JP2007004527A - Power supply relay system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power supply relay system enabling mobile equipment driven by power supplied via an electric cable to freely move without restriction of field of activities by the electric cable. <P>SOLUTION: A power connector 6 of power supply is connected with a relay robot 2 by a relay cable 8, and the relay robot 2 is connected with a cleaner 1 by the power cable 5. When the cleaner 1 moves, the relay robot 2 follows so that mutual positional relationship is kept constant. As the relay robot 2 moves, the relay cable 8 is reeled out or reeled in, thereby adjusting the length of the relay cable 8. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a power supply relay system including a relay robot that moves following a mobile device in order to stably supply power to the movable mobile device.

  A mobile device such as a robot that travels autonomously has a battery and uses power supplied from the battery as a power source. Due to the performance of this battery, mobile devices are limited in operating time. For example, the operation time is limited by the capacity of the battery.

  Therefore, power is supplied to the mobile device from an external power source such as a commercial power source. The mobile device and the power source are connected by a power cable, and power is supplied through the power cable. As a result, the problem of limitation of operation time due to power shortage is solved. However, since the length of the power cable is finite, the movement range of the mobile device is limited by the power cable. Furthermore, there is a possibility that the mobile device cannot move freely because the power cable itself becomes an obstacle to movement.

On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a device provided with a cable unwinding / winding device that controls unwinding or winding of a power cable for a moving robot. This allows the robot to move without being limited by the length of the power cable.
JP2004-261903

  Patent Document 1 assumes a mobile device that travels in a pipe, that is, a mobile device that moves in one direction. Therefore, the cable feeding / winding device is fixed and only the length of the power cable is adjusted. However, since the direction of the power cable cannot be changed for a mobile device that moves freely, the power cable does not follow the movement of the mobile device. Then, the power cable may come into contact with an obstacle and hinder the movement of the mobile device. Although there is a wireless power transmission system that supplies power wirelessly without using a power cable, there is a risk that the power supply may be cut off by an obstacle in this system, and the action range of the mobile device is limited.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a power relay that allows a mobile device driven by power supplied from a power source to freely move around without being restricted in the range of action regardless of whether or not a power cable is used. The purpose is to provide a system.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a power relay system that supplies power from a power source to a mobile device via a self-propelled relay robot, wherein the relay robot follows the movement of the mobile device. It moves, The positional relationship with the said power supply is changed arbitrarily, maintaining a fixed positional relationship with the said mobile apparatus.

  When the mobile device moves, the relay robot moves accordingly. On the other hand, the relay robot moves relative to the power source, but moves to a position where power supply can be secured. At this time, since the mobile device and the relay robot maintain a fixed positional relationship, the positional relationship is unchanged in power supply, and stable power supply from the relay robot to the mobile device can be performed. As a result, the mobile device can move freely without considering the power supply, and the action range of the mobile device is expanded regardless of whether or not the power cable is used.

  Here, when the relay robot and the mobile device are connected by a power cable, the relay robot and the power source are connected by a variable-length relay cable, and the relay robot moves the relay according to the movement of the mobile device. Adjust the cable length. Thereby, a fixed positional relationship is maintained between the mobile device and the relay robot. In addition, this fixed positional relationship is a relationship in which the distance between the relay robot and the mobile device is a fixed value or less. This distance is not limited to a linear distance, but may be a distance along a winding path. For example, when a power cable is used, the constant value is the length of the power cable. When the power cable is loosened, the distance between the relay robot and the mobile device becomes a certain value or less. In the case of a mobile device equipped with a power cable winding mechanism, the maximum distance is the length when the power cable is fully extended.

  The positions of the relay robot and the power supply change from time to time, and the relay cable is drawn out or stored in accordance with the change in position. Both are connected by a relay cable. A power transmission path is formed from the power source through the relay cable, the relay robot, and the power cable, and the power is supplied to the mobile device that moves around.

  In particular, even when there is an obstacle between the mobile device and the power source, the relay robot moves so that the power supply path avoids the obstacle. Therefore, the power from the power source can be stably supplied to the mobile device via the relay robot.

  In order to move the relay robot following the mobile device, a movement detection means for detecting the movement of the mobile device is provided. The relay robot moves so as to keep the positional relationship with the mobile device constant based on the movement information from the movement detection means. Thus, the relay robot can control its own movement by grasping the movement of the mobile device.

