Delivery robot

Abstract

This delivery robot comprises: a body including a door opened and closed upward and a loading unit therein; a lifter located inside the loading unit and moving in a vertical direction; and a control unit for controlling the lifter to move up to a lifting height, wherein the lifter includes: a lift plate including a lower surface part supporting a lower portion of an article and a side surface part positioned in a first direction of the lower surface part; a guide slot formed on the side surface part of the lift plate; a lift bracket including a guide roller inserted into the guide slot to be moved, and positioned outside the side surface part; and a driving part for moving the lift bracket in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to vertically move the lift plate, wherein the guide slot has multiple inclined parts and multiple horizontal parts alternately arranged therein. Therefore, when receiving an article, a user does not need to bend at the waist much, and thus the delivery robot may provide improved user experience.

Description

Delivery robot

[0001] The present invention relates to a delivery robot that transports goods to a destination.

[0002] Robots have been developed for industrial use to fulfill a portion of factory automation. Recently, the scope of robotics applications has expanded, with developments not only of medical and aerospace robots but also of 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 bulk items, there is a growing demand for delivery robots that can transport smaller items to their destinations.

[0006] Typically, delivery robots are shorter than the user's height to ensure stable operation. When a user removes a delivered item from the loading area, the top door opens, allowing the user to lift it upward. However, users must bend down to retrieve the item, and if the loading area is deep, it can be difficult to retrieve items located on the floor.

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a delivery robot including a lifter that lifts goods so that a user can easily lift goods from a loading area without having to bend down too much when receiving the goods.

[0008] The present invention provides a delivery robot comprising: a body including a door that opens upward and a loading portion therein; a lifter positioned inside the loading portion and moving up and down; and a control unit that controls the lifter to move by a lifting height, wherein the lifter comprises: a lift plate including a lower portion that supports a lower portion of an article and a side portion positioned in a first direction of the lower portion; a guide slot formed in a side portion of the lift plate; a lift bracket including a guide roller that is inserted into and moves in the guide slot and is positioned outside the side portion; and a driving unit that moves the lift bracket in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to move the lift plate up and down, wherein the guide slot has a plurality of inclined portions and a plurality of horizontal portions alternately arranged.

[0009] The above side portions are positioned symmetrically on both sides of the first direction of the above lower portion,

[0010] The above lift bracket may include a pair of lift bars symmetrically positioned on both sides of the first direction and having the guide roller positioned at the top; and a connecting bar connecting the pair of lift bars.

[0011] The above driving unit may include a driving motor; a rotary pulley that rotates by receiving the rotational force of the driving motor; a belt coupled to the rotary pulley; and a fixing block that fixes the connecting bar to the belt.

[0012] The above fixed block may be positioned at the center of the above connecting bar, and the above lift bracket may include a first roller that contacts the lower surface of the above loading portion.

[0013] The above lift bracket may include a second roller that rotates in contact with a side surface of the lift plate.

[0014] It may include an internal sensor that measures the height of an item loaded on the loading unit by photographing the inside of the loading unit, and a control unit that determines the lifting height based on the height of the item and determines the movement distance of the lift bracket.

[0015] The above lifting height may have a value greater than the value obtained by subtracting the height of the goods from the height of the loading section.

[0016] The above lifting height may be such that the guide roller can be positioned in the horizontal portion of the guide slot.

[0017] The above plurality of horizontal sections are formed to be spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction by a first height, and the lifting height may be n (integer) times the first height.

[0018] The above plurality of horizontal sections are arranged at a first length interval in the second direction.

[0019] The movement distance of the above lift bracket may correspond to n times the first length.

[0020] A guide rod positioned at a corner of the above loading section; and a guide bushing coupled to the lift plate and inserted into the guide rod to move up and down together with the lift plate.

[0021] The upper end of the above side portion can be inclined in the second direction.

[0022] The delivery robot of the present invention can improve convenience of use because the user does not have to bend down too much when receiving goods.

