Delivery robot and control method therefor
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/CN2026/073850
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2025-03-24
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-24
Smart Images

Figure CN2026073850_24092026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Delivery robots and their control methods
[0001] Cross-referencing
[0002] This application invokes priority to Chinese Patent No. 202510344967.X, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on March 21, 2025, entitled "Autonomous Delivery Equipment and Control Method Thereof", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0003] This application invokes priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202520511996.6, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on March 21, 2025, entitled "Delivery Robot", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
[0004] This application incorporates priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202520534272.3, filed with the Chinese Patent Office on March 24, 2025, entitled "Display Structure and Robot", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field
[0005] This application relates to the field of intelligent device technology, and in particular to a delivery robot and its control method. Background Technology
[0006] Delivery robots are automated devices capable of autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance. They are primarily used for the automated handling and delivery of goods in various scenarios. They can operate in places such as restaurants, hospitals, large shopping malls, and logistics centers, significantly improving efficiency, reducing labor costs, and increasing delivery accuracy. Delivery robots have internal compartments for storing and retrieving items to be delivered.
[0007] In related technologies, due to inherent structural design flaws in delivery robots and the influence of the placement of items within the cabin, the center of gravity of delivery robots may become unstable. This can cause the delivery robots to tilt and eventually tip over when moving, such as climbing slopes, crossing obstacles, or accelerating and decelerating, thus affecting the reliability and safety of the delivery robots. Summary of the Invention
[0008] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a delivery robot and its control method to address the problem of unstable center of gravity leading to easy tipping over, which affects the reliability and safety of delivery robots.
[0009] In a first aspect, this application proposes a delivery robot, which includes:
[0010] Mobile chassis;
[0011] The fuselage is mounted on the mobile chassis;
[0012] A lifting drive mechanism is mounted on the machine body, with its lower end positioned near the edge of the machine body and its upper end positioned near the center of the machine body; and
[0013] A robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is connected to the lifting drive mechanism via a transmission connection;
[0014] Specifically, when the delivery robot is walking, the lifting drive mechanism moves the robotic arm to the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism so that the robotic arm is positioned close to the center of the robot body; and / or, when the delivery robot is working, the lifting drive mechanism moves the robotic arm to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism so that the robotic arm can operate on the ground or items inside the robot body.
[0015] When the delivery robot in this solution is working, the lifting drive mechanism drives the robotic arm down to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism so that the robotic arm can pick up the items to be delivered and load them into the robot body. After that, the delivery robot can move towards the delivery destination according to the planned path. When the delivery robot is moving, the lifting drive mechanism will drive the robotic arm up to the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism. This allows the robotic arm to be positioned close to the center of the robot body, thereby ensuring the stability of the entire robot's center of gravity. This effectively prevents the delivery robot from tilting and tipping over when climbing slopes, crossing obstacles, accelerating and decelerating, thus ensuring the reliability and safety of the delivery robot.
[0016] The technical solution of this application will be further described below:
[0017] In one embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism is arranged at an angle on the body.
[0018] In one embodiment, the delivery robot further includes a shoulder piece arranged at an angle, the shoulder piece being drivenly connected to the lifting drive mechanism to move back and forth between the upper and lower ends of the lifting drive mechanism, and the robotic arm being drivenly connected to the shoulder piece.
[0019] In one embodiment, when the shoulder piece and the robotic arm are located at the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism, the robotic arm can be folded and retracted so that the orthographic projection of the shoulder piece and the robotic arm in the ground direction falls into the mobile chassis or at least partially falls into the mobile chassis.
[0020] In one embodiment, the fuselage includes a cabin and a column. The cabin is disposed above the mobile chassis, and the column is mounted above the cabin. The cabin has a compartment inside, and a platform is formed on the outer wall of the cabin. The robotic arm is used at least to transfer items from the platform to the compartment, or to transfer items from the compartment to the platform.
[0021] In one embodiment, along the direction of travel of the delivery robot, the robotic arm and the column are arranged near the front of the delivery robot, and a counterweight is provided in the mobile chassis, which is arranged near the rear of the delivery robot.
[0022] In one embodiment, the delivery robot further includes a first identifier disposed on the side of the column facing the shelf;
[0023] And / or, the recognition head of the first recognizer is tilted downward toward the shelf so that the recognition angle is toward the shelf.
[0024] In one embodiment, the robotic arm includes an arm portion, an end effector, and a second identifier. One end of the arm portion is mounted on the shoulder member, the end effector is mounted on the end of the arm portion away from the shoulder member, and the second identifier is mounted on the end effector or the arm portion.
[0025] In one embodiment, the shoulder member has a plug-in hole, and the end of the arm away from the end effector has a plug-in post, which is detachably installed in the plug-in hole; or, the shoulder member has a plug-in post, and the end of the arm away from the end effector has a plug-in hole, which is detachably installed in the plug-in hole; the shoulder member also has a cable passage hole inside, which is used to allow a connecting cable to pass through and connect to the arm.
[0026] In one embodiment, the shoulder member has a first mounting end and a second mounting end opposite each other, the distance between the first mounting end and the cabin being greater than the distance between the second mounting end and the cabin;
[0027] The first mounting end is mounted on the column, and the end of the arm away from the end effector is connected to the second mounting end.
[0028] In one embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism is disposed inside the column, the column has an inclined rail groove, one end of the shoulder piece passes through the inclined rail groove and is connected to the lifting drive mechanism for transmission, so that the shoulder piece can move back and forth between the upper limit position and the lower limit position.
[0029] Or / and, the lifting drive mechanism is linearly inclined, and the inclination of the shoulder piece is less than the inclination of the lifting drive mechanism.
[0030] In one embodiment, when the shoulder member is at the upper limit position, the orthographic projection of the shoulder member in the column direction is located within the side range of the column.
[0031] In one embodiment, when the shoulder member is in the downward limit position, the second mounting end extends to the outside of the front side of the cabin to form an anti-interference gap between the robotic arm and the cabin.
[0032] In one embodiment, the lifting drive mechanism includes a power source, a transmission component, and a connecting component. The power source is driven to the transmission component, and the transmission component is driven to the connecting component to enable the connecting component to move up and down. The shoulder piece is connected to the connecting component.
[0033] In one embodiment, the power source includes a drive motor, the transmission assembly includes a bracket, a timing pulley set, and a lead screw and nut pair, the connection assembly includes a nut connector, a slider, and an arm connector, the drive motor is mounted on the bracket, the timing pulley set and the lead screw and nut pair are movably mounted on the bracket, the drive motor is connected to the lead screw and nut pair via the timing pulley set, the nut connector is connected to the lead screw and nut pair, and both the nut connector and the slider are connected to the arm connector, the arm connector is assembled and fixed to the shoulder piece.
[0034] In one embodiment, two robotic arms are provided, which are respectively located on opposite sides of the column. The two robotic arms can move independently or in coordination.
[0035] In one embodiment, the delivery robot further includes a head display structure, the head display structure comprising:
[0036] Screen components;
[0037] A first driving component is connected to the screen component in a transmission manner and is used to drive the screen component to rotate around a first axis.
[0038] The second drive component is connected to the first drive component and is used to drive the screen component to rotate around the second axis via the first drive component; the second drive component is connected to the body.
[0039] The controller is communicatively connected to both the first drive component and the second drive component.
[0040] The first axis and the second axis extend in different directions.
[0041] In one embodiment, the head display structure further includes a gimbal assembly, the second driving assembly is drively connected to the gimbal assembly, and the first driving assembly is mounted on the gimbal assembly.
