JP2004122806A - Automatic steering vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To steer a vehicle along a running road in a simple structure by eliminating the problem in a conventional automatic track-type steering vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: Wheel support members 18L and 18R of left and right front wheels 14L and 14R are supported pivotably about king pins 24L and 24R carried at both ends of axle beam 22 extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle. One-side ends of front side arms 26L and 26R and rear side arms 30L and 30R are fixed to the wheel support members 18L and 18R, the other ends of the front side arms 26L and 26R rotatably support front side guide wheels 28L and 28R on the front side of the king pins 24L and 24R, and the other ends of the rear side arms 30L and 30R rotatably support rear side guide wheels 32L and 30R on the rear side of the king pins. Each of the guide wheels is guided by a side wall 12L or 12R of the running road 12, and the wheel support members are pivoted about the king pins to automatically steer the wheel. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic steering vehicle, and more particularly to an automatic steering vehicle that is automatically steered by being guided by a side wall surface of a traveling path.
[0002]
[Prior art]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-48007 A
[Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-76823
As one of the auto-steering vehicles, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 described above, the left and right wheels are rotatably supported at both ends, and the vehicle body is arranged around a vertical axis located at the center between the left and right wheels. And a pair of left and right front arms fixed to the bogie at one end and extending forward of the wheels and rotatably supporting the front guide wheel at the other end, and fixed to the bogie at one end. 2. Description of the Related Art An automatic steering vehicle having a rear arm extending behind a wheel and rotatably supporting a pair of left and right rear guide wheels at the other end is conventionally known.
[0003]
As one of the auto-steering vehicles, for example, as described in Patent Document 2, a pair of left and right wheels pivotally supported by a vehicle body via respective corresponding king pins, and a steering mechanism for steering a pair of left and right wheels. And a guide device for driving the steering mechanism. The guide device is provided with a guide wheel support member extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and connected at both ends to a central portion of the guide wheel support member and the steering mechanism at both ends. A pivot lever, a pair of left and right side guide wheels rotatably supported at both ends of the support member, and a pair of left and right side guide wheels rotatably supported at the center of the support member. Self-steering vehicles configured so that the partial guide wheels are guided by side tracks and the central guide wheels are guided by a central track are also known in the art.
[0004]
According to the former self-steering vehicle, the front wheels and the rear arm are pivoted by the guide wheels being guided by the track, and the wheels are steered by the bogie being pivoted. According to the automatic steering vehicle of the type, since each guide wheel is guided by a corresponding track, the pivot lever is pivoted, and the steering mechanism is driven to steer the wheels. As described above, the vehicle can be steered automatically and the vehicle can travel along the track without requiring a driver.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in a conventional bogie type track-type automatic steering vehicle as described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, since the left and right wheels are steered by the bogie pivoting, the vehicle is smoothly moved by the track. In order to steer the vehicle properly, it is necessary to apply a high moment to the bogie. Therefore, the front and rear arms are firmly constructed, and the front guide is provided. There is a problem that the distance between the wheel and the rear guide wheel must be set large.
[0006]
Also, in a conventional bogie type track-type automatic steering vehicle, the bogie pivots relative to the vehicle body around the vertical axis located at the center of the bogie, so that the front and rear arms etc. Therefore, there is a problem that the angle at which the bogie can be pivoted through the vehicle cannot be set large, and therefore, the steering angle of the wheels is limited, and thus the curvature of the track is limited.
[0007]
In a conventional track-type automatic steering vehicle driven by a steering mechanism as described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, at least one of the left and right side guide wheels and the center guide wheel is guided by a corresponding track. Therefore, at least one of the left and right side guide wheels and the central track are necessary, and the equipment of the track becomes large and complicated, and each track and each guide wheel have a precise dimensional relationship with each other. Otherwise, there is a problem that the vehicle cannot be steered smoothly.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems in the conventional bogie-type and steering-mechanism-driven orbit-type automatic steering vehicles, and the main problem of the present invention is that By pivoting the wheel support member and the wheel around the kingpin by the arm pivoted through the guide wheel, the above-mentioned problem in the conventional track-type automatic steering vehicle is solved, and the structure is simplified. To steer the vehicle smoothly along the travel path.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a self-steering vehicle which is automatically steered by being guided by a side wall surface of a traveling path. A wheel support member rotatably supported by one of the right and left wheels and rotatably supporting one of the left and right wheels; and a front guide wheel rotatable at the one end with respect to the kingpin at the other end with respect to the kingpin. A front arm that supports the rear guide wheel and a rear arm that is fixed to the wheel support member at one end and rotatably supports a rear guide wheel at the other end on the vehicle rear side with respect to the kingpin at the other end; The outer edges of the guide wheels and the rear guide wheels are located closer to the vehicle outboard than the outer edges of the wheels, and are achieved by an automatic steering vehicle.
[0010]
According to the present invention, in order to effectively achieve the above-described main object, in the configuration of the above-mentioned claim 1, a line connecting the rotation center of the front guide wheel and the rotation center of the rear guide wheel. The distance between the center and the axis of the kingpin is configured to be smaller than the distance between the rotation center of the front guide wheel and the rotation center of the rear guide wheel (the configuration of claim 2).
[0011]
According to the present invention, in order to effectively achieve the above-mentioned main object, in the configuration of the above-mentioned claim 1, a tie rod arm fixed to the wheel support member at one end and extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction is provided. And a tie rod extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle and pivotally attached at both ends to the other ends of the left and right tie rod arms.
