EP3824787B1 - Feeding device for supplying a mobile device with a material and a portable device - Google Patents

Description

- TECHNICAL FIELD -

The invention relates to a feed device for feeding a mobile device with a material that can be fed through a feed line, a mobile device that can be fed via the feed device and a system comprising the feed device and the mobile device.

- BACKGROUND -

Automated guided vehicles (AGV), such as self-propelled wet cleaning robots, processing machines, discharge devices or transport vehicles, etc., are used in a wide variety of areas. In order for such AGVs to be used optimally, the phases of autonomous operation should be as long as possible. The exhaustion characteristics of the AGV are sometimes decisive for the achievable duration of such a phase. In this context, solutions with fixedly positioned docking stations for supplying a consumable are known. The AGVs can connect to the docking station under their own power. Depending on the type of AGV, autonomous operation is limited by the fact that refilling consumables using such a docking station is not practical and therefore requires manual steps. For example, an AGV can be used to transport consumables or requires consumables to successfully complete its task. An autonomously operated cleaning or floor treatment robot consumes, for example, water and/or cleaning liquid during operation. In order for such a cleaning or floor treatment robot to be able to operate autonomously for as long as possible, an autonomous supply of at least water is crucial.

Usually, AGVs are supplied with the required goods, be it electricity or fluid-based goods or goods with flow properties such as For example, water or an emulsion or bulk material, systems are used in which the AGV works together with a permanently installed docking station. In such systems, the AGV steers to the docking station as soon as appropriate goods are required and uses its drive to couple to the docking station into a coupled state. Examples of such systems for soil treatment are in the WO2017/190784 and the KR20140036653 described. Such systems typically have a soil treatment robot and a permanently installed docking station. Connection elements are each arranged at a specific position on the soil treatment robot and at a position corresponding to this position on the docking station. For coupling, the cleaning robot moves on the installation surface or driving surface and positions itself in front of the docking station. After the pre-positioning has been completed, the actual coupling movement takes place in which the cleaning robot approaches the docking station in a direction parallel to the installation surface until it stops. For a successful coupling, it is essential that the connection elements are aligned parallel to the installation surface. In order to achieve this, the corresponding connection elements must be horizontally aligned and precisely coordinated with one another at the same height. The height and horizontal alignment of the connection elements on the docking station necessarily dictate the position and orientation of the corresponding connection elements on the cleaning robot or vice versa.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a feed device and a mobile device which are less restricted in structure and interaction and at the same time enable simpler and safer coupling.

This task is solved by the characterizing features of the independent claims, with advantageous or specific embodiments for solving the task being able to be realized by the characterizing features of the dependent claims.

- DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION -

In a first inventive step, it is recognized that in conventional systems that use a docking station to power a mobile device, it is highly limiting that the docking station only has a single specific and predefined arrangement of connection elements on the mobile device with a horizontal coupling direction can work together. In practice, this means that for different arrangements of the connecting elements on mobile devices, different docking stations must be used, even if the end result is the same product. Furthermore, the horizontal coupling direction specified in known docking stations when feeding goods, especially liquids, can place high demands on the sealing if unwanted leakage is to be reliably prevented.

In a further inventive step, it is recognized that in conventional systems that use a docking station to power a mobile device, it is a difficult problem to guarantee the safety of objects or, for example, children, who accidentally get between the mobile device and the docking station cannot be crushed during coupling. This seems to be particularly relevant for systems in which the mobile device has a considerable mass and therefore correspondingly high forces act during the coupling movement. Unwanted liability questions arise even for rare damage.

The present invention therefore relates to a feed device for feeding a device that can be moved on a driving surface with a material that can be fed through a feed line, in particular a pipeline. The feed device also includes a plug with at least one electrical plug contact element, which extends towards the free plug end along a plug axis and can be coupled to a plug receptacle of the mobile device by a linear joining movement. The feed device also includes a feed line with a valve and detects a coupled one Condition of the plug with the plug receptacle using an electrical plug contact element. When coupled, the valve on the supply line can be actuated. The feed device comprises a trunk, a feed holder, a movement device and a detection system, wherein the trunk is arranged on the feed line and runs towards the free end of the trunk along a trunk axis and can be coupled to an inlet port of the mobile device. The feed holder holds the proboscis and the plug in a defined position and orientation relative to one another so that when the plug is coupled to the plug receptacle, the proboscis couples to the inlet port. The movement device makes the feed holder with plug and trunk at least height-adjustable and movable in the direction of the joining movement along a joining axis. A detection system is configured to determine a position and orientation of the connector receptacle based on identifying features of the connector receptacle. The feed device is designed, based on the determined position and orientation of the plug receptacle, to couple the plug to the plug receptacle and thereby the proboscis to the inlet connector by a linear joining movement along the joining axis.

