Lifting robot systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11020858-B2
Application number	US-201816109895-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2018
Priority date	Aug 23, 2018
Publication date	Jun 1, 2021
Grant date	Jun 1, 2021

Abstract

Lifting robot systems and methods for operating the same are disclosed. A lifting robot system includes a sensor device and a robot device. The robot device includes a body, a lifting component movably coupled to the body, and a collection tray coupled to the lifting component. Upon receiving a command to lift an object, the sensor device automatically detects the object, the robot device places the object on the collection tray, and the robot device causes the lifting component to lift the collection tray from a first height to a second height.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lifting robot system, comprising:
a sensor device; and
a robot device comprising:
a body,
a lifting component movably coupled to the body, and
a collection tray coupled to the lifting component, the collection tray comprising a tray body with a collection arm hingedly coupled to the tray body, the collection arm rotatable towards or away from the tray body,

wherein, upon receiving a command to lift an object:
the sensor device automatically detects the object,
the robot device places the object on the collection tray, and
the robot device causes the lifting component to lift the collection tray from a first height to a second height.

2. The lifting robot system of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface device communicatively coupled to the robot device.

3. The lifting robot system of claim 2 , wherein the user interface device comprises a light emitting component that emits an indicator on or around the object when the user interface device is aimed by a user at the object.

4. The lifting robot system of claim 2 , wherein the user interface device comprises one or more user input components selected from a button, a microphone, a motion sensor, and an imaging device.

5. The lifting robot system of claim 1 , wherein receiving the command to lift the object comprises:
receiving one or more of a voiced command and a gesture from a user, and
determining a location of the object based on the one or more of the voiced command and the gesture.

6. The lifting robot system of claim 1 , wherein the robot device further comprises a base supporting the body, the base comprising one or more mobility components.

7. The lifting robot system of claim 6 , wherein:
the one or more mobility components comprise one or more wheels coupled to a drive mechanism that drives movement of the one or more wheels; and
the robot device further comprises a processing device communicatively coupled to the sensor device and the drive mechanism.

8. The lifting robot system of claim 7 , wherein:
data is transmitted from the sensor device to the processing device,
the processing device processes the data and determines one or more movement commands, and
the processing device transmits one or more signals corresponding to the one or more movement commands to the drive mechanism to cause the one or more wheels to move such that the lifting robot system operates autonomously or semi-autonomously.

9. The lifting robot system of claim 1 , wherein the robot device places the object on the collection tray by directing an actuator to rotate the collection arm towards the collection tray to push the object onto the collection tray.

10. The lifting robot system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first height corresponds to a floor level or ground level; and
the second height corresponds to a height that is above the floor level or ground level.

11. A lifting robot system, comprising:
a mobile first unit comprising:
a movable body,
a base supporting the body, the base comprising one or more mobility components, and
a plow component coupled to the body such that the plow component contacts a ground surface; and

a standing second unit separate from the first unit, the second unit comprising:
a lifting pad, and
a lifting component coupled to the lifting pad, the lifting component movable to lift the lifting pad from the ground surface to a height.

12. The lifting robot system of claim 11 , further comprising a user interface device communicatively coupled to the first unit.

13. The lifting robot system of claim 12 , wherein the user interface device comprises a light emitting component that emits an indicator on or around an object when the user interface device is aimed by a user at the object.

14. The lifting robot system of claim 12 , wherein the user interface device comprises one or more user input components selected from a button, a microphone, a motion sensor, and an imaging device.

15. The lifting robot system of claim 11 , wherein:
the one or more mobility components comprise one or more wheels coupled to a drive mechanism that drives movement of the one or more wheels; and
the first unit further comprises:
a sensor device, and
a processing device communicatively coupled to the sensor device and the drive mechanism.

16. The lifting robot system of claim 15 , wherein:
data is transmitted from the sensor device to the processing device,
the processing device processes the data and determines one or more movement commands, and
the processing device transmits one or more signals corresponding to the one or more movement commands to the drive mechanism to cause the one or more wheels to move such that the lifting robot system operates autonomously or semi-autonomously.

17. The lifting robot system of claim 11 , wherein, upon receiving a command to lift an object:
the first unit automatically detects the object, moves to the object, causes the plow component to contact the object, and pushes the object, via the plow component, to the lifting pad such that the object is placed on the lifting pad, and
the second unit detects the object on the lifting pad and actuates the lifting component to lift the lifting pad and the object to the height.

18. A lifting robot system, comprising:
a sensor device;
a user interface device; and
a robot device comprising:
a body,
a lifting component movably coupled to the body,
a collection tray coupled to the lifting component,
a processing device communicatively coupled to the sensor device, the user interface device, and the lifting component, and
a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium communicatively coupled to the processing device, the non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium comprising one or more programming instructions that, when executed, cause the processing device to:
receive a signal or data from the user interface device, the signal or the data corresponding to a request from a user to retrieve an object,
receive sensor data from the sensor device, wherein the sensor data corresponds to a sensed environment around the lifting robot system and comprises the object and an indicator indicating the object,
determine a location of the object,
direct movement of the robot device to the object such that the object is placed on the collection tray, and
cause the lifting component to raise the collection tray and the object.

19. The lifting robot system of claim 18 , wherein the user interface device comprises a light emitting component that emits the indicator on or around the object when the user interface device is aimed by the user at the object.

20. The lifting robot system of claim 18 , wherein the user interface device comprises one or more user input components selected from a button, a microphone, a motion sensor, and an imaging device.

Assignees

• Toyota Res Inst Inc

Inventors

• Amacker Matthew
• Yao Jonathan
• Ahumada Manuel
• Custer Andrew

Classifications

• B25J9/1664

  characterised by motion, path, trajectory planning · CPC title

• B25J13/06

  Control stands, e.g. consoles, switchboards · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G06F3/167

  Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback · CPC title

• B25J11/008

  Manipulators for service tasks · CPC title