KR102318081B1 - Apparatus and method for automatice battery replacement of automated guided vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatic replacement of a battery of an automated guided vehicle. The apparatus for automatic replacement of a battery is automatically connected with the automated guided vehicle when the battery of the automated guided vehicle is automatically replaced, and comprises an auxiliary power supply unit which is movable in response to the automated guided vehicle. The apparatus for automatic replacement of a battery comprises: a battery storage unit; a sensor; and an auxiliary power supply unit.

Description

Apparatus and method for automatic battery replacement of unmanned vehicles

An embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for automatically replacing a battery of an unmanned transport vehicle, and more particularly, to an unmanned transport vehicle including an auxiliary power supply unit that is movable in combination with the unmanned transport vehicle when the battery of the unmanned transport vehicle is automatically replaced. It relates to a battery automatic replacement device and method.

Recently, with the entry into Industry 4.0, information and communication technologies (ICT) combined with digital automation solutions are applied to the production process such as design, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics to improve productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction. Smart factory-related technology that improves satisfaction is emerging as an innovation method in the manufacturing industry.

A smart factory refers to a factory that can self-control according to the purpose by collecting and analyzing process data in real time by installing the Internet of Things (IoT) in facilities and machines in the factory.

Warehouse Management System (WMS) has the main purpose of effectively utilizing management resources such as warehouse area, workers, and loading and unloading facilities at a minimum cost and improving the level of service for customers. In addition, it can perform the function of properly maintaining inventory status records for each storage facility and item.

The warehouse management system transports materials using a plurality of automatic guided vehicles (AGVs), conveyors, vertical elevators, and the like. In addition, the warehouse management system sets the driving route for unmanned vehicles, large goods vehicles (LGV), rail guided vehicles (RGV), and autonomous mobile robots (AMR), or matters related to overall driving. can be controlled.

A rechargeable battery is used as the power source for the unmanned transport vehicle used in the warehouse management system. Therefore, when the battery is discharged, the unmanned transport vehicle must move to a charging station provided at any place to charge or replace the battery.

However, there is a problem in that the operation efficiency of the unmanned vehicle is lowered when the unmanned vehicle waits at the charging station until the discharged battery is fully charged or the operator directly replaces the battery.

An apparatus and method for automatic battery replacement of an unmanned vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is for automatically replacing a battery of an unmanned vehicle without an operator's intervention.

In addition, the apparatus and method for automatically replacing the battery of the unmanned vehicle according to the embodiment is for efficiently supplying auxiliary power during the automatic battery replacement of the unmanned vehicle.

However, the technical task to be achieved by the present embodiment is not limited to the technical task as described above, and other technical tasks may exist.

As a technical means for achieving the above technical problem, in the automatic battery replacement apparatus for an unmanned vehicle, the battery automatic replacement apparatus according to an embodiment charges and stores a plurality of batteries, and discharges and inserts the batteries A storage unit, a sensor for performing an interface between the battery automatic replacement device and the unmanned transport vehicle, and when the unmanned transport vehicle enters, is coupled with the unmanned transport vehicle and prevents the movement of the unmanned transport vehicle during battery replacement Correspondingly, it includes an auxiliary power supply that is movable while the coupling is maintained.

In addition, the unmanned transport vehicle according to the embodiment discharges a battery after the combination with the auxiliary power connection part of the unmanned transport vehicle is completed, the operating power of the unmanned transport vehicle is switched to the auxiliary power, and the auxiliary power supply unit includes the When the unmanned transport vehicle moves to the first position, it moves in response to the first position, and when the unmanned transport vehicle moves to the second position, it moves in response to the second position while maintaining the coupling, After the battery charged in the unmanned transport vehicle is introduced, the operation power of the unmanned transport vehicle is switched to the charged battery, and then the coupling is released, and the first position is the battery discharged by the unmanned transport vehicle to the battery storage unit. It means a location for discharging, and the second location means a location for the battery storage unit to introduce a battery charged into the unmanned transport vehicle.

In addition, the auxiliary power supply unit according to the embodiment, a bus bar (Bus Bar) for supplying power to the unmanned vehicle, a fixing unit inserted into the coupling port of the unmanned vehicle to prevent separation of the auxiliary power supply unit, the It includes a hydraulic cylinder for reciprocating linear motion back and forth of the auxiliary power supply, a guide rail for left and right reciprocating linear motion of the auxiliary power supply, and a wire cable bearer for protecting the electric wire when the auxiliary power supply is moved.