  The movement detection means is provided in the mobile device and can communicate with the relay robot wirelessly or by wire. The relay robot determines the movement direction and the movement amount based on the movement information from the movement detection means. The movement detection means may be provided inside the mobile device, or is provided in a movable mobile vehicle, and the mobile vehicle is connected to the mobile device. When such a mobile vehicle is used, it is only necessary to connect to a mobile device, and any mobile device can be supported. By setting it as a relay robot, a versatile system can be obtained.

  When the mobile device moves, this movement is detected and transmitted by the movement detection means, so that the relay robot can immediately acquire the movement information. The movement information is a movement direction, a movement distance, and a movement speed. Based on these pieces of information, the relay robot moves, for example, in the same direction as the mobile device by the same distance so as to follow the mobile device, or moves at the same speed while maintaining a certain positional relationship. Therefore, the relay robot can maintain a certain positional relationship with the mobile device. At this time, the relay cable is drawn out or stored according to the distance the relay robot has moved.

  The relay robot has a position detection unit that detects its own position, and based on movement information from the movement detection means and current position information from the position detection unit, the positional relationship with the mobile device is kept constant. Thus, the moving direction and moving amount are determined. Thereby, the relay robot can recognize the position of the mobile device with reference to its own position. The relay robot is accurately moved, and the positional relationship between the mobile device and the relay robot is always constant.

  The movement detection means may be provided independently of the relay robot and the mobile device. The movement detecting means can communicate with the relay robot wirelessly, detects a relative position between the mobile device and the relay robot, and transmits the detection result to the relay robot. The detection result is a predetermined position on the map, an interval between the two, and the like. The relay robot moves according to a change in relative position. That is, the relay robot determines the movement direction, the movement amount, or the movement speed so as to keep the positional relationship with the mobile device constant based on the change in the relative position with the mobile device.

  This movement detection means detects the position of the mobile device and also detects the position of the relay robot. Therefore, the movement detection unit may determine the destination of the relay robot according to the movement of the mobile device, and transmit the position information of the destination to the relay robot. The relay robot moves to the designated position. This also maintains a certain positional relationship between the mobile device and the relay robot. In this case, the relay robot and the movement detection means have a predetermined map, and recognize the position based on this map.

  The relay robot has a cable detection unit that detects the movement of the power cable accompanying the movement of the mobile device, and the relay robot corrects the movement according to the movement of the power cable. The power cable moves such as tilting, bending, pulling or slacking according to the movement of both the mobile device and the relay robot. If there is a change in such movement, the positional relationship between the mobile device and the relay robot may not be constant. Therefore, by correcting the movement of the relay robot in accordance with the movement of the power cable, a certain positional relationship between the two can be reliably obtained.

  The cable detection unit detects the tension of the power cable. The relay robot determines the amount of movement so that the tension of the power cable falls within an allowable range in order to eliminate the influence of the load of the power cable on the mobile device. By detecting the tension of the power cable, the direction in which the force is applied, that is, the direction of the mobile device and the distance from the mobile device can be known.

  When the tension of the power cable exceeds the allowable range, the mobile device is too far from the relay robot, and the relay robot does not move following the mobile device. For this reason, the relay robot hinders the movement of the mobile device. If the relay robot moves toward the mobile device, the tension of the power cable decreases and falls within the allowable range. As a result, the relay robot can keep the positional relationship with the mobile device constant, and does not hinder the movement of the mobile device.

  As described above, according to the present invention, even when a mobile device freely moves around, power from a power source can be stably supplied by a relay robot that is always in a fixed positional relationship. Therefore, the action range of the mobile device is not limited, and an environment in which the mobile device can act freely can be realized.

[First Embodiment]
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a power supply relay system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a detailed view of a relay robot.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the power relay system of the present invention relays power by being interposed between the cleaner 1, which is a mobile device, a power source that supplies power to the cleaner 1, and the cleaner 1 and the power source. And the relay robot 2 to be used.

  The vacuum cleaner 1 is a general vacuum cleaner in which a suction nozzle 4 is attached to a movable vacuum cleaner body 3. The vacuum cleaner 1 includes a power cable 5 having a power plug (not shown) for AC power, and the power cable 5 is connected to the relay robot 2.

