AUTONOMOUS OMNIDIRECTIONAL DRIVE UNIT

Abstract

An autonomous omnidirectional drive unit including a drive chassis supported on two independent, parallel, and coaxial drive wheels, actuated by two drive motors; a transport chassis the central area of which is superimposed on and connected to the drive chassis through a rotary joint, the transport chassis being supported on multiple omnidirectional wheels. The drive unit further includes a rotating device, actuated by a rotary motor, integrated in the rotary joint between the transport chassis and the drive chassis, which determines the angular position of the drive chassis with respect to the transport chassis, and a control device configured for adjusting at least the two drive motors and the rotary motor in a coordinated manner to obtain omnidirectional movement of the transport chassis.

Claims

1. An autonomous omnidirectional drive unit comprising: a drive chassis supported at least on two independent parallel drive wheels which are coaxial with a horizontal axis, each drive wheel being actuated by a drive motor included in said drive chassis; a transport chassis having a central area is superimposed on and connected to the drive chassis through a rotary joint which is coaxial with a vertical axis, the vertical axis intersecting the mentioned horizontal axis between the two drive wheels, said transport chassis extending around the drive chassis in a peripheral area, the transport chassis being supported on multiple caster wheels distributed around the drive chassis; a rotating device concentric with the vertical axis and integrated in the rotary joint between the transport chassis and the drive chassis, actuated by a rotary motor supported in the transport chassis which determines the angular position of the drive chassis with respect to the transport chassis about the vertical axis, and a control device configured for adjusting at least the two drive motors and the rotary motor in a coordinated manner to obtain omnidirectional movement of the transport chassis.

2. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the drive chassis further includes a shock absorbing device placed between the drive wheels and the rotary joint.

3. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 2, wherein the shock absorbing device consists of elastically compressible elements placed between a first portion of the drive chassis which supports the drive wheels and a second portion of the drive chassis which supports the rotary joint.

4. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the rotating device includes a gear ring to which there is connected a gear actuated by the rotary motor, said gear ring being integrally attached to the drive chassis.

5. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein at least one rechargeable electric battery is supported in the transport chassis in connection with the drive motors through a rotary electrical contact concentric with the vertical axis integrated in the rotary joint.

6. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 5, wherein the at least one battery are two symmetrical batteries arranged on either side of the drive chassis.

7. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the transport chassis supports obstacle detecting sensors selected from laser sensors or cameras.

8. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 7, wherein the obstacle detecting sensors of the transport chassis are located in a skirting of the transport chassis surrounding at least the drive chassis and the caster wheels.

9. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the transport chassis supports guiding sensors selected from: rotary joint angular position sensor, accelerometer, gyroscope, or optical flow sensor.

10. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the drive chassis supports guiding sensors selected from: magnetic antennas or zenith camera.

11. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein above the transport chassis there is located a raisable platform attached to the transport chassis through a lifting device configured for moving the raisable platform in a direction parallel to the vertical axis.

12. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 11, wherein the raisable platform includes load sensors selected from inductive sensor, nadir camera, or load cell.

13. The autonomous omnidirectional drive unit according to claim 1, wherein the multiple caster wheels are distributed around the drive chassis in radial symmetry.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The preceding and other advantages and features will be better understood based on the following detailed description of an embodiment in reference to the attached drawings, which must be interpreted in an illustrative and non-limiting manner, in which:

[0057] FIG. 1 is a bottom perspective view of the autonomous omnidirectional drive unit;

[0058] FIG. 2 shows the same drive unit illustrated in FIG. 1 but with the transport chassis being separated from the drive chassis and from which the lower cover has additionally been removed, leaving its internal contents in sight;

[0059] FIG. 3 depicts the same drive unit of FIG. 2 but in a top perspective view, furthermore showing the raisable platform separated from the transport chassis, leaving the contents of the transport chassis in sight;

[0060] FIG. 4 shows a schematic plan view of the drive unit of this invention, the drive chassis following a curved path marked with a discontinuous line while the transport chassis maintains a constant orientation;

[0061] FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the drive unit of this invention, following a straight path marked with a discontinuous line while the transport chassis rotates with respect to the drive chassis at the same time;

[0062] FIG. 6 shows a front elevational view of two adjacent racks, each formed by a metal frame with four legs and rectangular shelves connecting said legs, in this example further including supplements which define compartments having a smaller size for storing products, with an omnidirectional drive unit being shown below each of the two racks, one with its raisable platform withdrawn, without touching the rack, and the other one with its raisable platform in the hoisted position, lifting the entire superimposed frame centimeters off the ground, allowing the transport thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT

[0063] The attached drawings show illustrative and non-limiting embodiments of the present invention.