In addition, in the automatic battery replacement method of the unmanned vehicle, the automatic battery replacement method according to the embodiment includes the steps of: detecting, by an automatic battery replacement device, an entry of the unmanned vehicle; in response to a first position of the unmanned vehicle; A step of moving the auxiliary power supply unit, the step of coupling the auxiliary power supply unit to the unmanned vehicle, and converting the operating power of the unmanned vehicle to auxiliary power, the discharged battery of the unmanned vehicle to the battery automatic replacement device discharging, moving the unmanned transport vehicle to a second position, moving the auxiliary power supply unit corresponding to the second position while maintaining the coupling, the charged battery of the battery automatic replacement device is the The step of entering the unmanned transport vehicle, the steps of controlling the conveyor of the battery automatic replacement device to control the discharge and insertion of the battery, the operation power of the unmanned transport vehicle is switched to the rechargeable battery, and the operation of the unmanned transport vehicle and releasing the coupling between the auxiliary power supply and the unmanned vehicle after power is switched to the rechargeable battery, wherein the first position is a position for the unmanned vehicle to discharge the discharged battery to the battery storage unit means, and the second location means a location for the battery storage unit to insert a rechargeable battery into the unmanned transport vehicle.

In addition, the step of moving the auxiliary power supply unit corresponding to the first position of the unmanned vehicle according to the embodiment includes an optical communication bit sensor of the unmanned vehicle and an optical communication bit sensor of the auxiliary power supply unit. When the displacement difference value between the optical communication bit sensor of the unmanned vehicle and the optical communication bit sensor of the auxiliary power supply is 0, the auxiliary power supply is located at a position capable of being coupled to the unmanned vehicle. It includes the step of determining that there is.

In addition, in the unmanned transport vehicle performing battery replacement using the battery automatic replacement device according to the embodiment, the unmanned transport vehicle includes a communication unit that receives a control signal from a warehouse management system or transmits and receives location and operation information, the control When the unmanned transport vehicle moves to a first position for a driving unit for driving according to a signal, a housing unit for accommodating materials, a power supply unit provided with a battery, and a battery replacement, the battery corresponds to the first position It is coupled to an automatic replacement device, and includes an auxiliary power connection unit capable of receiving auxiliary power by maintaining the coupling even when the unmanned transport vehicle moves to a second position during battery replacement, wherein the first position is where the unmanned transport vehicle moves to a second position. It means a location for discharging a battery discharged to the automatic battery replacement device, and the second location means a location for the battery storage unit to introduce a battery charged into the unmanned transport vehicle.

The apparatus and method for automatic battery replacement of an unmanned vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention can automatically replace the battery of the unmanned vehicle without operator intervention.

In addition, the apparatus and method for automatic battery replacement of an unmanned vehicle according to an embodiment may efficiently supply auxiliary power during automatic battery replacement of the unmanned vehicle.

1 is an exemplary view of an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.
2 is a configuration diagram of an auxiliary power connection unit according to an embodiment.
3 is a configuration diagram of an automatic battery replacement device according to an embodiment.
4 is a configuration diagram of an automatic battery replacement device according to an embodiment.
5 is a configuration diagram of an auxiliary power supply unit according to an embodiment.
6 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a combination of an auxiliary power supply unit and an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.
7 is an exemplary view of the entry of the unmanned transport vehicle according to the embodiment.
8 is an exemplary diagram illustrating battery discharge of an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.
9 is an exemplary view showing a battery in the unmanned transport vehicle according to the embodiment.
10 is a diagram illustrating an example of disconnecting auxiliary power from an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.
11 is a flowchart of a method for automatically replacing a battery of an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those of ordinary skill in the art can easily implement them. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. And in order to clearly explain the present invention in the drawings, parts irrelevant to the description are omitted, and similar reference numerals are attached to similar parts throughout the specification.

Throughout the specification, when a part is "connected" with another part, this includes not only the case of being "directly connected" but also the case of being "electrically connected" with another element interposed therebetween. . In addition, when a part "includes" a certain component, this means that other components may be further included rather than excluding other components unless otherwise stated.

