Autonomous Work Route Control With Mid-Route Wireless Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing autonomous work systems experience reduced work efficiency due to long charging times, necessitating multiple machines and large battery capacities, which increase costs.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates supplementary wireless charging stations along the work route, allowing the autonomous work machine to perform additional charging mid-route, reducing the need for multiple machines and large batteries by using wireless power transfer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the autonomous work machine returns to the start position for charging after completing work, then the battery is fully charged, but work efficiency decreases due to long charging time and work stoppage
Solution Approach 1:
The charging function is segmented from the start position to multiple supplementary charging stations distributed along the work route. Instead of one centralized charging location, the charging function is divided into multiple distributed points, allowing the work machine to charge at convenient locations during route execution, thereby reducing work stoppage time and improving efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The supplementary charging stations are pre-positioned along the work route at locations where the work machine will pass during normal operation. This preliminary placement allows the machine to perform charging actions during its regular work cycle without requiring additional trips or stopping work to return to a centralized charging location
2Productivity
If multiple autonomous work machines are used to alternate charging and tasks, then work efficiency is maintained, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The charging infrastructure is segmented into multiple supplementary stations along the work route, enabling a single work machine to perform charging tasks during its operation cycle. This eliminates the need for multiple machines working in parallel, as one machine can now alternate between work and charging at different locations along its route, reducing the total number of machines required
Solution Approach 2:
The work machine serves its own charging needs by autonomously navigating to supplementary charging stations during its work route execution. The machine independently determines when and where to charge based on its battery status and route parameters, without requiring other machines to take over charging tasks,从而实现 self-service and reducing fleet size
3Area of stationary object
If the facility area is vast, then the work coverage is expanded, but the traveling distance increases and requires large-capacity battery
Solution Approach 1:
The charging infrastructure is extended from a single point (start position) to multiple points distributed along the work route (supplementary charging stations). This dimensional change in charging location distribution allows the work machine to access charging facilities at various points during its traversal of vast areas, effectively reducing the need for large-capacity batteries by enabling intermediate recharging during long-distance operations
4Length of moving object
If large-capacity battery is used to cover vast facility areas, then traveling distance is sufficient, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery capacity requirement is segmented by introducing multiple supplementary charging stations along the work route. Instead of requiring a single large-capacity battery to cover the entire vast area, the total energy requirement is divided into smaller segments that can be replenished at intermediate charging points, allowing the use of smaller-capacity batteries while maintaining sufficient traveling distance coverage
Solution Approach 2:
The supplementary charging stations are pre-positioned at strategic locations along the work route to provide intermediate charging points. This preliminary placement allows the work machine to perform top-up charging during its operation, eliminating the need to equip the machine with a large-capacity battery designed for the entire route, thereby reducing battery capacity requirements and system cost
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 minimizes efficiency losses from prolonged charging, decreases the number of required machines, and reduces battery capacity needs, thereby lowering system costs while enhancing charging frequency and reliability through wireless power transfer.
Implementation Method 1
The plurality of supplementary charging stations are positioned along the work route to charge the battery by wireless power transfer
Data Source
AI summary
An autonomous work system includes an autonomous work machine, a plurality of supplementary charging stations, and a controller. The autonomous work machine moves along a work route that sequentially passes through multiple work positions and performs a predetermined task at each of the work positions. The plurality of supplementary charging stations are arranged along the work route to charge the battery by wireless power transfer. The controller acquires a remaining charge of the battery. The controller determines whether additional charging of the battery is necessary in a middle of the work route based on the remaining charge of the battery. The controller determines the work route to move the autonomous work machine to one of the plurality of supplementary charging stations in a middle of the work route to perform the additional charging of the battery upon determining that the additional charging is necessary.