Robot battery charging apparatuses and methods

• US 8,212,533 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ota, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun
• Application Number:
  US12/645,949
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 320/162
• US Class Current: 320/162
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/005 using batteries, e.g. as a back-up power source
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 5/007 mounted on wheels
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction

Abstract

Systems and methods for charging a battery of a robot are provided. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a robot battery charging apparatus having a plurality of charging terminals, providing a robot having a plurality of battery terminals, and moving the robot into an engagement position with the robot battery charging apparatus such that the plurality of battery charging terminals contact the plurality of charging terminals. The method further includes detecting whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with a first, second and third terminal contact condition. The method further includes providing power to the battery from the robot battery charging apparatus through one or more of the battery and charging terminals upon a verification that all of the battery terminals contacted the corresponding charging terminals in accordance with at least two of the first, second and third terminal contact conditions.

Claims

1. A method of charging a battery of a robot comprising:

providing a robot battery charging apparatus comprising a plurality of charging terminals;

providing a robot comprising a plurality of battery terminals configured to contact the plurality of charging terminals of the robot battery charging apparatus;

moving the robot into an engagement position with the robot battery charging apparatus such that the plurality of battery charging terminals contact the plurality of charging terminals;

detecting whether each battery terminal contacts a corresponding charging terminal in accordance with a first terminal contact condition;

detecting whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with a second terminal contact condition;

detecting whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with a third terminal contact condition; and

providing charging power to the battery from the robot battery charging apparatus through one or more of the battery and charging terminals upon a verification that all of the battery terminals contacted the corresponding charging terminals in accordance with at least two of the first, second and third terminal contact conditions.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the charging power is provided to the battery upon a verification that all of the battery terminals contacted the corresponding charging terminals in accordance with all of the first, second and third terminal contact conditions.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising providing an error status signal upon a verification that one or more of the battery terminals failed to contact one or more corresponding charging terminals in accordance with at least two of the first, second, and third terminal contact conditions.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the error status signal comprises a visual status indicator, an audible warning, or a combination thereof.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein detecting whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with the first, second or third terminal contact conditions further comprises:

measuring a terminal impedance value at each of the charging terminals; and

determining whether the measured terminal impedance value for each charging terminal is within a valid terminal impedance range.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

the terminal impedance value is a resistance value, a capacitance value, an inductance value, or combinations thereof; and

the valid terminal impedance range is resistance range, a capacitance range, an inductance range, or combinations thereof.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein detecting whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with the first, second or third terminal contact conditions further comprises:

measuring a contact force value provided upon a contact of each of the battery terminals with the corresponding charging terminals; and

determining whether each measured contact force value is within a valid contact force range.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein detecting whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with the first, second or third terminal contact conditions further comprises:

detecting a physical contact between each of the battery terminals and the corresponding charging terminals;

determining time lag values corresponding to the physical contacts between each of the battery terminals and the corresponding charging terminals; and

determining whether the time lag values for each charging terminal are within a valid time lag value range.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the plurality of battery terminals comprises a first battery terminal, a second battery terminal and a third battery terminal;

the plurality of charging terminals comprises a first charging terminal, a second charging terminal and a third charging terminal; and

the time lag values comprise;

a first time lag value Δ

₁ between the physical contact of the first battery terminal with the first charging terminal and the physical contact of the second battery terminal with the second charging terminal;

a second time lag value Δ

₂ between the physical contact of the second battery terminal with the second charging terminal and the physical contact of the third battery terminal with the third charging terminal; and

a third time lag value Δ

₃ between the physical contact of the first battery terminal with the first charging terminal and the physical contact of the third battery terminal with the third charging terminal.

10. A robot battery charging system comprising:

a robot comprising a battery and a plurality of battery charging terminals positioned on the robot and electrically coupled to the battery; and

a robot battery charging apparatus comprising a battery charging unit, a plurality of charging terminals, and a controller;

wherein;

the plurality of charging terminals is configured to contact the plurality of corresponding battery terminals when the robot and the robot battery charging apparatus are in an engagement position; and

the controller is configured to;

determine whether each battery terminal contacts a corresponding charging terminal in accordance with a first terminal contact condition;

determine whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with a second terminal contact condition;

determine whether each battery terminal contacts the corresponding charging terminal in accordance with a third terminal contact condition; and

control the battery charging unit such that a charging power is provided to the robot battery from the battery charging unit through one or more of the battery and charging terminals upon a verification that all of the battery terminals contacted the corresponding charging terminals in accordance with at least two of the first, second and third terminal contact conditions.

