Method for controlling transport robot, vertical support, and transport robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12269684-B2
Application number	US-202217929418-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2022
Priority date	Mar 9, 2020
Publication date	Apr 8, 2025
Grant date	Apr 8, 2025

Abstract

A vertical support for a transport robot includes a column assembly and a driving assembly. The vertical support includes a fixed column frame and a movable column frame movably arranged on the fixed column frame. The driving assembly includes a traction assembly and a retractable assembly connected to the traction assembly. The traction assembly is connected to the carrying device and configured to drive a carrying device of the transport robot to move relative to the movable column frame. The traction assembly includes two sets of traction assemblies located at two opposed sides of the carrying device respectively, the retractable assembly is configured to drive the two sets of the traction assemblies to synchronously drive the carrying device to ascend or descend.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for controlling a transport robot, wherein the transport robot comprises:
a vertical support,
a driving assembly; and
a carrying device, wherein the vertical support comprises a fixed column frame and a movable column frame, the carrying device is movably arranged on the movable column frame, the movable column frame is movably arranged on the fixed column frame, and the carrying device is configured to carry goods, the driving assembly comprises a traction assembly and a retractable assembly connected to the traction assembly, the traction assembly is connected to the carrying device, the retractable assembly is arranged on the fixed column frame; the retractable assembly is configured to drive, through the traction assembly, at least one of: the carrying device to move relative to the movable column frame, and the movable column frame to move relative to the fixed column frame; the traction assembly comprises two sets of traction assemblies located at two opposed sides of the carrying device respectively, the retractable assembly is configured to drive the two sets of the traction assemblies to synchronously drive the carrying device to ascend or descend; the method comprises:
receiving a movement instruction; and
driving, according to the movement instruction, at least one of: the carrying device to move relative to the movable column frame; and the movable column frame to move relative to the fixed column frame;

wherein the driving, according to the movement instruction, the carrying device to move relative to the movable column frame and/or the movable column frame to move relative to the fixed column frame comprises:
obtaining a first specified ascending height according to a first ascending instruction comprised in the movement instruction;
driving the carrying device to move upward relative to the movable column frame;
when the carrying device moves to the first specified ascending height before the carrying device moves to a top of the movable column frame, stopping lifting the carrying device; and
when the carrying device has not moved to the first specified ascending height after the carrying device moves to the top of the movable column frame, driving the carrying device and the movable column frame to simultaneously move upward relative to the fixed column frame until the carrying device reaches the first specified ascending height.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the driving, according to the movement instruction, the carrying device to move relative to the movable column frame and/or the movable column frame to move relative to the fixed column frame further comprises one of:
obtaining a first specified descending height according to a first descending instruction comprised in the movement instruction; driving the carrying device and the movable column frame to simultaneously move downward relative to the fixed column frame; controlling, when the carrying device descends to the first specified descending height before the movable column frame moves to a bottom of the fixed column frame, the movable column frame and the carrying device to stop moving; and controlling, when the carrying device has not descended to the first specified descending height after the movable column frame moves to the bottom of the fixed column frame, the carrying device to move downward relative to the movable column frame until the carrying device moves to the first specified descending height;
obtaining a second specified descending height according to a second descending instruction the movement instruction; driving the carrying device to move downward relative to the movable column frame first, then driving the movable column frame to move downward relative to the fixed column frame, and stopping descending when the carrying device moves to the second specified descending height before the carrying device moves to a bottom of the movable column frame; or driving, when the carrying device has not moved to the second specified descending height after the carrying device moves to the bottom of the movable column frame, the movable column frame and the carrying device to synchronously descend until the carrying device reaches the second descending height; and
obtaining a third specified descending height according to a third descending instruction the movement instruction; driving the movable column frame to move downward relative to the fixed column frame first, then driving the carrying device to move downward relative to the movable column frame, and stopping descending when the carrying device moves to the third specified descending height before the carrying device moves to a bottom of the movable column frame; or driving, when the carrying device has not moved to the third specified descending height after the carrying device moves to the bottom of the movable column frame, the movable column frame and the carrying device to synchronously descend until the carrying device reaches the third descending height.

3. A vertical support for a transport robot, wherein the transport robot comprises a chassis and a carrying device;
the vertical support comprises:
a column assembly, configured to mount the carrying device; the column assembly comprises a fixed column frame and a movable column frame, one end of the fixed column frame is configured to be mounted on the chassis of the transport robot; the movable column frame is mounted on the fixed column frame, and the movable column frame is capable of ascending or descending relative to the fixed column frame within a preset stroke; and
a driving assembly, comprising a traction assembly and a retractable assembly connected to the traction assembly, the traction assembly is connected to the carrying device, the retractable assembly is arranged on the fixed column frame; the retractable assembly is configured to drive, through the traction assembly, at least one of: the carrying device to move relative to the movable column frame, and the movable column frame to move relative to the fixed column frame;
wherein the traction assembly comprises two sets of traction assemblies located at two opposed sides of the carrying device respectively, the retractable assembly is configured to drive the two sets of the traction assemblies to synchronously drive the carrying device to ascend or descend;
the vertical support further comprising a guide structure; wherein the guide structure comprises a second guide assembly;
the second guide assembly comprises a second sliding groove and a second guide wheel set, the second sliding groove extends along the vertical direction, the second guide wheel set is located in the second sliding groove and configured to move along an extending direction of the second sliding groove, the second sliding groove is located on one of the fixed column frame and the movable column frame, and the second guide wheel set is located on the other;
wherein the second guide wheel set is configured to abut against different inner walls of the second sliding groove.

4. The vertical support according to claim 3 , wherein the traction assembly comprises a traction rope and a guide wheel set; one end of the traction rope winds around the guide wheel set and is tied to the retractable assembly, and the other end of the traction rope is tied to the carrying device;
the retractable assembly comprises a spool, a transmission shaft, a speed control box, and a motor; the spool is configured to wind the traction rope; an output shaft of the motor is connected to an input end of the speed control box, and the transmission shaft is mounted at an output end of the speed control box, and is configured to drive the spool to rotate;
the spool comprises two spools, and one of the spools is connected to one end of the transmission shaft, the other one of the

Assignees

• Hai Robotics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Gao Ming
• Kong Zhe
• Li Zaijin

Classifications

• B65G17/12

  comprising a series of individual load-carriers fixed, or normally fixed, relative to traction element · CPC title

• B25J19/0091

  Shock absorbers (in general F16F) · CPC title

• B25J19/02

  Sensing devices · CPC title

• B25J19/0004

  Braking devices (brakes in general F16D) · CPC title

• B25J13/089

  Determining the position of the robot with reference to its environment · CPC title