Automatic fluid filling apparatus and filling method

Abstract

An automatic fluid filling apparatus and a filling method. The apparatus comprises: a supporting structure (1), wherein one end of the supporting structure (1) is fixed to the ground, the other end of the supporting structure (1) is connected to a mounting support (2), and the supporting structure (1) is provided with a liquid storage cavity; the mounting support (2) is connected to a movement structure (5), the movement structure (5) is electrically connected to a control module, a filling pipe (3) is provided on the movement structure (5), one end of the filling pipe (3) is in communication with the liquid storage cavity of the supporting structure (1), and the other end of the filling pipe (3) is a liquid outlet of the automatic fluid filling apparatus. When a vehicle to be filled reaches a stopping point, on the basis of the relative position of a filling port of said vehicle relative to the filling pipe (3), the movement structure (5) is controlled to move, and when the filling pipe (3) is moved to a specified position, a filling pump is opened for liquid filling. An automatic alignment strategy for the filling port of a vehicle end and the filling pipe (3) is designed, and the movement position of the filling pipe (3) is adjusted on the basis of different positions of filling ports of vehicles to be filled of different vehicle types, so that the filling pipe (3) can be aligned with the filling port, thereby achieving automatic filling of a fluid for vehicles to be filled of different models in an unmanned operation environment.

Description

Automatic fluid filling device and filling method

[0001] This application claims priority to the Chinese patent application filed with the China Patent Office on March 18, 2024, with application number CN202410312665.X and application name “A Fluid Automatic Filling Device and Filling Method”, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into this application. Technical Field

[0002] The present application relates to the technical field of automatic fluid filling, and in particular to an automatic fluid filling device and filling method. Background Art

[0003] For vehicles involved in fluid transportation in industries such as sanitation, food, chemicals, and semiconductors, the fluids stored in the vehicle's storage tanks need to be refilled. For example, sanitation vehicles need to be frequently refilled with water. Existing water filling devices use a "one vehicle, one station" operation method. Since the water outlet of the water filling device is fixed, it can only be aligned with the water outlet position by a mobile vehicle. Manual intervention is also required to check whether the position is aligned and the amount of water injected. Therefore, for unmanned sanitation vehicles operating with water, unmanned self-service filling operations cannot be fully realized. Moreover, due to the different sizes of different vehicle models, the locations of the filling ports on their vehicles are also different. One water filling device can only provide water filling services for one type of vehicle and cannot take into account the water filling needs of other types of vehicles.

[0004] Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a fluid automatic filling device and a filling method, aiming to solve the problems existing in the prior art.

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is achieved by the following technical solutions:

[0007] In one aspect, the present invention provides an automatic fluid filling device, comprising:

[0008] A support structure, one end of which is fixed to the ground and the other end of which is connected to the mounting bracket, wherein the support structure has a liquid storage cavity;

[0009] The mounting bracket is connected to the mobile structure, the mobile structure is electrically connected to the control module, and a filling pipe is provided on the mobile structure, one end of the filling pipe is connected to the liquid storage cavity of the support structure through a fluid pipeline, and the other end of the filling pipe is the liquid outlet of the automatic fluid filling device;

[0010] After the vehicle to be refueled arrives at the parking point, the control module controls the movement of the movable structure according to the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be refueled with respect to the filling pipe. After the filling pipe is moved to the specified position, the control module controls the filling pump provided on the fluid pipeline to operate, extracting the liquid in the support structure and injecting it into the liquid storage tank of the vehicle to be refueled through the filling pipe.

[0011] Based on the above technical content, the use of an automatic fluid filling device can fully realize unmanned self-service filling operations and can also take into account the water filling needs of other types of vehicles.

[0012] According to the present invention, an automatic fluid filling device further includes a cloud, wherein the cloud obtains the model of the vehicle to be filled, the coordinates of the parking point, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device;

[0013] Obtaining position information of a filling port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the vehicle itself according to the model of the vehicle to be refueled;

[0014] Obtaining a relative position of a filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe based on the position information, the coordinates of the parking point, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device;

[0015] The X-axis movement adjustment amount, the Y-axis movement adjustment amount, and / or the Z-axis movement adjustment amount of the moving structure are determined according to the relative position.

[0016] Based on the above technical solution, the parking point can be set to a "Y" shape or a "X" shape. Whether it is side parking or reversing into a garage, it is only necessary to align the center of the vehicle with the parking point, without considering the parking posture of the vehicle. There is no restriction on the direction of the front of the vehicle. Filling can be achieved when the front of the vehicle is facing the positive or negative direction of the XY axis, and the requirements for the parking posture of the vehicle are low. Moreover, there is no need to set up a separate visual system to obtain the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe, which reduces the design and manufacturing costs of the entire automatic fluid filling device.

[0017] According to the automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention, the cloud pre-stores the liquid storage volume set for the different models of the vehicles to be filled;

[0018] The vehicle to be refueled is provided with a metering unit, which is used to monitor the amount of liquid in the liquid storage tank in real time;

[0019] The metering unit is connected to the cloud through the communication unit of the control module. In response to the liquid volume reaching the liquid storage volume, the cloud sends a filling stop instruction to the control module. The control module turns off the filling pump, controls the moving structure to move to the set origin position, and clears the X-axis movement adjustment amount, the Y-axis movement adjustment amount, and the Z-axis movement adjustment amount.

