JP2003227879A - Running body for conveyance with obstacle detector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a running body for conveyance with an attached obstacle detector with which an obstacle situated in a high position in the front in its running direction can be detected surely. <P>SOLUTION: The running body 2 for conveyance with the attached obstacle detector 1 with which the obstacle inside an obstacle detection area 3 in the front in its running direction can be detected and by which an obstacle detection distance L up to a tip of the area 3 can be changed is constituted in such a way that an up-and-down swing drive means by which the detector 1 is swung and moved up and down within a prescribed range so as to expand a height H at a tip of an obstacle detection area 17 is installed and that a controller which increases the distance L at the obstacle detector 1 due to an increase in an angle of elevation of the obstacle detector 1 so as to make the tip of the area 17 nearly vertical as viewed from the transverse side is installed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transportation vehicle equipped with an obstacle detector capable of detecting an obstacle in an obstacle detection area in front of a traveling direction.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an obstacle detector capable of detecting an obstacle in an obstacle detection area ahead of a traveling direction, a reflection type photoelectric sensor in which a light projector and a light receiver are arranged in parallel is generally used. In order to secure a horizontal width in the horizontal direction in the obstacle detection area, as shown in FIG.
The irradiation light from the left and right horizontal directions within a certain angle range DL-D
What is configured to automatically reciprocate within R is used. Then, such an obstacle detector 1 is attached to the front end of the transporting vehicle 2 in the traveling direction, and enters the obstacle detection area 3 having a constant distance L range and a constant width DL-DR range in front of the traveling direction. It is known that an obstacle can be automatically detected, and automatic traveling control such as automatic deceleration or automatic stop of the transporting vehicle 2 is performed based on the obstacle detection signal. The height at the tip of the obstacle detection area 3 is only the height h corresponding to the beam diameter of the irradiation light beam.

[0003]

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1C, a pedestrian 5 supporting a load 4 in front of his / her body stands at a position lateral to the front obstacle detection area 3 of the transporting vehicle 2. In such a case, even if the distance between the load 4 supported by the pedestrian 5 and the transporting vehicle 2 is within the obstacle detection distance L of the obstacle detector 1, the load 4 is an obstacle. When it is above the detection area 3, the obstacle detector 1 does not detect the load 4 as an obstacle. Therefore, when the transporting vehicle 2 is carrying a tall load 6, There is a risk that the load 6 on 2 and the load 4 supported by the pedestrian 5 may collide with each other.

In order to solve the above problems,
It is conceivable to install multiple obstacle detectors with different heights in the obstacle detection area, but it is necessary to use multiple expensive obstacle detectors that can automatically scan the irradiation beam back and forth. It is not practical because it leads to a significant increase in body cost. Therefore, it has been considered that one obstacle detector is automatically swung in the vertical direction. In this case, in FIG.
As shown in B, in order to configure the obstacle detector 1 so that the height at the tip of the obstacle detection area 7 secured by automatically swinging the obstacle detector 1 to the required height H Must increase the obstacle detection distance L to L + d1, and the original horizontal obstacle detection distance when the obstacle detector 1 is facing forward in the horizontal direction becomes large as L + d1. Since it is separated by a distance L or more from the front side, it is not originally detected as an obstacle, for example, the immediately preceding transporting vehicle or the like is detected as an obstacle, and the desired traveling control cannot be performed.

On the contrary, when the obstacle detection distance L is left unchanged and the obstacle detector 1 is automatically swung in the vertical direction, the height at the tip of the obstacle detection area 7 is the required height H. Not only does it have a much lower height H ', but
The horizontal obstacle detection distance at the upper end of the obstacle detection area 7 is greatly shortened to L-d2, and in the situation as shown in FIG. 1C, the time for detecting the load 4 as an obstacle is greatly delayed. Therefore, the desired safety cannot be secured.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a transporting vehicle with an obstacle detector capable of solving the above-mentioned conventional problems, which means will be described later. In the embodiment, the obstacles in the obstacle detection area 3 ahead of the traveling direction can be detected, and the obstacle detection distance L to the tip of the obstacle detection area 3 can be changed. It is a traveling body 2 to which an obstacle detector 1 is attached, and the obstacle detector 1 is swung up and down within a predetermined range to increase the height H at the tip of the obstacle detection area 17. A drive means 9 for swinging up and down is provided, and the obstacle is detected as the elevation angle of the obstacle detector 1 increases so that the tip of the obstacle detection area 17 is substantially vertical when viewed from the side. A controller for increasing the obstacle detection distance L of the object detector 1. Error 15 has a configuration that is provided.