[0042] In one embodiment, the gimbal assembly includes a gimbal bracket fixed to the body and a gimbal housing located on the side of the gimbal bracket away from the body. The gimbal bracket has a mounting through hole. The second drive assembly includes a rotating shaft and a first drive member mounted on the body. One end of the rotating shaft is drivenly connected to the first drive member, and the other end passes through the mounting through hole and is drivenly connected to the gimbal housing. The rotating shaft is limited and engaged with the inner sidewall of the mounting through hole. The first drive assembly is mounted on the gimbal housing.
[0043] In one embodiment, the second drive assembly further includes a limiting bearing, which is sleeved on the outer side wall of the rotating shaft and fixed within the mounting through hole.
[0044] In one embodiment, the end of the rotating shaft away from the first driving member is provided with an external thread, and the second driving assembly further includes a locking nut that is threadedly connected to the external thread and a first adapter with a connecting hole. The rotating shaft passes through the connecting hole, and the first adapter is fixedly connected to the gimbal housing and located between the locking nut and the limiting bearing, so that the locking nut can cooperate with the limiting bearing to fix the first adapter on the rotating shaft.
[0045] In one embodiment, the first driving component includes a second driving member with an output shaft and a second adapter fixed to the output shaft. The second driving member is mounted on the gimbal assembly, the axis of the output shaft coincides with the first axis, and the second adapter is fixedly connected to the screen assembly.
[0046] In one embodiment, the head display structure further includes a rotating component connected to both the gimbal assembly and the screen assembly, so that the screen assembly can rotate relative to the gimbal assembly about the first axis via the rotating component.
[0047] In one embodiment, the body includes a column with a first cable pass-through hole, the controller is located inside the column, the gimbal assembly includes a gimbal housing, the gimbal housing has a second cable pass-through hole corresponding to the first cable pass-through hole, the screen assembly includes a screen housing and a display screen mounted on the screen housing, the rotating assembly includes a sliding bearing, the sliding bearing is connected to both the gimbal housing and the screen housing to form a third cable pass-through hole, and the head display structure also includes a connecting wire, one end of the connecting wire is connected to the controller, and the other end passes through the first cable pass-through hole, the second cable pass-through hole and the third cable pass-through hole and is connected to the display screen.
[0048] In one embodiment, the head display structure further includes a first detection element communicatively connected to the controller, the first detection element being mounted on the device body and used to detect the position of the user's face; and / or, the head display structure further includes a second detection element communicatively connected to the controller, the second detection element being mounted on the screen assembly and used to detect the position of a target object.
[0049] A second aspect of this application also proposes a control method for a delivery robot as described above, comprising the following steps:
[0050] Obtain packing instructions and check whether there are items to be delivered in the specified area based on the packing instructions;
[0051] When an item to be delivered is detected in a designated area, the control cabin door opens, and the control robotic arm places the item into the cabin.
[0052] In one embodiment, after the step of controlling the robotic arm to place the item to be delivered into the compartment of the cabin, the method further includes:
[0053] Obtain delivery instructions, and control the lifting drive mechanism to move the robotic arm to the upper position of the lifting drive mechanism according to the delivery instructions, so that at least part of the robotic arm is within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis.
[0054] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, specific embodiments of this application are given below. Attached Figure Description
[0055] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute an undue limitation of this application.
[0056] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0057] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a delivery robot according to an embodiment.
[0058] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the delivery robot in one embodiment of this application when the shoulder piece is in the downward limit position.
[0059] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of the delivery robot when the shoulder piece is at the upper limit position in another embodiment.
[0060] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the delivery robot from a rearward angle.
[0061] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of the delivery robot from a longitudinal cross-sectional perspective.
[0062] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a partial exploded structure of the delivery robot.
[0063] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of a lifting drive mechanism according to an embodiment.
[0064] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the head display structure of one embodiment.
[0065] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the head display structure in Figure 8 along the AA direction.
[0066] Figure 10 is a magnified view of part B in Figure 9.
[0067] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the head display structure in Figure 8 along the CC direction.
[0068] Figure 12 is a magnified view of part D in Figure 11.
[0069] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of the head display structure in Figure 11 hidden behind the machine from another perspective.
[0070] Figure 14 is a flowchart of the control method for a delivery robot according to an embodiment.
[0071] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 100, Delivery robot; 10, Body; 11, Cabin; 111, Compartment; 112, Storage platform; 12, Column; 121, Inclined track; 20, First identifier; 30, Robotic arm; 31, Arm section; 311, Connecting post; 32, End effector; 33, Second identifier; 40, Shoulder component; 41, First mounting end; 42, Second mounting end; 43, Connecting hole; 50, Lifting drive mechanism; 51, Power source; 52, Bracket; 53, Synchronous pulley assembly; 54, Lead screw and nut pair; 55, Nut connector; 56, Slider; 57, Arm connector; 60, Upward limit position; 70, Downward limit position; 80, Mobile chassis; 81, Counterweight; 90, Head display structure; 91, Gimbal assembly; 911. Gimbal bracket; 9111, mounting through hole; 912, gimbal housing; 9121, second cable pass hole; 9122, first limiting rib; 92, screen assembly; 921, screen housing; 9211, second limiting rib; 922, touch screen; 923, recognition probe; 90a, wide-angle camera; 90b, sensor; 924, display screen; 93, first drive assembly; 931, second drive component; 932, second adapter; 94, second drive assembly; 941, pivot; 942, first drive component; 943, limiting bearing; 944, locking nut; 945, first adapter; 95, first detection component; 96, rotating assembly; 961, sliding bearing; 9611, third cable pass hole; 962, bearing cover; 97, second detection component. Detailed Implementation
[0072] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of this application. However, this application can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this application. Therefore, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.
[0073] In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential" appear, these terms indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, 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, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.
[0074] Furthermore, where the terms "first" and "second" appear, these terms are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, where the term "multiple" appears, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.
[0075] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., 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 components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise expressly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.
[0076] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the use of descriptions such as "above" or "below" the second feature indicates that the first and second features are in direct contact or indirect contact via an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. Similarly, "below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.
[0077] It should be noted that if an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. If an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. If so, the terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used in this application are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.
[0078] Referring to Figures 1 to 5, a delivery robot 100 is shown in one embodiment of this application. Specifically, it is a delivery robot. Exemplarily, the delivery robot 100 includes a mobile chassis 80, a body 10, a lifting drive mechanism 50, a shoulder member 40, and a robotic arm 30.
[0079] The robotic arm 30 is connected to the shoulder piece 40 via a transmission; the mobile chassis 80 is used to load the body 10, the lifting drive mechanism 50, the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30, thereby improving the integration of the delivery robot 100. At the same time, the mobile chassis 80 provides the delivery robot 100 with the mobility required to achieve autonomous delivery of goods.
[0080] Optionally, the mobile chassis 80 can be any of the following: wheeled mobile chassis, tracked mobile chassis, etc., and can be flexibly selected according to actual needs.
[0081] For example, the mobile chassis 80 in this application adopts a wheeled mobile chassis, which specifically includes drive wheels, auxiliary wheels, swivel wheels, suspension, battery, chassis frame, drive plate, and outer shell. During installation, the front auxiliary wheels are screwed onto the chassis frame, and then the suspension system is locked and fixed onto the chassis frame. The drive wheels and swivel wheels are then locked onto the suspension system in sequence. Next, the counterweight is simultaneously locked onto the chassis frame from both the top and bottom, and then the rear auxiliary wheels are aligned with the mounting holes on the lower counterweight block and locked with screws. The inner side of the outer shell has drive plate mounting holes to fix the drive plate, depth sensor, and radar. After connecting the cables, it is then vertically mounted onto the chassis frame. Finally, the chassis is reversed, the battery cable connector is connected, and the drive plate is wired through the battery mounting holes. After wiring is completed, the battery is aligned with the battery mounting holes, inserted, and tightened with screws.
