Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01B—SOIL WORKING IN AGRICULTURE OR FORESTRY; PARTS, DETAILS, OR ACCESSORIES OF AGRICULTURAL MACHINES OR IMPLEMENTS, IN GENERAL
  • A01B69/00—Steering of agricultural machines or implements; Guiding agricultural machines or implements on a desired track
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
  • A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
  • A01D34/00—Mowers; Mowing apparatus of harvesters
  • A01D34/006—Control or measuring arrangements
  • A01D34/008—Control or measuring arrangements for automated or remotely controlled operation

Definitions

• Robot comprising a safety device
• the present invention belongs to the field of vehicles, and in particular of robotic vehicles. It relates more particularly to a robot comprising a safety device, as well as a method for making the robot safe.
• the invention is aimed, for example, at robots having automated or autonomous functions, which are dedicated to agriculture, in particular to cultivation in low or medium rows, such as salads or wheat.
• row crop agricultural robots are equipped with one or more processing tools for processing the crops. They also include means of movement and a location system, allowing them to move independently on either side of a path of advancement.
• the first solution relates to bumpers arranged upstream of the means of displacement with respect to the direction of advance of the agricultural robot. These, when at least one of them comes into contact with an obstacle, send a signal to a control unit of the agricultural robot which causes said agricultural robot to stop. The bumpers thus make it possible to protect the means of movement and the obstacles situated at the level thereof.
• the second solution very often coupled with the first solution, consists of a set of lasers and detectors.
• This set of lasers and detectors makes it possible to check that there is no obstacle at the progress path level when the agricultural robot passes, part of which would be located strictly above the crops. Indeed, the set of lasers and detectors does not make it possible to distinguish between the crops and the obstacles which are located in the advancement path and whose thickness would be less than or equal to the height of the crops. This can be particularly problematic when the obstacle is a human lying on the ground, in the middle of a crop field.
• removing an obstacle can be a complex operation if it is located under the agricultural robot.
• the present invention aims to overcome all or part of the drawbacks of the prior art set out above by proposing an improved detection device, allowing more precise detection, in particular of an obstacle whose height is equal to or less than at a characteristic height, in order to place an autonomous robot in a safe position.
• the subject of the present invention is a robot, comprising:
• Such a robot can for example be an agricultural robot, provided with a plurality of wheels and/or caterpillars allowing it to move forward on uneven ground.
• the invention can also be applied to other types of robot, such as autonomous handling robots for example.
• displacement plane is meant a mean plane on which the robot moves. When the ground has no inclination, the plane of movement is horizontal.
• the robot generally evolves along a path, known as a path of advancement, which most of the time follows the crop lines formed on the ground.
• the robot comprises a safety device comprising:
• the detection surface configured to move between a first so-called detection position and a second so-called safety position, the detection surface extending in the first so-called detection position up to 'at a predetermined distance from the plane of movement, which is in particular less than a characteristic dimension of an obstacle,
• the safety device advantageously makes it possible to protect the robot from obstacles lying on its path of advancement, by causing it to stop when an obstacle is detected by means of a mechanical device whose trigger threshold is advantageously configured to trigger the robot to stop when a major obstacle is encountered.
• the displacement device actively drives the detection surface into the safety position, in order to move it away from the obstacle and avoid any deterioration.
• the invention may also comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken separately or with each of their technically effective combinations.
• the safety device comprises a return device making it possible to bring the detection surface back to the detection position as long as the displacement of the detection surface remains below the detection threshold of an obstacle.
• This embodiment advantageously makes it possible to reinforce the autonomy of the safety device and therefore of the robot, by not causing it to stop when the movement of the detection surface remains limited. It makes it possible to discriminate between obstacles. Indeed, obstacles that do not cause the detection surface to move beyond the obstacle detection threshold will not cause the robot to stop. They are thus considered as false positives, i.e. obstacles for which the operator does not want the robot to stop. On the contrary, those that cause the detection surface to move beyond the detection threshold will cause the robot to stop.
• the safety device comprises several vanes spaced regularly along the detection surface.