In carrying out the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the current elevation angle output means 14 for outputting the current elevation angle of the obstacle detector 1 in a plurality of stages is also used, and the controller 15 is used.
Can be configured to switch the obstacle detection distance L of the obstacle detector 1 stepwise in accordance with the current elevation signal from the current elevation output means 14.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As shown in FIG. 3, the obstacle detector 1 can swing up and down around a horizontal horizontal support shaft 8. The obstacle detector 1 is rotatably supported by a fixed angle range θ0-θ.
A driving means 9 for continuously performing automatic swinging motion in the vertical direction is additionally provided. The illustrated driving means 9 is a crank arm 1 that is continuously rotated by a motor 10.
1, an arm 12 interlockingly connected to the obstacle detector 1 via the support shaft 8 and a link 13 interlockingly connecting both arms 11 and 12 to each other. The obstacle detector 1 is configured to swing up and down through the arm 12 and the support shaft 8 in a range from a minimum elevation angle θ0 facing substantially horizontally forward to a maximum elevation angle θ7 facing diagonally forward and upward. is there.

Of course, the drive means 9 is not limited to this crank drive type, but a motor capable of forward and reverse rotation drive in a fixed angle range is directly connected to the support shaft 8 or via an appropriate transmission means. It may be of any type, such as those which are interlocked and linked, or those of the rack and pinion gear type.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a current elevation angle output means for outputting the current elevation angle of the obstacle detector 1 in a plurality of stages, for example, the shaft of the crank arm 11 (the output shaft of the motor 9).
11a and an encoder 15 interlocking with the support shaft 8 of the obstacle detector 1 are used, and the current elevation angle of the obstacle detector 1 is a vertical swing angle from the minimum elevation angle θ0 of the obstacle detector 1 to the maximum elevation angle θ7. It is configured to output the current elevation angle signals θ0 to θ7 each time the set angle obtained by equally dividing the range (7 divisions in the illustrated example) is reached.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a controller, which is a current elevation angle signal θ0 to θ output from the current elevation angle output means 14.
Based on No. 7, the obstacle detection distance of the obstacle detector 1 is automatically switched to the obstacle detection distances L1 to L7 set for each of the seven current elevation angle signals θ0 to θ7.

By the function of the driving means 9, the obstacle detector 1
Continuously swings up and down between the minimum elevation angle θ0 and the maximum elevation angle θ7, so that the light beam emitted from the obstacle detector 1 has a constant width DL− as shown in the right half of FIG.
The irradiation angle is continuously changed from the minimum elevation angle θ0 to the upper side or from the maximum elevation angle θ7 to the lower side while reciprocally scanning horizontally in the DR range. Then, the controller 15 detects the obstacle detection distance of the obstacle detector 1 when the obstacle detector 1 is at the elevation angles θ0 to θ1 based on the current elevation angle signals θ0 to θ7 output from the current elevation angle output means 14. Is set to L1, hereinafter, the obstacle detection distance is L2 when the elevation angle is θ1 to θ2, the obstacle detection distance is L3 when the elevation angle is θ2 to θ3, and the obstacle detection distance is L when the elevation angle is θ3 to θ4.
4. When the elevation angle is θ4 to θ5, the obstacle detection distance is L5. When the elevation angle is θ5 to θ6, the obstacle detection distance is L6 and the elevation angle θ6.
In the case of .about..theta.7, the obstacle detection distance of the obstacle detector 1 is switched to 7 levels such that the obstacle detection distance is L7.
Here, the respective obstacle detection distances L1 to L7 increase as the elevation angle of the obstacle detector 1 increases, as shown in the left half of FIG. 2, and the degree of increase is at each elevation angle θ0 to θ7. The position of the tip of the obstacle detection area (each elevation angle θ0 to θ7
In the direction of the obstacle detection distances L1 to L7) is located near the virtual line 16 that is substantially vertical when viewed from the lateral side, in other words, the obstacle detection area at each elevation angle θ0 to θ7. The horizontal distance to the tip of is set to be substantially equal to the obstacle detection distance L1 at the minimum elevation angle θ0.