[0082] Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the body 10 is mounted on the mobile chassis 80; the lifting drive mechanism 50 is inclinedly arranged on the body 10, with the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50 arranged near the edge of the body 10 and the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism 50 arranged near the center of the body 10; the shoulder piece 40 is inclinedly arranged and is connected to the lifting drive mechanism 50 to move back and forth between the upper and lower ends of the lifting drive mechanism 50.
[0083] When the delivery robot 100 walks, the shoulder piece 40 drives the robotic arm 30 to move to the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, so that the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 are arranged close to the center of the body 10; and / or, when the delivery robot 100 is working, the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the robotic arm 30 to move to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, so that the robotic arm 30 can operate on the ground or items inside the body 10.
[0084] Referring to Figures 2 and 3, it should be noted that when the shoulder piece 40 is at the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, that is, the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 are at the upper limit position 60; when the shoulder piece 40 is at the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, that is, the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 are at the lower limit position 70.
[0085] Furthermore, when the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 are located at the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism 50, the robotic arm 30 can be folded and retracted so that the orthographic projection of the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 in the ground direction falls into the mobile chassis 80 or at least partially falls into the mobile chassis 80. At this time, the delivery robot has a high degree of retraction, a compact structure, a minimal projected area on the ground, and the best turning radius and passageway passability, making it suitable for moving or rotating through narrow passages or in the confined space of the car.
[0086] When the delivery robot 100 of this solution is working, the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder piece 40 to descend to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism 50 so that the robotic arm 30 can pick up the items to be delivered and put them into the body 10 or take the items out of the body 10. After that, the delivery robot 100 can move towards the delivery destination according to the planned path. When the delivery robot 100 is walking, under the drive of the lifting drive mechanism 50, the shoulder piece 40 will drive the robotic arm 30 to rise to the upper position of the lifting drive mechanism 50. This allows the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 to be arranged close to the center of the body 10, thereby ensuring the stability of the center of gravity of the whole machine. This effectively avoids the delivery robot from tilting and tipping over when climbing slopes, crossing obstacles, accelerating and decelerating, thus ensuring the reliability and safety of the delivery robot.
[0087] Please refer to Figures 1 to 5. The fuselage 10 includes a cabin 11 and a column 12. The column 12 is installed above the cabin 11. The cabin 11 has a compartment 111 inside and a shelf 112 on the outer wall of the cabin 11.
[0088] The column 12 and the cabin 11 can be an integral structure or they can be detached and assembled. For example, in this application, the column 12 and the cabin 11 are detached and assembled to facilitate maintenance work after the column 12 is disassembled.
[0089] The installation method of the column 12 and the cabin 11 can be any one or a combination of at least two of the following: screw connection, snap connection, adhesive connection, magnetic connection, etc.
[0090] The column 12 specifically includes a front shell and a rear shell. The front shell and the rear shell are assembled to form an installation cavity. The structure is simple and the weight is light, which helps to achieve the overall lightweight design of the machine.
[0091] Please refer to Figure 5. Based on the above embodiment, along the travel direction of the delivery robot 100, the robotic arm 30 and the column 12 are arranged close to the front of the delivery robot 100, and a counterweight 81 is provided in the mobile chassis 80, arranged close to the rear of the delivery robot 100. In this way, the counterweight 81 and the robotic arm 30 and the column 12 arranged close to the front form a front-to-back force balance relationship, ensuring that the overall force on the delivery robot 100 is more balanced, and ensuring the stability of the delivery robot 100 when going uphill, crossing bumps, accelerating, and braking.
[0092] In this application, the column 12 is arranged on the top surface of the cabin 11 and is biased towards the front of the delivery robot 100, so that a part of the top surface of the cabin 11 near the rear can be left empty to form a shelf 112, which simplifies the forming structure and method of the shelf 112 and reduces the design cost.
[0093] In one embodiment, a first identifier 20 is also provided on the column 12, and the identification angle of the first identifier 20 is facing the shelf 112, which is used to assist the robotic arm 30 in grasping the items on the shelf 112.
[0094] For example, the first recognizer 20 can be any of the following: visual recognition, lidar recognition, etc., and can be flexibly selected according to actual needs.
[0095] In other embodiments, the first identifier 20 may also be set on other support positions, as long as the recognition angle of the first identifier 20 is facing the shelf 112.
[0096] The lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder member 40, allowing the robotic arm 30 to be movably mounted on the column 12. The robotic arm 30 can at least be used to transfer items from the shelf 112 to the compartment 111, or to transfer items from the compartment 111 to the shelf 112. For example, the robotic arm 30 can be used to transfer items from the shelf 112 to the compartment 111, or to transfer items from the compartment 111 to the shelf 112, or to transfer items from the compartment 111 to the ground or other supporting surfaces.
[0097] In addition, the robotic arm 30 can also perform other functions such as pressing elevator buttons and knocking on doors.
[0098] Please continue to refer to Figures 2 and 5. For example, in this application, the body 11 is cubic, and the internal compartment 111 is also cubic, with length, width and height dimensions of 280mm*380mm*420mm respectively.
[0099] In addition, in order to enable the robotic arm 30 to clearly and accurately locate and grab items stored in the compartment 111 in dimly lit places such as at night or in corridors, lighting is installed on the top wall and / or side wall inside the compartment 111.
[0100] Furthermore, compartment 111 has an entrance / exit on the side in front of delivery robot 100, and an openable / closeable door is installed at the entrance / exit. The door is an automatic door. When the door is opened, the lighting automatically turns on.
[0101] For example, the hatch specifically includes a door body, a linkage mechanism, and a motor. The motor and the linkage mechanism are connected by transmission and respectively installed on the hatch body 11. The door body is connected by transmission to the linkage mechanism, thereby driving the door body to automatically open or close the entrance / exit by rotation or linear movement.
[0102] When the delivery robot 100 of this solution is working, the items to be delivered by the user can be placed directly on the storage platform 112 formed on the cabin 11. Since the storage platform 112 has a certain height, the user can easily and conveniently place the items on the storage platform 112 without bending over. Then, the robotic arm 30 moves to the storage platform 112. With the assistance of the first recognizer 20, the robotic arm 30 can accurately grasp the items and then automatically transfer the items to the compartment 111 formed inside the cabin 11. In this way, the delivery robot 100 can carry out the delivery work. When the destination is reached, the robotic arm 30 can automatically take the items out of the compartment 111 and place them on the storage platform 112 for the user to take the items directly. Compared with the existing technology, the delivery robot 100 of this solution can replace human labor to complete the work of loading items into the compartment 111 without the user having to bend over, thereby saving the user's physical strength and time and improving the user experience.
[0103] Please continue to refer to Figures 3 to 5. Optionally, based on the above embodiment, the first identifier 20 is installed on the side of the column 12 facing the shelf 112, and the identification angle of the first identifier 20 is tilted downward towards the shelf 112. For example, the identification head of the first identifier 20 is tilted downward towards the shelf 112.
[0104] In this way, the recognition head of the first recognizer 20 can be directly facing the shelf 112 in order to obtain a complete image of the shelf 112 and the items on the shelf 112, thereby accurately locating the items and assisting the robotic arm 30 in accurately and effectively grasping the items.
[0105] Specifically, the first recognizer 20 employs a depth vision camera (RGB-D camera), with its recognition lens tilted downwards towards the platform 112. RGB-D cameras typically have a resolution of 320×240, and they acquire all RGBD data, such as image data and corresponding depth and distance data, via a USB cable. Thus, object recognition, robotic arm grasping, and SLAM mapping can be achieved using the image data and depth and distance data obtained from the depth vision camera.
