JP2024047297A - Moving body system, moving body, transported object, and component mounting system - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve safety while a moving body is transporting a transported object.SOLUTION: A moving body system 100 includes a moving body 1 and a transported object 2 that the moving body 1 transports. The moving body 1 includes a first detection unit D1 for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a first detection area A1 around the moving body 1. The transported object 2 includes a second detection unit D2 for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a second detection area A2 around the transported object 2. The second detection area A2 of the second detection unit D2 includes at least a part of a shielding area AS where the first detection unit D1 cannot detect an object due to the transported object 2 when the moving body 1 is transporting the transported object 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present disclosure relates to a mobile body system, a mobile body, a transported object, and a component mounting system, and more specifically to a mobile body system, a mobile body, a transported object, and a component mounting system that detects surrounding objects.

The automated guided vehicle described in Patent Document 1 is an automated guided vehicle that can transport a cart by connecting it to another cart, and is equipped with a laser range sensor that can measure the area behind the vehicle, and detects the position and/or orientation of the cart using the laser range sensor.

JP 2014-186680 A

In an automated guided vehicle (mobile body) such as that described in Patent Document 1, while the cart (carried object) is being transported, the cart may create a blind spot for the laser range sensor, potentially reducing safety.

The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned reasons, and aims to provide a mobile body system, a mobile body, a transported object, and a component mounting system that can improve safety when the mobile body is transporting an object.

A mobile body system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a mobile body and a transported object transported by the mobile body. The mobile body includes a first detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a first detection area around the mobile body. The transported object includes a second detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a second detection area around the transported object. The second detection area of the second detection unit includes at least a portion of an obstructed area in which the first detection unit is unable to detect the transported object when the mobile body is in a transport state in which the transported object is being transported.

A mobile body according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a mobile body used in the mobile body system.

The transported object according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a transported object used in the mobile body system.

A component mounting system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a component mounter that mounts components on a substrate. The component mounter has a component supply device that supplies the components, and a mounting body that includes a mounting head that mounts the components on the substrate. The component supply device is the transported object possessed by the mobile body system, and is transported to the mounting body by the mobile body possessed by the mobile body system.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to improve safety when a moving body is transporting an object.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a mobile system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a component mounting system in which the above-mentioned mobile body system is used. FIG. 3 is a schematic bottom view of the above mobile body system. FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the above mobile body system. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the mobile system. FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the mobile system. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the mobile system. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the mobile system.

A mobile body system 100, a mobile body 1, a transported object 2, and a component mounting system 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that each figure referred to in the following description is a schematic diagram, and the ratio of the size and thickness of each component in each figure does not necessarily reflect the actual dimensional ratio. Furthermore, the embodiment and modified example described below are merely examples of the present disclosure, and the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment and modified example. Even if it is not this embodiment and modified example, various modifications are possible according to the design, etc., as long as it does not deviate from the technical idea of the present disclosure.

(1) Overview First, an overview of a mobile body system 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the mobile body system 100 includes a mobile body 1 and a transported object 2 transported by the mobile body 1. In other words, the mobile body 1 is used in the mobile body system 100. The transported object 2 is also used in the mobile body system 100.

The moving body 1 is a robot used for transportation work in facilities such as factories, logistics centers (including distribution centers), offices, stores, schools, and hospitals. The moving body 1 moves by running on a moving surface G1 (see Figures 2 and 4) with one or more wheels. The moving surface G1 is the surface on which the moving body 1 moves. When the moving body 1 moves within a facility, the moving surface G1 is the floor surface of the facility, and when the moving body 1 moves outdoors, the moving surface G1 is the ground. Note that the moving body 1 is not limited to a vehicle-type robot that moves (runs) on the moving surface G1 with wheels. The moving body 1 may be a flying drone that flies in the air, a water drone that navigates on water, or an underwater drone that navigates underwater, but in the following embodiment, a case where the moving body 1 is a vehicle-type robot that runs on the moving surface G1 will be described.

The moving body 1 is equipped with a first detection unit D1 for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a first detection area A1 (see FIG. 5) around the moving body 1.

The transported object 2 is equipped with a second detection unit D2 for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a second detection area A2 (see FIG. 5) around the transported object 2.

Here, the objects detected by the first detection unit D1 and the second detection unit D2 include luggage placed on the moving surface G1, people, other moving bodies 1 moving around the moving body 1, and other transported objects 2 being transported by the other moving bodies 1, etc.

The second detection area A2 of the second detection unit D2 includes at least a portion of the shielded area AS where the first detection unit D1 cannot detect the transported object 2 when the moving body 1 is in a transport state transporting the transported object 2, as shown in FIG. 5.

In this way, according to the mobile body system 100 of this embodiment, in a transport state in which the mobile body 1 is transporting the transported object 2, the second detection unit D2 detects the presence or absence of an object in at least a part of the shielded area AS, thereby reducing the blind spot of the first detection unit D1. Therefore, safety can be improved in the transport state.

(2) Details The moving body system 100 and the component mounting system 200 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, in Figs. 2 to 5, 7, and 8, the X-axis direction is defined as the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction as the front-rear direction, and the Z-axis direction as the up-down direction, with the positive direction in the X-axis direction being the right side, the positive direction in the Y-axis direction being the front side, and the positive direction in the Z-axis direction being the up side. These directions are defined in a state in which the moving body 1 travels while towing the transported object 2, and are not intended to limit the directions of the moving body 1 when in use to these directions. Also, the arrows indicating the respective directions in the drawings are merely indicated for the purpose of explanation and do not have any substance.