[0012]
According to the present invention, in order to effectively achieve the above-described main object, in the configuration of the above-mentioned claim 1, at least a part of the front arm is elastically deformable, and the front arm is provided with an auxiliary wheel. Is rotatably supported, and the auxiliary wheels are configured to be slightly separated from the side surfaces of the wheels toward the vehicle outboard side (the configuration of claim 4).
[0013]
Function and effect of the present invention
According to the configuration of the first aspect, a wheel support member pivotally supported by the vehicle body via the kingpin and rotatably supporting one of the right and left wheels, and one end fixed to the wheel support member and the other end with respect to the kingpin. A front arm rotatably supporting the front guide wheel at the front of the vehicle, and a rotatably supporting the rear guide wheel at the one end fixed to the wheel support member at the other end with respect to the kingpin on the rear side of the vehicle; And the outer edges of the front guide wheels and the rear guide wheels are located closer to the vehicle outboard side than the outer edges of the wheels, so that the wheel support member and the wheels are integrated with the front arm and the rear arm. By pivoting around the kingpin, the front or rear guide wheels engage the side walls of the travel path and the front and rear arms are pivoted to automatically steer the wheels.
[0014]
Therefore, the wheels can be easily steered with a small moment compared to the case of a bogie type track-type automatic steering vehicle, so that the vehicle can be steered smoothly and the wheels can be turned at a relatively large angle. , The degree of freedom in design such as the curvature of the traveling path can be increased, and the corresponding wheels can be steered by one of the left and right side walls of the traveling path, so that the steering mechanism drive type The structure of the traveling path and the steering structure of the wheels can be simplified as compared with the case of the track-type automatic steering vehicle.
[0015]
Further, according to the configuration of the second aspect, the distance between the line connecting the rotation center of the front guide wheel and the rotation center of the rear guide wheel and the axis of the kingpin is determined by the rotation center of the front guide wheel and the rear guide. Since the distance between the center of rotation of the front guide wheel and the rotation center of the front guide wheel is smaller than the distance between the center of rotation of the front guide wheel and the line connecting the center of rotation of the front guide wheel and the center of rotation of the rear guide wheel. As compared with the case where the distance between the rear guide wheel and the center of rotation is larger, the moment applied to the wheel and the wheel supporting member can be increased, whereby the wheel can be easily and smoothly steered and the vehicle can be steered. Can be easily and smoothly steered.
[0016]
Further, according to the configuration of the third aspect, the tie rod arm fixed to the wheel support member at one end and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the tie rod arm extending in the vehicle lateral direction and pivotally connected to the other ends of the left and right tie rod arms at both ends. With the tie rod attached, the pivoting of one of the left and right wheels can be transmitted to the wheel on the opposite side as pivoting in the same direction. The wheels can be automatically steered in the same direction.
[0017]
According to the configuration of the fourth aspect, at least a part of the front arm is elastically deformable, the front arm rotatably supports the auxiliary wheel, and the auxiliary wheel is slightly toward the vehicle outboard side from the side surface of the wheel. Since the front guide wheels receive a relatively high force in the vehicle inboard direction from the side wall of the traveling road because of being spaced apart, the corresponding wheels are steered by pivoting of the front arms, and the front arms are also moved. The wheels are steered by the elastic deformation toward the vehicle outboard side and the auxiliary wheels abut against the side surfaces of the wheels, so that the wheels can be steered more efficiently, and the front guide wheels are received from the side wall surface of the traveling path. The possibility that an impact is transmitted to the vehicle body due to the applied force can be reduced.
[0018]
Preferred embodiments of the means for solving the problems
According to one preferred aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of claim 1 or 2, the kingpins of the left and right wheels are configured to be supported by both ends of an axle beam extending in a lateral direction of the vehicle (preferably). Aspect 1).
[0019]
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of claim 1 or 2, the distance between the rotation centers of the front guide wheel and the rear guide wheel is configured to be smaller than the outer diameter of the wheel. (Preferred embodiment 2).
[0020]
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of claim 1 or 2, the outer end of the front arm and the outer end of the rear arm are respectively located at the front edge and the rear edge of the wheel. It is configured to be located below (preferred embodiment 3).
[0021]
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of claim 1 or 2, the front arm and the rear arm are configured as one arm member (preferred embodiment 4).
[0022]
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the above-mentioned claim 1 or 2, the front guide wheel and the rear guide wheel are respectively provided by the front guide wheel support member and the rear guide wheel support member. And the other end of the rear arm, the front guide wheel support member and the rear guide wheel support member are attached to the front arm and the rear arm so as to be relatively displaceable in the vehicle inboard direction with respect to the front arm and the rear arm, respectively. (Preferred embodiment 5).
[0023]
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of claim 1 or 2, the front guide wheel support member and the rear guide wheel support member in the vehicle inboard direction with respect to the front arm and the rear arm, respectively. It is configured to have a buffer member that buffers the relative displacement (preferred embodiment 6).
[0024]
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of claim 3, the front arm and the rear arm are fixed to the wheel support member via a tie rod arm fixed to the wheel support member. (Preferred embodiment 7).
[0025]
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the fourth aspect, the auxiliary wheel is configured to be rotatably supported by an auxiliary wheel support member fixed to the front arm. 8).
[0026]
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the fourth aspect, the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheel is configured to pass near the rotation axis of the wheel when viewed from the side of the vehicle ( Preferred embodiment 9).
[0027]
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of the fourth aspect, the rotation axis of the auxiliary wheel extends substantially parallel to a side surface of the wheel facing the auxiliary wheel when viewed from above. (Preferred embodiment 10).
[0028]
According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the fourth aspect, the front arm is configured to rotatably support the plurality of auxiliary wheels (preferred aspect 11).
