JP2006048614A - Unmanned drive traveling vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically move to an automatic traveling start position, starting from an optional position. <P>SOLUTION: The vehicle comprising a positioning system, capable of performing an unmanned drive which is to automatically travel without a driver boarding, comprises an automatic drive start position setting means 900 for setting the automatic drive start position of an automatic drive course, a predetermined range calculating means 901 for calculating a predetermined range starting with the automatic drive starting position, a travel route calculating means 902 for calculating the travel route from a current vehicle position to the travel start position, and a determining means 903 for determining whether the current vehicle position is within the predetermined range. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an unmanned driving vehicle including a positioning system and capable of unmanned driving in which a driver travels automatically without getting on.

For example, as a vehicle that moves unmanned, a transport vehicle, a golf cart that moves by unmanned guidance, and the like are used in factories and golf courses (for example, Patent Document 1). When running such an unmanned guided vehicle, the vehicle is moved to a position where a guide line can be detected, and running is started. Also, when using other positioning devices that do not use a guide line, the vehicle is moved to the vicinity of a course for unattended travel so that automatic travel can be started from an error range that allows automatic travel control.
JP 2001-202132 A (page 1 to page 8, FIGS. 1 to 6)

  By the way, in order to start automatic traveling, automatic traveling cannot be performed unless the vehicle is moved to a position where automatic traveling is possible. It is possible to move the vehicle automatically from an arbitrary position to a position where it can automatically run if a system capable of positioning at any position is installed, but it is not possible to determine whether the actually moving course can be driven. There is a problem.

  This invention is made in view of this point, and it aims at providing the unmanned driving | running | working vehicle which can be automatically moved from arbitrary positions to an automatic driving | running | working start position.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention is configured as follows.

The invention according to claim 1 is a vehicle including a positioning system and capable of unmanned driving in which a driver automatically travels without getting on,
Automatic travel start position setting means for setting an automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course; predetermined range calculation means for calculating a predetermined range based on the automatic travel start position; and from the current vehicle position to the travel start position Traveling route computing means for computing a traveling route;
An unmanned driving vehicle comprising: determination means for determining whether or not the current vehicle position is within the predetermined range.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an unmanned driving unit according to the first aspect, further comprising automatic traveling start means for automatically traveling to the automatic traveling start position based on a determination that the current vehicle position is within the predetermined range. It is a driving vehicle.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic travel prohibiting means for performing an automatic travel prohibition warning based on a determination that the current vehicle position is outside the predetermined range and prohibiting the automatic travel. 1 is an unmanned driving vehicle according to 1.

The invention according to claim 4 is a vehicle including a positioning system and capable of unmanned driving in which the driver automatically travels without getting on,
Automatic travel start position setting means for setting an automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course; predetermined range calculation means for calculating a predetermined range based on the automatic travel start position; and from the current vehicle position to the travel start position Traveling route computing means for computing a traveling route;
An unmanned driving vehicle comprising: determination means for determining whether or not the travel route passes within the predetermined range.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an unmanned operation according to the fourth aspect, further comprising an automatic travel start unit that automatically travels to the automatic travel start position based on a determination that the travel route passes within the predetermined range. It is a traveling vehicle.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic travel prohibiting means for issuing a warning that the automatic travel is impossible based on a determination that the travel route passes outside the predetermined range and prohibiting the automatic travel. The unmanned driving traveling vehicle described in 1.

  With the above configuration, the present invention has the following effects.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course is set, the travel route from the current vehicle position to the travel start position is calculated, and whether or not the current vehicle position is within a predetermined range. Therefore, it is possible to automatically move to the automatic travel start position by simply placing the vehicle in the vicinity of the automatic travel start position, and the automatic travel start procedure can be greatly simplified.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, it is possible to automatically travel to the automatic travel start position based on the determination that the current vehicle position is within a predetermined range, and the automatic travel start procedure can be greatly simplified.

  According to the third aspect of the invention, the warning that the automatic traveling is impossible is performed based on the determination that the current vehicle position is outside the predetermined range, and the automatic traveling is prohibited so that the vehicle does not move automatically.

  According to the invention described in claim 4, the automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course is set, the travel route from the current vehicle position to the travel start position is calculated, and whether or not the travel route passes within a predetermined range. Therefore, it is possible to automatically move to the automatic travel start position by simply placing the vehicle in the vicinity of the automatic travel start position, and the automatic travel start procedure can be greatly simplified.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to automatically travel to the automatic travel start position based on the determination that the travel route passes within the predetermined range, and the automatic travel start procedure can be greatly simplified.

  According to the sixth aspect of the invention, based on the judgment that the travel route passes outside the predetermined range, the warning that the automatic travel is impossible is performed, and the automatic travel is prohibited and the vehicle does not move automatically.

  Embodiments of the unmanned driving vehicle according to the present invention will be described below. The embodiment of the present invention shows the most preferable mode of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to this.

