JP2555110Y2 - Operation control device for automatic guided vehicles - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

The present invention relates to an automatic guided vehicle, for example, a guided vehicle that travels according to guidelines attached to a floor surface,
In a station that supplies or unloads a work to a bogie that travels along a rail track and a monorail type overhead traveling bogie, etc., it is possible to efficiently work when the supply or unloading unit is arranged in close proximity. And an operation control device for guiding an automatic guided vehicle to a station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there has been known a technique in which a work is placed on an automatic guided vehicle at a distribution center or a factory and is conveyed to a predetermined position. Such an automatic guided vehicle is configured to run on a track so as to run a predetermined process, and a station for supplying and unloading a work is set on the track. And, in order to transport a large number of works, the automatic guided vehicle is configured to travel on a plurality of tracks, and when one automatic guided vehicle stops at a station or the like, the subsequent automatic guided vehicle does not collide with the preceding automatic guided vehicle. In order to avoid collision with other workers or other obstacles crossing the orbit, a sensor is arranged at the front of the automatic guided vehicle and stops when the obstacle is detected. It was composed.

[0003]

When a supply section and an unloading section are set in parallel at a station, as shown in FIG. 4, the distance L between the supply sections 2a and 2a is set.
5 is longer than the sum of the detection distance L4 of the obstacle detection sensor 7 and the total length (2 × L3) of the automatic guided vehicle 1, and sets the supply unit 2a in a range where the supply unit 2a is not stopped by a signal from the obstacle detection sensor 7. It was set. However, when it is desired to increase the efficiency by increasing land prices or shortening the traveling distance of the automatic guided vehicle, or when multiple stations must be installed in parallel in a limited space such as in a factory, etc. The supply unit and the unloading unit must be arranged close to each other in parallel. In such a case, if the station is set as it is, if the AGV stops at, for example, the supply unit in front, even if the subsequent AGV has a sufficient distance that does not collide, the AGV will not Since a sensor for preventing collision was provided, the vehicle could not enter the range detected by the sensor and could not enter the rear supply unit. Therefore, the supply or unloading work at the station is delayed, and stagnation or the like may occur, which may reduce the work efficiency as a whole.
Further, the detection distance L4 of the obstacle detection sensor 7 can be set to be short, but a braking distance is also necessary, and there is a feeling of fear when approaching too far outside the station, and a certain distance is required. .

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention is configured as follows in order to solve the above problems. That is, an unmanned guided vehicle traveling on a track, and at a station that supplies and unloads a work, an adjacent supply and
If the distance between the unloading sections is longer than the total length of the automatic guided vehicle and shorter than the total length plus the detection distance of the obstacle detection sensor, the operation management controller ignores the signal of the obstacle detection sensor. An automatic guided vehicle can enter the station. However, the track can be provided on the ceiling.

[0005]

By using such means, the obstacle detection sensor always operates in the area other than the station, stops when the obstacle is in front of the automatic guided vehicle, and when the obstacle enters the station area, the operation control controller According to the command, the obstacle detection sensor is effective when there is no automatic guided vehicle in front, but when the automatic guided vehicle is located in front, the signal from the obstacle detection sensor is ignored and the It is possible to enter the supply unit or the unloading unit.

[0006]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The problems to be solved by the present invention and the means for solving the problems are as described above. The configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an unmanned factory that is mounted on a conveyor and transported to a manufacturing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a station, and FIG.

[0007] An embodiment of the supply and unloading of the work by the unmanned transport vehicle in the unmanned factory will be described. As shown in FIG.
.. Run, and the rotating shelf A is formed by connecting the oval-shaped shelves 5, 5,... In a ring shape so that the shelves can be arbitrarily rotated at each stage. Work pieces W can be placed on the respective tops. An access portion BB is provided at an arbitrary position on the rotating shelf A, and a picking device 4 is provided in the access portion B. The picking device 4 erects a mast 4a and attaches the mast 4a to the mast 4a. The elevating table 4b is provided so as to be able to elevate and lower.
b, the lifting table 4b is raised and lowered to the height of a predetermined shelf or the height of the mounting portion 1a of the automatic guided vehicle 1, and the loader 4c locks the work W to move up and down. It can be placed on the table 4b or the placing portion 1a of the automatic guided vehicle 1 or lowered.

Further, a manufacturing apparatus 2 for processing the work W
2 are arranged on the same floor, and the manufacturing apparatus 2
A track 3 is provided on the floor to serve as a guide when the automatic guided vehicle 1 travels on the floor for transporting the rotating shelf A and other parts to the outside. Signal transmission means is integrally provided so that signals can be transmitted to and received from the operation management controller 6. However, it is also possible to configure so as to transmit and receive signals using radio or the like. A sensor 7 for detecting an obstacle in front of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is provided in front of the automatic guided vehicle 1. The sensor 7 includes an infrared sensor or the like, detects an obstacle in a predetermined range, and Is connected to the traveling control circuit 9 in the inside.

