JP2022144133A - cargo handling system - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] The objective is to provide a loading system that can easily estimate the position of the loading platform of a transport vehicle. [Solution] The loading system (1) comprises a loading machine (30) that handles loading onto the loading platform (N) of a transport vehicle (R), and a control unit (21) that controls loading and unloading, and the control unit (21) acquires vehicle body information of the transport vehicle (R) from characteristic information of the transport vehicle, and estimates the position of the loading platform (N) based on the vehicle body information. [Selected Figure] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to cargo handling systems.

In general, cargo handling (loading or unloading) is sometimes performed using a cargo handling machine such as a forklift on the platform of a transport vehicle. Patent Literature 1 discloses that a loading operation is performed after a transport vehicle is accurately stopped at a predetermined position.

JP-A-6-019535

As in Patent Document 1, it is not easy to accurately stop the transport vehicle at a predetermined position. On the other hand, in a system that performs cargo handling work or support, there are cases where it is required to know the position of the loading platform of the transport vehicle even if the transport vehicle does not stop at the correct position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a cargo handling system capable of easily estimating the position of a loading platform of a transport vehicle.

A cargo handling system according to the present invention includes:
a cargo handling machine that performs cargo handling on the loading platform of the transport vehicle;
a control unit that controls cargo handling;
with
The control unit acquires vehicle body information of the transportation vehicle from the characteristic information of the transportation vehicle, and estimates the position of the cargo bed based on the vehicle body information.

According to the present invention, it is possible to easily estimate the position of the loading platform of the transportation vehicle.

1 is a block diagram showing a cargo handling system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the action of the measuring instrument of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing cargo handling control processing executed by the control unit of the first embodiment; FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a process of calculating a coordinate position of a loading platform, which is executed in step S5 of FIG. 3; FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the cargo-handling plan acquired at step S6 of FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another example of a cargo handling plan acquired in step S6 of FIG. 3; FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a cargo handling plan correction process executed in step S7 of FIG. 3; FIG. It is a figure explaining the correction process of the cargo-handling plan performed by step S7 of FIG. 3, (A) shows a standard cargo-handling plan, (B) shows a correction process, (C) shows the cargo-handling plan after correction. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a measuring instrument according to Embodiment 2; It is a figure explaining the correction|amendment process of the cargo-handling plan which the control part of Embodiment 2 performs. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing specific first examples (A) to third examples (C) of characteristic information of a transport vehicle;

Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a cargo handling system according to an embodiment of the invention. The cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 1 is a system for performing cargo handling (carrying and loading, or unloading and carrying) on a bed N of a transport vehicle (for example, a truck) R at a cargo handling site G. An entrance/exit Gi for a transport vehicle R is provided in the cargo handling area G. As shown in FIG.

The cargo handling system 1 includes a photographing camera 11 for acquiring an image of the transport vehicle R, a measuring instrument 12 for measuring the positions of the specified parts M1 and M2 of the transport vehicle R stopped at the cargo handling area G, and a stop for stopping the transport vehicle R. It includes an indicator 13, a cargo handling machine 30 that performs cargo handling on the loading platform N, and a control device 20 that performs control processing for cargo handling.

The cargo handling machine 30 is a heavy equipment capable of transporting cargo, lifting and delivering cargo, and is, for example, a cargo handling vehicle (forklift, etc.) capable of traveling on roads without using rails or the like. The cargo handling machine 30 may be configured to automatically travel and perform cargo handling under the control of the control device 20, or may be configured to be driven by a driver according to a cargo handling plan determined by the control device 20.

The photographing camera 11 is a configuration for acquiring characteristic information of the transport vehicle R, photographs the transport vehicle R, and sends the photographed image to the control unit 21 of the control device 20 . The feature information of the transport vehicle R includes, for example, a license plate number, a plurality of reflectors attached in an arrangement that allows identification of the vehicle type, the shape of the vehicle body that allows identification of a plurality of vehicle types, and a set that allows each transport vehicle R to be identified. such as a marker or a two-dimensional code. The control unit 21 acquires the characteristic information of the transportation vehicle R by performing image recognition processing from the image of the photographing camera 11 . The photographing camera 11 may be installed at the cargo handling site G to photograph the transport vehicle R at the cargo handling site G, or may be installed at a gate or approach road through which the transport vehicle R passes in order to enter the cargo handling site G. You may image|photograph the conveyance vehicle R at a location.