(2.1) Overall configuration of the mobile body system As shown in FIG. 1 , the mobile body system 100 has a mobile body 1, a transported object 2 transported by the mobile body 1, and a higher-level system 3 that controls the transporting operation of the transported object 2 by the mobile body 1.

The mobile body 1 and the upper system 3 are configured to be able to communicate with each other. In this disclosure, "capable of communication" means that information can be exchanged directly or indirectly via the network NT1 or the relay device 6 by an appropriate communication method such as wired communication or wireless communication. In this embodiment, the upper system 3 and the mobile body 1 can communicate in both directions, and both the upper system 3 can transmit information to the mobile body 1 and the mobile body 1 can transmit information to the upper system 3. In addition, although the number of mobile bodies 1 is one in FIG. 1, the number of mobile bodies 1 may be two or more. In addition, although the number of transported objects 2 is one in FIG. 1, the number of transported objects 2 may be two or more. In addition, the two or more transported objects 2 may include transported objects 2 of different types. In other words, the upper system 3 may control the transport operation of multiple types of transported objects 2 by multiple mobile bodies 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the mobile system 100 of this embodiment is used in a component mounting system 200 that includes a component mounter 4 that mounts components on a substrate.

The component mounter 4 has a component supply device 5 that supplies components, and a mounting body 7 that includes a mounting head that mounts the components on a board.

The component supply device 5 is used to supply components to the mounting body 7 of the component mounter 4 installed in the factory. Here, the component supply device 5 is a transported object 2 possessed by the mobile body system 100, and is transported to the mounting body 7 by the mobile body 1 equipped in the mobile body system 100.

In this embodiment, the mobile body 1 transports the component supply device 5 as the transported object 2 to the installation location of the mounting body 7 of the component mounter 4. This makes it possible to construct the component mounting system 200.

In this embodiment, the mobile body 1, upon receiving an instruction from the higher-level system 3, for example, moves the component supply device 5 placed at a certain location within a specified area to a position where it is connected to the mounting body 7. The mobile body 1 moves the component supply device 5 into a recess 71 provided on the front surface of the mounting body 7, making it possible for the component supply device 5 to supply components to the mounting body 7. Note that at this time, the mounting body 7 and the component supply device 5 may be connected to each other, for example, by a connector. In this case, the mounting body 7 and the component supply device 5 are able to exchange information with each other.

(2.2) Mobile Body The mobile body 1 is a vehicle-type robot for transporting a transported object 2, as shown in Figures 2 to 5. In the following description, the mobile body 1 is described as a towing-type vehicle-type robot that transports the transported object 2 by towing it. Note that the mobile body 1 may also be a low-floor vehicle-type robot that supports the transported object 2 by, for example, getting under the transported object 2 and lifting it up.

In this embodiment, the upper system 3 communicates with the mobile body 1 via the network NT1 and the relay device 6, and indirectly controls the movement of the mobile body 1.

The moving body 1 autonomously travels on a flat moving surface G1, which may be, for example, a floor surface. The moving body 1 can travel on the moving surface G1 while holding a transported object 2. This allows the moving body 1 to transport the transported object 2, which is placed in a certain location, to another location (a target position), for example, by pulling or pushing the transported object 2 with the moving body 1.

The mobile unit 1 is equipped with a storage battery, such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery, and operates using the electrical energy stored in the storage battery.

As shown in FIG. 2, the moving body 1 has a gripping portion 11.

The gripping part 11 is provided on the rear surface 101 of the main body 10. The gripping part 11 is provided to correspond to the gripped part 21 (see Figure 2) of the transported object 2.

The moving body 1 holds the transported object 2 by gripping the gripped portion 21 of the transported object 2 with the gripping portion 11. The moving body 1 moves together with the transported object 2 that it is holding. Here, the gripping of the gripped portion 21 by the gripping portion 11 may be achieved by a mechanical mechanism, or may be achieved by a mechanism that uses magnetic attraction force, etc.

When the moving body 1 transports the transported object 2, there are two types of travelling modes: the moving body 1 is at the front and tows the transported object 2, and the moving body 1 is at the front and pushes the transported object 2. In general, the travelling mode in which the transported object 2 is towed is more stable than the travelling mode in which the transported object 2 is pushed from the rear, so the moving body 1 usually travels by towing the transported object 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the moving body 1 includes a pair of drive wheels 12 (12R, 12L), a main body 10, and a plurality of (for example, two in this embodiment) auxiliary wheels 13. The pair of drive wheels 12 and the two auxiliary wheels 13 are arranged on the lower part (lower surface) of the main body 10 of the moving body 1. In this embodiment, the pair of drive wheels 12 are arranged so as to be aligned in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the main body 10. The two auxiliary wheels 13 are arranged on the main body 10 so as to be aligned in the lateral direction (front-rear direction) of the main body. In the following description, the drive wheel 12 located on the left side of the pair of drive wheels 12 may be referred to as the left drive wheel 12L, and the drive wheel 12 located on the right side may be referred to as the right drive wheel 12R.

In this embodiment, the left driving wheel 12L and the right driving wheel 12R each serve as a steering wheel. In other words, the driving mechanism that drives the left driving wheel 12L and the steering mechanism that changes the direction of the left driving wheel 12L are integrated. Also, the driving mechanism that drives the right driving wheel 12R and the steering mechanism that changes the direction of the right driving wheel 12R are integrated.