In this specification, a "part" includes a unit realized by hardware, a unit realized by software, and a unit realized using both. In addition, one unit may be implemented using two or more hardware, and two or more units may be implemented by one hardware. Meanwhile, '~ unit' is not limited to software or hardware, and '~ unit' may be configured to be in an addressable storage medium or may be configured to reproduce one or more processors. Thus, as an example, '~' denotes components such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components, and task components, and processes, functions, properties, and procedures. , subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays and variables. The functions provided in the components and '~ units' may be combined into a smaller number of components and '~ units' or further separated into additional components and '~ units'. In addition, components and '~ units' may be implemented to regenerate one or more CPUs in a device.

In addition, the accompanying drawings are only for easy understanding of the embodiments disclosed in the present specification, and the technical spirit disclosed herein is not limited by the accompanying drawings, and all changes included in the spirit and scope of the present invention , should be understood to include equivalents or substitutes.

Terms including an ordinal number, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited by the terms. The above terms are used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another.

When a component is referred to as being “connected” or “connected” to another component, it is understood that the other component may be directly connected or connected to the other component, but other components may exist in between. it should be On the other hand, when it is said that a certain element is "directly connected" or "directly connected" to another element, it should be understood that no other element is present in the middle.

The singular expression includes the plural expression unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the present application, terms such as "comprises" or "have" are intended to designate that a feature, number, step, operation, component, part, or combination thereof described in the specification exists, but one or more other features It should be understood that this does not preclude the existence or addition of numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1 .

1 is an exemplary view of an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the unmanned transport vehicle 100 includes a power supply unit 110 provided with a battery and an auxiliary battery connection unit 120 . In addition, the unmanned transport vehicle 100 may include a communication unit for receiving a control signal from the warehouse management system or transmitting location and operation information, a driving unit for driving, and a storage unit for loading materials.

In addition, the shape of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 according to the embodiment is not limited to the form shown in FIG. 1 , and may include any type of unmanned transport vehicle capable of autonomous driving and capable of replacing batteries.

The power supply unit 110 houses a battery for supplying power to the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . In addition, the power supply 110 includes a conveyor in contact with the lower part of the battery. Accordingly, the battery can be discharged or drawn in by controlling the moving direction of the conveyor. The conveyor can use a roller conveyor and a chain conveyor.

The auxiliary power connection unit 120 is connected to the auxiliary power so that the unmanned transport vehicle 100 can be driven even while the battery replacement operation is being performed. A detailed configuration of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 to be described later.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2 .

2 is a configuration diagram of an auxiliary power connection unit according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the auxiliary power connection unit 120 includes a bus bar 121 electrically coupled to the auxiliary power supply unit in contact with the auxiliary power supply unit. A bus bar is a low-impedance and high-current-capacitance conductor that can connect two or more circuits individually or connect multiple equivalence points within a system. The bus bar can also be used as a common conductor to distribute power from multiple points.

Therefore, the bus bar 121 is electrically connected to the auxiliary power source even when the battery of the power supply unit 110 is discharged in order to replace the battery of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 to supply power to the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . have.

In addition, the auxiliary power connection unit 120 may include a coupler 122 . The auxiliary power supply 230 of the automatic battery replacement device 200 is coupled to the coupler 122 to prevent the auxiliary power from being separated during battery replacement. However, the coupler 122 according to the embodiment is not limited thereto, and may include any form of coupling configuration for maintaining the coupling of power.

The auxiliary power connection unit 120 includes a sensor 123 for interfacing with the auxiliary power supply unit 230 of the automatic battery replacement device 200 . The sensor 123 may use an optical communication bit sensor for detecting the position of the auxiliary power supply 230 . However, the sensor 123 according to the embodiment is not limited thereto, and any type of sensor for detecting the position of the auxiliary power supply 230 may be used.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the automatic battery replacement apparatus 200 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 3 .

3 is a configuration diagram of an automatic battery replacement device according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the battery automatic replacement device 200 charges and stores a plurality of batteries 300 , and includes a battery storage unit 210 for discharging and introducing the batteries 300 .

In addition, the automatic battery replacement device 200 may include a communication unit capable of receiving a control signal from the warehouse management system or transmitting an operation signal. In addition, it may include a control unit that generates an operation control signal of the automatic battery replacement apparatus 200 to perform an automatic battery replacement operation.

The battery storage unit 210 is configured with a plurality of slots so that the plurality of batteries 300 can be individually charged and stored. At least one slot among the plurality of slots constituting the battery storage unit 210 always maintains an empty state in which a battery is not stored. By always maintaining a state in which one or more slots are empty, a state in which the discharged battery of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 can be stored is maintained.