  FIG. 1 to FIG. 19 show an example of an embodiment in which the unmanned driving vehicle of the present invention is implemented in a four-wheel buggy that is a vehicle capable of manned driving and unmanned driving. FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle with the vehicle body center cover attached, and FIG. 3 is a manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle with the vehicle body center cover removed. 4 is a perspective view of a manned and unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle with the body cover removed, FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an engine and a power transmission mechanism of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a front view of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle with the body cover removed, and FIG. 8 is a manned unmanned operation switching traveling with the body cover removed. Rear of vehicle 9 is a view showing a power transmission mechanism to the rear wheel, FIG. 10 is a side view showing the steering mechanism, FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 10, and FIG. 12 is a front view of the steering system. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the steering shaft drive unit, FIG. 14 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the steering shaft drive unit, FIG. 15 is a plan view of the steering handle, FIG. 16 is a side view showing the tilting operation of the steering handle, and FIG. FIG. 17 is a schematic configuration diagram of control of a manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle, and FIG. 17 is a schematic configuration diagram of control of a manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle.

  The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 includes a front wheel 3 and a rear wheel 4 in which wheels are arranged on both left and right ends in the vehicle body width direction on the front and rear of a vehicle body 2, respectively, and a substantially center between the front wheel 3 and the rear wheel 4. This is a so-called four-wheel buggy vehicle for running on rough land, in which an engine 5 for driving the front wheels 3 and the rear wheels 4 is arranged.

  A fuel tank 6 is disposed above the engine 5, and a saddle type seat 7 is disposed behind the fuel tank 6. The seat 7 constitutes a driver's seat, and the driver's seat is not limited to the saddle riding type, but may be a bench type. When the driver's seat is a bench type, the vehicle seat is elongated in the vehicle width direction, and a fuel tank is disposed below the driver's seat. A steering handle 8 capable of steering the front wheel 3 is provided on the front side of the fuel tank 6. An intake air cleaner 9 is disposed above the engine 5, and an exhaust exhaust pipe 10 is disposed behind the engine 5. Further, an air introduction duct 11 for introducing air for cooling the engine 5 is disposed on the front side of the engine 5, and an air discharge duct 12 for discharging the air that has cooled the engine 5 is disposed on the rear side of the engine 5. ing.

  In this manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1, the vehicle body 2, the front wheels 3 and the rear wheels 4 are covered with a vehicle body cover 20. The vehicle body cover 20 includes a vehicle body front side cover 21 that covers the vehicle body front side, a vehicle body rear side cover 22 that covers the vehicle body rear side, and a vehicle body center cover 23 that covers the steering handle 8 and the seat 7 at the center of the vehicle body. The vehicle body front side cover 21 has a front top hood 21a that covers the upper side, and a pair of front side hoods 21b that cover the left and right sides. The vehicle body rear cover 22 includes a rear top hood 22a that covers the upper side, and a pair of rear side hoods 22b that cover the left and right sides. The vehicle body center cover 23 includes a center top hood 23a covering the upper side and a pair of center side hoods 23b covering the left and right sides.

  The vehicle body cover 20 includes a front wheel mudguard that covers the pair of front wheels 3 from above to the rear, that is, a so-called front fender 26, and a rear wheel mudguard that covers the pair of rear wheels 4 from the front to the top. A rear fender 27 is provided. A floor portion 28 for placing a driver's feet extends substantially horizontally from the rear end portion of the front fender 26 to the front end portion of the rear fender 27.

  A tower-like rear carrier 22c is attached to the upper surface of the rear top hood 22a. A searchlight 100, a rear laser scanner C2, and a camera C3 are attached to the upper portion of the rear carrier 22c. A speaker light unit 103 is attached below the rear carrier 22c. The speaker light unit 103 includes a central speaker 103a and a pair of left and right pilot lights 103b. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the vehicle body center cover 23 is detachable from the vehicle body front side cover 21, the vehicle body rear side cover 22, and the floor portion 28.

  The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 travels by removing the vehicle body center cover 23 and operating the steering handle 8 while the driver sits on the seat 7 during manned operation, but with the vehicle body center cover 23 attached during unmanned operation. The steering handle 8 and the seat 7 are covered so that the steering handle 8 and the seat 7 do not get wet in the rain, or the steering handle 8 does not come into contact with an obstacle or be mischievous from the outside.

  The vehicle body center cover 23 can be divided into a center top hood 23a and a pair of center side hoods 23b. By dividing the vehicle body center cover 23, the vehicle body center cover 23 becomes smaller and lighter, and can be easily handled during attachment and detachment. Further, the center side hood 23b may be attached and detached only on the side where the driver gets on and off the center top hood 23a, and the handling is easy.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 16, during unmanned operation, the vehicle height is lowered by operating the tilt switch SW10 and tilting down the steering handle 8 to attach the center top hood 23a constituting the vehicle body center cover 23. it can.

  The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 includes a carrier 24 on the rear side of the vehicle body. At the time of manned operation, as shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle body center cover 23 is removed, the vehicle is divided into three parts, placed on the carrier 24, traveled, and stopped by the band 25 so as not to fall. In this way, when the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 is manned and is unmanned at the travel destination, the vehicle body center cover 23 can be detached from the carrier 24 and attached to the vehicle body 2 for convenience.

