JP2015231761A - Unmanned carrier, driving device and caster device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible to lower a loading surface and to bear on a high load in an unmanned carrier.SOLUTION: A driving device 5 for an unmanned carrier 1 includes: a top plate 33 which is fixed to a carrier body 3 of the unmanned carrier 1; a shaft mechanism 31 which is rotatably attached to the top plate 33; a frame 35 which is oscillatively attached to the shaft mechanism 31; a shaft 47 which is fixed to the frame 35; plural motors 23a, 23b which are attached to the frame 35; plural drive wheels 21a, 21b which are rotatably attached to the shaft 47; and an endless rope-like or endless belt-like transmission member 29 which transmits a driving force of each motor 23a, 23b to one drive wheel 21a, 21b which is used together with each motor 23a, 23b.

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic guided vehicle, a drive device, and a caster device.

  As a prior art, an automated guided vehicle (AGV) of Patent Document 1 includes a top unit and a drive unit having a motor (motor) capable of driving drive wheels via a gear box (gear train, gear mechanism). (Drive unit), a turning shaft mechanism that supports the drive unit so as to be turnable with respect to the top plate, and a drive mechanism that can move the drive unit up and down via the turn shaft mechanism. Moreover, as a prior art, the automatic guided vehicle of Patent Document 2 includes a pair of driving wheels at both front and rear ends of one side, and a caster device (caster unit) at the center of the other side. .

Japanese Patent No. 5248966 JP 2002-264801 A

  However, in the automatic guided vehicles of Patent Documents 1 and 2, there is room for improvement in terms of lowering the loading surface on which loads and the like are loaded and withstanding high loads.

  An object of the present invention is to reduce the loading surface and to withstand a high load in an automatic guided vehicle.

  In a typical embodiment of the present invention, in the driving device for the automatic guided vehicle, the top plate fixed to the main body of the automatic guided vehicle, the shaft mechanism that is pivotably attached to the top plate, and the shaft mechanism A frame that is swingably attached to the frame, a shaft that is fixed to the frame, a plurality of motors that are attached to the frame, a plurality of drive wheels that are rotatably attached to the shaft, and a driving force of each motor And an endless cord-like or endless belt-like transmission member that transmits to a single drive wheel used with each motor.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, the loading surface can be lowered in the automatic guided vehicle, and the driving device and thus the automatic guided vehicle can withstand a high load.

It is the upper perspective view which looked at the automatic guided vehicle concerning an embodiment from the slanting upper part. It is the downward perspective view which looked at the automatic guided vehicle concerning an embodiment from the slanting bottom. (A) is the top view which looked at the automatic guided vehicle concerning an embodiment from the upper part. (B) is the rear view which looked at the automatic guided vehicle concerning an embodiment from back. (A) is the left view which looked at the automatic guided vehicle concerning an embodiment from the left. (B) is the right view which looked at the automatic guided vehicle concerning an embodiment from the right. It is a perspective view of the drive device concerning an embodiment. It is an exploded view of the drive device concerning an embodiment. It is an upper surface perspective view of the drive device concerning an embodiment. It is a side perspective view of the drive device concerning an embodiment. It is sectional drawing in the vertical plane of the drive device which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view of the caster device concerning an embodiment. It is an exploded view of the caster apparatus which concerns on embodiment. (A) is a partially cutaway top view of a caster device. (B) is a partially cutaway side view of the caster device. (A) is a figure which shows the case where the automatic guided vehicle which concerns on embodiment has reached the inclined road surface. (B) is a figure which shows the case where the automatic guided vehicle which concerns on a prior art approached the inclined road surface.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is an upper side perspective view of an automatic guided vehicle 1 according to the embodiment as viewed obliquely from above. FIG. 2 is a lower side perspective view of the automatic guided vehicle 1 according to the embodiment as seen obliquely from below. The longitudinal direction (vertical direction) of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is referred to as the front-rear direction, and the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (lateral direction) is referred to as the left-right direction.