[0029]
According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, in the configuration of the aforementioned preferred embodiment 11, a plurality of auxiliary wheels are configured to be arranged along the circumferential direction of the wheel (preferred embodiment 12).
[0030]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail for some preferred embodiments (hereinafter, simply referred to as embodiments) with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0031]
First embodiment
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a first embodiment of an automatic steering vehicle according to the present invention in which left and right front wheels are automatically steered.
[0032]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes an entirety of an automatic steering vehicle traveling along a traveling path 12, and reference numerals 12L and 12R denote left and right guide side walls of the traveling path 12. The vehicle 10 has left and right front wheels 14L and 14R as steered wheels and left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R as non-steered wheels. The left and right front wheels 14L and 14R are rotatably supported around rotation axes 20L and 20R by wheel support members 18L and 18R, respectively. The wheel support members 18L and 18R are provided at both ends of an axle beam 22 extending in the vehicle lateral direction. It is pivotally supported about the carried king pins 24L and 24R.
[0033]
One end of a front arm 26L, which is substantially L-shaped as viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 18L. The front arm 26L has a front end guide wheel 28L on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the kingpin 24L at the other end. Is rotatably supported. One end of a rear arm 30L, which is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 18L, and the rear arm 30L has the other end rearward of the kingpin 24L at the rear of the vehicle. The side guide wheel 32L is rotatably supported. The front guide wheel 28L and the rear guide wheel 32L are provided at a height position capable of engaging with the left guide side wall 12L of the traveling path 12, and can roll on the inner surface of the guide side wall 12L.
[0034]
Similarly, one end of a front arm 26R, which is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 18R, and the front arm 26R has the other end at the front of the vehicle with respect to the kingpin 24R at the front of the vehicle. The wheel 28R is rotatably supported. One end of a rear arm 30R, which is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 18R, and the rear arm 30R has the other end rearward of the kingpin 24R at the rear of the vehicle. The side guide wheel 32R is rotatably supported. The front guide wheel 28R and the rear guide wheel 32R are also provided at a height position capable of engaging with the right guide side wall 12R of the traveling path 12, and can roll on the inner surface of the guide side wall 12R.
[0035]
In the illustrated embodiment, one ends of tie rod arms 34L and 34R are fixed to the wheel support members 18L and 18R, respectively, and the tie rod arms 34L and 34R are substantially along the front-rear direction of the vehicle as viewed in a straight traveling state of the vehicle. And extends rearward of the vehicle. The tip ends of the tie rod arms 34L and 34R are pivotally connected to both ends of a tie rod 38 extending in the vehicle lateral direction by ball joints 36L and 36R.
[0036]
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing the right front wheel support member and the like shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a view of the right front wheel support member and the like shown in FIG. 2 viewed from the inboard side of the vehicle. FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view showing a right front wheel support member with a part thereof cut away, FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing a tie rod arm of the right front wheel, and FIGS. 6 (A) and (A). B) is a plan view and a rear view, respectively, showing the right half of the axle beam. Since the left and right front wheels have the same automatic steering structure, the structure of the right front wheel will be mainly described in detail.
[0037]
2 to 4, an upper kingpin support sleeve portion 44 and a lower kingpin support sleeve portion 46 are integrated with the wheel support member 18R on the side opposite to the spindle 42 with respect to the flange portion 40 (on the vehicle inboard side). These sleeve portions are vertically separated from each other while extending along the kingpin axis 48. The lower kingpin support sleeve portion 46 is located slightly on the vehicle front side and the vehicle outboard side with respect to the upper kingpin support sleeve portion 44, so that a required cast trail is provided to the right front wheel 14R.
[0038]
The upper kingpin support sleeve portion 44 and the lower kingpin support sleeve portion 46 rotatably support the upper and lower ends of the kingpin 24R around the kingpin axis 48 via bushes (not shown), respectively. The upper end of the support sleeve 44 and the lower end of the lower kingpin support sleeve 46 are closed by a kingpin cover (not shown).
[0039]
The center of the king pin 24R is carried by a king pin support sleeve 50 provided at the end of the axle beam 22. The axle beam 22 has a flange portion 52 on the vehicle inboard side of the kingpin support sleeve portion 50, and a lower end of a strut (not shown) is fixed to the flange portion 52 by bolting. The upper end of the strut is connected to a vehicle body 54 (see FIG. 1) via a suspension spring such as an air spring, and a shock absorber is connected between an intermediate portion of the strut and the vehicle body 54.
[0040]
In the illustrated embodiment, the front arm 26L and the rear arm 30L are formed by one elastically deformable substantially U-shaped arm member 56 such as a steel rod or a steel pipe. The arm member 56 includes a central portion 56A that extends substantially linearly and substantially horizontally, a curved portion 56B that is inclined downward from the central portion 56A and extends forward in the shape of a vehicle, and a vehicle outboard from the curved portion 56B. A tip portion 56C that extends horizontally horizontally in the direction, a curved portion 56D that is inclined downward from the central portion 56A and extends rearward in a J-shape, and linearly extends from the curved portion 56D toward the vehicle outboard. And a horizontally extending distal end portion 56E.
[0041]
The arm member 56 is connected and fixed to the wheel support member 18R by a connection fixing member 58 at a central portion 56A. The connecting and fixing member 58 includes an upper half-cylindrical body 60 and a lower half-cylindrical body 62 cooperating with each other and surrounding the central portion 56A, and these half-cylindrical bodies are not shown in the drawing extending in the vertical direction. The plurality of bolts are integrally connected to each other while sandwiching the central portion 56A, thereby being fixed to the central portion 56A. The upper semi-cylindrical body 60 is provided integrally with two brackets 64 and 66 extending vertically in the vehicle rear side with respect to the wheel supporting member 18R, and the upper ends of these brackets are welded or the like. It is fixed to the tie rod arm 34R that forms a part of the connection fixing member 58.
