JP2004232215A - Rubber cone delivering-housing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a rubber cone delivering-housing device for omitting the number of workers getting on a car body further required for delivering and housing a rubber cone except for a driver of a vehicle, and continuously performing work by an inexpensive control means without stopping the vehicle. <P>SOLUTION: This rubber cone delivering-housing device is arranged on a loading space of the vehicle such as a truck, and has a rubber cone placing-positioning means such as a table 3 having a structure capable of stacking a plurality by positioning a rubber cone 4, a rubber cone detecting sensor arranged on the vehicle, a robot arm 1 movable in the traveling direction of the vehicle, having a rubber cone gripping hand capable of controlling a moving speed on the action end and having an arm part 2 with the sensor freely movable between a road surface and the table and a control means for controlling a series of delivering-housing work. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for blocking a vehicle or a pedestrian, which is a cone type dispensing and storing device which is independent of itself. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing and storing a large number of rubber cones at predetermined intervals at a predetermined interval on a road in a construction section over a predetermined distance, and more particularly to an automatic apparatus for the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventional rubber cone dispensing and storing devices include the following.
That is, a rubber in which a large number of rubber cones are stacked and loaded on a loading bed of a vehicle and are arranged at appropriate intervals on a road in a construction section using a rubber cone sending mechanism, a rubber cone elevating mechanism, a rubber cone holding means, and the like. A device having both a cone dispensing means and a means for storing a rubber cone installed on a road in a vehicle carrier using a rubber cone collection mechanism equipped with a recovery sensor for detecting a rubber cone installed on the road. (See Patent Document 1).
2. Description of the Related Art An apparatus including only a means for storing a rubber cone installed on a road in a vehicle carrier using a rubber cone collection mechanism or the like having a recovery sensor for detecting a rubber cone (see Patent Document 2).
A device for dispensing and storing a rubber cone, which is provided with a table movable on a carrier of a vehicle (see Patent Document 3).
In addition, see Patent Documents 4 to 10 below.
[0003]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-8-92921 [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-524672 [Patent Document 3]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-31622 [Patent Document 4]
JP-A-5-65709 [Patent Document 5]
JP-A-9-279532 [Patent Document 6]
JP-A-2002-167720 [Patent Document 7]
JP-A-7-71011 [Patent Document 8]
JP-A-4-237709 [Patent Document 9]
JP-A-6-936077 [Patent Document 10]
JP-A-2001-295234
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The above-described prior arts each include both a rubber cone dispensing unit and a rubber cone storing unit, a device including a rubber cone detecting unit, a rubber cone dispensing and storing device, which can be moved to a loading platform of a vehicle. Although there are devices with a table, etc., none of the devices can achieve both rubber cone dispensing and storage by the vehicle driver alone, and both can be achieved continuously without stopping the vehicle. Did not.
[0005]
The present invention is intended to solve such a problem, and in the prior art, in addition to the driver of the vehicle, an operator who is on the vehicle body to pay out and store the rubber cone further is provided in both the cone payout and the storage. The object of the present invention is to provide a rubber cone dispensing and storing device which is safe because it can be omitted, can achieve both of them continuously without stopping the vehicle, and can achieve this with inexpensive control means. .
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a rubber cone mounting / positioning means such as a table which is installed on a bed of a vehicle such as a truck and has a structure capable of positioning and stacking a plurality of rubber cones. A rubber cone detection sensor and a rubber cone gripping hand that is movable in the traveling direction of the vehicle and that can be moved in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and has a controllable moving speed at its working end. A robot arm having an arm with a sensor that can move between a table and the like, and a rubber cone on the table or the like detected by a sensor of the arm with a sensor at the time of payout, and then a rubber cone gripping hand To hold the rubber cone, then move the arm with the sensor upward on the road surface and at the same time descend and wait, and then grip the rubber cone. A series of moving the vehicle while accelerating the hand, then releasing the rubber cone gripping hand and paying out the rubber cone on the road when the traveling speed of the continuously moving vehicle and the moving speed of the rubber cone gripping hand match. During storage, the rubber cone on the road surface is detected by the sensor of the arm with the sensor during storage, and the traveling speed of the continuously moving vehicle and the moving speed of the rubber cone gripping hand match. At this stage, the rubber cone gripping hand is closed and the rubber cone is gripped, and then the arm with the sensor is moved from above the road surface and simultaneously raised to open the rubber cone gripping hand on the table or the like and a series of sequence operations for storing. And dispensing and storing a rubber cone, comprising control means including a personal computer or the like for controlling It is set to the first problem solving means and location.