In addition, the configuration for acquiring the characteristic information of the transport vehicle R is not limited to the photographing camera 11. For example, if the transport vehicle R is configured to transmit an identification signal by a radio signal, the identification signal is received as the characteristic information. Any configuration that can acquire the characteristic information of the transport vehicle R, such as a receiver, may be used. However, the characteristic information to be acquired may be characteristic information that is set differently if at least the size of the transport vehicle R and the size of the loading platform N are different.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing specific first examples (A) to third examples (C) of the characteristic information of the transport vehicle. Characteristic information Q1 of the first example shown in FIG. The characteristic information (reflector) Q1 may be fixed to the side of the cargo bed N or to the side below the cargo bed N. The characteristic information Q1 of the first example can identify a plurality of types of transport vehicles R having different body shapes depending on the distance between the two reflectors.

The characteristic information Q2 of the second example shown in FIG. 11B is a two-dimensional code attached to the inner surface of the flap F1 of the transport vehicle R. The transport vehicle R shown in FIG. 11B has left and right wings F2, and is a vehicle capable of loading and unloading from the left and right sides of the platform with the wings F2 and the flap F1 opened.

The two-dimensional code is a code in which a plurality of band marks are arranged side by side at intervals. Each of the plurality of strip marks may be composed of a marker or a reflector, or may be composed of unevenness. A plurality of types of transport vehicles R having different body shapes can be identified by the number and spacing of the plurality of band marks.

Note that the feature information of the transport vehicle R may be read by a camera or sensor (LiDAR) attached to the cargo handling machine 30 . In this case, since the feature information Q2 is attached to the inner surface of the flap F1, the feature information Q2 can be arranged at a height that is easy to read. The feature information Q2 may be read when the cargo handling machine 30 advances and retreats to the loading platform N for cargo handling. Sensors such as LiDAR can also detect the presence or absence of reflectors.

Further, since the characteristic information Q2 is attached to the inner surface of the gate F1, it can be read while the transport vehicle R is being loaded, that is, when the gate F1 is opened downward. Therefore, by reading the characteristic information Q2, it can be determined that the transport vehicle R is in a stopped state for cargo handling.

The characteristic information Q3 of the third example shown in FIG. 11(C) is a code that can identify a plurality of types of transport vehicles R having different body shapes depending on the arrangement of dots. In FIG. 11C, the characteristic information Q3 is attached to the side of the driver's cab of the transport vehicle R, but the attachment position is not limited.

The feature information of the transport vehicle R may be provided anywhere on the transport vehicle R, including the specific feature information shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C. For example, the characteristic information may be provided at any position as long as it can be read, such as the outer surface or inner surface of the flap F1, the inner surface of the wing F2 on the opposite side that is not open, the surface of the bed N, or the top of the bed N. .

2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the action of the measuring instrument of the first embodiment. FIG.

The measuring device 12 measures each position of at least two specific parts M1 and M2 of the transport vehicle R stopped at the cargo handling area G. As shown in FIG. The measuring device 12 is arranged at a predetermined position (the position of the vector A1 from the origin O1) in the cargo handling area G, and measures the distances r1 and r2 and the angles θ1 and θ2 from the measuring device 12 to the specific parts M1 and M2. , the coordinate positions of the specific parts M1 and M2 in the coordinate system (X, Y, Z) set in the cargo handling area G can be acquired. That is, by adding the displacement vector of the distance r1 and the angle θ1 to the vector A1, the coordinate position of the specific portion M1 can be obtained. Similarly, the coordinate position of the specific portion M2 is obtained by adding the displacement vector of the distance r2 and the angle θ2 to the vector A1. In addition, in Embodiment 1, it is assumed that the floor surface of the cargo handling area G is horizontal and flat. Therefore, the heights of the specific portions M1 and M2 can be obtained from the vehicle body information of the transport vehicle R. FIG.