  The power source is a commercial power source, and a power connector 6 is provided on the wall of the building. The relay robot 2 is connected to the power connector 6 by a relay cable 8 having a power plug 7. Power is supplied from the power supply to the relay robot 2 through the relay cable 8, and power is supplied from the relay robot 2 to the cleaner 1 through the power cable 5.

  In this system, the relay robot 2 moves following the movement of the cleaner 1. That is, the relay robot 2 moves so as to arbitrarily change the positional relationship with the power source while maintaining a certain positional relationship with the cleaner 1. Therefore, a movement detection device 9 that detects the movement of the cleaner 1 is provided. As shown in FIG. 3, the movement detection device 9 is provided in the cleaner 1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the movement detection device 9 is housed in a box-shaped mobile vehicle 10. The moving vehicle 10 includes a pair of left and right wheels 11, is connected to the rear portion of the cleaner body 3, and moves integrally with the cleaner 1. The movement detection device 9 includes an encoder 12 that detects the rotation of each wheel 11, a detection device 13 that calculates movement information from the output of the encoder 12, and a communication device 14 that communicates with the relay robot 2. Further, the mobile vehicle 10 is equipped with a battery (not shown) such as a secondary battery.

  An axle 15 of the wheel 11 is rotatably attached to the left and right side surfaces of the moving vehicle 10, and the left and right wheels 11 rotate independently. When traveling forward, both wheels 11 rotate in the forward direction, and when traveling backward, both wheels 11 rotate in the backward direction. At the time of turning, each wheel 11 rotates in a different direction, or one wheel 11 stops and the other wheel 11 rotates. Such rotation information of the wheel 11 is detected by the encoder 12.

  The detection device 13 includes a microcomputer having a RAM, a ROM, and a CPU, calculates the rotation speed and rotation direction of each wheel 11 based on the rotation information from the encoder 12, and moves the movement direction, movement amount, and movement of the cleaner 1. Generate movement information such as speed. This movement information is transmitted to the relay robot 2 through the communication device 14. The communication device 14 performs wireless communication using infrared rays, Bluetooth (registered trademark), a wireless LAN, or the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, the relay robot 2 includes a moving unit (not shown) for traveling, a communication device 17 that communicates with the movement detection device 9, and position detection that detects the movement of the relay robot 2 itself. The unit 18 and a control device 19 for driving and controlling the moving unit are provided, and these are provided in a circular moving main body 20. An accommodation container 21 for accommodating the relay cable 8 is provided on the upper part of the moving body 20. The relay robot 2 moves based on the movement information from the movement detection device 9 and adjusts the length of the relay cable 8 according to the movement of the cleaner 1.

  The moving unit includes a pair of left and right drive wheels 22 that are rotatably supported by the moving main body 20, and a drive motor (not shown) that drives the drive wheels 22. A drive motor is provided for each drive wheel 22, and the left and right drive wheels 22 rotate independently. Reference numeral 23 denotes a ball-shaped auxiliary wheel.

  During forward movement, both drive wheels 22 rotate simultaneously in the forward direction, and when reverse, both drive wheels 22 rotate simultaneously in the reverse direction. At the time of turning, each drive wheel 22 rotates in a different direction, or one drive wheel 22 stops and the other drive wheel 22 is driven to rotate.

  A cord reel (not shown) for winding the relay cable 8 is housed in the container 21, and the cord reel is rotated by a winding motor (not shown). The relay cable 8 is unwound from the storage container 21 by the forward rotation of the cord reel, and the relay cable 8 is wound up and stored in the storage container 21 by the reverse rotation. The container 21 is provided with a power connector 24 to which a power plug of the power cable 5 is connected. In the container 21, the relay cable 8 and the power cable 5 are electrically connected so that power can be transmitted from the power source to the cleaner 1. The relay robot 2 is driven by power from the power source.

  The power connector 24 has a fixing mechanism (not shown) for fixing the power plug. The fixing mechanism is, for example, a chuck that sandwiches and fixes the power plug, or a claw that hooks the power plug, and prevents the power plug from being removed during movement. The fixing mechanism is provided with a force sensor (not shown) that detects the tension of the power cable 5. The force sensor is composed of a pressure sensor and a capacitance sensor, and contacts the power cable 5 to detect a force in three axial directions. Thereby, the tension of the power cable 5 and the direction of the power cable 5, that is, the direction of the cleaner 1 can be detected. Further, the distance to the cleaner 1 can be determined according to the tension of the power cable 5. If the tension is high, the relay robot 2 is separated from the cleaner 1, and if the tension is weak, the relay robot 2 is close to the cleaner 1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the position detection unit 18 is provided on the lower surface of the moving body 20, and includes a non-contact sensor such as an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor, and detects a moving amount and a moving direction. The position detection unit 18 is not limited to the contacted sensor, and for example, the rotation of a ball accompanying movement is detected by an optical sensor, such as a roller mouse, and the amount and direction of movement of the relay robot 2 are determined. It may be detected.