  A front wheel 3 is suspended from a front portion of the vehicle body 2 via a front wheel suspension device 30. The front wheel 3 is driven by a steering shaft 32 via a turning force transmission mechanism 31. A steering handle 8 is integrally attached to the upper end of the steering shaft 32, and the front wheel 3 can be steered left and right by turning the steering handle 8 left and right. A rear wheel 4 is suspended from a rear portion of the vehicle body 2 via a rear wheel suspension device 35.

  Next, a mechanism for turning the front wheel 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. The steering shaft 32 is divided into upper and lower parts, and is composed of an upper divided steering shaft 32a and a lower divided steering shaft 32b.

  The upper divided steering shaft 32a is provided with a handle turning angle detecting means 200 and reaction force mechanisms 300 and 400. A central portion of the upper divided steering shaft 32 a is supported by a mounting bracket 452 via a bearing 451, and this mounting bracket 452 is fixed to a front body frame 2 a constituting the vehicle body 2. The lower part of the upper divided steering shaft 32a is supported by a mounting bracket 454 via a bearing 453, and both ends of the mounting bracket 454 are fixed to the front body frame 2a.

A square shaft portion 32a2 is attached to the lower end portion of the upper divided steering shaft 32a. A potentiometer constituting the handle turning angle detecting means 200 is attached to the tip of the square shaft portion 32a2. The potentiometer of the steering wheel turning angle detecting means 200 detects a steering wheel turning angle (steering wheel cutting amount) from the straight vehicle position to the right or left based on the turning of the upper divided steering shaft 32a, and this steering wheel turning angle information is controlled by the vehicle body. Send to device 700.
The reaction force mechanism 300 includes a rubber friction damper 301, and the square shaft portion 32a2 is inserted in close contact with the rubber friction damper 301. The rubber friction damper 301 is elastically deformed by turning the square shaft portion 32a2 of the upper divided steering shaft 32a with reference to the vehicle straight running position, and the elastic deformation of the rubber friction damper 301 is restored when the turning force is released. In this way, a reaction force is applied to the turning force of the upper divided steering shaft 32a, and the initial position is returned by releasing the turning force. Although the upper divided steering shaft 32a is divided from the lower divided steering shaft 32b, the operation by the steering handle 8 during manned driving is not too light, and the front wheel 3 is moved left and right by the actual steering handle 8 operation. It can be operated with the same feeling as in the case of turning.
The reaction force mechanism 400 includes a support lever 401 fixed to the upper divided steering shaft 32a, a rotation roller 402 rotatably supported by the support lever 401, and a cam surface 403a abutting against the rotation roller 402 and a rotation roller. A pair of left and right cam levers 403 that are pivotally supported by being pushed by 402, and a biasing means 404 that biases the pair of left and right cam levers 403 in the initial position direction.

  The support lever 401 is fixed to the upper divided steering shaft 32a, and the roller holder 405 is fixed to the support lever 401. A roller shaft 406 is fastened and fixed to the roller holder 405 by a nut 407, and the rotating roller 402 is rotatably supported by the roller shaft 406.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the pair of left and right cam levers 403 has a symmetrical position with the vehicle straight running position as a reference L1 as an initial position, and each base portion 403b can swing to the left and right support portions 411a of the cam holder 411 by the support shaft 410. Is pivotally supported. Attachment portions 411b are formed on the left and right sides of the cam holder 411. The attachment portions 411b are attached to the attachment bracket 454 by fastening bolts 412. The pair of left and right cam levers 403 has a cam surface 403a, and the cam surface 403a is pushed by the rotating roller 402, whereby the pair of left and right cam levers 403 swing around the support shaft 410 as a fulcrum.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 11, when the upper divided steering shaft 32a turns in the direction of the arrow j, the cam surface 403a of the cam lever 403 located on the upper side is pushed by the rotating roller 402 and swings. On the other hand, when the upper divided steering shaft 32a turns in the direction of the arrow k, the cam surface 403a of the cam lever 403 located on the lower side is pushed by the rotating roller 402 and swings.

  The cam holder 411 is provided with an adjuster 420, a biasing means 404, and a slider 421. The urging means 404 is constituted by a coil spring and is disposed between the adjuster 420 and the slider 421 and urges the slider 421 so as to always abut against the convex portions 403 c of the pair of left and right cam levers 403.

  The set biasing force of the biasing means 404 can be changed by rotating the adjuster 420 and changing the mounting position on the cam holder 411. Further, the reaction force characteristics can be changed by a combination of the biasing means 404 and the cam shape of the cam surface 403a of the pair of left and right cam levers 403.

  When the upper divided steering shaft 32a turns, the pair of left and right cam levers 403 having the cam surface 403a are swung with the vehicle straight running position as a reference L1 by the rotating roller 402 supported by the support lever 401. The upper divided steering shaft 32a is divided from the lower divided steering shaft 32b by being biased toward the initial position direction, but the operation by the steering handle 8 during manned operation is not too light, The operation with the actual steering handle 8 can be operated with the same feeling as when the front wheel 3 turns left and right.