[0020] Based on the above technical solution, the cloud calculates the difference between the liquid level height and the liquid filling height to determine whether the liquid level height has reached the liquid filling height, so as to determine whether the filling is completed. When the liquid level height reaches the set liquid filling height, it is determined that the filling is completed.

[0021] According to an automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention, the support structure includes a liquid storage tank body as a liquid storage chamber, a base and a pipeline control element;

[0022] One end of the liquid storage tank body is connected to the base and the pipeline control element, and the other end is connected to the mounting bracket;

[0023] The pipeline control element is arranged at the base and includes: a first valve, a second valve and a liquid outlet pipe;

[0024] The liquid inlet of the first valve is connected to an external fluid source, and the liquid outlet of the first valve is connected to the liquid storage tank body;

[0025] The liquid inlet of the second valve is connected to the liquid storage tank body, and the second valve is used to drain the liquid storage tank body;

[0026] One end of the liquid outlet pipe is communicated with the liquid storage tank body, and the other end of the liquid outlet pipe is communicated with the filling pipe through the filling pump.

[0027] According to an automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention, the mounting bracket is symmetrically arranged on the supporting structure, and a plurality of mounting columns are arranged on each side of the mounting bracket, and the top surfaces of the plurality of mounting columns on each side are inclined and the heights decrease sequentially;

[0028] A roof is installed on the installation column and is arranged obliquely at a certain angle to the horizontal plane. The oblique direction of the roof is inclined downward in a direction away from the filling pipe.

[0029] According to an automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention, the moving structure includes: an X-axis adjustment mechanism and a Y-axis adjustment mechanism;

[0030] The X-axis adjustment mechanism includes two X-axis guide rails parallel to each other, with both ends of the two X-axis guide rails fixed to the mounting bracket, and an X-axis slider provided on each X-axis guide rail, one of the X-axis sliders being connected to an X-axis guide rail chain, and an X-axis drive motor driving the X-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the X-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the X-axis guide rail;

[0031] The Y-axis adjustment mechanism is arranged on the X-axis slider, and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism includes two Y-axis guide rails parallel to each other. The two ends of the Y-axis guide rails are connected to the X-axis slider. A Y-axis slider is provided on the Y-axis guide rail, and the Y-axis slider is connected to a Y-axis guide rail chain. The Y-axis drive motor drives the Y-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the Y-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Y-axis guide rail. The Y-axis slider is provided with the filling pipe perpendicular to the ground.

[0032] According to an automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention, the moving structure includes: an X-axis adjustment mechanism, a Y-axis adjustment mechanism and a Z-axis adjustment mechanism;

[0033] The X-axis adjustment mechanism includes two X-axis guide rails parallel to each other, with both ends of the two X-axis guide rails fixed to the mounting bracket, and an X-axis slider provided on each X-axis guide rail, one of the X-axis sliders being connected to an X-axis guide rail chain, and an X-axis drive motor driving the X-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the X-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the X-axis guide rail;

[0034] The Y-axis adjustment mechanism is arranged on the X-axis slider, and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism includes two Y-axis guide rails parallel to each other, both ends of the Y-axis guide rails are connected to the X-axis slider, a Y-axis slider is arranged on the Y-axis guide rail, and the Y-axis slider is connected to a Y-axis guide rail chain, and a Y-axis drive motor drives the Y-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the Y-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Y-axis guide rail;

[0035] The Z-axis adjustment mechanism is arranged on the Y-axis slider, and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism includes a slide groove, which is connected to the Y-axis slider, and a Z-axis guide rail is provided on the slide groove, and a Z-axis slider is provided on the Z-axis guide rail. The Z-axis slider is connected to a Z-axis guide rail chain, and the Z-axis drive motor drives the Z-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the Z-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Z-axis guide rail, and the Z-axis slider is provided with the filling pipe vertical to the ground.

[0036] According to the automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention, protective covers are provided on the X-axis adjustment mechanism, the Y-axis adjustment mechanism, and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism.

[0037] According to an automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention, the filling port of the vehicle to be filled is a circular hole, and the diameter of the filling port is larger than the diameter of the pipe opening of the filling pipe.

[0038] In another aspect, the present invention provides a filling method based on any of the above-described automatic fluid filling devices, comprising:

[0039] When a vehicle to be refueled arrives at a parking spot, a vehicle arrival instruction is sent to the cloud, and the vehicle arrival instruction includes the model of the vehicle to be refueled;

[0040] The cloud obtains the position information of the filling port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the vehicle itself based on the model of the vehicle to be refueled;

[0041] Determining the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe based on the position information, the coordinates of the parking spot, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device, and including the relative position in a filling start instruction sent to a control module of the automatic fluid filling device;

[0042] The control module controls the movement of the mobile structure based on the filling start instruction, moves the filling pipe connected to the mobile structure to above the filling port of the vehicle to be filled or controls the filling pipe to extend from the filling port to the vehicle to be filled, and then turns on the filling pump to fill the liquid;

[0043] The liquid amount in the liquid storage tank is monitored in real time by a metering unit provided on the vehicle to be refueled, and the liquid amount is sent to the cloud;

[0044] The cloud sends a filling stop instruction to the control module in response to the liquid amount reaching the liquid storage amount set for the vehicle to be filled;

[0045] The control module turns off the filling pump based on the filling stop instruction, controls the mobile structure to move to a set origin position, and clears the odometer information of the mobile structure to wait for the next filling.

