Robot chassis and autonomous mobile robot

Abstract

A robot chassis and an autonomous mobile robot. The robot chassis comprises a chassis body, and a wheel set is provided on each of two sides of the chassis body. Each wheel set comprises a suspension swing arm; a rear auxiliary wheel and a rear universal wheel are provided at a first end of the suspension swing arm in the length direction, and a driving wheel is provided at a second end of the suspension swing arm in the length direction; and the rear auxiliary wheel and the rear universal wheel are arranged one behind the other. The suspension swing arm is similar to a lever, and the suspension swing arm enables the chassis to adapt to multiple grounds such as grounds made of different materials and uneven grounds; and the suspension swing arm can also automatically regulate the pressure of the driving wheel when the robot chassis crosses an obstacle, so that the robot can better adapt to load changes. In addition, a driving wheel, a rear auxiliary wheel, and a rear universal wheel are provided on each of the two sides of the chassis body, thereby effectively improving the load capacity and stability of the robot.

Description

Robot chassis and autonomous mobile robots

[0001] Cross-referencing

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202422674125.4, filed on November 1, 2024, entitled "Robot Chassis and Autonomous Mobile Robot", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This application relates to the field of robotics technology, and more particularly to a robot chassis and an autonomous mobile robot. Background Technology

[0004] In the warehousing and logistics field, AMR (Automatic Mobile Robot) is widely used. The chassis of an AMR typically has a wheel system, which includes drive wheels and casters mounted on the chassis. The layout of the robot's wheel system determines its operating efficiency and reliability.

[0005] However, most existing robots have problems such as insufficient operational flexibility, poor ground adaptability, and limited load capacity.

[0006] Application content

[0007] In view of the above problems, this application is made to provide a robot chassis and an autonomous mobile robot that solves or at least partially solves the above problems.

[0008] In one embodiment of this application, a robot chassis is provided. The robot chassis includes a chassis body and wheel sets, with one wheel set respectively located on each side of the chassis body; wherein the wheel sets include:

[0009] A suspension swing arm is mounted on the chassis body; along the length of the suspension swing arm, the suspension swing arm has a first end and a second end;

[0010] The rear auxiliary wheel and the rear swivel wheel are rotatably connected to the first end of the suspension arm, and the rear auxiliary wheel and the rear swivel wheel are arranged in front of and behind each other;

[0011] A drive wheel is disposed at the second end of the suspension arm.

[0012] Optionally, the robot chassis also includes a shock absorber; the shock absorber is located on the front side of the drive wheel; one end of the shock absorber is disposed on the second end of the suspension arm, and the other end is disposed on the chassis body.

[0013] Optionally, the shock absorber includes: a spring and a telescopic rod; one end of the telescopic rod is rotatably connected to the second end of the suspension arm, and the other end is rotatably connected to the chassis body; the spring is sleeved on the telescopic rod.

[0014] Optionally, the chassis body is provided with a suspension fixed shaft; the suspension swing arm is rotatably mounted on the suspension fixed shaft; in the driving direction of the drive wheel, the distance between the wheel center of the drive wheel and the shaft center of the suspension fixed shaft is less than the distance between the wheel center of the rear auxiliary wheel and the shaft center of the suspension fixed shaft.

[0015] Optionally, in the direction of travel, the distance between the wheel center of the drive wheel and the axis center of the suspension fixed shaft is greater than the distance between the wheel center of the rear auxiliary wheel and the rotation center of the rear swivel wheel.

[0016] Optionally, the diameter of the drive wheel is larger than the diameter of the rear swivel wheel; the diameter of the rear swivel wheel is larger than the diameter of the rear auxiliary wheel.

[0017] Optionally, in the width direction of the chassis body, the distance between the drive wheel and the side of the chassis body is less than the distance between the rear auxiliary wheel and the side of the chassis body.

[0018] Optionally, the robot chassis also includes a front auxiliary wheel and two front omnidirectional wheels. The front auxiliary wheel is located at the front end of the chassis body; the two front omnidirectional wheels are located on the chassis body, behind the front auxiliary wheel and in front of the drive wheel; wherein the front auxiliary wheel and the two front omnidirectional wheels form a triangular support structure; in the width direction of the chassis body, among the rear and front omnidirectional wheels on the same side, the distance between the rear omnidirectional wheel and the side of the chassis body is less than the distance between the front omnidirectional wheel and the side of the chassis body.