[0064] According to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, the proposed autonomous omnidirectional drive unit consists of a drive chassis 10 and a transport chassis 20.

[0065] In this embodiment, the drive chassis 10 presents a general quadrangular shape, with its corners being beveled and including two drive wheels 11 located on opposite sides of the mentioned drive chassis 10, both drive wheels 11 being aligned with a horizontal axis EH going through the center of the drive chassis 10.

[0066] There are arranged inside the drive chassis 10 two drive motors 12, each of which is connected to a respective one of the drive wheels 11 through a reduction gearbox. Independent and precise actuation of both drive wheels 11 allows the forward or backward movement of the drive chassis 10 or any clockwise or counterclockwise rotation thereof.

[0067] The transport chassis 20 of the present embodiment is proposed to be an elongated chassis having a general rectangular shape. The transport chassis 20 is superimposed and centered on the drive chassis 10, with the drive chassis 10 and the transport chassis 20 being connected through a rotary joint 30 which allows relative rotation between the two chassis 10, 20, about a vertical axis EV as a result of a circular bearing.

[0068] The rotary joint 30 incorporates around same a gear ring 33, also concentric with the vertical axis EV, with the gear ring 33 being fixed to the drive chassis 10. A gear 34 is kinematically connected to a rotary motor 32 which is supported in the transport chassis 20 and meshed with the gear ring 33 in this example, together constituting a rotating device 31.

[0069] Actuation of the rotary motor 32 leads to, through the gear 34 and the gear ring 33, rotation of the drive chassis 10 with respect to the transport chassis 20, and vice versa.

[0070] The drive unit furthermore incorporates a control device, such as for example a programmable logic controller (PLC), a control unit with processing capability, an onboard computer, or the like, providing an assembly programmed for controlling the two drive motors 12 and the rotary motor 32 in a coordinated manner to provide both translational and rotational omnidirectional movement of the transport chassis 20 in any direction by means of proper steering of the drive chassis 10 and precise angular positioning of the transport chassis 20 with respect to the drive chassis 10 as a result of the rotating device 31.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows an example of the movement possibilities of the proposed drive unit. In this case, the drive chassis follows a curved path by means of a combination of rotation and forward movement. However, the transport chassis 20 is moved only by means of translation, without rotation occurring in said transport chassis 20 despite the fact that drive chassis 10 does rotate. That is possible as a result of the rotating device 31 compensating for said rotation of the drive chassis 10, maintaining the transport chassis 20 along a specific direction during movement. Many other different combinations of movements are possible, as will be obvious to a skilled person.

[0072] FIG. 5 shows an additional example of the movement possibilities of the proposed drive unit, according to which the drive chassis 10 is moved in a straight line, whereas the transport chassis 20 simultaneously rotates 90° with respect to the drive chassis 10, thereby modifying the position of a rack 70 supported on the transport chassis 20 while at the same time its translational movement takes place, making up for lost time with respect to other drive units without these movement capabilities.

[0073] To obtain the most compact drive chassis 10 possible, in the present embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 the batteries 40 powering the autonomous drive unit are supported in the transport chassis 20, this example including two symmetrical batteries 40 at the ends of the transport chassis 20 farthest away from the drive chassis 10, in radial symmetry about the vertical axis EV. This arrangement improves weight distribution, providing greater stability to the transport chassis 20, and furthermore places the center of mass, and therefore the center of inertia, of the transport chassis 20 concentric with the vertical axis EV, facilitating precise movement of the transport chassis 20. This solution furthermore reduces the weight of the drive chassis 10, making it easier for it to rotate with greater accelerations, therefore obtaining a more maneuverable drive unit.

[0074] The batteries 40 power the drive motors 12 through a rotary electrical contact 35 (for example, a 360 degree rotary joint by means of brushes, for transferring signals and power) concentric with the vertical axis EV and also integrated in the rotary joint 30, allowing the transmission of electric power through said rotary joint 30.

[0075] As indicated, the transport chassis 20 is supported on multiple caster wheels 21 distributed around the drive chassis 10. As can be seen in FIG. 2, it has been envisaged in this embodiment for said multiple caster wheels 21 to be distributed on either side of the area occupied by the batteries 40, and specifically two of them on one of the sides and a third one on the other side, the groups of two wheels and one wheel of the ends of the transport chassis 20 being arranged in diagonal opposition with respect to the lower contour of the mentioned transport chassis 20.