  The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 includes a steering shaft driving means 500 for turning the lower divided steering shaft 32b divided based on the steering angle information detected during manned driving. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the lower divided steering shaft 32b is formed by integrally assembling a first lower divided shaft portion 32b1 and a second lower divided shaft portion 32b2. A lower portion of the first lower split shaft portion 32b1 is supported by the front body frame 2a via a bearing 600. A shaft portion 601a of an arm 601 is spline-engaged with a lower portion of the first lower divided shaft portion 32b1, and is fastened and fixed by a nut 602 so that the first lower divided shaft portion 32b1 and the arm 601 can rotate together. It has become. One end of the left and right tie rods 603 is connected to the arm 601 via a ball joint 604. The other ends of the left and right tie rods 603 are connected to a knuckle 606 of the front wheel 3 via a ball joint 605, and these constitute the turning force transmission mechanism 31.

  The first lower divided shaft portion 32b1 and the second lower divided shaft portion 32b2 are rotatably supported by the drive case body 610 and the lid body 611 via bearings 612 and 613. The drive case body 610 is provided with a steering shaft drive means 500. The steering shaft driving means 500 includes a steering motor M1 and a driving shaft 500b, and a motor shaft 500a1 of the steering motor M1 is connected to the driving shaft 500b. Both ends of the drive shaft 500b are supported by the drive case body 610 via bearings 500c.

  A face gear 32b11 is formed on the upper surface of the first lower split shaft portion 32b1, and meshes with the gear 500b1 of the drive shaft 500b. The drive shaft 500b is rotated forward or reversely by the steering motor M1, thereby turning the lower divided steering shaft 32b including the first lower divided shaft portion 32b1 and the second lower divided shaft portion 32b2.

  Further, the steering shaft driving means 500 turns the lower divided steering shaft 32b based on the steering angle information based on at least the vehicle position information and the travel route information to the destination during unmanned operation.

  Next, a power transmission system for transmitting the driving force from the engine 5 will be described with reference to FIG. The driving force from the engine 5 is output from the transmission 5 a and transmitted to the differential device 41 via the front wheel propeller shaft 40. Left and right drive shafts 43 are connected to the left and right output shafts 41 a of the differential device 41 via constant velocity joints 42, respectively. The drive shafts 43 are respectively connected to the axles 3 a of the left and right front wheels 3 via the constant velocity joints 44. The front wheels 3 are driven by the driving force from the engine 5. Disc brake devices 45 are provided on the axles 3a of the left and right front wheels 3, respectively.

  The driving force from the engine 5 is output from the transmission 5 a and transmitted to the reduction gear 59 via the rear wheel propeller shaft 50. The left and right drive shafts 53 are connected to the left and right output shafts 59 a of the speed reducer 59 via constant velocity joints 58, respectively. The drive shafts 53 are respectively axles of the left and right rear wheels 4 via constant velocity joints 54. The rear wheel 4 is driven by the driving force from the engine 5. The rear wheel propeller shaft 50 is provided with an electromagnetic brake device 51 and a disc brake device 52 in this order.

  Next, control of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 17, a thin line indicates a normal control signal line, and a thick line indicates an abnormal signal communication line. The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 includes an operation device SW, a vehicle body control actuator group M, a vehicle body sensor group SE, a steering angle detection means 200, an engine ignition system 563, a speaker light unit 103, an emergency stop system A, a positioning system. B, a road obstacle detection system C, a power supply system G, an autonomous control device CM, a vehicle body control device 700, and the like. The autonomous control device CM and the vehicle body control device 700 are powered by the power supply system G, and the operation devices SW, the vehicle body sensor group SE, the steering angle detection means 200, the emergency stop system A, the positioning system B, the roadway obstacles. Based on information such as the detection system C, the engine ignition system 563, the speaker light unit 103, the vehicle body control actuator group M, and the like are driven to travel.

  As the operation equipment SW, there are a main switch SW1, a kill switch SW20, a manned unmanned operation switch SW2, a cell switch SW3, a throttle lever 560, a shift lever 561, a brake pedal 562, and the like.

  The main switch SW1, the kill switch SW20, and the manned unmanned operation changeover switch SW2 are arranged on the operation panel 550 as shown in FIG. The power supply system G has an engine generator G1, a generator G2, a battery G3, an uninterruptible power supply G4, and a power supply switching means G5. By operating the main switch SW1, power is turned on from the battery G3 to the electrical component, the autonomous control device CM, and the vehicle body control device 700. Further, the manned unmanned operation changeover switch SW2 switches between the manned driving in which the driver gets on and runs by the driver's operation and the unmanned driving in which the driver automatically runs without getting on.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the cell switch SW3 and the throttle lever 560 are arranged on the right side of the steering handle 8, and the shift lever 561 is arranged on the left side. In a state where the main switch SW1 is input, the cell motor M2 is driven by the operation of the cell switch SW3 to start the engine 5. Further, when the kill switch SW20 is operated while the engine 5 is being driven, the power is cut off and the engine 5 is stopped.

  Further, the cell switch SW3 and the kill switch SW20 are provided in the remote controller H. With the main switch SW1 input, the cell switch SW3 of the remote controller H can be operated to start the engine 5 by remote control. Similarly, the engine 5 can be stopped by remote control by operating the kill switch SW20 of the remote controller H.

  By operating the throttle lever 560, the throttle motor M3 is driven to control the carburetor. Further, the shift is switched by driving the shift motor M4 by operating the shift lever 561.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the brake pedal 562 is disposed on the floor portion 28 of the vehicle body 2, and sends a brake signal via the rod 562 b by operating the brake pedal 562. Based on this brake signal, the vehicle body control device 700 drives the brake motor M5 and supplies the brake fluid to the disc brake devices 45 and 52 arranged in the front and rear by the master cylinder 562a to brake.