[0019] Optionally, the chassis body is a one-piece cast chassis.

[0020] In another embodiment of this application, an autonomous mobile robot is also provided. This autonomous mobile robot may include the robot chassis as described in the above embodiments.

[0021] In the technical solution of this application embodiment, a set of wheels is respectively provided on both sides of the chassis body. Each wheel set includes a suspension arm, with a rear auxiliary wheel and a rear omnidirectional wheel at the first end along its length, and a drive wheel at the second end; the rear auxiliary wheel and the rear omnidirectional wheel are arranged front and rear. The suspension arm is similar to a lever, and this lever-type suspension allows the chassis to adapt to various ground surfaces, such as different materials and uneven surfaces (e.g., trenches, raised obstacles, etc.). Furthermore, the lever-type suspension can automatically adjust the pressure of the drive wheels when the robot chassis crosses obstacles, allowing the robot to better adapt to load changes. In addition, in this embodiment, a set of drive wheels, a rear auxiliary wheel, and a rear omnidirectional wheel are provided on both sides of the chassis body, which effectively improves the robot's load-bearing capacity and stability. Attached Figure Description

[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] One or more embodiments are illustrated by way of example with reference numerals in the accompanying drawings. These illustrations do not constitute a limitation on the embodiments. Elements with the same reference numerals in the drawings are denoted as similar elements. Unless otherwise stated, the figures in the drawings are not to be limited by scale.

[0025] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a robot chassis provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figures 2a and 2b are bottom views of the bottom of a robot chassis provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0027] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the removal of the wheel assembly from the main body of a robot chassis according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0028] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this application clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0029] The following disclosure provides many different embodiments or examples for implementing different structures of the embodiments of this application. To simplify the disclosure of the embodiments of this application, components and arrangements of specific examples are described below. Of course, these are merely examples and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Furthermore, reference numerals and / or letters may be repeated in different examples of the embodiments of this application. Such repetition is for simplification and clarity and does not in itself indicate a relationship between the various embodiments and / or arrangements discussed.

[0030] In the description of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connected," "linked," and "fixed" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two elements or the interaction between two elements. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. For ease of description, spatial relative relational terms may be used to describe the relative positional relationship or movement of one element or feature relative to another element or feature as shown in the figures. These relative relational terms include, for example, "internal," "external," "inner side," "outer side," "below," "below," "above," "front," "back," etc. Such spatial relative relational terms are intended to include different orientations of the device in use or operation, other than those depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figure undergoes a positional flip, orientation change, or motion change, then these directional indications will change accordingly. For instance, an element described as "below" or "under" other elements or features will subsequently be oriented as "above" or "above" other elements or features. Therefore, the example term "below" can include both above and below orientations. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or in other directions), and the spatial relative descriptors used herein will be interpreted accordingly. In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" a second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of a second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" of a second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature. In the description of this embodiment, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," etc., refer to the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for ease of description and simplification of operation, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are used only for distinction in description and have no special meaning.

[0031] The design of the robot chassis wheel system layout is a crucial aspect of robot system design, directly impacting the robot's motion performance, stability, and work efficiency. Wheel system layout design includes the number of wheels, wheel type, wheel position, and more.

[0032] The existing wheel system layout design for warehouse robots mainly faces the following challenges:

[0033] 1. Mobility limitations: Existing wheel systems are not flexible enough in turning in narrow or crowded warehouse environments, which limits the robot's range of motion and efficiency.

[0034] 2. Poor ground adaptability: The existing wheel system may not be able to effectively adapt to warehouse floors of different materials and conditions, affecting the robot's stability and mobility.

[0035] 3. Limited load capacity: Some wheel systems do not perform well when carrying heavy loads, which limits the robot's load capacity and transportation efficiency.

[0036] 4. High maintenance costs: The existing wheel system has high maintenance and replacement costs, which increases the long-term expenses of warehouse operations.

[0037] To address or partially address the aforementioned problems, this application proposes a novel robot chassis and an autonomous mobile robot. The solution of this application, through innovative wheel configuration and suspension system, significantly improves the robot's mobility, terrain adaptability, load capacity, and maintenance economy.