According to the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 1B,
An obstacle detector 1 which is continuously swung up and down between a minimum elevation angle θ0 and a maximum elevation angle θ7 by a driving means 9.
Obstacle detection area 17 (the original obstacle detection area 3 of the obstacle detector 1 and obstacle detection when the obstacle detector 1 is continuously swung up and down while keeping the obstacle detection distance L). (Including the area 7) has a substantially right-angled triangle shape whose tip is substantially vertical when viewed from the lateral side, and at the tip of the obstacle detection area 17, the traveling traveling body 2 for the entire height H is provided. The obstacle detection distance in the horizontal direction from is a substantially constant value L. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1C, even if the obstacle cannot be detected in the obstacle detection area 3 of the obstacle detector 1 fixed toward the front horizontal direction, the obstacle detection of the height H when viewed from the front is performed. The obstacle (load 4) located within the area 17 can be reliably detected when the obstacle (load 4) enters the obstacle detection distance L in the front horizontal direction from the traveling body 2 for transportation, for example, for transportation. It is possible to perform desired control such as automatically stopping the traveling body 2 so as to avoid a collision with the load 6 loaded.

In the above embodiment, the obstacle detection distance switching angle (elevation angle) of the obstacle detector 1 that continuously swings up and down is divided into a plurality of stages (7 stages), and the obstacle detector 1 has a plurality of stages. Although the obstacle detection distance L is configured to be switched stepwise according to the elevation angle of the obstacle detector 1, the obstacle detection distance L of the obstacle detector 1 is made to correspond to the elevation angle of the obstacle detector 1. Alternatively, it may be configured to continuously change.
Further, the vertical swinging drive means can be configured so that the obstacle detector 1 is stopped at each elevation angle for a certain period of time and the elevation angle is changed stepwise. Further, as the transporting vehicle, a trolley-type vehicle traveling on the floor surface is shown, but any other type of transporting vehicle may be used.

[0015]

The transporting vehicle with an obstacle detector of the present invention can be implemented and used as described above, and according to the transporting vehicle of the present invention, one obstacle is present. Although an obstacle detector is used, the obstacle detector is swung up and down to increase the height at the tip of the obstacle detection area, so that an obstacle at a high position can also be detected. You can do this, but at this time,
So that the tip of the obstacle detection area is substantially vertical when viewed from the lateral side, in other words, so that the obstacle detection distance in the horizontal direction from the transporting vehicle is substantially the same in the height direction,
Since the obstacle detection distance of the obstacle detector is increased as the elevation angle of the obstacle detector is increased, a plurality of obstacle detectors having the same obstacle detection distance are directed horizontally forward. As in the case of arranging in a plurality of upper and lower stages, it is possible to reliably detect obstacles within a certain horizontal distance from the transport traveling body regardless of the height within the predetermined height range, and The higher the height, the shorter the obstacle detection distance, and the lower the height, the larger the obstacle detection distance, without any inconvenience. Thus, it is possible to perform the intended control in accordance with the obstacle detection.

According to the second aspect of the invention, it is more effective than the case where the obstacle detection distance of the obstacle detector is continuously changed in correspondence with the elevation angle of the obstacle detector. Is easy, for example, in the case of the above embodiment, the current elevation angle signals θ0 to θ0 output from the current elevation angle output means 14 are used.
A 3-bit binary signal is output as θ7, and the obstacle detection distance can be switched to 7 levels by the 3-bit binary signal.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a plan view, FIG. 1B is a side view, and FIG. 1B is a side view;
The figure is a front view.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a scanning trajectory of an irradiation light beam of an obstacle detector.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Obstacle detector 2 Transport vehicles 3,7,17 Obstacle detection area 4 load (obstacle) 6 Loads to be loaded by transporting vehicles 8 spindles 9 Vertical swing drive means 10 motors 11 crank arms 12 arms 13 links 14 Current elevation output means 15 Controller L, L1 to L7 Obstacle detection distance θ0 to θ7 elevation angle of obstacle detector

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A transporting vehicle equipped with an obstacle detector capable of detecting an obstacle in an obstacle detection area in front of the traveling direction and capable of changing an obstacle detection distance to the tip of the obstacle detection area. A driving means for vertically swinging is provided which swings the obstacle detector up and down within a predetermined range to increase the height at the tip of the obstacle detection area.
A controller is provided to increase the obstacle detection distance of the obstacle detector as the elevation angle of the obstacle detector increases so that the tip of the obstacle detection area becomes substantially vertical when viewed from the side. Transport body with an obstacle detection device. 2. A current elevation angle output means for outputting the current elevation angle of the obstacle detector in a plurality of stages is additionally provided, and the controller is an obstacle detector corresponding to a current elevation angle signal from the current elevation angle output means. The transporting vehicle with the obstacle detection device according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection distance is switched stepwise.