Ball Collecting Robot Navigation for Safe Groove Discharge

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing ball collecting and discharging machines using autonomous traveling robots face challenges such as falling into ball discharging grooves and difficulty in accurately controlling the angle of towing structures for ball discharge, leading to increased installation workload and inefficiencies in ball collection and discharge operations.

Innovation Solution

A ball collecting and discharging machine with a main body, storage, and controller that performs instruction reproduction travel, using a traveling portion to collect and discharge balls safely and reliably, with pre-instructed routes for both collection and discharge, and includes features like GNSS and geomagnetic sensors for navigation and a storage amount detector for timely discharge.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a track is installed in advance for the autonomous traveling robot, then the robot can travel safely and reliably, but the position and number of ball discharging tracks cannot be changed, resulting in fixed timing for ball discharging work

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafe and reliable travelVSAvoidflexibility of ball discharging position and timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces fixed tracks with a dynamic navigation system using GNSS receivers and geomagnetic sensors. The robot can dynamically adjust its traveling route and ball discharging position based on real-time location information, eliminating the rigidity of pre-installed tracks while maintaining reliable navigation through sensor-based guidance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the autonomous traveling robot travels in a trackless manner, then the position and number of ball discharging tracks can be changed, but the robot may fall into the ball discharging groove

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexibility of ball discharging positionVSAvoidsafe approach to ball discharging site

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism using GNSS receivers to continuously monitor the robot's position and geomagnetic sensors to detect the approach to the ball discharging site. This feedback allows the robot to adjust its trajectory in real-time, preventing it from falling into the groove while maintaining the ability to reach variable discharging positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical track system with an electronic navigation system based on GNSS and geomagnetic sensing. This substitution eliminates the physical constraints of tracks while providing reliable guidance through sensor-based position detection and control, preventing the robot from falling into grooves during trackless operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If a towing structure is adopted for collecting balls, then balls can be collected, but it is necessary to control the angle of the towing structure at the time of discharging, which is difficult to control accurately

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball collection capabilityVSAvoiddifficulty in controlling towing structure angle

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs geomagnetic sensors to enable the towing structure to automatically align itself with the magnetic north when approaching the ball discharging site. This self-alignment mechanism eliminates the need for complex manual angle control, allowing the towing structure to automatically assume the correct discharge angle through interaction with the Earth's magnetic field.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables safe, reliable, and efficient ball collection and discharge operations by autonomously navigating to the discharge site, reducing the need for fixed tracks and simplifying control, thereby shortening the time required for discharge and resuming collection work.

Implementation Method 1

a GNSS receiver 35 for acquiring absolute position information of the autonomous traveling robot on the ground

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System):

Implementation Method 2

a geomagnetic sensor 37 for detecting a direction of a magnetic field

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGeomagnetic sensing: Magnetic Field

Data Source

PatentUS11642575B2Ball collecting and discharging machine

Publication Date: 2023.05.09 MURATA MASCH LTD

AI summary

A main body of a ball collecting and discharging machine includes a traveling portion and a ball collecting and discharging portion to collect and discharge balls. A controller causes the ball collecting and discharging portion to collect the balls scattered in a ball scattered area while causing the traveling portion to cause the main body to travel along a ball collecting route in the ball scattered area. When the ball collecting and discharging portion reaches a state of being ready to discharge balls during or after ball collecting work, the controller causes the traveling portion to cause the main body to travel along the ball discharging route and causes the ball collecting and discharging portion to discharge balls at the ball discharging site.