  The automatic guided vehicle 1 includes a transport vehicle main body 3, a drive device 5, and a caster device 7. In the present embodiment, a plurality of driving devices 5a and 5b are provided as the driving device 5, but a configuration in which the number of driving devices 5 is one is also possible. In the present embodiment, when a description common to any of the plurality of driving devices 5a and 5b is given, these are also collectively referred to as the driving device 5.

  The transport vehicle main body 3 is a frame (frame body) as a main body of the automatic guided vehicle 1, and a drive device 5 and a caster device 7 are attached thereto. The automated guided vehicle 1 can automatically transport a load, and the upper surface of the transport vehicle body 3 is a loading surface 3a (loading platform) on which the load is loaded. The automatic guided vehicle 1 includes an obstacle sensor 11 on each side surface, and an emergency stop button 13 at each corner.

  The drive device 5 can move the automatic guided vehicle 1 by driving the drive wheels 21a and 21b with the electric motors 23a and 23b using electric power of a battery (not shown) inside the automatic guided vehicle 1. The battery inside the automatic guided vehicle 1 can be charged from a charging port 9 electrically connected to the electrode of the battery. The driving device 5 is controlled by a control device (not shown) provided inside the automatic guided vehicle 1. The control device includes, for example, a microcomputer, a memory (RAM, ROM), an input / output interface, and the like.

  The transport vehicle main body 3 includes a plurality of track detection sensors 15a and 15b along the left-right direction. Each drive device 5 has a plurality of trajectory detection sensors 25a and 25b along the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the stepped shaft 47). When the transport vehicle main body 3 travels in the front-rear direction, the trajectory detection sensors 25a, 25b of the drive device 5 travel so as to always detect the trajectory (guide line) laid on the floor surface, and travel in the left-right direction. In this case, the track detection sensors 15a and 15b of the transport vehicle body 3 travel so as to always detect the track laid on the floor surface. For example, the track is a magnetic tape, and the track detection sensors 15a, 15b, 25a, and 25b are magnetic sensors that magnetically detect the track. The control device (not shown) controls the rotation of the drive wheels 21a and 21b of the drive device 5 via the electric motors 23a and 23b based on the detection results of the trajectory detection sensors 15a, 15b, 25a and 25b.

  In each driving device 5, one electric motor 23 a transmits driving force to one driving wheel 21 a via an endless cord-like or endless belt-like driving force transmission member 29 such as a chain or a belt to rotate it. . The other electric motor 23b transmits the driving force to the other driving wheel 21b via an endless cord-like or endless belt-like driving force transmission member 29 such as a chain or a belt to rotate it. In FIG. 2, the driving force transmission member 29 (that is, an endless (annular) cord-like member or band-like member) is not shown for easy viewing.

  If the plurality of (two) drive wheels 21a and 21b rotate in the same direction without a rotational difference (that is, a difference in rotational speed or a drive difference), the automatic guided vehicle 1 can travel straight ahead such as forward or backward. In addition, if the rotation difference is given to the several drive wheels 21a and 21b, the automatic guided vehicle 1 can also drive | work, turning at a curve. Further, the automatic guided vehicle 1 can correct the deviation when it is deviated from the track due to the rotation difference between the plurality of drive wheels 21a and 21b.

  Further, if the drive wheels 21a and 21b have a rotation difference such that the drive wheels 21a and 21b rotate in directions opposite to each other, the drive unit 34 (including the drive wheels 21a and 21b and the electric motors 23a and 23b) of the drive device 5 is a shaft described later. It turns around the shaft mechanism 31 around the mechanism 31, and the automatic guided vehicle 1 can change the direction of travel (drive change direction). Therefore, no special means such as a vertical electric motor (the rotation shaft is in the vertical direction) for directly rotating the shaft mechanism 31 to change the traveling direction is not required. For this reason, the drive device 5 is reduced in size, and the floor reduction which makes the loading surface 3a (loading platform) of the automatic guided vehicle 1 low can be realized.