[0023] In addition, the delivery robot of the present invention can lift an item to an appropriate height depending on its size.

[0024] In addition, the delivery robot of the present invention has the advantage of excellent durability of the lifter since the height can be fixed even if the motor is not driven at a specific height.

[0025] 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.

[0026] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a cloud system based on a 5G network according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] Figure 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of a delivery robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0028] Figure 3 is a front perspective view of a delivery robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of a delivery robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a delivery robot in its basic state according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a delivery robot in an ascending state according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating a lifter of a delivery robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] Figure 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of a lifter of a delivery robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for unloading goods loaded onto a delivery robot according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] For this purpose, robots equipped with artificial intelligence are appearing.

[0036] Robots can be implemented as guide robots, transport robots, cleaning robots, wearable robots, entertainment robots, pet robots, and unmanned flying robots by applying AI technology.

[0037] The robot may include a robot control module for controlling movements, and the robot control module may mean a software module or a chip that implements the same as hardware.

[0038] Robots can use sensor information acquired from various types of sensors to obtain status information about the robot, detect (recognize) the surrounding environment and objects, generate map data, determine movement paths and driving plans, determine responses to user interactions, or determine actions.

[0039] A robot can perform the aforementioned actions using a learning model comprised of at least one artificial neural network. For example, the robot can use the learning model to recognize its surroundings and objects, and determine actions based on the recognized information about the surroundings or objects. The learning model may be learned directly by the robot or from an external device, such as an AI server.

[0040] At this time, the robot can perform actions by generating results using a direct learning model, but it can also perform actions by transmitting sensor information to an external device such as an AI server and receiving the results generated accordingly.

[0041] Artificial intelligence enables robots to perform autonomous driving. This refers to technology that enables them to independently determine the optimal path and avoid obstacles. Currently applied autonomous driving technologies can include technologies that maintain lanes, technologies that automatically adjust speed like adaptive cruise control, technologies that automatically drive along a set route, and technologies that automatically set a route when a destination is set.

[0042] To perform autonomous driving, a vehicle may incorporate numerous sensors to perceive its surroundings. These sensors include proximity sensors, light sensors, accelerometers, magnetic sensors, gyro sensors, inertial sensors, RGB sensors, IR sensors, fingerprint recognition sensors, ultrasonic sensors, light sensors, microphones, lidar, and radar.

[0043] In addition to information collected from sensors, autonomous driving can be achieved using image data collected through RGBC cameras, infrared cameras, and audio data collected through microphones. Furthermore, driving can be based on information entered through the user input interface. Map data, location information, and surrounding information collected through the wireless communication unit are also essential for autonomous driving.

[0044] Map data may include object identification information for various objects located in the space where the robot moves. For example, map data may include object identification information for fixed objects such as walls and doors, as well as movable objects such as flower pots and desks. Object identification information may include name, type, distance, and location.

[0045] Therefore, robots must be equipped with sensors, various input devices, and wireless communication devices to collect data that AI can learn from. They can synthesize various information to perform optimal operations. The learning processor that performs AI can be embedded in the robot's control unit to perform learning. Alternatively, the collected information can be transmitted to a server, where it can learn from the server and then transmit the learning results back to the robot, enabling autonomous driving.

[0046] Robots equipped with artificial intelligence can collect information about their surroundings even in new locations and create a complete map. Furthermore, the larger the accumulated information in key areas of activity, the more accurate autonomous driving can be achieved.

[0047] A touchscreen or buttons may be provided to receive user input, and commands may be received by recognizing the user's voice. The processor may utilize at least one of a STT (Speech-To-Text) engine to convert voice input into a string, or a Natural Language Processing (NLP) engine to obtain intent information in natural language, thereby obtaining intent information corresponding to the user input.

