Patent Description:
According to the development of the robot technology, a robot that carries an object to be served (e.g., food, food on a plate or dish, etc.,) to a designated location in a restaurant or the like has been developed. However, when tables in a restaurant are disposed with narrow spacing, i.e., with a narrow aisle, with limited space to a wall, etc., a robot moving between tables or next to a table may be limited in movement such as a rotational movement so as not to collide with a table.

In addition, there is a problem in that, in order to allow a robot arriving at a target table to interact with a customer through the display that is fixed to the robot, the entire robot must rotate within a narrow passage or space.

<CIT> discloses a robot that may include: a casing that has an internal space; a head unit that protrudes upward from the casing and has a first display; a display unit that is disposed ahead of the casing and has a second display; an ascending and descending motor that is disposed in the casing; an ascending and descending plate that ascends and descends between a first position and a second position higher than the first position by power of the ascending and descending motor; a contact bar that has an upper end connected to the head unit and a lower end being in contact with the ascending and descending plate; a fixing plate that is positioned between the ascending and descending plate and the head unit and has an opening through which the contact bar passes; and a link that connects the ascending and descending plate and the fixing plate to the display unit.

<CIT> discloses a mobile delivery robot with interior cargo space.

<CIT> discloses an intelligent display apparatus.

In accordance with an aspect of the disclosure, there is provided a serving robot apparatus which includes a display that moves along a side surface of a main body so as to be directed to a serving position to easily interact with a customer.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus as set forth in the appended claims.

The above and other aspects, and features of certain embodiments of the disclosure will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which.

Examples described hereinafter are for easy understanding of the disclosure, and it should be understood that various changes can be made to examples described herein and the disclosure can be embodied in different forms. In addition, in the following description, detailed descriptions of well-known functions or configurations will be omitted since they would unnecessarily obscure the subject matters of the disclosure. In addition, it should be noted that the drawings as attached are just for easy understanding of the disclosure, and are not illustrated as really scaled, and dimensions of some elements may be exaggerated.

The terms used in the present specification and the claims are general terms identified in consideration of the functions of the various embodiments of the disclosure. However, these terms may vary depending on intention, technical interpretation, emergence of new technologies, and the like of those skilled in the related art. Some terms may be selected by an applicant arbitrarily, and the meaning thereof will be described in the detailed description. Unless there is a specific definition of a term, the term may be construed based on the overall contents and technological understanding of those skilled in the related art.

In this specification, the expressions "have," "may have," "include," or "may include" or the like represent presence of a corresponding feature (for example: components such as numbers, functions, operations, or parts) and does not exclude the presence of additional feature.

Since the components required for the description of each embodiment of the disclosure have been described herein, the embodiment is not limited thereto. Thus, some components may be modified or omitted and other components may be added. In addition, the components may be distributed and arranged in different independent devices.

Furthermore, although the embodiments of the disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and the contents set forth in the accompanying drawings, the disclosure is not limited to the embodiments.

Hereinbelow, the disclosure will be described in greater detail with reference to the attached drawings.

<FIG> is a perspective view of a serving robot apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure; <FIG> and <FIG> are diagrams illustrating a process of moving a display along a side surface of a main body. Although the following describes the operation of the serving robot apparatus, the present disclosure also includes other robots or other types of robot, including delivery robots or any robots which transport any object from one location to another.

Referring to <FIG>, a serving robot apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure may include a main body <NUM>, a shelf <NUM>, a first driving device <NUM>, a display <NUM>, a link member <NUM>, and a second driving device <NUM>. In an embodiment, the shelf <NUM> may be a tray.

The main body <NUM> may include a first body <NUM>, a second body <NUM>, a first sidewall <NUM>, and a second sidewall <NUM>.

The first body <NUM> and the second body <NUM> may have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, but it is not limited thereto. The first body <NUM> may be disposed on an upper side of the second body <NUM>. The first body <NUM> and the second body <NUM> may accommodate therein a plurality of electronic components for the operation of the serving robot apparatus <NUM>.