For example, the tires (front wheels and front and rear wheels) of the transport vehicle R can be used as the identifying parts M1 and M2, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any possible part or shape may be used. The measuring device 12 is, for example, a stereo camera, and can measure the distance and angle to the object from two images by photographing the same object from different positions. More specifically, the two images are sent to the control unit 21 of the control device 20, and the control unit 21 performs image recognition processing on each of the two images to recognize the specific portions M1 and M2. Then, the distance and angle from each position of the specific portions M1 and M2 in the two images to the specific portions M1 and M2 are calculated.

Note that the measuring device 12 is not limited to a stereo camera, and may have any configuration as long as it can recognize the specific portions M1 and M2 and measure the positions of the specific portions M1 and M2. For example, the measuring device 12 may employ a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) that performs one-dimensional or two-dimensional scanning and measures the distance of each scanning point. In this case, the measuring device 12 scans from the side of the transport vehicle R in the direction along the horizontal plane, thereby acquiring position information of each point on the scanning line that intersects the specified portions M1 and M2 of the transport vehicle R. Then, the control unit 21 recognizes the specific portions M1 and M2 from the profile represented by the position information of each point on the scanning line, and from the position and distance information of the specific portions M1 and M2 on the scanning line, the specific portions M1 and M2. can calculate the distance and angle of Further, the measuring device 12 may be a combination of a photographing camera for detecting the specific portions M1 and M2 and a distance measuring device such as LiDAR for measuring the distance to the detected specific portions M1 and M2.

The stop indicator 13 is, for example, a lamp, as shown in FIG. 1, and instructs the driver of the transport vehicle R to run, slow down, or stop by switching between extinguished, blinking, and lit. The stop indicator 13 may be a lamp or a speaker that transmits a stop instruction to the driver of the transport vehicle R by voice output. The specific configuration is not particularly limited, for example, it may be a command transmitter that outputs a stop command to the automatic driving system. The stop indicator 13 may include a guiding device that guides the transport vehicle R to a stop position, guides the transport vehicle R to the stop position determined by the control unit 21, and stops the transport vehicle R at that position. . The guiding device may include, for example, a photographing camera for detecting the position of the transport vehicle R, and a speaker or display device for informing the driver of the transport vehicle R of the stop position. The transport vehicle R should be stopped so as to roughly match the guided stop position. The cargo handling system 1 does not have the stop indicator 13 or a configuration for guiding the stop position, and the transport vehicle R can be moved to an arbitrary position in the cargo handling area G (an arbitrary position where a passage for the cargo handling machine 30 is secured around). may be stopped.

The control device 20 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory) in which the CPU develops data, a storage device 25 that stores control programs and control data executed by the CPU, and between the CPU and peripheral devices. It is a computer having an interface for exchanging data with. In the control device 20, the CPU executes a control program to construct a control unit 21 that controls cargo handling.

In the storage device 25 of the control device 20, there are a vehicle body information database 251 in which the characteristic information of the transport vehicle R and the vehicle body information of the transport vehicle R having the characteristic information are linked, and a cargo handling plan corresponding to the size of the loading platform N. A stored cargo handling plan database 252 is stored.

The vehicle body information is information relating to the vehicle body of the transport vehicle R, and more specifically, information on the size, shape, and position of the loading platform N of the transportation vehicle R (coordinate position of the coordinate system set on the vehicle body), and information on the loading platform. Information indicating the relative positional relationship between N and the specific portions M1 and M2 is included. The size and shape of the cargo bed N may be the planar size and shape (longitudinal length and width) of the cargo bed N, or the three-dimensional size and shape (longitudinal length and width). and vertical dimension).

The cargo handling plan corresponds to a plan that shows the flow of cargo handling, such as which route the cargo handling machine 30 carries the cargo in in what order, and where on the loading platform N the cargo is loaded or unloaded.

<Cargo handling control processing>
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing cargo handling control processing executed by the control unit of the first embodiment. FIGS. 4(A) to 4(C) are diagrams for explaining the processing for calculating the coordinate position of the loading platform executed in step S5 of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the cargo handling plan acquired in step S6 of FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing another example of the cargo handling plan acquired in step S6 of FIG. In FIGS. 4(B), (C) and 5, the loading/unloading area G is provided with an entrance/exit Gi through which the transport vehicle R passes.

