JP2012105928A - Traveling control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To aim at reducing cost in a travelling control system for a moving body.SOLUTION: The travelling control system 10 to control a progress direction of a moving body 100 includes a light projector 20 set on the moving body 100 to project and receive signal light, and a reflection plate 30 to reflect the signal light from the light projector 20. The light projector 20 includes an upward light projector 21 to project signal light to an upper part of the reflection plate 30 and a downward projector 22 to project signal light a lower part of the reflection plate 30. An optical axis 23 projected by the upward light projector 21 and the downward light projector 22 projects signal light to a position shifted in a lateral direction with respect to almost the center of the reflection plate 30.

Description

  The present invention relates to a traveling control system capable of controlling the traveling direction of a traveling moving body.

  Conventionally, for example, an “automatic steering electric wheelchair” shown in Patent Document 1 has been proposed as a traveling control system that controls the traveling direction of a traveling moving body.

  The automatic steering electric wheelchair includes an electric wheel fixed to the frame, an idle wheel that freely turns according to the rotation of the electric wheel, a sensor that is fixed to the frame and emits infrared rays toward the road surface, and a road surface. It consists of a reflective road marking that reflects the infrared rays emitted by the sensor. Here, the sensors are provided at both ends (the idle wheel side) of the frame that supports both feet of the occupant. In this automatic steering electric wheelchair, the left and right sensors can irradiate the reflected road surface with infrared rays and receive the reflected light so that it can be advanced along the reflective road surface indicator. When switching to forward, the reflected road marking on the extension of the sensor is read and moved forward. Here, in the case of an automatic steering electric wheelchair, when one sensor reads the reflective road surface marking and the other sensor does not perform the reading operation, the electric wheel on the sensor side that performs the reading operation rotates and the other electric motor-driven wheelchair rotates. The wheel moves forward along the reflective road marking by performing an operation to stop.

JP 2006-102074 A

  In order for the above-described automatic steering electric wheelchair to realize automatic steering, it is necessary to provide a reflective road marking that reflects infrared rays to the destination without being interrupted on the road surface, which is considered to be an expensive travel control system.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce costs in a traveling control system for a moving body.

A traveling control system for controlling the traveling direction of a moving body, comprising a projector that is provided on the moving body and can project and receive signal light, and a reflector that reflects the signal light of the projector The projector includes an upper projector that projects signal light above the reflector, and a lower projector that projects signal light below the reflector, and the upper projector and the lower projector. A traveling control system characterized by projecting signal light at a position shifted in the lateral direction of the reflector.

  According to the travel control system of the first aspect, it is possible to control the traveling direction of the moving body by projecting the signal light from the two projectors toward the reflecting plate and detecting the reflected signal light. Therefore, since a large sign is not provided, a travel control system with reduced costs can be provided.

  According to the traveling control system of the second aspect, it is possible to control the traveling direction of the moving body moving forward.

  According to the travel control system of the third aspect, it is possible to control the traveling direction of the moving object that moves backward.

The figure which provides a light projector in a moving body is shown. It is a figure which shows the structure of the lift-up apparatus which provides a reflecting plate. It is a figure which shows the raising / lowering apparatus provided with a reflecting plate. The figure which a moving body irradiates with signal light toward a reflecting plate is shown. The figure which the projector in Example 1 and Example 2 irradiates a reflecting plate with signal light is shown. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the shape of signal light and reflectors irradiated by a projector in Example 3.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
The present invention is a traveling control system 10 that controls the traveling direction of a traveling body 100 that travels, and includes a projector 20 that is provided in the traveling body 100 and can project and detect signal light, and a signal from the projector 20. It is comprised with the reflecting plate 30 which reflects light.

The moving body 100 according to the present invention is an electric wheelchair 100a that can be used inside and outside a vehicle, and includes a frame 110 that supports an occupant and brackets 121 around the frame 110 that is lateral to the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a. Wheels 120, a drive mechanism 130 that drives the wheels 120, an operation mechanism 140 that controls the wheels 120 driven by the drive mechanism 130 and operates the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100 a, and the operation mechanism 140 is automatically controlled. A projector 20 for projecting signal light in the traveling direction is provided.