[0042]
As shown in FIG. 5, the tie rod arm 34R is provided with a tapered portion 34RA, an arm portion 34RB which is curved from the large diameter end of the tapered portion and extends rearward of the vehicle, and provided at the tip of the arm portion. Is a boss portion 34RC to which a ball joint 36R (not shown) is attached, a male screw portion 34RD extending forward from the small diameter end of the tapered portion 34RA, and a pin having a rectangular cross section extending forward from the male screw portion to the vehicle. 34RE.
[0043]
As shown in FIG. 4, the wheel support member 18R is provided with a tie rod arm support sleeve portion 68 that extends substantially horizontally perpendicular to the rotation axis 20R on the inboard side of the lower kingpin support sleeve 46. The taper portion 34RA of the tie rod arm 34R is inserted into the sleeve portion 68 from the rear side of the vehicle, and is fixed to the sleeve portion 68 by a nut 70 screwed to the male screw portion 34RD on the vehicle front side with respect to the sleeve portion 68. A lower end of a bracket 72 extending in the vertical direction is fixed to a front end of the upper semi-cylindrical body 60 by a bolt (not shown) extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is provided at an upper end of the bracket 72. A pin portion 34RE provided at the front end of the tie rod arm 34R is inserted into the pin hole 74.
[0044]
Thus, the arm member 56 is connected and fixed to the wheel supporting member 18R by the connecting and fixing member 58 including the tie rod arm 34R, so that the arm member 56, in other words, the front arm 26R and the rear arm 30R pivot about the king pin 24R. Then, the wheel support member 18R, the right front wheel 14R, and the tie rod arm 34R also pivot around the king pin 24R, whereby the right front wheel 14R is steered.
[0045]
A front guide wheel support member 76 is attached to the distal end of the distal end portion 56C of the arm member 56, that is, to the distal end of the front arm 26R. As shown in detail in FIG. 7, a boss 78 having a rectangular outer diameter section is fixed to the distal end portion 56C by welding or the like, and the front guide wheel support member 76 is fitted to the boss 78 so as to be relatively displaceable in the longitudinal direction. It has a tubular section 76A with a rectangular cross section that fits and a trunnion section 76B with a U-shaped section formed integrally with the outer end of the tubular section.
[0046]
The end portion 56C and the boss 78 are respectively formed with two long-hole-shaped through holes 80A and 80B whose major axis is the longitudinal direction, and the cylindrical portion 76A is formed with a through hole that matches the through holes 80A and 80B. Have been. The cylindrical portion 76A is attached to the distal end portion 56C by a bolt 82 passed through the through-hole 80A and the like and a nut screwed to the bolt 82, and the bolt 82 moves in the through-holes 80A and 80B, so that the front side guide is provided. The wheel supporting member 76 can be relatively displaced along the longitudinal direction with respect to the distal end portion 56C.
[0047]
A pair of ears vertically spaced apart from each other in the trunnion portion 76B are provided with holes 84 which are aligned with each other, and the front guide wheel 28R is not shown in the drawing by a bolt 86 inserted into the hole 84. It is rotatably supported around an axis 88 extending in the vertical direction via a bearing. Further, a cushion member 90 made of an elastic material such as urethane or rubber is interposed between the base portion of the trunnion portion 76B, that is, the portion connected to the cylindrical portion 76A and the end surface of the distal end portion 56C of the arm member 56. I have.
[0048]
A rear guide wheel support member 92 is attached to the distal end of the distal end portion 56E of the arm member 56, that is, the distal end of the rear arm 30R, similarly to the front guide wheel support member 76. The rear guide wheel support member 92 has the same structure as the front guide wheel support member 76, and supports the rear guide wheel 32R so as to be rotatable around an axis 94 extending in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the front guide wheel 28R and the rear guide wheel 32R are located slightly closer to the vehicle outboard side than the outer edge of the right front wheel 14R on the outboard side when viewed from above.
[0049]
In the illustrated embodiment, the distance between the axes of the distal ends 56C and 56E of the arm member 56 is smaller than the diameter of the right front wheel 14R, and as shown in FIGS. 56E are located below the forefront edge and the rearmost edge of the right front wheel 14R, respectively. The distance La between the line segment L connecting the axis 88 of the front guide wheel 28L and the axis 94 of the rear guide wheel 32L and the kingpin axis 48 when viewed at the height positions of the front guide wheel 28L and the rear guide wheel 32L. Is set smaller than the length Lb of the line segment L.
[0050]
The lower end of an auxiliary wheel support bracket 96 is fixed to the upper surface of the upper ear portion of the front guide wheel support member 76 by welding or the like. The auxiliary wheel support bracket 96 extends substantially in the vertical direction, and rotatably supports the three auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C by a support shaft not shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in an upper portion. . The auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C are slightly separated from the outboard side of the tire of the right front wheel 14R toward the vehicle outboard, and their rotational axes 100A to 100C are located above the vehicle as shown in FIG. The right front wheel 14R is set to extend substantially parallel to the opposite side surface of the tire when viewed from the vicinity, and as shown in FIG. 3, near the rotation axis 20R of the right front wheel 14R when viewed in the lateral direction of the vehicle. Is set to pass through.
[0051]
As understood from the above description, when the front guide wheel 28R or the rear guide wheel 32R is engaged with the right guide side wall 12R of the traveling path 12, the front arm 26R and the rear arm 30R are pivoted around the king pin 24R. Then, the wheel support member 18R, the tie rod arm 34R, and the right front wheel 14R pivot relative to the axle beam 22 and the vehicle body 54 around the kingpin 24R, whereby the right front wheel 14R is automatically steered.