[0046] Based on the above technical solution, the parking point can be set to a "Y" shape or a "X" shape. Whether it is side parking or reversing into a garage, it is only necessary to align the center of the vehicle with the parking point, without considering the parking posture of the vehicle. There is no restriction on the direction of the front of the vehicle. Filling can be achieved when the front of the vehicle is facing the positive or negative direction of the XY axis, and the requirements for the parking posture of the vehicle are low. Moreover, there is no need to set up a separate visual system to obtain the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe, which reduces the design and manufacturing costs of the entire automatic fluid filling device.

[0047] The present invention provides an automatic fluid filling device and filling method. The device comprises a support structure, a mounting bracket, a mobile structure, and a filling pipe. The support structure has one end fixed to the ground and the other end connected to the mounting bracket. The support structure has a liquid storage chamber. The mounting bracket is connected to the mobile structure, which is electrically connected to a control module. The mobile structure is provided with a filling pipe. One end of the filling pipe is connected to the liquid storage chamber of the support structure via a fluid pipeline, and the other end of the filling pipe serves as the liquid outlet of the automatic fluid filling device. When a vehicle to be filled arrives at a parking point, the movement of the mobile structure is controlled based on the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe. After the filling pipe is moved to a designated position, a filling pump is activated to fill the fluid. The present invention designs an automatic alignment strategy between the vehicle-side filling port and the filling pipe of the automatic fluid filling device. Based on the different positions of the filling ports of different models of vehicles to be filled, the mobile position of the filling pipe is adjusted so that it can align with the filling port, thereby achieving automatic fluid filling for different models of vehicles to be filled in an unmanned environment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the description of the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other implementation methods can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0049] FIG1 is a schematic structural diagram of an automatic fluid filling device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] FIG2 is a partial schematic diagram of a support structure of an automatic fluid filling device provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0051] FIG3 is an enlarged view of point A in FIG1 provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0052] FIG4 is a front view of an automatic fluid filling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0053] FIG5 is a right side view of the automatic fluid filling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0054] FIG6 is a front view of an automatic fluid filling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0055] 7 is a top view of the ceiling of the automatic fluid filling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0056] FIG8 is a bottom view of the ceiling of the automatic fluid filling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0057] 9 is a schematic structural diagram of a moving structure of an automatic fluid filling device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0058] FIG10 is a flow chart of a filling method of the automatic fluid filling device provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0059] Description of reference numerals:

[0060] 1. Support structure; 11. Liquid storage tank body; 12. Base; 101. First valve; 102. Second valve; 103. Liquid outlet pipe; 104. Exhaust valve; 111. Bottom plate; 112. Top plate; 113. Side plate; 114. Fluid pipeline; 121. First mounting plate; 122. Pillar; 123. Exterior panel; 124. Inspection door; 1211. Mounting hole; 2. Mounting bracket; 21. Mounting column; 22. Second mounting bracket Mounting plate; 23. Third mounting plate; 3. Filling pipe; 4. Ceiling; 41. Reinforcement strip; 42. Reinforcement frame; 5. Moving structure; 51. X-axis adjustment mechanism; 511. X-axis guide rail; 512. X-axis slider; 513. X-axis guide rail chain; 52. Y-axis adjustment mechanism; 521. Y-axis guide rail; 522. Y-axis slider; 523. Y-axis guide rail chain; 53. First protective cover; 54. Second protective cover; 6. Electrical control box. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of the present invention. In order to more clearly understand the technical means of the present invention, it can be implemented in accordance with the contents of the specification. In order to make the above and other purposes, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the following preferred embodiments are specifically cited and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0062] It should be noted that, it is explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in the present invention can be combined with other embodiments without conflict. Unless otherwise defined, the technical terms or scientific terms involved in the present invention should have the usual meanings understood by people with ordinary skills in the technical field to which the present invention belongs. The words "one", "a", "a", "the" and the like involved in the present invention do not indicate a quantity limitation and can represent the singular or plural. The terms "include", "comprise", "have" and any variations thereof involved in the present invention are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions; the terms "first", "second", "third" and the like involved in the present invention are merely to distinguish similar objects and do not represent a specific ordering of the objects.

[0063] 1 , an embodiment of the present invention provides an automatic fluid filling device, comprising:

[0064] The supporting structure 1 has one end fixed to the ground and the other end connected to the mounting bracket 2. The supporting structure 1 has a liquid storage cavity.

[0065] 2 , in some embodiments, the support structure 1 includes a liquid storage tank body 11 serving as a liquid storage chamber, a base 12 , and a pipeline control element;

[0066] One end of the liquid storage tank body 11 is connected to the base 12 and the pipeline control element, and the other end is connected to the mounting bracket 2;

[0067] The pipeline control element is arranged at the base 12 and includes: a first valve 101, a second valve 102 and a liquid outlet pipe 103;

[0068] The liquid inlet of the first valve 101 is connected to the external fluid source, and the liquid outlet of the first valve 101 is connected to the liquid storage tank body;

[0069] The liquid inlet of the second valve 102 is connected to the liquid storage tank body, and the second valve 102 is used to drain the liquid storage tank body;

[0070] One end of the liquid outlet pipe 103 is connected to the liquid storage tank body 11, and the other end of the liquid outlet pipe 103 is connected to the filling pipe 3 through the filling pump.