Even when battery replacement is performed, after the discharged battery of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is discharged to the battery automatic replacement device 200 , the rechargeable battery of the automatic battery replacement device 200 is introduced into the unmanned vehicle 100 . . Accordingly, the battery storage unit 210 may maintain one or more empty slots.

In addition, the battery storage unit 210 includes a conveyor 220 that moves the battery in contact with the lower portion of the battery 300 in order to discharge and insert the battery 300 . The conveyor 220 may use a roller conveyor or a chain conveyor. The roller conveyor includes a plurality of rollers, and the battery can be discharged and introduced by controlling the rotation direction of the rollers. The chain conveyor can control the movement direction of various chains to discharge and insert the battery.

An auxiliary power supply 230 may be provided above the battery storage 210 . However, the location of the auxiliary power supply according to the embodiment is not limited thereto, and may be provided at any location for supplying auxiliary power to the unmanned transport vehicle 100 during battery replacement.

The auxiliary power supply unit 230 supplies power to the unmanned vehicle 100 when the battery of the unmanned vehicle 100 is automatically replaced. Therefore, power is supplied so that the unmanned transport vehicle 100 can move even while replacing the battery. In addition, the auxiliary power supply 230 may move in response to a change in the location of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 in order to maintain coupling with the unmanned transport vehicle 100 during battery replacement.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the auxiliary power supply unit 230 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 .

4 is a configuration diagram of an automatic battery replacement device according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the auxiliary power supply 230 includes a bus bar 231 electrically coupled to the auxiliary power connection unit 120 . The bus bar 231 may supply power to the unmanned transport vehicle 100 even when the battery is discharged to replace the battery of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 .

In addition, the auxiliary power supply unit 230 includes fixing units 232 disposed on both sides of the bus bar 231 . When the battery is automatically replaced, the fixing part 232 is inserted into the coupling hole 122 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 to prevent the coupling of the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the auxiliary power connection unit 120 from being released.

However, the shape of the fixing unit 232 according to the embodiment is not limited thereto, and may include any type of coupling configuration for maintaining the coupling between the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the auxiliary power connection unit 120 .

Also, the auxiliary power supply 230 includes a hydraulic cylinder 233 . The hydraulic cylinder 233 is configured to perform a mechanical operation by linearly reciprocating a piston or a plunger by hydraulic pressure.

Accordingly, the hydraulic cylinder 233 causes the auxiliary power supply 230 to move back and forth according to the control signal. The hydraulic cylinder 233 performs a forward motion when coupling the auxiliary power supply 230 to the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . In addition, the hydraulic cylinder 233 may move the auxiliary power supply 230 to the rear in order to release the coupling between the auxiliary power supply 230 and the unmanned transport vehicle 100 .

However, the embodiment is not limited to the hydraulic cylinder 233 , and may include any configuration for moving the auxiliary power supply unit 230 .

In addition, the auxiliary power supply 230 includes a sensor 234 that interfaces with the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . The sensor 234 detects a position signal of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 or the auxiliary power supply 230 . Therefore, the warehouse management system or control unit uses the position signal measured by the sensor 234 of the auxiliary power supply 230 and the sensor 123 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 to the unmanned transport vehicle 100 and the auxiliary power supply unit ( 230) determines whether it is in a combinable position.

The sensor 123 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 and the sensor 234 of the auxiliary power supply 230 may use an optical communication bit sensor. Therefore, by detecting the positions of the sensor 123 of the unmanned vehicle 100 and the sensor 234 of the auxiliary power supply 230, when the displacement difference value between the two sensors is 0, it is determined that the position is combinable. can

However, the sensor 234 according to the embodiment is not limited thereto, and any type of sensor for detecting the position of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 may be used.

In addition, the auxiliary power supply 230 according to the embodiment includes a guide rail 235 for left and right linear movement. The guide rail 235 may be disposed perpendicular to the linear motion direction of the hydraulic cylinder 233 . Accordingly, the auxiliary power supply 230 may reciprocate linearly in a direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the hydraulic cylinder 233 by using the guide rail 235 .

In addition, the moving direction of the auxiliary power supply 230 along the guide rail 235 may correspond to the moving direction of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 during battery replacement. Therefore, when the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves in a specific direction during battery replacement, the auxiliary power supply 230 uses the guide rail 235 to maintain coupling with the unmanned transport vehicle 100 in the corresponding direction. Keep moving and keep in line with it.