The first sidewall <NUM> and the second sidewall <NUM> may be vertically disposed and may connect the first body <NUM> and the second body <NUM>. The first body <NUM> may support the upper ends of the first and second sidewalls <NUM> and <NUM>, and the second body <NUM> may support the lower ends of the first and second sidewalls <NUM> and <NUM>.

The first sidewall <NUM> and the second sidewall <NUM> may be disposed to face each other and may have the same height. The first and the second side walls <NUM>, <NUM> may support a shelf <NUM> disposed therebetween. The second sidewall <NUM> may have a width smaller than the first sidewall <NUM>. That is, the width W2 of the second sidewall <NUM> may be smaller than the width W1 of the first sidewall <NUM>.

The first sidewall <NUM> may have a sufficiently long width W1 so that the shelf <NUM> may be stably supported, and the second sidewall <NUM> may have a sufficiently small width W2 to allow the shelf <NUM> to be exposed to the outside and be unobstructed as much as possible so that the object to be served can be easily placed and removed from the shelf <NUM>.

Accordingly, interference between the object to be served and first and second sidewall <NUM>, <NUM> is minimized, and a user may place the object to be served on an upper surface of the shelf <NUM> or may easily pick up the object to be served that has been placed on the shelf <NUM>. The user may also place the object to be served on an upper surface 12a of the second body <NUM>.

The shelf <NUM> may be supported by the main body <NUM> or may be disposed horizontally. The shelf <NUM> may be disposed between the first and second sidewalls <NUM>, <NUM> or may have a shape of a plate having an approximate rectangular cross-section. The shelf <NUM> may be disposed horizontally without being tilted and thus may stably support the object to be served that has been placed on the upper surface.

The shelf <NUM> may include a first shelf <NUM> and a second shelf <NUM>. The first and second shelves <NUM> and <NUM> may be arranged in parallel with each other. However, the number of the shelves <NUM> is not limited to two, but three or more of the shelves <NUM> may be formed.

The first driving device <NUM> may move the serving robot apparatus <NUM>. The first driving device <NUM> may rotate the plurality of wheels <NUM> disposed on the lower surface of the second body <NUM> to move the serving robot apparatus <NUM> to a predetermined position. Accordingly, the serving robot apparatus <NUM> can carry an object to be served to a designated location.

The first driving device <NUM> may include a motor, a battery, an actuator, a gear, a bearing, or the like, and may be accommodated in the second body <NUM>.

The display <NUM> may include a front surface <NUM> for displaying an image and a rear surface <NUM> disposed to face a side surface of the main body <NUM>. The rear surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> may be disposed to face a side surface of the first body <NUM>. The display <NUM> may be supported by the first body <NUM>. The display <NUM> may be disposed outside the main body <NUM>.

The display <NUM> may provide an image including information related to the serving of the object. For example, the display <NUM> may display a target table to which the serving robot apparatus <NUM> is to move and information corresponding to the object to be served.

The display <NUM> may be a touch screen. The user may touch the display <NUM> to input information about the target table to the serving robot apparatus <NUM>. A customer may touch the display <NUM> to provide input to the serving robot apparatus <NUM> indicating that the object to be served has been received.

The serving robot apparatus <NUM> may further include a sensor (not shown), e.g., a camera, depth camera, etc., for capturing the surrounding environment of the serving robot apparatus <NUM>. The serving robot apparatus <NUM> may recognize the surrounding environment based on the information collected by the camera, is capable of autonomous driving, may collect information, and may transmit information to the user. The camera may also detect a pose of a customer or the location of certain physical attributes of the customer.

A link member <NUM> may include one end <NUM> connected to the main body <NUM> and another end <NUM> connected to the rear surface <NUM> of the display <NUM>.

The second driving device <NUM> may move the link member <NUM> so that the display <NUM> moves about the main body <NUM>. In an exemplary embodiment, the display <NUM> moves along with the side surface of the main body <NUM>.

As the link member <NUM> pivots about the one end <NUM>, the display <NUM> connected to the other end <NUM> of the link member <NUM> may move along the side surface of the main body <NUM>. In an exemplary embodiment, the link member <NUM> may rotate about the one end <NUM>. For example, when the serving robot apparatus <NUM> receives information from a user or a customer through the display <NUM> or provides information as an image, only the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> may move along the side surface of the main body <NUM> so that the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> faces the user or the customer, without rotating or turning the main body <NUM>. Accordingly, the serving robot apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure may easily interact with a user or a customer while minimizing its movement.