[0071] As an example, support structure 1 is a cylindrical column structure that supports the entire automatic fluid filling device. Two support structures 1 are provided, with identical dimensions and symmetrically arranged. Bases 12 are provided at the ends of the support structures 1 to support the liquid storage tank body 11.

[0072] 1-3 , the liquid storage box body 11 is composed of a bottom plate 111 , a top plate 112 and side plates 113 to form an internal hollow and sealed liquid storage cavity, so that it has a liquid storage function.

[0073] 3 , in some embodiments, an exhaust valve 104 is provided at the top plate 112 . The exhaust valve 104 is in communication with the liquid storage tank body 11 and can discharge the gas in the liquid storage tank body 11 .

[0074] A fluid pipeline 114 is designed in the liquid storage tank body 11. During the installation process, the bottom plate 111 of the liquid storage tank body 11 is connected to the base 12 and the pipeline control element. The cables and / or pipes connected to the pipeline control element are set in the fluid pipeline 114. These cables and / or pipes can be hidden, making the appearance more beautiful.

[0075] As shown in Figure 2, the base 12 includes a first mounting plate 121 and a support 122. One end of the support 122 is fixedly connected to the first mounting plate 121, and the other end of the support 122 is connected to the bottom plate of the liquid storage tank body 11. The first mounting plate 121 can be a flat plate with multiple mounting holes 1211 provided thereon, which serve to secure the support structure 1. During installation, the liquid storage tank body 11, support 122, and first mounting plate 121 are first assembled, and then the first mounting plate 121 is secured to the ground using the mounting holes 1211. The interior space of the base 12 is used to house pipeline control components.

[0076] As an example, four pillars 122 are provided, and the four pillars 122 are arranged along the circumferential direction of the bottom plate 111. After the pipeline control element is installed on the bottom plate 111 and the pipeline control element is connected to the liquid storage tank body 11, the pipeline control element as a whole is located between the bottom plate 111 and the first mounting plate 121. At the same time, the water channel element is also located between the four pillars 220, so that the pipeline control element can be hidden.

[0077] In some embodiments, the base 12 further includes an exterior panel 123 and an access door 124, as shown in FIG1 . The exterior panel 123 is fixedly mounted on the four pillars 122 by welding. A notch is provided on the exterior panel 123 for mounting the access door 124. The access door 124 is hingedly connected to the exterior panel 123, enabling access to the pipeline control components within the base for maintenance and replacement, and also providing waterproof and dustproof functions.

[0078] It should be noted that during the refilling process, the first valve 101 remains normally open and the second valve 102 remains normally closed, and an external fluid source (such as municipal water) can automatically refill the liquid storage tank body 11. During the drainage process, the first valve 101 remains normally closed and the second valve 102 remains normally open to achieve the drainage effect.

[0079] One end of the filling pipe 3 is connected to the liquid storage chamber of the support structure 1 through the fluid pipeline 114. Specifically, the liquid outlet pipe 103 is connected to one end of the filling pump, and the other end of the filling pump is connected to the filling pipe 3 to extract the liquid in the liquid storage tank body 11. The other end of the filling pipe 3 is the liquid outlet of the automatic fluid filling device.

[0080] The liquid storage tank body 11 acts as a buffer during the filling process to prevent the filling speed from slowing down due to over-fast filling and too slow liquid replenishment. By adjusting the extraction speed and liquid replenishment speed of the filling pump, the filling speed during the filling process tends to be stable.

[0081] 1 and 4 , in some embodiments, the mounting bracket 2 is symmetrically arranged on the support structure 1 , and a plurality of mounting columns 21 are provided on each side of the mounting bracket 2 , and the top surfaces of the plurality of mounting columns 21 on each side are inclined and the heights decrease sequentially;

[0082] A roof 4 is mounted on the mounting column 21 and is arranged obliquely at a certain angle to the horizontal plane. The oblique direction of the roof 4 is downwardly inclined away from the filling pipe 3 .

[0083] 3 , as an example, a second mounting plate 22 is provided at the lower portion of the mounting bracket 2 close to the supporting structure 1 , and the second mounting plate 22 is screwed and fixed to the top plate 112 of the liquid storage tank body 11 .

[0084] Two mounting brackets 2 are symmetrically arranged on the support structure 1, providing mounting points for the mobile structure 5 and the roof 4. Each mounting bracket 2 is equipped with multiple mounting posts 21, with the top surfaces of these posts 21 arranged at an angle and decreasing in height. These posts 21 have screw holes, and the roof 4 is screwed to these posts 21 using fastening screws. The roof 4 is tilted at an angle to the horizontal and slopes downward away from the filling pipe 3, as shown in Figure 5. This allows any rain or snow that falls onto the roof 4 to fall away smoothly, preventing accumulation.

[0085] As an example, the roof 4 serves as a barrier to rain and snow for the entire automatic fluid filling device, and its material must be corrosion-resistant, preferably plastic, such as PC board, acrylic board, etc. The roof 4 can be made of transparent or opaque material depending on the situation.

