Recharging robot system

• US 10,345,819 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2017
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UBTECH Robotics Corp.
• Original Assignee: UBTECH Robotics Corp.
• Inventors: Xiong, Youjun, Zhou, Libing, Cui, Jibang, Huang, Gaobo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ahmed, Masud
• Application Number:
  US15/839,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20190049983A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 700249, 700245
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/00 Methods of charging batteries, specially adapted for electric vehicles; Charging stations or on-board charging equipment therefor; Exchange of energy storage elements in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/14 Conductive energy transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0225 involving docking at a fixed facility, e.g. base station or loading bay parking aids B62D15/027
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0242 using non-visible light signals, e.g. IR or UV signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0255 using acoustic signals, e.g. ultra-sonic singals sonar systems designed for anti-collision purposes G01S15/93
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a recharging robot system. The recharging robot system may include a signal emission device including at least one signal emission channel. The at least one signal emission channel each comprises an opening. A distance between two central axes of any two adjacent signal emission channels is gradually increased along a direction facing away the signal emitters. As such, an overlapping area of signal ranges of the at least two signal emitters may be reduced, and the robot may accurately determine which signal range that the robot is within, so as to accurately align with the recharging dock.

Claims

1. A recharging robot system, comprising:

a robot;

a recharging dock, comprising;

a signal emission device comprising;

a first signal emission channel and a second signal emission channel, wherein the first signal emission channel comprises a first opening and the second signal emission channel comprises a second opening;

at least one first signal emitter arranged within the first signal emission channel and at least one second signal emitter arranged within the second signal emission channel;

wherein a distance between a center point of the first opening and the center point of the second opening is greater than a distance between a center point of the first signal emitter and a center point of the second signal emitter;

wherein the first signal emitter is configured to emit first signals outward through the first opening, such that shape of the first opening confines the first signals into a first arc sector, and wherein the second signal emitter is configured to emit second signals outward through the second opening, such that shape of the second opening confines the second signals into a second arc sector;

wherein a moving direction of the robot is adjusted towards the recharging dock according to which of the first signals in the first arc sector, the second signals in the second arc sector, and both the first and second signals in an overlapping area of the first arc sector and the second arc sector that the robot senses.

2. The recharging robot system according to claim 1, wherein the recharging dock further comprises:

a front shell, a rear shell, and a bottom shell, wherein the front shell, the rear shell, and the bottom shell cooperatively define an accommodating space; and

a circuit board arranged on the rear shell, a top-supporting plate, and a lower-supporting plate arranged on the circuit board, wherein the top-supporting plate and the lower-supporting plate extend along a direction parallel with the bottom shell;

wherein the lower-supporting plate is arranged with at least two slots, the top-supporting plate is configured to cover the lower-supporting plate to form at least two signal emission channels; and

the first signal emitter and the second signal emitter are arranged on the circuit board.

3. The recharging robot system according to claim 2, wherein the recharging dock further comprises a mask parallel with the circuit board;

wherein the mask comprises at least two light windows corresponding to openings of the at least two signal emission channels, and signals pass through the mask via the light windows.

4. The recharging robot system according to claim 3, wherein a through hole is defined in the front shell and corresponds to the light window, and the through hole is configured to accommodate the light window.

5. The recharging robot system according to claim 2, wherein the bottom shell comprises:

a first extending shell and a second extending shell;

the first extending shell and the second extending shell are arranged on both sides of the bottom shell, and the first extending shell and the second extending shell extend along a direction parallel with the bottom shell;

the front shell comprises a third extending shell and a fourth extending shell, wherein the third extending shell and the fourth extending shell extend along the direction parallel with the bottom shell;

the first extending shell and the third extending shell cooperatively form a first extending portion, and the second extending shell and the fourth extending shell cooperatively form a second extending portion;

a plurality of recharging electrodes are arranged on the first extending portion and the second extending portion.

6. The recharging robot system according to claim 5, wherein the recharging dock further comprises:

at least one sensor;

the sensor is configured to detect a distance between the robot and the recharging dock;

the processor is further configured to turn on the recharging electrodes upon detecting the distance between the robot and the recharging dock satisfies a predetermining condition.

7. The recharging robot system according to claim 6, wherein the sensors are arranged on different positions of the recharging dock, and are configured to detect the distances between the robot and the recharging dock from different angles.

8. The recharging robot system according to claim 1, wherein a shield plate is arranged on openings of the signal emission channels, and the shield plate is configured to partially cover the opening of the signal emission channels.

9. The recharging robot system according to claim 1, wherein the signal emitters of the recharging dock are infrared light emitting diodes.

10. A recharging robot system, comprising:

a robot;

a recharging dock, comprising;

a signal emission device comprising;

at least two signal emission channels each comprising an opening;

a signal emitter arranged within each of the at least two signal emission channels;

wherein the signal emitters are configured to emit signals outward through the corresponding openings, such that shape of the openings confines the signals into arc sectors;

wherein a distance between two central axes of any two adjacent signal emission channels is gradually increased along a direction facing away the signal emitters;

wherein the robot detects which arc sectors or overlapping area of the arc sections the robot locates at, through sensing different signals emitted by different signal emitters, and adjusts moving directions towards the recharging dock accordingly.

11. The recharging robot system according to claim 10, wherein the recharging dock further comprises:

a front shell, a rear shell, and a bottom shell, wherein the front shell, the rear shell, and the bottom shell cooperatively define an accommodating space; and

a circuit board arranged on the rear shell, a top-supporting plate and a lower-supporting plate arranged on the circuit board, wherein the top-supporting plate and the lower-supporting plate extend along a direction parallel with the bottom shell;

the lower-supporting plate is arranged with at least two slots, and the top-supporting plate is configured to cover the lower-supporting plate to form at least two signal emission channels; and

the signal emitters are arranged on the circuit board.

12. The recharging robot system according to claim 11, wherein the recharging dock further comprises a mask parallel with the circuit board;

wherein the mask comprises at least two light windows corresponding to openings of the at least two signal emission channels, and signals pass through the mask via the light windows.

13. The recharging robot system according to claim 12, wherein a through hole is defined in the front shell and corresponds to the light window, and the through hole is configured to accommodate the light window.

14. The recharging robot system according to claim 11, wherein the bottom shell comprises:

a first extending shell and a second extending shell;

the first extending shell and the second extending shell are arranged on both sides of the bottom shell, and the first extending shell and the second extending shell extend along a direction parallel with the bottom shell;

the front shell comprises a third extending shell and a fourth extending shell, wherein the third extending shell and the fourth extending shell extend along the direction parallel with the bottom shell;

the first extending shell and the third extending shell cooperatively form a first extending portion, and the second extending shell and the fourth extending shell cooperatively form a second extending portion;

a plurality of recharging electrodes are arranged on the first extending portion and the second extending portion.

15. The recharging robot system according to claim 14, wherein the recharging dock further comprises:

at least one sensor;

the sensor is configured to detect a distance between the robot and the recharging dock;

the processor is further configured to turn on the recharging electrodes upon detecting the distance between the robot and the recharging dock satisfies a predetermining condition.

16. The recharging robot system according to claim 15, wherein the sensors are arranged on different positions of the recharging dock, and are configured to detect the distances between the robot and the recharging dock from different angles.

17. The recharging robot system according to claim 10, wherein a shield plate is arranged on opening of the signal emission channels, and the shield plate is configured to partially cover the opening of the signal emission channels.

18. The recharging robot system according to claim 10, wherein the signal emitters of the recharging dock are infrared light emitting diodes.