[0106] Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 4. Further, the delivery robot 100 also includes multiple wide-angle cameras 90a and multiple sensors 90b. A wide-angle camera 90a is installed on each of the left and right side walls and the rear side wall of the cabin 11, and a sensor 90b is installed on each of the left and right side walls and the rear side wall of the cabin 11.
[0107] Two sensors 90b mounted on the left and right sides are used to detect obstacles in the areas on both sides to prevent the robotic arm 30 from colliding with objects or people in the environment. A sensor 90b mounted on the rear side wall is used to detect obstacles or steps in the space behind the mobile chassis 80. Three wide-angle cameras 90a are responsible for observing the surrounding environment and finding elevator information or the location of people.
[0108] For example, sensor 90b may specifically be a depth vision sensor.
[0109] Please continue to refer to Figures 1 to 4. In another embodiment, the robotic arm 30 includes an arm 31, an end effector 32, and a second identifier 33. One end of the arm 31 is mounted on a shoulder member 40, the end effector 32 is mounted on the end of the arm 31 away from the shoulder member 40, and the second identifier 33 is mounted on the end effector 32 or the arm 31.
[0110] The arm 31 is specifically a multi-axis arm, such as a three-axis arm or a five-axis arm, which can be selected according to actual needs. The arm 31 has multiple degrees of freedom of rotation and movement, which can drive the end effector 32 to move flexibly in space and avoid obstacles, so as to drive the end effector 32 to move back and forth safely and efficiently between the platform 112 and the compartment 111.
[0111] Optionally, the end effector 32 can be a dexterous hand, such as a five-finger dexterous hand or a three-finger dexterous hand, or it can be a gripper with functions such as grasping and pressing.
[0112] In some embodiments, the end effector 32 of this application employs a five-fingered dexterous hand, which possesses the freedom of movement mimicking that of a human hand. Therefore, it can be more effectively used to grasp objects of various shapes and sizes, ensuring the effectiveness of object handling. Simultaneously, the second recognizer 33 provides visual-assisted positioning, further ensuring the effectiveness of the end effector 32 in grasping objects.
[0113] For example, the second recognizer 33 can be any of the following: visual recognition, lidar recognition, etc., and can be flexibly selected according to actual needs.
[0114] Optionally, the second recognizer 33 may also employ, but is not limited to, a depth vision camera.
[0115] Please continue referring to Figures 1 to 3. Furthermore, based on any of the above embodiments, two robotic arms 30 are provided, respectively positioned on opposite sides (e.g., left and right sides) of the column 12. The two robotic arms 30 can operate independently or in coordination. Independent operation means that each robotic arm 30 can individually grasp an object or slide up and down independently; coordinated operation means that the two robotic arms 30 can cooperate to grasp an object or slide up and down together.
[0116] In practical operation, when the items on the shelf 112 are small in size and weight, only one robotic arm 30 needs to be controlled to perform the gripping, transferring, and placing operations, thereby reducing energy consumption. When the items on the shelf 112 are large in size and weight, or when the items are placed directly on the ground, the two robotic arms 30 can work together to grip the items simultaneously, ensuring the stability and reliability of the gripping.
[0117] In addition, the delivery robot 100 with the above-mentioned robotic arm 30 structure also has the ability to ride elevators autonomously. That is, during the delivery process, the delivery robot 100 uses the second recognizer 33 or other recognizers to visually determine the elevator position and uses the end effector 32 to manually operate the elevator autonomously.
[0118] Please continue to refer to Figures 1 to 4. Further, in another embodiment, the shoulder member 40 has a first mounting end 41 and a second mounting end 42 opposite to each other. The distance between the first mounting end 41 and the cabin 11 is greater than the distance between the second mounting end 42 and the cabin 11; thus, the shoulder member 40 is tilted.
[0119] The first mounting end 41 is mounted on the column 12, and the end of the arm 31 away from the end effector 32 is connected to the second mounting end 42.
[0120] The inclined shoulder piece 40 is connected to the robotic arm 30. On the one hand, it allows the robotic arm 30 to be fully or at least partially retracted within the orthographic projection (i.e., the projection on the ground) of the mobile chassis 80 of the cabin 11 when not in operation, thereby reducing the overall lateral size of the delivery robot 100 and avoiding affecting its passability. On the other hand, it also makes the center of gravity of the mobile chassis 80 more centered, improving the stability of the entire machine's movement.
[0121] As shown in Figure 6, in some embodiments, the shoulder member 40 is detachably connected to the arm 31, allowing the shoulder member 40 to serve as a maintenance break point for convenient maintenance of the connecting cables of the robotic arm 30. For example, the shoulder member 40 has a plug hole 43, and the end of the arm 31 away from the end effector 32 has a plug post 311, which is detachably installed in the plug hole 43. The shoulder member 40 also has a cable passage hole inside, so that the connecting cable can pass through the cable passage hole and connect to the arm 31.
[0122] Understandably, the end of the connecting cable away from the arm 31 is electrically connected to the control board installed inside the body 10 to realize the motion control of the arm 31.
[0123] In other embodiments, the plug post 311 may also be provided on the shoulder member 40, and correspondingly, the plug hole 43 is provided at the end of the arm 31 away from the end effector 32.
[0124] In one embodiment, the plug post 311 can be a rotary motor to enable multi-degree-of-freedom movement of the arm 31.
[0125] Please continue to refer to Figures 2 to 6. Furthermore, the lifting drive mechanism 50 is disposed inside the column 12 and is arranged at an angle. The column 12 has an inclined rail groove 121. One end of the shoulder piece 40 passes through the inclined rail groove 121 and is connected to the lifting drive mechanism 50 for transmission, so that the shoulder piece 40 can move back and forth between the upper limit position 60 and the lower limit position 70.
[0126] It should be noted that the lifting drive mechanism 50 can be set in an inclined position, either linearly or non-linearly, such as a curved inclined position; correspondingly, the inclined rail groove 121 opened on the column 12 is either a linear inclined rail groove or a curved inclined rail groove.
[0127] When the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder piece 40 to rise to the upper limit position 60, that is, when the shoulder piece 40 is located at the upper end of the inclined rail groove 121, the shoulder piece 40 can drive the robotic arm 30 to be completely or at least partially retracted within the orthographic projection range of the cabin 11 and the mobile chassis 80. In this way, the center of gravity of the whole machine is more centered, ensuring the stability of the whole machine's movement.
[0128] When the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder piece 40 to descend to the lower limit position 70, that is, when the shoulder piece 40 is located at the lower end of the inclined rail groove 121, the robotic arm 30 extends to the front outside of the cabin 11 and the mobile chassis 80, and is arranged closer to the ground and the cabin 111, so as to obtain a wider space for movement and operation, so as to grasp the items on the ground or in the cabin 111.
[0129] Please refer to Figures 1 and 5. Further, the lifting drive mechanism 50 is linearly tilted, and the tilt angle of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is less than the tilt angle of the shoulder piece 40.
[0130] On one hand, the lifting drive mechanism 50 tilts forward downwards and approaches the edge of the body 10 (e.g., the front edge of the body 10), while the lifting drive mechanism 50 tilts backwards and approaches the center of the body 10. When the delivery robot 100 needs to move, the lifting drive mechanism 50 rises to its upper limit position 60, raising the height of the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 and moving towards the center of the body 10. The robotic arm 30 and the shoulder piece 40 can be retracted into the ground projection outline of the mobile chassis 80. At this time, the ground projection of the delivery robot 100 is the smallest, the turning radius and passageway clearance are the best, the center of gravity is closest to the center of the body 10, and the stability of the delivery robot 100 is also the best. When the delivery robot 100 picks up heavier items from the ground, the robotic arm 30 can rise and retract into the ground projection outline of the mobile chassis 80 without tipping over, which can improve the load capacity of the delivery robot 100.