11. The robot battery charging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the charging power is provided to the robot battery upon a verification that all of the battery terminals contacted the corresponding charging terminals in accordance with all of the first, second and third terminal contact conditions.

12. The robot battery charging system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the robot battery charging apparatus further comprises a plurality of electronic control units associated with the plurality of charging terminals, each electronic control unit configured to:

provide the controller with a first terminal contact signal corresponding with a contact between each battery terminal contact and the corresponding charging terminal;

provide the controller with a second terminal contact signal corresponding with a contact between each battery terminal contact and the corresponding charging terminal; and

provide the controller with a third terminal contact signal corresponding with a contact between each battery terminal contact and the corresponding charging terminal.

13. The robot battery charging system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first terminal contact signal represents an impedance value present at an associated charging terminal, the second terminal contact signal represents a contact force value present at the associated charging terminal, and the third terminal contact signal represents a time value at the associated charging terminal.

14. The robot battery charging system as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first terminal contact condition comprises a valid terminal impedance range, the second terminal contact condition comprises a valid contact force range, and the third terminal contact condition comprises a valid time lag value range.

15. A robot battery charging apparatus comprising a battery charging unit, a plurality of charging terminals, and a plurality of electronic control units, wherein:

each of the electronic control units are associated with an individual one of the plurality of charging terminals;

the plurality of charging terminals is configured to contact a corresponding plurality of battery terminals positioned on a robot and electrically coupled to a robot battery;

each of the plurality of electronic control units further comprise;

a force sensing circuit operable to measure a contact force value of an associated battery terminal pressed against a corresponding charging terminal;

a contact timing circuit operable to detect a physical contact between the associated battery terminal and the corresponding charging terminal, and determine a time value corresponding to the physical contact; and

an impedance sensing circuit operable to measure a terminal impedance value at the corresponding charging terminal; and

charging power is provided to the robot battery from the battery charging unit through one or more of the robot battery and charging terminals upon two or more of the following;

the contact force values measured by each electronic control unit are within a valid contact force range;

time lag values based on the determined time values for each electronic control unit are within a valid time lag value range; and

the terminal impedance values measured by each electronic control unit are within a valid terminal impedance range.

16. The robot battery charging apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the robot battery charging apparatus further comprises a power supply operable to provide current or voltage to the robot such that the robot may operate while coupled to the robot battery charging apparatus without drawing power from the robot battery upon two or more of the following:

the contact force values measured by each electronic control unit are within the valid contact force range;

time lag values based on the determined time values for each electronic control unit are within the valid time lag value range; and

the terminal impedance values measured by each electronic control unit are within the valid terminal impedance range.

17. The robot battery charging apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the force sensing circuit comprises a pressure sensor or a strain gauge.

18. The robot battery charging apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the terminal impedance value is a resistance value, a capacitance value, an inductance value, or combinations thereof; and

the valid terminal impedance range is resistance range, a capacitance range, an inductance range, or combinations thereof.

19. The robot battery charging apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the robot battery charging apparatus further comprises a controller communicably coupled to each electronic control unit;

each electronic control unit is operable to transmit the contact force values, the time values and the terminal impedance values to the controller;

the controller is operable to;

determine whether each measured contact force value is within the valid contact force range;

calculate the time lag values based on the determined time values and determine whether each time lag value is within the valid time lag value range; and

determine whether each measured terminal impedance value is within the valid terminal impedance range.

20. The robot battery charging apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein:

the plurality of battery terminals comprises a first battery terminal, a second battery terminal and a third battery terminal;

the plurality of charging terminals comprises a first charging terminal, a second charging terminal and a third charging terminal; and

the time lag values comprise;

a first time lag value Δ

₁ between the physical contact of the first battery terminal with the first charging terminal and the physical contact of the second battery terminal with the second charging terminal;

a second time lag value Δ

₂ between the physical contact of the second battery terminal with the second charging terminal and the physical contact of the third battery terminal with the third charging terminal; and

a third time lag value Δ

₃ between the physical contact of the first battery terminal with the first charging terminal and the physical contact of the third battery terminal with the third charging terminal.