[0086] Furthermore, the upper surface of the roof 4 is provided with a plurality of strip-shaped reinforcement strips 41. These strips 41 are spaced longitudinally and / or transversely, forming a non-closed shape, facilitating the smooth shedding of rain and snow, as shown in Figure 7. The lower surface of the roof 4 is provided with a closed reinforcement frame 42, which supports the roof 4, as shown in Figure 8. The reinforcement strips 41 and reinforcement frame 42 are bolted together, forming a sandwich structure that sandwiches the roof 4 and enhances its rigidity.

[0087] Preferably, the reinforcing strip 41 and the reinforcing frame 42 are made of low-density materials with good rigidity, such as carbon fiber, thin sheet metal, aluminum profiles, etc.

[0088] 6 , a third mounting plate 23 is provided between the two support structures 1 , and an electric control box 6 is screwed onto the third mounting plate 23 . The electric control box 6 is provided with electrical components of the entire fluid automatic filling device, including a control module and a communication module.

[0089] After the vehicle to be refueled arrives at the parking point, the control module controls the movement of the movable structure 5 according to the relative position of the refueling port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the refueling pipe 3. After the refueling pipe 3 is moved to the specified position (the refueling pipe 3 is moved above the refueling port of the vehicle to be refueled, or the refueling pipe 3 is extended into the liquid storage tank of the vehicle to be refueled through the refueling port), the control module controls the refueling pump to operate, extract the liquid stored in the support structure 1, and flow it into the refueling pipe 3 through the fluid pipeline 114, and then inject it into the liquid storage tank of the vehicle to be refueled.

[0090] In some embodiments, the system further includes a cloud, wherein the cloud obtains the model of the vehicle to be refueled, the coordinates of the parking spot, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid refueling device;

[0091] According to the model of the vehicle to be refueled, the position information of the refueling port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the vehicle itself is obtained;

[0092] Obtaining the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe based on the position information, the coordinates of the parking point, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device;

[0093] The X-axis movement adjustment amount, the Y-axis movement adjustment amount, and / or the Z-axis movement adjustment amount of the moving structure are determined according to the relative position.

[0094] Specifically, the cloud stores information about vehicles of different models, including the corresponding liquid storage capacity for each model, and the location of the vehicle's filling port relative to the vehicle itself. When the vehicle to be refueled arrives at the parking spot, it sends a vehicle arrival instruction to the cloud. The vehicle arrival instruction includes the model of the vehicle to be refueled; based on the model of the vehicle to be refueled, the cloud obtains the location of the vehicle's filling port relative to the vehicle itself. The coordinates of the automatic fluid refueling device are fixed, as are the coordinates of its filling pipe 3. Therefore, the cloud or control module can calculate the relative position of the vehicle's filling port relative to the filling pipe 3 based on the location of the vehicle's filling port relative to the vehicle itself, the coordinates of the parking spot, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid refueling device.

[0095] It should be noted that when the cloud calculates the relative position, the relative position is included in the refueling start instruction and sent to the control module; when the control module calculates the relative position, it can control the movement of the mobile structure 5 without communicating with the cloud to obtain the refueling start instruction.

[0096] The control module converts the relative position into the X-axis movement adjustment amount, Y-axis movement adjustment amount or Z-axis movement adjustment amount of the mobile structure 5, and moves the filling pipe 3 to the designated position according to the movement adjustment amount. Therefore, when the vehicle to be refilled uses a high-precision map or has high self-driving accuracy, the filling pipe 3 can be moved to the designated position for refilling only by relying on coordinates and position information. The vehicle to be refilled automatically parks at the set parking point based on the high-precision map of the automatic driving. The parking point can be set to a "Y" shape or a "X" shape. Whether it is side parking or reversing into the garage, it is only necessary to align the center of the vehicle with the parking point without considering the parking posture of the vehicle. There is no restriction on the direction of the front of the vehicle. Refilling can be achieved when the front of the vehicle is facing the positive or negative direction of the XY axis, and the requirements for the parking posture of the vehicle are low. Moreover, there is no need to set up an additional visual system to obtain the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be refilled relative to the filling pipe, which reduces the design and manufacturing costs of the entire fluid automatic filling device.

[0097] Furthermore, if the self-driving accuracy of the vehicle to be refueled is low, a visual system can be added near the automatic fluid refueling device to obtain the relative position of the refueling port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the refueling pipe 3 through the visual system, and further convert it into the movement adjustment amount of the mobile structure 5.

[0098] 9 , in some embodiments, the mobile structure 5 includes: an X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 and a Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 ;

[0099] The X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 includes two parallel X-axis guide rails 511 , both ends of which are fixed to the mounting bracket 2 . An X-axis slider 512 is provided on each X-axis guide rail 511 , one of which is connected to an X-axis guide rail chain 513 . The X-axis drive motor drives the X-axis guide rail chain 513 through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the X-axis slider 512 to perform linear reciprocating motion along the X-axis guide rail 511 .

[0100] The Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 is arranged on the X-axis slider 512. The Y-axis adjustment mechanism includes two Y-axis guide rails 521 parallel to each other. The two ends of the Y-axis guide rails 521 are connected to the X-axis slider 512. A Y-axis slider 522 is provided on the Y-axis guide rail 521. The Y-axis slider 522 is connected to a Y-axis guide rail chain 523. The Y-axis drive motor drives the Y-axis guide rail chain 523 through the transmission mechanism, thereby driving the Y-axis slider 522 to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Y-axis guide rail. A filling pipe 3 perpendicular to the ground is provided on the Y-axis slider 522.