An advantage of the feed device according to the invention results from the fact that the trunk and the plug are held by the feed holder in a certain relative position and orientation to one another and the feed holder can be moved by the movement device. As a result, the feed device according to the invention enables powering of mobile devices, which is less restricted in that the same feed device can be used for different devices with different arrangements of the connection elements on the device, for example at different heights. In this case, mobility of the connecting elements plug and trunk is provided by the movement device. In an advantageous embodiment, the movement device can provide mobility of the connecting elements in three different directions (translatory degrees of freedom) and around one or possibly two axes of rotation (rotational degrees of freedom). The translational degrees of freedom enable the plug and the Trunk in height relative to a driving surface on which the mobile device travels, and in a plane parallel to the driving surface. The rotational degrees of freedom enable the connecting elements to be moved about an axis of rotation which runs parallel to the driving surface or is possibly perpendicular to the driving surface. A movability about a rotation axis running parallel to the driving surface enables the plug and trunk to be tilted towards the driving surface. This makes it possible for the feed device to couple the plug and the trunk with the corresponding plug receptacle and the corresponding inlet port, regardless of their height and orientation on the mobile device. With the adjustable inclination, for example, complex seals can be dispensed with when supplying liquid or unwanted leakage can be prevented.

A further advantage of the feed device according to the invention results from the fact that the movement required for coupling is carried out via the movement device and thus via the movement of the feed holder with the connecting elements. This enables a safer coupling movement compared to systems with a docking station, since the coupling movement is carried out by the movement device and thus by the movement of the connecting elements, trunk and plug. Due to the low moving mass compared to that of a mobile device, for example a cleaning robot, the coupling process or the coupling movement can be controlled in a more controlled manner and in particular by using smaller forces. This can prevent objects from being crushed between the connecting elements to be coupled.

The feed device according to the invention can, for example, serve to supply a mobile device as a consumer, fluid-based goods or goods with flow properties as consumable goods via the feed line and the trunk. The trunk is designed as an end piece of the feed line and is used for coupling to the inlet connection, so that fluid-based goods or goods with flow properties can be transported via the feed line and the trunk to the mobile Device can be fed. Likewise, the feed device according to the invention can serve, if necessary, to supply exclusively fluid-based goods or goods with flow properties, exclusively electrical current, for example for charging a battery, and also fluid-based goods/goods with flow properties at the same time as electrical current to the mobile device.

The plug of the feed device can advantageously be a power plug which is designed to supply power and has, for example, male plug contact elements for this purpose. These male plug contact elements, for example contact pins, can be surrounded by a sleeve-shaped protective cover so that the contact pins are not freely accessible for touching for safety reasons. The counterpart to the feeder plug is located on the mobile device and is formed by the plug receptacle. The electrical plug-receiving contact elements of the plug receptacle form depressions into which the electrical plug-contact elements of the plug are inserted. An arrangement is also conceivable in which the plug and plug receptacle are arranged interchangeably, for example the plug is arranged on the mobile device and the plug receptacle is arranged on the feed device. The linear joining movement refers to the insertion of the plug into the plug receptacle and the coupled state refers to the state in which the plug is inserted into the plug receptacle until it stops. The linear joining movement is largely determined by the guide wall of the plug and that of the plug receptacle.

The plug receptacle, which is attached to the mobile device, typically has female plug receptacle contact elements corresponding to the male plug contact elements of the plug. The female plug receptacle contact elements can then be identifying features of the plug receptacle, since, for example, due to their shape or arrangement relative to one another, they make a position and orientation of the plug receptacle recognizable to the recognition system.

The detection system can advantageously be based on principles of image capture and image recognition, with a position and orientation of the plug receptacle being determined based on recognition features recognized in captured images.

The feed line of the feed device can be tubular or hose-shaped, with fluid-based goods or goods with flow properties being able to be fed to the mobile device via the feed line and one end of the feed line being formed by the trunk. The other end of the supply line can then be connected, for example, to a permanently installed goods supply system (water supply to a building) or a goods storage container. The feed line has a valve that can be actuated, for example, by the feed device. In the simplest case, the valve can assume an open position and a closed position, with the ability to switch back and forth between the positions. In the open position the goods can be fed via the feed line and in the closed position this is prevented. The valve is preferably located in the area of the feed holder where the trunk is held.

The feed device can detect a coupled state, for example, by making contact between an electrical plug contact element of the plug and an electrical plug receptacle contact element of the plug receptacle, with the establishment of contact between the contact elements being possible only in the coupled state.