  The control device 19 includes a microcomputer having a RAM, a ROM, and a CPU, and includes a nonvolatile memory. The control device 19 controls the movement of the relay robot 2 so as to maintain a certain positional relationship with the cleaner 1 based on the movement information from the movement detection device 9, and adjusts the length of the relay cable 8 according to the movement. To do. Further, the control device 19 calculates a movement route based on the output from the position detection unit 18 and recognizes the movement from the movement start position to the current position.

  When the cleaner 1 moves, the relay robot 2 may be pulled and forcibly moved. In consideration of forced movement, the control device 19 keeps the positional relationship with the cleaner 1 constant based on the movement information from the movement detection device 18 and the current position information from the position detection unit 18. Determine the direction and amount of movement. Then, the cord reel is rotated in accordance with this movement, and the relay cable 8 is fed out or stored. Further, the movement of the power cable 5 is detected by the output from the force sensor, and the movement of the relay robot 2 is corrected so that the load by the power cable 5 is not applied to the cleaner 1. That is, it is determined whether the tension of the power cable 5 exceeds the threshold value. When the threshold value is exceeded, the moving amount and moving direction of the relay robot 2 are determined and moved so that the tension falls within the allowable range.

  Next, the operation of the relay robot 2 when the cleaner 1 moves will be described. When the cleaner 1 moves, the movement detection device 9 detects the movement direction, the movement amount, and the movement speed. This movement information is transmitted to the relay robot 2. The control device 19 of the relay robot 2 determines a movement direction, a movement amount, and a movement speed based on the movement information, and drives the drive motor. The relay robot 2 moves following the cleaner 1, and the positional relationship between the relay robot 2 and the cleaner 1 is kept constant. Simultaneously with this movement, the length of the relay cable 8 is adjusted. The length adjustment amount is the same as the movement amount of the relay robot 2. When the relay robot 2 approaches the power connector 6, the relay cable 8 is accommodated, and when the relay robot 2 moves away from the power connector 6, the relay cable 8 is extended.

  In this way, the relay robot 2 changes the positional relationship with the power supply while maintaining a certain positional relationship with the cleaner 1. Therefore, the load by the power cable 5 does not apply to the cleaner 1, does not disturb the movement of the cleaner 1, and the action range of the cleaner 1 is expanded. Moreover, even if the cleaner 1 is away from the power source, the power from the power source can be reliably supplied to the cleaner 1 via the relay robot 2.

  By the way, when the relay robot 2 is pulled and moved by the movement of the cleaner 1, this movement is detected by the position detection unit 18. The relay robot 2 recognizes the current position, determines the moving direction, the moving amount, and the moving speed while considering the positional relationship between the moving information and the movement information from the movement detecting device 9 to drive the driving motor. To do. The relay robot 2 can follow even if the cleaner 1 moves rapidly, and can always maintain a certain positional relationship. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the power cable 5 from becoming too tight and hindering the movement of the cleaner 1. At this time, the length of the relay cable 8 is adjusted according to the movement of the relay robot 2.

  The force sensor detects the movement of the power cable 5. And the control apparatus 19 judges whether the tension | tensile_strength of the power cable 5 exceeds a threshold value. When the threshold value is exceeded, the control device 19 determines the direction in which the tension is applied from the movement of the power cable 5 and corrects the movement direction determined according to the movement information of the cleaner 1. The relay robot 2 moves in the corrected direction. Alternatively, when the threshold value is exceeded, the control device 19 similarly corrects the moving direction and controls to move a certain distance. And when the tension | tensile_strength of the power cable 5 becomes below a threshold value, it will return to normal movement control.