[0101] In the application scenario where the filling pipe 3 is moved to above the filling port of the vehicle to be filled, it is only necessary to adjust the position of the filling pipe 3 in the X-axis and / or Y-axis direction. The X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 is used to provide the filling pipe 3 with an X-axis position adjustment function, and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 is used to provide the filling pipe 3 with a Y-axis position adjustment function.

[0102] The drive motors for the X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 can be stepper motors or servo motors. Each of the X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 uses a limit switch, which can be mechanical or photoelectric. The use of limit switches eliminates the mileage accumulation error associated with stepper motors, ensuring the movement accuracy of the movable structure 5.

[0103] In some embodiments, the mobile structure 5 also includes: a Z-axis adjustment mechanism (not shown in the figure); the Z-axis adjustment mechanism is arranged on the Y-axis slider, the Z-axis adjustment mechanism includes a slide groove, the slide groove is connected to the Y-axis slider, the slide groove is provided with a Z-axis guide rail, the Z-axis guide rail is provided with a Z-axis slider, the Z-axis slider is connected to a Z-axis guide rail chain, the Z-axis drive motor drives the Z-axis guide rail chain through the transmission mechanism, and then drives the Z-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Z-axis guide rail, and the Z-axis slider is provided with a filling pipe 3 vertical to the ground.

[0104] In the application scenario where the filling pipe 3 is moved to above the filling port of the vehicle to be filled and extends through the filling port into the storage tank of the vehicle to be filled, not only is the position of the filling pipe 3 adjusted in the X-axis and / or Y-axis directions, but a Z-axis adjustment mechanism is also required to adjust the position of the filling pipe 3 in the Z-axis direction, so that the filling pipe 3 can extend a certain length in the Z-axis direction. Compared with filling with the filling pipe 3 above the filling port of the vehicle to be filled, the liquid to be filled changes from turbulent flow to laminar flow and flows stably, preventing the liquid from splashing everywhere.

[0105] In some embodiments, protective covers are provided on the X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 , the Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism.

[0106] As shown in Figure 1, the X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 of the moving mechanism 5 is provided with a first protective cover 53, the Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 is provided with a second protective cover 54, and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism is provided with a third protective cover (not shown in the figure). The protective covers are snap-connected to the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis adjustment mechanisms for easy disassembly, providing protection for the X-axis adjustment mechanism 51, the Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52, and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism to achieve functions such as waterproofing and dustproofing, thereby extending the service life.

[0107] In some embodiments, the filling port of the vehicle to be filled is a circular hole, and the diameter of the filling port is larger than the diameter of the nozzle of the filling pipe 3 .

[0108] Specifically, when the self-driving accuracy is low or high-precision maps are not used, the calculated relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled with respect to the filling pipe 3 is not accurate enough, and the center position of the filling pipe 3 cannot be precisely aligned with the center position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled. Within the allowable error range, the diameter of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled is set to be larger than the diameter of the pipe mouth of the filling pipe 3. Even if the filling port of the vehicle to be filled and the filling pipe 3 cannot be precisely aligned, the filling process can still be stably implemented, thereby ensuring the filling effect.

[0109] In some embodiments, the cloud pre-stores liquid storage volumes set for different models of vehicles to be refueled;

[0110] The vehicle to be refueled is provided with a metering unit, which is used to monitor the amount of liquid in the liquid storage tank in real time;

[0111] The metering unit is connected to the cloud through the communication unit of the control module. When the liquid volume reaches the liquid storage volume, the cloud sends a filling stop instruction to the control module. The control module turns off the filling pump, controls the moving structure to move to the set origin position, and clears the X-axis movement adjustment amount, Y-axis movement adjustment amount, and Z-axis movement adjustment amount.

[0112] As an example, the liquid storage volume stored in the cloud can be set as the liquid filling height, and the metering unit can use a liquid level meter, which measures the liquid volume as the liquid height. The liquid level meter periodically uploads the liquid level height in the storage tank to the cloud. The cloud calculates the difference between the liquid level height and the liquid filling height to determine whether the liquid level height reaches the liquid filling height to determine whether the filling is completed. When the liquid level height reaches the set liquid filling height, it is determined that the filling is completed.

[0113] In other embodiments, the metering unit may also adopt a liquid level switch, which is installed at a specified height in the liquid storage tank to determine whether the liquid level of the filling liquid is higher or lower than the specified height. When the liquid level of the filling liquid reaches the specified height, the liquid level switch feeds back a filling completion signal to the cloud. The cloud does not need to pre-store the liquid storage volume of the vehicle to be filled, but only needs to receive the filling completion signal fed back by the liquid level switch to determine that the filling is complete.

[0114] The liquid storage volume stored in the cloud can also be set as a capacity value or weight value. A corresponding pressure sensor is set in the liquid storage tank to obtain the capacity or weight of the liquid in the liquid storage tank. The difference between the two is judged by the cloud to determine whether the filling is completed.

[0115] It should be noted that a water outlet valve is provided on the pipe connected to the filling pipe 3. Upon receiving the filling stop command, the control module shuts down the filling pump and also closes the water outlet valve. Because a certain amount of liquid remains in the pipe after the filling pump stops pumping liquid, closing the water outlet valve prevents the liquid in the pipe from continuing to flow through the filling pipe 3 into the liquid storage tank, thereby improving filling accuracy.