  The vehicle body control actuator group M includes a steering motor M1, a cell motor M2, a throttle motor M3, a brake motor M5, and the like.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the steering motor M1 is arranged to turn the lower divided steering shaft 32b based on the steering angle information. The cell motor M2, the throttle motor M3, and the shift motor M4 are each arranged around the engine 5 as shown in FIG. The shift motor M4 performs communication control based on operation information of the shift lever 561, and switches the shift to forward, neutral, and reverse. The brake motor M5 is disposed on the rear side of the vehicle body 2.

  The vehicle body sensor group SE includes a vehicle speed sensor SE1, an engine water temperature sensor SE2, an actuator temperature sensor SE3, an engine speed detection sensor SE4, and the like. As shown in FIG. 5, the vehicle speed sensor SE <b> 1 is disposed around the drive shaft 43 of the front wheel 3, and the engine water temperature sensor SE <b> 2 is disposed around the engine 5. The actuator temperature sensor SE3 is disposed in each vehicle body control actuator group M. The engine speed detection sensor SE4 is arranged corresponding to the crankshaft 5b of the engine 5.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the steering angle detection means 200 is disposed below the lower divided steering shaft 32b and detects the steering angle during manned driving.

  The engine ignition system 563 includes an ignition circuit 563a, an ignition coil 563b, a spark plug 563c, and the like. A high voltage is applied to the ignition coil 563b by the ignition circuit 563a, and spark is ignited by the spark plug 563c. The spark plug 563c is provided in the cylinder of the engine 5 as shown in FIG.

  The speaker light unit 103 includes a central speaker 103a and a pair of left and right pilot lights 103b, and is disposed on the rear carrier 22c as shown in FIGS.

  The emergency stop system A includes an emergency stop receiver 570, an emergency stop switch SW4, an emergency stop control unit 700a provided in the vehicle body control device 700, and the like, and the emergency stop system A makes an emergency stop such as in an emergency.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the emergency stop receiver 570 is arranged on the operation panel 550 and receives an emergency stop signal from the emergency stop transmitter 580. As shown in FIG. 5, an emergency stop switch SW4 is provided on the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle body 2, and the emergency stop switch SW4 is pushed in an emergency.

  During the unmanned operation, the emergency stop control unit 700a uses an emergency stop signal from the emergency stop receiver 570 and the emergency stop switch SW4, and also an actuator diagnosis unit 700b based on a signal from the vehicle body control actuator group M and a signal from the vehicle body sensor group SE. The electromagnetic brake device 51 is driven to stop the vehicle on the basis of the diagnostic signal from the sensor diagnostic unit 700c, and also any one of the positioning system B, the road obstacle detection system C, and the emergency stop signal from the autonomous controller CM. In addition, the engine 5 is stopped by misfire control of the engine ignition system 563.

  In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the electromagnetic brake device 51 is disposed on the rear wheel propeller shaft 50, but is not particularly limited to the power transmission system from the engine 5. The electromagnetic brake device 51 includes a brake disk 51a fixed to the rear wheel propeller shaft 50 and rotating integrally, a caliper 51b straddling the outer periphery of the brake disk 51a, and a pad 51c built in the caliper 51b.

  When the electromagnetic brake device 51 is powered off and de-energized, the caliper 51b is tightened by the spring 51d and the pad 51c is slidably contacted with the brake disc 51a for braking. Thus, in an emergency, the electromagnetic brake device 51 can make an emergency stop by using the emergency stop function. In any case, an emergency stop can be performed in an emergency, improving reliability.

  During the unmanned operation, the emergency stop control unit 700a uses an emergency stop signal from the emergency stop receiver 570 and the emergency stop switch SW4, and also an actuator diagnosis unit 700b based on a signal from the vehicle body control actuator group M and a signal from the vehicle body sensor group SE. The diagnostic signal from the sensor diagnostic unit 700c, as well as any one of the emergency stop signal from the positioning system B, the traveling road obstacle detection system C, and the autonomous control device CM are blocked.

  The emergency stop control unit 700a has means for decelerating and stopping at a predetermined speed during manned operation, and stopping at an appropriate deceleration considering the driver even during manned operation by decelerating to a predetermined speed and stopping. be able to. As a means for decelerating and stopping at a predetermined speed during manned operation, the engine 5 is decelerated to a predetermined speed by thinning out the ignition by the misfire control of the engine ignition system 563, and then the engine 5 is stopped.

  Further, the vehicle is stopped by driving the electromagnetic brake device 51 based on any one of the emergency stop signals from the positioning system B, the road obstacle detection system C, and the autonomous control device CM, and the misfire of the engine ignition system 563 The engine 5 is stopped by the control.

  In the emergency stop system A, an emergency stop signal and a system abnormality signal are input to the vehicle body control device 700, and an emergency stop signal or a system abnormality signal is received from the positioning system B, the roadway obstacle detection system C, and the autonomous control device CM. If the vehicle is stopped based on the above, it will not automatically return.