The two auxiliary wheels 13 are driven wheels that change direction to follow the direction of movement of the moving body 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the moving body 1 further includes a gripping drive unit 14, a moving unit 15, a first detection unit D1, a third detection unit D3, a control unit 16, a communication unit 17, a memory unit 18, and a first connection unit C1.

The gripping drive unit 14 drives the gripping unit 11 to cause the moving body 1 to hold the transported object 2. The gripping drive unit 14 is housed inside the main body 10.

The moving unit 15 controls the rotation and steering angle of the left driving wheel 12L and the right driving wheel 12R individually. The moving unit 15 is built into the main body 10. The moving unit 15 includes, for example, an electric motor, and indirectly applies the driving force generated by the electric motor to the left driving wheel 12L and the right driving wheel 12R via a gear box, a belt, or the like. The moving unit 15 may also be configured to apply the driving force directly to the left driving wheel 12L and the right driving wheel 12R, like an in-wheel motor.

This allows the moving body 1 to move in any direction on the moving surface G1. In addition, the moving body 1 can move in any direction on the moving surface G1 while keeping the main body 10 in a constant posture.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first detection unit D1 and the third detection unit D3 respectively detect the presence or absence of an object in the first detection area A1 and the third detection area A3 around the main body 10 of the moving body 1. In other words, the first detection unit D1 and the third detection unit D3 are range sensors, and are realized, for example, by LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Note that the first detection unit D1 and the third detection unit D3 are not limited to LiDAR. This type of sensor may be a sensor that detects an object using at least one of sound waves, light, and radio waves.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the first detection unit D1 is provided in the center in the left-right direction on the underside of the rear end of the main body 10. The first detection area A1 in which the first detection unit D1 detects the presence or absence of an object will be described in detail in "(2.5) Operation of the area setting unit".

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the third detection unit D3 is provided in the center in the left-right direction on the top surface of the front end of the main body 10. The third detection area A3 in which the third detection unit D3 detects the presence or absence of an object is, for example, a sector-shaped area with the center of the third detection unit D3 as its apex (see Figures 5, 7, and 8). Note that the third detection area A3 is not limited to a sector-shaped area and can be set arbitrarily.

The control unit 16 is mainly composed of a computer system having one or more processors and a memory. The functions of the control unit 16 are realized by the processor of the computer system executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be recorded in the memory, or may be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or may be recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card and provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 16 has functions such as a movement control unit 161, a grip control unit 162, a position detection unit 163, an acquisition unit 164, a request unit 165, and an area setting unit 166. Note that these merely indicate the functions realized by the control unit 16 and do not necessarily indicate actual configurations.

The gripping control unit 162 controls the gripping drive unit 14 to cause the gripping unit 11 to grip the gripped part 21.

The position detection unit 163 detects the current position of the main body 10. As an example, the position detection unit 163 estimates the current position of the main body 10 on the moving plane G1 based on the detection information of surrounding objects by the first detection unit D1, the third detection unit D3 of the moving body 1 and the second detection unit D2 of the transported object 2, and the electronic map information of the moving plane G1 in the facility. The position detection unit 163 may estimate the current position on the moving plane G1 using a local positioning system (LPS) using a radio wave beacon. That is, the position detection unit 163 may estimate the current position based on the radio wave intensity when a beacon signal transmitted from each of a plurality of transmitters installed in the facility is received by a receiver installed in the moving body 1 and the installation position of each transmitter. The position detection unit 163 may also estimate the current position of the main body 10 using a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) such as the Global Positioning System (GPS). The position coordinates of the main body 10 detected by the position detection unit 163 may be position coordinates in a two-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system set on the moving plane G1, or may be position coordinates in a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system.

The acquisition unit 164 acquires the detection result from the second detection unit D2 provided on the transported object 2. In detail, the acquisition unit 164 acquires the detection result from the second detection unit D2 via the second connection unit C2 and the first connection unit C1.

The movement control unit 161 controls the movement of the moving body 1. Specifically, the movement control unit 161 controls the moving unit 15 based on a control command received by the communication unit 17 from the higher-level system 3 to move the main body 10. Furthermore, in the transport state, when the second detection unit D2 detects an object and the acquisition unit 164 acquires the detection result of the second detection unit D2, the movement control unit 161 stops or decelerates the moving body 1. Note that, when the first detection unit D1 or the third detection unit D3 detects an object, the movement control unit 161 may stop or decelerate the moving body 1, or may move the moving body 1 to avoid the object.

The area setting unit 166 sets the first detection area A1. The operation of setting the first detection area A1 by the area setting unit 166 will be described in detail in "(2.5) Operation of the area setting unit".

The communication unit 17 is configured to be able to communicate with the higher-level system 3. In this embodiment, the communication unit 17 communicates with one or more relay devices 6 installed within the area in which the mobile unit 1 is operated, by wireless communication using radio waves as a medium. Therefore, the communication unit 17 and the higher-level system 3 communicate indirectly at least via the network NT1 and the relay device 6.

In other words, each relay device 6 is a device (access point) that relays communication between the communication unit 17 and the upper system 3. The relay device 6 communicates with the upper system 3 via the network NT1. In this embodiment, as an example, wireless communication conforming to standards such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), or low-power radio (specific low-power radio) that does not require a license is adopted for communication between the relay device 6 and the communication unit 17. In addition, the network NT1 is not limited to the Internet, and may be, for example, a local communication network within the area in which the mobile unit 1 is operated or within the operating company of this area.

