JPH07101500A - Fuel service robot device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a fuel service robot device which can accurately insert a fuel service nozzle in a filler opening regardless of the stopped location and tilt of an automobile. CONSTITUTION:A fuel service robot device 1 is constituted by providing a fuel service robot 3, a filler opening detecting unit 4 and a control unit 5 on an island 2 of a gas station, and at the same time, laying a tire location detecting unit 6 on the ground of the gas station. For the fuel service robot 3, a fuel service nozzle 12 is fitted on the tip of a second arm 10. The filler opening detecting unit 4 has an image sensor 15 to detect the location of a filler opening 24. The tire location detecting unit 6 detects the locations of tires 20a-20d of an automobile 20 which stops in front of the fuel service robot 3 for refueling. The control unit 5 finds the stopped location and tilt of the automobile 20 by the tire location detecting unit 6, and corrects the location of the filler opening 24 which is detected by the image sensor 15.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refueling robot apparatus, and more particularly to a refueling robot apparatus configured to automatically insert a refueling nozzle into a refueling port of an automobile by a refueling robot.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, at a gas station, a refueling worker inserts a refueling nozzle into a refueling port of an automobile to refuel, but it is rationalized by installing a refueling robot device on behalf of the refueling worker. Is being considered.
Therefore, various refueling robot devices have been conventionally developed, and for example, it is considered to use a multi-joint type robot to insert a refueling nozzle into a refueling port of an automobile for refueling.

This type of refueling robot apparatus detects the position of the refueling port of the automobile by imaging the refueling port of the vehicle with an image pickup camera, and operates the arm of the refueling robot based on the refueling port position data. The oil supply nozzle provided at the tip is inserted into the oil supply port. Then, the main valve of the refueling nozzle is opened to start refueling, and after refueling is completed, the refueling nozzle is pulled out from the refueling port to complete the refueling operation.

[0004]

However, in the refueling robot apparatus, the position of the refueling port is detected by using the image pickup camera. However, in order to improve the position detection accuracy by the image pickup camera, the stop position of the automobile is regulated. The problem is that the vehicle must be stopped so that the sides of the vehicle body are parallel to the island where the refueling robot is installed, and the refueling port must be positioned in front of the refueling robot. is there.

However, in practice, the driver may stop the vehicle obliquely with respect to the refueling robot because the vehicle stop position is not constant. In that case, the refueling port is imaged in an elliptical shape by the imaging camera, and a position detection error is likely to occur, so that the refueling nozzle is inserted from the front of the refueling port with respect to the position of the refueling port. Since the arm must be moved in the left-right direction as well, the refueling nozzle may collide with the vehicle body of the automobile and damage the coating.

Therefore, conventionally, it has been necessary to install a worker for guiding the stop position of the automobile or a guide device for stopping the automobile at a predetermined stop position.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a refueling robot device that solves the above problems.

[0008]

The present invention relates to a refueling robot having a refueling nozzle at the tip of an arm, an image sensor for picking up an image of a refueling port of an automobile and detecting the position of the refueling port, and the refueling robot. Tire position detecting means for detecting the tire position of the automobile, stop position data creating means for creating stop position data of the automobile based on the tire position data detected by the tire position detecting means, and detected by the image sensor Correction means for correcting the refueling port position data to the refueling port position data for the refueling robot based on the stop position data created by the stop position data creating means.

[0009]

The tire position detecting means detects the tire position of the automobile with respect to the refueling robot, and the stop position data of the automobile is created based on the tire position data to accurately determine the stop position of the automobile and the inclination of the vehicle body with respect to the refueling robot. Based on the stop position data created by the stop position data creating means, the refueling position data detected by the image sensor is corrected, and the refueling nozzle position data is corrected by correcting the refueling port position data for the refueling robot. It is possible to insert the fuel into the fuel filler port accurately and refuel it without colliding with the automobile.

[0010]

1 and 2 show a first embodiment of a refueling robot apparatus according to the present invention.

In both figures, a refueling robot apparatus 1 includes a refueling robot 3 and a refueling port detection unit 4 on an island 2 of a refueling station.
In addition to providing the control unit 5, the tire position detecting unit 6 is laid on the ground of the gas station.

The refueling robot 3 is a multi-joint robot having 6 degrees of freedom, and comprises a swing base 8, a first arm 9, a second arm 10, and a wrist 11 on a base 7 fixed on the island 2. . Then, at the tip of the second arm 10,
A refueling nozzle 12 supported by the wrist 11 is attached.