In addition, the auxiliary power supply 230 may include a rail departure prevention device 236 for preventing separation from the guide rail 235 . When the auxiliary power supply unit 230 moves, the rail separation prevention device 236 prevents a driving part such as a wheel that is bonded to the guide rail 235 and drives from the guide rail 235 .

Hereinafter, an operation of the auxiliary power supply unit 230 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 .

5 is a configuration diagram of an auxiliary power supply unit according to an embodiment.

6 is an exemplary diagram illustrating a combination of an auxiliary power supply unit and an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the auxiliary power supply 230 may include a cableveyor 237 disposed to be horizontal with the guide rail 235 .

The cable bear 237 is used to protect the electric wire when the auxiliary power supply 230 moves. The cable bear 237 may prevent the cause of disconnection such as wire jamming and kinking when the auxiliary power supply 230 is driven.

The auxiliary power supply unit 230 receives a control signal from the warehouse management system or the control unit when the unmanned transport vehicle 100 enters to perform battery replacement, and performs an operation or transmits an operation result.

When the unmanned transport vehicle 100 enters to perform battery replacement, the auxiliary power supply 230 moves to a position capable of being combined with the auxiliary power connector 120 . At this time, the hydraulic cylinder 233 maintains a state in which the auxiliary power supply unit 230 is located at the rear without performing a forward motion. In addition, the auxiliary power supply 230 moves along the guide rail 235 to a position capable of being coupled to the auxiliary power connection unit 120 .

The warehouse management system or control unit uses the position signal measured by the sensor 234 of the auxiliary power supply 230 and the sensor 123 of the auxiliary power connection 120 , the auxiliary power supply 230 and the auxiliary power connection 120 . ) to determine whether it is a combinable position.

When it is determined that the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the auxiliary power connection unit 120 are at a coupleable position, the hydraulic cylinder 233 moves forward so that the auxiliary power supply unit 230 protrudes.

Referring to FIG. 6 , when the auxiliary power supply unit 230 moves forward, the bus bar 231 of the auxiliary power supply 230 and the bus bar 121 of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 come into contact and are electrically coupled. . Accordingly, the unmanned transport vehicle 100 may receive power even during battery replacement.

In addition, when the auxiliary power supply unit 230 moves forward, the fixing unit 232 is inserted into the coupling hole 122 of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 . The coupling of the coupler 122 and the fixing part 232 is maintained until the completion of the automatic battery replacement operation. Accordingly, the combination of the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the auxiliary power connection unit 120 is stably maintained until the battery replacement is completed.

Hereinafter, operations of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 and the automatic battery replacement device 200 during the automatic battery replacement will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 to 10 .

7 is an exemplary view of the entry of the unmanned transport vehicle according to the embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves to a first position for battery replacement. The first position means a position at which the discharged battery 320 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 can be discharged into an empty slot of the automatic battery replacement device 200 . Therefore, the first position does not mean a fixed position and may be changed according to the position of the empty slot of the automatic battery replacement apparatus 100 .

When the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves to the first position, the auxiliary power supply 230 moves in response to the first position. That is, the auxiliary power connection unit 120 and the auxiliary power supply unit 230 are moved to a coupleable position.

After the auxiliary power supply 230 moves in response to the first position, the auxiliary power supply 230 advances in the D1 direction by the forward movement of the hydraulic cylinder 233 . When the auxiliary power supply 200 advances in the D1 direction, the bus bar 231 of the auxiliary power supply 230 and the bus bar 121 of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 are electrically coupled. In addition, the fixing part 232 is inserted into the coupler 122 to maintain the coupling between the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the auxiliary power connection unit 120 .

8 is an exemplary diagram illustrating battery discharge of an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 8 , after the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the auxiliary power connection unit 120 are coupled, the discharged battery 320 is discharged into the empty slot.

Specifically, when the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the auxiliary power connection unit 120 are coupled, the operating power of the unmanned vehicle 100 is switched to the auxiliary power. After the operating power of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is switched to the auxiliary power, the unmanned transport vehicle 100 releases the electrical coupling with the discharge battery 320 and discharges the discharge battery 320 in the D2 direction.

Accordingly, the discharged battery 320 is introduced into an empty slot of the automatic battery replacement device 200 . The unmanned transport vehicle 100 can operate by receiving power from the auxiliary power supply unit 100 even when the battery is discharged.