The storage unit 18 includes a rewritable non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memory). The storage unit 18 stores in advance electronic map information of the moving plane G1 along which the moving body 1 moves. The electronic map information of the moving plane G1 includes position information of objects placed on the moving plane G1.

In addition, the mobile unit 1 may be provided with other configurations as appropriate, such as a charging circuit for a storage battery.

When the higher-level system 3 controls the transporting operation of multiple types of transported objects 2, the request unit 165 inquires of the higher-level system 3 about the type of transported object 2 currently being transported by the moving body 1. Specifically, the request unit 165 transmits a request signal to the higher-level system 3 to cause the higher-level system 3 to respond with the type of transported object 2.

The first connection part C1 has, for example, a connection terminal C11 that is electrically connected to the second connection part C2 of the transported object 2. As an example, the connection terminal C11 is provided on the rear surface 101 of the main body 10 as shown in FIG. 2. The functions of the first connection part C1 and the second connection part C2 are described in detail in "(2.3) Transported object".

(2.3) Transported object As described in "(2.1) Overall configuration of the mobile body system", in this embodiment, the transported object 2 is a component supply device 5 that supplies components. Here, the component supply device 5 includes, for example, at least one of a tape supply unit that supplies a reel around which a tape with components attached is wound, a tray supply unit for supplying trays on which components are placed, and a batch exchange cart for supplying multiple types of components. Note that the transported object 2 is not limited to the component supply device 5, and may be a cart with a basket provided with multiple wheels (a so-called roll box pallet), etc. Below, a case where the transported object 2 (component supply device 5) is a tape supply unit will be described.

As shown in Figures 2 to 4, the transported object 2 has a main body 20 and arms E1 and E2.

The main body 20 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape and has an internal tape supply mechanism. A notch 203 (see FIG. 4) is provided on the front side of the lower part of the main body 20, which is cut toward the rear, and in the transport state, the rear part of the main body 10 of the moving body 1 is inserted into the notch 203.

The arms E1 and E2 are L-shaped members each protruding in the left-right direction from the lower part of the main body 20. The arm E1 has a first protrusion E11 protruding leftward from the lower part of the main body 20, and a second protrusion E12 protruding forward from the left end of the first protrusion E11. The arm E2 has a first protrusion E21 protruding rightward from the lower part of the main body 20, and a second protrusion E22 protruding forward from the right end of the first protrusion E21. In the transport state, the main body 10 of the moving body 1 is positioned between the second protrusion E12 and the second protrusion E22.

A pair of wheels 22 (221, 222) are provided at the rear of the underside of the main body 20. Wheels 23 are also provided on the underside of the front ends of the second protrusions E12 and E22. In other words, the transported object 2 has a pair of wheels 22 and a pair of wheels 23. The transported object 2 is configured to be able to run on the moving surface G1 using the pair of wheels 22 and the pair of wheels 23.

A gripping portion 21 is provided on the front surface 201 of the main body 20 (see Figure 2).

The transported object 2 further includes two second detection parts D2 (D21, D22) and a second connection part C2 (see FIG. 1). Note that the number of second detection parts D2 is not limited to two, and may be one, or three or more.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second detection unit D2 (D21, D22) detects the presence or absence of an object in the second detection area A2 around the main body 20 of the transported object 2. That is, each of the second detection units D21, D22 is a range sensor, and is realized by, for example, LiDAR. Note that the second detection units D21, D22 are not limited to LiDAR. This type of sensor may be a sensor that detects an object using at least one of sound waves, light, and radio waves.

As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the second detection unit D21 is provided, for example, on the underside of the connection between the first protrusion E11 and the second protrusion E12 (corner of the arm E1). The second detection unit D22 is provided, for example, on the underside of the connection between the first protrusion E21 and the second protrusion E22 (corner of the arm E2). Here, the second detection units D21 and D22 are installed at a height that allows them to detect the pair of wheels 22 and the pair of wheels 23. This allows the second detection units D21 and D22 to detect the presence or absence of an object around the transported object 2 through the space between the main body 20 of the transported object 2 and the moving surface G1. The positions at which the second detection units D21 and D22 are provided are not limited to the above positions and can be changed arbitrarily.

The second detection area A2 in which the second detection unit D2 detects the presence or absence of an object includes a second detection area A21 in which the second detection unit D21 detects the presence or absence of an object, and a second detection area A22 in which the second detection unit D22 detects the presence or absence of an object.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second detection areas A21 and A22 are, for example, sector-shaped areas with vertices at the centers of the second detection units D21 and D22. Note that the second detection areas A21 and A22 are not limited to sector-shaped areas and can be set arbitrarily.

The second connection part C2 includes, for example, a connection connector C21 that is electrically connected to the first connection part C1 included in the moving body 1. As an example, the connection connector C21 is provided on the front surface 201 of the main body 20 as shown in FIG. 2. In this case, when the moving body 1 holds the transported object 2, that is, when the gripping part 11 grips the gripped part 21, the connection terminal C11 included in the first connection part C1 and the connection connector C21 included in the second connection part C2 are configured to be connected. This connects the first connection part C1 and the second connection part C2.

The detection result of the object in the second detection area A2 of the second detection unit D2 is transmitted to the control unit 16 via the second connection unit C2 and the first connection unit C1. In addition, the second detection unit D2 operates by receiving power from the moving object 1 via the first connection unit C1 and the second connection unit C2.

As described above, the second connection part C2 and the first connection part C1 are configured to be connected when the transported object 2 is held by the moving body 1. In other words, when the transported object 2 is not held by the moving body 1, that is, in a non-transport state in which the transported object 2 is not being transported by the moving body 1, the second detection part D2 does not operate.