The fuel filler detection unit 4 comprises a manipulator 14 having five degrees of freedom and an image sensor 15 supported by the tip of the manipulator 14. The image sensor 15 accurately detects the position of the fuel filler port 24 as will be described later, and thus the fuel filler port 2 is operated by the operation of the manipulator 14.
4 and image. Then, the fuel filler position data is created based on the image captured by the image sensor 15.

The control unit 5 outputs from the control circuit 16 for controlling the operation of the manipulator 14 of the refueling robot 3 and the refueling port detection unit 4, the memory 17 for storing each data, the tire position detection unit 6 and the image sensor 15. It has a calculation circuit 18 for calculating the position of the fuel filler on the basis of the data. The memory 17 stores position data of the vehicle body coordinate system from the center O of the automobile 20 to the center E of the fuel filler port 24 as described later.

A refueling start button 19 operated by the driver is provided on the upper surface of the control unit 5. A refueling hose 13 connected to the refueling nozzle 12 is introduced into the housing of the control unit 5 and a pipe line (not shown) in which a pump and a flow meter are arranged.
It is connected to the underground tank through the control unit 5 and the control unit 5 also controls the drive of the pump and calculates the amount of refueling based on the measurement of the flow meter.

The tire position detecting section 6 includes tires 20a-2 of a vehicle 20 stopped in front of the refueling robot 3 for refueling.
In order to detect the position of 0d, the tires 20a to 20d of the left and right front and rear wheels of the automobile 20 which are formed in a sheet shape are laid at a position where they stop, and the tire position on the A region, that is, the side closer to the island 2 (shown in FIG. 1). A first sensor unit 21 for detecting a tire position on the right side in the traveling direction of the automobile 20),
The second sensor unit 22 detects the tire position on the side far from the region B, that is, the island 2 (the tire position on the left side in the traveling direction of the automobile 20 shown in FIG. 1). Further, in the area C between the island 2 and the first sensor section 21, there is a failure detection sensor section 23 for detecting that there is no person or extra obstacle between the refueling robot 3 and the automobile 20. It has been laid.

Incidentally, the first and second sensor portions 21 and 22 described above.
In the failure detection sensor unit 23, for example, piezoelectric elements that output an electric signal when pressed are arranged at regular intervals in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction (X, Y directions). Therefore, the first and second
The positions of the tires 20a to 20d can be measured by detecting at which position of the sensor units 21 and 22 the signal is output from the piezoelectric element. Then, the stop position and the inclination (inclination angle) of the automobile 20 with respect to the refueling robot 3 are automatically detected by obtaining the line connecting the midpoints of the tires 20a to 20d.

Further, it is possible to confirm from the output from the obstacle detection sensor unit 23 that there is no obstacle between the refueling robot 3 and the automobile 20 that hinders the operation of the refueling robot 3. Collision with obstacles and the like is prevented, and fuel can be refueled more safely.

Now, a method for detecting the positions of the tires 20a to 20d of the automobile 20 by the tire position detecting section 6 will be described.

Sensor units 21 and 2 provided in the A and B regions
2, each piezoelectric element is registered as a working coordinate system whose origin is the installation position of the fuel filler detection unit 4, and the tires 20a to 20a.
The (X, Y) position data of the portion pressed by 20d is output. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG.
When 0 stops at the sensor units 21 and 22, the tires 20a to
Only the portion of the piezoelectric element corresponding to the ground plane H of 20d is pressurized and outputs a detection signal. Then, the arithmetic circuit 18
For each tire 20a~20d seek midpoint O ₁ ~ O ₄ at the ground surface M ₁ ~M ₄ contours. For example, tire 20
Explaining the case of a as an example, the maximum and minimum points in the X direction and the maximum and minimum points O ₁₁ , O _12, O in the Y direction in the range corresponding to the ground contact surface M ₁ of the tire 20a.
_The midpoint O ₁ is calculated from _13, O ₁₄ .

In the same manner as described above, as shown in FIG. 5, the midpoint O ₂ -of the ground contact surfaces M ₂ -M ₄ of the respective tires 20b-20d.
After obtaining O ₄ , the midpoints O _{1 to} O, which are the centers of the automobile 20,
₄ of the center _{O (X 11, Y 11,} Z 11) obtained. In this case, since the position data (X _, Y) output from the first and second sensor units 21 and 22 is two-dimensional, Z ₁₁ = 0. Thereby, the center of the stop position of the automobile 20 can be known.

Also, as shown in FIG.
8 is the calculated midpoint O _{1 of the} rear tires 20a, 20d.
From (X _01, Y ₀₁ ), O ₄ (X _04, Y ₀₄ ), the inclination θ _Z1 of the rear wheel tire around the Z axis is calculated from the following equation (1). The inclination θ _Z1 is the inclination of the stop position of the automobile 20 with respect to the extending direction of the refueling robot 3 and the island 2.