The trunk forms the end piece of the feed line and is inserted into the inlet connector. The trunk and the inlet connector are in a coupled state when the plug and the plug receptacle are in a coupled state. In the coupled state, the trunk is inserted into the inlet port and a fluid connection for supplying a product via the supply line can be established. The trunk can optionally also have one or more seals, which enable a tighter or more positive coupling of the trunk and inlet connection.

According to the invention, the feed holder is designed so that it holds the plug and the trunk in such a way that when the plug is coupled to the plug receptacle, the trunk is inserted into the inlet port and that the coupling of the plug to the plug receptacle corresponds to the coupling of the trunk to the inlet port comes along.

The movement device can advantageously be formed by a robot arm which is attached to a base plate in a height-adjustable manner and has at least one arm segment. The arm segment is then attached to the base plate so that it can pivot about an axis of rotation, and in the case of several arm segments, these are each connected to one another so that they can pivot about an axis of rotation. The feed holder can advantageously be attached to an outermost region of an arm segment so that it can pivot or rotate about at least two mutually orthogonal axes of rotation.

According to the invention, the feed device is designed to determine the position and orientation of the plug receptacle using the detection system. Based on this, the movement device enables a linear movement of the feed holder along the joining axis to couple the plug to the plug receptacle, thereby accompanying the coupling of the proboscis to the inlet port.

The feed device has a control for partially or fully automatic movement of the feed holder. The control is connected to drive units, which automatically provide the rotation or pivoting of the feed holder via a control line. The control is also communicatively connected to the detection system for detecting a position and orientation of the plug receptacle. The valve of the feed line is also connected via a control line to the control of the feed device for its actuation. Furthermore, the plug can be designed to enable a communicative connection to a control of the mobile device in the coupled state via one or more electrical plug contact elements, so that the control of the Feeding device can interact with the control of the mobile device as part of the supply of the mobile device.

According to a specific embodiment of the feed device, the feed holder can hold the trunk and the plug with the trunk axis aligned parallel to the plug axis.

According to a further embodiment of the feed device, when the trunk axis is aligned parallel to the plug axis, it is particularly advantageous if the joining axis is inclined towards the driving surface of the mobile device in the direction of the joining movement, in particular at an angle of inclination in the range of 12° to 32°. An angle of inclination of around 22° is particularly advantageous here. This inclined orientation of the joining axis simplifies the supply of the mobile device with a fluid-like material, for example, in such a way that the requirements for a positive coupling of the trunk with the inlet nozzle are reduced and the fluid-like material flows back from the filler neck back into the trunk, or into the environment is prevented.

According to a further specific embodiment, the feed device is configured to determine the joining axis based on the determined position and orientation of the plug receptacle, the movement device being designed to make the feed holder with plug and trunk movable along the specific joining axis. For example, based on the recognition of the identifying features of the plug receptacle in a recorded image and the known design of this same plug receptacle, the alignment of the plug receptacle on the mobile device can be concluded. The joining axis can then be determined based on the alignment determined in this way. This enables the plug and the trunk of the same feed device to be coupled to plug receptacles and inlet connectors that are attached to the respective mobile device with a different orientation.

According to a further embodiment, the free ends of the plug and trunk are arranged with an offset to one another in the direction of the joining axis. The offset corresponds to an offset in the direction of the joining axis between the free ends of the plug receptacle and the inlet connector on the mobile device.

According to a further specific embodiment, a locking device is arranged on the plug for electro-mechanical locking of a coupled state of the plug with the plug receptacle, the feed device making the valve of the feed line actuable when the plug is locked. The locking device can have a drive which is designed to insert locking elements, for example pins, into locking element receptacles provided for this purpose, for example recesses, which are arranged on the plug receptacle. The locking device can only be activated when the plug is coupled to the plug receptacle. This means that the valve for supplying the material can only be opened when the plug is coupled to the plug receptacle and locked. As a result, safety can be increased in that the goods are only fed in the coupled state and that no undesirable uncoupling of the trunk occurs during the feeding of the goods. The locking device and the locking elements can alternatively also be arranged on the plug receptacle, in which case the locking element receptacles are arranged on the plug.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the feed device, the movement device is designed to make the feed holder with plug and trunk movable partially or fully automatically in a limited movement mode and an unrestricted movement mode, and the feed device is configured to couple the plug with the plug receptacle through a movement of the plug in a pre-position relative to the plug receptacle in the restricted movement mode and a linear joining movement of the plug in the unrestricted Movement mode. The restricted movement mode refers to a movement mode in which the feed holder is moved with greatly reduced dynamics and/or force. A threshold value can be set for the maximum applicable force for moving the feed holder. For example, touching a moving element of the feed device leads to a blocking of the movement device, so that no increased forces, ie forces higher than the set threshold value, can act on the touching object. Consequently, there is no danger to users, people or animals when the feed device is operated autonomously. The unrestricted movement mode refers to a movement mode in which the feed holder and thus the plug and the trunk are moved with increased force compared to the restricted movement mode. For example, the plug can then be coupled to the plug receptacle in unrestricted movement mode.

