Robotic maintenance vehicle and modules
The robotic maintenance vehicle (RMV) has a propulsion system, a control system, an electrical power source, a maintenance module, a multi-axis robot, an optical system, and a location translator. The maintenance module is configured to hold different kinds of road maintenance materials. The multi-axis robot is configured to convey the road maintenance material from either the maintenance module to the road, the road to the maintenance module, or both. The optical system and the location translator are configured to be controlled by the control system and operate in conjunction to instruct the multi-axis robot where to pick up and/or place the road maintenance material. The multi-axis robot is configured to be selectively coupled to a distal arm tool.
1 . A robotic maintenance vehicle for conveying traffic cones to and from a road, comprising:
a vehicle platform;
an electrical power source;
a maintenance module configured to hold a plurality of traffic cones;
a multi-axis robot powered by the electrical power source, the multi-axis robot configured to convey one of the traffic cones from the road to the maintenance module and convey one of the traffic cones from the maintenance module to the road, the multi-axis robot including a distal arm tool having a vertical clamp configured to releasably grasp one of the traffic cones disposed vertically on the road and a horizontal clamp configured to releasably grasp one of the traffic cones disposed horizontally on the road;
an optical system configured to identify one of the traffic cones on the road and a location to place one of the traffic cones on the road;
a location translator spaced apart from the multi-axis robot, the location translator disposed on an underside of the vehicle, the location translator including a linear encoder, the location translator configured to translate the location of one of the traffic cones on the road and the location to place one of the traffic cones on the road identified by the optical system to a working area of the multi-axis robot; and
a control system spaced apart from the location translator, the control system disposed on the vehicle platform forward of a rear axel, the control system configured to control functions of the robotic maintenance vehicle based on the translated location of one of the traffic cones and the location to place one of the traffic cones, including the multi-axis robot, the optical system, and the location translator to convey the traffic cones to and from the road.
2 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle platform includes one of: (1) a trailer; (2) a truck including a propulsion system configured to propel the robotic maintenance vehicle, the propulsion system includes one of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and an operator cab for an operator to control the robotic maintenance vehicle; and (3) a truck having a trailer coupled to the truck.
3 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , wherein:
the electrical power source includes an electric generator;
the control system includes one of a programmable logic controller and a computer; and
the optical system includes a digital camera.
4 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the working area of the multi-axis robot is disposed adjacent to one of a front side of the robotic maintenance vehicle, a right side of the robotic maintenance vehicle, a left side of the robotic maintenance vehicle, and a rear end of the robotic maintenance vehicle.
5 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
another multi-axis robot powered by the electrical power source and controlled by the control system, the another multi-axis robot configured to convey one of traffic cones from the road to the maintenance module and convey one of the traffic cones from the maintenance module to the road;
wherein the optical system is configured to identify another one of the traffic cones on the road and another location to place one of the traffic cones on the road;
wherein the location translator is configured to translate a location of the another one of the traffic cones on the road and the another location to place one of the traffic cones on the road identified by the optical system to a working area of the another multi-axis robot.
6 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the robotic maintenance vehicle further comprises:
another maintenance module configured to hold a road maintenance material;
another multi-axis robot powered by the electrical power source, the another multi-axis robot configured to perform a road maintenance operation that includes (1) conveying the road maintenance material from a road to the maintenance module, (2) conveying the road maintenance material from the maintenance module to the road, or (3) conveying the road maintenance material from the road to the maintenance module and conveying the road maintenance material from the maintenance module to the road;
the optical system is configured to identify another road feature; and
the location translator is configured to translate a location of the another road feature identified by the optical system to a working area of the another multi-axis robot.
7 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vertical clamp includes a first vertical member and a second vertical member.
8 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the horizontal clamp includes a first horizontal member and a second horizontal member.
9 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 8 , wherein each of the first vertical member and the second vertical member has a semicircular cross-section.
10 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the semicircular cross-sections face one another such that, when the first vertical member and the second vertical member are in a closed position and abutting one another, the first vertical member and the second vertical member collectively define a circular cross-section.
11 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 10 , wherein each of the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member has a semicircular cross-section.
12 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the semicircular cross-sections face one another such that, when the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member are in a closed position and abutting one another, the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member collectively define a circular cross-section.
13 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the vertical clamp and the horizontal clamp are actuated along a horizontal axis of the distal arm tool.
14 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 13 , wherein each of the vertical clamp and the horizontal clamp is movable along the horizontal axis of the distal arm tool between a first position and a second position.
15 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the first position of each of the vertical clamp and the horizontal clamp corresponds to an open position, and the second position of each of the vertical clamp and the horizontal clamp corresponds to a closed position configured to secure traffic cones.