[0131] The tilted shoulder piece 40 not only increases the operating range of the robotic arm 30 in front and below, but also helps the proximal joint of the robotic arm 30 avoid the top cover of the cabin 11 when the lifting drive mechanism 50 descends to its lower limit position 70, preventing interference between components. It also allows the arm 31 to protrude more from the body 10, preventing interference between the distal joint of the arm 31 and the body 10 when handling ground objects. Furthermore, compared to a horizontal setting, the tilted shoulder piece 40 shifts the center of gravity of the robotic arm 30 backward while maintaining operational capability, further improving the stability of the delivery robot 100.
[0132] On the other hand, both the lifting drive mechanism 50 and the shoulder piece 40 are inclined, and the inclination of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is less than that of the shoulder piece 40. This can reduce the component of the weight of the robotic arm 30 along the direction of the lifting drive mechanism 50, thereby reducing the load on the lifting drive mechanism 50 and improving its service life.
[0133] Optionally, the tilt angle of the shoulder piece 40 ranges from 15° to 45°, for example, 29°.
[0134] The tilt angle range of the lifting drive mechanism 50 is 60° to 90°, for example, 79°.
[0135] Please refer to Figures 1 and 3. It should be noted that when the shoulder piece 40 is at its upper limit position 60, the orthographic projection of the shoulder piece 40 in the direction of the column 12 is located within the side range of the column 12. This avoids the shoulder piece 40 extending out and being exposed on the column 12, which would affect the overall aesthetics of the machine, and at the same time increases the operating range of the robotic arm 30 on the platform 112.
[0136] Please refer to Figure 4. It should be noted that when the shoulder piece 40 is at its downward limit position 70, the second mounting end 42 extends to the outside of the front side of the cabin 11, creating an anti-interference gap between the robotic arm 30 and the cabin 11. This prevents collision interference between the robotic arm 30 and the front outer wall of the cabin 11 during movement, ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the robotic arm 30 and providing it with a large operating range on the ground or within the cabin 111. The front side refers to one side of the cabin door of the cabin 11.
[0137] Furthermore, based on any of the above embodiments, the lifting drive mechanism 50 includes a power source 51, a transmission component, and a connecting component. The power source 51 is connected to the transmission component, and the transmission component is connected to the connecting component so that the connecting component can move up and down. The shoulder member 40 is connected to the connecting component.
[0138] During operation, the power source 51 outputs driving force, which is transmitted to the connecting component through the transmission component. This causes the connecting component to move up and down, while simultaneously driving the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 to move up or down. This allows for flexible adjustment of the working state of the delivery robot 100, meeting the needs of operations such as whole-machine storage, item grabbing, and item storage.
[0139] Please continue to refer to Figures 5 to 7. Specifically, in one optional embodiment, the power source 51 includes a drive motor, the transmission assembly includes a bracket 52, a synchronous pulley set 53, and a lead screw and nut pair 54, and the connection assembly includes a nut connector 55, a slider 56, and an arm connector 57. The drive motor is mounted on the bracket 52, and both the synchronous pulley set 53 and the lead screw and nut pair 54 are movably mounted on the bracket 52. The drive motor is connected to the lead screw and nut pair 54 via the synchronous pulley set 53. The nut connector 55 is connected to the lead screw and nut pair 54, and both the nut connector 55 and the slider 56 are connected to the arm connector 57. The arm connector 57 is assembled and fixed to the shoulder piece 40.
[0140] Thus, when the drive motor starts working and rotates, the nut in the lead screw nut pair 54 is driven to slide up and down along the lead screw through the synchronous pulley group 53. When the nut slides up and down, the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 are driven to slide up and down through the nut connector 55 and the arm connector 57.
[0141] The drive motor, synchronous pulley set 53 and lead screw nut pair 54 are in transmission cooperation to ensure the smoothness and accuracy of power transmission, improve power utilization, thereby ensure the driving efficiency of shoulder piece 40 and robotic arm 30, and avoid the robotic arm 30 from vibrating during lifting and moving, which would cause the object to be not firmly grasped and thus fall and be damaged.
[0142] It should be noted that two lifting drive mechanisms 50 can also be installed inside the column 12. Each lifting drive mechanism 50 is connected to a robotic arm 30, allowing the two robotic arms 30 to move up or down independently to meet the needs of more usage scenarios. For example, while one robotic arm 30 is grabbing an item on the platform 112 and transferring it into the compartment 111, the other robotic arm 30 can perform a ladder operation, thereby improving the continuity of work, saving intermediate time, and improving the delivery efficiency of the delivery robot 100.
[0143] Please refer to Figures 1, 2, and 5. Furthermore, based on any of the above embodiments, the delivery robot 100 also includes a head display structure 90. The head display structure 90 includes a screen assembly 92 and a gimbal assembly 91. The gimbal assembly 91 is disposed at the top of the column 12. The screen assembly 92 is connected to the gimbal assembly 91 via a transmission connection. The gimbal assembly 91 is used to drive the screen assembly 92 to rotate left and right or tilt. The screen assembly 92 can be used to display facial expressions or operate the machine equipment, and is driven by the gimbal assembly 91 to face the user, enhancing the interactive experience.
[0144] In addition, a microphone array is installed on the top of the gimbal assembly 91 or the column 12. The microphone array is used to enable users to interact with the delivery robot 100 via voice. It can also detect the location of the sound and locate the person initiating the voice interaction so that the screen assembly 92 can accurately turn. Furthermore, the two robotic arms 30 can also coordinate with voice to perform gesture actions to enhance the welcoming function of the delivery robot 100.
[0145] It should also be noted that a Vslam (Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) sensing device is installed at the top of the column 12. Vslam is a technology that uses a camera to perceive the environment in real time, achieve autonomous localization and build a map, and is used to enable the delivery robot 100 to autonomously plan its movement path and navigate.
[0146] Specifically, the gimbal assembly 91 includes a lateral movement unit and a pitch movement unit. The lateral movement unit is located at the top of the column 12 and is used to output rotational power in the left and right lateral movement direction. The pitch movement unit is connected to the lateral movement unit and is used to output rotational power in the up and down pitch direction. The screen assembly 92 includes a screen housing 921, a touch screen 922, and a recognition probe 923. The touch screen 922 and the recognition probe 923 are respectively installed in the screen housing 921, and both the touch screen 922 and the recognition probe 923 are arranged facing the front of the delivery robot 100.
[0147] The wide-angle camera 90a and depth vision sensor 90b installed on the front side of the column 12 can capture the position and height of the user in front in real time and accurately. This allows the side-swing motion unit to drive the screen assembly 92 to rotate left and right in the horizontal direction, and the pitch motion unit to drive the screen assembly 92 to adjust the pitch rotation. This enables the screen assembly 92 to be aligned with the user, creating a welcoming effect by displaying facial expressions, and also facilitating operation of the touch screen 922 to achieve information interaction with the delivery robot 100.
[0148] As shown in Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, in one embodiment, the delivery robot 100 further includes a head display structure 90. The head display structure 90 includes a screen assembly 92, a first drive assembly 93, a second drive assembly 94, and a controller (not shown). The first drive assembly 93 is driveably connected to the screen assembly 92 and drives the screen assembly 92 to rotate about a first axis. The second drive assembly 94 is driveably connected to the first drive assembly 93 and drives the screen assembly 92 to rotate about a second axis via the first drive assembly 93. The second drive assembly 94 is connected to the robot body 10. The controller is communicatively connected to both the first drive assembly 93 and the second drive assembly 94. The first axis and the second axis extend in different directions.
[0149] In the above embodiment, when the delivery robot 100 is in use, the controller controls the first drive component 93 to drive the screen component 92 to rotate around the first axis, and at the same time controls the second drive component 94 to drive the first drive component 93 and the screen component 92 to rotate around the second axis, so that the tilt angle and orientation of the screen component 92 can be adjusted to accommodate users of different heights and positions to observe and operate the screen component 92, thereby improving the flexibility and practicality of the head display structure 90 and the delivery robot 100.
