Outdoor Robot Contact Element for Height-Filtered Obstacle Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing outdoor processing robots face challenges in robust operation due to false triggering of sensors when encountering obstacles of varying heights, leading to inefficient and disturbed operation.

Innovation Solution

An outdoor processing system with an autonomous mobile robot equipped with a touch element designed for evasive and detection movements, where the sensor and control device only detect and control the protective function for detection movements, not evasive movements, allowing for height-filtered control and reduced false triggering.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the sensor and control device detect all obstacle contacts, then the protective function is activated for all obstacles, but false triggering occurs for low obstacles causing disturbed operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprotective function activationVSAvoiduninterrupted operation
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the parameter of obstacle detection by introducing a height threshold parameter. The contact element is designed with different contact points (upper and lower) that correspond to different obstacle height ranges. By detecting which contact point is activated, the system distinguishes between high obstacles (activating protective function) and low obstacles (allowing continued operation), thus resolving the contradiction between reliable protection and uninterrupted operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the contact element is designed for both evasive and detection movements, then the robot can respond to different obstacle types, but the sensor cannot distinguish between the two movement types leading to false triggers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse to different obstacle typesVSAvoidmovement type detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The contact element is segmented into functionally distinct regions: an upper contact point region for detection movements (high obstacles) and a lower contact point region for evasive movements (low obstacles). The sensor and control device are configured to detect only movements involving the upper contact point, thereby precisely distinguishing between detection and evasive movements and eliminating false triggers while maintaining adaptability to different obstacle types.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4082318B1Outdoor processing system
Publication Date: 2024.11.20 ANDREAS STIHL AG & CO KG
  • EP4082318B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4082318B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4082318B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to an outdoor processing system (1), wherein the outdoor processing system (1) comprises an autonomous mobile outdoor processing robot (2) and a sensor and control device (3), wherein the outdoor processing robot (2) comprises a chassis (4) and a contact element (5), wherein the chassis (4) is configured for a travel movement of the outdoor processing robot (2) in a travel direction (x), and wherein the contact element (5) is configured for an evasive movement in an evasive direction (z) by means of the travel movement in the travel direction (x) and an obstacle contact with a lower contact point (uP) below a height limit (HG), and for a detection movement in a detection direction (-z) by means of the travel movement in the travel direction (x) and an obstacle contact with an upper contact point (oP) at or above the height limit (HG), and is movably mounted relative to the chassis (4).wherein the avoidance direction (z) and the detection direction (-z) are different, and - wherein the sensor and control device (3) is configured to detect the detection movement or a movement caused by the detection movement and to control a protective function (SF) of the outdoor processing robot (2) triggered by the detected detection movement or the detected movement, and - wherein the sensor and control device (3) does not detect or evaluate the avoidance movement or a movement caused by the avoidance movement.