[0048] At this time, at least one of the STT engine or NLP engine may be configured with an artificial neural network, at least in part, trained according to a machine learning algorithm. Furthermore, at least one of the STT engine or NLP engine may be trained by a learning processor, by a learning processor of an AI server, or by distributed processing of these.

[0049] FIG. 1 illustrates a 5G network-based cloud system (1000) according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Referring to FIG. 1, a cloud system (1000) may include a delivery robot (100), a mobile terminal (300), a robot control system (600), various devices (400), and a 5G network (500).

[0051] A delivery robot (100) is a robot that transports goods (L) from a point of departure to a destination. The delivery robot (100) can move directly from a logistics center to the destination, or it can load goods (L) onto a vehicle and move them from the logistics center to the vicinity of the destination, then unload them near the destination and move them to the destination.

[0052] In addition, the delivery robot (100) can move goods (L) to their destination not only outdoors but also indoors. The delivery robot (100) can be implemented as an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle), and the AGV can be a delivery device that moves by sensors, magnetic fields, vision devices, etc. on the floor.

[0053] A delivery robot (100) may include a storage area for storing items (L). The storage area may be divided to load various items (L), and various types of items (L) may be placed in the divided, multiple partial storage areas. Accordingly, mixing of items (L) may be prevented.

[0054] The mobile terminal (300) can communicate with the delivery 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 goods (L) or a device carried by a user of the loaded goods (L). 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)).

[0055] The robot control system (600) can remotely control the delivery robot (100) and respond to various requests from the delivery robot (100). For example, the robot control system (600) can perform calculations using artificial intelligence based on requests from the delivery robot (100).

[0056] In addition, the robot control system (600) can set the movement path of the delivery robot (100), and when there are multiple destinations, the robot control system (600) can set the movement order of the destinations.

[0057] The various devices (400) may include a personal computer (PC, 400a), an autonomous vehicle (400b), a home robot (400c), etc. When the delivery robot (100) arrives at the transport destination of the goods (L), it can directly deliver the goods (L) to the home robot (400c) through communication with the home robot (400c).

[0058] Various devices (400) can be connected wirelessly or wiredly to a delivery robot (100), a mobile terminal (300), a robot control system (600), etc. through a 5G network (500).

[0059] The above delivery robot (100), mobile terminal (300), robot control system (600), 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a delivery robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. The description will be made with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, which illustrate a delivery robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0062] Referring to FIG. 2, the delivery robot (100) may include a body including a loading space, and the components described below may be included in the body. The delivery robot (100) may include a communication unit (110), an input unit (120), a sensor unit (140), an output unit (150), a memory (185), a driving unit (170), a control unit (180), and a power supply unit (190).

[0063] The components illustrated in FIG. 2 are not essential for implementing a delivery robot (100), and thus, the delivery robot (100) described in this specification may have more or fewer components than the components listed above.

[0064] The communication unit (110, Transceiver) may include a wired or wireless communication module capable of communicating with the robot control system (600).

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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, hereinafter referred to as “microphone”) 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.

[0067] 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.

[0068] A camera (121) is positioned forward to detect obstacles in front, and multiple cameras may be positioned at different angles as illustrated in Fig. 3. Multiple cameras (121) with different shooting directions, such as a camera that recognizes a wide area in front and a camera that captures the floor, may be provided.

[0069] Alternatively, cameras with different functions may be provided. For example, a wide-angle camera, an infrared camera, etc. may be provided. The camera may function as a sensor unit (140) to detect surrounding objects.

[0070] The user input unit (122) may include a button or a touch panel overlapping with a display (151). 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 delivery robot (100).

[0071] The user input unit (122) includes all methods for receiving user commands, and thus can recognize user commands through voice recognition. In other words, a voice recognition device that analyzes voice collected from a microphone (123) to extract user commands can also function as the user input unit (122).

[0072] The input unit (120) may include an item (L) information input unit, and the item (L) information input unit may receive size information, weight information, destination information, information about the delivery requester, etc. of the item (L). At this time, the item (L) information input unit may include a code reader.