  In this way, by controlling the movement of the relay robot 2 in consideration of the movement of the power cable 5, the positional relationship between the relay robot 2 and the cleaner 1 connected via the power cable 5 moves relative to each other. Is kept properly so as not to disturb. In addition, when the power cable 5 is caught on an obstacle, an excessive force is applied to the power cable 5. However, since the abnormal tension at this time can be detected, the relay robot 2 moves in a direction in which the tension decreases. . Therefore, even if there is an obstacle, the relay robot 2 moves so as to avoid the obstacle, and the power cable 5 can be prevented from obstructing the movement of the cleaner 1.

[Second Embodiment]
In the power supply relay system according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the movement detection device 25 is provided independently of the cleaner 1 and the relay robot 2 so that the cleaner 1 and the relay robot 2 can be looked over. It is mounted on the ceiling or wall of the building. The movement detection device 25 includes an imaging device (not shown) such as a CCD camera or an infrared camera, a communication device (not shown) that performs wireless communication with the relay robot 2, and an arithmetic device (not shown). These are housed in the case 26. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

  Markers 27 and 28 are respectively provided on the upper surfaces of the vacuum cleaner 1 and the relay robot 2, and the imaging device includes the markers 27 and 28 in the captured video. The arithmetic device performs image processing on the video from the imaging device to identify the markers 27 and 28. And the position and space | interval of the cleaner 1 and the relay robot 2 are calculated, and these are acquired as positional information. The communication device transmits the position information to the relay robot 2. Note that, in order to specify the position, the arithmetic device has a map of the shooting range in advance, and specifies the position from the coordinates on the map.

  The relay robot 2 owns the same map, and recognizes the relative position with the cleaner 1 based on the detected position information. And when the position of the cleaner 1 changes, a moving direction, a moving amount, and a moving speed are determined according to this change. The relay robot 2 moves following the movement of the cleaner 1. Therefore, the cleaner 1 and the relay robot 2 move with each other while maintaining a certain positional relationship. At this time, similarly to the first embodiment, the relay robot 2 adjusts the length of the relay cable 8 and corrects the movement according to the movement of the power cable 5.

  Here, instead of the relay robot 2 determining the movement direction, movement amount, and movement speed based on the position information, the arithmetic unit of the movement detection device 25 determines that the cleaner 1 and the relay robot 2 are fixed based on the position information. The position of the movement destination of the relay robot 2 may be determined so that the positional relationship can be maintained. Furthermore, not only the position but also the moving direction and the moving amount may be determined. The relay robot 2 moves toward the determined position in accordance with an instruction from the movement detection device 25.

  As mentioned above, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, Of course, correction and a change can be added within the scope of the present invention. For example, the power supply may be wireless power transmission instead of wired such as a cable. As shown in FIG. 7, a power transmission antenna 29 is provided in the power supply connector 6 of the power source, the power receiving antenna 31 and the power transmitting antenna 32 are provided in the relay robot 30, and the power receiving antenna 33 is provided in the cleaner 1. Other configurations and movement control of the relay robot 2 are the same as those in the above embodiments. In the figure, reference numeral 34 denotes a wall that is an obstacle.

  The electric power from the power source is converted into a microwave or a laser and sent from the power transmission antenna 29 toward the relay robot 30. When the microwave or laser is received by the power receiving antenna 31 of the relay robot 30, power is transmitted from the power transmitting antenna 32 toward the cleaner 1. The vacuum cleaner 2 converts the microwave or laser received by the power receiving antenna 33 into electric power and uses it as a drive source.

  Here, in order to reliably wirelessly transmit power to the moving cleaner 1, the angle of the power transmission antenna 32 of the relay robot 30 is variable. The control device 19 of the relay robot 30 adjusts the angle of the power transmission antenna 32 in conjunction with the movement of the cleaner 1 and the relay robot 30 so that the power transmission antenna 32 always faces the cleaner 1. As a result, the directivity of the microwave or laser is increased, power transmission loss is reduced, and power can be supplied efficiently. Further, the power transmission antenna 29 of the power source is similarly variable in angle, and the angle may be adjusted in conjunction with the movement of the relay robot 30.

  When the wireless power transmission is used, when the cleaner or relay robot moves in a space with many obstacles, power can be supplied via the relay robot even if the cleaner is hidden from the power source by the obstacle. Therefore, the cleaner can move without being restricted by the power cable, and the range of action is further expanded. Note that the constant value in this case is a position where the mobile device is within a range where radio waves such as microwaves and lasers reach the relay robot.

