CN113306941A

CN113306941A - Self-learning positioning structure and method of storage and carrying robot

Info

Publication number: CN113306941A
Application number: CN202110747030.9A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 吴培钦; 肖志国; 郭楚斌; 黄海杰; 黄彬彬
Original assignee: Guangdong Niuer Logistics Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Niuyan Intelligent Logistics Equipment Suzhou Co ltd
Priority date: 2021-07-02
Filing date: 2021-07-02
Publication date: 2021-08-27

Abstract

The invention provides a self-learning positioning structure of a storage transfer robot and a self-learning positioning method thereof, wherein the self-learning positioning structure comprises a control module for controlling the action of a storage transfer robot body, positioning sheets which are arranged on a main track and correspond to the positions of tracks of each time in a one-to-one manner, a first inductor which is arranged at the bottom of the storage transfer robot body and is used for detecting the positioning sheets, positioning baffles arranged on two sides of the tracks of each time, a second inductor and a third inductor which are used for detecting the positioning baffles, and an encoder used for counting, wherein the control module controls the encoder to start counting when the first inductor detects the positioning sheets, and records the current counting value of the encoder as an offset value when the second inductor and the third inductor do not detect the positioning baffles; the self-learning positioning method comprises the steps of moving forward at a constant speed, starting forward counting, recording a forward deviation value, clearing the counting, continuously recording forward and the like.

Description

Self-learning positioning structure and method of storage and carrying robot

[ technical field ] A method for producing a semiconductor device

The invention relates to the field of logistics storage and transportation, in particular to a self-learning positioning structure and a self-learning positioning method of a storage and carrying robot.

[ background of the invention ]

The logistics storage and transfer robot project generally comprises a goods shelf, a storage and transfer robot body (a four-way vehicle/trolley), storage control system software (WCS), a lifter, a conveying line, a tray disassembling/stacking machine and the like. The rack includes a pallet storage rack and a guide rail (called a rail) for storing the traveling of the transfer robot body. The track is divided into an X direction and a Y direction, the X direction is called as a main track, and the storage and carrying robot body runs at a high speed on the main track; the Y direction is called a sub-track or shelf track. And the secondary track is provided with a tray support frame for storing trays. And an RFID chip and a positioning sheet are arranged at the inlet of each secondary rail on the main rail. The storage and transfer robot body is a carrier that travels on a rack and transfers a pallet from one position to another position to complete a pallet transfer operation, and includes: warehousing, ex-warehouse, shifting and the like. All the points where the storage transfer robot body is allowed to stay (positions where the sub-track intersects with the main track) are associated with the corresponding coordinate values (X, Y, Z). The WCS is control software and commands, stores and transports all actions of the robot according to the requirements of operation tasks, including walking, jacking, descending and the like. The WCS sends coordinate values (X, Y) to a trolley PLC (or a single chip microcomputer) to enable the trolley to run to a specified position. A series of actions of the trolley are combined into a carrying task of the pallet.

When the storage and transportation robot enters a warehouse, the storage and transportation robot body acquires a tray from an entrance (the initial end of the main track) (the tray is arranged at the top of the storage and transportation robot body), and after the storage and transportation robot body moves to an entrance (an appointed X coordinate) of the secondary track in the X direction of the main track, the storage and transportation robot body is reversed and runs in the Y direction of the secondary track to transport the tray to a target storage position (an appointed Y coordinate). When the storage and carrying robot body is delivered from the warehouse, the storage and carrying robot body is reversed after moving to the entrance (the appointed X coordinate) of the secondary track in the X direction of the main track, runs in the Y direction, jacks up the tray after reaching the storage position (the appointed Y coordinate) of the delivery tray, and then conveys the tray to the appointed exit position. When the storage and transfer robot body is reversed from the main track (X direction) to the secondary track (Y direction), and the trolley is required to stop in the X direction, the storage and transfer robot body needs to just face the guide rail in the Y direction, and the precision of the stop point is required to be within the range of +/-2 mm. The important point and point of implementation of the stocked transfer robot project is therefore to ensure the accuracy of the stopping point of the stocked transfer robot body.

In the existing positioning method, an RFID chip or a bar code is mounted on a shelf, and a storage transfer robot identifies and stores the current coordinate position of a transfer robot body through an RFID card reader or a bar code scanner, so as to position a trolley when the trolley runs at a high speed. Before the storage carrying robot body reaches the target position, the storage carrying robot body starts to decelerate, and when the storage carrying robot body reaches the target coordinate, the positioning piece mounted on the main track is used for conducting accurate positioning through induction.