The cargo handling control process of FIG. 3 is started when the transport vehicle R enters toward the cargo handling area G. When the cargo handling control process is started, first, the control unit 21 acquires the characteristic information of the transport vehicle R from the image of the photographing camera 11 (step S1), and compares the characteristic information with the vehicle body information database 251. The vehicle body information of the transport vehicle R is acquired (step S2). Next, the control unit 21 outputs a stop instruction to the transport vehicle R to stop the transport vehicle R at the cargo handling area G (step S3). In step S3, the control unit 21 determines a stop position according to the size (for example, the total length) of the transport vehicle R included in the vehicle body information, and instructs the transport vehicle R to stop at the stop position. good too.

When the transport vehicle R stops, the control unit 21 receives the output of the measuring instrument 12, and acquires each coordinate position of the specific units M1 and M2 in the coordinate system set in the cargo handling area G from the output (step S4).

Subsequently, the control unit 21 calculates the coordinate position of the space occupied by the loading platform N in the coordinate system set in the cargo handling area G from the vehicle body information acquired in step S2 and the respective coordinate positions of the identifying parts M1 and M2. (Step S5). That is, as shown in FIG. 4A, the vehicle body information IN includes positional information of each part in a coordinate system (x, y, z) set on the vehicle body (for example, specific part M1=(x _M1 , y _M1 , z _M1 ), specific portion M2=(x _M2 , y _M2 , z _M2 ), arbitrary point n1=(x _n1 , y _n1 , z _n1 ) to n4=(x _n4 , y _n4 , z _n4 ) of platform N ), etc.) are shown, and the relative positional relationship between the specific portions M1, M2 and the cargo bed N can be calculated from these. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 4B, where the specific parts M1 and M2 are located in the coordinate system (X, Y, Z) set in the cargo handling area G in step S4, the coordinate positions (X _M1 , Y _M1 , Z _M1 ) and (X _M2 , Y _M2 , Z _M2 ) are obtained. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4(C), in step S5, the control unit 21 adjusts the specific portions M1 and M2 of the vehicle information IN so that the specific portions M1 and M2 on the coordinates of FIG. 4(B) overlap. By converting the coordinate system of the vehicle body information IN, the coordinate position of the loading platform N in the coordinate system (X, Y, Z) set in the cargo handling area G (for example, an arbitrary point n1 on the loading platform N=(X _n1 , Y _n1 , Z _n1 ) to n4=(X _n4 , Y _n4 , Z _n4 ), etc.) can be calculated. In addition, in Embodiment 1, it is assumed that the floor surface of the cargo handling area G is horizontal and flat. Therefore, the control unit 21 may perform calculations assuming that the platform surface of the loading platform N is horizontal and positioned at the height indicated in the vehicle body information IN. The results of these calculations are the results of estimating the position of the loading platform N. FIG.

Next, the control unit 21 acquires a reference cargo handling plan PL (FIG. 5) corresponding to the vehicle body information (the size of the cargo bed N) acquired in step S2 from the cargo handling plan database 252 (step S6). As shown in FIG. 5, the reference cargo handling plan PL is data indicating the position of the cargo f on the loading platform N and the moving route (c1, c2, c11, c12) of the cargo handling machine 30. FIG. The movement route includes a route portion c1 in which the cargo handling machine 30 advances and retreats toward the loading platform N, a route portion c11 in which the cargo handling machine 30 moves from the waiting place G2 to the cargo handling place G, and a shelf H in the warehouse G1. A route portion c12 for traveling to and from the cargo handling site G and a route portion c2 for moving around the transport vehicle R in the cargo handling site G are included. As shown in FIG. 6, if the warehouse G1 is configured to automatically carry out or unload cargo to the delivery port Gs, the route portion c12 corresponds to the route along which the cargo handling machine 30 reciprocates between the delivery port Gs and the cargo handling site G. do. The reference cargo handling plan PL assumes that the transport vehicle R is stopped at the reference stop position PS0 of the cargo handling area G, and is designed so that the transport vehicle R is appropriately handled.

