travel is to be avoided or at least the risk of damage is to be reduced. Furthermore, a parking robot system comprising such a parking robot is to be provided.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by a parking robot having the features of claim 1 and by a parking robot system having the features of claim 8. Advantageous embodiments and further developments are the subject of the dependent claims. The statements made in connection with the parking robot also apply mutatis mutandis to the parking robot system, and vice versa.

[0010] The parking robot is intended for a parking robot system by means of which a motor vehicle can be transported automatically and, in particular, autonomously. Such a parking robot system comprises at least two, in particular four, parking robots, each of the parking robots being assigned a single one of the motor vehicle's wheels. The parking robot is thus intended to lift the motor vehicle in the area of ​​one (single) of its wheels. The parking robot comprises a gripper that is intended and configured to grip a (single) wheel of a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car. In particular, the gripper is configured to grip the wheel at the tread of its tire.

[0011] Furthermore, the parking robot comprises a first lifting device for raising the motor vehicle, in particular its vehicle floor, relative to the gripper and / or to a frame- or plate-like base body of the parking robot to which the gripper is attached. The first lifting device serves to increase the clearance between the vehicle floor and the parking robot. The wheel, for example, remains in contact with the gripper. In particular, the lifting occurs in a direction perpendicular to a subsurface, i.e., to a driving surface. This direction is also referred to below as the vertical direction.

[0012] The first lifting device is deformable, particularly elastically. The first lifting device is therefore not dimensionally stable.

[0013] When the motor vehicle is lifted using the first lifting device, the shape of the first lifting device adapts to the shape and / or orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the parking robot. When driving up a ramp, particularly when the ramp transitions to a level roadway, the vehicle floor can tilt towards the parking robot compared to driving on a level driving surface. Due to the deformable design of the first lifting device, the shape adapts to this changed orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the parking robot. Furthermore, when driving up a ramp using the first lifting device, the free space beneath the vehicle floor of the motor vehicle is increased, such that unwanted contact between the vehicle floor of the motor vehicle and the parking robot and the associated risk of damage to the vehicle is at least reduced.

[0014] In summary, the first lifting device is designed in such a way that it can deform due to the weight of the motor vehicle, particularly during lifting and / or when the orientation of the motor vehicle relative to the parking robot changes. Thus, the first lifting device is flexible when subjected to a force or pressure.

[0015] According to a practical embodiment, the first lifting device forms a support surface, particularly a flexible one, for the vehicle floor of the motor vehicle. The first lifting device is thus intended and configured to contact the vehicle floor, i.e., to engage there. In particular, the first lifting device is intended to contact the motor vehicle at an engagement point provided for a car jack. For this purpose, the first lifting device is arranged offset in a direction referred to as the longitudinal direction from a receiving area of ​​the gripper for the wheel of the motor vehicle.

[0016] The longitudinal direction is the direction extending from the rear of a parking robot to the front of a parking robot. In this direction, the gripper and / or the gripper's receiving area is positioned between the rear of the parking robot and the front of the parking robot.

[0017] When the motor vehicle is transported using the parking robot, the first lifting device is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, i.e. in a direction from a rear of the motor vehicle to a front of the motor vehicle, offset from the wheel gripped by the parking robot.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment, the first lifting device is an air cushion. It is particularly expedient for the air cushion not to be permanently inflated with gas, i.e. not completely filled with gas, and / or not sealed gas-tight. Preferably, the air cushion can be filled with gas and emptied again, i.e. the gas can be removed from the air cushion, particularly during operation of the parking robot. For this purpose, the air cushion is fluidly connected, for example, to an air pump or a compressor. This makes it possible for the parking robot to drive under the motor vehicle with the air cushion not inflated and thus with a comparatively low overall height. To lift the motor vehicle, the air cushion is filled with a gas, in particular air, i.e. inflated.

[0019] The air cushion is expediently designed such that the distance between the vehicle floor and the base body is between 150 mm and 280 mm, in particular between 180 mm and 250 mm, when the air cushion is inflated and when a motor vehicle is resting on it. These distance values ​​apply in particular when the parking robot is on level ground.