[0073] The sensor unit (140) can obtain at least one of internal information of the delivery robot (100), information about the surrounding environment of the delivery robot (100), and user information using various sensors.

[0074] At this time, the sensor unit (140) may include various types of sensors for recognizing the surroundings for autonomous driving. Representative examples include a distance detection sensor or proximity sensor (141) and a lidar (142).

[0075] 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 an emitted ultrasonic wave to return. A plurality of proximity sensors may be provided along the perimeter, and one may also be provided on the upper side to detect obstacles above.

[0076] 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.

[0077] Lasers can damage human eyesight because they use light with a wavelength of 600–1000 nm. Lidar (342) 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.

[0078] In addition, the sensor unit (140) 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.

[0079] In addition, a sensor may be provided to detect the movement of the inside of the delivery robot (100) or the delivery robot (100) itself, such as whether an item (L) (L) is loaded inside the delivery robot (100) or whether a door is opened or closed.

[0080] The output unit (150) can generate output related to vision, hearing, or touch, etc., and 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 an ultrasonic signal belonging to an inaudible frequency, etc., and can include a haptic module that outputs tactile information.

[0081] The unloading module (160) transports goods (L) loaded in the loading section (135) to the outside of the body (130) of the delivery robot (100). Referring to FIG. 4, it includes an upper door (132) and a rear door (133), and can unload goods (L) in one of two ways: an upper unloading (161) method in which the upper door is opened to unload goods (L) so that the user can receive them directly, and a rear unloading (165) method in which the rear door is opened to unload goods (L) at a designated location.

[0082] The memory (185) stores data supporting various functions of the delivery robot (100). The memory (185) can store a number of application programs (or applications) running on the delivery robot (100), data for the operation of the delivery robot (100), and commands.

[0083] Additionally, the memory (185) can store information necessary for performing operations using artificial intelligence, machine learning, and artificial neural networks. The memory (185) 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.

[0084] The power supply unit (190) receives external power and internal power under the control of the processor (190) and supplies power to each component of the delivery robot (100). The power supply unit (190) includes a battery (191), 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.

[0085] The driving unit (170) is a means for moving the delivery robot (100), and may include wheels or legs, and may include a wheel driving unit and a leg driving unit for controlling the wheels or legs. The delivery robot (100), including the body (130), can be moved by controlling a plurality of wheels provided on the bottom surface of the wheel driving unit. The wheels may include a main wheel for fast driving, a caster for changing direction, and an auxiliary caster for stable driving to prevent the loaded goods (L) (L) from falling during driving.

[0086] A delivery robot (100) can move its body through a driving unit (170) equipped with at least one of a wheel driving unit and / or a leg driving unit. However, in this specification, an example in which a wheel driving unit is mounted on a mobile robot (100) is mainly described.

[0087] The control unit (180) is a module that controls the components of the delivery 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. Examples of such data processing devices built into hardware 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.

[0088] The delivery robot (100) includes a loading space in its body (130), and the loading space may include a side wall or cover to protect it from falling. Referring to FIG. 3, the robot is illustrated as having a cover, but a form in which only the side wall is provided, omitting the upper surface, is also possible.

[0089] The loading space does not have a separate floor division in the drawing, but is composed of multiple floors and can be divided into each floor to load multiple items (L). After unloading the lower items (L), the upper items (L) can be moved to the lower floor to unload additional items (L).

[0090] The control unit (180) can collect at least one of the following: number of items (L) (L) to be placed in the loading space, weight information, size information, delivery order information, and security level information. For example, the control unit (180) can collect the above information through the input unit (120). The input of the input unit (120) can also include touch input on the display.

[0091] Based on the collected information, the control unit (180) can transmit information on the goods (L) (L) loaded in the loading space to the mobile terminal (300 in FIG. 1) through the communication unit (110).