Note that the reference cargo handling plan may be generated by the control unit 21 on a case-by-case basis, based on the size of the loading platform N, the type of cargo f, and the like. When the load f is placed on the pallet and loaded on the bed, the control unit 21 can grasp how much area of the bed N the load f placed on the pallet occupies from the size of the pallet. Then, from the size of the area and the size of the loading platform N of the transport vehicle R, the control unit 21 can calculate how the pallets should be arranged on the loading platform N. It is possible to calculate where to go and load the load f. From these, the control unit 21 can calculate the route portion c1 along which the cargo handling machine 30 should go to the loading platform N, and create the cargo handling plan PL including the route portion c1. When unloading, if it is known that a standard size pallet is applied to the pallet on which the load f is placed, the control unit 21 determines the size of the loading platform N from the size of the loading platform N and the standard size of the pallet. It is possible to estimate in what kind of arrangement the pallet is positioned in Therefore, the control unit 21 can use this estimation result to calculate where in the loading platform N the cargo handling machine 30 should proceed to unload the cargo. Therefore, the control unit 21 can calculate the route portion c1 along which the cargo handling machine 30 travels to the position of the pallet, and can create a cargo handling plan including the route portion c1. Alternatively, the control unit 21 can receive information such as what size pallets are used and how the pallets are arranged from the transport vehicle side (driver, consignor, etc.) via communication. , it is possible to calculate where on the loading platform N the cargo handling machine 30 should proceed for unloading. Therefore, the control unit 21 can calculate the route portion c1 along which the cargo handling machine 30 travels to the position of the pallet, and can create a cargo handling plan including the route portion c1. A pallet is a cargo handling member that has a pedestal surface on which cargo is placed and an insertion hole into which a fork of the cargo handling machine 30 can be inserted, and that can be lifted by the cargo handling machine 30 .

Subsequently, the control unit 21 corrects the reference cargo handling plan acquired in step S6 based on the coordinate position of the bed N calculated in step S5 (step S7).

Then, the control unit 21 performs control processing to cause the cargo handling machine 30 to perform cargo handling according to the corrected cargo handling plan (step S8). That is, if the cargo handling machine 30 is configured to be automatically operated, in step S8, the control unit 21 outputs an operation command to the cargo handling machine 30 to cause the cargo handling machine 30 to operate according to the cargo handling plan. Further, if the cargo handling machine 30 is configured to be driven by the driver, in step S8, the control unit 21 notifies the driver of the route so that the driver can drive according to the cargo handling plan. Provide driving assistance. When the cargo handling according to the cargo handling plan is completed, the cargo handling control process ends.

<Correction processing of cargo handling plan>
FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the cargo handling plan correction process executed in step S7 of FIG. 8A and 8B are diagrams for explaining the correction processing of the cargo handling plan executed in step S7 of FIG. 3. FIG. 8A is the reference cargo handling plan, FIG. indicates

When correcting the cargo handling plan in step S7 of FIG. 3, the control unit 21 changes the position of the standard cargo bed N applied to the standard cargo handling plan PL acquired in step S6 of FIG. 3 (indicated by a two-dot chain line) and the position of the loading platform N calculated in step S5 of FIG. It is represented by translation information (translation vector B1) and rotation information (rotation angle φ1).

Subsequently, the control unit 21 selects the route c1 in which the cargo handling machine 30 advances and retreats to the loading platform N of the transport vehicle R and the rest of the cargo handling plan PL acquired in step S6 of FIG. 3 (FIG. 8A). path portions c11, c12, and c2. Even if attribute information indicating that the route is the route portion c1 leading to and retreating from the loading platform and attribute information indicating that the route is the other route portions c11, c12, and c2 are given in advance to the cargo handling plan PL. Alternatively, the control unit 21 may determine the route portion c1 leading to and retreating from the loading platform N and the other route portions c11, c12, and c2 according to the distance from the transport vehicle R and the direction of the route.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8(B), the control unit 21 performs a conversion process of applying the difference (B1, φ1) obtained in step S31 to the route portion c1 that advances and retreats from the loading platform of the transport vehicle. , to create a converted route portion c1b (step S32). By the above conversion, the cargo handling machine 30 heads to the bed N of the transport vehicle R, and the route portion c1b for loading or unloading the cargo f is aligned with the actual stop position of the bed N of the transport vehicle R. On the other hand, there is a connection There will be a portion X1 where the is solved, a portion X2 that intersects and contains an extra path, or both.