According to a specific embodiment of the feed device, the movement device has a joining device with a linear drive, the feed holder is connected to the joining device, and the feed device is designed to, based on a movement caused by the linear drive in unrestricted movement mode, the plug with the plug receptacle and the trunk with the To couple the inlet connection.

According to a further specific embodiment of the feed device, the detection system is arranged on the movement device, has a camera and uses image recognition and evaluation algorithms based on at least two electrical plug receptacle contact elements of the plug receptacle as identifying features to determine the position and orientation of the plug receptacle.

The invention also relates to a device that can be moved on a driving surface and that can be fed by a described feed device with a material that can be fed through a feed line, in particular a pipeline. The mobile device includes a plug socket that extends from the free Plug receiving end extends along a plug receiving axis and can be coupled to a plug of the feed device by a linear joining movement of the plug along a joining axis. The plug receptacle comprises at least one electrical plug receptacle contact element and at least one identification feature for a recognition system of the feed device. The mobile device comprises an inlet nozzle with an inlet opening which extends from the inlet opening along an inlet nozzle axis and can be coupled to the trunk of the feed device and an inlet holder. The inlet holder holds the plug receptacle (20) and the inlet port (22) in a defined position and orientation relative to one another so that when the plug receptacle (20) is coupled to the plug (4), the inlet port (22) couples to the trunk (5). The inlet holder is arranged on the mobile device in such a way that the joining axis (17) is inclined in the direction of the joining movement (16) towards a driving surface on which the mobile device stands, in particular at an angle of inclination (19) in the range of 12 ° to 32 °. The mobile device detects a coupled state of the plug receptacle with the plug by means of an electrical plug receptacle contact element and, based on this, allows the mobile device to cause the actuation of a valve of a feed line of the feed device.

The inlet holder holds the plug receptacle and the inlet socket so that their position and orientation defined relative to one another corresponds to the position and orientation of the plug and trunk defined relative to one another. This mutually corresponding relative arrangement of the plug, trunk, plug receptacle and inlet port causes the plug and plug receptacle or trunk and inlet port to mesh simultaneously during the coupling due to the movement of the plug and the trunk. This makes it possible to determine a coupled state of the trunk with the inlet connector based on a coupled state of the plug with the plug receptacle. This also makes it possible for safety-relevant states that can be identified when the plug is coupled to the plug receptacle to also be identified in relation to the Coupling of the trunk and inlet nozzle are equally safety-relevant.

The plug receptacle can be connected to the drive energy storage of the mobile device and also have a communicative connection to the control of the mobile device. Via such a communicative connection, the mobile device can, for example, detect a coupled state of the plug receptacle with the plug. It can also be possible for the mobile device to operate the valve of the supply line when coupled. The soil treatment robot can also have a level sensor system that displays levels of consumables, such as electricity and/or fresh soil treatment liquid, to the controller.

The inlet port of the mobile device is connected to a storage container for the material that can be fed and can optionally also have one or more seals, which enable a tighter or more positive coupling of the trunk and inlet port.

According to a specific embodiment of the mobile device, the inlet holder holds the plug receptacle and the inlet port with the plug receptacle axis aligned parallel to the inlet port axis.

According to a further specific embodiment, the free ends of the plug receptacle and the inlet socket are arranged with an offset to one another in the direction of the joining axis, the offset corresponding to an offset in the direction of the joining axis between the free ends of the plug and the trunk on the feed device. As a result, design-related restrictions on the mobile device can be compensated for by the arrangement of the plug, trunk, plug receptacle and inlet connection.

According to a further specific embodiment, there is at least one locking element on the plug receptacle for locking a locking device of the plug of the feed device a coupled state of the plug receptacle is arranged with the plug. The valve of the supply line can be actuated by the mobile device when the plug is locked.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the mobile device, it can be a soil treatment robot. The soil treatment robot can be designed in autonomous operation to treat at least parts of the driving surface with fresh soil treatment liquid, for example cleaning liquid, whereby the used soil treatment liquid is optionally picked up or absorbed again by the soil treatment robot. Fresh soil treatment liquid and, for example, electrical current can then be supplied autonomously to such a soil treatment robot by a feed device according to the invention.

A preferred form of such a floor treatment robot has at least one brush for floor treatment, a cleaning liquid supply for supplying the cleaning liquid from a tank to the brush and thus to the floor, and a suction arrangement assigned to the moist floor area. At least one tank and at least one pump are provided for the cleaning liquid. Preferably there is a tank for cleaning liquid, or water with cleaning agent, and a tank for the cleaning agent that is added to the water. The drive device includes at least one battery and at least one drive motor. The control includes a display and input device, preferably a touchscreen. Soil treatment machines that carry out soil treatment outdoors and use a fluid-based product or a product with flow properties, for example for fertilization or sowing, or such consumption, can also be considered soil treatment robots.