[0150] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, optionally, the head-mounted display structure 90 further includes a first detection element 95 communicatively connected to a controller. The first detection element 95 is mounted on the body 10 and is used to detect the user's face position. Thus, when the head-mounted display structure 90 is in use, the first detection element 95 identifies the user's face position and feeds it back to the controller. The controller generates an adjustment signal based on the face position and the position of the screen assembly 92, and sends the adjustment signal to the first drive assembly 93 and the second drive assembly 94. The first drive assembly 93 drives the screen assembly 92 to rotate around a first axis according to the adjustment signal, and the second drive assembly 94 drives both the first drive assembly 93 and the screen assembly 92 to rotate around a second axis according to the adjustment signal. This allows the tilt angle and orientation of the screen assembly 92 to be adjusted to accommodate users of different heights and positions, enabling them to observe and operate the screen assembly 92. Simultaneously, the screen assembly 92 can automatically adjust to follow the user, ensuring that the screen assembly 92 is always directly facing the user's face, thus improving the flexibility and practicality of the head-mounted display structure 90.
[0151] It should be noted that the first detection element 95 is used to detect the user's face position. The first detection element 95 can directly detect the user's face position, or it can indirectly detect the user's face position by detecting the user's height or body parts.
[0152] It should be noted that the fact that the first axis and the second axis extend in different directions means that, in spatial geometry, the first axis and the second axis intersect or are skewed.
[0153] The first detection element 95 can be configured as a fisheye camera, infrared sensor, or other detection structure capable of detecting the position of a face. The first detection element 95 can be mounted on the body 10 via snap-fit, plug-in, screw-in, or other methods. The number of first detection elements 95 can be flexibly adjusted according to actual usage needs. The controller can use existing algorithms or calculation formulas to automatically generate adjustment signals based on the face position and the position of the screen component 92. The controller can be configured as a control panel, programmable logic controller, or other control structure. The controller can communicate with the first drive component 93, the second drive component 94, and the first detection element 95 via data cables, power lines, Bluetooth, wireless network communication technology, or other means.
[0154] The extension directions of the first axis and the second axis can be flexibly adjusted according to actual usage needs. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second axis extends vertically, and the extension direction of the first axis is perpendicular to the extension direction of the second axis, thereby enabling the screen assembly 92 to achieve pitch and yaw motion.
[0155] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, optionally, the head-mounted display structure 90 also includes a gimbal assembly 91. A second drive assembly 94 is connected to the gimbal assembly 91 via a transmission connection. A first drive assembly 93 is mounted on the gimbal assembly 91. Thus, the gimbal assembly 91 can act as a shock absorber, increasing the stability of the screen assembly 92 during adjustment, thereby improving the practicality and user experience of the head-mounted display structure 90.
[0156] The gimbal assembly 91 can employ any existing gimbal structure capable of damping the screen assembly 92. In other embodiments, the second drive assembly 94 can also be connected to the first drive assembly 93 via a mounting base, mounting bracket, mounting plate, or other structure.
[0157] In other embodiments, the head-mounted display structure 90 further includes a translation mechanism mounted on the gimbal assembly 91. The translation mechanism is drively connected to the first drive assembly 93 and is used to drive the screen assembly 92 to translate via the first drive assembly 93. This increases the adjustment range of the screen assembly 92, improving the practicality of the head-mounted display structure 90.
[0158] As shown in Figures 8 and 10, in one embodiment, the gimbal assembly 91 includes a gimbal bracket 911 fixed to the body 10 and a gimbal housing 912 located on the side of the gimbal bracket 911 away from the body 10. The gimbal bracket 911 has a mounting through hole 9111. The second drive assembly 94 includes a rotating shaft 941 and a first drive member 942 mounted on the body 10. One end of the rotating shaft 941 is connected to the first drive member 942, and the other end passes through the mounting through hole 9111 and is connected to the gimbal housing 912. The rotating shaft 941 is limited by the inner wall of the mounting through hole 9111. The first drive assembly 93 is mounted on the gimbal housing 912. In this way, the gimbal bracket 911 can radially limit the rotating shaft 941, ensuring that the first drive member 942 can stably and reliably drive the gimbal housing 912 and the screen assembly 92 to rotate around the second axis through the rotating shaft 941, thereby improving the reliability of the head display structure 90.
[0159] The gimbal bracket 911 can be mounted on the body 10 by snap-fit, plug-in, screw-in, or other fixing methods. The first drive component 942 can be configured as a rotary motor, rotary cylinder, or other drive structure. The first drive component 942 can be mounted on the body 10 by snap-fit, plug-in, screw-in, or other fixing methods. One end of the rotating shaft 941 can be connected to the first drive component 942 by snap-fit, screw-in, plug-in, or other methods. The other end of the rotating shaft 941 can be connected to the gimbal housing 912 by snap-fit, screw-in, plug-in, or other methods, or it can be connected to the gimbal housing 912 by means of an intermediate component.
[0160] As shown in Figure 10, the second drive assembly 94 further includes a limiting bearing 943, which is sleeved on the outer side wall of the rotating shaft 941 and fixed in the mounting through hole 9111.
[0161] The number of limiting bearings 943 can be flexibly adjusted according to actual usage needs. Specifically, in this embodiment, the limiting bearing 943 includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring is fitted onto the rotating shaft 941 and radially limits its movement along the shaft. The outer ring is fixed to the inner wall of the mounting through hole 9111. The limiting bearing 943 is configured as an angular contact ball bearing, and there are two angular contact ball bearings, which are respectively installed from both ends of the mounting through hole 9111.
[0162] As shown in Figure 10, optionally, the end of the rotating shaft 941 away from the first driving member 942 is provided with an external thread. The second driving assembly 94 also includes a locking nut 944 threadedly connected to the external thread and a first adapter 945 with a connecting hole. The rotating shaft 941 passes through the connecting hole. The first adapter 945 is fixedly connected to the gimbal housing 912 and is located between the locking nut 944 and the limiting bearing 943, so that the locking nut 944 can cooperate with the limiting bearing 943 to fix the first adapter 945 to the rotating shaft 941. In this way, the first adapter 945 is locked and fixed by the cooperation of the limiting bearing 943 and the locking nut 944, improving the convenience of assembling the head display structure 90. Furthermore, the first adapter 945 is fixedly connected to the gimbal housing 912, so that when the rotating shaft 941 rotates, the force of the rotating shaft 941 can be better transmitted to the gimbal housing 912 through the first adapter 945, making the entire structure more evenly stressed and stable. At the same time, because the force transmission is more reasonable, unnecessary stress and wear on the rotating shaft 941 during rotation are reduced, which helps to improve the service life of the rotating shaft 941.
[0163] It should be noted that the locking nut 944 engages with the inner ring of the limit bearing 943 to fix the first adapter 945 onto the rotating shaft 941.
[0164] The first adapter 945 can be configured as an adapter plate, adapter base, adapter platform or other adapter structure, and the area of the first adapter 945 can be reasonably set as needed to ensure that there is enough contact area with the gimbal housing 912 to achieve a stable connection, and to prevent shaking or loosening due to poor connection during use, which would affect the stability of the head display structure 90.
[0165] As shown in Figures 8, 11, and 12, in one embodiment, the first driving assembly 93 includes a second driving member 931 with an output shaft and a second adapter 932 fixed to the output shaft. The second driving member 931 is mounted on the gimbal assembly 91. The axis of the output shaft coincides with the first axis. The second adapter 932 is fixedly connected to the screen assembly 92. Thus, the second driving member 931 is connected to the screen assembly 92 via the second adapter 932, improving the ease of assembly of the head-mounted display structure 90.