[0116] After the filling is completed, if the filling pipe 3 extends into the storage tank of the vehicle to be filled, the Z-axis adjustment mechanism must first be retracted to the set initial position in the Z-axis direction, and then the X-axis adjustment mechanism 51 and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism 52 are automatically retracted to the set initial position (the corresponding coordinate position is the origin position), and the X-axis movement adjustment amount, Y-axis movement adjustment amount and Z-axis movement adjustment amount are automatically cleared to wait for the next automatic filling.

[0117] 10 , an embodiment of the present invention provides a filling method based on the above-mentioned automatic fluid filling device, including:

[0118] Step S1: The vehicle to be refueled arrives at the parking spot and sends a vehicle arrival instruction to the cloud. The vehicle arrival instruction includes the model of the vehicle to be refueled;

[0119] Step S2: The cloud obtains the position information of the fuel port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the vehicle itself based on the model of the vehicle to be refueled;

[0120] Step S3: Based on the location information, the coordinates of the parking spot, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device, the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe is obtained, and the relative position is included in a filling start instruction and sent to the control module of the automatic fluid filling device;

[0121] Step S4: The control module controls the movement of the mobile structure based on the filling start instruction, moves the filling pipe connected to the mobile structure to above the filling port of the vehicle to be filled, or controls the filling pipe to extend from the filling port to the vehicle to be filled, and then turns on the filling pump to fill the liquid;

[0122] Step S5: The liquid level in the liquid storage tank is monitored in real time by a metering unit provided on the vehicle to be refueled, and the liquid level is sent to the cloud;

[0123] Step S6: In response to the liquid volume reaching the liquid storage volume set for the vehicle to be filled, the cloud sends a filling stop instruction to the control module;

[0124] Step S7: The control module turns off the filling pump based on the filling stop instruction, controls the mobile structure to move to the set origin position, and clears the odometer information of the mobile structure to wait for the next filling.

[0125] As described above, this embodiment provides an automatic fluid filling device and filling method. The automatic fluid filling device includes a support structure, a mounting bracket, a mobile structure, and a filling pipe. One end of the support structure is fixed to the ground and the other end is connected to the mounting bracket. The support structure has a liquid storage chamber. The mounting bracket is connected to the mobile structure, and the mobile structure is electrically connected to a control module. The mobile structure is provided with a filling pipe. One end of the filling pipe is connected to the support structure through a fluid pipeline, and the other end of the filling pipe serves as the liquid outlet of the automatic fluid filling device. When the vehicle to be filled arrives at the parking point, the movement of the mobile structure is controlled according to the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled with respect to the filling pipe. After the filling pipe is moved to a designated position, the filling pump is turned on to start liquid filling. The present invention designs an automatic alignment strategy between the vehicle-end filling port and the filling pipe of the automatic fluid filling device. According to the different positions of the filling ports of different models of vehicles to be filled, the moving position of the filling pipe is adjusted so that it can be aligned with the filling port, thereby realizing automatic fluid filling for different models of vehicles to be filled in an unmanned environment.

[0126] The automatic fluid filling device provided by the present invention can realize automatic fluid filling for industries that require vehicles to transport fluids, such as sanitation, chemical industry, semiconductor, and food industry. For example, in the sanitation industry, it can solve the problem of automatic water filling for unmanned vehicles that require water operations (such as unmanned sweepers, unmanned vacuum sweepers, and unmanned wash sweepers).

[0127] The technical features of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined arbitrarily. In order to make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-mentioned embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0128] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the patent application. It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art may make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, and these modifications and improvements fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fluid automatic filling device, characterized in that: include: A support structure, one end of which is fixed to the ground and the other end of which is connected to the mounting bracket, wherein the support structure has a liquid storage cavity; The mounting bracket is connected to the mobile structure, the mobile structure is electrically connected to the control module, and a filling pipe is provided on the mobile structure, one end of the filling pipe is connected to the liquid storage cavity of the support structure through a fluid pipeline, and the other end of the filling pipe is the liquid outlet of the automatic fluid filling device; After the vehicle to be refueled arrives at the parking point, the control module controls the movement of the movable structure according to the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be refueled with respect to the filling pipe. After the filling pipe is moved to the specified position, the control module controls the filling pump provided on the fluid pipeline to operate, extracting the liquid in the support structure and injecting it into the liquid storage tank of the vehicle to be refueled through the filling pipe.

2. The automatic fluid filling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Also included is a cloud, wherein the cloud obtains the model of the vehicle to be filled, the coordinates of the parking point, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device; Obtaining position information of a filling port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the vehicle itself according to the model of the vehicle to be refueled; Obtaining a relative position of a filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe based on the position information, the coordinates of the parking point, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device; The X-axis movement adjustment amount, the Y-axis movement adjustment amount, and / or the Z-axis movement adjustment amount of the moving structure are determined according to the relative position.

3. The automatic fluid filling device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cloud pre-stores the liquid storage volume set for different models of the vehicles to be refueled; The vehicle to be refueled is provided with a metering unit, which is used to monitor the amount of liquid in the liquid storage tank in real time; The metering unit is connected to the cloud through the communication unit of the control module. In response to the liquid volume reaching the liquid storage volume, the cloud sends a filling stop instruction to the control module. The control module turns off the filling pump, controls the moving structure to move to the set origin position, and clears the X-axis movement adjustment amount, the Y-axis movement adjustment amount, and the Z-axis movement adjustment amount.