[0076] It is also proposed for each drive motor 12 to be located parallel to the horizontal axis EH, with the two drive motors 12 not being aligned with one another, but rather with one being located next to the other on either side of the horizontal axis EH, obtaining a compact construction of the drive chassis 10.

[0077] It is optionally proposed for there to be a space between both drive motors 12 in the center of the drive chassis 10 for including therein a guiding sensor 51 in the form of a camera with a downward orientation, i.e., oriented downwardly, focused on the ground on which the drive chassis 10 travels for the purpose of detecting guiding lines, barcodes, or QR codes printed on stickers adhered to said ground.

[0078] It can be seen in FIG. 1 how the drive chassis 10 includes, on its back cover, a window in the center through which the mentioned camera with a downward orientation can read codes arranged on the floor or support surface on which the drive unit is moved, as the drive unit travels over said codes.

[0079] It is additionally or alternatively proposed for the drive chassis 10 to further include other guiding sensors 51 in the form of magnetic antennas which allow the drive unit to detect and follow magnetic strips placed on the ground where the drive unit is travelling.

[0080] To avoid possible accidents or collisions, the inclusion of obstacle detecting sensors 50 in the transport chassis 20 is proposed, two laser sensors in two diagonally opposed corners of the transport chassis 20 are specifically included in this embodiment.

[0081] Said transport chassis 20 is surrounded by a skirting 22 intended for protecting and concealing the internal components of the transport chassis 20 and the entire drive chassis 10 therein. The obstacle detecting sensors 50 will preferably be arranged in said skirting 22, or behind same, where they can perform detection through an opening or a window with a material that is transparent to the signals detected by said obstacle detecting sensors 50.

[0082] According to the preferred application of the present omnidirectional drive unit, above the transport chassis 20 there is located a raisable platform 60 which can be hoisted in the direction of the vertical axis EV with respect to the transport chassis 20 by means of a lifting device 61, for example a scissor mechanism, hydraulic pistons, linear motors, electric drives, etc., all of which is according to well-known art, as explained.

[0083] After placing the drive unit below a rack 70 loaded with goods, which rack 70 is usually in the form of a shelving unit like the one shown in FIG. 6, activation of the lifting device 61 raises the raisable platform 60, lifting the rack 70 up a few centimeters, with its weight being supported on the transport chassis 20, allowing transport of the rack 70 by the drive unit to a new location.

[0084] The inclusion of load sensors 52 in the raisable platform 60 is proposed, thereby allowing the drive unit to detect the presence of a rack 70 on it.

[0085] The mentioned load sensors 52 can be, for example, inductive sensors capable of detecting the presence of a metal rack 70 on the drive unit, or use of a nadir camera, i.e., focused upwardly in the direction of the vertical axis EV, is also proposed, which allows seeing when there is an obstacle in the form of a rack 70 on the drive unit, or even detecting identification marks or codes of a rack 70 included on same.

[0086] The drawings show a camera with an upward orientation in FIG. 3, in the center of the transport chassis 20, with the raisable platform 60 including an opening in the center thereof so as to allow maintaining the line of sight of said nadir camera.

[0087] It is also proposed for the drive chassis 10 to be formed by a first portion, corresponding to the lower part, which supports the drive motors 12 and the drive wheels 11, and by a second portion, corresponding to the upper part, which supports the rotary joint 30.

[0088] Said first portion and second portion are proposed to be independent, where one may move with respect to the other, and for them to be connected through a shock absorbing device 13 that can be compressed in the direction of the vertical axis EV.

[0089] In this embodiment, the second portion consists of a flat plate on which the rotary joint 30 is fixed, with the four corners of the flat plate being connected to the rest of the drive chassis 10 by means of four springs acting like a shock absorbing device 13.

[0090] The shock absorbing device 13 will be tared so that when the drive unit is on a completely flat and smooth ground, the shock absorbing device 13 is partially compressed, transmitting certain pressure to the drive wheels 11 to assure proper grip thereof.

[0091] The shock absorbing device allows assuring that there is at all times proper and perfect contact between the drive wheels 11 and the ground, even if the ground has some irregularities, given that lack of contact between one of the drive wheels 11 and the ground will inevitably divert the drive unit from its path and could disorient it.

[0092] It will be understood that the different parts constituting the invention described in the embodiment that has been explained can be freely combined with parts of other different embodiments even though said combination has not been explicitly described, provided that such combination is not detrimental.