[0007]
Further, the rubber cone placing and positioning means is constituted by a table which can be sequentially moved, and as a rubber cone dispensing and storing device equipped with a sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the rubber cone on the table and the quantity thereof. , Which can handle a larger amount of rubber cones.
[0008]
Furthermore, the sensor of the arm unit with the sensor is a rubber cone dispensing and storing device constituted by both a non-contact type sensor and a contact type sensor, so that the sensor operates reliably even in a continuously moving vehicle. This is a means of solving the problem.
[0009]
Furthermore, by specifying the movement of the rubber cone gripping hand, the operation of the rubber cone gripping hand is made smooth, and at the same time, the gripping and releasing operations are ensured, effectively synergizing the human sense and the function of the control means. By doing so, it is a means for solving the fourth problem that the burden on the control means is reduced more than necessary.
[0010]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, a bed of a vehicle such as a truck is provided with a table 3. The table 3 has a structure in which a plurality of rubber cones 4 to be processed can be positioned and stacked on the table 3. The table 3 itself is also positioned at a predetermined position on the bed of the vehicle by the positioning means. That is, it constitutes a rubber cone placement positioning means. This is for determining a relative position with respect to a rubber cone gripping hand 6 provided on the robot arm 1 described later. When a large number of tables 3 are provided, they are connected by chains 15 as shown in FIG. In this case, as a means for stopping and positioning at a predetermined position, for example, a projecting dock or the like is provided. Also, as shown in FIG. 8, it can be moved by being pushed out by four pistons 16 provided at the corners. In this case, a space area for one table is required, but it is not necessary to provide a dock or the like as the positioning means, and the piston 16 can be used also.
[0011]
FIGS. 7 and 8 show an embodiment in which the table is movable. However, the movable table can be operated in a range in which a rubber cone gripping hand 6 provided on a robot arm described later can be operated. It may be something. In addition, the table 3 is provided with a weight sensor and the like for detecting the presence / absence of the rubber cone loaded thereon and its quantity. As the weight sensor, a strain gauge, that is, a sensor that converts a change in strain due to a change in weight, which is generally called a strain gauge, into an electric signal and detects the change is effective.
[0012]
This is because, in the case of the present invention, it is not necessary to detect a continuous change in load, and the object can be achieved by detecting a stepwise value. The strain gauge can be installed not only by a simple method of attaching it to the right place but also by detecting it, and by simplifying the detection means, it is possible to reduce the load on the computer and increase the processing speed. Therefore, the present invention is more effective in a device for operating the vehicle while running continuously as in the present invention.
[0013]
The carrier is provided with a robot arm 1. The robot arm 1 includes an arm unit 2 with a sensor as shown in FIG. The sensor-equipped arm 2 has a function of reciprocating on a rubber cone 4 mounted on a table 3 with a position on a road. Further, it is desirable that the position on the road be located on both the left and right sides of the vehicle. That is, the payout and storage of the rubber cone 4 must be possible on either side of the vehicle depending on the construction site. The type of the robot arm 1 is appropriately selected and versatile, such as a revolving type and a reciprocating type. However, not only can the position of the rubber cone gripping hand be accurately controlled, but also the time can be accurately controlled. It must have a function that can accurately control the timing in relation to the moving speed of the vehicle, which will be described later. This is a very important requirement in practicing the present invention.