Next, as shown in FIG. 8(C), the control unit 21 performs the An extra route protruding from the intersection X2 is removed. Further, the control unit 21 extends and connects the disconnected portion X1 of the route, thereby connecting all of the route portion c1b leading to and retreating from the loading platform N and the route portion c2 (step S33). Then, the cargo handling plan obtained in step S33 is used as the corrected cargo handling plan PLa.

By such correction processing of the cargo handling plan, the cargo handling plan can be corrected in accordance with the actual stop position of the cargo bed N, and the subsequent control processing in step S8 of FIG. It is possible to carry out cargo handling according to

As described above, according to the cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 1, the cargo handling machine 30 that performs cargo handling on the loading platform N of the transport vehicle R and the control unit 21 that performs control related to cargo handling are provided. Then, the control unit 21 acquires the vehicle body information of the transport vehicle R from the characteristic information of the transport vehicle R (the license plate number, the position of the reflector, the shape of the vehicle body, the marker or the two-dimensional code, etc.), and based on the vehicle body information. to estimate the stop position of the loading platform N (step S5 in FIG. 3). In this way, the control unit 21 can estimate the stop position of the bed N while recognizing the area occupied by the bed N (for example, its size and shape) from the vehicle body information. That is, the control unit 21 can obtain the size and shape of the area occupied by the cargo bed N as a result of estimation from the vehicle body information, thereby facilitating the process of estimating the stop position of the cargo bed N. In addition, since the vehicle body information is acquired from the feature information of the carrier vehicle R, the stop position of the carrier N can be determined by the same processing for a plurality of types of carrier vehicles R having different sizes, shapes, or both of the carrier N. can be estimated.

Furthermore, according to the cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 1, the control device 20 further includes the vehicle body information database 251 in which the characteristic information of the transport vehicle R and the vehicle body information of the transport vehicle R are linked. Therefore, the control unit 21 can easily acquire the vehicle body information from the characteristic amount of the transport vehicle R using the vehicle body information database 251 .

Furthermore, according to the cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 1, the measuring device 12 for measuring the positions of the two specific parts M1 and M2 of the stopped transport vehicle R is provided, and the control unit 21 controls the measurement result of the measuring device 12, Based on the vehicle body information of the transport vehicle R, the stop position of the loading platform N is estimated. Such an estimation method makes it possible to easily and accurately estimate the stop position of the loading platform N. In addition, the measuring device 12 does not need to measure the entire transport vehicle R, and only needs to measure the positions of the specified parts M1 and M2 of the transport vehicle R, so a large-scale configuration is not required.

Furthermore, according to the cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 1, the control unit 21 determines the cargo handling plan to be executed by the cargo handling machine 30 in a state in which the actual stop position of the cargo bed N is accurately estimated. Therefore, a cargo handling plan adapted to the actual stop position of the cargo bed N can be provided.

Furthermore, according to the cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 1, the control unit 21 corrects the traveling route of the cargo handling machine 30 included in the standard cargo handling plan based on the estimated stop position of the cargo bed N, thereby correcting the cargo handling plan. to decide. Therefore, the control unit 21 can determine a cargo handling plan adapted to the actual stop position of the cargo bed N with a small processing load.

Furthermore, according to the cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 1, the control unit 21 uses the license plate number, the arrangement of a plurality of reflectors, the shape of the vehicle body of the transport vehicle R, the marker, or the two-dimensional information as the feature information of the transport vehicle R. Get your code. Therefore, in order to acquire the feature information, the cargo handling system 1 may adopt a compact configuration such as a photographing camera 11 capable of photographing a part of the transport vehicle R, thereby preventing the cargo handling system 1 from becoming large-scale. .

