Universal Hitch Load Cell for AMR Pull Force Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated vehicles face challenges in safely managing trolleys across varying gradients and ramps, with excessive pull forces leading to equipment wear and potential safety hazards, and lack a universal mechanism to detect trolley attachment and payload.
Innovation Solution
A universal hitch equipped with a load cell system measures pull forces and detects trolley attachment, ensuring safe operation within predefined limits, preventing overloads, and detecting stuck conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual operation to activate brakes is used to prevent rollback, then safety is improved, but operation complexity increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The trolley is equipped with an automatic brake system that activates based on detected pull force levels. The microprocessor monitors the load cell output and automatically engages the brake mechanism when rollback risk is detected, eliminating the need for manual brake activation while maintaining safety standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical brake operation is replaced with an electronically controlled brake system. The load cell (mechanical sensor) connects to a microprocessor that electronically controls the brake actuation, substituting manual mechanical operation with an automated electromechanical system.
2Measurement precision
If load cell and microprocessor system is added to detect pull force, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The load cell and microprocessor system serves multiple functions: measuring pull force magnitude, detecting trolley attachment status, monitoring payload presence, and triggering safety brakes. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating multiple detection needs into a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
The load cell acts as an intermediary element between the hitch mechanism and the control system. It converts mechanical pull force into an electrical signal that the microprocessor can process, enabling precise measurement without requiring direct mechanical contact or complex sensing mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If AMR operates on ramps and inclined surfaces, then adaptability is improved, but safety risks increase due to rollback potential
Solution Approach 1:
The automatic brake system is pre-configured with threshold values for pull force that indicate rollback risk. When the microprocessor detects pull force exceeding these pre-set thresholds, the brake automatically engages before significant rollback can occur, preventing safety incidents on ramps and inclined surfaces.
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
Ensures safe and efficient operation of autonomous mobile robots by accurately measuring pull forces, preventing damage, and enabling proactive maintenance, while being adaptable to various trolleys and environments.
Implementation Method 1
a load cell setup to measure the pull force
Data Source
AI summary
According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, universal hitch with load cell (102) to detect pull force is disclosed. The present disclosure provides techniques to automatically measure the pull force experienced by a vehicle such as an autonomous mobile robot (AMR) 100 operating on any attached trolley are provided. The described mechanism may accurately measure the pull force experienced by an AMR 100 while pulling any kind of trolley. The described techniques serve multiple purposes, such as: enabling an AMR 100 to establish its safe operating range within the predefined pull force limits for the given operating conditions, ensuring optimal performance and longevity of the drive system; providing automatic detection mechanisms to identify trolley struck instances; preventing potential damages by overload conditions.