[0052]
Similarly, when the front guide wheel 28L or the rear guide wheel 32L is engaged with the left guide side wall 12L of the travel path 12, the front arm 26L and the rear arm 30L are pivoted around the kingpin 24L. The support member 18L, the tie rod arm 34L, and the left front wheel 14L pivot relatively around the kingpin 24L with respect to the axle beam 22 and the vehicle body 54, whereby the left front wheel 14L is automatically steered.
[0053]
Therefore, according to the first embodiment shown in the drawings, the wheels can be easily steered with a small moment compared to the case of a bogie type track-type automatic steering vehicle in which the bogie is pivoted. Since the steering can be smoothly performed and the wheels can be steered over a relatively large angle, the degree of freedom of design such as the curvature of the traveling path can be increased, and one of the right and left side walls of the traveling path can be obtained. Since the corresponding wheels can be automatically steered and the vehicle can be steered by only the vehicle, the structure of the traveling path and the steering structure of the wheels can be improved as compared with the conventional track-type automatic steering vehicle driven by a steering mechanism. Can be simplified.
[0054]
For example, FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a situation in which the vehicle of the first embodiment travels in a region where the left side wall is provided in the traveling road, with respect to the left front wheel. The area where the side wall is provided is, for example, a place such as a stop for getting on and off the vehicle. The side wall is provided in such a specific area, and the vehicle is guided to go to a predetermined position in an area with the side wall, and the vehicle is on a road surface in another running path without the side wall. Automatically travels according to the magnetic marker provided in the.
[0055]
As shown in FIG. 8 (A), the side wall is provided so as to become narrower as the vehicle advances, so that the vehicle can be smoothly guided to a predetermined position at a place such as a stop. . As shown in FIG. 8A, the vehicle 10 advances in a direction inclined with respect to the traveling path 12, and as shown in FIG. 8B, the front guide wheel 28L of the left front wheel 14L is When engaging with the left side wall 12L, a moment Mr in the right turning direction acts on the front arm 26R around the kingpin 24R, and the left front wheel 14L moves in the right turning direction as shown in FIG. 8C. The steering is automatically performed, the traveling direction of the vehicle 10 slightly changes to the right, and the front guide wheel 28L and the rear guide wheel 32R abut on the left side wall 12L of the traveling path 12, so that the left front wheel 14L becomes excessive. Steering in the right turning direction is prevented, and the left front wheel 14L advances along the traveling path 12 in this state.
[0056]
As shown in FIG. 8 (D), when the front guide wheel 28L passes the corner of the side wall 12L of the travel path 12, the front guide wheel 28L separates from the left side wall 12L of the travel path 12 and the rear guide wheel. Only 32R comes into contact with the left side wall 12L of the traveling path 12, whereby a moment Ml in the left turning direction acts on the rear arm 30R and the like around the kingpin 24R, as shown in FIG. 8 (E). As shown in the figure, the left front wheel 14L is automatically steered in the left turning direction, the traveling direction of the vehicle 10 changes to the left, and the front guide wheel 28L and the rear guide wheel 32R hit the left side wall 12L of the traveling path 12. The contact prevents the left front wheel 14L from being excessively steered in the left turning direction, and the vehicle 10 advances along the traveling path 12 in this state.
[0057]
As can be understood from the above description of FIG. 8, according to the illustrated embodiment, a case where only the left or right side wall 12 </ b> L or 12 </ b> R of the traveling path 12 includes an area having a small curvature such as a bent portion in the traveling path 12. In addition, the vehicle can be steerably and smoothly steered so that the vehicle 10 travels along the traveling path 12, and even when the traveling path 12 is provided with the left and right side walls 12 </ b> L and 12 </ b> R, The relationship between the spacing and the distance between the outer edges of the front guide wheels 28L and 28R may not be accurate.
[0058]
Further, according to the first embodiment shown in the figure, the pivoting of the tie rod arm 34R is transmitted to the tie rod arm 34L of the left front wheel 14L via the tie rod 38, whereby the left front wheel 14L and the right front wheel 14R around the kingpin 24L. The steering is automatically performed in the same direction, and the pivoting of the tie rod arm 34L is transmitted to the tie rod arm 34R of the right front wheel 14R via the tie rod 38, so that the right front wheel 14R becomes the same as the left front wheel 14L around the kingpin 24R. Automatically steered in the direction.
[0059]
Therefore, the left and right wheels can be steered easily and smoothly as compared with a truck type track-type automatic steering vehicle in which the left and right wheels are steered by pivoting the truck. When the steering mechanism of the invention is provided on only one of the left and right wheels or the steering mechanism is provided on both the left and right wheels, the steering mechanisms of the left and right wheels are not mutually connected by the tie rod arm and the tie rod In comparison with the case, for example, the vehicle can smoothly travel along various traveling paths including an area with a small curvature.
[0060]
Second embodiment
FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of the automatic steering vehicle according to the present invention in which the left and right front wheels and the left and right rear wheels are automatically and independently steered. In FIG. 10, the same members as those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.
[0061]
In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the left and right front wheels are automatically steered, and the left and right rear wheels are automatically steered independently of the left and right front wheels. The steering structures of the left and right rear wheels are configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment.
[0062]
That is, the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R are rotatably supported around rotation axes 120L and 120R by wheel support members 118L and 118R, respectively, and the wheel support members 118L and 118R are provided by axle beams 122 extending in the vehicle lateral direction. It is pivotally supported around king pins 124L and 124R carried at both ends.