[0020] During operation of the parking robot, and when a motor vehicle is lifted by the air cushion, the weight of the motor vehicle is distributed between the air cushion and the gripper. During this operation, the air cushion is preferably filled with gas in such a way that a force acting on the air cushion due to the motor vehicle, in particular its magnitude, is equal to a force acting on the gripper due to the motor vehicle, in particular its magnitude. In this way, stress on the grippers is advantageously reduced. Bending of the gripper and / or the base body due to a portion of the force acting on the gripper oriented parallel to the ground is thus avoided, or the risk of this occurring is at least reduced.

[0021] The parking robot is preferably designed to be flat or low-profile. This means that the parking robot has a low overall height. In this context, a "low overall height" is understood to mean a height that is less than or equal to the vertical ground clearance of the motor vehicle to be transported / parked. The vertical ground clearance is in particular the clear distance between the ground and the vehicle floor (underbody) of the motor vehicle in the vertical direction. The vertical ground clearance is, for example, at least 110 mm (millimeters). The parking robot has, for example, an overall height (with the air cushion not inflated) of 110 mm so that the parking robot can drive under the motor vehicle at least in sections.

[0022] According to an advantageous development, the parking robot comprises a second lifting device, by means of which the gripper and / or the first lifting device can be moved vertically, i.e. in the direction away from the driving surface. For example, the parking robot comprises a base body, for example a base plate or a frame, to which the gripper and / or the first lifting device are attached. The parking robot expediently also comprises wheels, wherein the base body can be moved vertically away from the wheels by means of the second lifting device. The second lifting device is designed, for example, as a hydraulic lifting device or as a spindle drive. The second lifting device is provided and configured to lift the wheel of the motor vehicle gripped by the gripper vertically from the ground.If the driving surface is level, i.e. in particular if there is no ramp, the motor vehicle is conveniently lifted using only the second lifting device.

[0023] According to a suitable embodiment, the gripper comprises two gripper arms that can be moved toward each other in the longitudinal direction. To lift the motor vehicle, the parking robot is first positioned such that the motor vehicle wheel to be gripped by the gripper is arranged in the receiving space formed between the gripper arms. The gripper arms are then moved toward each other so that the gripper arms rest against the wheel, in particular against the tread of its tire. The gripper is then moved vertically using the second lifting device, whereby the gripped motor vehicle wheel is also lifted from the ground.

[0024] A further aspect of the invention relates to a parking robot system comprising a parking robot in one of the variants described above. Particularly preferably, the parking robot system comprises four such parking robots. One of the parking robots is expediently assigned to each wheel of the motor vehicle.

[0025] The parking robots of the parking robot system expediently comprise a communication interface for exchanging data and / or signals among themselves. Preferably, at least one of the parking robots further comprises a sensor system for detecting the surroundings and / or the motor vehicle. The communication interface and / or the sensor system enable automatic and / or autonomous transport of a motor vehicle to a parking area.

[0026] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. In schematic and simplified representations, the drawings show:

[0027] Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a parking robot having a gripper for a wheel of a motor vehicle and a deformable lifting device for lifting the motor vehicle relative to the gripper,

[0028] Fig. 2 shows a side view of the parking robot, with the parking robot gripping a wheel of the motor vehicle,

[0029] Fig. 3 shows a side view of the parking robot, wherein the parking robot grips a wheel of the motor vehicle and lifts the motor vehicle using a second lifting device,

[0030] Fig. 4 shows a side view of the parking robot, wherein the motor vehicle is lifted relative to the gripper by means of a first lifting device, and

[0031] Fig. 5 shows a side view of the motor vehicle, which is transported over a ramp by means of a parking robot system comprising the parking robot.

[0032] Corresponding parts are always provided with the same reference numerals in all figures. Figure 1 shows a schematic plan view of a parking robot 2. This comprises a base body 4, preferably a plate or frame-like body, to which a gripper 6 is attached for gripping a wheel 8 of a motor vehicle 10. The gripper 6 forms a receiving area 12 for the wheel 8 of the motor vehicle 10, with the wheel 8 being arranged in the receiving area 12 for gripping.

[0033] With respect to a direction referred to as the longitudinal direction L, the rear end forms the parking robot rear 14 and the front end forms the parking robot front 16. The gripper 6 and the receiving area 12 for the wheel 8 are arranged with respect to the longitudinal direction L between the parking robot rear 14 and the parking robot front 16.