  FIG. 3A is a top view of the automatic guided vehicle 1 according to the embodiment as viewed from above. The dotted line schematically shows the positions of the components inside the automatic guided vehicle 1. The automatic guided vehicle 1 (the guided vehicle main body 3) has a plate-like shape that is roughly rough and has both end faces in the vertical direction being substantially square.

  The plurality of drive devices 5 are located at the left end portion of the transport vehicle body 3, and the caster device 7 is located at the right end portion of the transport vehicle body 3. One drive device 5 is located at the front end of the transport vehicle body 3, and the other drive device 5 is located at the rear end of the transport vehicle body 3. The caster device 7 includes a device main body 50 having a plurality of wheels 51 a and 51 b at both ends in the longitudinal direction, and the wheels 51 a and 51 b of the caster device 7 are arranged to face one drive device 5. One wheel 51 a is located at the front end of the transport vehicle body 3, and the other wheel 51 b is located at the rear end of the transport vehicle body 3. As described above, the plurality (two) of driving devices 5 and the plurality (two) of wheels 51 a and 51 b are arranged at the four corners of the transport vehicle main body 3. In the caster device 7, the wheels 51 a and 51 b are rotatably supported by the device body 50.

  As described above, the automatic guided vehicle 1 can change the direction of travel. In FIG. 3A, the automatic guided vehicle 1 is in a forward / backward traveling state in which it travels in the front / rear direction (longitudinal direction), but the drive unit 34 of the drive device 5 turns 90 degrees around a shaft mechanism 31 to be described later. Thus, the automatic guided vehicle 1 enters a traverse state in which it travels in the left-right direction (lateral direction). Note that the drive wheels 21a and 21b of the drive device 5 and the wheels 51a and 51b of the caster device 7 are directed in the front-rear direction in the forward-reverse state, but are directed in the left-right direction in the transverse state.

  FIG. 3B is a rear view of the automatic guided vehicle 1 according to the embodiment as viewed from the rear. Each of the driving devices 5 and the wheels 51a and 51b of the caster device 7 are respectively housed in the corresponding recesses 3b of the carrier body 3 (see FIG. 2). However, the drive wheels 21a and 21b of the drive device 5 and a part of each of the wheels 51a and 51b of the caster device 7 are located on the outer side (lower side) of the bottom 3c of the transport vehicle body 3 and are in contact with the road surface.

  FIG. 4A is a left side view of the automatic guided vehicle 1 according to the embodiment as viewed from the left. The dotted line schematically shows the drive device 5 inside the automatic guided vehicle 1. As shown in FIG. 4A, the driving device 5 includes a top plate 33 that is attached and fixed to the carrier main body 3 by screws, welding, or the like (fixing means), and a drive unit that is attached to the top plate 33 so as to be pivotable. A shaft mechanism 31 that supports 34 is included. The drive unit 34 of the drive device 5 includes a main body frame (main body frame portion) 35, drive wheels 21a and 21b, electric motors 23a and 23b, and is attached to the shaft mechanism 31 so as to be swingable. A plurality of track detection sensors 25a and 25b, a plurality of drive wheels 21a and 21b, and a plurality of electric motors 23a and 23b are attached to a main body frame 35 as a main body portion of the drive device 5.

  FIG. 4B is a right side view of the automatic guided vehicle 1 according to the embodiment as viewed from the right. The dotted line schematically shows the caster device 7 inside the automatic guided vehicle 1. The caster device 7 supports the weight including the load of the load of the automatic guided vehicle 1. The wheels 51 a and 51 b of the caster device 7 change direction following the traveling direction of the automatic guided vehicle 1. The apparatus main body 50 functions as a swing member, is supported on the transport vehicle body 3 by a swing shaft 55, and can swing like a seesaw with respect to the transport vehicle body 3 around the swing shaft 55. The apparatus main body 50 is configured to stop swinging when contacting a part of the transport vehicle main body 3. Each wheel 51a, 51b is attached to the apparatus main body 50 via bearings 57a, 57b so as to be rotatable (turnable).