9 is an exemplary view showing a battery in the unmanned transport vehicle according to the embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 9 , after discharging the discharged battery 320 , the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves to the second position to insert the fully charged battery 310 . The second position means a position at which the fully charged battery 310 of the automatic battery replacement device 200 can be inserted into the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . Therefore, the second position does not mean a fixed position, and may be changed according to the position of the slot in which the fully charged battery 310 of the automatic battery replacement apparatus 100 is present.

When the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves to the second position, the auxiliary power supply 230 moves while maintaining the coupling with the auxiliary power connector 120 . That is, the auxiliary power supply 230 may reciprocate left and right along the guide rail 235 in response to the movement of the unmanned vehicle 100 .

The battery automatic replacement device 200 discharges the fully charged battery 310 in the D3 direction. Accordingly, the fully charged battery 310 is introduced into the power supply 110 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 .

10 is a diagram illustrating an example of disconnecting auxiliary power from an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 10 , when the fully charged battery 310 is inserted into the unmanned vehicle 100 , the power supply of the unmanned vehicle 100 is switched from the auxiliary power source to the fully charged battery 310 .

After the power supply of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is switched to the battery, the auxiliary power supply 230 moves in the D4 direction. That is, the coupling between the fixing part 232 of the auxiliary power supply 230 and the coupler 122 of the auxiliary power connector 120 is released, and the auxiliary power supply 230 moves backward. Accordingly, the electrical coupling between the bus bar 231 of the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the bus bar 121 of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 is disconnected to cut off the auxiliary power supply.

After the coupling between the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is released, the unmanned transport vehicle 100 performs driving. In addition, the discharged battery 320 is charged and can be used when replacing the battery of another unmanned vehicle.

Hereinafter, a method for automatically replacing a battery of an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11 .

11 is a flowchart of a method for automatically replacing a battery of an unmanned transport vehicle according to an embodiment.

Referring to FIG. 11 , in step S100 , the unmanned transport vehicle 100 enters a first position to perform battery replacement. The first position means a position at which the discharged battery 320 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 can be discharged into an empty slot of the automatic battery replacement device 200 . Therefore, the first position does not mean a fixed position and may be changed according to the position of the empty slot of the automatic battery replacement apparatus 100 .

The unmanned transport vehicle 100 may operate by receiving a control command from the warehouse management system. In addition, the warehouse management system may control the operation of the unmanned vehicle by using an AGV Control System (ACS).

Specifically, the unmanned vehicle control system transmits a control signal to the unmanned vehicle 100 . And the control result data of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is received. That is, the autonomous vehicle control system receives a feedback of the control result from the autonomous driving forklift.

Accordingly, when the unmanned transport vehicle 100 does not operate in response to the control signal, the operation of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 may be controlled so that the unmanned transport vehicle 100 operates according to the control signal again in response thereto.

In step S200 , in response to the entry into the first position of the unmanned vehicle 100 , the auxiliary power supply 230 is coupled to the auxiliary power connector 120 of the unmanned vehicle 100 .

Specifically, when the unmanned transport vehicle 100 enters the first position, the auxiliary power supply unit 240 of the automatic battery replacement device 200 moves using the guide rail 235 according to the control signal of the warehouse management system. do.

When the positions of the sensor 123 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 and the sensor 234 of the auxiliary power supply 230 match, the auxiliary power supply 230 is assumed to be in a position capable of being coupled to the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . judge Accordingly, the hydraulic cylinder 233 moves the auxiliary power supply 230 forward.

By the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 233 , the bus bar 231 of the auxiliary power supply 230 and the bus bar 121 of the unmanned vehicle 100 are electrically coupled. Accordingly, the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is supplied with power using the auxiliary power supply 230 .

In addition, the auxiliary power supply 230 is inserted into the coupling hole 122 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . Accordingly, the coupling between the coupler 122 and the auxiliary power supply 230 is maintained until the automatic battery replacement process of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is completed.

In step S300 , the battery of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is discharged into an empty slot of the automatic battery replacement device 200 . Specifically, after the auxiliary power supply 230 is coupled, the operating power of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is switched to the auxiliary power. In addition, the power supply 110 of the unmanned transport vehicle 100 controls the conveyor in contact with the lower part of the battery to discharge the battery.

In step S400 , the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves to the second position to insert the charged battery. The second position means a position at which the fully charged battery 310 of the automatic battery replacement device 200 can be inserted into the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . Therefore, the second position does not mean a fixed position, and may be changed according to the position of the slot in which the fully charged battery 310 of the automatic battery replacement apparatus 100 is present.