(Embodiment 2)
9A and 9B are diagrams for explaining the measuring instrument of Embodiment 2, in which FIG. 9A is a plan view of the cargo handling yard, and FIG. 9B is a horizontal view of the cargo handling yard. The cargo handling system 1 of the second embodiment differs in that the configuration of the measuring instruments 12Aa and 12Ab and the control unit 21 recognize the position of the cargo bed N, including recognition of the inclination and height of the cargo bed N, Others are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment. Embodiment 2 is an example that can cope with, for example, a case where the horizontality or flatness of the cargo handling area G is not high and the tilt of the loading platform N of the transport vehicle R differs depending on the stop position. Hereinafter, detailed description of the same configuration and the same control processing as those of the first embodiment will be omitted.

The measuring instruments 12Aa and 12Ab of the second embodiment measure the coordinate positions of three or more specific parts M1 to M3 that are not positioned on one straight line on the transport vehicle R, as shown in FIG. A coordinate position means a position in a three-dimensional coordinate system (X, Y, Z) set in the cargo handling area G. As the identification units M1 to M3, for example, two right tires (front wheels and front and rear wheels) and one left tire (front wheel) of the transport vehicle R can be used, but not limited thereto. The position of the transport vehicle R is determined in advance, and any component or shape part that can be identified from the outside may be used. If the measuring instruments 12Aa and 12Ab can measure the coordinate position of the three-dimensional coordinate system set in the cargo handling area G, such as a stereo camera, LiDAR, or a combination of a photographing camera and LiDAR, as described in the first embodiment, , in any configuration.

In the second embodiment, the measuring instruments 12Aa and 12Ab are preferably arranged on one side and the other side of the parking space of the transport vehicle R in the cargo handling area G, respectively. The one and the other may be the left and right sides of the transport vehicle R in a standard stationary state. With such an arrangement, it is possible to easily measure the coordinate positions of three or more specific parts M1 to M3 that are widely separated from each other, and from these, the inclination of the loading platform N can be accurately estimated.

In step S4 of FIG. 3, the control unit 21 of the second embodiment measures the coordinate positions of the specific portions M1 to M3 of the stopped transport vehicle R using the measuring instruments 12Aa and 12Ab. The coordinate position also includes a measurement value in the height direction (Z direction).

<Calculation processing of the coordinate position of the loading platform>
The control unit 21 of the second embodiment controls the tertiary vehicle set in the cargo handling area G based on the vehicle information obtained in step S2 of FIG. 3 and the coordinate positions of the specific portions M1 to M3 measured in step S4 of FIG. The coordinate position of the space occupied by the loading platform N in the original coordinate system is calculated (step S5). In Embodiment 1, since the floor surface of the cargo handling area G is horizontal and flat, it is not necessary to use the measured values in the height direction (Z direction) of the specific portions M1 and M2 to calculate the coordinate position of the loading platform N. However, in Embodiment 2, it is assumed that the floor surface of the cargo handling area G is horizontal and not flat. Calculate the coordinate position of Through such calculations, the coordinate position (estimated position) of the bed N reflecting the inclination ψ and the height of the floor surface Nb (see FIG. 9B) of the bed N is calculated according to the measured values of the specific portions M1 to M3. is obtained.

<Correction processing of cargo handling plan>
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the cargo handling plan correction process according to the second embodiment.

When cargo is placed on a pallet and cargo is handled, the fork of the cargo handling machine 30 is inserted into the pallet, and the fork is lifted and lowered to load or unload the cargo bed N. At this time, the tilt angle of the fork can be changed, and if the tilt angle of the fork is adjusted according to the inclination of the loading platform N, loading or unloading can be stably performed.

In the cargo handling plan correction process of the second embodiment, in addition to the planar correction process shown in the first embodiment, as shown in FIG. The control data corresponding to the tilt angle ψ of the loading platform N is added to the cargo handling plan PLa as the tilt angles ψ1 to ψ12 of the forks when unloading from the load.

By correcting the cargo handling plan in this way, if the cargo handling machine 30 is configured to automatically operate in the cargo handling process of step S8 in FIG. By outputting, the cargo handling machine 30 advances along the route shown in the cargo handling plan, and the forks are raised and lowered to load or unload the cargo bed N. Then, when loading or unloading, the forks are controlled to the specified tilt angles ψ1 to ψ12. With such control, the cargo handling machine 30 can move the fork back and forth at a tilt angle suitable for the tilt angle ψ of the loading platform N to deliver the pallet and stably load or unload the cargo.