The gripping unit 11 of the moving body 1 may also function as the first connection unit C1, and the gripped unit 21 of the transported object 2 may also function as the second connection unit C2. In this case, the detection result of the object in the second detection area A2 is transmitted to the acquisition unit 164 via the gripping unit 11 and the gripped unit 21 that are connected to each other in the transport state. In addition, the second detection unit D2 operates by receiving power from the moving body 1 via the gripping unit 11 and the gripped unit 21 that are connected to each other in the transport state.

(2.4) Host system The host system 3 is a system for controlling one or more mobile bodies 1 in an integrated manner, and is realized by, for example, a server device. The host system 3 indirectly controls the multiple mobile bodies 1 by issuing instructions to each of the multiple mobile bodies 1. Specifically, when the host system 3 issues a transport instruction to the mobile body 1 to transport the transported object 2, the mobile body 1 autonomously performs a transport operation to move the transported object 2 to a target position upon receiving the transport instruction. The host system 3 may be located inside the facility where the mobile body 1 performs the transport operation, or outside the facility.

In this embodiment, the upper system 3 is mainly composed of a computer system having one or more processors and a memory. Therefore, the functions of the upper system 3 are realized by one or more processors executing a program recorded in the memory. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory, may be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or may be recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card and provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the upper system 3 includes a control unit 31, a communication unit 32, an operation reception unit 33, a display unit 34, and a memory unit 35.

The communication unit 32 communicates with the mobile unit 1 via the network NT1 and the relay device 6. An appropriate communication method such as wireless communication or wired communication is adopted as the communication method between the communication unit 32 and the relay device 6.

The operation acceptance unit 33 has a function of accepting operations from a user who uses the higher-level system 3. In this embodiment, the operation acceptance unit 33 is realized, for example, by a pointing device such as a mouse, a keyboard, or a combination of these. The operation acceptance unit 33 may also be realized by a voice recognition unit that accepts operations by voice uttered by the user. The operation acceptance unit 33 may also accept information input to a terminal such as a tablet terminal used by the user via the communication unit 32.

The display unit 34 is used to present information to a user who uses the higher-level system 3. The display unit 34 is realized by a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. If the higher-level system 3 has a touch panel display, the touch panel display may function as the operation reception unit 33 and the display unit 34.

The memory unit 35 includes, for example, a rewritable non-volatile memory such as an EEPROM. The memory unit 35 stores, for example, a transportation plan for the transported object 2 input by a user of the upper system 3, etc.

The transportation plan for the transported object 2 includes the destination of the transported object 2, the date and time of transportation, etc. Furthermore, when the higher-level system 3 controls the transportation work of multiple types of transported objects 2, the memory unit 35 stores the transportation plans for each of the multiple types of transported objects 2. The memory unit 35 may also store information about the moving object 1 that has been instructed to transport the transported object 2 based on the transportation plan (for example, a moving object ID assigned to each moving object 1).

The control unit 31 is mainly composed of a computer system including, for example, a memory and a processor. That is, the functions of the control unit 31 are realized by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory, may be provided via a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or may be recorded on a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card and provided.

The control unit 31 has functions such as a transport instruction unit 311 and a response unit 312. Note that these merely indicate the functions realized by the control unit 31 and do not necessarily indicate actual configurations.

The transport instruction unit 311 gives the moving body 1 a control instruction (transport instruction) to transport the transported object 2 via the communication unit 32. The control unit 31 gives the moving body 1 a transport instruction to transport the transported object 2, which is located at a certain location within the moving surface G1, to a target position, for example, thereby causing the moving body 1 to transport the transported object 2 to the target position. For example, the transport instruction unit 311 transmits a transport instruction to the moving body 1 that includes information on the position where the transported object 2 is located, information on the target position, etc., to cause the moving body 1 to perform a gripping operation to grip the transported object 2 and a transporting operation to transport the gripped transported object 2 to the target position.

When the response unit 312 receives a request signal from the request unit 165 of the moving body 1 to respond with the type of transported object 2, it transmits information specific to the type of transported object 2 (transported object ID) to the moving body 1.

(2.5) Operation of Region Setting Unit The setting operation of the region setting unit 166 will be described below with reference to Fig. 5 to Fig. 7. Note that the flowchart shown in Fig. 6 is merely an example of the operation of the mobile system 100, and the order of the processes may be changed as appropriate, and processes may be added or omitted as appropriate.

As a premise, the mobile system 100 of this embodiment controls the transportation of multiple types of transported objects 2, and the multiple types of transported objects 2 are, for example, a tape supply unit, a tray supply unit, and a batch exchange trolley.

First, the transport instruction unit 311 of the higher-level system 3 issues a transport instruction to the moving body 1, which is waiting, for example, at a waiting area, to transport the transported object 2 to a target position. At this time, the transport instruction unit 311 transmits information on the position of the transported object 2 to be transported and information on the destination of the transported object 2 to be transported, to the moving body 1. When the communication unit 17 receives the transport instruction from the transport instruction unit 311, the movement control unit 161 moves the main body 10 to a position where the transported object 2 can be grasped (gripping position) (step ST1).

During movement to the gripping position, the moving body 1 (main body 10) is in a non-transporting state in which it is not transporting the transported object 2. At this time, the first detection area A1 of the first detection unit D1 is set by the area setting unit 166 to the first detection area A11, which is a sector-shaped area with the center of the first detection unit D1 as its apex, as shown in FIG. 7.