Θ_Z1= Tan^-1{(Y₀₄-Y₀₁) / (X₀₄-X₀₁)} (1) Further, the arithmetic circuit 18 is previously stored in the memory 17.
2 from the center O of the car 20
Position data (x _11,y
_11,z₁₁) Is read. As shown in FIG. 6 to FIG.
L (necessary for detection) from the oil port 24 in the x-axis direction of the vehicle body coordinate system
The distance of F is the seat of F expressed by the body coordinate system
Mark (x_1,y_1,z₁) To the working coordinate system
Cousin T₁Then,

[0024]

[Equation 1]

Then, the arithmetic circuit 18 is operated by the above (2).
From the formula (3), the coordinates of F expressed in the working coordinate system (X _1, Y
_1, Z ₁ ) is calculated.

Next, the coordinate data (X _1, Y _1, Z ₁ ) of the working coordinate system calculated as described above and the inclination θ _{Z1 of the} automobile 20 are output to the control circuit 16. The control circuit 16 operates the manipulator 14 so that the image sensor 15 supported by the tip of the manipulator 14 (X _1, Y
_1, Z ₁ ), so as to tilt around the Z axis by an angle θ _Z1 . As a result, even when the stop position of the automobile 20 is inclined with respect to the extending direction (Y-axis direction) of the refueling robot 3 and the island 2, the image sensor 15 supported by the tip of the manipulator 14 is At a position F separated from the center E of the fuel filler port 24 by a distance L, so as to be perpendicular to the stop position of the automobile 20 and parallel to a surface (site surface) defined by the X axis and the Y axis. Will be located.

Then, as shown in FIG.
In this state, the image sensor 15 receives an image of the opening shape of the fuel filling port 24, and compares this with a predetermined reference image (for example, a circle) of the opening shape of the fuel filling port 24, and the reference image is compared. The position data in the working coordinate system of the manipulator 14 obtained by the image sensor 15 is output to the control circuit 16. This causes the manipulator 14 to
The image sensor 15 supported at the tip is adjusted and moved to a position where the same image as the reference image is obtained.

After that, the arithmetic circuit 18 calculates the position data of the manipulator 14 which has been adjusted and moved in the working coordinate system,
Based on the position data (x _1, y _1, z ₁ ) in the vehicle body coordinate system of the center E of the filler port 24 calculated by the arithmetic circuit 18, and the position data obtained by converting the position data into the working coordinate system of the manipulator 14, A movement locus as position data in the work coordinate system of the manipulator 14 for moving from the standby position to the center E of the refueling port 24 is calculated, and this is further converted into position data in the work coordinate system of the refueling robot 3 to control the control circuit. Output to 16.

As a result, the control circuit 16 drives the manipulator 14 to return it to the original standby position, and the movement of the refueling robot 3 on the basis of the movement locus in which the position data is converted in the work coordinate system of the refueling robot 3. That is, the refueling work is performed by correcting the movement trajectory of the refueling nozzle 12.

Further, for example, when the driver enters the area C, or when a load or the like is placed in the area C, the sensor portion 23 immediately detects this. Then, the control circuit 16
Stops the operation of the refueling robot 3 and the manipulator 14 when there is a detection signal from the sensor unit 23.
Then, when the driver leaves the area C or the luggage is removed, the refueling robot 3 and the manipulator 14 are operated.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart executed by the control circuit 16 together with the operation of the refueling robot device 1.

First, when the vehicle 20 arrives at the fueling station for refueling, the driver stops the vehicle 20 in front of the refueling robot 3 as shown in FIG. At this time, since the tire position detecting sensors 21 and 22 are laid on the ground, the driver stops the automobile 20 with this as a mark. That is, the driver is
The steering wheel is operated so that d stops on the sensor units 21 and 22.

However, the vehicle 20 does not always stop in parallel with the island 2, and for example, when the driver has little driving experience and is inexperienced, or when the gas station is narrow and enters from an oblique direction, The vehicle may stop at an angle with respect to 2.

Normally, the driver will find that the automobile 20 is substantially parallel to the island 2 and the fuel filler port 24 is at the fuel filler robot 3.
Stop so that it is located in front of. And the driver
After opening the fuel lid 26 covering the fuel filler port 24, the fuel filler cap (not shown) of the fuel filler port 24 is removed, and then the fuel filler start button 19 is turned on.