Further, in the cargo handling process of step S8 in FIG. 3, if the cargo handling machine 30 is configured to be driven by the driver, the control unit 21 notifies the driver of the progress route according to the cargo handling plan, the timing of lifting or lowering the fork, or the lifting/lowering timing. Notification of the position and notification of the tilt angles ψ1 to ψ12 of the forks when the forks are moved back and forth to deliver the pallet are sent. By driving the cargo handling machine 30 according to these notifications, the driver can stably load or unload cargo as described above.

As described above, according to the cargo handling system 1 of the second embodiment, the measuring instruments 12Aa and 12Ab are arranged so that the coordinates of the three or more specified parts M1 to M3 (the specified parts M1 to M3 of the transport vehicle R) that are not aligned Measure position. Then, the control unit 21 estimates the position of the loading platform N based on the coordinate position. Therefore, when the flatness or levelness of the cargo handling area G is not high and the loading platform N of the transport vehicle R that has stopped has an inclination ψ, the control unit 21 can control the three-dimensional topography of the loading platform N including the inclination ψ. can be estimated.

Furthermore, according to the cargo handling system 1 of Embodiment 2, the control unit 21 corrects the tilt angle of the fork of the cargo handling machine 30 based on the inclination ψ of the cargo bed N. Therefore, when the cargo handling machine 30 loads or unloads from the loading platform N, the processing can be stably performed.

Each embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, although the cargo handling system 1 of the above-described embodiment is configured to include the cargo handling machine 30, the cargo handling system 1 according to the present invention does not include the cargo handling machine 30 and operates in combination with the cargo handling machine 30 prepared separately. may be configured. Also, although a truck is shown as an example of the carrier vehicle, a carrier vehicle other than the truck may be applied. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the configuration for guiding the transport vehicle to the stop position was shown, but the guidance to the stop position may be omitted. Other details shown in the embodiments can be changed as appropriate without departing from the scope of the invention.

1 cargo handling system 11 photographing camera 12, 12Aa, 12Ab measuring instrument 13 stop indicator 20 control device 21 control unit 25 storage device 251 vehicle body information database 252 cargo handling plan database 30 cargo handling machine R conveying vehicle Q1 to Q3 characteristic information N loading platform M1 to M3 Specific part G Cargo handling area Gi Doorway Gs Delivery port PL, PLa Cargo handling plan IN Car body information

Claims (9)

a cargo handling machine that performs cargo handling on the loading platform of the transport vehicle;
a control unit that controls cargo handling;
with
The control unit acquires vehicle body information of the transport vehicle from characteristic information of the transport vehicle, and estimates the position of the loading platform based on the vehicle body information.
cargo handling system. Further comprising a database in which the characteristic information of the transport vehicle and the vehicle body information of the transport vehicle are linked,
The cargo handling system according to claim 1. Equipped with a measuring instrument for measuring the positions of at least two specific parts of the stopped transport vehicle,
The control unit further estimates the position of the loading platform based on the measurement result of the measuring device.
The cargo handling system according to claim 1 or 2. The measuring instrument measures the positions of three or more of the specific parts that are not aligned,
The control unit estimates the position of the loading platform on three-dimensional coordinates based on the measurement result of the measuring device.
The cargo handling system according to claim 3. The control unit determines a cargo handling plan to be executed by the cargo handling machine,
The cargo handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 4. When determining the cargo handling plan, the control unit corrects a predetermined traveling route of the cargo handling machine based on the estimated position of the cargo bed.
The cargo handling system according to claim 5. When determining the cargo handling plan, the control unit corrects the tilt angle of the fork of the cargo handling machine based on the estimated inclination of the loading platform.
The cargo handling system according to claim 5 or 6. The feature information includes any one of the number of the transport vehicle, the arrangement of a plurality of reflectors attached to the transport vehicle, the shape of the transport vehicle, the markers added to the transport vehicle, and the two-dimensional code added to the transport vehicle. is one or more
The cargo handling system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Equipped with a control unit that controls cargo handling,
The control unit acquires vehicle body information of the transportation vehicle from the characteristic information of the transportation vehicle, and estimates the position of the loading platform of the transportation vehicle based on the vehicle body information.
cargo handling system.

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