• This embodiment has the advantage of covering the width of the path of advancement, and therefore of protecting all the obstacles in the path of advancement, whether they are centered or not. This embodiment also makes it possible to protect the robot over its width. This preferred configuration provides more comprehensive protection coverage.
• the different pallets move integrally relative to each other. However, individualized travel may be considered.
• the stopping of the robot is ordered by the control means.
• the detection surface positioned in the safety position is substantially parallel to the plane of movement.
• This embodiment advantageously makes it possible to protect the robot and the obstacle by limiting the size of the robot. Also, it makes it easier to clear the obstacle before restarting the robot.
• each pallet has a generally slender shape with two parallel arms directed towards the plane of movement when the detection surface is in the detection position.
• This configuration has an advantage: it makes it possible to limit obstacles, such as plants located on the path of advancement, from driving the detection surface into a safety position, without this being desired.
• This configuration allows the plants to exert a limited force on the detection surface and do not cause the robot to stop.
• the detection surface is in translation then in rotation towards the safety position.
• This first version advantageously makes it possible to stop the robot for obstacles of small characteristic dimension.
• the detection surface is rotating around an axis substantially parallel to the plane of movement.
• This version makes it possible to limit the size of the safety device.
• this version is robust and reliable.
• a cam drives the detection surface in rotation towards the safety position.
• This embodiment makes it possible to control and modulate the variation of the torque generated on the axis of the pallets by an obstacle - and therefore the variation of the force applied at the end of the pallet - according to their angle of rotation.
• this embodiment also offers the possibility of controlling the travel of the detection surface, and therefore, among other things, of limiting its speed when passing from the detection position to the safety position. Thus, it reinforces the durability of the safety device.
• the robot comprises means for adjusting the threshold for detecting an obstacle.
• This advantageously makes it possible to control the discrimination of the obstacles as a function of the displacement of the pallet which they cause. Said displacement of the pallet is conditioned by the mass of the obstacle encountered. Consequently, the safety device advantageously makes it possible to discriminate the obstacles according to their masses. For an obstacle of so-called low mass not causing the displacement of the detection surface beyond the detection threshold of an obstacle, the safety device generates a displacement of the obstacle in the direction of advance of the robot. Also, this configuration makes it possible to increase the adaptability of the safety device. Also, this obstacle detection threshold adjustment means allows the safety device to adapt to a change in dimensions of the pallet.
• the robot is intended to be used in an agricultural environment and comprising crop treatment tools, in which the detection surface is located upstream of the crop treatment tools with respect to the direction of advancement.
• This embodiment of the device for securing the robot makes it possible to protect the processing tools from obstacles which are located upstream of the processing tools, and these same obstacles from the processing tools.
• the present invention also relates to a method for securing the robot.
• This safety method includes, when an obstacle causes the detection surface to move, the following steps:
• the invention may comprise the following characteristics, implemented separately or with each of their technically effective combinations.
• the method is preceded of a step.
• the step consists of the detection surface leaving its detection position and returning to its detection position when the obstacle does not exert more force on it.
• This mode of implementation advantageously makes it possible to reinforce the autonomy of the safety device and therefore of the robot, by causing it to stop only when the displacement of the detection surface is greater than the detection threshold of an obstacle.
• said method is followed by a reset step when the means of displacement have caused the robot to stop, during which:
• This mode of implementation makes it possible to restart the robot after it has stopped.
• Figure 1 is a schematic profile view of a robot equipped with a safety device according to a first embodiment
• FIG 2 is an enlarged view of the safety device in the detection position, illustrated in Figure 1;
• FIG 3 is a side view of the safety device in the safety position, shown in Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a schematic view of another embodiment of a safety device
• Figure 5 illustrates the different steps of an implementation mode of the safety method.
• the present invention relates firstly to a robot configured to move on land.
• This terrain can for example be uneven, interior or exterior.
• the invention is described in a particular context of one of its preferred fields of application, in which the robot moves in an agricultural field.
• This agricultural field in a non-limiting manner, is a field of crops in low rows such as lettuces. It can also be a field of medium row crops such as wheat.
