Position detection apparatus and method of distribution object, robot, distribution apparatus, and controller

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12434925-B2
Application number	US-202017639156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2020
Priority date	Sep 18, 2019
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a position detection apparatus and a position detection method of a distribution object, a robot, a distribution apparatus, and a controller, and relates to the field of robots. The apparatus includes: a plurality of ranging sensors arranged on an end surface of a protrusion member of a robot facing a placement region of the distribution object, wherein the protrusion member is located on a chassis of the robot and each of the plurality of ranging sensors is configured to detect a distance between the ranging sensor and an end surface of the distribution object facing the plurality of ranging sensors; and a controller configured to determine that the distribution object has been located at a predetermined position above the chassis in a case where the distance detected by each of the plurality of ranging sensors is not greater than a first distance threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A position detection apparatus of a distribution object, comprising:
a plurality of ranging sensors arranged on an end surface of a protrusion member of a robot facing a placement region of the distribution object, wherein the protrusion member is located on a chassis of the robot, the protrusion member is a head protruding relative to the chassis, each of the plurality of ranging sensors is configured to detect a distance between the each of the plurality of ranging sensors and an end surface of the distribution object facing the plurality of ranging sensors, and projections of at least two of the plurality of ranging sensors on the chassis do not overlap each other; and
a controller configured to determine that the distribution object has been located at a predetermined position above the chassis in a case where the distance detected by each of the plurality of ranging sensors is not greater than a first distance threshold, monitor a distance between opposite end surfaces of the distribution object and the protrusion member in real time and send an alarm instruction in a case of a change of at least one of the distances detected by the plurality of ranging sensors during an operation of the robot.

2. The position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 1 , wherein projections of the plurality of ranging sensors on the chassis do not overlap each other.

3. The position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between projections of at least two of the plurality of ranging sensors on the chassis is not less than a second distance threshold.

4. The position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure sensor arranged on a jacking mechanism of the robot, and configured to transmit information of a detected pressure on the jacking mechanism to the controller,
wherein the controller is further configured to send an instruction to the jacking mechanism to stop lifting the distribution object in a case of determining that the detected pressure is greater than a pressure threshold.

5. The position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to transmit an instruction to the jacking mechanism to lift the distribution object in a case where the distribution object has been already at the predetermined position above the chassis of the robot.

6. The position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a first height detection sensor configured to send a first signal to the controller in a case of detecting that the jacking mechanism has risen to a predetermined height,
wherein the controller is further configured to send an instruction to the jacking mechanism to stop lifting the distribution object in a case of receiving the first signal.

7. The position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a second height detection sensor configured to send a second signal to the controller in a case of detecting that the jacking mechanism has lowered to an initial position thereof,
wherein the controller is further configured to send an instruction to the jacking mechanism to stop lowering in a case of receiving the second signal.

8. The position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 7 , wherein the first height detection sensor and the second height detection sensor are infrared pair diodes.

9. A robot, comprising the position detection apparatus of the distribution object according to claim 1 .

10. A distribution apparatus, comprising:
the robot according to claim 9 ; and
a distribution vehicle, wherein the distribution vehicle is detachably connected to the robot.

11. A position detection method of a distribution object, comprising:
receiving, from each of a plurality of ranging sensors, a distance between the each of the plurality of ranging sensors and an end surface of the distribution object facing the plurality of ranging sensors, wherein the plurality of ranging sensors are arranged on an end surface of a protrusion member of a robot facing a placement region of the distribution object, the protrusion member is located on a chassis of the robot, the protrusion member is a head protruding relative to the chassis, and projections of at least two of the plurality of ranging sensors on the chassis do not overlap each other;
determining that the distribution object has been located at a predetermined position above the chassis in a case where the distance detected by each of the plurality of ranging sensors is not greater than a first distance threshold; and
monitoring a distance between opposite end surfaces of the distribution object and the protrusion member in real time and sending an alarm instruction in a case of a change of at least one of the distances detected by the plurality of ranging sensors during an operation of the robot.

12. The position detection method of the distribution object according to claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving information of a pressure detected by a pressure sensor, wherein the information of the pressure is information of a pressure on the jacking mechanism of the robot; and
sending an instruction to the jacking mechanism to stop lifting the distribution object in a case of determining that the pressure is greater than a pressure threshold.

13. The position detection method of the distribution object according to claim 12 , further comprising:
transmitting an instruction to the jacking mechanism to lift the distribution object in a case where the distribution object has been already at the predetermined position above the chassis of the robot.

14. The position detection method of the distribution object according to claim 13 , further comprising:
sending an instruction to the jacking mechanism to stop lifting the distribution object in a case of receiving a first signal sent from a first height sensor,
wherein the first signal indicates that the jacking mechanism has risen to a predetermined height.

15. The position detection method of the distribution object according to claim 14 , further comprising:
sending an instruction to the jacking mechanism to stop lowering in a case of receiving a second signal sent from a second height sensor,
wherein the second signal indicates that the jacking mechanism has lowered to an initial position thereof.

16. A controller, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to execute the position detection method of the distribution object according to claim 11 .

17. The controller according to claim 16 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
receive information of a pressure detected by a pressure sensor, wherein the information of the pressure is information of a pressure on the jacking mechanism of the robot; and
send an instruction to the jacking mechanism to stop lifting the distribution object in a case of determining that the pressure is greater than a pressure threshold.

18. The controller according to claim 17 , wherein the instructions when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to:
transmit an instruction to the jacking mechanism to lift the distribution object in a case where the distribution object has been already at the predetermined position above t

Assignees

• Jingdong Technology Information Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Xu Zhetao
• Xiao Jun

Classifications

• G01C3/02

  Details · CPC title

• G01B11/0608

  Height gauges · CPC title

• B66F9/0755

  Position control; Position detectors · CPC title

• B66F9/063 Primary

  Automatically guided · CPC title

• B25J9/1694

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title