  The drive mechanism 130 (not shown) is a mechanism for driving the wheel 120, and includes a motor 131 that serves as power for driving the wheel 120, a power transmission shaft 132 a that transmits the power of the motor 131 to the wheel 120, and a gear unit. It is comprised with the power transmission device 132 which has 132b.

  The operation mechanism 140 (not shown) is a mechanism for controlling the direction of the wheel 120 driven by the drive mechanism 130 and controlling the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a, and is a joystick that controls the drive mechanism 130 by tilting the lever. A handle for controlling the drive mechanism 130 by rotating left and right and a switch 140a for instructing automatic steering of the electric wheelchair 100a are provided.

  The projector 20 is a device that determines the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a that performs automatic steering. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the projector 20 detects the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a that moves forward. Therefore, it is installed in the direction in which signal light is projected forward at a substantially central position of the frame 110 provided in front of the electric wheelchair 100a. The projector 20 includes an upper projector 21 that projects signal light on an upper part of a reflector 30 to be described later, and a lower projector 22 that projects signal light on a lower part of the reflector 30. . The upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22 are a light projecting unit 21a, 22a that projects signal light, and a light receiving unit 21b that detects the signal light of the light projecting units 21a, 22a reflected by the reflecting plate 30, 22b is provided separately or integrally. Here, the signal light is visible light or infrared light having high directivity, and laser light is used in this embodiment.

In the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the projector 20 includes the upper projector 21 at a position where the optical axis 23 of the signal light to be projected can project to the upper right side of the upper portion of the reflector 30. The lower light projector 22 is provided at a position where the optical axis 23 of the signal light to be projected can be projected to the substantially central left side of the lower part of the reflector 30. Here, the optical axis 23 of the upper projector 21 is the optical axis 23a, and the optical axis 23 of the lower projector is the optical axis 23b. In the present invention, in addition to the example described above, an upper projector 21 is provided at a position where the optical axis 23a of the signal light to be projected projects to the left of the upper part of the upper part of the reflector 30. The lower projector 22 may be provided at a position where the optical axis 23 b projects to the right of the lower center of the reflecting plate 30, and the two projectors 20 may be shifted to the left and right with respect to the center of the reflecting plate 30. Any structure that projects light is within the scope of the present invention. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, an upper projector 21 and a lower projector 22 are provided at a position where the optical axis 23 of the signal light is projected at a substantially central position of the reflector 30. An example in which the optical axis 23 of the optical device 20 is installed so as to be able to project light on a vertical line with respect to the center of the reflector 30 will be described.

  In order to detect the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a moving forward, the projector 20 according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment projects the signal light forward at a substantially central position of the frame 110 provided in front of the electric wheelchair 100a. Although installed, as shown in Example 3, in order to control the traveling of the electric wheelchair 100a that moves backward, it is installed in the direction in which signal light is projected rearward at a substantially central position of the frame 110 provided behind the electric wheelchair 100a. Is also possible.

  In the present embodiment, the electric wheelchair 100a is taken as an example of the moving body 100, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a traveling toy that travels by remote operation with an automobile or wheels that travel by the operation of the occupant, It can be used in any case of traveling equipment that automatically drives wheels to travel.

Next, the reflecting plate 30 will be described.
The reflecting plate 30 is a reflecting plate 30 that reflects the signal light projected from the projector 20, and is provided at a position where the signal light projected by the projector 20 can be reflected. Here, as shown in the first embodiment and the third embodiment, the signal light is projected at a position where the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22 of the projector 20 are displaced from each other with respect to the center of the reflector 30. If it is installed to do so, as shown in FIG. 5, a reflector 30 processed into a substantially rectangular shape is used. Further, if the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22 of the projector 20 as shown in the second embodiment are installed so as to project the signal light at a substantially central position of the reflector 30, FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, a reflector 30 processed symmetrically is used. In the present embodiment, the reflecting plate 30 is provided at substantially the center of the rear bracket 244 included in the lifting mechanism 240 of the lift-up device 200 described later that can be connected to and disconnected from the moving body 100 (electric wheelchair 100a).