[0092] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a delivery robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a delivery robot (100) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0093] A delivery robot (100) includes a body (130) including a loading space (135) therein and a driving unit (170) located at the bottom of the body (130). The body (130) includes a base (137) (137, see FIG. 5) constituting the bottom of the loading unit (135), and a case (131) covering the front and left and right sides of the loading unit (135). The upper and rear surfaces of the body (130) include openable doors (132, 133). The upper door (132) of the present embodiment is of a hinged type and the rear door (133) can be opened and closed in a sliding manner, but the present invention is not limited thereto and various types of doors may be applied.

[0094] As illustrated in FIG. 3, a display unit (151), a first camera (121a), a speaker (152), a rider (142), and a first proximity sensor (141a) located at the front are illustrated. A second camera (121b) and a second proximity sensor (141b) may further be included to detect obstacles on the side. As illustrated in FIG. 4, a third camera (121c) and a third proximity sensor (141c) may further be included to detect obstacles on the rear.

[0095] Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the internal structure of a delivery robot (100) in its basic state according to one embodiment of the present invention. A loading unit (135) may be located in a space surrounded by a case (131) and doors (132, 133).

[0096] A plate-shaped base (137) positioned on the upper portion of the driving portion (170) may be included so that the product (L) can be placed on the loading portion (135). A front frame (138) positioned in front of the loading portion (135) may serve to separate the camera, sensor, etc. positioned in front of the delivery robot (100) from the product (L).

[0097] Although the item (L) can be directly placed on the top of the base (137), the present invention is characterized by including a lifter (200) that pushes the item (L) upward so that the item (L) can be easily lifted when the user takes out the item (L) inside the loading section (135) using the upper door (132).

[0098] Referring to FIG. 5, the lifter (200) of the present invention may include a lift plate (210), a lift bracket (230), and a driving unit (240). The lift plate (210) may include a lower portion (212) on which an article (L) is placed, and a side portion (211) positioned in a first direction (D1) of the lower portion (212). The side portions (211) of the present embodiment are provided symmetrically on both sides of the first direction (D1), and the lift plate (210) may have a T-shape.

[0099] The first direction (D1) is illustrated as the left-right direction of the delivery robot (100), but is not necessarily limited thereto. However, it is preferable that the side portion (211) be positioned in the left-right direction of the delivery robot (100) so that the side portion (211) does not block the rear door (133) of the delivery robot (100). In the following, for convenience of explanation, the first direction (D1) is described as the left-right direction, and the second direction (D2), which is perpendicular to the first direction (D1), is described as the front-back direction.

[0100] A guide slot (220) is formed on the side surface (211) of the lift plate (210). The guide slot (220) may be inclined and extend in the second direction (D2). The guide slot (220) may have different heights in the second direction (D2), and may be inclined such that one side is higher and the other side is lower.

[0101] A guide roller (233) inserted into a guide slot (220) may be positioned and a lift bracket (230) that moves in a second direction (D2) may be included. The lift bracket (230) may include a lift bar (231) positioned on the outside of the side portion (211), and since the lift plate (210) includes a pair of side portions (211), the lift bar (231) may also include a pair.

[0102] The lift bracket (230) is located at the lower part of the lower surface (212) of the lift plate (210) and may include a connecting bar (232) connecting a pair of lift bars (231), and the lift bracket (230) may also have a T-shape.

[0103] Since the guide roller (233) of the lift bracket (230) moves along the guide slot (220) formed in the side portion (211) of the lift plate (210), the movement distance of the lift bracket (230) in the second direction (D2) is limited to the length of the guide slot (220) in the second direction (D2), and can move a shorter distance than the length of the lift plate (210) in the second direction (D2).

[0104] The guide roller (233) can be positioned at the top of the lift bar (231), and since the guide slot (220) is inclined, when the lift bracket (230) is positioned in the second direction (D2), the lift plate (210) can be positioned in the vertical direction.