16 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising an alert system powered by the electrical power source and controlled by the control system, the alert system configured to, in response to an undesired object entering a work area of the multi-axis robot, provide at least one of a notification to a human operator; and emergency control of the multi-axis robot, wherein the emergency control includes at least one of a speed reduction, an avoidance movement, and an emergency stopping of the multi-axis robot.
17 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the electrical power source and the control system are disposed adjacent to one another.
18 . The robotic maintenance vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the electrical power source and the control system are disposed on the vehicle platform opposite from the multi-axis robot.
19 . A robotic maintenance vehicle for conveying traffic cones to and from a road, comprising:
a vehicle platform;
an electrical power source;
a maintenance module configured to hold a plurality of traffic cones;
a multi-axis robot powered by the electrical power source, the multi-axis robot configured to convey one of the traffic cones from the road to the maintenance module and convey one of the traffic cones from the maintenance module to the road, the multi-axis robot including a distal arm tool having a vertical clamp configured to releasably grasp one of the traffic cones disposed vertically on the road and a horizontal clamp configured to releasably grasp one of the traffic cones disposed horizontally on the road;
an optical system configured to identify one of the traffic cones on the road and a location to place one of the traffic cones on the road;
a location translator spaced apart from the multi-axis robot, the location translator disposed on an underside of the vehicle, the location translator including a linear encoder, the location translator configured to translate the location of one of the traffic cones on the road and the location to place one of the traffic cones on the road identified by the optical system to a working area of the multi-axis robot;
a control system spaced apart from the location translator, the control system disposed on the vehicle platform forward of a rear axel, the control system configured to control functions of the robotic maintenance vehicle based on the translated location of one of the traffic cones and the location to place one of the traffic cones, including the multi-axis robot, the optical system, and the location translator to convey the traffic cones to and from the road; and
an alert system powered by the electrical power source and controlled by the control system, the alert system configured to, in response to an undesired object entering a work area of the multi-axis robot, provide at least one of a notification to a human operator; and emergency control of the multi-axis robot, wherein the emergency control includes at least one of a speed reduction, an avoidance movement, and an emergency stopping of the multi-axis robot,
wherein:
the vehicle platform includes one of: (1) a trailer; (2) a truck including a propulsion system configured to propel the robotic maintenance vehicle, the propulsion system includes one of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, and an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, and an operator cab for an operator to control the robotic maintenance vehicle; and (3) a truck having a trailer coupled to the truck,
the electrical power source includes an electric generator,
the control system includes one of a programmable logic controller and a computer,
the optical system includes a digital camera,
the working area of the multi-axis robot is disposed adjacent to one of a front side of the robotic maintenance vehicle, a right side of the robotic maintenance vehicle, a left side of the robotic maintenance vehicle, and a rear end of the robotic maintenance vehicle,
the vertical clamp includes a first vertical member and a second vertical member,
the horizontal clamp includes a first horizontal member and a second horizontal member,
each of the first vertical member and the second vertical member has a semicircular cross-section,
the semicircular cross-sections face one another such that, when the first vertical member and the second vertical member are in a closed position and abutting one another, the first vertical member and the second vertical member collectively define a circular cross-section,
each of the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member has a semicircular cross-section,
the semicircular cross-sections face one another such that, when the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member are in a closed position and abutting one another, the first horizontal member and the second horizontal member collectively define a circular cross-section, and
the vertical clamp and the horizontal clamp are actuated along a horizontal axis of the distal arm tool.
20 . A method of conveying traffic cones to or from a road, comprising:
providing a robotic maintenance vehicle comprising:
a vehicle platform;
an electrical power source;
a maintenance module configured to hold a plurality of traffic cones;
a multi-axis robot powered by the electrical power source, the multi-axis robot configured to convey one of the traffic cones from the road to the maintenance module and convey one of the traffic cones from the maintenance module to the road, the multi-axis robot including a distal arm tool having a vertical clamp configured to releasably grasp one of the traffic cones disposed vertically on the road and a horizontal clamp configured to releasably grasp one of the traffic cones disposed horizontally on the road;
an optical system configured to identify one of the traffic cones on the road and a location to place one of the traffic cones on the road;
a location translator spaced apart from the multi-axis robot, the location translator disposed on an underside of the vehicle, the location translator including a linear encoder, the location translator configured to translate the location of one of the traffic cones on the road and the location to place one of the traffic cones on the road identified by the optical system to a working area of the multi-axis robot; and
a control system spaced apart from the location translator, the control system disposed on the vehicle platform forward of a rear axel, the control system configured to control functions of the robotic maintenance vehicle based on the translated location of one of the traffic cones and the location to place one of the traffic cones, including the multi-axis robot, the optical system, and the location translator to convey the traffic cones to and from the road; and
conveying one of the traffic cones on the road identified by the optical system from the road to the maintenance module or conveying one of the traffic cones from the maintenance module to the location on the road identified by the optical system.