[0038] Referring to Figures 1, 2a, and 3, the robot chassis includes a chassis body 1 and wheel sets 2. Wheel sets 2 are located on both sides of the chassis body 1. Each wheel set 2 includes a suspension arm 21, a rear auxiliary wheel 22, a rear omnidirectional wheel 23, and a drive wheel 24. The suspension arm 21 is mounted on the chassis body 1; along its length, the suspension arm 21 has a first end 211 and a second end 212. The rear auxiliary wheel 22 and the rear omnidirectional wheel 23 are rotatably connected to the first end 211 of the suspension arm 21, and are positioned one in front of the other. The drive wheel 24 is located at the second end of the suspension arm 21.

[0039] It should be added here that: along the driving direction of the drive wheels 24, the chassis body 1 has a front side and a rear side. Along the forward direction of the drive wheels, the chassis can be distinguished as having a left side and a right side. The two sides of the chassis body 1 mentioned above refer to the left and right sides of the base body 1. As shown in Figures 2a and 2b, a set of wheels 2 is provided on the left side of the chassis body 1, and a set of wheels 2 is also provided on the right side of the chassis body 1. These two sets of wheels can be symmetrically arranged on both sides of the chassis body 1.

[0040] In the wheel assembly, when the drive wheel on the second end of the suspension arm rises, the corresponding rear auxiliary wheel and rear swivel wheel on the first end descend; conversely, when the drive wheel on the second end of the suspension arm descends, the corresponding rear auxiliary wheel and rear swivel wheel on the first end rise.

[0041] Furthermore, the robot chassis provided in this embodiment may also include a shock absorber 3. The shock absorber 3 is located on the front side of the drive wheel 24; one end of the shock absorber 3 is disposed on the second end 212 of the suspension arm 21, and the other end is disposed on the chassis body 1. By setting the shock absorber, a corresponding elastic connection is formed between the second end of the suspension arm 21 and the chassis body, which improves the robot chassis's ability to adapt to various types of terrain and also improves the robot's walking smoothness.

[0042] The shock absorber 3 can be an elastic component. For example, as shown in Figure 1, the shock absorber 3 includes a spring 31 and a telescopic rod 32; one end of the telescopic rod 32 is rotatably connected to the second end 212 of the suspension arm 21, and the other end is rotatably connected to the chassis body 1. The spring 31 can be sleeved on the telescopic rod 32. Specifically, the telescopic rod 32 can be vertically arranged, with its upper end rotatably connected to the chassis body 1 at the upper part of the chassis body 1, i.e., a first connecting shaft 11 is provided near the top surface of the chassis body 1 (as shown in Figure 1), and the telescopic rod 32 is rotatably connected to the first connecting shaft through a connector. The lower end of the telescopic rod 32 is rotatably connected to the chassis body 1 at the lower part of the chassis body 1, i.e., a second connecting shaft 25 is provided on the second end 212 of the suspension arm 21 (as shown in Figures 1 and 3), and the second connecting shaft 25 is located near the bottom surface of the chassis body 1, and the telescopic rod 32 is rotatably connected to the second connecting shaft through a connector.

[0043] In one feasible embodiment, the spring 31 may have a certain preload, which allows the drive wheel 24 to exert a certain pressure on the ground. The magnitude of this preload can be determined according to actual design requirements, and this embodiment does not impose a specific limitation on it.

[0044] Furthermore, referring to Figure 3, the second end 212 of the suspension arm 21 has two opposing sides, namely an outer side and an inner side. The drive wheel 24 is located on the outer side of the second end 212, and the drive motor 4 is provided on the inner side of the second end 212. The second end 212 of the suspension arm 21 has a through hole, through which the drive shaft of the drive motor passes and connects to the drive wheel 24 to drive the drive wheel 24 to rotate. Correspondingly, as shown in Figure 3, the chassis body 1 has a groove 5 at the position corresponding to the drive motor 4. This groove 5 is adapted to the drive motor 4, and the drive motor 4 can be installed in the groove 5, while the drive wheel 24 is exposed.

[0045] A suspension fixing shaft 12 is provided on the chassis body 1. The suspension swing arm 21 is rotatably mounted on the suspension fixing shaft 12. As shown in Figure 2a, in the travel direction of the drive wheel 24, the distance L1 between the wheel center of the drive wheel 24 and the shaft center of the suspension fixing shaft 12 is less than the distance L2 between the wheel center of the rear auxiliary wheel 22 and the shaft center of the suspension fixing shaft 12. In specific implementations, L2 can be 1.1 to 1.5 times L1. For example, L2 is 1.23 times L1.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2a, in the driving direction, the distance L1 between the center of the drive wheel 24 and the center of the suspension fixed shaft 12 is greater than the distance L3 between the center of the rear auxiliary wheel 22 and the rotation center of the rear swivel wheel 23. In specific implementations, L1 can be 1.5 to 2 times L3. For example, L1 can be 1.77 times L3.