When the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves to the second position, the auxiliary power supply 230 also moves while maintaining the coupling with the unmanned transport vehicle 100 in response thereto. Therefore, when the unmanned transport vehicle 100 moves to the second position, the auxiliary power supply 230 performs the movement using the guide rail 235 .

In step S500 , the fully charged battery 310 of the automatic battery replacement device 200 is inserted into the unmanned transport vehicle 100 . Specifically, the battery automatic replacement device 200 may discharge and insert the battery using the conveyor 220 that moves the battery in contact with the lower part of the battery.

In step S600 , the coupling between the auxiliary power supply unit 200 and the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is released, and the unmanned transport vehicle 100 is put to work. Specifically, when the fully charged battery 310 is inserted into the unmanned aerial vehicle 100 , the power supply of the unmanned vehicle 100 is switched from the auxiliary power source to the fully charged battery 310 .

In addition, the auxiliary power supply 230 is moved rearward by the operation of the hydraulic cylinder 233 . Accordingly, the coupling between the fixing part 232 of the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the coupler 122 of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 is released. The electrical coupling between the bus bar 231 of the auxiliary power supply unit 230 and the bus bar 121 of the auxiliary power connection unit 120 is disconnected to cut off the auxiliary power supply.

An embodiment of the present invention may also be implemented in the form of a recording medium including instructions executable by a computer, such as a program module executed by a computer. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a computer and includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. Also, computer-readable media may include computer storage media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data. Although the methods and systems of the present invention have been described with reference to specific embodiments, some or all of their components or operations may be implemented using a computer system having a general purpose hardware architecture.

The above description of the present invention is for illustration, and those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without changing the technical spirit or essential features of the present invention. will be. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and likewise components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined form.

The scope of the present invention is indicated by the following claims rather than the above detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and their equivalent concepts should be interpreted as being included in the scope of the present invention. do.

100: drone
200: automatic battery replacement device
300: battery
110: power supply
120: auxiliary power connection
210: battery storage unit
220: conveyor
230: auxiliary power supply
310: fully charged battery
320: discharged battery
121: bus bar
122: coupler
123: sensor
231: bus bar
232: fixed part
233: hydraulic cylinder
234: sensor
235: guide rail
236: rail departure prevention device
237: cable bear

Claims (13)

