Carriage Control for Raised-Load Mobile Robot Stability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Autonomous mobile robots with changeable height placement parts experience instability when transporting loads, leading to a risk of falling due to their posture instability.

Innovation Solution

A control system that determines whether the autonomous mobile robot is planned to move with a load raised to a predetermined height and controls the carriage to move towards the robot, reducing the distance the robot needs to travel in an unstable state by allowing the carriage to house the load instead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the autonomous mobile robot moves with the load raised to a predetermined height or higher by the placement part, then the load can be transported to the carriage, but the posture stability of the autonomous mobile robot deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveload transport capabilityVSAvoidposture stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of the autonomous mobile robot moving toward the carriage with the load raised, the carriage moves toward the autonomous mobile robot. This inversion of the moving object resolves the stability issue by eliminating the need for the robot to traverse a distance in an unstable posture, while still achieving the load transfer objective

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Length of stationary object

If the autonomous mobile robot moves a long distance with the load on the raised placement part, then the load can be delivered to distant carriages, but the risk of falling increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransport distanceVSAvoidfalling risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The carriage moves toward the autonomous mobile robot instead of the robot moving to the carriage. This allows long-distance load delivery while the robot remains stationary or moves minimally in an unstable state, dramatically reducing falling risk regardless of the delivery distance

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The carriage acts as an active intermediary that moves to meet the robot, rather than the robot being the active moving element. This transfers the movement burden from the unstable robot to the stable carriage system, enabling long-distance transport without compounding instability risks

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS12181875B2Control system, control method, and program

Publication Date: 2024.12.31 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A control system for controlling a movement of a carriage in which a load is housed includes a determination unit configured to determine whether or not an autonomous mobile robot is planned to move toward the carriage in a state in which the load is raised to a predetermined height or higher by a placement part, the autonomous mobile robot including the placement part having a changeable height and being configured to house the load placed on the placement part in the carriage, and a carriage control unit configured to control the carriage so that the carriage moves toward the autonomous mobile robot when it is determined that the autonomous mobile robot is planned to move toward the carriage in a state in which the load is raised to the predetermined height or higher by the placement part.