[0047] The diameter of the drive wheel 24 can be larger than the diameter of the rear swivel wheel 23; the diameter of the rear swivel wheel 23 is larger than the diameter of the rear auxiliary wheel 22.

[0048] In one specific embodiment, the drive wheel can be an 8-inch drive wheel, meaning its diameter can be 200mm. The rear auxiliary wheel is a directional wheel, which can be a 2-inch directional wheel. The rear omnidirectional wheel can be a 3-inch omnidirectional wheel. In this embodiment, one end of the suspended swing arm is equipped with a drive wheel, and the other end is equipped with a wheel assembly consisting of a front-to-back spaced-ahead auxiliary wheel and an omnidirectional wheel, which can be called a cantilever lever wheel assembly. This cantilever lever wheel assembly can automatically adjust the wheel pressure when crossing obstacles, allowing the robot to better adapt to load changes. Simultaneously, this structure allows the robot to cross wider trenches (such as a 10cm wide elevator trench) and climb higher steps or obstacles (such as 10mm or 15mm).

[0049] Referring to the example shown in Figure 2b, in this embodiment, in the width direction of the chassis body 1, the distance H1 between the drive wheel 24 and the side of the chassis body 1 is less than the distance H2 between the rear auxiliary wheel 22 and the side of the chassis body 1. The distance H2 between the rear auxiliary wheel 22 and the side of the chassis body 1 is less than the distance H3 between the rotation center of the rear swivel wheel and the side of the chassis body 1.

[0050] Alternatively, compared to the drive wheel 24, the rear auxiliary wheel 22 is positioned 10-30mm further inward from the chassis body 1, i.e., H2-H1 = 10-30mm. Compared to the rear auxiliary wheel 22, the rotation center of the rear swivel wheel 23 is further inward from the chassis body 1 by 5-25mm, i.e., H3-H2 = 5-25mm.

[0051] Furthermore, referring to Figures 2a and 2b, the robot chassis also includes a front auxiliary wheel 6 and two front omnidirectional wheels 7. The front auxiliary wheel 6 is located at the front end of the chassis body 1. The two front omnidirectional wheels 7 are located on the chassis body 1, behind the front auxiliary wheel 6 and in front of the drive wheel 24. The front auxiliary wheel 6 and the two front omnidirectional wheels 7 form a triangular support structure. In the width direction of the chassis body 1, as shown in Figure 2b, among the rear omnidirectional wheel 23 and the front omnidirectional wheel 7 on the same side, the distance H3 from the rear omnidirectional wheel 23 to the side of the chassis body 1 is less than the distance H4 from the front omnidirectional wheel 7 to the side of the chassis body 1.

[0052] Alternatively, compared to the rear swivel wheel 23, the front swivel wheel 7 is positioned 3-23mm further inward from the chassis body, i.e., H4-H3=3-23mm.

[0053] In addition, the chassis body 1 in this embodiment can be an integrally cast chassis, or more specifically, an integrally cast aluminum alloy chassis, which can ensure the structural strength of the chassis and effectively reduce the number of parts, making it easier to assemble and produce.

[0054] Referring again to Figure 2b, the drive wheel 24 is positioned approximately at the midpoint of the length of the chassis body 1. The length of the chassis body 1 is parallel to the direction of travel of the drive wheels, while the width of the chassis body 1 is perpendicular to the direction of travel of the drive wheels. The distance D1 from the center of the drive wheel 24 to the rotation center of the rear swivel wheel 23 is approximately equal to the distance D2 from the center of the drive wheel 24 to the rotation center of the front swivel wheel 7, or D1 = D2 ± 10 mm.