The positioning principle of the positioning sheet at present is as follows: the locating plate is arranged on the main track and is positioned at the right center of the inlet of the corresponding secondary track. Two photoelectric sensors (called positioning photoelectricity) are installed on the storage and transportation robot body and are located at symmetrical positions of the center line of the trolley and irradiate downwards. The photoelectric distance between the two units is 96mm, which is just less than the length of the positioning sheet by 4mm (the length of the positioning sheet is 100mm), and the left-right error is allowed to be 2mm when the centers are aligned. When 2 positioning photoelectricity of the storage and transportation robot body sense the positioning sheet, the trolley is regarded as being positioned at the center of the secondary track; otherwise, the trolley moves left and right at a slow speed by itself, and the position is adjusted until the trolley is aligned. The existing positioning method ensures the stop position precision of the storage and transportation robot body by adjusting the position of the positioning piece, but the position of each positioning piece needs to be accurately adjusted due to errors in the aspects of manufacturing precision, installation precision and the like of the goods shelf. The method comprises the following specific steps: the method comprises the steps of opening a trolley at an entrance of a secondary track at a low speed, checking whether two positioning photoelectricity sense positioning pieces through a computer program, checking whether the trolley is located at the central line of the secondary track, recording a deviation value and moving away a storage and carrying robot body if the trolley is not located at the central line of the secondary track (because the positioning pieces are located below the storage and carrying robot body, the storage and carrying robot body is required to be moved away to adjust the positions of the positioning pieces), then adjusting the positions of the positioning pieces left and right, and repeating the steps until the storage and carrying robot body is located at the central line position of the secondary track after stopping.

Therefore, the conventional positioning method needs to adjust and position the positioning sheet of each sub-track according to the following steps: measurement → move away car → adjust → remeasurement → remove car again → readjust → …, and so on until the storage transfer robot body stops at the center position of the sub-track. The method consumes 10 minutes of time for each secondary track on average, is very complicated and low in efficiency, and also requires an operator to carry out high-altitude operation for a long time (the operator moves away from the vehicle and adjusts the position of the positioning sheet, the goods shelf generally has multiple layers, and the height of each layer is 1-2 meters), so that certain potential safety hazards exist.

[ summary of the invention ]

The invention aims to provide a self-learning positioning structure of a storage and carrying robot and a self-learning positioning method thereof, which have high positioning efficiency and high safety.

The purpose of the invention is realized as follows:

the utility model provides a self-learning location structure of storage transfer robot, includes the control module that is used for controlling storage transfer robot body action, locate on the main track and with orbital position one-to-one each time the spacer, locate the bottom of storage transfer robot body and be used for surveying the first inductor of spacer, locate the locating baffle of track both sides each time, locate on the central symmetry position of storage transfer robot body and be used for surveying secondary track both sides locating baffle respectively second inductor and third inductor, with the encoder that the control module electricity is connected and is used for the count, control module with first inductor electricity is connected and is worked as first inductor detects the spacer time control the encoder begins to count and works as first inductor leaves when the spacer time control the encoder count zero clearing, control module also with second inductor with the third inductor electricity is connected and works as the second inductor And when the third sensor does not detect the positioning baffle, recording the current count value of the encoder as an offset value.

The self-learning positioning structure of the storage and transfer robot further comprises a tag which is arranged on the main track and is recorded with coordinate values, and the position of the tag corresponds to the position of each track one by one, and a card reader which is arranged on the storage and transfer robot body, is electrically connected with the control module and is used for reading the coordinate values of the tag.

The self-learning positioning structure of the storage and transfer robot is characterized in that the second inductor and the third inductor are spaced by a distance equal to the distance between the two sides of each track.

The self-learning positioning structure of the storage and transfer robot is characterized in that the second sensor and the third sensor are detachably arranged on the top of the storage and transfer robot body.

According to the self-learning positioning structure of the storage and transfer robot, the second inductor and the third inductor are both provided with magnets.

According to the self-learning positioning structure of the storage and carrying robot, the first inductor, the second inductor and the third inductor are all photoelectric inductors, the label is an RFID chip, and the card reader is an RFID card reader.