  In the first embodiment, the vacuum cleaner and the relay robot can communicate bidirectionally using a power cable. The movement detection device can transmit the position information to the relay robot through the cleaner.

  Further, when the movement detection device is provided other than the vacuum cleaner and the relay robot, the movement information from the movement detection device may be transmitted / received via the relay cable. In this case, it is necessary that the movement detection device and the power source can communicate with each other wirelessly or by wire. Further, when the power source is arranged on the ceiling, the movement detection device may be integrated with the power source. By integrating the movement detection device with the power supply, the relay robot can receive movement information from the movement detection device via the relay cable.

  Further, the relay robot may be provided with a movement detection device. This movement detection device emits light such as infrared rays and lasers and ultrasonic waves, and detects the position of the cleaner from its reflection. The power source is not limited to a commercial power source, and may be a power generation device or a battery. The mobile device is not limited to a vacuum cleaner, but may be a home-operated device such as a robot that travels autonomously, a portable television, or an audio device. When changing the position of home appliances by rearranging indoors, the relay robot moves automatically and there is no need to consider the wiring of the power cable.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a power supply relay system according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Diagram showing internal structure of relay robot The figure which shows the vacuum cleaner with the movement detection device Diagram showing the internal structure of a moving vehicle View of relay robot from below Overall configuration diagram of the power relay system of the second embodiment Overall configuration diagram of a power relay system using wireless power transmission

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum cleaner 2 Relay robot 5 Power supply cable 6 Power supply connector 7 Power supply plug 8 Relay cable 9 Movement detection apparatus 12 Encoder 17 Communication apparatus 18 Position detection part 19 Control apparatus 20 Moving body 21 Storage container 22 Drive wheel 24 Power supply connector

Claims (13)

  A power supply relay system that supplies power from a power source to a mobile device via a self-propelled relay robot, wherein the relay robot moves following the movement of the mobile device and has a certain positional relationship with the mobile device. A power supply relay system, wherein the positional relationship with the power supply is arbitrarily changed while maintaining.   The relay robot and the mobile device are connected by a power cable, the relay robot and the power source are connected by a variable length relay cable, and the relay robot adjusts the length of the relay cable according to the movement of the mobile device. The power supply relay system according to claim 1.   The movement detecting means for detecting movement of the mobile device is provided, and the relay robot moves so as to keep the positional relationship with the mobile device constant based on movement information from the movement detection means. 2. The power relay system according to 2.   The movement detection means is provided in a mobile device and is communicable with the relay robot, and the relay robot determines a movement direction and a movement amount based on movement information from the movement detection means. Item 4. The power relay system according to Item 3.   The relay robot has a position detection unit that detects its own position, and based on movement information from the movement detection means and current position information from the position detection unit, the positional relationship with the mobile device is kept constant. 5. The power relay system according to claim 4, wherein the moving direction and the moving amount are determined as follows.   6. The power relay system according to claim 4, wherein the movement detection means is provided in a movable mobile vehicle, and the mobile vehicle is connected to a mobile device.   The movement detection means is provided independently of the relay robot and the mobile device, and can communicate with the relay robot. The movement detection means detects the relative position between the mobile device and the relay robot, and detects this. 4. The power relay system according to claim 3, wherein a result is transmitted to the relay robot, and the relay robot moves in accordance with a change in relative position.   8. The power relay according to claim 7, wherein the relay robot determines a movement direction and a movement amount so as to keep a positional relationship with the mobile device constant based on a change in a relative position with the mobile device. system.   The relay robot includes a cable detection unit that detects movement of a power cable accompanying movement of a mobile device, and the relay robot corrects movement according to the movement of the power cable. The power relay system according to any one of 8.   The cable detection unit detects the tension of the power cable, and the relay robot determines the amount of movement so that the tension of the power cable is within an allowable range in order to eliminate the influence of the load of the power cable on the moving device. The power relay system according to claim 9.   The power relay system according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the power cable includes a power plug for AC power, and a power connector for inserting the power plug is provided in the relay robot.   A self-propelled relay robot that is interposed between a power source and a mobile device and supplies power from the power source to the mobile device, connected to the power source by a variable-length relay cable, and moving the mobile device A relay robot comprising: a control unit that controls movement following the movement of the mobile device, wherein the control unit adjusts the length of the relay cable according to the movement of the mobile device.   The relay robot according to claim 12, wherein the relay robot is connected by a power cable included in the mobile device.

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