[0014]
A marker 5 is provided at a position protruding from the front of the driver's seat of the vehicle. The purpose of providing the marker 5 is to reduce the load on the contact-type sensor 9 and the non-contact-type sensor 10 to be described later and not to apply an unnecessary load on the control means. As a result, the operation speed of the computer as the control means can be increased, and the operation circuit can be further simplified. As shown in FIG. 1 as an embodiment, the structure of the marker 5 is an L-shaped rod and has a vertically bent linear tip. The driver can visually observe the linear tip portion of the marker 5 and visually observe the rows of rubber cones arranged in a line at appropriate intervals on the road, and drive the vehicle so that both lines match. It has a function that can be performed. As a result, the function of guiding the vehicle to the detection range of the sensor is achieved.
[0015]
As shown in FIG. 2, the arm with sensor 2 includes a rubber cone gripping hand 6 and a suction cup 7. The rubber cone gripping hand 6 moves in conjunction with the moving speed of the vehicle as described later. The suction cup 7 operates to grip the rubber cone 4 in conjunction with the movement of the rubber cone gripping hand 6. The suction cup 7 is provided with a mechanism for moving the rubber cone gripping hand 6 and must be operated while moving. Therefore, the suction cup 7 is required to have a large allowable range for its operation. For this reason, a device that operates by sucking air, which is generally called a vacuum type, is selected. However, any operation can be performed as long as the operation can be performed within a large allowable range. For example, the operation may be gripped by being surrounded by a U-shaped member.
[0016]
In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the rubber cone gripping hand 6 turns in the traveling direction of the vehicle. The sensor-equipped arm 2 is rotatably supported by a rubber cone gripping hand 6 rotatably supported by a rubber cone gripping hand rotating shaft 8, a suction cup 7 attached to the tip of the rubber cone gripping hand 6, and a contact-type sensor rotating shaft 11. A contact sensor 9 and a non-contact sensor 10. The rubber cone payout operation of the rubber cone gripping hand 6 is as shown in FIG.
[0017]
The rubber cone holding hand 6 holds the rubber cone 4 at the position of FIG. In dispensing the rubber cone 4 at the position b, the rubber cone gripping hand 6 is accelerated before moving to the position b, and when the rubber cone gripping hand 6 reaches the position b, the traveling speed of the vehicle The moving speed is controlled so as to match. Then, at the position b, the suction cup 7 is opened and the rubber cone 4 is paid out on the road surface. Thereafter, the motor is gradually decelerated and stopped until it reaches the position c.
[0018]
The rubber cone storing operation of the rubber cone gripping hand 6 is as shown in FIG. That is, the rubber cone gripping hand 6 opens the suction cup 7 at the position shown in FIG. In storing the rubber cone at the position b, the rubber cone gripping hand 6 is accelerated before moving to the position b, and when the rubber cone gripping hand 6 reaches the position b, the traveling speed of the vehicle The moving speed is controlled so as to match. Then, the suction cup 7 is closed at the position b, and the rubber cone 4 is stored from the road surface. Thereafter, the motor is gradually decelerated and stopped until it reaches the position c.
[0019]
Next, the sensor will be described. The sensor includes a contact sensor 9 and a non-contact sensor 10. The non-contact sensor 10 is controlled by image processing means. Normally, information detected using an image pickup tube is subjected to image processing, the processed image is divided into left and right images at the center thereof, and the image pickup tube is controlled so that control components of both images are equivalent. A device that issues a control signal for movement is used.
[0020]
It is possible to perform more accurate control by using a so-called heterodyne method in which an image is divided into four quadrants of rectangular coordinates with the center as the origin and these are compared vertically, horizontally, and diagonally. It is practical.
That is, it is a sensor used in a device used in a shipyard or the like, which uses a bogie that is self-propelled over a distance of several tens of meters without a rail, and can follow a target welding line. . However, if the sensor of the automatic welding device is used as it is, the accuracy will be more than necessary.Therefore, the accuracy should be such that the rubber cone can be detected, and the detection speed should be used as a device corresponding to high speed. Is effective. The non-contact type sensor 10 may be not only the optical type described above but also an acoustic type using the Doppler effect.
[0021]
The contact type sensor 9 is configured such that when it comes into contact with the rubber cone, the vehicle travels in the opposite direction and can be retracted. When the detection operation is completed, it is preferable to provide a coil spring or the like on the contact-type sensor turning shaft 11 in order to turn in the vehicle traveling direction and return to the original position.