When the main body 10 arrives at the gripping position, the grip control unit 162 controls the grip driving unit 14 to cause the gripping unit 11 to grip the gripped part 21 (step ST2). As described above, when the gripping unit 11 grips the gripped part 21, the first connection part C1 and the second connection part C2 are connected.

When the first connection unit C1 and the second connection unit C2 are connected, the request unit 165 transmits a request signal to the higher-level system 3 to request the type of the transported object 2 (step ST3). At this time, the request signal includes, for example, information (mobile object ID) specific to the mobile object 1 that transmitted the request signal.

When the response unit 312 of the higher-level system 3 receives a request signal from the request unit 165 via the communication unit 32, it identifies the type of transported object 2 transported by the mobile object 1 based on the mobile object ID included in the request signal and the transport plan for the transported object 2 stored in the memory unit 35 (step ST4). The response unit 312 transmits specific information including the identified type of transported object 2 to the mobile object 1. At this time, the type of transported object 2 transported by the mobile object 1 is assumed to be, for example, a tape supply unit. Hereinafter, the transported object 2 that is a tape supply unit will be referred to as transported object 2A.

Here, the first detection unit D1 is installed at a height that allows it to detect the wheels 221 and 222. That is, while the first detection unit D1 is gripping the transported object 2A, it can detect the presence or absence of an object around the transported object 2A through the space between the main body 20 of the transported object 2A and the moving surface G1. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, there is a shielded area AS (AS1, AS2) in which the first detection unit D1 cannot detect objects around the main body 20. The shielded area AS1 is an area that includes a virtual line L1 that connects the first detection unit D1 and the wheels 221. The shielded area AS2 is an area that includes a virtual line L2 that connects the first detection unit D1 and the wheels 222. That is, the first detection unit D1 is shielded by the wheels 221 and 222, and cannot detect objects around the main body 10 in each of the shielded areas AS1 and AS2.

The area setting unit 166 sets the first detection area A1 in the transport state so that the shielded areas AS1 and AS2 are not included, depending on the type of the transported object 2 included in the specific information transmitted from the response unit 312. Specifically, the area setting unit 166 changes the first detection area A1 from the first detection area A11 (see FIG. 7) to the first detection area A12 (see FIG. 5) that does not include the shielded areas AS1 and AS2 (step ST5). Note that information on the multiple types of transported objects 2 and the multiple first detection areas A1 corresponding to the multiple types of transported objects 2 are stored in advance in the memory unit 18 of the moving body 1, for example, and the area setting unit 166 reads out information on the first detection area A12 corresponding to the transported object 2A from the memory unit 18. This reduces the possibility that the first detection unit D1 will erroneously detect the wheels 221 and 222 as objects. In addition, information on the multiple types of transported objects 2 and the multiple first detection areas A1 corresponding to each of the multiple types of transported objects 2 may be stored in an external storage device (e.g., a cloud) that can communicate with the mobile body 1.

Here, the first detection area A11 (see FIG. 7) is an area that includes the first detection area A12 and the shielded areas AS1 and AS2. In other words, the shielded areas AS1 and AS2 are areas that are included in the first detection area A11 in a non-transport state in which the moving body 1 is not transporting the transported object 2A.

Once the first detection area A12 is set, the main body 10 starts transporting the transported object 2 (step ST6).

In the transport state, the first detection unit D1 and the third detection unit D3 of the moving body 1 detect the presence or absence of an object in the first detection area A12 and the third detection area A3, respectively. In addition, in the transport state, the second detection units D21 and D22 of the transported object 2A detect the presence or absence of an object in the second detection areas A21 and A22, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5, the second detection area A21 of the second detection unit D21 is set to include at least a part of the shielded area AS1 in the transport state. The second detection area A22 of the second detection unit D22 is set to include at least a part of the shielded area AS2 in the transport state. In other words, the acquisition unit 164 can acquire the detection results of objects in at least a part of the shielded areas AS1 and AS2 from the second detection units D21 and D22 via the second connection unit C2 and the first connection unit C1. As a result, in the transport state, the blind spot of the first detection unit D1 is reduced by the second detection unit D2. Therefore, safety in the transport state can be improved.

Furthermore, in step ST4, the setting of the first detection area A1 when the type of transported object 2 is a tray supply unit will be described below with reference to FIG. 8. Hereinafter, the transported object 2 that is a tray supply unit will be referred to as transported object 2B. Note that a description of the parts common to transported object 2A will be omitted.

The transported object 2B has a main body 20B that is rectangular in plan view. On the underside of the main body 20B, a pair of wheels 22 (221B, 222B) are provided side by side in the left-right direction on the front side, and a pair of wheels 22 (223B, 224B) are provided side by side in the left-right direction on the rear side. In addition, two second detectors D2 (D21B, D22B) are provided on the underside of the main body 20B, one at each of the left end and right end on the rear side.

When the transported object 2B is being gripped, as shown in FIG. 8, there is a shielded area AS (AS1B to AS4B) where the first detection unit D1 cannot detect objects around the main body 10. The shielded area AS1B is an area that includes a virtual line L1B connecting the first detection unit D1 and the wheel 221B. The shielded area AS2B is an area that includes a virtual line L2B connecting the first detection unit D1 and the wheel 222B. The shielded area AS3B is an area that includes a virtual line L3B connecting the first detection unit D1 and the wheel 223B. The shielded area AS4B is an area that includes a virtual line L4B connecting the first detection unit D1 and the wheel 224B.