The invention also relates to a system with a feed device and a mobile device, the mobile device being fed by the feed device with a material that can be fed through the feed line, in particular a pipeline can be fed and has a level sensor system which provides at least one level information item of the material that can be fed, with the level information being provided in a predetermined range allowing the mobile device to be moved autonomously to the feed device, where the plug of the feed device can be moved towards the plug receptacle of the mobile device, by means of coupling the Plug with the plug receptacle of the trunk is coupled to the inlet connector, and the actuation of the valve of the supply line can be caused by the mobile device based on the detection of the coupled state of the plug receptacle with the plug. If necessary, only one rechargeable battery or battery is charged.

The driverless and autonomously controlled device can be, for example, the floor treatment robot described or a floor cleaning robot to which the location of the feed device is known. The level sensor system can display the fill level of the fresh soil treatment liquid to this soil treatment robot as level information, whereby if the displayed level is in a predetermined range, the cleaning robot autonomously controls the feed device. If the soil treatment robot is located at the feed device, the soil treatment robot can, for example, communicate its location or presence to the feed device via a wireless communicative connection. The plug and the trunk can then be moved towards the soil treatment robot by the movement device of the feed device and, based on the determined position and orientation of the plug receptacle, the plug can be coupled to the plug receptacle and the trunk can be coupled to the inlet port. After detecting the coupled state of the plug with the plug receptacle, the valve of the feed line can be made operable by the feed device and the valve can be actuated by the soil treatment robot. As a result, the soil treatment robot or the cleaning robot is supplied with the feedable material, for example fresh soil treatment liquid or cleaning liquid, and/or with electricity. The quantity to be supplied can be determined using the level sensor or based on the level information determined and monitored. The soil treatment robot can advantageously be designed to drain the used soil treatment liquid before feeding it.

According to an alternative concept, the plug can take the place of the plug receptacle and the plug receptacle can be arranged and used instead of the plug, i.e. the plug and plug receptacle can be swapped.

- DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES -

• Figur 1 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Systems mit einer Zuführeinrichtung und einem fahrbaren Gerät in Form eines Reinigungsroboters;
• Figur 2 in einem Auszug aus Figur 1 eine vergrösserte perspektivische Darstellung eines Teils der Zuführeinrichtung und des fahrbaren Geräts;
• Figur 3 eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Steckers mit Halterung;
• Figur 4 eine Frontalansicht des Steckers mit Halterung der Figur 3;
• Figur 5 eine Seitenansicht des Steckers mit Halterung der Figur 2 bzw. 3 mit einer Zuführleitung und einem Rüssel;
• Figur 6 eine Seitenansicht des Systems der Figur 1;
• Figur 7 in einem Auszug aus Figur 6 eine vergrösserte Seitenansicht eines gekoppelten Zustands von Stecker, Steckeraufnahme, Rüssel und Einlassstutzen mit einer Fügevorrichtung und einem Erkennungssystem; und
• Figur 8 eine Frontalansicht einer Steckeraufnahme, eines Einlassstutzens und einer Einlasshalterung.

Purely by way of example, preferred embodiments of the feed device, the mobile device and the system are described below with reference to the figures listed. Show:

• Figure 1 a perspective view of a system with a feed device and a mobile device in the form of a cleaning robot;
• Figure 2 in an excerpt Figure 1 an enlarged perspective view of part of the feed device and the mobile device;
• Figure 3 a perspective view of a plug with holder;
• Figure 4 a front view of the plug with holder Figure 3 ;
• Figure 5 a side view of the plug with holder Figure 2 or 3 with a feed line and a trunk;
• Figure 6 a side view of the system Figure 1 ;
• Figure 7 in an excerpt Figure 6 an enlarged side view of a coupled state of the plug, plug receptacle, trunk and inlet connector with a joining device and a detection system; and
• Figure 8 a front view of a plug receptacle, an inlet socket and an inlet bracket.