[0055] The technical solution provided in this application has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0056] 1. Enhanced Ground Adaptability: The solution provided in this embodiment utilizes a lever-type suspension system with a nine-wheel chassis layout, as shown in Figures 2a and 2b. From front to back, the wheel arrangement consists of one front auxiliary wheel 6 (which can be a front directional wheel), two front omnidirectional wheels 7, two drive wheels 24, two rear auxiliary wheels 22, and two rear omnidirectional wheels 23. The drive wheels and rear omnidirectional wheels form a lever-type suspension. When encountering special ground conditions (such as uneven ground, ditches, bumps, etc.) during operation, the lever action of the suspension ensures that a wheel is always in contact with the ground, resulting in good ground adaptability for the robot. This is particularly beneficial when encountering uphill or ditch conditions, ensuring that the drive wheels remain on the ground. The wheel system layout of this application can adapt to various warehouse ground conditions, including different materials and uneven surfaces.

[0057] 2. Optimized load distribution: The robot chassis in this application embodiment achieves a more uniform load distribution by optimizing the position of the wheels (such as the relative positional relationship between the wheels and the positional relationship between the wheels and the sides of the chassis body mentioned above) and the number of wheels, thereby improving the robot's load-bearing capacity and stability.

[0058] 3. Reduced maintenance costs: The robot chassis in this embodiment adopts an integral cast chassis, which ensures the structural strength of the chassis, reduces the number of parts, simplifies the maintenance process, and uses more durable materials (such as cast aluminum alloy) and components, reducing the frequency of replacement and maintenance costs.

[0059] Based on the robot chassis provided in the above embodiments, this application also provides an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) having the robot chassis provided in the above embodiments. This autonomous mobile robot can be an intelligent forklift, or a picking robot with a robotic arm, etc. Specifically, the specific structure of the robot chassis of the autonomous mobile robot in this embodiment can be found in the above description, and will not be repeated here.

[0060] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features claimed herein.

Claims

1. A robot chassis, characterized in that, The system includes a chassis body and wheel sets, with one wheel set on each side of the chassis body; wherein, the wheel set includes: A suspension swing arm is mounted on the chassis body; along the length of the suspension swing arm, the suspension swing arm has a first end and a second end; The rear auxiliary wheel and the rear swivel wheel are rotatably connected to the first end of the suspension arm, and the rear auxiliary wheel and the rear swivel wheel are arranged in front of and behind each other; A drive wheel is disposed at the second end of the suspension arm.

2. The robot chassis according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes shock absorbers; The shock absorber is located on the front side of the drive wheel; One end of the shock absorber is mounted on the second end of the suspension arm, and the other end is mounted on the chassis body.

3. The robot chassis according to claim 2, characterized in that, The shock absorber includes a spring and a telescopic rod; One end of the telescopic rod is rotatably connected to the second end of the suspension arm, and the other end is rotatably connected to the chassis body; The spring is sleeved on the telescopic rod.

4. The robot chassis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The chassis body is equipped with a suspension fixing shaft; The suspension swing arm is rotatably mounted on the suspension fixed shaft; In the direction of travel of the drive wheel, the distance between the wheel center of the drive wheel and the axis center of the suspension fixed shaft is less than the distance between the wheel center of the rear auxiliary wheel and the axis center of the suspension fixed shaft.

5. The robot chassis according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the direction of travel, the distance between the center of the drive wheel and the center of the suspension fixed shaft is greater than the distance between the center of the rear auxiliary wheel and the rotation center of the rear swivel wheel.

6. The robot chassis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The diameter of the drive wheel is larger than the diameter of the rear swivel wheel; The diameter of the rear swivel wheel is larger than the diameter of the rear auxiliary wheel.

7. The robot chassis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, In the width direction of the chassis body, The distance between the drive wheel and the side of the chassis body is less than the distance between the rear auxiliary wheel and the side of the chassis body.

8. The robot chassis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, Also includes: Front auxiliary wheel, the front auxiliary wheel is located at the front end of the chassis body; Two front omnidirectional wheels are mounted on the chassis body and are located behind the front auxiliary wheels and in front of the drive wheels. The front auxiliary wheel and the two front omnidirectional wheels form a triangular support structure. In the width direction of the chassis body, among the rear swivel wheels and the front swivel wheels on the same side, the distance between the rear swivel wheel and the side of the chassis body is less than the distance between the front swivel wheel and the side of the chassis body.

9. The robot chassis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The chassis body is a one-piece cast chassis.

10. An autonomous mobile robot, characterized in that, The autonomous mobile robot includes a robot chassis as described in any one of claims 1 to 9.

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