  Next, the drive device 5 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the driving device 5. FIG. 6 is an exploded view of the driving device 5. FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of the driving device 5. FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of the driving device 5. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the drive device 5 in the vertical plane along the line XX in FIG.

  The main body frame 35 includes an upper plate portion 41 and a surrounding portion 43 extending from the upper plate portion 41 in a substantially vertical direction. The upper plate portion 41 is disposed so as to face the top plate 33 and be substantially parallel thereto. The enclosure portion 43 that is a quadrangular enclosure is disposed so as to surround the shaft mechanism 31, and at least a part of the shaft mechanism 31 is accommodated in the enclosure portion 43. The main body frame 35 further includes a motor frame portion 44a to which the electric motor 23a is attached and a motor frame portion 44b to which the electric motor 23b is attached. The plurality of motor frame portions 44 a and 44 b are arranged in parallel with the surrounding portion 43 with the surrounding portion 43 interposed therebetween, and are fixed to both sides of the upper plate portion 41 with screws or the like. The electric motors 23a and 23b attached to the motor frame portions 44a and 44b are arranged in parallel with the surrounding portion 43 with the surrounding portion 43 interposed therebetween.

  The motor frame portion 44a includes a horizontal plate 44a-1 and a vertical plate 44a-2, and the motor frame portion 44b includes a horizontal plate 44b-1 and a vertical plate 44b-2. The electric motor 23a is attached to the vertical plate 44a-2 of the motor frame portion 44a, and the electric motor 23b is attached to the vertical plate 44b-2 of the motor frame portion 44b. The horizontal plates 44 a-1 and 44 b-1 are fixed so as to contact the upper plate portion 41 of the main body frame 35. The vertical plate 44a-2 is provided to extend vertically downward from the horizontal plate 44a-1, and the vertical plate 44b-2 is provided to extend vertically downward from the horizontal plate 44b-1.

  Orbit detection sensors 25a and 25b are attached to the upper plate portion 41 via intermediate members 45a and 45b. The plurality of intermediate members 45a and 45b, which are U-shaped plate members, are respectively attached to the upper plate portion 41 by screws, welding, or the like. The track detection sensor 25a is attached to the intermediate member 45a by screws, welding, or the like, and the track detection sensor 25b is attached to the intermediate member 45b by screws, welding, or the like.

  A stepped shaft 47 (stepped shaft portion) passes through both side surfaces 43a and 43b of the surrounding portion 43 on the drive wheels 21a and 21b side, and is fixed by welding or the like. The drive wheel 21a is rotatably attached to one end of the stepped shaft 47 via bearings (bearings) 49a and 49b. A driving wheel 21b is rotatably attached to the other end of the stepped shaft 47 via bearings (bearings) 53a and 53b.

  A plurality of bearings 49a and 49b are inserted and mounted in a cylindrical cavity (hole) in the drive wheel 21a by press-fitting or the like, and a small diameter portion at one end of the stepped shaft 47 is located inside the bearings 49a and 49b. Inserted and attached. A plurality of bearings 53a and 53b are inserted and attached in a columnar cavity (hole) in the drive wheel 21b by press-fitting or the like, and the small diameter portion at the other end of the stepped shaft 47 is inside the bearings 53a and 53b. Is inserted and attached.

  The electric motor 23a includes a front plate 61a, and the front plate 61a is attached to the vertical plate 44a-2 of the motor frame portion 44a by screws or the like. Similarly, the electric motor 23b includes a front plate 61b, and the front plate 61b is attached to the vertical plate 44b-2 of the motor frame portion 44b by screws or the like. The electric motors 23a and 23b include motor rotating shafts 63a and 63b that output driving force, and ring-shaped members 65a and 65b that rotate together with the motor rotating shafts 63a and 63b, respectively. Ring-shaped members 65a and 65b are inserted into the motor rotating shafts 63a and 63b, respectively, and are fixed by screws or the like (fixing means). The vertical plates 44a-2 and 44b-2 have openings. The motor rotation shafts 63a and 63b are passed through the openings, and the electric motors 23a and 23b are attached to the motor frames 44a and 44b. The ring-shaped members 65a and 65b of the electric motors 23a and 23b are respectively cylindrical portions 65a-1 and 65b-1 and outer cylindrical portions 65a-1 and 65b-1 having outer surfaces (surfaces) with which the driving force transmission member 29 contacts. Flange portions (collar portions) 65 a-2 and 65 b-2 projecting outward from the outer side.