[0063]
One end of a front arm 126L, which is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 118L, and the front arm 126L has a front guide wheel 128L on the front side of the vehicle with respect to the king pin 124L at the other end. Is rotatably supported. One end of a rear arm 130L, which is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 118L, and the rear arm 130L has a rear end opposite to the kingpin 124L on the rear side of the vehicle at the other end. The side guide wheel 132L is rotatably supported. The front guide wheel 128L and the rear guide wheel 132L are provided at a height position capable of engaging with the left guide side wall 12L of the traveling path 12, and can roll on the inner surface of the guide side wall 12L.
[0064]
Similarly, one end of a front arm 126R, which is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 118R, and the front arm 126R has the other end with a front guide at the front of the vehicle with respect to the kingpin 124R. The wheel 128R is rotatably supported. One end of a rear arm 130R, which is substantially L-shaped when viewed from above the vehicle, is fixed to the wheel support member 118R. The rear arm 130R has the other end rearward of the kingpin 124R at the rear of the vehicle. The side guide wheel 132R is rotatably supported. The front guide wheel 128R and the rear guide wheel 132R are also provided at a height position capable of engaging with the right guide side wall 12R of the traveling path 12, so that they can roll on the inner surface of the guide side wall 12R.
[0065]
One ends of tie rod arms 134L and 134R are fixed to the wheel support members 118L and 118R, respectively, and the tie rod arms 134L and 134R extend substantially in the vehicle front-rear direction toward the front side of the vehicle as viewed in a straight traveling state of the vehicle. I have. The tips of the tie rod arms 134L and 134R are pivotally connected to both ends of a tie rod 138 extending in the vehicle lateral direction by ball joints 136L and 136R, respectively.
[0066]
In the illustrated embodiment, the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R have auxiliary wheels corresponding to the auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C and the auxiliary wheel support corresponding to the auxiliary wheel support bracket 96 in the first embodiment. Although no bracket is provided, auxiliary wheels and auxiliary wheel support brackets may be provided on the rear arms 130L and 130R of the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R.
[0067]
Thus, according to the illustrated second embodiment, the left and right front wheels and the left and right rear wheels are automatically steered independently of each other, so that the vehicle is further smoothly and smoothly compared to the case of the above-described first embodiment. Can be steered, and the vehicle 10 can turn with a small turning radius even if the steering angles of the left and right front wheels and the left and right rear wheels are small as compared to the case of the first embodiment described above. The degree of freedom of design such as the curvature of the traveling path 12 can be further increased as compared with the case of the first embodiment described above.
[0068]
In particular, according to the illustrated second embodiment, the pivoting of the tie rod arm 134R is transmitted via the tie rod 138 to the tie rod arm 134L of the left rear wheel 16L, which causes the left rear wheel 16L to move right around the kingpin 124L. The steering is automatically performed in the same direction as the wheel 16R, and the pivoting of the tie rod arm 134L is transmitted to the tie rod arm 134R of the right rear wheel 16R via the tie rod 138, whereby the right rear wheel 16R moves left around the kingpin 124R. Since the steering is automatically performed in the same direction as the rear wheels 16L, all the left and right front wheels and the right and left rear wheels can be automatically steered by the left or right side wall 12L or 12R of the traveling path 12.
[0069]
Further, according to the illustrated second embodiment, since the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R are provided with the same steering structure as the steering structure of the left and right front wheels 14L and 14R, the first first embodiment described above. As compared with the case of, the vehicle can be smoothly run along the traveling path 12 even when the vehicle moves backward.
[0070]
Third embodiment
FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the automatic steering vehicle according to the present invention, in which the left and right rear wheels are automatically steered in association with the left and right front wheels. In FIG. 11, the same members as those shown in FIGS. 1 and 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS.
[0071]
In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R are rotatably supported around rotation axes 120L and 120R by wheel support members 118L and 118R, respectively. 118L and 118R are pivotally supported around king pins 124L and 124R carried at both ends of an axle beam 122 extending in the lateral direction of the vehicle.
[0072]
The left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R are not provided with an arm and a guide wheel such as a front arm 126L and a front guide wheel 128L, but one ends of tie rod arms 134L and 134R are fixed to the wheel support members 118L and 118R, respectively. The arms 134L and 134R extend substantially forward in the vehicle front-rear direction as viewed in a straight traveling state of the vehicle. The tips of the tie rod arms 134L and 134R are pivotally connected to both ends of a tie rod 138 extending in the vehicle lateral direction by ball joints 136L and 136R, respectively.
[0073]
In the illustrated embodiment, one ends of knuckle arms 140F and 140R are fixed to the wheel support member 18R of the right front wheel 14R and the wheel support member 118R of the right rear wheel 16R, respectively, and the knuckle arms 140F and 140R move straight ahead of the vehicle. Seen in terms of state, it extends substantially in the vehicle inboard direction. A crank arm 142 extending substantially in the lateral direction of the vehicle is disposed between the tie rods 38 and 138.
[0074]
The crank arm 142 is pivotally supported at its center by a vertically extending pivot 144 on the vehicle body 54, and both ends of the crank arm 142 are linked by ball joints 146 and 148, respectively, to a link 150 extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. And the front end of link 150 is pivotally connected to the front ends of knuckle arms 140F and 140R by ball joints 154 and 156, respectively.
[0075]
Thus, according to the illustrated third embodiment, the left and right front wheels 14L and 14R are automatically steered similarly to the above-described first and second embodiments, and the knuckle arm 140F is pivoted by steering the right front wheel 14R. The movement is transmitted to the crank arm 142 by the link 150, and the crank arm 142 pivots about the pivot 144, and the pivot is transmitted to the knuckle arm 140R by the link 152, whereby the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R are moved to the left and right front wheels. Steering is performed in an opposite phase to 14L and 14R.