  Further, the carburetor is controlled by driving the throttle motor M3, and the fuel supply amount is reduced to reduce to a predetermined speed. Thereafter, the fuel supply is stopped and the engine 5 is stopped.

  The positioning system B includes a GPS receiver B1, a gyro compass B2, an encoder B3, and the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the GPS receiver B1 is disposed on a tower-like rear carrier 22c, and vehicle position information is obtained by the GPS receiver B1. As shown in FIG. 4, the gyrocompass B2 is disposed below the seat 7 and obtains vehicle orientation information by the gyrocompass B2. As shown in FIG. 5, the encoder B3 is connected by a drive shaft 53 and a toothed belt B3a, and travel distance information is obtained by the encoder B3. Information obtained from the positioning system B is sent to the autonomous control device CM.

  The traveling road obstacle detection system C includes a front laser scanner C1, a rear laser scanner C2, a camera C3, and the like, which detect a traveling road and detect obstacles. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the front laser scanner C1 is disposed on the front side of the vehicle body 2, and the rear laser scanner C2 is disposed on the rear carrier 22c. Similarly, the camera C3 is disposed on the rear carrier 22c. The front laser scanner C1 is at a low position and scans left and right and up and down. The rear laser scanner C2 is at a high position and scans left and right and up and down. By using two laser scanners and detecting at different positions above and below, it is possible to detect a travel path and obstacles even at high speeds. The camera C3 can obtain an image by rotating or swinging left and right and up and down. For example, an image can be obtained by rotating 360 degrees, but the rotation angle is not particularly limited.

  The autonomous control device CM includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and includes a wireless system CM1. As shown in FIG. 4, the autonomous control device CM is disposed at the rear position of the uninterruptible power supply G4 in the rear body frame 2b behind the backrest. The autonomous control device CM receives, for example, traveling information transmitted from the base station E by the wireless system E1 to the destination by the wireless system CM1, and the autonomous control device CM performs unmanned operation with information from the positioning system B. .

  The vehicle control device 700 includes a CPU, a RAM, a ROM, and the like, and switches the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 to manned operation or unmanned operation by a manned unmanned operation switching switch SW2 that constitutes a switching unit. As shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle control device 700 is disposed below the autonomous control device CM and the uninterruptible power supply G4.

  During the manned operation, the vehicle control device 700 controls the vehicle body control actuator group M and the engine ignition system 563 to travel by operating the operation device SW. During unmanned operation, the vehicle body control actuator group M and the engine ignition system 563 are driven to travel by traveling information to the destination transmitted from the base station and information from the positioning system B.

  Next, the invention described in claims 1 to 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. The vehicle body control device 700 of the present invention includes an automatic travel start position setting unit 900, a predetermined range calculation unit 901, a travel route calculation unit 902, a determination unit 903, an automatic travel start unit 904, and an automatic travel prohibition unit 905. Is provided.

  The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 includes operation means 910 such as an operation panel, and an operator operates the operation means 910 to select an automatic travel course, and inputs an automatic travel start position of the selected automatic travel course. The automatic travel start position setting unit 900 sets the automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course based on the input from the operation unit 910.

  The predetermined range calculation means 901 calculates a predetermined range with the automatic travel start position as a base point. For example, the range of a radius of 100 m, which has been confirmed that the road surface condition can be traveled by visual observation in advance, is calculated using the automatic travel start position as a base point. The travel route calculation means 902 calculates the travel route from the current vehicle position to the travel start position based on the information of the positioning system B.

  The determination unit 903 determines whether or not the current vehicle position is within a predetermined range based on information from the predetermined range calculation unit 901 and information from the travel route calculation unit 902.

  When the determination unit 903 determines that the current vehicle position is within the predetermined range, the automatic travel start unit 903 automatically travels to the automatic travel start position based on the information of the positioning system B in unmanned operation.

  If the determination unit 903 determines that the current vehicle position is outside the predetermined range, the automatic travel prohibition unit 905 issues a warning indicating that automatic travel is not possible and prohibits automatic travel. The warning indicating that automatic driving is not possible, for example, displays a warning on the operation means 910 such as an operation panel or sounds a warning buzzer. The prohibition of automatic travel does not drive the engine ignition system 563, for example.

  Thus, the automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course is set, the travel route from the current vehicle position to the travel start position is calculated, and it is determined whether or not the current vehicle position is within a predetermined range. It is possible to automatically move to the automatic travel start position by simply placing the vehicle in the vicinity of the start position, and the automatic travel start procedure can be greatly simplified.

  Next, the invention described in claims 4 to 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 19 and 20. The vehicle body control device 700 of the present invention includes an automatic travel start position setting unit 900, a predetermined range calculation unit 901, a travel route calculation unit 902, a determination unit 903, and an automatic travel start unit configured as shown in FIG. 904 and automatic travel prohibiting means 905, the judging means 903 judges whether or not the travel route passes within the predetermined range based on the information of the predetermined range calculation means 901 and the information of the travel route calculation means 902. To do.

  When the determination unit 903 determines that the travel route passes within the predetermined range, the automatic travel start unit 904 automatically travels to the automatic travel start position based on the information of the positioning system B in unmanned operation.