  The drive wheels 21a and 21b include ring-shaped members 71a and 71b (wheels) and tire portions 73a and 73b (for example, made of rubber) that are fitted on the outer circumferences of the ring-shaped members 71a and 71b, respectively. Bearings 49 and 53 are inserted inside the ring-shaped members 71a and 71b. The ring-shaped members 71a and 71b (wheels) of the driving wheels 21a and 21b are respectively cylindrical portions 71a-1 and 71b-1 having outer surfaces (surfaces) with which the driving force transmission member 29 contacts, and cylindrical portions 71a-1 and 71a-1. The flange part (collar part) 71a-2 and 71b-2 which protrude outside from 71b-1 are provided.

  The driving force transmission member 29 is stretched over the ring-shaped member 65a of the electric motor 23a and the ring-shaped member 71a of the driving wheel 21a so as to face the flange portions 65a-2 and 71a-2. The driving force transmission member 29 is stretched over the ring-shaped member 65b of the electric motor 23b and the ring-shaped member 71b of the driving wheel 21b so as to face the flange portions 65b-2 and 71b-2.

  The driving force transmission member 29 is an endless cord-like or endless belt-like transmission member and has flexibility. Accordingly, the load on the load on the loading surface 3a of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is transferred to the drive wheels 21a and 21b (road surface side) without being transmitted to the electric motors 23a and 23b. As a result, almost no load of the load is applied to the electric motors 23a and 23b and no failure or malfunction occurs, so that the driving device 5 and thus the automatic guided vehicle 1 can withstand the high load of the load on the loading surface 3a. Further, since no gear mechanism (gear train, gear box) is used as the driving force transmission member 29, the structure of the driving device 5 can be simplified and downsized, and the loading surface 3a of the automatic guided vehicle 1 can be lowered. .

  For example, the driving force transmission member 29 is a chain as an endless cord-like transmission member or a belt as an endless belt-like transmission member. In FIG. 8, a chain is illustrated as an example of the driving force transmission member 29. In other FIGS. 5, 7, 8, and 10, the driving force transmission member 29 is not shown for the sake of clarity. When the driving force transmission member 29 is a chain, the ring-shaped members 65a, 65b, 71a, 71b are sprockets (chain gears). In this case, a plurality of teeth that mesh with the chain are provided on the outer surfaces (surfaces) of the cylindrical portions 65a-1, 65b-1, 71a-1, 71b-1 of the ring-shaped members 65a, 65b, 71a, 71b. When the driving force transmission member 29 is a belt, the ring-shaped members 65a, 65b, 71a, 71b are pulleys (pulleys).

  The shaft mechanism 31 is supported by a bearing holder 75 fixed to the top plate 33 by welding or the like, bearings 77a and 77b inserted into and supported by the bearing holder 75 by press fitting or the like, and rotatably supported by the bearings 77a and 77b. An inverted T-shaped shaft portion 81 is provided. A lid member 78 and a rotary encoder 79 are attached to the bearing holder 75 from above. The shaft portion 81 includes a small-diameter portion 81a that is inserted and connected to the bearings 77a and 77b by press fitting or the like, and a large-diameter portion 81b that is connected to the small-diameter portion 81a on the lower side. The rotary encoder 79 detects the rotation angle of the shaft portion 81.

