Traction robot, conveying system and method for controlling traction robot

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12447629-B2
Application number	US-202118003247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2021
Priority date	Jun 23, 2020
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed is a traction robot, a conveyance system and a method for controlling a traction robot. The traction robot includes a main body, and further includes a control assembly and a rotating arm. The rotating arm is rotationally assembled on the main body. The rotating arm comprises a first rotating arm and a second rotating arm. The first rotating arm and the second rotating arm are both provided with a clamping part for clamping a towed article on one side facing the towed article, and expansion members are both provided between the clamping part and the rotating arm. The control assembly drives fluid input into or discharge from the expansion member to control expansion or retraction of the expansion member, so as to control the clamping part to clamp or release the towed article.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A traction robot, comprising: a main body, a control assembly and a rotating arm, wherein the rotating arm is rotationally assembled on the main body;
the rotating arm comprises a first rotating arm and a second rotating arm;
the first rotating arm and the second rotating arm are both provided with a clamping part for clamping a towed article on one side facing the towed article, and expansion members are both provided between the clamping part and the rotating arm;
the control assembly drives fluid input into or discharge from the expansion member to control expansion or retraction of the expansion member, so as to control the clamping part to clamp or release the towed article.

2. The traction robot according to claim 1 , wherein the clamping part is provided on a surface of the expansion member facing the towed article.

3. The traction robot according to claim 1 , wherein the first rotating arm and/or the second rotating arm are provided with a plurality of the expansion members, the plurality of the expansion members are distributed in an array, and the plurality of the expansion members on a single rotating arm communicate with each other, or the plurality of the expansion members communicate with each other as a set.

4. The traction robot according to claim 3 , wherein the control assembly comprises a control box, a control gas path for transmission is provided between the control box and the expansion member, the control gas path respectively controls and communicates with the plurality of the expansion members, or the control gas path controls and communicates with a set of the expansion members where a plurality of the expansion members communicate with each other.

5. The traction robot according to claim 4 , wherein the control assembly further comprises a sensor, the sensor is provided on the side of the clamping part and/or the rotating arm facing the towed article, the sensor is electrically connected to the control box.

6. The traction robot according to claim 5 , wherein the rotating arm and/or the clamping part are provided with a plurality of the sensors, and the plurality of the sensors are distributed at an angle with each other on the rotating arm and/or the clamping part.

7. The traction robot according to claim 5 , wherein a plurality of the sensors are arranged as a first set of sensors and a second set of sensors, the first set of sensors comprises a plurality of the sensors extending along a first direction and the second set of sensors comprises a plurality of the sensors extending along a second direction, the first direction and the second direction are perpendicular to each other.

8. The traction robot according to claim 7 , wherein the first set of sensors is arranged at an outer end of the rotating arm, the second set of sensors extends from an outer end to an inner end of the rotating arm.

9. The traction robot according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of the expansion members are distributed on both sides of the second set of sensors extending linearly.

10. The traction robot according to claim 8 , wherein a plurality of the expansion members on the rotating arm are all provided on the inner side of the first set of sensors.

11. The traction robot according to claim 4 , wherein the control assembly further comprises a signal acquisition device, the signal acquisition device is electrically connected to the control box.

12. The traction robot according to claim 1 , further comprising a rotating mechanism, the rotating mechanism is fixedly fitted to the main body, the rotating mechanism is rotationally connected to one end of the first rotating arm and the second rotating arm through an output shaft.

13. The traction robot according to claim 12 , further comprising a driving wheel assembly, the driving wheel assembly is fixedly supported on the bottom of the main body, and the control assembly controls the driving wheel assembly to move the main body.

14. A conveyance system, comprising the traction robot according to claim 1 .

15. A method for controlling a traction robot, comprising:
obtaining a docking command;
driving the traction robot into a travel position;
triggering a clamping signal if it is detected that a towed article enters a docking range;
driving fluid to input into an expansion member on a clamping part for clamping the towed article according to the clamping signal to control expansion of the expansion member, thereby driving the clamping part to clamp the towed article; and
obtaining a release command, driving fluid to output from the expansion member to control the contraction of the expansion member, thereby driving the clamping part to release the towed article.

16. The method for controlling a traction robot according to claim 15 , wherein before or after driving the traction robot into the travel position, further comprising: driving the clamping part to move relative to the traction robot to a docking position of the clamping part.

17. The method for controlling a traction robot according to claim 15 , wherein triggering the clamping signal if it is detected that the towed article enters the docking range comprises:
obtaining a state signal of the towed article in the docking range;
determining the type of the towed article according to the state signal obtained;
determining a corresponding docking position threshold according to the type of the towed article; and
judging whether the clamping part has entered the docking position according to the docking position threshold.

18. The method for controlling a traction robot according to claim 15 , wherein triggering the clamping signal if it is detected that the towed article enters the docking range further comprises:
obtaining an approach signal of the towed article;
starting to detect a position signal of the towed article according to the approach signal; and
determining an in-position signal of the towed article according to whether a relative distance between the clamping part and the towed article enters a preset threshold.

19. The method for controlling a traction robot according to claim 15 , wherein triggering the clamping signal if it is detected that the towed article enters the docking range further comprises:
judging whether a relative distance between the clamping part and the towed article reaches a preset threshold,
sending a moving on for docking command to control driving the traction robot to move on towards a range of the preset threshold value if the relative distance does not reach the preset threshold; and
triggering the clamping signal if the relative distance does not reach the preset threshold.

20. The method for controlling a traction robot according to claim 15 , wherein driving fluid to input into the expansion member on the clamping part for clamping the towed article according to the clamping signal to control the expansion of the expansion member, thereby driving the clamping part to clamp the towed article, comprises:
judging whether a clamping force between the expansion member and a clamping surface of the towed article meets a requirement for traction;
increasing area of a force-bearing surface between the expansion member and the clamping surface of the towed article, and sending a command to drive the fluid to input into the expansion member at a corresponding force-bearing surface if the requirement for traction is not met; and
keeping clamped if the requirement for traction is met.

Assignees

• Jingdong Technology Information Technology Co Ltd

Inventors

• Wang Hui
• Gui Chenguang
• Yao Xiujun

Classifications

• B60D2001/001

  specially adapted for use on vehicles other than cars · CPC title

• B60D1/14

  Draw-gear or towing devices characterised by their type · CPC title

• B25J9/0009

  Constructional details, e.g. manipulator supports, bases · CPC title

• B25J5/007

  mounted on wheels · CPC title

• B60D1/00

  Traction couplings; Hitches; Draw-gear; Towing devices (fifth-wheel traction couplings B62D53/08) · CPC title