[0105] Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the internal structure of a delivery robot (100) in an elevated state according to one embodiment of the present invention. In the elevated state, the vertical position of the lift plate (210) may change when the lift bracket (230) moves and its position on the guide slot (220) changes.

[0106] The lift bracket (230) moves linearly in the second direction (D2), and the direction of force is changed through the guide slot (220) so that the lift plate (210) can move vertically. The driving unit (240) that moves the lift bracket (230) in the second direction (D2) can be located at the bottom of the loading unit (135) as illustrated in FIG. 6.

[0107] The driving unit (240) may include a linear motor (241) or a configuration that converts the rotational force of the motor (241) into a linear force since it provides a linear force in the second direction (D2). For example, it may include a rotary pulley (242) that rotates by receiving the force of the motor (241) that provides the rotational force, and a belt (243) that is wound around the rotary pulley (242) and circulates, and may include a fixing block (245) for a lift bracket (230) on the belt (243).

[0108] Fig. 7 is a side view showing a lifter (200) of a delivery robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention, and shows a driving unit (240) including a pair of rotary pulleys (242), a belt (243), and a fixed block (245). Alternatively, it may be configured with a ball screw that rotates by receiving the rotary force of a motor (241) and a ball screw (fixed block (245)) that is fitted to the ball screw and moves linearly in the longitudinal direction of the ball screw.

[0109] In order to provide a force evenly to a pair of lift bars (231), the driving unit (240) can be positioned at the center of the second direction (D2), and since the lift bracket (230) is positioned at the upper part of the base (137) and the driving unit (240) is positioned at the lower part of the base (137), the position where the fixed block (245) of the driving unit (240) moves can be omitted.

[0110] Since twisting of the lift bracket (230) may occur when the lift bracket (230) and the driving unit (240) are connected at one point, the lift bracket (230) may include rollers to prevent twisting and induce stable movement. The rollers may include a first roller (235) that rotates in contact with the base (137) and a second roller (236) that moves in contact with the side portion (211) of the lift plate (210).

[0111] The first roller (235) may be positioned at the bottom of the lift bar (231), and the second roller (236) may be positioned in the middle of the lift bar (231). If it is difficult to secure a gap corresponding to the diameter of the first roller (235) between the side portion (211) and the lift bar (231), a hole may be formed in the lift bar (231) so that the second roller (236) may pass through the lift bar (231). The first roller (235) and the second roller (236) may assist the linear movement of the lift bar (231) by moving along two vertical surfaces (the base (137) and the side portion (211)).

[0112] When the lift plate (210) is supported only by the guide roller (233), the lift plate (210) can be tilted in the second direction (D2) depending on the position of the guide roller (233). Therefore, it may include four guide rods extending vertically to support four corners of the lift plate (210) and a guide bush (251) inserted into the guide rods and fixed to the lift plate (210).

[0113] As illustrated in Fig. 4, the hinge of the upper door (132) is positioned at the front so that the rear side opens first, allowing the user to receive the item (L) from the rear of the delivery robot (100). Accordingly, the slope of the guide slot (220) can be extended in a downward direction toward the rear of the delivery robot (100).

[0114] Referring to Fig. 7, the guide slot (220) has a plurality of horizontal portions (222) and a plurality of inclined portions (221) arranged alternately. The inclined portions (221) serve to convert the second direction (D2) movement of the lift bracket (230) into the vertical direction movement of the lift plate (210), and the horizontal portions (222) serve to fix the position of the lift plate (210).

[0115] In the absence of a horizontal member (222), the driving member (240) provides driving force to support the force of gravity of the lift plate (210) to fix the position of the lift plate (210), or even if the gear that transmits the force of the motor (241) is fixed, the gear may be damaged if the weight of the item (L) loaded on the lift plate (210) is heavy.

[0116] Therefore, when the lift plate (210) is positioned at a specific height, a horizontal portion (222) is required to support that height, and several sections can be divided between the two ends of the guide slot (220) to alternately arrange the horizontal portion (222) and the inclined portion (221).