  The disc-shaped large-diameter portion 81b of the shaft portion 81 is provided with a through hole 81c that penetrates the large-diameter portion 81b in the horizontal direction. A cylindrical pin member 83 is rotatably inserted into the through hole 81c. The pin member 83 is fixed to the surrounding portion 43. In the present embodiment, as a fixing method of the pin member 83, one end of the pin member 83 is partially cut so as to be D-shaped, and the D-shaped opening (fixed) of the side surface 43c of the surrounding portion 43 on the electric motor 23a side is fixed. The rotation of the pin member 83 is stopped, and the movement of the pin member 83 in the axial direction is restricted by a retaining ring or the like (fixing means). The other end of the pin member 83 is inserted into the opening of the side surface 43d of the surrounding portion 43 on the electric motor 23b side. With such a configuration, the drive unit 34 of the drive device 5 (including the main body frame 35, the drive wheels 21a and 21b, the electric motors 23a and 23b, etc.) is in a vertical plane (in the vertical plane) with respect to the shaft mechanism 31. The rocker can swing like a seesaw corresponding to the unevenness and inclination of the road surface. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the driving wheels 21a and 21b from floating from the road surface due to the unevenness and inclination of the road surface. Conversely, the pin member 83 may be fixed to the large-diameter portion 81 b so that the surrounding portion 43 can swing with respect to the pin member 83.

  Next, the caster device 7 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the caster device 7. FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the caster device 7. FIGS. 12A and 12B are a partially cutaway top view and a partially cutaway side view of the caster device 7, respectively.

  The caster device 7 (caster unit) includes a device main body 50 and a plurality of casters 91a and 91b attached to both ends of the device main body 50 in the longitudinal direction. The casters 91a and 91b are attached to the apparatus main body 50 by fixing means such as screws.

  The apparatus main body 50 includes an elongated plate-like upper part 50a extending substantially in the front-rear direction of the automatic guided vehicle 1, and plate-like side parts 50b connected to the left and right ends of the upper part 50a and extending vertically downward therefrom. Further, a U-shaped reinforcing member 87 is attached to both side portions 50b of the apparatus main body 50 by welding, screws, or the like (fixing means) so as to sandwich the both side portions 50b. Through holes 90 through which the swing shaft 55 passes are provided on both side portions 50 b of the apparatus main body 50 and both side portions of the reinforcing member 87. The apparatus main body 50 is supported by the carrier main body 3 so as to be swingable by a swing shaft 55.

  Two ring-shaped attachment members 89a and 89b are fitted in the through holes 90 on both side portions 50b of the apparatus main body 50 and both sides of the reinforcing member 87, and the swing shaft 55 penetrates the two ring-shaped attachment members 89a and 89b. By doing so, these through holes 90 are penetrated. The swing shaft 55 is fixed to the two ring-shaped mounting members 89a and 89b by fixing means such as press fitting. Further, the swing shaft 55 is fixed to a part of the transport vehicle body 3. In this embodiment, as a method of fixing the swing shaft 55, one end of the swing shaft 55 is partially cut so as to be D-shaped, and a part of the D-shaped opening (fixing means) of the transport vehicle body 3 is used. The rotation of the rocking shaft 55 is stopped, and the movement of the rocking shaft 55 in the axial direction is restricted by a retaining ring or the like (fixing means). The other end of the swing shaft 55 is inserted into another part of the opening of the transport vehicle body 3. The two ring-shaped attachment members 89 a and 89 b can rotate relative to both side portions 50 b of the apparatus main body 50 and both side portions of the reinforcing member 87, and as a result, the entire caster device 7 can swing around the swing shaft 55. . Note that the flange portions (spacers) of the two ring-shaped mounting members 89a and 89b open the gap between the both side portions of the reinforcing member 87 and the transport vehicle body 3, and are shaken by the contact between the both side portions of the apparatus body 50 and the transport vehicle body 3. There is no situation where movement is hindered.

  When the longitudinal end of the upper part 50a of the apparatus main body 50 comes into contact with a part of the carrier main body 3, the caster apparatus 7 stops swinging. Therefore, the range of rocking of the caster device 7 can be limited to a predetermined angle (for example, several degrees) without providing a special member.

