Autonomous Carriage Docking Using Support Leg Position Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing unmanned transport vehicles face challenges in detecting and docking with general-purpose car carriages without modifying the carriage or environmental equipment, leading to low measurement accuracy and difficulty in achieving a position and orientation advantageous for transportation.

Innovation Solution

An unmanned transport vehicle equipped with a moving body, detection sensors, and a control device that can autonomously detect and calculate the approach and docking positions of a car carriage's support legs, allowing precise alignment and docking without modifying the carriage or environment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If image processing and deep learning are used to detect and dock car carriages, then the unmanned transport vehicle can operate autonomously without environmental modifications, but the measurement accuracy in pixel units is low and docking position and orientation are not advantageous for transportation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to detect and dock general-purpose car carriagesVSAvoidmeasurement accuracy of car carriage position

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from two-dimensional image processing to three-dimensional spatial measurement by introducing a laser range finder that measures distance in the depth dimension. This allows the system to calculate the actual three-dimensional position and orientation of the car carriage, overcoming the limitations of pixel-based measurement and enabling accurate docking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If a dedicated transfer shelf is prepared and accurately installed at a predetermined position, then accurate docking is achieved, but the environment must be modified and the system cannot transport standard car carriages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocking accuracyVSAvoidability to transport standard car carriages

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables the car carriage to serve its own positioning function by detecting its casters and using them as reference points for calculating the docking position. This eliminates the need for external positioning infrastructure like transfer shelves or floor markers, allowing the system to work with standard car carriages in unmodified environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The unmanned transport vehicle is designed with universal docking capability that can accommodate various types of standard car carriages without requiring environment-specific modifications. The system uses generic features (casters) that are common to all car carriages, enabling it to transport any standard car carriage type.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If the unmanned transport vehicle enters the bottom space under the car carriage, then it can dock with the load plate, but the vehicle height must be sufficiently low

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocking capability with load plateVSAvoidvehicle height

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary detection of the car carriage position and orientation using the laser range finder before the docking maneuver. This allows the vehicle to plan its approach path and calculate the optimal docking position in advance, ensuring that it can enter the bottom space accurately without requiring excessive height clearance during the docking process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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 accurate and versatile docking of car carriages in a position and orientation advantageous for transportation, reducing costs and improving operational efficiency by not requiring modifications to the vehicle or environment.

Implementation Method 1

a first detection sensor capable of detecting the approach side caster

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLIDAR: LIDAR

Data Source

PatentUS12195315B2Unmanned transport vehicle, unmanned transport method, and computer-readable storage medium

Publication Date: 2025.01.14 KK TOSHIBA

AI summary

According to one embodiment, an unmanned transport vehicle includes: a moving body capable of autonomously traveling on a floor surface and having a docking portion connecting to the object; a detection sensor capable of detecting an approach side support leg, wherein, of the plurality of support legs in the object, a pair of support legs located on a docking side of the moving body are designated as approach side support legs, and a pair of support legs located on a side opposite to a docking side in a traveling direction of the moving body is used as depth side support legs; and a control device connected to the moving body and a first detection sensor. The moving body has a height capable of entering a bottom space surrounded by a lower surface of the load plate of the object, the plurality of support legs, and the floor surface.