[0034] According to the exemplary embodiment illustrated here, the gripper 6 comprises arms 18 that can be moved toward one another (gripper arms, gripping arms), which have a roller 20, in particular a roller, at their mutually facing ends, which rests against a running surface of the wheel 8 of the motor vehicle 10 when the wheel 8 is gripped by the gripper 6. In summary, the two gripping arms 6 can be moved toward one another in the longitudinal direction L to grip the wheel 8.

[0035] The parking robot 2 further comprises at least one first lifting device 22. This serves to move the vehicle floor 24 of the motor vehicle 10 in the vertical direction H relative to the base body 4 and / or the gripper 6. Thus, a free space in the vertical direction H between the vehicle floor 24 and the base body 4 of the parking robot 2 can be changed, in particular increased. The distance d between the vehicle floor 8 and the base body 4 and / or the gripper 6 can therefore be increased using the first lifting device 22. The vertical direction H is understood to mean a direction perpendicular to the ground 26, i.e., to the roadway, and / or the direction perpendicular to the base body 4. The at least one first lifting device 22 is expediently attached to the base body 4.

[0036] The respective first lifting device 22 is designed to be elastically deformable. For this purpose, the respective lifting device 22 is designed as an air cushion. The air cushion is not constantly inflated. The air cushion can be filled and deflated with a gas. The air cushion is expediently connected to a compressor or an air pump (not shown in detail), by means of which the air cushion can be filled with gas or air in order to inflate it. Furthermore, air can be removed, in particular sucked out, from the air cushion - for example by means of the compressor or an air pump - in order to deflate the air cushion. In summary, the air cushion is designed to be repeatedly filled with a gas and deflated again. The inflation of the air cushion is therefore reversible. To lift the motor vehicle 10, in particular its vehicle floor 24, relative to the gripper 6, the air cushion is inflated accordingly.To lower it, the air cushion is emptied accordingly.

[0037] When the motor vehicle 10 is lifted by means of the first lifting device 22 and / or when the motor vehicle 10 is transported, in which the motor vehicle 10 is lifted by means of the first lifting device 22, the motor vehicle 10 rests on the first lifting device 22. The first lifting device 22 thus forms a support surface 28 for the motor vehicle 10, in particular for its vehicle floor 24. Due to the design of the first lifting device 22 as an air cushion, this support surface 28 is flexible and can adapt to a change in position / a change in the orientation of the motor vehicle 10 relative to the parking robot 2, as can occur, for example, when driving up a ramp, see in particular Fig. 5.

[0038] The parking robot 2 further comprises wheels 30 spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction L. At least one of these wheels 30 is coupled to a drive motor (not shown in detail), so that the parking robot 2 can move. The first holding device 22 is expediently arranged above one of these wheels 30 or between them with respect to the longitudinal direction L. Consequently, a relatively even load distribution among the wheels 30 is realized.

[0039] According to the exemplary embodiment shown here, the parking robot comprises two first lifting devices 22, one of which is arranged in front of the receiving area 12 of the gripper 6 with respect to the longitudinal direction L and the other is arranged after the receiving area 12 of the gripper 6 with respect to the longitudinal direction L. The two first lifting devices 22 are therefore each offset from the receiving area 12 with respect to the longitudinal direction L. In this way, it is possible for the first holding device 22 to engage an engagement point 32 (cf. Fig. 4) of the motor vehicle 10 provided for a car jack, i.e., the first holding device 22 contacts the vehicle floor 24 at the engagement point 32, thus avoiding damage to the vehicle floor 24 or at least reducing the risk thereof.

[0040] According to an alternative, further illustrated embodiment of the parking robot 2, it comprises only a first lifting device 22, which is preferably arranged offset from the receiving area 12 with respect to the longitudinal direction L. The parking robot 2 further comprises a second lifting device 34. By means of this, the gripper 6 and / or the first lifting device 22 can be moved in the vertical direction H. For this purpose, the second lifting device 34 is configured to lift the base body 4, to which the gripper and / or the first lifting device 22 are attached, in the vertical direction H. For example, the wheels 30 are coupled to the base body 4 by means of the second lifting device 34, so that the wheels 30 can be extended relative to the base body 4, in particular can be moved away from it. The second lifting device 34 is designed, for example, as a hydraulic system or as a spindle, by means of which the base body can be moved away from the respective wheel.