  Various configurations can be adopted for supporting the caster device 7 (device main body 50) on the carrier main body 3 in a swingable manner. For example, instead of the above configuration, the ring-shaped mounting members 89a and 89b are fixed to the both side portions 50b of the apparatus main body 50 and the both side portions of the reinforcing member 87, and the swing shaft 55 is fixed to the ring-shaped mounting members 89a and 89b. It is good also as a structure which can be relatively rotated with respect to. Further, the swing shaft 55 may be fixed to both side portions 50b of the apparatus main body 50 so that the swing shaft 55 and thus the caster device 7 can be rotated (swinged) with respect to the transport vehicle main body 3.

  Each of the casters 91a and 91b includes plate-like base portions 93a and 93b attached to the apparatus main body 50, bearings 57a and 57b, and wheel holding portions 95a and 95b connected to the base portions 93a and 93b via the bearings 57a and 57b. And comprising. Bearings 57a and 57b are attached to the lower portions of the base portions 93a and 93b. The wheel holding portions 95a and 95b have holes into which the axles 51a-1 and 51b-1 of the wheels 51a and 51b are inserted, and can rotatably support the wheels 51a and 51b.

  Each wheel 51a, 51b includes an axle 51a-1, 51b-1, a disc-shaped wheel body 51a-2, 51b-2, and a tire part 51a-3 fitted on the outer periphery of the wheel body 51a-2, 51b-2. , 51b-3 (for example, made of rubber). The axles 51a-1 and 51b-1 are provided so as to penetrate through the center portions of the disk-shaped wheel bodies 51a-2 and 51b-2, respectively.

-Effect-
According to the above embodiment, in the driving device 5 of the automatic guided vehicle 1, the shaft mechanism 31 is pivotally attached to the top plate 33 fixed to the transport vehicle main body 3, and the main body frame 35 swings on the shaft mechanism 31. Installed as possible. The shaft 47 is fixed to the main body frame 35, and the plurality of electric motors 23 a and 23 b are attached to the main body frame 35. Further, the plurality of driving wheels 21a and 21b are rotatably attached to the shaft 47, and the endless cord-like or endless belt-like driving force transmission member 29 is configured to drive the driving force of each electric motor (23a or 23b) together with each electric motor. It is transmitted to one drive wheel to be used (one of the drive wheels 21a and 21b).

  Accordingly, since the drive wheels 21a and 21b of the drive device 5 can turn around the shaft mechanism 31 around the shaft mechanism 31, the plurality of electric motors 23a and 23b can rotate with respect to the rotational difference (rotational speed) between the plurality of drive wheels 21a and 21b. Or the difference in rotation direction), the automatic guided vehicle 1 can change the direction of travel. Therefore, the automatic guided vehicle 1 does not need a vertical electric motor or the like for rotating the shaft mechanism 31 to change the direction of travel. For this reason, the drive device 5 is reduced in size (especially in the height direction), the height of the loading surface 3a (loading platform) is reduced, and the automatic guided vehicle 1 can be lowered. Further, the plurality of electric motors 23a, 23b are attached to the main body frame 35 of the driving device 5, and a driving force transmission member 29 having an endless cord shape or an endless belt shape without using a gear mechanism (gear train, gear box) is provided. Driving force is transmitted between the electric motors 23a and 23b and the driving wheels 21a and 21b. Therefore, the load on the loading surface 3a of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is transferred to the drive wheels 21a and 21b (road surface side) without being transmitted to the electric motors 23a and 23b. As a result, the electric motors 23a and 23b are not applied with a load from the loading surface 3a and do not fail or malfunction. Therefore, the driving device 5 and the automatic guided vehicle 1 can withstand a high load on the loading surface 3a. The load weight of the load of the transport vehicle 1 can be increased.