[0076]
Therefore, the vehicle can travel along the traveling path 12 more smoothly than in the case of the above-described first embodiment, and the curvature of the traveling path 12 can be made smaller than in the case of the first embodiment. Further, since the front arm 126L, the front guide wheel 128L, and the like are not required for the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R, the support structure and steering of the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R are simplified as compared with the above-described second embodiment. Can be.
[0077]
According to the third embodiment shown in the figure, when the vehicle is moving backward, the left and right front wheels 14L and 14R are steered by the side walls 12L and 12R of the traveling path 12, and the left and right rear wheels 16L and 16R also become the left and right front wheels 14L and 14L. Since the steering is performed in the opposite phase to 14R, the vehicle can travel smoothly along the traveling path 12 even when the vehicle moves backward, as compared with the case of the first embodiment described above. it can.
[0078]
According to the illustrated embodiments, the front arms 26L and 26R are elastically deformable and rotatably support the three auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C via the front guide wheel support member 76 and the auxiliary wheel support bracket 96. Therefore, when the front guide wheels 28L or 28R receive a higher force in the vehicle inboard direction than the left and right side walls 12L or 12R of the traveling path 12, the front arms 26L or 26R are elastically deformed in the vehicle inboard direction. As a result, the auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C press the outboard side of the tires of the wheels 14L or 14R toward the vehicle inboard on the vehicle front side of the king pins 24L or 24R, and directly move the wheels 14L or 14R around the king pins 24L and 24R, respectively. Pivot to
[0079]
FIG. 9 shows the operation when the front guide wheel 28L of the left front wheel 14L receives a relatively high force in the vehicle inboard direction from the side wall 12L of the traveling path 12. As shown in FIG. 9 (A), the vehicle 10 approaches the side wall 12L of the traveling path 12 which is relatively inclined to the traveling direction, and as shown in FIG. 9 (B), the front guide wheel When 28L abuts against the side wall 12L of the traveling path 12 and receives a high force F substantially in the vehicle inboard direction from the side wall, a moment Ms in the right turning direction acts on the wheel supporting member 18L via the front arm 26L. , The left front wheel 14L is steered in the right turning direction.
[0080]
The front arm 26L is elastically deformed in the vehicle inboard direction, and the auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C press the outboard side of the tires of the wheels 14L in the vehicle inboard direction on the vehicle front side of the kingpin 24L, and the left front wheel 14L This pressing force Fp also causes the left front wheel 14L to be steered to the right turning direction with good responsiveness as shown in FIG. 9C by pivoting around the king pin 24L in the right turning direction. .
[0081]
Therefore, according to the illustrated embodiments, even when the front guide wheel receives a high force in the vehicle inboard direction from the side wall of the traveling path 12, the wheels can be reliably and responsively steered. Part of the force received by the wheels can be directly transmitted to the wheels 14L or 14R to reduce the impact acting on the vehicle body, and to limit the load acting on the front arm 26L or 26R to improve its durability. Can be.
[0082]
Further, according to the illustrated embodiments, as described above, the moment required for steering the wheels can be reduced as compared with the case of the conventional bogie type track-type automatic steering vehicle. The distance between the rear guide wheel and the rear guide wheel may be small, the length of the front arm and the rear arm can be shortened, and the strength required for them can be reduced.
[0083]
Further, according to the illustrated embodiments, the line L connecting the axis of the front guide wheel and the axis of the rear guide wheel and the king pin axis between the king pin axis and the front guide wheel and the rear guide wheel viewed from the height position of the front guide wheel and the rear guide wheel. Since the distance La is set to be smaller than the length Lb of the line segment L, the front guide wheel or the rear guide wheel has the side wall 12L or 12R as compared with the case where the distance La is longer than the length Lb of the line segment L. In view of the force of the same magnitude received, the moment in the steering direction given to the wheel support member can be increased, whereby the distance La is more reliably and smoothly than when the distance La is greater than the length Lb of the line segment L. The wheels can be steered automatically.
[0084]
In addition, according to the illustrated embodiments, the distance between the axes of the distal ends of the arm members is smaller than the diameter of the wheel, and the distal end of the arm member is located below the frontmost and rearmost edges of the wheel. Therefore, the space occupied by the arm member and the guide wheels before and after the wheel can be reduced as compared with the case where the distance between the axes of the tip portions of the arm members is larger than the diameter of the wheel. The degree of freedom in designing the space can be increased.
[0085]
According to the illustrated embodiments, the front guide wheel and the rear guide wheel are rotatably supported by the front guide wheel support member and the rear guide wheel support member attached to the distal ends of the front arm and the rear arm, respectively. The front guide wheel support member and the rear guide wheel support member are movably attached to the front ends of the front arm and the rear arm, respectively, along the longitudinal direction thereof, and the end surfaces of the front ends of the front arm and the rear arm and the front guide wheel are provided. Since the cushion member 90 made of an elastic material such as urethane or rubber is interposed between the support member and the rear guide wheel support member, the front guide wheel or the rear guide wheel is provided with the side wall 12L of the traveling path 12 or When a force greater than 12R is received, the possibility that the force is transmitted to the vehicle body as an impact can be reduced, and the riding comfort of the vehicle can be improved.
[0086]
In the above, the present invention has been described in detail with respect to a specific embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various other embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention. Some will be apparent to those skilled in the art.