• FIG. 1 schematically represents a non-limiting example of robot 100.
• Said robot 100 comprises, in a conventional manner, displacement means 20.
• Said displacement means conventionally allow robot 100 to advance in a direction of advancement.
• the means of displacement 20, in the context of standard use, are in contact with the ground. They are then positioned on a plane called a displacement plane 60.
• the robot conventionally comprises a control unit 30.
• Said control unit is, for example, a computer. It is configured, among other things, to allow the robot 100 to operate autonomously.
• the robot 100 will be associated with an XYZ reference frame, called a robot reference frame.
• This robot reference has three orthonormal axes C, U, Z.
• This robot frame of reference is defined with respect to a relative position of the robot 100 under standard conditions of use, in particular when its means of movement 20 are in contact with the ground.
• Said robot repository includes:
• transverse axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and oriented in a horizontal direction when its displacement means 20 are in contact with the ground
• a Z axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and to the transverse axis, and oriented in a vertical direction.
• the displacement means 20 are conventionally formed by four drive wheels, two front wheels 21, 22 and two rear wheels.
• the wheel center distance is adjustable from 150 to 200 cm in order to adapt to several different crops, or the same crop on rows of different sizes, or the same crop with a number of different rows.
• the width of the robot 100 is sized so that the displacement means 20 move on either side of one or more crop or plantation rows.
• the robot 100 comprises processing tools 50.
• These processing tools 50 can be agricultural tools, for example. They are preferably positioned in a corridor formed between the front and rear wheels, so as to process the crops which are spanned by the robot 100. This configuration advantageously makes it possible to limit the size of the robot 100.
• the processing tools 50 can also be positioned ahead of the front wheels.
• the processing tools can include, for example, processing instruments known to those skilled in the art, such as weeder harrows. It should be emphasized that treatment tools, such as tine harrows, are likely to damage an obstacle (not shown in Figure 1) when they come into contact with it.
• the obstacle could damage the processing tools 50 if it comes into contact with them.
• the invention aims to avoid these configurations.
• the robot 100 comprises a safety device 10.
• the safety device 10 improves obstacle detection and makes the robot 100 more autonomous.
• the safety device 10 comprises at least one pallet 11 forming a detection surface 16 which is in a position called detection position 17, substantially perpendicular to the XY plane.
• the detection position 16 is substantially vertical when the robot moves forward on a horizontal plane.
• the detection surface 16 is then oriented substantially along the Z axis. It advantageously extends up to a predetermined distance from the plane of movement, called the detection distance.
• This distance is determined by estimating the minimum height of the obstacle that can damage the robot 100.
• This distance is advantageously less than a characteristic dimension of an obstacle to be detected.
• This characteristic dimension can be its dimension along the Z axis, i.e. the height of the obstacle relative to the ground.
• the pallet 11 extends up to about ten centimeters from the plane of movement along the Z axis.
• the obstacle When an obstacle is present on the advancement path of the robot 100, the obstacle, the height of which is greater than the detection distance, advantageously enters into contact with the detection surface 16 which is preferably located upstream of the robot 100 in order to allow the robot 100 to stop in time.
• the obstacle can be of any type, such as an animal or a human being lying on the ground, or environmental elements such as stones or branches.
• the obstacle causes the detection surface 16 to move relative to the detection position 17.
• the pallet 11 is preferably positioned at a predetermined distance D along the axis X upstream of the processing tools 50 with respect to the direction of advance. This distance will be explained later in the description.
• the safety device 10 aims to cause the robot 100 to stop when the pallet 11 detects the obstacle, without the latter encountering the processing tools 50.
• the pallet 11 has a generally slender shape with two parallel arms 111 and 112, called arms, directed towards the plane of movement 60 when the detection surface 16 is in the first position, called detection 17, substantially perpendicular to the direction of progress of the robot 100.
• the two arms 111 and 112 can be of the same dimensions. They can be located in the same XZ plane.
• the arms 111 and 112 each have the shape of a bar of rectangular section. Further, arms 111 and 112 may be four centimeters wide, and two centimeters apart. The arms have a length between twenty and fifty centimeters. This shape makes it possible to limit the contact surface with an obstacle while keeping a sufficiently wide detection space.