A self-learning positioning method of a storage and transfer robot includes the following steps: a: the storage and carrying robot body moves from the initial end to the final end of the main track under the control of the control module; b: starting to count in a forward direction, and controlling an encoder to start counting by a control module when the first sensor detects the locating piece; c: recording a forward deviation value, and recording the current count value of the encoder as the forward deviation value by the control module when the second sensor and the third sensor do not detect the positioning baffle; d: the counting is reset, and when the first sensor leaves the current locating piece, the control module controls the counting of the encoder to be reset; e: and D, continuously recording the positive direction, and repeating the steps B to D until the storage and carrying robot body moves to the tail end of the main track, so that all the positive direction deviation values corresponding to the secondary tracks are recorded.

The self-learning positioning method of the storage and transfer robot further comprises the following steps: f: the storage and carrying robot body moves from the tail end to the head end of the main track under the control of the control module; g: starting to count reversely, and controlling the encoder to start counting by the control module when the first sensor detects the locating piece; h: recording a reverse offset value, and recording the current count value of the encoder as the reverse offset value by the control module when the second sensor and the third sensor do not detect the positioning baffle; i: the counting is reset, and when the first sensor leaves the current locating piece, the control module controls the counting of the encoder to be reset; k: and D, continuously recording in the reverse direction, and repeating the steps G to I until the storage and carrying robot body moves to the initial end of the main track, so that all the reverse deviation values corresponding to the secondary tracks are recorded.

In the self-learning positioning method for the storage transfer robot, when the step C and the step H are performed, the card reader reads the coordinate value of the current tag, so that the control module records the coordinate value corresponding to the current sub-track.

According to the self-learning positioning method of the storage and transfer robot, when the step A and the step F are carried out, the control module controls the speed of the storage and transfer robot body to move at a constant speed to be 1 m/s.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the following technical characteristics:

1. the invention utilizes the second inductor and the third inductor to judge whether the storage transfer robot body is positioned at the central position of the secondary track, and utilizes the encoder to calculate the motion deviation value of the first inductor relative to the positioning sheet when the storage transfer robot body enters the corresponding secondary track inlet and moves to the central position of the secondary track, and records the deviation value data of each secondary track through the control module, thereby realizing self-learning positioning without manual intervention, and when in normal operation, the rapid positioning of the storage transfer robot body can be realized by directly calling the deviation data recorded by the control module.

2. The forward direction of the invention is all through self-learning positioning, the average positioning learning time consumption of each secondary orbit is about 6 seconds, the time for adjusting the positioning sheet is greatly saved, and the positioning efficiency is improved.

3. The invention does not need manual intervention, avoids the potential safety hazard of high-altitude operation of operators, and improves the production safety.

4. If the goods shelf is changed, the self-learning positioning can be easily and newly carried out by utilizing the self-learning positioning method.

[ description of the drawings ]

The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention is provided in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is one of the use state reference diagrams of the present invention (storing an entrance of a transfer robot body into one of the primary tracks);

FIG. 2 is a front view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a second reference view showing the usage status of the present invention (storing the movement of the transfer robot body to the center of the corresponding sub-track);

FIG. 4 is a front view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the pallet;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the shelf;

fig. 7 is a side view of the shelf.

[ detailed description ] embodiments

A self-learning positioning structure of a storage and transfer robot comprises a control module (not shown in the figure, combination of a WCS and a PLC or a single chip microcomputer can be adopted) for controlling the action of a storage and transfer robot body 10, a positioning sheet 2 which is arranged on a main track 20 and corresponds to the position of a track 30 every time, a first sensor 3 which is arranged at the bottom of the storage and transfer robot body 10 and is used for detecting the positioning sheet 2, positioning baffles 4 (tray supports) arranged at two sides of the track 30 every time, a second sensor 5 and a third sensor 6 which are arranged at the central symmetrical position of the storage and transfer robot body 10 and are respectively used for detecting the positioning baffles 4 at two sides of a secondary track 30, and an encoder which is electrically connected with the control module and is used for counting, wherein the control module is electrically connected with the first sensor 3 and controls the encoder to start counting when the first sensor 3 detects the positioning sheet 2 and controls the counting encoder to reset when the first sensor 3 leaves the positioning sheet 2, the control module is also electrically connected with the second sensor 5 and the third sensor 6 and records the current counting value of the encoder as an offset value when neither the second sensor 5 nor the third sensor 6 detects the positioning baffle 4.