[0087]
For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, the steering structure is provided on each of the left and right front wheels 14L and 14R, but the steering structure is provided on only one of the left and right wheels, and the other wheel follows the turning of the vehicle. The steering may be modified to be steered, and correspondingly, the side wall of the traveling path may be modified to only one of the left and right sides.
[0088]
In each of the above embodiments, the tie rod arms are provided on the left and right wheels, and the tie rod arms are connected to each other by the tie rods. However, the tie rod arms and the tie rods may be omitted, and the left and right front wheels 14L And 14R are provided with the cushion member 90 and the auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C, but the cushion member 90 and the auxiliary wheels 98A to 98C may be omitted.
[0089]
In each of the above-described embodiments, the distance La between the line L connecting the axis of the front guide wheel and the axis of the rear guide wheel and the kingpin axis is set to be smaller than the length Lb of the line L. However, the distance La may be set to be longer than the length Lb of the line segment L, and the distance between the axis of the front guide wheel and the axis of the rear guide wheel is set smaller than the diameter of the wheel. However, this distance may be set to be equal to or larger than the diameter of the wheel.
[0090]
In each of the above embodiments, the front arm and the rear arm are defined by one arm member 56, but the front arm and the rear arm may be independent members. Although the front arm and the rear arm are fixed to the wheel support member via the tie rod arm, these arms may be directly fixed to the wheel support member.
[0091]
In the third embodiment described above, the lengths of the knuckle arms 140F and 140R are the same, and the distance between the pivot 144 and the ball joint 146 is the distance between the pivot 144 and the ball joint 148. However, the length or the distance may be set to be different from each other. In particular, the length of the knuckle arm 140F is set to be shorter than the length of the knuckle arm 140R, or the distance between the pivot 144 and the ball joint 146 is changed. The distance between the pivot 144 and the ball joint 148 may be set to be larger than the distance between the pivot 144 and the ball joint 148, so that the steering angle of the rear wheels in the opposite phase may be modified to be smaller than the steering angle of the front wheels.
[0092]
Further, in each of the above-described embodiments, the case where the side wall 12L or 12R is provided in a specific area of the traveling path 12 has been described. It may be applied to a traffic system provided throughout. In each of the above embodiments, the case where the vehicle is automatically driven by the magnetic marker in the region without the side wall has been described. However, the vehicle is driven by the driver in the region without the side wall, and the automatic steering by the side wall is performed. May be configured to assist a driver's driving operation.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing one embodiment of an automatic steering vehicle according to the present invention in which left and right front wheels are automatically steered.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing a wheel support member and the like of a right front wheel shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing a wheel support member and the like of the right front wheel shown in FIG. 2 when viewed from the inboard side of the vehicle.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view showing a wheel support member of the right front wheel, with a part thereof cut away.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view showing a tie rod arm of the right front wheel.
FIG. 6 is a plan view (A) and a rear view (B) showing the right half of the axle beam.
FIG. 7 is an enlarged partial view showing a support structure of a front guide wheel of a right front wheel.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a situation in which a vehicle according to the first embodiment travels in a region where a left side wall is provided in a traveling path, with respect to a left front wheel.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation when a front guide wheel of a left front wheel receives a relatively high force in a vehicle inboard direction from a side wall of a traveling road.
FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a second embodiment of an automatic steering vehicle according to the present invention, in which left and right front wheels and left and right rear wheels are automatically and independently steered.
FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of an automatic steering vehicle according to the present invention, in which left and right front wheels and left and right rear wheels are automatically steered in relation to each other.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 ... Autopilot vehicle
12… Runway
14L, 14R ... front wheel
16L, 16R ... rear wheel
18L, 18R: Wheel support members
22 ... Axle beam
24L, 24R… King pin
26L ... front side arm
28L: Front guide wheel
30L ... rear arm
32L ... rear guide wheel
34L, 34R ... Tie rod arm
38… Tie rod
54 ... body
56 Arm member
58: Connection fixing member
76 Front guide wheel support member
92: Rear guide wheel support member
96 ... Auxiliary wheel support bracket
98A ~ 98C… Auxiliary wheel
118L, 118R: Wheel support members
122 ... Axle beam
124L, 124R ... King pin
126L ... front side arm
128L: Front guide wheel
130L ... rear arm
132L ... rear guide wheel
134L, 134R… Tie rod arm
138 ... Tie rod

Claims (4)

A self-steering vehicle that is automatically steered by being guided by the side wall surface of the traveling path, and is supported by the vehicle body via a kingpin and rotatably supports one of the left and right wheels; A front arm fixed to the wheel support member at the other end and rotatably supporting a front guide wheel at the vehicle front side with respect to the kingpin at the other end, and fixed at one end to the wheel support member at the other end A rear arm rotatably supporting a rear guide wheel on the vehicle rear side with respect to the kingpin, wherein the outer edges of the front guide wheel and the rear guide wheel are more outboard of the vehicle than the outer edges of the wheels. An automatic steering vehicle characterized by being located on the side. The distance between the line segment connecting the center of rotation of the front guide wheel and the center of rotation of the rear guide wheel and the axis of the kingpin is the distance between the center of rotation of the front guide wheel and the center of rotation of the rear guide wheel. The self-steering vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the distance is smaller than a distance between the vehicles. A tie rod arm fixed to the wheel support member at one end and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a tie rod extending in the vehicle lateral direction and pivotally connected to the other ends of the left and right tie rod arms at both ends. The automatic steering vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein At least a part of the front arm is elastically deformable, the front arm rotatably supports an auxiliary wheel, and the auxiliary wheel is slightly separated from a side surface of the wheel toward a vehicle outboard side. 4. The self-steering vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

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