• this shape allows obstacles with a small width, less than two centimeters, not to exert force on the arms and not to cause a movement of the detection surface 16 greater than the detection threshold.
• the obstacles not being considered significant such as plants, do not cause the robot 100 to stop. to come into contact with the ground, at the level of a clod of earth for example, which is not considered as a significant obstacle for stopping the robot.
• This particular shape of arm substantially corresponding to a comb, allows the earth to be evacuated through the spacing between the two arms 111 and 112, and limits the movement of the detection surface 16. This configuration is advantageous insofar as it makes it possible to avoid stopping the robot 100 without significant reason.
• the arms 111 and 112 have a thickness of two centimeters on average. This advantageously makes it possible to guarantee the rigidity of the arm without making the safety device 10 heavier.
• the pallet 11 is made of a metallic material. This advantageously makes it possible to reinforce the rigidity of the safety device 10, and consequently the service life of the pallet 11 . It can also be made of a plastic material.
• FIG. 2 is a side view of the safety device 10 according to the invention.
• the safety device 10 also comprises a means 13 for triggering a stoppage of the robot connected to the control unit 30.
• the connection between the triggering means 13 and the control unit 30 is wired, in order to guarantee the speed and reliability of the safety device 10.
• the robot stops when the movement of the detection surface 16 is greater than a threshold, called the detection of an obstacle.
• the obstacle detection threshold aims to make a distinction between the different obstacles detected, such as the obstacle 40 illustrated in FIG. detection 16 below this obstacle detection threshold do not trigger the robot 100 to stop. These obstacles pass below the detection surface 16, because they are too low in height, or are naturally deviated from the robot's path 100. On the contrary, the obstacles which cause a displacement of the detection surface 16 greater than the detection threshold of an obstacle, because they are generally heavier and/or larger in size, will trigger the robot to stop. 100.
• the trigger means 13 is composed of a switch. More specifically, it is a microswitch, defined as a very fast acting, very precise and very reliable electrical switch.
• the safety device 10 activates this microswitch.
• the microswitch is linked to the control means 30. When it is switched on, it sends an order to stop the robot 100 to the control means 30.
• the means 13 for triggering the stopping of the robot 100 can be a displacement sensor.
• This sensor is connected to the pallet 11 and is triggered from the detection threshold of an obstacle.
• the safety device 10 also comprises a device 12 for moving the detection surface 16.
• This moving device 12 drives the detection surface 16 towards a second so-called safety position 18 when the detection threshold of an obstacle is overcome.
• the displacement device 12 will be described later.
• the device 12 for moving the detection surface 16 enables the safety device 10 to engage the microswitch when the detection surface 16 passes into the safety position 18.
• Figure 3 corresponds to the same view as Figure 2 but with the detection surface 16 in the safety position 18 which is here substantially parallel to the plane of movement 60.
• the safety position 18 may correspond to an opening 180 greater than forty centimeters with respect to the detection position 17 along any axis. This advantageously allows an operator to remove the obstacle 40 and secure the treatment tools 50. Also, this makes it possible to preserve the securing device 10 because it is no longer in contact with the obstacle 40. This embodiment also facilitates the removal of the obstacle 40 without requiring the movement of the robot 100 once the obstacle 40 has been detected.
• the detection surface 16 is rotatable around an axis substantially parallel to the plane of movement 60, and perpendicular to the direction of advancement of the robot 100. In the present example, in a manner not limiting, it is the Y axis. In this embodiment of the safety device 10, the detection surface 16 generally forms an angle of less than 30° with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of advancement when it is in the detection position 17. When the displacement of the detection surface 16 is greater than the detection threshold of an obstacle, the displacement device 12 moves the detection surface 16 towards its safety position 18.
• the displacement device 12 can advantageously comprise a cam 121. Said cam is fixed to the detection surface 16.
• the displacement device 12 can also comprise a roller 122 which moves on this cam 121.
• the roller 122 is linked to a spring 123 via a plunger 124.