[0117] The lengths of the plurality of horizontal sections (222) or the lengths of the plurality of inclined sections (221) may be different, but since it is easy to calculate the lifting height (h) when they are arranged uniformly, the present invention will be described based on a case in which the horizontal sections (222) and inclined sections (221) are of the same length.

[0118] In this embodiment, the height of the horizontal portion (222) may be spaced apart by a first height (b) interval, and may be spaced apart by a first length (a) interval in the second direction (D2). Here, the first height (b) and the first length (a) refer to the distance between the centers of the horizontal portions (222).

[0119] The lifting height (h) of the lifter (200) can be determined differently depending on the height of the item (L). If the height of the item (L) is high, moving the lift plate (210) to the top may cause the center of gravity to move too high, which may affect the stability of the delivery robot (100). However, even if the lift plate (210) is raised slightly upward, the item (L) moves to the upper part of the body (130), allowing for easy receipt of the item (L).

[0120] Fig. 8 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of a lifter (200) of a delivery robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment illustrates a method for determining the lifting height (h) of the lifter (200) based on the height of an item (L) stored in the loading section (135) of the delivery robot (100).

[0121] First, the height of the item (L) can be input (S110). The height of the item (L) can be directly input by the user or input from information about the item (L), or an internal sensor (143) that detects the height of the item (L) can be included. The internal sensor (143) can be equipped with a depth camera or distance sensor that photographs the interior of the loading section (135).

[0122] The lifting height (h) is calculated based on the height of the item (L) and the height of the loading section (135) (S120). Since the upper part of the item (L) is located at the upper part of the body (130) opened by the upper door (132) so that the user can easily receive it, the lifting height (h) should be equal to or greater than the value obtained by subtracting the height of the item (L) from the height of the loading section (135).

[0123] At this time, in order for the height to be fixed after the lift plate (210) moves vertically, the guide roller (233) must be positioned on the horizontal portion (222) of the guide slot (220). Therefore, the lifting height can be determined corresponding to the height of the horizontal portion (222). The lifting height can be determined as an integer multiple of the first height (b).

[0124] The lifting height (h) is greater than the value obtained by subtracting the height (e) of the goods (L) from the height (c) of the loading portion (135) among the integer (n) times the first height (b), and in the case of Fig. 7, n is 3. Once the lifting height (h) is determined, the movement distance (d, stroke) of the lift bracket (230) can be calculated based on this (S130).

[0125] At this time, the movement distance (d) of the lift bracket (230) is n times the first length (a), and if this is expressed as a function, it is f stroke () = Lifting height (h) / First height (b) * First length (a).

[0126] In order to implement the movement distance (d) of the lift bracket (230), the angle at which the motor (241) of the driving unit (240) rotates (or the motor (241) step) can be calculated (S140). The motor (241) step can be calculated by dividing the movement distance (d) of the lift bracket (230) by the linear movement distance per motor (241) step, and the lift plate (210) can be raised and lowered by driving the motor (241) by the calculated step (S150).

[0127] Figure 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method for unloading goods (L) loaded onto a delivery robot (100) according to one embodiment of the present invention. The delivery robot (100) of the present invention further includes a rear door (133) located at the rear, and can deliver goods (L) by having the user unload at a designated location without having to pick them up directly.

[0128] By determining whether the user receives the goods (L) in person or remotely (S210), the goods (L) are delivered in different ways. If the user receives the goods in person, the user inputs a password directly into the delivery robot (100) or uses an application to express his / her intention to receive the goods (S220), and the upper door (132) of the delivery robot (100) can be opened (S230).

[0129] The delivery robot (100) of the present invention is equipped with a door sensor (144) to detect the opening of the upper door (132), and can move the lift plate (210) to the calculated lifting height according to the sequence of FIG. 8 described above. When the user receives the item (L) (S250), the delivery robot (100) can close the upper door (132) and move to a designated location.

