Delivery Robot Auxiliary Wheel Positioning for Load Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robots used for delivering goods often overturn due to the movement of the center of gravity when loaded with goods, as they lack effective mechanisms to cope with the shifting weight distribution, leading to instability and potential accidents.
Innovation Solution
A robot design incorporating a loading box with pressure sensors, a variable supporter system, and an auxiliary wheel that adjusts its position based on the estimated center of gravity data derived through machine learning, ensuring the auxiliary wheel's distance from the drive wheel is sufficient to prevent overturning by maintaining stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the loading box is opened to load or withdraw goods, then the accessibility and ease of operation are improved, but the center of gravity moves causing the robot to overturn
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary wheel is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position along the movement direction of the center of gravity. This enables the support system to adapt in real-time to changing weight distributions when the loading box is opened or closed, maintaining robot stability throughout the operation cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses pressure sensors to detect the weight distribution of goods in the loading box and feeds this information back to the control unit. The control unit then calculates the center of gravity position and adjusts the auxiliary wheel position accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains stability during goods loading and withdrawal.
2Device complexity
If the auxiliary wheel position is fixed, then the device complexity is reduced, but the robot cannot cope with center of gravity movement
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary wheel is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position along the movement direction of the center of gravity. This enables the support system to adapt in real-time to changing weight distributions when the loading box is opened or closed, maintaining robot stability throughout the operation cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical stabilization structures with a simpler movable wheel supported by a linear mover and screw mechanism. This substitution achieves adaptability to center of gravity movement while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through the use of standardized motion conversion components.
3Measurement precision
If machine learning is used to estimate center of gravity position, then the measurement precision is improved, but the loss of time for computation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by using pressure sensors to directly measure weight distribution and calculating the center of gravity position through established physical formulas rather than relying solely on machine learning computation. This approach achieves accurate center of gravity estimation while minimizing computation time, as the calculation is based on direct sensor measurements rather than iterative learning processes.
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
The solution effectively stabilizes the robot by dynamically adjusting the auxiliary wheel's position to match the movement of the center of gravity, preventing overturning and ensuring safe operation even when the loading box is open or closed, thereby enhancing the robot's ability to autonomously deliver goods.
Implementation Method 1
a screw having one side coupled to a rotary shaft of the motor to rotate together according to the rotation of the motor and having the other side coupled to the linear mover so that the linear mover is movable, and converting the rotational motion of the motor into the linear motion of the liner mover
Data Source
AI summary
A robot and an operation method thereof are disclosed. A robot may include a loading box provided to load goods, and to be movable at a certain distance with respect to the robot when closed and opened, a drive wheel configured to drive the robot, an auxiliary wheel provided at a position spaced apart from the drive wheel, and a variable supporter configured to change the position of the auxiliary wheel, and supporting the loading box, and the variable supporter may move the auxiliary wheel so as to correspond to the movement direction of the center of gravity of the robot. The robot may transmit and receive a wireless signal on the mobile communication network constructed according to a 5 Generation (G) communication.