In other words, the first detection unit D1 is blocked by the wheels 221B to 224B, and cannot detect objects around the main body 10 in each of the blocked areas AS1B to AS4B.

The area setting unit 166 sets the first detection area A1 in the transport state so that the blocked areas AS1B to AS4B are not included, depending on the type of transported object 2 included in the specific information transmitted from the response unit 312. Specifically, the area setting unit 166 changes the first detection area A1 from the first detection area A11 (see FIG. 7) to the first detection area A13 (see FIG. 8) which does not include the blocked areas AS1B to AS4B (step ST5).

Once the first detection area A13 is set, the main body 10 starts transporting the transported object 2B (step ST6).

In the transport state, the first detection unit D1 and the third detection unit D3 of the moving body 1 detect the presence or absence of an object in the first detection area A13 and the third detection area A3, respectively. In addition, in the transport state, the second detection units D21B and D22B of the transported object 2B detect the presence or absence of an object in the second detection areas A21B and A22B, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 8, the second detection unit D21B is installed such that the second detection area A21B includes at least a portion of the shielded areas AS1B and AS3B in the transport state. The second detection unit D22B is installed such that the second detection area A22B includes at least a portion of the shielded areas AS2B and AS4B in the transport state. This allows the blind spot of the first detection unit D1 to be reduced by the second detection units D21B and D22B in the transport state. This improves safety in the transport state.

(3) Modifications The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

Below, we will list some variations of the above embodiment. The variations described below can be applied in appropriate combinations.

In the above embodiment, the information on the multiple types of transported objects 2 and the multiple first detection areas A1 corresponding to each of the multiple types of transported objects 2 was stored in the memory unit 18 of the moving object 1, but these may also be stored in the memory unit 35 of the upper system 3. In this case, when the response unit 312 receives a request signal, it transmits to the moving object 1 information on the first detection area A1 corresponding to the transported object 2 transported by the moving object 1 based on the moving object ID included in the request signal, the transport plan for the transported object 2 stored in the memory unit 35, and information on the multiple first detection areas A1. The area setting unit 166 of the moving object 1 may set the first detection area A1 based on the information on the first detection area A1 received from the response unit 312.

In the above embodiment, the memory unit 18 of the moving body 1 stores information on multiple types of transported objects 2 and multiple first detection areas A1 corresponding to each of the multiple types of transported objects 2, but structural information for each of the multiple types of transported objects 2 (the position of the second detection unit D2, the positions of the pair of wheels 22 and the pair of wheels 23, the shielded area AS, etc.) may also be stored. In this case, the area setting unit 166 may set the first detection area A1 using the structural information corresponding to the type of transported object 2.

In the above embodiment, the response unit 312 transmits information (carried object ID) specific to the type of transported object 2 to the mobile object 1 in response to a request signal from the mobile object 1, but the transported object ID of the transported object 2 may also be included in the transport instruction to the mobile object 1 from the higher-level system 3.

The mobile system 100 in the present disclosure includes a computer system. The computer system is mainly composed of a processor and a memory as hardware. The function of the mobile system 100 in the present disclosure is realized by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, may be provided through an electric communication line, or may be recorded and provided in a non-transitory recording medium such as a memory card, an optical disk, or a hard disk drive that can be read by the computer system. The processor of the computer system is composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) or a large-scale integrated circuit (LSI). The integrated circuits such as IC or LSI referred to here are called differently depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) that is programmed after the manufacture of the LSI, or a logic device that can reconfigure the connection relationship inside the LSI or reconfigure the circuit partition inside the LSI, can also be adopted as a processor. The multiple electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip, or may be distributed across multiple chips. The multiple chips may be integrated into one device, or may be distributed across multiple devices. The computer system referred to here includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller is also composed of one or more electronic circuits including a semiconductor integrated circuit or a large-scale integrated circuit.

(4) Summary As described above, the mobile body system (100) of the first aspect includes a mobile body (1) and a transported object (2) transported by the mobile body (1). The mobile body (1) includes a first detection unit (D1) for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a first detection area (A1) around the mobile body (1). The transported object (2) includes a second detection unit (D2) for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a second detection area (A2) around the transported object (2). The second detection area (A2) of the second detection unit (D2) includes at least a part of a shielded area (AS) where the first detection unit (D1) cannot detect the transported object (2) in a transport state in which the mobile body (1) transports the transported object (2).

According to this aspect, in a transport state in which the moving body (1) transports the transported object (2), the second detection unit (D2) detects the presence or absence of an object in at least a part of the shielded area (AS), thereby reducing the blind spot of the first detection unit (D1). Therefore, safety can be improved in the transport state.

In the second aspect of the mobile body system (100), in the first aspect, the mobile body (1) further includes a movement control unit (161) that controls the movement of the mobile body (1) and an acquisition unit (164) that acquires the detection result from the second detection unit (D2). In the transport state, when the second detection unit (D2) detects an object and the acquisition unit (164) acquires the detection result of the second detection unit (D2), the movement control unit (161) stops or decelerates the mobile body (1).

This aspect improves safety during transportation.

The mobile body system (100) of the third aspect further includes an area setting unit (166) that sets the first detection area (A1) in the transport state in accordance with the type of transported object (2) in the first or second aspect so as not to include the blocked area (AS).

According to this aspect, blind spots can be reduced even when the shielded area (AS) differs depending on the type of transported object (2) transported by the moving body (1).

In the fourth aspect of the mobile body system (100), in any of the first to third aspects, the transported object (2) has at least one wheel (22). The first detection unit (D1) is installed at a height that allows it to detect the at least one wheel (22).