[0130] Meanwhile, if the user does not directly receive the item (L), when the user arrives at the designated location (S260), the rear door (133) can be opened (S270), and the item (L) can be unloaded by sliding through the rear door (133) (S280). When unloading of the item (L) is completed (S290), the delivery robot (100) can close the rear door (133) and move to the designated location.

[0131] The delivery robot (100) of the present invention can deliver in two ways, thereby enhancing the convenience of receiving. The delivery robot (100) of the present invention can improve the convenience of use because the user does not have to bend down too much when receiving the item (L).

[0132] In addition, the delivery robot (100) of the present invention can lift the product (L) to an appropriate height depending on its size.

[0133] In addition, the delivery robot (100) of the present invention has the advantage of excellent durability of the lifter (200) because the height can be fixed even if the motor (241) is not driven at a specific height.

[0134] 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.

[0135] With respect to various embodiments for implementing the present invention, duplicate descriptions are omitted as they have been described above in the previous table of contents, Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention.

[0136] The present invention is applicable to delivery robots in various fields, and thus its industrial applicability is recognized.

Claims

1. A body including a door that opens upward and a loading compartment inside; A lifter located inside the above loading section and moving up and down; and It includes a control unit that controls the lifter to move by the lifting height, The above lifter, A lift plate including a lower portion supporting the lower portion of the article and a side portion positioned in the first direction of the lower portion; Guide slots formed on the side of the lift plate; A lift bracket including a guide roller that is inserted into the guide slot and moves, and is located on the outside of the side portion; and It includes a driving unit that moves the lift bracket in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction to move the lift plate in the up-and-down direction, The above guide slot is a delivery robot in which a plurality of inclined sections and a plurality of horizontal sections are alternately arranged.

2. In paragraph 1, The above side portions are positioned symmetrically on both sides of the first direction of the above lower portion, The above lift bracket A lift bar symmetrically positioned in pairs on both sides of the first direction and having the guide roller positioned on the top; and A delivery robot characterized by including a connecting bar connecting the pair of lift bars.

3. In paragraph 2, The above driving part drive motor; A rotary pulley that rotates by receiving the rotational power of the above driving motor; A belt coupled to the above rotating pulley; A delivery robot characterized by including a fixing block for fixing the connecting bar to the belt.

4. In paragraph 3, The above fixed block is located in the center of the above connecting bar, The above lift bracket A delivery robot characterized by including a first roller in contact with the lower surface of the loading section.

5. In paragraph 1, The above lift bracket, A delivery robot characterized by including a second roller that rotates in contact with the side surface of the lift plate.

6. In paragraph 1, Includes an internal sensor that photographs the inside of the loading section and measures the height of the items loaded in the loading section, A delivery robot characterized by including a control unit that determines the lifting height according to the height of the product and determines the movement distance of the lift bracket.

7. In paragraph 6, The above lifting height is A delivery robot characterized in that it has a value greater than the value obtained by subtracting the height of the item from the height of the loading section.

8. In paragraph 1, The above lifting height is A delivery robot characterized in that the above guide roller is positioned at a height that is horizontal to the above guide slot.

9. In paragraph 8, A delivery robot characterized in that the plurality of horizontal sections are formed to be spaced apart from each other by a first height in the vertical direction, and the lifting height is n (integer) times the first height.

10. In paragraph 9, The above multiple horizontal sections are arranged at a first length interval in the above second direction. The movement distance of the above lift bracket is A delivery robot characterized by having a length corresponding to n times the first length.

11. In paragraph 1, A guide rod located at the corner of the above loading section; A delivery robot characterized by including a guide bush that is coupled to the lift plate and inserted into the guide rod to move up and down together with the lift plate.

12. In paragraph 1, A delivery robot characterized in that the upper part of the side is inclined in the second direction.

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