- DETAILED DESCRIPTION USING EXAMPLES -

Figure 1 shows as an example a system with a feed device 1 for feeding a mobile device 2 in the form of a floor treatment robot, which is designed to clean the floor with a cleaning liquid and to suck up the cleaning liquid used for this purpose. The soil treatment robot 2 has two drive wheels 31, two pivoting support wheels, a drive device with one motor per drive wheel 31 and a control 36 with a display and input device 34 in the form of a touchscreen. The floor treatment robot 2 includes two replaceable cleaning brushes 35 or pads rotating about laterally offset vertical axes. The brushes 35 are rotated by a brush drive. With a cleaning liquid supply (not shown), cleaning liquid is supplied from a first tank in the area of the brushes using a pump. Cleaning agent can be introduced into the cleaning liquid from a second tank. After the floor has been treated by the brushes 35, the cleaning liquid remaining on the floor is sucked off by a suction arrangement 30 and fed to the first tank. The electrical energy of all electrically operated components comes from at least one rechargeable battery 26, which can be supplied with electrical current via the plug receptacle 20 and the plug 4. The suction arrangement 30 is preferably arranged on the chassis in a slightly pivotable manner via a tracking connection, so that the suction arrangement 30 is always assigned to the moist floor area, even when cornering. Because the brushes 35 are arranged slightly offset to one side with respect to a central axis in the direction of travel of the floor treatment robot, cleaning on this side essentially takes place up to the area with the drive wheel 31. So that the driving effect of the drive wheel 31 is not impaired by the cleaning liquid, A scraper deflects the cleaning liquid towards the center of the floor treatment robot. To ensure that obstacles or ground edges are also detected, sensors are preferably used for them Obstacle detection used. In the embodiment shown, several ultrasonic sensors 33 are arranged in the front area of the housing, with the arrangement of the ultrasonic sensors at two different heights ensuring good detection of obstacles. Obstacles in the floor, in particular steps, are detected with two infrared sensors 32, each arranged at the front and directed towards the floor. For obstacle detection, at least one contact sensor in the form of a deflection sensor is also provided, which is arranged between the chassis and a housing area at the front in the direction of travel. If an obstacle comes into contact with the front housing area, the housing area is deflected by the obstacle relative to the chassis, which is detected by the deflection sensor.

In the Figure 1 The movement device 7 shown includes a permanently installable base plate 14, which can be mounted, for example, on a wall or, as shown, on a column profile construction 29. The base plate 14 has guide rails 9 in which a first swivel joint is guided in a height-adjustable manner. A first arm segment 7a of the movement device is connected to the base plate via this first swivel joint in such a way that the arm segment 7a is height-adjustable and can be pivoted in a horizontal plane about the axis of rotation of the swivel joint. A further arm segment 7b of the movement device is attached to the first arm segment 7a via a second swivel joint, the second arm segment 7b in turn being pivotable in a horizontal plane about the axis of rotation of the second swivel joint. On the free extremity of the second arm segment 7b there is a third swivel joint via which the feed holder 6 is connected to the movement device. The third swivel joint provides at least an inclination of the feed holder 6 towards the driving surface 18 of the mobile device 2. In the Figure 1 The embodiment of the movement device 7 shown has a joining device 15 with a linear drive. The plug 4 is connected to the joining device 15 via the feed holder 6. The detection system 8 is attached to the joining device 15, with the detection field of view 41 of the detection system in the direction of the joining movement 16 is aligned. The feed device also has a control that is connected to drive units of the movement devices. The drive units of the movement device ensure the mobility of the feed holder and thus of the plug and the trunk. The control is also connected to the detection system 8, so that the coupling of the plug 4 with a plug receptacle 20 of a mobile device can be carried out automatically.

Figure 2 shows an excerpt in an enlarged view Figure 1 . At the free end 37 of the second arm segment 7b, the joining device 15 with linear drive is connected to the movement device 7 via the third swivel joint. The feed holder 6 is connected to the joining device and holds the plug 4 and the trunk 5 in a defined position and orientation relative to one another. Due to the movement device, the feed holder 6 can be tilted towards the floor. The plug 4 is connected to a power source via a power cable 38.

The Figures 3 , 4 and 5 show an embodiment of the plug 4, the trunk 5 and the feed holder 6. The plug 4 has at least one electrical plug contact element 9 and extends towards the free plug end along a plug axis 10. The electrical contact element is typically pin-shaped and can also be equipped with a be surrounded by a sleeve-shaped protective device which is open towards the free end of the plug. The linear joining movement 16 for coupling the plug to the plug receptacle is determined by the guide wall 39 of the plug. Arranged on the guide wall 39, the plug 4 has locking elements 11 for a locking device of the plug, which enable locking of a coupled state. The trunk 5 extends towards the free end of the trunk along a trunk axis 12. The feed bracket 6 is designed to hold the trunk 5 and the plug 4 in a defined position and orientation relative to one another. In the Figure 2 shown embodiment of the feed holder holds the plug and the trunk spaced apart from one another in a plane perpendicular to the plug axis and so, that the plug axis 10 runs parallel to the trunk axis 12. The holder shown comprises a first holding part 6a, which can be connected to the joining device 15 and holds the plug 4, a second holding part 6c, which is tubular and serves to hold the trunk, which is arranged on the feed line, and a third holding part 6b , which forms a connecting web that connects the first and second holding parts to one another in such a way that the plug and the trunk are held in a defined position and orientation relative to one another. The distance 13 is coordinated with the dimensions of the plug receptacle corresponding to the plug and the inlet connection. There is no offset between the free end of the plug and the free end of the trunk in the direction of the joining axis. The valve of the supply line is preferably arranged in the area of the second holding part 6c and is connected to the control of the movement device via a control line which runs through the third holding part 6b.