  In addition, when the determination unit 903 determines that the travel route passes outside the predetermined range, the automatic travel prohibition unit 905 issues a warning indicating that automatic travel is not possible and prohibits automatic travel. The warning indicating that automatic driving is not possible, for example, displays a warning on the operation means 910 such as an operation panel or sounds a warning buzzer. The prohibition of automatic travel does not drive the engine ignition system 563, for example.

  Thus, the automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course is set, the travel route from the current vehicle position to the travel start position is calculated, and it is determined whether the travel route passes within a predetermined range. It is possible to automatically move to the automatic travel start position by simply placing the vehicle in the vicinity of the start position, and the automatic travel start procedure can be greatly simplified.

  Next, automatic traveling from designation of an automatic traveling course will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining designation of an automatic traveling course. First, the manned unmanned operation switching travel vehicle 1 is moved to the automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course, and the automatic travel start position is stored in the manned unmanned operation switching travel vehicle 1.

  When the manned unmanned operation switching travel vehicle 1 travels along the automatic travel course, the storage starts from the automatic travel start position, and the storage of the automatic travel course ends at the automatic travel end position. In the automatic traveling, the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 is returned to the automatic traveling start position. Next, an embodiment of automatic traveling from designation of the first automatic traveling course will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Sa1: A board for lowering the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 from the stopped transport vehicle is lowered to the ground.

  Sa2: The base station is provided with a personal computer equipped with a monitor, an image monitor, a remote control switch, and a joystick.

  Sa3: The engine, the generator, and the system of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 are manually started in the transport vehicle.

  Sa4: When the base station monitor is started, information is displayed.

  Sa5: An operator approaches and operates a PDA (portable terminal). The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 automatically gets off and stops at the automatic traveling start position.

  Sa6: The operator removes the vehicle body center cover 23 of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 and gets on the vehicle.

  Sa7: The operator instructs “start teaching” through the PDA.

  Sa8: The engine of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 starts, starts manual traveling, and starts recording the traveling road.

  Sa9: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 travels at a considerably high speed while performing manual teaching traveling.

  Sa10: The operator presses the PDA marking button at the designated monitoring point, and records the position.

  Sa11: The operator returns to the vicinity of the automatic travel start position, and stops the manned unmanned operation switching travel vehicle 1 at a position where the manned unmanned operation switch travel vehicle 1 can easily return to the automatic travel start position.

  Sa12: The operator instructs “ending teaching” through the PDA, and stops the engine through the PDA.

  Sa13: The operator gets off the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 and puts the vehicle body center cover 23 on the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1.

  Sa14: The operator inputs a name on the “stored travel course data” and saves it in the PDA.

  Sa15: The operator changes the PDA to the “work creation” mode.

  Sa16: The operator selects a traveling course, composes a work, assigns a name, and saves it.

  Sa17: The operator selects “work” and presses the “automatic running mode” button.

  Sa18: One of the personal computers in the base station displays an information screen, and the other monitor displays a photograph taken by the camera.

  Sa19: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 moves to the automatic traveling start position and stops temporarily.

  Sa20: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 automatically starts after stopping for a while.

  Sa21: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 stops at the first set point (the engine is stopped), and executes the set work.

  Sa22: The same process is performed at the next point.

  Sa23: Returning to the automatic travel start position, the engine of the manned unmanned operation switching travel vehicle 1 is stopped.

  Sa24: The “work complete” signal on the PDA and base station monitors glows red.

  Next, an embodiment of automatic traveling from the designation of the second automatic traveling course will be described with reference to FIGS.

  Sb1: The staff places an obstacle on the road.

  Sb2: The operator selects a work using the PDA and presses the automatic travel start button.

  Sb3: Information is displayed when the base station monitor is switched on.

  Sb4: “Automatic running” starts.

  Sb5: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 keeps running by avoiding the first obstacle easily (smoothly).

  Sb6: The emergency stop is performed at the next moving obstacle, and the traveling is resumed after waiting for the obstacle to pass.

  Sb7: For a dead end obstacle, the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 transmits a help signal to the base station.

  Sb8: The monitor of the base station displays the help signal in red, and the operation mode is automatically changed to “remote control mode”.

  Sb9: The operator at the base station drives the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 with the remote controller while viewing the image taken by the camera.

  Sb10: Returning to the normal route, the operator at the base station drives the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 with the remote controller while viewing the image taken by the camera. After a few minutes, it switches back to automatic driving mode.

  Sb11: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 returns to the automatic traveling start position.

  Sb12: The “work complete” signal on the PDA and base station monitors glows red.

  Next, an embodiment of automatic traveling from designation of a third automatic traveling course will be described based on FIGS. 27 and 28. FIG.

  Sc1: The operator removes the vehicle body center cover 23 of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 and gets on.

  Sc2: Instructs “start guidance”.

  Sc3: The engine of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 is started and manual traveling is started. Start recording the road you are driving.

  Sc4: The operator (driver) causes the speed to vary, and stops the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 while sometimes stopping and operating the camera and the light.

  Sc5: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 returns to near the automatic traveling start position. The operator parks the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 so that the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 can easily move to the automatic travel start position.

  Sc6: The operator instructs “end of guidance” and stops the engine.