4. The automatic fluid filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The support structure includes a liquid storage tank body as a liquid storage cavity, a base and a pipeline control element; One end of the liquid storage tank body is connected to the base and the pipeline control element, and the other end is connected to the mounting bracket; The pipeline control element is arranged at the base and includes: a first valve, a second valve and a liquid outlet pipe; The liquid inlet of the first valve is connected to an external fluid source, and the liquid outlet of the first valve is connected to the liquid storage tank body; The liquid inlet of the second valve is connected to the liquid storage tank body, and the second valve is used to drain the liquid storage tank body; One end of the liquid outlet pipe is communicated with the liquid storage tank body, and the other end of the liquid outlet pipe is communicated with the filling pipe through the filling pump.

5. The automatic fluid filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The mounting brackets are symmetrically arranged on the support structure, and a plurality of mounting columns are arranged on each side of the mounting brackets. The top surfaces of the plurality of mounting columns on each side are inclined and the heights decrease sequentially. A roof is installed on the installation column and is arranged obliquely at a certain angle to the horizontal plane. The oblique direction of the roof is inclined downward in a direction away from the filling pipe.

6. The automatic fluid filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: The mobile structure includes: an X-axis adjustment mechanism and a Y-axis adjustment mechanism; The X-axis adjustment mechanism includes two X-axis guide rails parallel to each other, with both ends of the two X-axis guide rails fixed to the mounting bracket, and an X-axis slider provided on each X-axis guide rail, one of the X-axis sliders being connected to an X-axis guide rail chain, and an X-axis drive motor driving the X-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the X-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the X-axis guide rail; The Y-axis adjustment mechanism is arranged on the X-axis slider, and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism includes two Y-axis guide rails parallel to each other. The two ends of the Y-axis guide rails are connected to the X-axis slider. A Y-axis slider is provided on the Y-axis guide rail, and the Y-axis slider is connected to a Y-axis guide rail chain. The Y-axis drive motor drives the Y-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the Y-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Y-axis guide rail. The Y-axis slider is provided with the filling pipe perpendicular to the ground.

7. The automatic fluid filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The mobile structure includes: an X-axis adjustment mechanism, a Y-axis adjustment mechanism and a Z-axis adjustment mechanism; The X-axis adjustment mechanism includes two X-axis guide rails parallel to each other, with both ends of the two X-axis guide rails fixed to the mounting bracket, and an X-axis slider provided on each X-axis guide rail, one of the X-axis sliders being connected to an X-axis guide rail chain, and an X-axis drive motor driving the X-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the X-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the X-axis guide rail; The Y-axis adjustment mechanism is arranged on the X-axis slider, and the Y-axis adjustment mechanism includes two Y-axis guide rails parallel to each other, both ends of the Y-axis guide rails are connected to the X-axis slider, a Y-axis slider is arranged on the Y-axis guide rail, and the Y-axis slider is connected to a Y-axis guide rail chain, and a Y-axis drive motor drives the Y-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the Y-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Y-axis guide rail; The Z-axis adjustment mechanism is arranged on the Y-axis slider, and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism includes a slide groove, which is connected to the Y-axis slider, and a Z-axis guide rail is provided on the slide groove, and a Z-axis slider is provided on the Z-axis guide rail. The Z-axis slider is connected to a Z-axis guide rail chain, and the Z-axis drive motor drives the Z-axis guide rail chain through a transmission mechanism, thereby driving the Z-axis slider to perform linear reciprocating motion along the Z-axis guide rail, and the Z-axis slider is provided with the filling pipe vertical to the ground.

8. The automatic fluid filling device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The X-axis adjustment mechanism, the Y-axis adjustment mechanism, and the Z-axis adjustment mechanism are all provided with protective covers.

9. The automatic fluid filling device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The filling port of the vehicle to be filled is a circular hole, and the diameter of the filling port is larger than the diameter of the pipe opening of the filling pipe.

10. A filling method based on the automatic fluid filling device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: include: When a vehicle to be refueled arrives at a parking spot, a vehicle arrival instruction is sent to the cloud, and the vehicle arrival instruction includes the model of the vehicle to be refueled; The cloud obtains the position information of the filling port of the vehicle to be refueled relative to the vehicle itself based on the model of the vehicle to be refueled; Determining the relative position of the filling port of the vehicle to be filled relative to the filling pipe based on the position information, the coordinates of the parking spot, and the coordinates of the automatic fluid filling device, and including the relative position in a filling start instruction sent to a control module of the automatic fluid filling device; The control module controls the movement of the mobile structure based on the filling start instruction, moves the filling pipe connected to the mobile structure to above the filling port of the vehicle to be filled or controls the filling pipe to extend from the filling port to the vehicle to be filled, and then turns on the filling pump to fill the liquid; The liquid amount in the liquid storage tank is monitored in real time by a metering unit provided on the vehicle to be refueled, and the liquid amount is sent to the cloud; The cloud sends a filling stop instruction to the control module in response to the liquid amount reaching the liquid storage amount set for the vehicle to be filled; The control module turns off the filling pump based on the filling stop instruction, controls the mobile structure to move to a set origin position, and clears the odometer information of the mobile structure to wait for the next filling.

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