[0022]
Normally, by detecting the rubber cone at a relatively distant position by the non-contact type sensor 10, the position of the arm unit 2 with the sensor is moved to the corresponding position with sufficient time, and the standby is performed. First, the contact type sensor 9 is configured to accurately detect and start the operation of the rubber cone gripping hand 6 as described above. This is because it is not necessary to make the structure of the robot arm 1 have more functions than necessary, and the operation speed of the CPU does not need to be more than necessary by giving time to the operation. A general-purpose computer may be used for the control. For example, in the control of machine tools, by reducing the load on the CPU in consideration of the balance with performance, a general-purpose computer, a so-called personal computer, has been successfully used, and supply of inexpensive control means has already been performed. Has been done.
[0023]
In the above description, an example is shown in which both the contact type sensor 9 and the non-contact type sensor 10 are used, but control can be performed using only the non-contact type sensor 9. These sensors are also used to detect a rubber cone mounted on the table 3 and control the position of the sensor-equipped arm unit 2 to grip the rubber cone.
[0024]
In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the rubber cone gripping hand 6 moves horizontally in the traveling direction of the vehicle. A reciprocating arm 12, a rack 13, and a pinion 14 are provided. The rack 13 is moved by driving the pinion 14 in association with detection by a sensor, and the rubber cone gripping hand 6 is moved in association with the vehicle speed. Make up. In the case of this embodiment, it is more preferable to control the operation of moving the sensor-equipped arm unit 2 up and down at the same time.
[0025]
The operation of the rubber cone dispensing and storing device of the present invention will be described in accordance with the processing order.
First, the payout operation will be described. The driver looks at the linear tip of the marker 5 at a position protruding from the front of the driver's seat and drives the vehicle along a line on the road where the rubber cone 4 is to be placed. At the same time, the robot arm 1 is operated to detect the rubber cone 4 on the table 3 positioned at a predetermined position on the bed of the vehicle by the sensor of the arm unit 2 with the sensor, and the rubber cone 4 is provided on the rubber cone gripping hand 6. It is gripped by the sucker 7. When the rubber cone 4 exists on the table 3 in the operation area of the robot arm 1 at this time, it is effective to operate only the robot arm 1 without moving the table 3.
[0026]
When it is detected that the rubber cone 4 does not exist on the table 3 existing in the operation area of the robot arm, the control means controls the chain 15 or the piston to move the table 3 to the operation area of the robot arm 1. 16 to send an activation signal. Next, the sensor-equipped arm 2 gripping the rubber cone 4 moves to a predetermined position above the road and waits. In the first embodiment, when the vehicle arrives at a target position that matches the arrangement interval of the rubber cones 4 set in advance in the control means, as described in the above paragraph [0020], the traveling speed of the vehicle and the rubber cone When the moving speed of the gripping hand 6 matches, the rubber cone 4 is paid out. The second embodiment operates as described in the above paragraph [0021]. The target position is determined by the CPU based on the relationship between the arrangement interval and the traveling speed of the vehicle registered in the control means in advance.
[0027]
Next, the storing operation will be described. The driver looks at the linear tip of the marker 5 as in the case of paying out, and drives the vehicle along the rubber cone 4 lines arranged in a line on the road. In the first embodiment, the rubber cone 4 is stored when the traveling speed of the vehicle coincides with the moving speed of the rubber cone gripping hand 6 as described in the above paragraph [0020], and in the second embodiment, the paragraph [ 0021]. Thereafter, the sensor-equipped arm unit 2 moves onto the table 3 to stack the rubber cones 4 on the table 3. The limit stacking number is registered in advance in the control means, and when the number reaches a predetermined value, the position of the sensor-equipped arm unit 2 is moved to the next table 3 and the stacking operation is continued. When there is no stackable table 3 in the operation area of the robot arm 1, the control means sends an operation signal to the chain 15 or the piston 16 to move the table 3 to the operation area of the robot arm 1.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to omit an operator other than a driver of a vehicle, which is required to pay out and store a rubber cone, on a vehicle body. Then, both cone payout and storage can be continuously and efficiently achieved without stopping the vehicle. Constituent members such as a vehicle, a robot arm, a table, and a sensor can be used with only slight modifications to existing ones.