The self-learning positioning structure of the storage and transfer robot further comprises tags 8 which are arranged on the main track 20 and are recorded with coordinate values, and the positions of the tags are in one-to-one correspondence with the positions of the tracks 30 each time, and a card reader 9 which is arranged on the storage and transfer robot body 10, is electrically connected with the control module, and is used for reading the coordinate values of the tags 8.

To accurately determine whether the storage transfer robot body 10 is exactly located at the center position of the corresponding sub-track 30, the distance between the second sensor 5 and the third sensor 6 is equal to the distance between both sides of the sub-track 30.

In order to improve the sensitivity of detecting the positioning fence 4, the second sensor 5 and the third sensor 6 are detachably provided on the top of the storage transfer robot body 10. Since the top of the storage and transfer robot body 10 cannot be equipped with any device (a pallet needs to be placed to transfer goods) in a normal operation, the second and

third sensors

5 and 6 need to be detached after the self-learning positioning is completed.

In order to facilitate the disassembly and assembly, magnets are arranged on the second inductor 5 and the third inductor 6. When self-learning location, the second inductor 5 and the third inductor 6 can be firmly fixed in the top of storage transfer robot body 10 by the adsorption of magnet, and after self-learning location is accomplished, the second inductor 5 and the third inductor 6 can be easily detached.

Preferably, the first sensor 3, the second sensor 5 and the third sensor 6 are all photoelectric sensors, the tag 8 is an RFID chip, and the card reader 9 is an RFID card reader.

A self-learning positioning method of a storage and transfer robot includes the following steps: a: the storage and carrying robot body 10 moves from the initial end to the final end of the main track 20 under the control of the control module; b: starting to count in a forward direction, and controlling an encoder to start counting by a control module when the first sensor 3 detects the locating piece 2; c: recording a forward deviation value, and recording the current count value of the encoder as the forward deviation value by the control module when the second sensor 5 and the third sensor 6 do not detect the positioning baffle 4; d: the counting is reset, and when the first sensor 3 leaves the current positioning sheet 2, the control module controls the counting of the encoder to be reset; e: and D, continuously recording the positive direction, and repeating the steps B to D until the storage transfer robot body 10 moves to the tail end of the main track 20, so that all the positive direction deviation values corresponding to the secondary tracks 30 are recorded.

The self-learning positioning method of the storage and transfer robot further comprises the following steps: f: the storage and transfer robot body 10 is controlled by the control module to move from the extreme end to the initial end of the main track 20 in a reverse uniform motion manner; g: starting to count reversely, and controlling the encoder to start counting by the control module when the first sensor 3 detects the locating piece 2; h: recording a reverse offset value, and when the second sensor 5 and the third sensor 6 do not detect the positioning baffle 4, recording the current count value of the encoder as the reverse offset value by the control module; i: the counting is reset, and when the first sensor 3 leaves the current positioning sheet 2, the control module controls the counting of the encoder to be reset; k: and (4) continuously recording the reverse direction, and repeating the steps from G to I until the storage transfer robot body 10 moves to the initial end of the main track 20, so that all the reverse deviation values corresponding to the secondary tracks 30 are recorded.

Preferably, when the step C and the step H are performed, the card reader 9 reads the coordinate value of the current tag 8, so that the control module records the coordinate value corresponding to the current sub-track 30.

Preferably, when the step a and the step F are performed, the control module controls the storage and transfer robot body 10 to move at a constant speed of 1 m/s.

After the self-learning positioning is complete, the control module records all coordinate values, forward offset values and reverse offset values corresponding to the secondary track 20. When the storage and transfer robot body 10 moves to the entrance of the corresponding secondary track 30, the first sensor 3 detects the corresponding locating piece 2, the encoder starts counting, the storage and transfer robot body 10 continues to seek forward, when the count value of the encoder is equal to the offset value received by the storage and transfer robot body 10, the storage and transfer robot body 10 stops moving forward, the storage and transfer robot body 10 just stops at the central position of the secondary track 30, and then the storage and transfer robot body 10 can be switched from the main track 20(X direction) to the secondary track 30(Y direction).