Figure 6 shows a device 2 that can be moved on a driving surface 18, in the form of a soil treatment robot, which can be fed by a feed device 1 according to the invention with a material that can be fed through a feed line 3. The mobile device has a plug receptacle 20, which extends from the free plug receptacle end along the plug receptacle axis 21 and can be coupled to the plug 4 by a linear joining movement 16 of the plug 4 along a joining axis 17. The plug receptacle 20 of the in Figure 6 shown embodiment of the mobile device 2 is connected via a charging cable 25 to the rechargeable battery 26 of the mobile device. Likewise, the plug receptacle 20 is connected to the control of the mobile device. The mobile device has an inlet port 22 with an inlet opening which extends from the inlet opening along an inlet port axis 23 and can be coupled to the trunk 6. The inlet connection is connected to a tank for fresh soil treatment liquid via a hose-shaped or tubular connection 40. In the Figure 6 shown embodiment of the inlet holder 24 holds the plug receptacle 20 and the inlet connector 22 in a plane perpendicular to the plug receptacle axis 21 spaced apart from one another and so that the plug receptacle axis 21 is parallel to the Inlet port axis 23 runs. The inlet holder 24 is arranged on the mobile device in such a way that the joining axis 17 is inclined towards the driving surface 18 at an angle of inclination 19 of around 22 °. A detection system 8 is arranged on the joining device 15. The detection system has a camera with a detection field of view 41 that is aligned in the direction of the joining movement.

Figure 8 shows an embodiment of the plug receptacle 20, the filler neck 22 and the inlet holder 24. The plug receptacle has at least one electrical plug receptacle contact element 27. Likewise, the plug receptacle has at least two identification features 28 for the recognition system 8 of the feed device 1. If the plug receptacle contact element 27 serves as an identification feature 28, then the edges of the hole in the plug receptacle contact element make an orientation of the plug receptacle recognizable to the recognition system 8.

Claims (15)

1. A feeding device (1) for supplying an appliance (2) which can be moved on a driving surface with a material which can be fed through a feeding line (3), in particular a pipeline, having

   • a plug (4) with at least one electric plug contact element (9), which extends towards the free plug end along a plug axis (10) and which can be coupled to a plug receptacle (20) of the mobile appliance (2) by a linear joining movement (16), and

   • a feeding line (3) with a valve,

   wherein the feeding device (1) detects a coupled state of the plug (4) with the plug receptacle by means of an electric plug contact element and, based thereon, makes the valve of the feeding line (3) actuatable,

   characterized in that

   the feeding device (1) has a nozzle (5), a feeding holder (6), a movement apparatus (7) and a detection system (8), wherein

   • the nozzle (5) is arranged on the feeding line (3) and runs towards the free nozzle end along a nozzle axis (12) and can be coupled to an inlet port (22) of the mobile appliance (2),

   • the feeding holder (6) holds the nozzle (5) and the plug (4) in a defined position and alignment relative to each other such that when the plug (4) is coupled to the plug receptacle (20), the nozzle (5) is coupled to the inlet port (22),

   • the movement apparatus (7) makes the feeding holder (6) with the plug (4) and nozzle (5) at least height adjustable (9) and movable in the direction of the joining movement (16) along a joining axis (17),

   • the detection system (8) is configured to establish a position and alignment of the plug receptacle (20) based on the detection features (28) of the plug receptacle (20), and

   • the feeding device (1) is designed, based on the established position and alignment of the plug receptacle (20), to couple the plug (4) to the plug receptacle (20) by a linear joining movement (16) along the joining axis (17) and, as a result, to couple the nozzle (5) to the inlet port (22).
2. The feeding device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the feeding holder (6) holds the nozzle (5) and the plug (4) with parallel alignment of the nozzle axis (12) to the plug axis (10).
3. The feeding device according to any one of Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the joining axis (17) is inclined to the driving surface (18) of the mobile appliance (2) in the direction of the joining movement (16), in particular at an angle of inclination (19) in the range from 12° to 32°.
4. The feeding device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the feeding device (1) is configured to determine the joining axis (17) based on the established position and alignment of the plug receptacle (20), and the movement apparatus (1) is designed to make the feeding holder (6) with the plug (4) and the nozzle (5) movable along the determined joining axis (17).
5. The feeding device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the free ends of the plug (4) and the nozzle (5) are arranged with an offset to each other in the direction of the joining axis (17), wherein the offset corresponds to an offset in the direction of the joining axis (17) between the free ends of the plug receptacle (20) and the inlet port (22) on the mobile appliance (2).
6. The feeding device according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a locking device is arranged on the plug for electromechanical locking of a coupled state of the plug (4) with the plug receptacle (20), wherein the feeding device (1) makes the valve of the feeding line (3) actuatable when the plug is locked.
7. The feeding device according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that