A lift-up device 200 including the reflecting plate 30 of the present invention will be described.
The lift-up device 200 is provided in the vehicle interior and has a structure that can be connected to and disconnected from the electric wheelchair 100a. The lift-up device 200 is a device that moves the electric wheelchair 100a into and out of the vehicle interior. A floor fixing part 210 fixed to the floor, a slide mechanism 220 provided on the floor fixing part 210 so as to be movable back and forth, and a rotating mechanism 230 that rotates the electric wheelchair 100a moved by the slide mechanism 220 in the vehicle traveling direction and the door opening. The rotating mechanism 230 moves the electric wheelchair 100a facing the door opening between the vehicle interior and the road surface outside the vehicle room, and the electric wheelchair 100a moved up to the road surface by the lifting mechanism 240 further moves in the vehicle exterior direction. An outer slide mechanism 250 is provided.

  The elevating mechanism 240 is a mechanism for moving the electric wheelchair 100a into and out of the vehicle interior, and as shown in FIG. Here, the base portion 241 includes a front base portion 241a and a rear base portion 241b. The left and right front base portions 241a are coupled by a front bracket 243, and the left and right rear base portions 241b are coupled by a rear bracket 244. Further, the rear bracket 244 is provided with a reflector 30 at a position where the signal light projected from the projector 20 provided in the electric wheelchair 100a can be projected.

  Next, a procedure for operating the traveling control system 10 of the present invention to control traveling of the moving body 100 (electric wheelchair 100a) will be described. Here, it is assumed that the outer slide mechanism 250 of the lift-up device 200 has moved to the lowered position outside the vehicle compartment. In addition, the electric wheelchair 100a starts automatic maneuvering by pressing the switch 140a of the operation mechanism 140.

Example 1
The electric wheelchair 100 a that has started the automatic operation approaches from the front direction of the lift-up device 200. At this time, the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22 project laser light toward the reflection plate 30 included in the lift-up device 200. Here, the projector 20 is provided at a substantially central position of the frame 110 provided in front of the electric wheelchair 100a in a direction in which laser light is projected forward with respect to the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a. Laser light can be projected at positions where the optical axes 23 a and 23 b of the lower projector 22 are shifted to the left and right in the approximate center of the reflector 30. (1 in FIG. 5)

Next, the traveling control procedure of the electric wheelchair 100a will be described.
The electric wheelchair 100a receives the reflected light of the laser light projected on the reflector 30 by the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22, thereby determining the traveling direction and moving forward toward the lift-up device 200. Is possible. Here, in the electric wheelchair 100 a, the optical axis 23 a of the laser beam projected by the upper projector 21 that is the projector 20 captures the reflecting plate 30, and the laser beam projected by the lower projector 22. When the optical axis 23b cannot catch the reflecting plate 30 (2 in FIG. 5), it detects a shift in the traveling direction, and controls the driving device 130 from the detected optical axis information of the projector 20. It becomes possible to correct the deviation in the traveling direction and advance toward the lift-up device 200.

  In the electric wheelchair 100a, the optical axis 23b of the laser beam projected by the lower projector 22 which is the projector 20 captures the reflecting plate 30, and the optical axis of the laser beam projected by the upper projector. Even if 23a cannot catch the reflecting plate 30 (3 in FIG. 5), it detects a deviation in the traveling direction and controls the driving device 130 from the detected optical axis information of the projector 20. Thus, the shift in the traveling direction can be corrected and the vehicle can move forward toward the lift-up device 200.

(Example 2)
The electric wheelchair 100 a that has started the automatic operation approaches from the front direction of the lift-up device 200. At this time, laser light is projected from the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22 toward the reflector 30 provided in the lift-up device 200. Here, the projector 20 is provided at a substantially central position of the frame 110 provided in front of the electric wheelchair 100 in a direction in which laser light is projected forward with respect to the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a. The optical axes 23 a and 23 b of the optical device 22 are provided so as to be able to project light perpendicular to the reflector 30. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the reflecting plate 30 uses a reflecting plate 30a processed into left and right objects.