• the spring 123 exerts a resistance at the level of the rotation of the cam 121 .
• the profile of the cam 121 has a shape presenting a concave part 125, which, thanks to the roller 122 and the spring 123, allows the detection surface 16 to return to the detection position 17, when the force exerted on the detection surface 16 is lower than the detection threshold. More precisely, when the obstacle 40 comes into contact with the detection surface 16, the detection surface 16 starts moving.
• the roller 122 evolves in the concave part 125 of the cam 121 . As long as the detection threshold is not exceeded, the roller 122 remains in the concave part 125 of the cam 121. When the movement of the detection surface 16 reaches the detection threshold of an obstacle, the roller 122 reaches the end 126 of the concave part 125 of the cam 121, and leaves the concave part 125 of the cam 121. The cam 121 is then no longer retained by the roller 122, which causes a rotation of the detection surface 16 until 'to the safety position 18, thanks to a spring 130.
• the detection surface 16 can be returned to the detection position 17 by an operator, who will exert a force substantially along the Z axis towards the plane of movement, until that the roller 122 returns to the concave part 125 of the cam 121 .
• the trigger means 13 are thus disengaged.
• the cam 121 advantageously has, along the end 126, a second slightly convex part then again concave. This shape advantageously allows the travel of the detection surface 16 towards the safety position 18 to cause a slowing down of the detection surface 16. This has the advantage of improving the durability of the device by avoiding sudden movements, which may submit the parts of the safety device 10 to high mechanical stresses.
• the spring 123 makes it possible to exert a force along the X axis which retains the rotation of the cam 121 around the Y axis.
• the cam 121 is located in a plane parallel to the plane XZ.
• the safety device 10 comprises means 15 for adjusting the return force of the spring 123 in order to modify the detection threshold of an obstacle. Such an adjustment makes it possible to choose the obstacles discriminated by the safety device 10. The greater the restoring force, the more the light moving obstacles are likely to be pushed back by the pallet 11 . However, if the restoring force is too great, the risk of not detecting an obstacle such as an animal or a human lying on the ground can be significant. It is therefore important to adjust the return force as well as possible.
• the means 15 for adjusting the return force of the spring 123 also makes it possible to adapt the device 10 for securing the robot 100 to a change in the dimensions of the pallet 11 .
• the assembly formed by the concave part 125 of the cam 121, the spring 123 and the roller 122 can be considered as a return device 14.
• the return device 14 makes it possible to return the detection surface 16 to the detection position 17 that the displacement of the detection surface remains below the detection threshold of an obstacle.
• the detection surface 16 is in translation then in rotation towards the safety position 18.
• the translation takes place along the axis X.
• the displacement device 12 drives the detection surface 16 in rotation around the Y axis.
• the displacement device 12 is, according to the example illustrated in FIG. 4, composed of a spring at the level of a cleat 131 secured to the arms 111 and 112. This spring makes it possible to drive the arms 111 and 112 in rotation around the axis Y.
• the cleat 131 is positioned at the level of the upper end of the arm 111 and 112. It can move in a first slide 141 oriented along the X axis.
• Both arms may have a second tab 132 positioned at their lower end.
• Said cleat 132 can evolve in a slide 142, of a defined length oriented along the axis X. This second cleat 132, when it is located in the slide 142, prevents the rotation of the arms 111 and 112 around the axis Y and limits the movement of the detection surface 16 to a translation along the X axis. After a translation to the detection threshold corresponding to the length of the slide 142, the catch 132 is no longer retained by the slide 142 Consequently, the displacement device 12 drives the detection surface 16 in rotation around Y.
• the detection surface 16 is in the safety position 18. In this example, but in a nonlimiting manner, the surface 18 is substantially parallel to the travel plan. It can be repositioned in the detection position by an operator.
• a spring 135 can be positioned on the slide 141 in order to form a return device making it possible to reposition the detection surface 16 autonomously in the detection position 17 as long as the detection threshold is not reached.