[0041] Fig. 2 schematically shows the motor vehicle 10, although it has not yet been lifted. The parking robot 2 has moved underneath the motor vehicle 10, with the wheel 8 of the motor vehicle 10 located in the receiving area 12 of the gripper 6. For gripping, the two gripper arms 18 are moved toward each other in the longitudinal direction L so that they rest against the wheel 8, in particular against the tread of its tire, and thus grip it.

[0042] Fig. 3 schematically shows the motor vehicle 10, which has been lifted using the second lifting device 34. The wheels 8 of the motor vehicle are therefore no longer in contact with the ground 26. For this purpose, the base body 4 with the attached gripper was moved away from the ground using the second lifting device 34. If the ground, i.e., the roadway, is level, the motor vehicle can be transported in this position to a parking space.

[0043] Fig. 4 schematically shows the motor vehicle 10, which has been lifted by the second lifting device 34, and the vehicle floor 24 of the motor vehicle 10 has been lifted in the vertical direction H relative to the gripper 6 and the base body 4 by the first lifting device 22. The distance d between the vehicle floor 24 and the base body 4 and the distance between the vehicle floor 24 and the gripper 6 of the parking robot 2 are thus increased. The vehicle floor 24 of the motor vehicle 10 rests with its engagement point 32 on the support surface 28 of the air cushion.

[0044] Fig. 5 shows the motor vehicle 10, which is driven automatically and autonomously in the transition area between a ramp and a level surface using a parking robot system with parking robots 2 in one of the variants shown above. As can be seen there, the vehicle floor of the motor vehicle 10 is inclined towards the respective parking robot 2, in particular its base body 4, compared to driving on a level surface. However, due to the air cushion, i.e. due to the first lifting device 22, the distance d between the base body 4 of the respective parking robot 2 and the vehicle floor 24 is advantageously so large that undesired contact between the respective base body 4 and the vehicle floor 24 is avoided.

[0045] The parking robot system 36 comprises four parking robots 2, wherein one wheel 8 of the motor vehicle 10 is lifted by one of the parking robots 2.

[0046] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above. Rather, other variants of the invention can be derived from them by those skilled in the art within the scope of the claims without departing from the subject matter of the invention. In particular, all individual features described in connection with the exemplary embodiments and / or in the claims can also be combined with one another in other ways without departing from the subject matter of the invention.

[0047] List of reference symbols

[0048] Parking robot

[0049] Basic body

[0050] gripper

[0051] 8 Wheel of the motor vehicle

[0052] 10 motor vehicle

[0053] 12 Recording area

[0054] 14 Parking robot rear

[0055] 16 Parking robot front

[0056] 18 gripper arm

[0057] 20 rolls

[0058] 22 first lifting device

[0059] 24 Vehicle floor

[0060] 26 Underground

[0061] 28 Support surface of the first lifting device

[0062] 30 Wheel of the parking robot

[0063] 32 Attack point for a car jack

[0064] 34 second lifting device

[0065] 36 Parking robot system d Distance between the vehicle floor and the base body of the parking robot

[0066] H Vertical direction

[0067] L longitudinal direction

Claims

Patent claims 1. Parking robot (2) for a parking robot system (36), comprising a gripper (6) for a wheel (8) of a motor vehicle (10), and a first lifting device (22) for lifting a vehicle floor (24) of the motor vehicle (10) relative to the gripper (6) in the vertical direction (H), wherein the first lifting device (22) is deformable, in particular elastically.

2. Parking robot (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first lifting device (22) forms a, in particular flexible, support surface (28) for a vehicle floor (24) of the motor vehicle (10).

3. Parking robot (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first lifting device (22) is an air cushion.

4. Parking robot (2) according to claim 3, characterized in that the air cushion can be filled and emptied with a gas.

5. Parking robot (2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first lifting device (22) is arranged offset from a receiving area (12) of the gripper (6) for the wheel (8) of the motor vehicle (10) in a longitudinal direction (L) extending from a parking robot rear (14) to a parking robot front (16).

6. Parking robot (2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by a second lifting device (34) by means of which the gripper (6) and / or the first lifting device (22) can be moved in the vertical direction (H).

7. Parking robot (2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that that the gripper (6) has two gripper arms (18) which can be moved towards one another in the longitudinal direction (L).

8. Parking robot system (36) for automatically transporting a motor vehicle (10), comprising a parking robot (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7.

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