The serving robot apparatus <NUM> may further include a guide rail R disposed along a side surface of the main body <NUM>. The guide rail may have a U-shape, but is not limited thereto. In an embodiment, the guide rail may have any shape that allows unhindered movement of the display <NUM> so the rear surface <NUM> does not contact the side surface of the main body <NUM>. The guide rail R may form a non-circular path through which the block member <NUM> moves. In an embodiment, the guide rail R may have a closed loop shape, e.g., racetrack-shape, circular shape, oval shape, etc., whereby the link member <NUM> rotates about the one end <NUM> to move the block member <NUM> along such a guide rail, so that the display can be moved around the entire outer periphery of the main body <NUM>.

The guide rail R may be disposed along an edge of the main body <NUM>.

The link member <NUM> may include a block member <NUM> connected to the rear surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> and provided to be movable along the guide rail R. The lower surface of the block member <NUM> may be slidably supported on the guide rail R. The block member <NUM> may have a shape engaged with the guide rail R.

Two stopper members S may be disposed at both ends of the guide rail R. The block member <NUM> may not deviate from the guide rail R by the stopper member S.

The display <NUM> may move integrally with the block member <NUM>. Since the guide rail R and the block member <NUM> are disposed adjacent to the side surface of the main body <NUM>, the display <NUM> disposed outside the main body <NUM> may be stably supported. Since the distance between the block member <NUM> having its lower surface supported by the main body <NUM>, e.g., the guide rail R, and the display <NUM> is sufficiently short, the moment according to the weight of the display <NUM> acting on the block member <NUM> may be sufficiently small.

The second driving device <NUM> may include a motor <NUM> fixed to the main body <NUM>. The link member <NUM> may include the first link <NUM> and the second link <NUM>.

The first link <NUM> may include one end <NUM> connected to the motor <NUM> and another end that is distal to the one end <NUM>. The one end <NUM> of the first link <NUM> may be a rotational center of the first link <NUM>. The first link <NUM> may pivot, e.g., partially rotate, with respect to a vertical axis (Z) defined by the motor <NUM>. In an embodiment, the first link <NUM> is a slotted link.

The second link <NUM> may include one end <NUM> slidably connected to the first link <NUM> and another end <NUM> connected to the block member <NUM>. An upper surface 220a of the first link <NUM> may be disposed opposite to a lower surface 230a of the second link <NUM>. In an embodiment, the one end <NUM> includes a pin or a protrusion which fits in a slot of the first link <NUM>.

The length of each of the first link <NUM> and the second link <NUM> may fixed, but the second link <NUM> may get closer or distant from the one end <NUM> of the first link <NUM>.

Accordingly, since the second link <NUM> slides relative to the first link <NUM> and the entire length of the first and second links <NUM> and <NUM> varies, the motion of the other end <NUM> may be non-circular. In other words, the first and the second links <NUM> and <NUM> operate to provide the link member <NUM> with a variable stroke length. Hence, the side surface of the main body <NUM> may be formed to be non-circular, and the guide rail R may provide a non-circular path so that the block member <NUM> and the display <NUM> may be easily moved along the non-circular path.

The display <NUM> may be movable along the side of the body <NUM> having various shapes, and the cross-sectional shape of the body <NUM> may have a rectangular shape without being limited to the circular shape, so that the shelf <NUM> may carry more objects to be served.

The serving robot apparatus <NUM> may further include a cable member <NUM> disposed along the link member <NUM> and electrically connected to the display <NUM>. The cable member <NUM> may provide power and an image signal to the display <NUM>. The cable member <NUM> may be routed via the one end <NUM> of the first link <NUM> which is the rotational center of the link member <NUM>.

Accordingly, even if the link member <NUM> is moved with a variable rotational radius, the length variation of the cable member <NUM> may be minimized. The slack in the cable member <NUM> may be minimized, and the cable member <NUM> may be prevented from being unintentionally twisted or damaged from contact with other components.