[0166] The second drive component 931 can be configured as a rotary motor, rotary cylinder, or other drive structure. The second drive component 931 can be mounted on the pan-tilt assembly 91 by snap-fit, plug-in, screw-in, or other means. The second adapter component 932 can be fixed to the output shaft by snap-fit, plug-in, screw-in, or other means. The second adapter component 932 can be fixedly connected to the screen assembly 92 by snap-fit, plug-in, screw-in, or other means. The second adapter component 932 can be configured as an adapter sleeve, adapter base, adapter connector, or other adapter structure.
[0167] As shown in Figures 11, 12, and 13, optionally, the head-mounted display structure 90 further includes a rotating assembly 96. The rotating assembly 96 is connected to both the pan-tilt assembly 91 and the screen assembly 92, allowing the screen assembly 92 to rotate relative to the pan-tilt assembly 91 around a first axis via the rotating assembly 96. Thus, the rotating assembly 96 acts as a guide and limiter, ensuring that the screen assembly 92 can rotate stably and reliably around the first axis, thereby improving the reliability of the head-mounted display structure 90.
[0168] The rotating component 96 can be configured as any existing structure for rotatably connecting two objects; for example, the rotating component 96 can be a shaft or a bearing, and the gimbal component 91 and the screen component 92 are rotatably connected via the shaft or bearing. Specifically, in this embodiment, the rotating component 96 and the first drive component 93 are arranged along the extension direction of the first axis and are respectively connected to the opposite sides of the screen component 92.
[0169] As shown in Figures 9, 11, 12, and 13, in one embodiment, the body 10 includes a column 12 with a first cable pass-through hole. A controller is located within the column 12. The gimbal assembly 91 includes a gimbal housing 912, which has a second cable pass-through hole 9121 corresponding to the first cable pass-through hole. The screen assembly 92 includes a screen housing 921 and a display screen 924 mounted on the screen housing 921. The rotating assembly 96 includes a sliding bearing 961, which communicates with both the gimbal housing 912 and the screen housing 921 to form a third cable pass-through hole 9611. The head display structure 90 also includes a connecting cable, one end of which is connected to the controller, and the other end passes through the first cable pass-through hole, the second cable pass-through hole 9121, and the third cable pass-through hole 9611 and is connected to the display screen 924. Thus, the connecting lines for connecting the controller to the first drive component 93 and the connecting lines for connecting the controller to the display screen 924 are both hidden, ensuring that the gimbal housing 912 will not interfere with the connecting lines during the rotation of the second axis and the screen housing 921 will not interfere with the connecting lines during the rotation of the first axis, thereby improving the reliability of the head display structure 90.
[0170] As shown in Figures 12 and 13, in this specific embodiment, the gimbal housing 912 is provided with a first limiting bone 9122, and the screen housing 921 is provided with a second limiting bone 9211. The first limiting bone 9122 and the second limiting bone 9211 are spaced apart and are respectively used to limit the two end faces of the sliding bearing 961. The first limiting bone 9122, the second limiting bone 9211, the gimbal housing 912, and the screen housing 921 enclose an installation space, and the sliding bearing 961 is installed in the installation space. The rotating assembly 96 also includes a bearing cover 962 and a fastening bolt. The fastening bolt is used to fasten the bearing cover 962 to the screen housing 921 together, at which time the screen housing 921 can rotate around the first axis.
[0171] As shown in Figure 10, in one embodiment, the head-mounted display structure 90 further includes a second detection element 97 communicatively connected to a controller. The second detection element 97 is mounted on the screen assembly 92 and is used to detect the position of the target object. Thus, while the first driving assembly 93 and the second driving assembly 94 drive the screen assembly 92 to rotate, the second detection element 97 also rotates synchronously with the screen assembly 92, increasing the detection range of the second detection element 97 and ensuring that it can detect the position of the target object, thereby improving the practicality of the head-mounted display structure 90.
[0172] The second detection element 97 can be configured as an RGBD camera, fisheye camera, infrared sensor, or other structure capable of detecting the position of a target object. The number and installation position of the second detection element 97 can be flexibly adjusted according to actual usage needs. Specifically, in this embodiment, the second detection element 97 can be installed on the screen housing 921 by snap-fit, plug-in, screw-in, or other means, and is located below the display screen 924.
[0173] As shown in Figure 14, in addition to the above, this application also protects a control method for a delivery robot 100, which includes the following steps:
[0174] S10: Obtain packing instructions and check whether there are items to be delivered in the specified area according to the packing instructions.
[0175] S20: When an item to be delivered is detected in the designated area, the door of the control cabin 11 is opened and the robotic arm 30 is used to place the item to be delivered into the compartment 111 of the control cabin 11.
[0176] Furthermore, after the step of controlling the robotic arm 30 to place the item to be delivered into the compartment 111 of the cabin 11, the procedure further includes:
[0177] Obtain a delivery instruction, and control the lifting drive mechanism 50 to move the robotic arm 30 to the upper position of the lifting drive mechanism 50 according to the delivery instruction, so that at least part of the robotic arm 30 is within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis 80.
[0178] It should be noted that the designated area can be a shelf, the ground, or a shelf formed by the exterior wall of the aforementioned compartment. Automated delivery equipment can receive instructions in ways including, but not limited to, clicking the screen or using voice commands.
[0179] The process of positioning at least part of the robotic arm within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis can be achieved by directly moving the robotic arm to the upper position of the lifting drive mechanism 50, or by moving the robotic arm to the upper position of the lifting drive mechanism 50 and then controlling the robotic arm 30 to fold and retract. The folding and retraction method is not limited, as long as the robotic arm 30 is completely or at least partially positioned within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis 80 after folding and retracting.
[0180] In a specific work scenario, after detecting an item to be delivered on the shelf 112, the robotic arm 30 grabs the item and transfers it to the compartment 111 for storage. Then, the lifting drive mechanism 50 drives the shoulder piece 40 and the robotic arm 30 to rise to the upper limit position 60. Next, one robotic arm 30 is folded in front of the column 12, and the other robotic arm 30 is folded in behind the column 12. This achieves a welcoming effect while ensuring the overall center of gravity is centered and the posture is stable. The delivery robot 100 then autonomously navigates to the delivery destination. Upon arrival, the door of the compartment 11 opens, and the robotic arm 30 descends to retrieve the item from the compartment 111 and places it on the shelf 112. After the user takes the item, or simply places it on the ground, the door closes, the robot takes the elevator downstairs, and autonomously returns to its starting point.
[0181] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above 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.
[0182] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, and 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 those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the protection scope of this application. Therefore, the protection scope of this patent application should be determined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A delivery robot, comprising: Mobile chassis; The fuselage is mounted on the mobile chassis; A lifting drive mechanism is installed on the machine body, with the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism arranged near the edge of the machine body and the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism arranged near the center of the machine body. as well as A robotic arm, wherein the robotic arm is connected to the lifting drive mechanism via a transmission connection; Specifically, when the delivery robot is walking, the lifting drive mechanism moves the robotic arm to the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism so that the robotic arm is positioned close to the center of the robot body; and / or, when the delivery robot is working, the lifting drive mechanism moves the robotic arm to the lower end of the lifting drive mechanism so that the robotic arm can operate on the ground or items inside the robot body.
2. The delivery robot of claim 1, wherein, The lifting drive mechanism is installed at an angle on the body.
3. The delivery robot of claim 1 or 2, wherein, The delivery robot also includes a shoulder piece, which is arranged at an angle and is driven by the lifting drive mechanism to move back and forth between the upper and lower ends of the lifting drive mechanism. The robotic arm is driven by the shoulder piece.