In an automatic battery replacement device for an unmanned vehicle,
A battery storage unit for charging and storing a plurality of batteries, and discharging and introducing the batteries;
A sensor for performing an interface between the battery automatic replacement device and the unmanned transport vehicle, and
When the unmanned transport vehicle enters, the auxiliary power supply unit is coupled to the unmanned transport vehicle and is movable in a state in which the coupling is maintained in response to the movement of the unmanned transport vehicle during battery replacement.
includes,
The unmanned transport vehicle,
After the coupling with the auxiliary power connection part of the unmanned vehicle is completed, the operating power of the unmanned vehicle is switched to the auxiliary power, and then the battery is discharged,
The auxiliary power supply unit,
When the unmanned transport vehicle moves to the first position, it moves in response to the first position,
When the unmanned transport vehicle moves to the second position, it moves in response to the second position while maintaining the coupling,
After the battery charged in the unmanned transport vehicle is introduced and the operating power of the unmanned transport vehicle is switched to the charged battery, the coupling is released,
The first position means a position for the unmanned transport vehicle to discharge a discharged battery to the battery storage unit, and the second position means a position for the battery storage unit to introduce a battery charged into the unmanned transport vehicle. Battery automatic replacement device. delete According to claim 1,
The auxiliary power supply unit,
A bus bar that supplies power to the unmanned vehicle;
A fixing part inserted into the coupling port of the unmanned transport vehicle to prevent separation of the auxiliary power supply,
A hydraulic cylinder for reciprocating linear motion back and forth of the auxiliary power supply,
a guide rail for left and right reciprocating linear motion of the auxiliary power supply, and
A wire cable veyor that protects the wire when the auxiliary power supply is moved
Including, automatic battery replacement device. 4. The method of claim 3,
The battery storage unit,
A plurality of slots in which a plurality of batteries are stored separately, and
Conveyor in contact with the lower surface of the battery
including,
At least one slot among the plurality of slots maintains a state in which the battery is not stored,
An automatic battery replacement device for controlling the conveyor to control discharge and intake of the battery. 5. The method of claim 4,
The unmanned transport vehicle,
Includes a power supply provided with a battery,
The power supply unit,
Conveyor in contact with the lower surface of the battery,
An automatic battery replacement device for controlling the conveyor to control discharge and intake of the battery. 6. The method of claim 5,
The unmanned transport vehicle and the auxiliary power supply unit,
Including an optical communication bit sensor (bit sensor),
By performing an interface between the optical communication bit sensors, when the displacement difference value between the optical communication bit sensors is 0, the auxiliary power supply unit is coupled to the unmanned transport vehicle. A method for automatic battery replacement of an unmanned vehicle, the method comprising:
detecting, by the automatic battery replacement device, the entry of the unmanned vehicle;
moving the auxiliary power supply unit in response to the first position of the unmanned transport vehicle;
The auxiliary power supply is coupled to the unmanned vehicle, and the operation power of the unmanned vehicle is converted to auxiliary power;
discharging the discharged battery of the unmanned vehicle to the battery automatic replacement device;
moving the unmanned transport vehicle to a second position;
moving the auxiliary power supply unit corresponding to the second position while maintaining the coupling;
The step of introducing the charged battery of the battery automatic replacement device into the unmanned transport vehicle;
controlling the discharge and inlet of the battery by controlling the conveyor of the battery automatic replacement device;
converting the operating power of the unmanned vehicle to the rechargeable battery; and
After the operating power of the unmanned transport vehicle is switched to the rechargeable battery, releasing the coupling between the auxiliary power supply unit and the unmanned transport vehicle
including,
The first position means a position for the unmanned transport vehicle to discharge a discharged battery to the battery storage unit of the battery automatic replacement device, and the second position is a position for the battery storage unit to insert a rechargeable battery into the unmanned transport vehicle. Meaning, how to automatically replace the battery. 8. The method of claim 7,
The step of converting the operating power of the unmanned transport vehicle to the auxiliary power is,
a step in which the fixing part of the auxiliary power supply is inserted into and coupled to the coupling port of the unmanned transport vehicle; and
A bus bar of the auxiliary power supply unit and the bus bar of the unmanned vehicle are electrically coupled to supply auxiliary power
Including, automatic battery replacement method. 9. The method of claim 8,
The step of introducing the charged battery of the battery automatic replacement device into the unmanned transport vehicle,
Controlling the discharge and intake of the battery by controlling the conveyor of the battery automatic replacement device
Including, automatic battery replacement method. 10. The method of claim 9,
The step of moving the auxiliary power supply in response to the first position of the unmanned transport vehicle,
performing an interface between an optical communication bit sensor of the unmanned vehicle and an optical communication bit sensor of the auxiliary power supply;
When the displacement difference value between the optical communication bit sensor of the unmanned vehicle and the optical communication bit sensor of the auxiliary power supply is 0, determining that the auxiliary power supply is in a position capable of being coupled to the unmanned vehicle
Including, automatic battery replacement method. In the unmanned transport vehicle performing battery replacement using an automatic battery replacement device,
The unmanned transport vehicle,
A communication unit that receives a control signal from the warehouse management system, or transmits and receives location and operation information;
a driving unit for performing driving according to the control signal;
A storage unit for storing materials,
a power supply provided with a battery; and
When the unmanned transport vehicle moves to the first position for battery replacement, it is coupled with the battery automatic replacement device in response to the first position, and even when the unmanned transport vehicle moves to the second position during battery replacement, the combination is performed Includes an auxiliary power connection that can be maintained to receive auxiliary power,
The first position means a position for the unmanned vehicle to discharge a discharged battery to the automatic battery replacement device, and the second position is a position for the automatic battery replacement device to insert a charged battery into the unmanned vehicle. means, unmanned vehicles. 12. The method of claim 11,
The auxiliary power connection unit,
A bus bar electrically coupled in contact with the auxiliary power supply of the battery automatic replacement device;
During battery replacement, the auxiliary power supply of the automatic battery replacement device maintains the coupling, and at least one coupling hole prevents disconnection of the auxiliary power connection, and
A sensor for performing an interface with the automatic battery replacement device
Including, unmanned vehicle. 13. The method of claim 12,
The sensor is
Including an optical communication bit sensor (bit sensor),
When the displacement difference value between the optical communication bit sensor of the unmanned vehicle and the optical communication bit sensor of the automatic battery replacement device is 0, it is determined that the auxiliary power connection part is in a position capable of being combined with the auxiliary power supply part of the automatic battery replacement device , driverless vehicles.

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