  Sc7: The operator gets off the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 and puts the vehicle body center cover 23 thereon.

  Sc8: The operator inputs a name in “passing route data” and stores it in the PDA.

  Sc9: The operator selects “work” and presses the “automatic travel mode” button. Sc10: One of the personal computers in the base station displays an information screen, and the other monitor displays a photograph taken by the camera.

  Sc11: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 moves to the automatic traveling start position and stops temporarily.

  Sc12: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 starts running automatically after stopping for a while.

  Sc13: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 completely reproduces every movement of manual traveling and returns.

  Sc14: The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 returns to the automatic traveling start position and stops the engine.

  Sc15: The “work complete” signal on the PDA and base station monitors glows red.

  Next, an embodiment of automatic traveling from the designation of the fourth automatic traveling course will be described with reference to FIG.

  Sd1: When the personal computer in the base station is set to the “programming mode”, the map information appears on the screen.

  Sd2: The operator creates a route on the map. Click one point on the driving course and enter the speed of each section.

  Sd3: Select a method for creating a running course. Select “speed support mode” or “position support mode”.

  Sd4: When the route is calculated, the final route connected with the “corner” is displayed. Since the personal computer asks "OK?", The operator responds to it.

  Sd5: The operator assigns and saves the route name and sends it to the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1. The manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle 1 automatically travels based on the setting.

  Set the automatic driving start position of the automatic driving course, calculate the driving route from the current vehicle position to the driving start position, determine whether the current vehicle position is within the predetermined range, and close to the automatic driving start position It is possible to automatically move to the automatic travel start position by simply placing the vehicle appropriately, and the automatic travel start procedure can be greatly simplified.

It is a side view of a manned unmanned driving change travel vehicle in the state where a vehicle body center cover was attached. It is a perspective view of a manned unmanned driving change travel vehicle in the state where a vehicle body center cover was attached. It is a side view of the manned unmanned driving switching traveling vehicle with the vehicle body center cover removed. It is a perspective view of a manned unmanned driving change travel vehicle in the state where a body cover was removed. It is a top view which shows the engine and power transmission mechanism of a manned unmanned operation switching travel vehicle. It is a right view of a manned unmanned driving change travel vehicle in the state where a body cover was removed. It is a front view of the manned unmanned driving switching traveling vehicle with the vehicle body cover removed. It is a rear view of the manned unmanned operation switching traveling vehicle with the vehicle body cover removed. It is a figure which shows the power transmission mechanism to a rear wheel. It is a side view which shows a steering mechanism. It is sectional drawing which follows the XI-XI line of FIG. Front view of the steering system, It is a cross-sectional view of a steering shaft drive unit. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a steering shaft drive part. It is a top view of a steering handle. It is a side view which shows the tilt operation of a steering handle. It is a schematic block diagram of control of a manned unmanned driving switching travel vehicle. It is a block diagram of the unmanned driving traveling vehicle corresponding to a claim. It is a figure which shows the judgment of the driving | running | working to an automatic driving | running | working driving | operation position. It is a figure which shows the judgment of the driving | running | working to an automatic driving | running | working driving | operation position. It is a figure explaining designation | designated of an automatic driving | running | working course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 1st automatic running course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 1st automatic running course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 1st automatic running course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 2nd automatic running course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 2nd automatic running course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 3rd automatic running course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 3rd automatic running course. It is a figure explaining embodiment of automatic running from designation of the 4th automatic running course.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Manned unmanned driving switching travel vehicle 2 Car body 3 Front wheel 4 Rear wheel 5 Engine 700 Car body control device 900 Automatic travel start position setting means 901 Predetermined range calculation means 902 Travel route calculation means 903 Determination means 904 Automatic travel start means 905 Automatic travel prohibition means

Claims (6)

It has a positioning system and is a vehicle that can be driven unattended without the driver getting on board.
Automatic travel start position setting means for setting an automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course; predetermined range calculation means for calculating a predetermined range based on the automatic travel start position; and from the current vehicle position to the travel start position Traveling route computing means for computing a traveling route;
An unmanned driving vehicle comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not the current vehicle position is within the predetermined range. The unmanned driving traveling vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising automatic traveling start means for automatically traveling to the automatic traveling start position based on a determination that the current vehicle position is within the predetermined range. 2. The unmanned driving vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising: an automatic driving prohibiting unit that issues an alarm indicating that the automatic driving is disabled based on a determination that the current vehicle position is outside the predetermined range and prohibits automatic driving. 3. It has a positioning system and is a vehicle that can be driven unattended without the driver getting on board.
Automatic travel start position setting means for setting an automatic travel start position of the automatic travel course; predetermined range calculation means for calculating a predetermined range based on the automatic travel start position; and from the current vehicle position to the travel start position Traveling route computing means for computing a traveling route;
An unmanned driving traveling vehicle comprising: a determination unit that determines whether or not the traveling route passes within the predetermined range. The unmanned driving traveling vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising: an automatic traveling start unit that automatically travels to the automatic traveling start position based on a determination that the traveling route passes within the predetermined range. 5. The unmanned driving vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising: an automatic driving prohibiting unit that prohibits automatic driving based on a determination that the driving route passes out of the predetermined range and prohibits the automatic driving.

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