Claims

1. The self-learning positioning structure of the storage and carrying robot is characterized by comprising a control module, a positioning sheet (2), a first sensor (3), a positioning baffle (4), a second sensor (5) and a third sensor (6), an encoder, wherein the control module is used for controlling the action of a storage and carrying robot body (10), the positioning sheet (2) is arranged on a main rail (20) and corresponds to the position of a rail (30) every time in a one-to-one mode, the first sensor (3) is arranged at the bottom of the storage and carrying robot body (10) and is used for detecting the positioning sheet (2), the positioning baffle (4) is arranged on two sides of the rail (30) every time, the second sensor (5) and the third sensor (6) are arranged on the central symmetrical position of the storage and carrying robot body (10) and are respectively used for detecting the positioning baffle (4) on two sides of the secondary rail (30), the encoder is electrically connected with the control module and is used for counting, the control module is electrically connected with the first sensor (3) and controls the encoder to start counting when the first sensor (3) detects the positioning sheet (2) And when the sensor (3) leaves the positioning plate (2), the counting of the encoder is controlled to be cleared, the control module is also electrically connected with the second sensor (5) and the third sensor (6), and when the second sensor (5) and the third sensor (6) do not detect the positioning baffle (4), the current counting value of the encoder is recorded as an offset value.

2. The self-learning positioning structure of a storage transfer robot according to claim 1, further comprising a tag (8) disposed on the main track (20) and recorded with coordinate values and having a position corresponding to a position of each sub-track (30) in a one-to-one manner, and a card reader (9) disposed on the storage transfer robot body (10) and electrically connected to the control module for reading the coordinate values of the tag (8).

3. A self-learning positioning structure of a storage handling robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the distance of separation between the second inductor (5) and the third inductor (6) is equal to the distance of separation on both sides of the track (30) each time.

4. A self-learning positioning arrangement of a storage and transfer robot according to claim 3, characterised in that the second sensor (5) and the third sensor (6) are detachably arranged on top of the body (10) of the storage and transfer robot.

5. A self-learning positioning structure of a storage handling robot according to claim 3, characterised in that magnets are provided on both the second inductor (5) and the third inductor (6).

6. A self-learning positioning structure of a storage handling robot according to claim 2, characterized in that the first sensor (3), the second sensor (5) and the third sensor (6) are all photoelectric sensors, the tag (8) is an RFID chip and the reader (9) is an RFID reader.

7. A self-learning positioning method of a storage and transfer robot is characterized by comprising the following steps:

a: the storage and carrying robot body (10) moves from the initial end to the tail end of the main track (20) under the control of the control module when moving forwards at a constant speed;

b: the method comprises the steps that positive counting is started, and when the first sensor (3) detects a locating piece (2), the control module controls an encoder to start counting;

c: recording a forward deviation value, and recording the current count value of the encoder as the forward deviation value by the control module when the second sensor (5) and the third sensor (6) do not detect the positioning baffle (4);

d: the counting is cleared, and when the first sensor (3) leaves the current locating piece (2), the control module controls the counting of the encoder to be cleared;

e: and D, continuously recording the positive direction, and repeating the steps B to D until the storage and transfer robot body (10) moves to the tail end of the main track (20), so that all the positive direction deviation values corresponding to the secondary tracks (30) are recorded.

8. The self-learning positioning method of a storage transfer robot of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

f: the storage and carrying robot body (10) moves from the tail end to the head end of the main track (20) under the control of the control module;

g: starting to count reversely, and controlling an encoder to start counting by a control module when the first sensor (3) detects the locating piece (2);

h: recording a reverse offset value, and recording the current count value of the encoder as the reverse offset value by the control module when the second sensor (5) and the third sensor (6) do not detect the positioning baffle (4);

i: the counting is cleared, and when the first sensor (3) leaves the current locating piece (2), the control module controls the counting of the encoder to be cleared;

k: and continuously recording the reverse direction, and repeating the steps G to I until the storage and transfer robot body (10) moves to the initial end of the main track (20), so that all the reverse deviation values corresponding to the secondary tracks (30) are recorded.

9. A self-learning positioning method of a storage handling robot according to claim 8, C H a r a C t e r i z e d in that in performing the steps C and H, the card reader (9) reads the coordinate values of the current tag (8) so that the control module notes the coordinate values corresponding to the current sub-track (30).

10. A self-learning positioning method of a storage transfer robot as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the control module controls the speed of the storage transfer robot body (10) to move at a constant speed to be 1m/s when performing the steps a and F.