<FIG> is a block diagram schematically illustrating a process of controlling a serving robot apparatus according to an embodiment of the disclosure; <FIG> is a diagram illustrating that the serving robot apparatus performs a serving operation.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the serving robot apparatus <NUM> may further include a processor <NUM>.

The processor <NUM> may, based on receiving from a user, a serving command comprising a serving position, control the first driving device so that the serving robot apparatus <NUM> moves within a preset distance range from the serving position. The processor <NUM> may control the second driving device <NUM> so that a front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> faces the serving position. The serving positon may refer to a positon of a customer to receive the object to be served.

For example, a plurality of tables (T1, T2, T3, T4) may be arranged in two rows and two columns, and the serving robot apparatus <NUM> may move between first and third tables (T1, T3) and second and fourth tables (T2, T4). Thereafter, the main body <NUM> may not move, and only the display <NUM> may move along the side surface of the main body <NUM> so that the front surface <NUM> faces the third table (T3) or the fourth table (T4).

When the serving robot apparatus <NUM> receives information from a user or a customer through the display <NUM> or provides the information as an image, the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> may move along the side surface of the main body <NUM> so that the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> faces the user or the customer without the rotation of the main body <NUM>. Accordingly, the serving robot apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment of the disclosure may easily interact with a user or a customer.

<FIG> and <FIG> are cross-sectional views illustrating that a display tilts in a vertical direction.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG> , the serving robot apparatus <NUM> according to an embodiment may further include a third driving device <NUM> to tilt the display 100vertical direction.

The third driving device <NUM> may include a tilting motor <NUM>, a first tilting link <NUM>, and a second tilting link <NUM>.

The tilting motor <NUM> may be fixed to the block member <NUM>, may operate based on an input signal, and may integrally move with the block member <NUM>.

The first tilting link <NUM> may include one end <NUM> connected to the tilting motor <NUM> and another end <NUM> connected to a rear surface <NUM> of the display <NUM>. The first tilting link <NUM> may move forward or backward by the tilting motor <NUM> and may push forward or pull backward the display <NUM>. For example, the tilting link <NUM> may move the rotation link <NUM> clockwise, and the first tilting link <NUM> connected to the rotation link <NUM> may move forward.

The second tilting link <NUM> may include one end <NUM> connected to the block member <NUM> and another end <NUM> rotatably connected to the rear surface <NUM> of the display <NUM>. The second tilting link <NUM> is integrally moved with the block member <NUM>, and the other end <NUM> of the second tilting link <NUM> may define a pitch axis of the display <NUM>. The display <NUM> may tilt in a vertical direction about the other end <NUM> of the second tilting link <NUM>.

The first tilting link <NUM> may be disposed below the second tilting link <NUM>.

For example, when the first tilting link <NUM> moves forward, the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> may tilt upward, i.e., face toward the upward direction, and when the first tilting link <NUM> moves backward, the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> may tilt downward, i.e., be oriented toward the downward direction.

Accordingly, the display <NUM> may interact with a user or a customer sitting or standing in various situations. The pose or gaze of the customer or the location of various physical attributes of the customer, e.g., head, eyes, face, etc., may be determined from an image captured by the aforementioned camera. The amount of tilt of the display <NUM> may be based on the input signal provided to the tilting motor <NUM>. The input signal may be generated based on the determined pose or gaze of the customer or the location of various physical attributes of the customer, so that the display <NUM> is easily viewed by the customer.

The processor <NUM> may control the tilting motor <NUM> so that preload is applied to the first tilting link <NUM> based on the main body <NUM> moving by the first driving device <NUM>.

While the serving robot apparatus <NUM> is moving, the vibration of the first tilting link <NUM> and the display <NUM> that may be generated by the backlash of the tilting motor <NUM> may be minimized by applying a preload.

For example, when the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> faces forward (outward), as shown in <FIG>, the tilting motor <NUM> may generate preload in a clockwise direction to allow the preload to be applied to the first tilting link <NUM> in a backward direction. When the front surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> faces upward, as shown in <FIG>, the tilting motor <NUM> may generate a preload in a counterclockwise direction to allow the preload to be applied to the first tilting link <NUM> in a front (outward) direction. Accordingly, even while the main body <NUM> moves, vibration of the display <NUM> may be minimized.