Since a computer constituting control means for controlling a series of operation sequences also employs a control that does not impose a burden on a CPU, a general-purpose computer, that is, as realized in a control field of a machine tool, that is, A personal computer can be used.
[0029]
According to the second aspect of the invention, there is an effect that a larger amount of rubber cone can be handled.
[0030]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, by sharing the roles of the contact type sensor and the non-contact type sensor, not only accurate and prompt detection can be performed, but also an inexpensive means can be used as a whole. .
[0031]
According to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention, the operation of the rubber cone gripping hand is made smooth, and at the same time, the gripping and releasing operations are ensured.
[0032]
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the burden on the control unit more than necessary by effectively synergizing the human sense and the function of the control unit.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall conceptual diagram of a rubber cone dispensing and storing device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a conceptual view of an arm unit with a sensor according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a view of a first embodiment of an arm unit with a sensor according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the gripper arm in dispensing a rubber cone in the first embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an operation of the gripper arm when the rubber cone is stored in the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a view of a second embodiment of an arm unit with a sensor according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a diagram of a first embodiment of a table according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram of a second embodiment of the table according to the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Robot arm 2 Arm part with sensor 3 Table 4 Rubber cone 5 Marker 6 Rubber cone gripping hand 7 Suction cup 8 Rubber cone gripping hand turning axis 9 Contact sensor 10 Non-contact sensor 11 Contact sensor turning axis 12 Reciprocating arm 13 Rack 14 Pinion 15 Chain 16 Piston 17 Space area

Claims (6)

A rubber cone mounting and positioning means, such as a table, having a structure capable of positioning a rubber cone and stacking a plurality of rubber cones, the rubber cone being mounted on a vehicle such as a truck; Equipped with a sensor for use and a rubber cone gripping hand which can be moved in the traveling direction of the vehicle and whose moving speed can be controlled at its working end, and which can be moved between the road surface and the table or the like. At the time of payout, a robot arm having an arm portion, and at the time of payout, a rubber cone on the table or the like is detected by a sensor of the arm portion with a sensor, and then the rubber cone is gripped by a rubber cone gripping hand, and then an arm with a sensor is provided. At the same time as moving the part above the road surface and waiting, then moving while accelerating the rubber cone gripping hand, When the running speed of the continuously moving vehicle matches the moving speed of the rubber cone gripping hand, the rubber cone gripping hand is released and a series of sequence operations for dispensing the rubber cone on the road surface are controlled and stored. In this case, the rubber cone on the road surface is detected by the sensor of the arm unit with the sensor, and then the rubber cone gripping hand is moved when the traveling speed of the continuously moving vehicle matches the moving speed of the rubber cone gripping hand. It is composed of a personal computer that controls a series of sequence operations of closing and gripping the rubber cone, then moving the arm with the sensor from above the road surface and simultaneously raising and releasing the rubber cone gripping hand on the table etc. to store it. And a storage device for dispensing and storing a rubber cone. 2. The rubber cone dispensing and storing device according to claim 1, wherein the rubber cone mounting / positioning means is constituted by a sequentially movable table, and the table is provided with a sensor for detecting the presence / absence of the rubber cone and its quantity. apparatus. The rubber cone dispensing and storing device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor of the arm unit with the sensor includes a non-contact type sensor and a contact type sensor. The rubber cone dispensing and storing device according to claim 1, wherein the rubber cone gripping hand is configured to be of a type that rotates in the traveling direction of the vehicle. The rubber cone dispensing and storing device according to claim 1, wherein the rubber cone gripping hand is configured to move horizontally in the traveling direction of the vehicle in the traveling direction of the vehicle. The rubber cone dispensing and storing device according to claim 1, further comprising a marker at a position protruding from a front portion of a driver's seat of the vehicle.

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