In FIG. 9, the control unit 5 controls the refueling start button 1 in step S1 (hereinafter "step" is omitted).
When the driver operates the refueling start button 19 on, it is checked whether or not 9 has been operated on, and the process proceeds to S2 to read the detection signals from the sensor units 21 and 22.

At S3, as described above, the tires 20a to 20a are detected based on the detection signals from the sensor units 21 and 22.
The coordinate data of the midpoints O _{1 to} O ₄ of 0d are calculated. Then, the coordinate data of the center O of the automobile 20 (X _11, Y _11, Z
₁₁ ) is calculated (S4).

Further, in S5, the rear tires 20a, 20a, 2
0d midpoint O₁(X₀₁, Y₀₁), O _Four(X₀₄, Y₀₄)
Ask. Then, the inclination θ around the Z axis from the coordinates of the rear wheel
_Z1Is calculated from the above equation (1) (S6).

Subsequently, the position data (x _11, y _11, z ₁₁ ) of the vehicle body coordinate system from the center O of the automobile 20 to the center E of the fuel filling port 24 is read from the memory 17 (S7), and the position data of the vehicle body coordinate system is read. The position data is converted into the work coordinate system (S8).

In the next step S9, the manipulator 14 is operated based on the coordinate data (X _1, Y _1, Z ₁ ) of the work coordinate system and the inclination θ _{Z1 of the} automobile 20 to move the image sensor 15 to (X _1, Y _{1). 1,} Z ₁ ), tilt the angle θ _Z1 around the Z axis. Then, in S10, the image sensor 15 detects the opening direction of the refueling port 24 and calculates the movement trajectory of the refueling robot 3 up to the refueling port 24, which is converted into position data in the work coordinate system of the refueling robot 3.

When the movement locus of the refueling robot 3 up to the refueling port 24 is calculated in S10, the process proceeds to S11 and the image sensor 15 is returned to the original standby position. Then, the control circuit 16 corrects the movement of the refueling robot 3, that is, the movement trajectory of the refueling nozzle 12 based on the position data of the refueling port 24 to insert the refueling nozzle 12 into the refueling port 24 (S12).

As described above, the refueling nozzle 12 is moved according to the direction of the automobile 20 by detecting the tire position, and the refueling nozzle 12 is accurately moved based on the position data of the refueling port 24 detected by the image sensor 15. It can be inserted into the fuel filler port 24.

In the next step S13, the pump provided in the conduit communicating with the oil supply nozzle 12 is activated to start oil supply. Then, in S14, when the full oil supply or the oil supply corresponding to the preset value is completed, the process proceeds to S15, the pump is stopped, and the liquid supply to the oil supply nozzle 12 is stopped.

After that, in S16, the refueling robot 3 is operated so as to pull out the refueling nozzle 12 from the refueling port 24, and the standby state before refueling is restored. Then, the driver fits a fuel filler cap (not shown) on the fuel filler port 24, closes the fuel lid 26, and starts the automobile 20.

When a detection signal is output from the sensor section 23 in the area C during the series of processing operations, interrupt processing is performed to stop the operations of the refueling robot 3 and the manipulator 14. Then, when the driver leaves the area C or the luggage is removed, the refueling robot 3 and the manipulator 14 are operated.

FIG. 10 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the tire position detector 6 is located in the D area.
It is installed to detect the tire position of the rear wheels of the automobile 20.
The sensor unit 25 is included. This sensor unit 25 is the above-mentioned sensor unit.
The piezoelectric elements are arranged in X and Y directions at regular intervals like 21 and 22.
Aligned in the opposite direction, the left and right rear wheels detect the stop position
And outputs the signal. In the case of this embodiment, the fuel filler port 24
When detecting the position of the
Coordinates O as data _1,O_FourAnd around the Z axis of the car 20
Slope of_Z3To detect.

The coordinates O _1, O ₄ and the Z of the automobile 20 are set.
Except for the detection of the inclination θ _Z3 about the axis, it is the same as the above-described first embodiment, and therefore its explanation is omitted.