The supply unit 2a of the manufacturing apparatus 2 on the track 3
In addition, an area for allowing the automatic guided vehicle 1 to stop at the unloading section 2b is defined as a station C. In order to make the automatic guided vehicle 1 recognize the area of the station C, the recognition means 10 and 11 The stop recognition means 1 is provided at the start end and the end of the area of the station C, and also at the stop position at the supply unit 2a, the unloading unit 2b, or the unloading unit B.
Are provided, and a detection unit 1b for detecting these recognition means is provided at the bottom of the automatic guided vehicle 1.

[0010] The present invention is particularly applicable to the supply unit 2 in the station.
a or the operation control of the automatic guided vehicle 1 in the case where the carry-out unit 2b is arranged close to the supply unit 2a of the manufacturing apparatus 2 as shown in FIG. Although the distance L1 between the supply unit 2a and the supply unit 2a is longer than the entire length (2 × L3) of the automatic guided vehicle 1, the distance L1 is equal to the total length (2 × L3) of the automatic guided vehicle 1 and the sensor 7. If the length is shorter than the length including the detection distance L4, the automatic guided vehicle 1 cannot enter the station C because the sensor 7 detects the preceding automatic guided vehicle 1 and stops. However, the unmanned carrier 1
Can be delivered and received because the workpiece W is vacant by the distance L2. Therefore, the present invention relates to an automatic guided vehicle 1
However, in the station C, control is performed as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 so that the automatic guided vehicle 1 enters the station C and stops at the supply unit 2a ignoring the detection signal of the sensor 7.

That is, at the station C, the supply unit 2
Since the distance L1 between a and the supply unit 2a, the total length of the automatic guided vehicle 1 (2 × L3), and the detection distance L4 of the sensor 7 are known in advance, if L1> (2 × L3), the recognition means 1
The automatic guided vehicle 1 is caused to travel on the track 3 with 0.11 being set in the station C (S1). It is determined whether or not the automatic guided vehicle 1 has detected the recognition means 10 in the station C area (S2). If the area is not in the station area, the sensor 7 detects whether there is an obstacle ahead (S2).
3) If there is, stop traveling (S4). If there is no obstacle, the process proceeds to step 7 described later.

If it is the station area in step 2, it is determined whether there is a signal from the operation management controller 6 (S5). This signal is sent to station C
A signal is sent when the unmanned transport vehicle 1 is located in front of the station and the unmanned transport vehicle 1 transfers the work W in the station C. Therefore, when the work is not performed at the station C, it is not necessary to stop at the supply unit 2a, so that the detection of the obstacle by the sensor 7 is continued, and it is determined whether or not the sensor 7 is turned on (S3). If there is the transport vehicle 1, it is stopped when it is detected (S4). Then, when there is a signal from the operation management controller 6, the vehicle advances forward ignoring the signal from the sensor 7 and determines whether the vehicle has advanced to the stop position (S7). When the vehicle reaches the stop position, the advance is stopped immediately. (S8). Therefore, the transfer of the work W is performed between the automatic guided vehicle 1 and the supply unit or the unloading unit, and it is determined whether or not the work is completed (S9). If the work is completed, the work W is advanced (S10) and the vehicle travels to the next station. The above is repeated. However, the above control is performed when not only the supply unit or the unloading unit but also the loading / unloading unit B and the like are arranged close to each other.

[0013]

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention is constructed as described above, and has the following effects. That is, in the station where the work is delivered, a plurality of supply / unloading units are arranged close to each other, and if the interval is longer than the entire length of the automatic guided vehicle, the signal of the obstacle detection sensor is ignored, and The automatic guided vehicle can be positioned in the supply / unloading section of the work, and the work could be transferred only one place at a time in the past.However, work can now be performed in parallel and work can be performed efficiently. The distribution capacity can be improved, the station space can be made compact, and a space-saving travel path can be configured to reduce the time required for transportation.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an unmanned factory that takes out a work from an automatic warehouse, places it on an unmanned carrier, and transports it to a manufacturing device.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a station.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an operation control of the automatic guided vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional station.

[Explanation of symbols]

 C station W work 1 Automatic guided vehicle 2 Manufacturing equipment 2a Supply unit 2b Unloading unit 3 Track 6 Operation management controller 7 Obstacle detection sensor

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An automatic guided vehicle traveling on a track, comprising:
At a station that supplies and unloads workpieces, if the distance between adjacent supply and unloading units is longer than the entire length of the automatic guided vehicle and shorter than the total length plus the detection distance of the obstacle detection sensor, An operation control device for an automatic guided vehicle, wherein the operation management controller ignores a signal from an obstacle detection sensor and enables the automatic guided vehicle to enter the station.