Control apparatus of working robot to flatten and finish the concreted floor

• US 5,023,788 A
• Filed: 03/30/1990
• Issued: 06/11/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tokyo Keiki Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tokyo Keiso Company
• Inventors: Honma, Kazuya, Kitazume, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MacDonald, Allen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAVIS, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US07/502,285
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 364/513, 364/474.06, 364/424.01, 180/7.1, 318/568.12
• US Class Current: 701/82
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/46 Wheel motors, i.e. motor connected to only one wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2260/32 Auto pilot mode
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0227 using mechanical sensing means, e.g. for sensing treated area
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/027 comprising intertial navigation means, e.g. azimuth detector inertial navigation G01C21/16; inertial navigation combined with non-inertial navigation instruments G01C21/165
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

A rotary trowel is provided for a working robot which can freely run and the concreted floor is flattened and finished by the rotary trowel while the robot runs on the concreted floor. The working robot is automatically operated in accordance with a zigzag running pattern which was set in a desired working range which is determined by a width and a depth. When the teaching mode is set, the first straight running and the first turning operation of a zigzag running pattern which will be set are executed by the manual operation. Thus, a straight running distance and turning direction which were detected by the manual operation are set as initial values and the zigzag running pattern is automatically set. Subsequently, the automatic operation is performed in accordance with the zigzag running pattern which was automatically set.

Claims

1. A control apparatus of a working robot to flatten and finish a concreted floor by a rotary trowel while running on the concreted floor, comprising:

running distance detecting means for detecting a running distance of the working robot;

azimuth detecting means for detecting a progressing azimuth of the working robot;

working range setting means for setting a working range of the working robot;

running pattern setting means for setting a zigzag running pattern in the working range by setting the progressing direction, a first turning direction, and a lap width as initial values in a state in which the working robot was positioned to a running start point in the working range;

mode selecting means for selecting either one of an automatic operating mode, a manual operating mode, and a teaching mode;

automatic operation control means for running the working robot so as to trace the zigzag running pattern which was set by said running pattern setting means when the automatic operating mode was selected by the mode selecting means;

manual operation control means for running the working robot in accordance with a forward, backward, or turning operation by an operator when the manual operating mode was selected by the mode selecting means; and

teaching operation control means which is constructed in a manner such that when the teaching mode was selected by the mode selecting means, the manual operating mode is first automatically selected, and when a first straight running according to the zigzag running pattern to be set and the turning operation subsequent to the straight running were executed by the manual operation control, the straight running distance detected by the running distance detecting means and the turning direction obtained from a change in progressing azimuth detected by the azimuth detecting means are input as initial values to the running pattern setting means, thereby setting the zigzag running pattern, and after the zigzag running pattern was set, the automatic operating mode is automatically selected, and the automatic operation by the automatic operation control means is started.

2. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said working range setting means comprises:

a width setting switch to set a width of working range and a depth setting switch to set a depth of working range.

3. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said running pattern setting means comprises:

reference azimuth setting switch for setting a detection azimuth which is detected by the azimuth detecting means as a reference azimuth indicative of a progressing direction when the working robot is positioned to a running start point and is set into a prescribed progressing direction;

turning direction setting switch to switch and select the first turning direction; and

a lap width setting switch to set a lap width in a depth direction in the zigzag running pattern.

4. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said running pattern setting means sets a repetition of a turning pattern of left, left, right, and right in the case where the initial turning direction was set to the left direction and sets a repetitive of a turning pattern of right, right, left, and left in the case where the initial turning direction was set to the right direction.

5. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said automatic operation control means compares the detection distance of the running distance detecting means during the running from the running start point or turning point to the next turning point with a reference distance based on the zigzag running pattern, and when the detection distance coincides with the reference distance, the automatic operation control means decides that the robot has arrived at the next turning point and executes the turning operation by 90°

.

6. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said manual operation control means executes each of the operations for the interval when a forward switch, a backward switch, and a turning switch are being operated.

7. A control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said manual operation control means sets the detection azimuth by the azimuth detecting means at the start of the operation as a reference azimuth when the forward operation or backward operation is being executed and feedback controls so as to coincide the subsequent detection azimuth of the azimuth detecting means with the reference azimuth, thereby allowing the straight running to be performed.