4. The delivery robot of claim 3, wherein, When the shoulder piece and the robotic arm are located at the upper end of the lifting drive mechanism, the robotic arm can be folded and retracted so that the orthographic projection of the shoulder piece and the robotic arm in the ground direction falls into the mobile chassis or at least partially falls into the mobile chassis.
5. The delivery robot of claim 3 or 4, wherein, The fuselage includes a cabin and a column. The cabin is disposed above the mobile chassis, and the column is installed above the cabin. The cabin has a compartment inside, and a platform is formed on the outer wall of the cabin. The robotic arm is used at least to transfer items from the platform to the compartment, or to transfer items from the compartment to the platform.
6. The delivery robot of claim 5, wherein, Along the direction of travel of the delivery robot, the robotic arm and the column are arranged close to the front of the delivery robot, and a counterweight is provided in the mobile chassis, which is arranged close to the rear of the delivery robot.
7. The delivery robot of claim 5, wherein, The delivery robot also includes a first identifier, which is disposed on the side of the column facing the shelf; And / or, the recognition head of the first recognizer is tilted downward toward the shelf so that the recognition angle is toward the shelf.
8. The delivery robot of claim 5, wherein, The robotic arm includes an arm section, an end effector, and a second identifier. One end of the arm section is mounted on the shoulder member, the end effector is mounted on the end of the arm section away from the shoulder member, and the second identifier is mounted on the end effector or the arm section.
9. The delivery robot of claim 8, wherein, The shoulder piece has a plug-in hole, and the end of the arm away from the end effector has a plug-in post, which is detachably installed in the plug-in hole; or, the shoulder piece has a plug-in post, and the end of the arm away from the end effector has a plug-in hole, which is detachably installed in the plug-in hole; the shoulder piece also has a cable passage hole inside, which is used to allow the connecting cable to pass through and connect to the arm.
10. The delivery robot of claim 8, wherein, The shoulder piece has a first mounting end and a second mounting end opposite to each other, and the distance between the first mounting end and the cabin body is greater than the distance between the second mounting end and the cabin body; The first mounting end is mounted on the column, and the end of the arm away from the end effector is connected to the second mounting end.
11. The delivery robot of claim 10, wherein, The lifting drive mechanism is located inside the column, and the column has an inclined rail groove. One end of the shoulder piece passes through the inclined rail groove and is connected to the lifting drive mechanism so that the shoulder piece can move back and forth between the upper limit position and the lower limit position. Or / and, the lifting drive mechanism is linearly inclined, and the inclination of the shoulder piece is less than the inclination of the lifting drive mechanism.
12. The delivery robot of claim 11, wherein, When the shoulder piece is at the upper limit position, the orthographic projection of the shoulder piece in the column direction is located within the side range of the column.
13. The delivery robot of claim 11, wherein, When the shoulder piece is in the downward limit position, the second mounting end extends to the outside of the front side of the cabin to form an anti-interference gap between the robotic arm and the cabin.
14. The delivery robot of claim 11, wherein, The lifting drive mechanism includes a power source, a transmission component, and a connecting component. The power source is driven to the transmission component, and the transmission component is driven to the connecting component so that the connecting component can move up and down. The shoulder piece is connected to the connecting component.
15. The delivery robot of claim 14, wherein, The power source includes a drive motor, the transmission assembly includes a bracket, a timing pulley set, and a lead screw and nut pair, the connection assembly includes a nut connector, a slider, and an arm connector, the drive motor is mounted on the bracket, the timing pulley set and the lead screw and nut pair are both movably mounted on the bracket, the drive motor is connected to the lead screw and nut pair via the timing pulley set, the nut connector is connected to the lead screw and nut pair, and both the nut connector and the slider are connected to the arm connector, the arm connector is assembled and fixed to the shoulder piece.
16. The delivery robot of any one of claims 5 to 15, wherein, Two robotic arms are provided, which are respectively located on opposite sides of the column. The two robotic arms can move independently or in coordination.
17. The delivery robot of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The delivery robot also includes a head display structure, which comprises: Screen components; A first driving component is connected to the screen component in a transmission manner and is used to drive the screen component to rotate around a first axis. The second drive component is connected to the first drive component and is used to drive the screen component to rotate around the second axis via the first drive component; the second drive component is connected to the body. The controller is communicatively connected to both the first drive component and the second drive component. The first axis and the second axis extend in different directions.
18. The delivery robot of claim 17, wherein, The head display structure also includes a gimbal assembly, the second drive assembly is connected to the gimbal assembly, and the first drive assembly is mounted on the gimbal assembly.
19. The delivery robot of claim 18, wherein, The gimbal assembly includes a gimbal bracket fixed to the body and a gimbal housing located on the side of the gimbal bracket away from the body. The gimbal bracket has a mounting through hole. The second drive assembly includes a rotating shaft and a first drive component mounted on the body. One end of the rotating shaft is connected to the first drive component, and the other end passes through the mounting through hole and is connected to the gimbal housing. The rotating shaft is limited and engaged with the inner sidewall of the mounting through hole. The first drive assembly is mounted on the gimbal housing.
20. The delivery robot of claim 19, wherein, The second drive assembly also includes a limiting bearing, which is sleeved on the outer side wall of the rotating shaft and fixed in the mounting through hole.
21. The delivery robot of claim 20, wherein, The rotating shaft has an external thread at one end away from the first driving member. The second driving assembly also includes a locking nut that is threadedly connected to the external thread and a first adapter with a connecting hole. The rotating shaft passes through the connecting hole. The first adapter is fixedly connected to the gimbal housing and is located between the locking nut and the limiting bearing, so that the locking nut can cooperate with the limiting bearing to fix the first adapter on the rotating shaft.
22. The delivery robot of any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein, The first driving component includes a second driving member with an output shaft and a second adapter fixed to the output shaft. The second driving member is mounted on the gimbal assembly. The axis of the output shaft coincides with the first axis. The second adapter is fixedly connected to the screen assembly.
23. The delivery robot of any one of claims 18 to 22, wherein, The head display structure also includes a rotating component, which is connected to both the gimbal assembly and the screen assembly, so that the screen assembly can rotate relative to the gimbal assembly about the first axis via the rotating component.
24. The delivery robot of claim 23, wherein, The main body includes a column with a first cable pass hole, the controller is located inside the column, the gimbal assembly includes a gimbal housing, the gimbal housing has a second cable pass hole corresponding to the first cable pass hole, the screen assembly includes a screen housing and a display screen mounted on the screen housing, the rotating assembly includes a sliding bearing, the sliding bearing is connected to both the gimbal housing and the screen housing to form a third cable pass hole, the head display structure also includes a connecting wire, one end of the connecting wire is connected to the controller, and the other end passes through the first cable pass hole, the second cable pass hole and the third cable pass hole and is connected to the display screen.
25. The delivery robot of any one of claims 17 to 24, wherein, The head display structure further includes a first detection element communicatively connected to the controller, the first detection element being mounted on the device body and used to detect the user's face position; and / or, the head display structure further includes a second detection element communicatively connected to the controller, the second detection element being mounted on the screen assembly and used to detect the position of a target object.
26. A control method for a delivery robot as described in any one of claims 1 to 25, comprising the following steps: Obtain packing instructions and check whether there are items to be delivered in the specified area based on the packing instructions; When an item to be delivered is detected in a designated area, the control cabin door opens, and the control robotic arm places the item into the cabin.
27. The control method of a delivery robot according to claim 26, wherein After the step of controlling the robotic arm to place the item to be delivered into the compartment of the cabin, the following steps are also included: Obtain delivery instructions, and control the lifting drive mechanism to move the robotic arm to the upper position of the lifting drive mechanism according to the delivery instructions, so that at least part of the robotic arm is within the outer contour line of the mobile chassis.