  According to the above embodiment, in the automatic guided vehicle 1, the plurality of drive devices 5 are provided on one end side (left end side) of the transport vehicle main body 3, and the caster device 7 includes the plurality of wheels 51a and 51b. It is provided on the other end side (right end side) of the transport vehicle body 3. The wheels 51 a and 51 b of the caster device 7 are arranged to face the drive device 5. A plurality of wheels 51 a and 51 b of the caster device 7 and a plurality of driving devices 5 are provided at the four corners of the automatic guided vehicle 1.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13 (A), the automatic guided vehicle 1 can reach the bottom portion 3c of the automatic guided vehicle 1 even when it reaches a sloping road surface (inclined surface) while traveling (moving forward in FIG. 13 (A)). It becomes difficult for the end of this to contact a road surface, and it can drive | work on the inclined road surface. As shown in FIG. 13B, when the plurality of wheels 51a and 51b of the caster device 7 are provided near the center of the bottom portion 3c of the automatic guided vehicle 1 as in the prior art (see Patent Document 2). When the automatic guided vehicle 1 approaches the inclined road surface, the end of the bottom 3c of the automatic guided vehicle 1 may come into contact with the inclined road surface. Further, since the wheels 51a and 51b of the caster device 7 are arranged to face the drive device 5, the drive wheels 21a and 21b of the drive device 5 and the wheels 51a and 51b of the caster device 7 are inclined on the road surface almost simultaneously. invade. For this reason, since only the driving wheels 21a and 21b of the driving device 5 do not invade the road surface which is largely preceded and inclined, the automatic guided vehicle 1 is inclined in a stable state in which the left and right balance is maintained. It can invade the road surface.

  According to said embodiment, the rocking | swiveling member (apparatus main body 50) of the caster apparatus 7 can rock | fluctuate with respect to the conveyance vehicle main body 3, and the some wheel 51a, 51b is provided in the both ends. Therefore, the automatic guided vehicle 1 can easily travel on the inclined road surface by tilting the swinging member corresponding to the inclination (gradient) of the road surface in the front-rear direction. Further, by adjusting the length in the front-rear direction of the swing member (device main body 50) to increase the interval between the plurality of wheels 51a, 51b, even if the automatic guided vehicle 1 approaches an inclined road surface during traveling, The end of the bottom 3c of the automatic guided vehicle 1 becomes difficult to contact the road surface (see FIG. 13A). Further, the swinging of the swinging member is restricted by contacting the carrier body 3. Therefore, the swing range of the caster device 7 can be limited without providing a special member for limiting the swing range.

  Without being limited to the embodiments described above, various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the technical idea, and it is obvious that these are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic guided vehicle 3 Conveyor vehicle main body 3a Loading surface 5 Driving device 7 Caster device 21a, 21b Driving wheel 23a, 23b Electric motor 29 Driving force transmission member 31 Shaft mechanism 33 Top plate 34 Driving unit 35 Main body frame (main body frame)
41 Upper plate portion 43 Enclosure portions 44a, 44b Motor frame portion 47 Stepped shaft 50 Device main body 51a, 51b Wheel 55 Oscillating shaft 77a, 77b Bearing 81 Shaft portion 83 Pin member 91a, 91b Casters

Claims (4)

A driving device for an automated guided vehicle,
A top plate fixed to a carrier body of the automatic guided vehicle;
A shaft mechanism pivotably attached to the top plate;
A frame that is swingably attached to the shaft mechanism;
A shaft fixed to the frame;
A plurality of motors attached to the frame;
A plurality of drive wheels rotatably mounted on the shaft;
An endless cord-like or endless belt-like transmission member that transmits the driving force of each motor to one drive wheel used with each motor.   An automatic guided vehicle comprising the drive device according to claim 1. The automatic guided vehicle according to claim 2,
A plurality of the driving devices provided on one end side of the carrier body;
A caster device having a plurality of wheels and provided on the other end of the carrier body,
Each wheel of the caster device is arranged to face the drive device,
The automatic guided vehicle, wherein the plurality of wheels of the caster device and the plurality of driving devices are provided at four corners of the automatic guided vehicle. A caster device provided in the automatic guided vehicle according to claim 2,
Multiple wheels,
A swinging member that is swingable with respect to the carrier body, and wherein the plurality of wheels are provided at both ends,
The caster device is characterized in that the swinging of the swinging member is restricted by contacting the carrier body.

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