Robot Power Coupling via Vehicle Position Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply methods for transportation vehicles require time-consuming positional detection of the vehicle's power supply interface on the power supply unit side, which hinders efficient operation when serving multiple vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining the position of the transportation vehicle's power supply interface using optically detectable features and transmitting this information to the power supply unit, allowing the power supply unit's robot to autonomously move and couple with the vehicle's interface, eliminating the need for pre-detection on the unit side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the power supply unit performs positional detection of the vehicle's power supply interface, then the coupling accuracy is improved, but the time required for power supply operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the power supply unit detecting the vehicle's position (traditional approach), the invention inverts the detection direction: the vehicle detects its own position relative to the power supply unit using optical features, and transmits this information to the power supply unit. This inversion eliminates the need for the power supply unit to perform time-consuming detection operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle performs position detection and transmits position information to the power supply unit before the actual power supply operation begins. This preliminary action allows the power supply unit to already know the vehicle's position when the coupling operation starts, eliminating detection time during the power supply process.
2Reliability
If the power supply unit serves multiple vehicles sequentially with repeated positional detection, then each vehicle receives accurate power supply, but the overall productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle determines and transmits its position information to the power supply unit before the coupling operation. This preliminary position determination enables the power supply unit to quickly locate and couple with each vehicle without performing time-consuming detection operations for every vehicle, thereby increasing overall productivity while maintaining reliable power supply.
3Ease of operation
If the robot on the power supply unit autonomously moves and couples with the vehicle's interface, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle autonomously determines its own position relative to the power supply unit using optical detection features and transmits this information. This self-service approach eliminates the need for the power supply unit's robot to perform complex detection operations, simplifying the overall system while maintaining automated coupling capability.
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
This approach significantly reduces time required for power supply operations, enabling simultaneous or sequential servicing of multiple vehicles without the need for repeated positional determinations, thus enhancing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a position of a transportation vehicle-side power supply interface is determined by way of optically detectable features of the power supply unit
Data Source
AI summary
A method for supplying power from at least one power supply unit to transportation vehicles requiring a power supply, in which a position of a transportation vehicle-side power supply interface of a transportation vehicle requiring power is determined for each transportation vehicle and the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface is automatically coupled to a power supply interface of the power supply unit by the power supply interface of the power supply unit being moved by a robot to the transportation vehicle-side power supply interface and coupled thereto. A robot is responsible for coupling transportation vehicles to a suitable power supply interface of the power supply unit.