Next, the traveling control procedure of the electric wheelchair 100a will be described.
The electric wheelchair 100a receives the reflected light of the laser light projected on the reflector 30 by the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22, thereby determining the traveling direction and moving forward toward the lift-up device 200. The optical axis 23a of the laser beam projected by the upper projector 21 that is the projector 20 captures the reflector 30, and the optical axis of the laser beam projected by the lower projector 22 When 23b cannot catch the reflecting plate 30 (2 in FIG. 6), it detects the shift in the traveling direction, and controls the driving device 130 from the detected optical axis information of the projector 20, thereby proceeding. It becomes possible to correct the deviation in direction and advance toward the lift-up device 200.

  In the electric wheelchair 100a, the optical axis 23b of the laser light projected by the lower projector 22 captures the reflector 30, and the optical axis 23a of the laser light projected by the upper projector 21 is the reflector 30. Even if it is not possible to capture (3 in FIG. 6), the shift in the traveling direction is detected, and the drive device 130 is controlled from the detected optical axis 23 information of the projector 20, thereby proceeding. It is possible to correct the misalignment and advance toward the lift-up device 200.

(Example 3)
The electric wheelchair 100 a that has started the automatic operation approaches from the front direction of the lift-up device 200. At this time, laser light is projected from the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22 toward the reflector 30 provided in the lift-up device 200. Here, the projector 20 includes a frame 110 provided at the rear of the electric wheelchair 100a at a substantially central position in a direction in which laser light is projected backward with respect to the traveling direction of the electric wheelchair 100a. The optical axes 23 a and 23 b of the projector 22 are provided so as to be capable of projecting laser light at positions where the optical plates 23 a and 23 b are shifted to the left and right in the approximate center of the reflector 30.

Next, the traveling control procedure of the electric wheelchair 100a will be described.
The electric wheelchair 100a receives the reflected light of the laser light projected onto the reflecting plate 30 by the upper projector 21 and the lower projector 22, thereby determining the traveling direction and moving backward toward the lift-up device 200. Is possible. Here, in the electric wheelchair 100 a, the optical axis 23 a of the laser beam projected by the upper projector 21, which is the projector 20, captures the reflecting plate 30, and the optical axis 23 b of the laser beam of the lower projector 22. If the reflector 30 could not be captured (2 in FIG. 5), the shift in the traveling direction is detected, and the driving device 130 is controlled based on the detected optical axis 23 information of the projector 20, thereby proceeding. It becomes possible to correct the deviation in direction and to move backward toward the lift-up device 200.

  In the electric wheelchair 100a, the optical axis 23b of the laser beam projected by the lower projector 22 which is the projector 20 captures the reflector 30, and the light of the laser beam projected by the upper projector 21 is obtained. Even when the shaft 23a cannot catch the reflecting plate 30 (3 in FIG. 5), the shift in the traveling direction is detected, and the drive device 130 is controlled from the detected optical axis information of the projector 20. By doing so, it is possible to correct the shift in the traveling direction and to move backward toward the lift-up device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Traveling control system 20 Light projector 21 Upper light projector 21a Light projector 21b Light receiver 22 Lower light projector 22a Light projector
22b Light receiver 23 Optical axis 30 Reflector 30a Reflector 100 Moving body 100a Electric wheelchair 110 Frame 130 Drive mechanism 200 Lift-up device 240 Lift mechanism 244 Rear bracket

Claims (3)

A projector that is provided in a moving body and can project and detect signal light;
Consists of a reflector that reflects the signal light of the projector,
A traveling control system that controls the traveling direction of the moving body by detecting reflected signal light,
The floodlight is an upper floodlight that projects signal light on top of the reflector;
A lower projector that projects signal light below the reflector;
A traveling control system characterized in that signal light is projected at a position where the optical axes projected by the upper projector and the lower projector are shifted laterally with respect to the substantial center of the reflector. 2. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to be able to project signal light in a direction in which the moving body moves forward, and controls traveling of the moving body that moves forward. The travel control system according to claim 1, wherein the projector is configured to be able to project signal light in a direction in which the moving body moves backward, and controls the traveling of the moving body that moves backward.

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