According to this aspect, the first detection unit (D1) can detect the presence or absence of an object around the transported object (2) through the space between the transported object (2) and the moving surface (G1) while gripping the transported object (2).

In the fifth aspect of the mobile body system (100), in any of the first to fourth aspects, the transported object (2) has at least one wheel (22). The second detection unit (D2) is installed at a height that allows it to detect the at least one wheel (22).

According to this aspect, the second detection unit (D2) can detect the presence or absence of an object around the transported object (2) through the space between the transported object (2) and the moving surface (G1).

In the sixth aspect of the mobile system (100), in any of the first to fifth aspects, the transported object (2) includes a tape supply unit that supplies reels wound with tape to which parts are attached, a tray supply unit that supplies trays on which the parts are placed, and a batch exchange trolley that supplies multiple types of parts.

According to this aspect, safety can be improved in a transport state in which a transported object (2) including at least one of a tape supply unit, a tray supply unit, and a batch exchange trolley is being transported.

In the seventh aspect of the mobile body system (100), in any of the first to sixth aspects, the shielded area (AS) is an area included in the first detection area (A1) in a non-transport state in which the mobile body (1) is not transporting the transported object (2).

According to this embodiment, safety can be ensured even when the moving body (1) moves alone in a non-transport state.

In the eighth aspect of the mobile body system (100), in any of the first to seventh aspects, the transported object (2) includes at least one wheel (22). The shielded area (AS) is an area including a virtual line (L1, L2) connecting the first detection unit (D1) and the at least one wheel (22).

According to this aspect, the second detection unit (D2) can detect the presence or absence of an object in the blocked area (AS) that is blocked by at least one wheel (22) and therefore cannot be detected by the first detection unit (D1).

In the ninth aspect of the mobile body system (100), in any of the first to eighth aspects, the mobile body (1) transports the transported object (2) by towing it.

According to this aspect, safety can be improved during transportation when the transported object (2) is being transported by towing.

The mobile body (1) of the tenth aspect is a mobile body (1) used in the mobile body system (100) of any of the first to ninth aspects.

This aspect improves safety during transportation.

The transported object (2) of the eleventh aspect is a transported object (2) used in the mobile body system (100) of any of the first to ninth aspects.

This aspect improves safety during transportation.

The component mounting system (200) of the twelfth aspect includes a component mounter (4) that mounts components on a board. The component mounter (4) has a component supply device (5) that supplies components, and a mounting body (7) that includes a mounting head that mounts the components on the board. The component supply device (5) is a transported object (2) possessed by the mobile body system (100) of any of the first to ninth aspects, and is transported to the mounting body (7) by the mobile body (1) possessed by the mobile body system (100) of any of the first to ninth aspects.

This aspect improves safety during transportation.

Note that the second to ninth aspects are not essential configurations for the mobile system (100) and can be omitted as appropriate.

Reference Signs List 1 Mobile body 2 Transported object 4 Component mounter 5 Component supply device 7 Mounting body 22 Wheels 100 Mobile body system 161 Movement control unit 164 Acquisition unit 166 Area setting unit 200 Component mounting system A1 First detection area A2 Second detection area AS Shielding area D1 First detection unit D2 Second detection unit G1 Moving plane L1 Virtual line L2 Virtual line

Claims (12)

A transport system including a moving body and an object to be transported by the moving body,
the moving body includes a first detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a first detection area around the moving body,
the transported object includes a second detection unit for detecting the presence or absence of an object in a second detection area around the transported object,
The second detection area of the second detection unit includes at least a part of a blocked area in which the first detection unit cannot detect the transported object when the transport object is in a transport state in which the mobile body is transporting the transported object. The moving body is
A movement control unit that controls the movement of the moving body;
An acquisition unit that acquires a detection result from the second detection unit,
The mobile body system according to claim 1 , wherein the movement control unit stops or decelerates the mobile body when the second detection unit detects an object and the acquisition unit acquires a detection result of the second detection unit in the transport state. The mobile body system according to claim 1 , further comprising: a region setting unit that sets the first detection region in the transportation state in accordance with a type of the transported object so as not to include the blocked region. The object to be transported has at least one wheel,
The mobile body system according to claim 1 , wherein the first detector is installed at a height capable of detecting the at least one wheel. The object to be transported has at least one wheel,
The mobile body system according to claim 1 , wherein the second detection unit is installed at a height capable of detecting the at least one wheel. 2. The mobile system according to claim 1, wherein the transported object includes at least one of a tape supply unit for supplying a reel on which a tape having components attached is wound, a tray supply unit for supplying a tray on which components are placed, and a batch exchange cart for supplying a plurality of types of components. The mobile body system according to claim 1 , wherein the blocked area is an area included in the first detection area when the mobile body is in a non-transporting state in which the transport object is not being transported. The object to be transported has at least one wheel,
The mobile body system according to claim 1 , wherein the blocked area is an area including an imaginary line connecting the first detection unit and the at least one wheel. The mobile body system according to claim 1 , wherein the mobile body transports the transported object by towing the transported object. A mobile body used in the mobile body system according to claim 1. A transported object used in the mobile body system according to claim 1. A component mounter that mounts components on a board,
The component mounter includes:
A component supply device for supplying the component;
a mounting body including a mounting head that mounts the component on the board,
2. A component mounting system, wherein the component supply device is the transported object possessed by the mobile body system according to claim 1 and is transported to the mounting body by the mobile body possessed by the mobile body system according to claim 1.

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