   • the movement apparatus (7) is formed to make the feeding holder (6) with the plug (4) and the nozzle (5) partially or fully automatically movable in a limited movement mode and an unlimited movement mode, and

   • the feeding device (1) is configured to couple the plug (4) to the plug receptacle (20) by

   o a movement of the plug (4) into a preposition relative to the plug receptacle (20) in the limited movement mode, and

   o a linear joining movement (16) of the plug (4) in the unlimited movement mode.
8. The feeding device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the movement apparatus (7) has a joining apparatus (15) with a linear drive, the feeding holder (6) is connected to the joining apparatus (15), and the feeding device (1) is adapted to couple the plug (4) to the plug receptacle (20) and the nozzle (5) to the inlet port (22) based on a movement brought about by the linear drive in the unlimited movement mode.
9. The feeding device according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the detection system (8) is arranged on the movement apparatus (7), has a camera and makes it possible to establish the position and alignment of the plug receptacle (20) as detection features (28) by means of an image detection and evaluation algorithm based on at least two electric plug receptacle contact elements (27) of the plug receptacle (20).
10. A mobile appliance (2) which can be supplied by a feeding device (1) with a material which can be fed through a feeding line (3), in particular a pipeline, having

    • a plug receptacle (20) which extends starting from the free plug receptacle end along a plug receptacle axis (21) and can be coupled to a plug (4) of the feeding device (1) by a linear joining movement (16) of the plug (4) along a joining axis (17), and has at least one electric plug receptacle contact element and at least one detection feature for a detection system of the feeding device (1), and

    • an inlet port (22) with an inlet opening which extends starting from the inlet opening along an inlet port axis (23) and can be coupled to a nozzle (5) of the feeding device (1), and

    • an inlet holder (24), which

    • holds the plug receptacle (20) and the inlet port (22) in a defined position and alignment relative to each other such that when the plug receptacle (20) is coupled to the plug (4), the inlet port (22) is coupled to the nozzle (5), and

    • is arranged on the mobile appliance (2) such that the joining axis (17) is inclined in the direction of the joining movement (16) to a driving surface on which the mobile appliance stands, in particular at an angle of inclination (19) in the range from 12° to 32°,

    wherein the mobile appliance (2) detects a coupled state of the plug receptacle (20) with the plug (4) by means of an electric plug receptacle contact element and, based thereon, the actuation of a valve of a feeding line (3) of the feeding device (1) can be prompted by the mobile appliance (2).
11. The mobile appliance according to Claim 10, wherein the inlet holder (24) holds the plug receptacle (20) and the inlet port (22) with parallel alignment of the plug receptacle axis (21) to the inlet port axis (23).
12. The mobile appliance according to Claim 11, characterized in that the free ends of the plug receptacle (20) and the inlet port (22) are arranged with an offset to each other in the direction of the joining axis (17), wherein the offset corresponds to an offset in the direction of the joining axis (17) between the free ends of the plug (4) and the nozzle (5) on the feeding device (1).
13. The mobile appliance according to any one of Claims 10 to 12, wherein at least one locking element for a locking device of the plug (4) of the feeding device (1) is arranged on the plug receptacle (20) for locking a coupled state of the plug receptacle (20) with the plug (4), and the valve of the feeding line (3) can be actuated by the mobile appliance (2) when the plug is locked.
14. The mobile appliance according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, wherein the mobile appliance (2) is a floor treatment robot.
15. A system having a feeding device (1) according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 and a mobile appliance (2) according to any one of Claims 10 to 14, wherein the mobile appliance (2) can be supplied by the feeding device (1) with a material which can be fed through the feeding line (3) and has level sensor technology which provides at least one piece of level information of the material which can be fed, wherein in the event of a piece of level information being provided in a predefined range, the mobile appliance (2) can be autonomously moved to the feeding device (1), where

    • the plug (4) of the feeding device (1) is movable towards the plug receptacle (20) of the mobile appliance (2),

    • the nozzle (5) is coupled to the inlet port (22) by means of coupling the plug (4) to the plug receptacle (20), and

    • the actuation of the valve of the feeding line (3) can be prompted by the mobile appliance (2) based on the detection of the coupled state of the plug receptacle (20) with the plug (4).

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