OMNIDIRECTIONAL MOVING ROBOT DEVICE, AND SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OBJECT CONVEYANCE USING THE SAME

• US 20170120443A1
• Filed: 11/02/2015
• Published: 05/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: KANG, Tae Hun, PARK, Hee Jin, MOON, Jeon Il
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/085 Force or torque sensors B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0057 with kinematics chains of the type spherical-prismatic-spherical
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0084 comprising a plurality of manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 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 Class Codes: B66F 9/063 Automatically guided
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41895 using automatic guided vehicles [AGV] control of position or course of AGV's G05D1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39147 Group transport, transfer object, ant problem
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39163 Formation control, robots form a rigid formation, fixed relationship
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0293 Convoy travelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/60 Electric or hybrid propulsion means for production processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

Provided are an omnidirectional moving robot device, and a system and method for object conveyance using a plurality of moving robot devices. The omnidirectional moving robot device includes a sensor, a traveling unit including an omnidirectional wheel disposed in a housing, and a control unit configured to transmit a traveling command signal to the traveling unit by using data measured by the sensor.

Claims

1. An omnidirectional moving robot device comprising:

a sensor;

a traveling unit including an omnidirectional wheel disposed in a housing; and

a control unit configured to transmit a traveling command signal to the traveling unit by using data measured by the sensor.

2. The omnidirectional moving robot device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a multi-axis force/torque sensor disposed within the housing.

3. The omnidirectional moving robot device of claim 1, further comprising:

a connection port coupled to a connecting rod connecting an upper plate constituting the housing and an upper plate of other moving robot device.

4. The omnidirectional moving robot device of claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit configured to receive force and torque data obtained by a force/torque sensor of the other moving robot device.

5. The omnidirectional moving robot device of claim 4, wherein the control unit transmits a traveling command signal according to a target value determined by using the data measured by the force/torque sensor and the force and torque data of the other moving robot device obtained by the communication unit.

6. The omnidirectional moving robot device of claim 1, wherein the omnidirectional wheel is any one of a mecanum wheel, an onmi-wheel, and a swivel wheel.

7. The omnidirectional moving robot device of claim 6, wherein the sensor is a one-axis force sensor disposed in each link of a steward platform connecting a lower plate constituting a robot body and an upper plate on which an object to be conveyed is mounted.

8. The omnidirectional moving robot device of claim 7, wherein the controller obtains one-axis compressive force or tensile force data in an axial direction measured by the one-axis force sensor and performs a force control algorithm, calls a target force/torque value to be applied to a robot, compares the called target force/torque value with a calculation value, and determines whether to maintain or change a current traveling speed according to the comparison result.

9. A system for object conveyance using an omnidirectional moving robot device including a force/torque sensor, the system for object conveyance comprising:

a master moving robot including a first force/torque sensor; and

a slave moving robot configured to transmit data obtained by a second force/torque sensor to the master moving robot and travel upon receiving a traveling command signal from the master moving robot.

10. The system for object conveyance of claim 9, wherein the master moving robot adds data obtained by the first force/torque sensor and the data obtained by the second force/torque sensor to generate a target force and target torque values, and transmits a corresponding traveling command signal.

11. A method for object conveyance using an omnidirectional moving robot device including a force/torque sensor, the method for object conveyance comprising:

(a) receiving target speed and direction data regarding object conveyance;

(b) obtaining IDs and force/torque sensor values of a master moving robot and a slave moving robot; and

(c) transmitting a traveling command signal generated by using the force/torque sensor values to convey an object in the target speed and direction.

12. The method for object conveyance of claim 11, wherein operation (c) is determining the target force and the target torque values by adding the force/torque sensor values obtained by the master moving robot and the slave moving robot, and transmitting a corresponding traveling command signal.

13. The method for object conveyance of claim 12, further comprising:

(d) monitoring whether the force/torque sensor value of the master moving robot and the slave moving robot are changed, after operation (c).