The display <NUM> may include a stopper protrusion <NUM>. The stopper protrusion <NUM> may be formed in the rear surface <NUM> of the display <NUM> and may be disposed between the first tilting link <NUM> and the second tilting link <NUM>.

As a stopper protrusion <NUM> is operable to be in contact with the first tilting link <NUM> or the second tilting link <NUM>, the display <NUM> may tilt within a preset angle range in a vertical direction.

The serving robot apparatus <NUM> may further include an elastic member <NUM> disposed on a lower surface of the first tilting link <NUM> and operably in contact with the stopper protrusion <NUM>. The elastic member <NUM> may be made of elastomer, rubber, rubber-like material, or may be a spring, but a type is not limited thereto.

The elastic member <NUM> may of two members, and one of the elastic members may be disposed on an upper surface of the first tilting link <NUM> and the other one may be disposed on a lower surface of the second tilting link <NUM>.

The stopper protrusion <NUM> does not directly collide with the first and second tilting links <NUM>, <NUM> but come into contact with the elastic member <NUM> and thus, damage of parts may be prevented and noise which may occur unintentionally due to collision may be prevented.

<FIG> and <FIG> are diagrams illustrating a structure of a cover member closing a slit of a main body.

Referring to <FIG> and <FIG>, the main body <NUM> may include a slit <NUM> formed along a side surface of the main body <NUM>. The slit <NUM> may be disposed along a moving path of the display <NUM>. The main body <NUM> may accommodate the link member <NUM> and the second driving device <NUM> therein, and the slit <NUM> may connect the inside and the outside of the main body <NUM>, i.e., the slit <NUM> may provide an opening on the first body <NUM>.

The serving robot apparatus <NUM> may further include a cover member C. The cover member C may close a slit <NUM>, and may be slidably supported by the main body <NUM>, and the block member <NUM> may be disposed through the cover member C. The cover member C may be formed of a thin film and may have a ring shape. For example, the cover member C may be formed of a low-rigidity plastic, but the material is not limited thereto.

For example, when the link member <NUM> pivots, the block member <NUM> moving along the guide rail R may push the cover member C. Accordingly, the cover member C may slide along the side surface of the main body <NUM> and may still close the slit <NUM>.

By the cover member C, the link member <NUM> and the second driving device <NUM> may not be exposed to the outside, and the serving robot apparatus <NUM> may have a compact and clean appearance.

The main body <NUM> may include a guide slot <NUM> into which the upper end and the lower end of the cover member C are inserted. The guide slot <NUM> may provide a movement path of the cover member C. The guide slot <NUM> may have a section corresponding to the slit <NUM> and the remaining section accommodated in the main body <NUM>. The remaining section of the guide slot <NUM> may have a sufficiently large rotational radius so that the frictional force between the cover member C and the guide slot <NUM> may be minimized.

Claim 1:
A robot apparatus (<NUM>) comprising:
a main body (<NUM>);
a shelf (<NUM>) horizontally supported by the main body (<NUM>);
a first driving device (<NUM>) configured to move the main body (<NUM>);
a display (<NUM>) comprising a front surface (<NUM>) and a rear surface (<NUM>), display (<NUM>) being configured to display an image at the front surface and the rear surface (<NUM>) being disposed to face a side surface of the main body (<NUM>);
a link member (<NUM>) comprising one end (<NUM>) connected to the main body (<NUM>) and another end (<NUM>) connected to the rear surface (<NUM>) of the display (<NUM>); and
a second driving device (<NUM>) configured to move the link member (<NUM>) so that the display (<NUM>) moves along the side surface of the main body (<NUM>) such that the display (<NUM>) moves to face a user without rotating or turning the main body (<NUM>); and
a guide rail (R) disposed along the side surface of the main body (<NUM>),
wherein the link member (<NUM>) further comprises a block member (<NUM>) connected to the rear surface (<NUM>) of the display (<NUM>) and movably provided along the guide rail (R).