• the pallet 11 can be positioned upstream of the processing tools 50 at a minimum distance D corresponding to the maximum value between the length of an arm and the sum of 3 distances Dstop, Dprocess, Ddetection! - Dstop corresponds to the stopping distance required for a robot 100 launched at maximum speed when a stop instruction has been generated by the control unit 30;
• - Dprocessing corresponds to the distance traveled by the robot 100 at maximum speed while the control unit 30 is processing the data sent by the trigger means 12;
• - Ddetection corresponds to the distance that the robot 100 travels at maximum speed from the moment the obstacle begins to set the detection surface 16 in motion, until the triggering means 12 generate a stop order.
• the safety device 10 can comprise several pallets 11 spaced regularly along the detection surface 16. They are each associated with a displacement device 12. They can also each be associated with a triggering means 13. This mode of realization has the advantage of covering all 50 processing tools.
• the trigger means 13 are connected in series to the control unit 30.
• a single triggering means 13 is sufficient to trigger the stopping of the robot 100 when a significant obstacle is detected;
• a trigger means 13 is associated with at least one pallet 11, each pallet 11 being associated with a trigger means 13.
• step 101 An example of a method for securing the robot 100, illustrated in FIG. 5, is now described. Said method of securing is preferably carried out for the robot 100 previously described, in at least one of its embodiments, whatever the embodiment of the securing device 10.
• the robot 100 is preferably in operation and evolves according to a programmed trajectory (step 101).
• the purpose of the method for making the robot 100 safe is to allow the robot 100 to evolve in safety in its environment, without requiring human supervision.
• the method for securing the robot 100 advantageously causes the robot 100 to stop when the securing device 10 comes into contact with the obstacle 40 which could damage it or be damaged by the robot 100.
• the safety device 100 detects an obstacle 40
• the obstacle 40 causes the displacement of the detection surface 16 during step 102.
• the method can be continued by a step 104 of automatically returning the detection surface 16 to the detection position 17, for example thanks to the return device 14 whose force exerted is greater than the force exerted by the obstacle 40 on the detection surface 16.
• the obstacle detection threshold is not reached, this means that the robot 100 does not encounter any significant obstacle liable to damage the robot 100 or to be damaged by said robot.
• it is possible, for the robot 100 to evolve in autonomy, without risk and without human supervision.
• step 105 If the detection threshold of an obstacle is exceeded (step 105), the detection surface 16 leaves its detection position 17.
• the displacement device 12 then drives the detection surface 16 to its safety position 18 during step 106.
• This step 106 makes it possible to put the robot 100 and the obstacle in safety.
• the detection surface 16 actuates a trigger means 13 for stopping the robot 100.
• the means 13 for triggering a stoppage of the robot 100 sends a stop instruction to the control unit 30.
• the stop instruction is transmitted by wire. This configuration is reliable and fast.
• the instructions transmitted can be stored within a storage space of the control means 30, with a view to being processed subsequently. These instructions may constitute a database from which operating statistics of the robot 100 may be extracted.
• This information is received by the control unit 30, which sends a stop command to the movement means 20.
• the stop instruction can be transmitted to the robot motor 100 which cuts off, and thus causes the robot during step 108. This transmission can also be carried out via any type of link, wired or not. A message can be sent to the operator.
• step 109 an additional step 109 can be implemented.
• the obstacle 40 is removed by an operator. This operation is facilitated when the safety position 18 leaves an opening of at least 40 centimeters.
• the detection surface 16 is returned to the detection position 17 during step 110. This return to the detection position 17 is generally carried out manually by an operator. Also, the trigger means 13 is reset. Finally, the robot is restarted via an operator operation during step 200.
• the obstacle detection device 10 can be integrated into a site robot.
• the method for making the robot 100 safe can, among other things, be implemented on a construction site.

Landscapes

• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Environmental Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Soil Sciences (AREA)
• Manipulator (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=76159633

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2021
  • 2021-04-30 FR FR2104562A patent/FR3122310B1/fr active Active
• 2022
  • 2022-04-29 EP EP22727758.9A patent/EP4329466A1/de active Pending
  • 2022-04-29 WO PCT/EP2022/061466 patent/WO2022229383A1/fr active Application Filing

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events