In the case of this embodiment, the sensor unit 25 provided in the area D shown in FIG.
_, Y) position data is given. When the vehicle 20 stops in front of the refueling robot 3 for refueling, as shown in FIG. 5, the ground contact surfaces M ₁ and M _{4 of the} rear tires 20a and 20d are provided.
The midpoints O _{1 and} O ₄ in the contour of

Then, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the left side
Midpoint O of the right rear wheel₁(X_01,Y_01,Z ₀₁), O_Four(X_04,
Y_04,Z₀₄) Inclination θ around the Z axis from the coordinate data_Z3Seeking
Meru. Inclination about this Z axis θ_Z3Is calculated by the following equation (4).
Maru

Θ _Z3 = tan ⁻¹ {(Y ₀₄ −Y ₀₁ ) / (X ₀₄ −X ₀₁ )} (4) Also, from the middle point O _{1 of the} right rear wheel registered in the database of the memory 17. The position data (x _13, y _13, z ₁₃ ) in the vehicle body coordinate system is read up to the center E of the fuel filler port 24. here,
The vehicle body coordinate system is set to the center of the tire 20a closer to the fuel filler port 24. In addition, L from the filler port 24 in the x-axis direction of the vehicle body coordinate system.
Let F be a point that is distant, and the coordinates of F expressed in the working coordinate system are (X
_3, Y _3, Z ₃ ) and the matrix for converting the vehicle body coordinate system to the working coordinate system is T ₃ ,

[0051]

[Equation 2]

Therefore, the arithmetic circuit 18 uses the above (5)
From the formula (6), the coordinates of F expressed in the working coordinate system (X _3, Y
_3, Z ₃ ) is calculated.

Next, the coordinate data (X _3, Y _3, Z ₃ ) of the work coordinate system calculated as described above and the inclination θ _{Z3 of the} automobile 20 are output to the control circuit 16. The control circuit 16 operates the manipulator 14 so that the image sensor 15 supported by the tip of the manipulator 14 (X _1, Y
_1, Z ₁ ), so as to tilt around the Z axis by an angle θ _Z1 . When the image sensor 15 detects the opening direction of the refueling port 24 and the movement trajectory of the refueling robot 3 up to the refueling port 24 converted into position data in the work coordinate system of the refueling robot 3 is calculated, this is calculated. Based on this, the refueling robot 3 is operated to perform refueling work.

In this way, the coordinate data (X _3, Y _3, Z ₃ ) of the working coordinate system is detected by detecting the positions of the left and right rear wheels.
And the inclination θ _{Z3 of the} vehicle 20 can be obtained,
Even if the positions of all the tires 20a to 20d are not detected, the stop position of the vehicle 20 and the position of the refueling port 24 with respect to the refueling robot 3 can be accurately detected as in the first embodiment described above. Therefore, regardless of the stop position and inclination of the automobile 20, the refueling nozzle 12 can be inserted into the refueling port 24 without colliding with the body of the automobile 20.

In the above embodiment, the tire position is described as being detected by the sensor section in which the piezoelectric elements are aligned. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure position by the tire other than the piezoelectric element. May be used, or a sensor unit configured to detect the temperature of the tire with a temperature sensor may be used.

[0056]

As described above, in the refueling robot apparatus according to the present invention, the tire position detecting means detects the tire position of the vehicle with respect to the refueling robot and creates the stop position data of the vehicle based on the tire position data. The accurate stop position of the vehicle and the inclination and distance of the vehicle body with respect to the refueling robot are accurately known, and the refueling robot position data detected by the image sensor is based on the stop position data created by the stop position data creating means. By correcting the position data of the refueling port with respect to, the refueling nozzle can be accurately inserted into the refueling port without colliding with the automobile to refuel.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a refueling robot device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control unit.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining a sensor unit that detects a tire position.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a ground contact surface of a tire detected by a sensor unit.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the center of an automobile obtained from the midpoint of each tire.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a vehicle body coordinate system and a work coordinate system.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a vehicle body coordinate system and a work coordinate system.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing a vehicle body coordinate system and a work coordinate system.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a process executed by a control circuit.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a vehicle body coordinate system and a work coordinate system of the second embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a vehicle body coordinate system and a work coordinate system of a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Refueling Robot Device 2 Island 3 Refueling Robot 4 Refueling Port Detection Section 5 Control Section 6 Tire Position Detection Section 12 Refueling Nozzle 14 Manipulator 15 Image Sensor 16 Control Circuit 17 Memory 18 Calculation Circuit 19 Refueling Start Button 20 Car 20a-20d Tire 21st 1 sensor section 22 2nd sensor section 23 Fault detection sensor section 24 Oil filler port

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A refueling robot having a refueling nozzle provided at an arm tip, an image sensor for imaging a refueling port of a vehicle and detecting the position of the refueling port, and a tire position of the vehicle with respect to the refueling robot. Tire position detecting means, stop position data creating means for creating stop position data of an automobile based on tire position data detected by the tire position detecting means, and fuel filler position data detected by the image sensor for stopping the vehicle. A refueling robot apparatus comprising: a correction unit that corrects the position data of the refueling port with respect to the refueling robot based on the vehicle stop position data created by the position data creating unit.