Autonomous Fence Door Latching for Secure Robotic Vehicle Passage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic vehicles, such as robotic mowers, face challenges in navigating between fenced areas without compromising the security or integrity of the fence, as existing solutions often require manual operation, consume excessive power, or introduce non-secure breaches.
Innovation Solution
A selectively operable door system for robotic vehicles that includes a door frame, a hingedly connected door body, and a latching assembly with an automatic lock, allowing the vehicle to pass through while maintaining fence integrity by minimizing power consumption and avoiding false unlocks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a manual door operation system is used for robotic vehicles to pass through barriers, then the fence security is maintained, but the operational convenience is reduced and power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The door system operates autonomously by detecting the robotic vehicle's approach and automatically unlocking/locking the door without human intervention. The system uses sensors to detect the vehicle, triggers the unlock sequence, and automatically re-locks after passage, enabling the door to serve itself rather than requiring manual operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical door operation with an automated electromechanical system. The locking mechanism is controlled by an electronic control unit that receives signals from sensors and actuates the lock accordingly, substituting the need for manual mechanical manipulation with an automated control system.
2Ease of operation
If the automatic lock remains in release position to allow vehicle passage, then ease of operation is improved, but false unlock events increase and security is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The lock alternates between capture and release positions in periodic cycles triggered by vehicle detection. The lock captures during normal operation to maintain security, releases periodically when a vehicle is detected and needs to pass, then recaptures afterward. This periodic switching resolves the contradiction by providing ease of operation only when necessary while maintaining security otherwise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors to detect the presence and passage of robotic vehicles, providing feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit determines when to transition the lock between capture and release positions, ensuring the door remains secure unless a vehicle is actively attempting to pass through.
3Productivity
If the lock frequently switches between capture and release positions, then operational efficiency is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lock remains in the energy-efficient capture position during normal operation and only transitions to the release position periodically when vehicle passage is detected and required. This minimizes the duration and frequency of high-power states while maintaining the ability to handle multiple vehicles efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The unlock event is executed quickly and efficiently when needed, minimizing the time the lock spends in the high-power release position. The system rushes through the necessary unlock sequence to allow vehicle passage as quickly as possible, then immediately transitions back to the low-power capture position, reducing overall energy consumption.
Data Source
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AI summary
A selectively operable door (50) for a robotic vehicle (10) may include a door frame disposable in a barrier dividing two areas in which the robotic vehicle (10) is enabled to travel, a door body (54) hingedly connected to the door frame (52), and a latching assembly configured to alternately allow movement of the door body (54) such that the robotic vehicle (10) to enabled to pass through the selectively operable door (50) via displacement of the door body (54) and prevent movement of the door body (54) such that the door body (54) is retained in a closed state. The latching assembly may include an automatic lock configured to define a release position in which movement of the door body (54) from the closed state is allowed, and a capture position in which movement of the door body to the closed state is allowed and movement of the door body from the closed state is prevented.