System and method for aligning a robotic charging connector with a mating connector

• US 9,559,461 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2016
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fetch Robotics, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Diehr, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phuongchi T
• Application Number:
  US15/138,006
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 439/247, 439/248, 361/679.41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/16 Connectors, e.g. plugs or sockets, specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/18 Cables specially adapted for charging electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 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 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/01 Mobile robot

Abstract

A system for aligning a robotic charging connector with a mating connector includes: a robot comprising a charging connector; a self-aligning robotic charging dock comprising a floating interface assembly, the floating interface assembly comprising a floating interface plate, the floating interface assembly further comprising a mating connector, the mating connector configured to snugly mate with the charging connector, the floating interface assembly further comprising a floating interface configured to align the robotic charging connector with the mating connector, the floating interface comprising a sliding surface configured to move against the floating interface plate as the robot docks with the robotic charging dock.

Claims

1. A system for aligning a robotic charging connector with a mating connector, comprising:

a robot comprising a charging connector;

a self-aligning robotic charging dock comprising a floating interface assembly,

the floating interface assembly comprising a floating interface plate, the floating interface assembly further comprising a mating connector,

the mating connector configured to snugly mate with the charging connector,

the floating interface assembly further comprising a floating interface configured to align the robotic charging connector with the mating connector,

the floating interface comprising a sliding surface configured to move against the floating interface plate as the robot docks with the robotic charging dock.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface does one or more of translate in a plane of the sliding surface, rotate against the sliding surface, and rock against the sliding surface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface assembly further comprises a floating interface plate configured to hold the floating interface in place while allowing the floating interface some freedom of motion.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mating connector comprises a blind mate connector.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the mating connector is approximately cone-shaped.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging connector comprises a blind mate connector.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging connector is configured to rotate by between approximately one degree and approximately ten degrees.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface is configured to align the robotic charging connector with the mating connector if the robot approached the robotic charging dock from an angle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface comprises one or more of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), acetal, polyoxymethylene (POM), and another plastic offering low friction.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein, the floating interface is specially shaped so that the mating connector is snugly fitted to the charging connector.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface is approximately dome-shaped.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface comprises a sliding surface.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface comprises aluminum impregnated with one or more of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), acetal, polyoxymethylene (POM), and another plastic offering low friction.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the sliding surface can do one or more of translate in the plane, rotate against the sliding surface, and rock against the sliding surface even if the floating interface is compressed as the mating connector pushes on the charging connector.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface further comprises a limit stop configured to limit motion of the mating connector.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the limit stop comprises a raised edge configured to stop motion of the floating interface that creates an end stop that butts up against the mating connector and thereby limits the motion of the mating connector.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface comprises plastic.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the floating interface comprises plastic that is low in friction.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the floating interface comprises plastic having a coefficient of friction less than approximately 0.3.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the floating interface comprises plastic having a coefficient of friction less than approximately 0.1.

21. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface comprises a curved surface.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the curved surface is approximately spherically curved.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the floating interface plate comprises one or more of a horizontally curved surface and a vertically curved surface.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the curved surface is configured to adjust a position of the floating interface to optimize the mating of the charging connector and the mating connector.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the curved surface is configured to adjust a position of the floating interface in the plane of the floating interface and perpendicularly to the plane of the floating interface to optimize the mating of the charging connector and the mating connector.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the charging assembly further comprises a robot interface assembly, the robot interface assembly comprising a front cover configured to protect the floating interface assembly.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the robot interface assembly further comprises a front bumper configured to cushion one or more of the robot and the front cover when they come into contact with each other.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the floating interface assembly further comprises a robot interface plate configured to attach to one or more of the front bumper and the front cover.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the front bumper comprises a front bumper aperture.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the front cover comprises a cover aperture.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein a size of the front bumper aperture is approximately equal to a size of the cover aperture.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein one or more of the front bumper aperture and the cover aperture is configured to comfortably allow the mating connector to enter through the front bumper aperture and then through the cover aperture to mate with the charging connector.

33. The system of claim 1, wherein the floating interface assembly further comprises a tension-adjustable fastener that connects the floating interface to the floating interface plate, the tension-adjustable fastener configured to provide a tension between the floating interface and the floating interface plate.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the tension-adjustable fastener s the mating connector relative to the charging connector.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein a weight of the floating interface may be counterbalanced by adjusting a tension in the tension-adjustable fastener.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the tension between the floating interface and the floating interface plate is adjustable.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the adjustable tension allows a user to select how easily the floating interface moves relative to the floating interface plate.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein the adjustable tension allows a user to select a speed with which the tension-adjustable fastener causes the floating interface to re-center itself relative to the floating interface plate.

39. The system of claim 36, wherein the tension-adjustable fastener comprises a spring that allows the floating interface to do one or more of translate in the plane of the sliding surface, rotate against the sliding surface, and rock against the sliding surface.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the tension-adjustable fastener comprises a plate-side anchor screw fastened to the floating interface plate, an interface-side anchor screw fastened to the floating interface, and a spring connecting the plate-side anchor screw to the interface-side anchor screw.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the spring comprises an anchor spring.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the plate-side anchor screw screws into the floating interface plate.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the interface-side anchor screw screws into the floating interface.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the spring comprises an interface-side hook that attaches the spring to the interface-side anchor screw.

45. The system of claim 40, wherein the spring comprises a plate-side hook that attaches the spring to the plate-side anchor screw.

46. The system of claim 40, wherein the floating interface assembly comprises at least four tension-adjustable fasteners.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein at least one of the tension-adjustable fasteners comprises the plate-side anchor screw, the interface-side anchor screw, and the spring connecting the plate-side anchor screw to the interface-side anchor screw.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein each of the tension-adjustable fasteners comprises the plate-side anchor screw, the interface-side anchor screw, and the spring connecting the plate-side anchor screw to the interface-side anchor screw.

49. The system of claim 46, wherein an angle between adjacent tension-adjustable fasteners comprises one of approximately zero degrees and approximately 90 degrees.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the weight of the floating interface is counterbalanced by adjusting the tension in one or more of the springs.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the weight of the floating interface is counterbalanced by adjusting the tension in one or more of a top tension-adjustable fastener and a bottom tension-adjustable fastener.