JP3355401B2 - Vehicle position detection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a position detecting device for a traveling vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, the following are known as this type of traveling vehicle position detecting device. Signal transmission / reception that transmits a signal (hereinafter simply referred to as a signal) having directivity such as a laser provided in a traveling vehicle while scanning and turning (horizontal turning of 360 degrees for scanning) and receiving a reflected signal. Device, a plurality of fixed reflectors fixed to the ground side for reflecting the signal from the signal transmission and reception device, and calculating the position of the traveling vehicle using triangulation or the like by obtaining the reflection signal, traveling It is known to have a computer mounted on the car or installed on the ground side.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle which travels in both an area where an obstacle for interrupting a signal exists and an area where an obstacle for interrupting a signal does not exist. When driving in an area that does not
An object of the present invention is to reduce an error in detecting the position of a traveling vehicle.

[0004]

Means for Achieving the Object The present invention employs the following means to achieve the object. According to the first aspect of the present invention, a signal transmission receiver for transmitting a signal having directivity such as a laser while scanning and rotating the traveling vehicle and receiving a reflected signal is provided to the traveling vehicle so as to be movable up and down, and an obstacle for blocking the signal is provided. In the area where there is, a fixed reflector is provided so as to be located above the obstacle, and the signal transmission / reception receiver is raised to a height position opposed to the fixed reflector, thereby blocking the signal. In an area where no obstacle exists, the signal transmission receiver is lowered, and a fixed reflector is provided at a height position facing the signal transmission receiver. According to a second aspect of the present invention, the traveling vehicle is provided with a rotatable screw body having an axial center oriented in a vertical direction, and the female screw member is vertically fitted to the screw body with the rotation of the screw body. The signal transmission receiver is directly or indirectly attached to the female screw member. The invention according to claim 3 is provided with a position detector for detecting an upper stop position and a lower stop position of the signal transmission receiver, and stops a motor that rotates the screw body based on a position detection signal of the position detector. According to the second aspect of the present invention.

[0005]

According to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained by the above configuration. According to the first aspect of the present invention, in an area where there is no obstacle that blocks a signal, the signal transmission receiver is lowered to minimize the vibration of the signal transmission receiver accompanying the vibration of the traveling vehicle when traveling. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the positional change between the fixed reflector and the signal transmission receiver due to the swing of the signal transmission receiver, thereby reducing the error in detecting the position of the traveling vehicle. In general, the signal transmission receiver is provided so as to be located considerably higher than the traveling vehicle. Therefore, in an area where the signal transmission receiver is obstructed and the vehicle cannot travel, the signal transmission receiver is used. Since the vehicle can travel in the area by lowering the vehicle, the area in which the traveling vehicle can travel can be enlarged. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the signal transmission / reception receiver can be moved up and down with a simple structure. According to the third aspect of the present invention, the signal transmission / reception receiver can be stopped at the predetermined height position with a simple structure.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In this description, the front means the right side of FIG. 1, the rear means the left side, the left means the back side of FIG. 1, and the right means the front side.

[0007] The traveling vehicle 1 is capable of traveling in both front and rear, left and right directions. The traveling vehicle 1 has a wireless communication device (not shown) and a microcomputer (not shown) for wirelessly communicating with a ground-side host CPU (not shown).
And so on.

A column 3 made of a pipe is erected on the vehicle body 2 of the traveling vehicle 1, and an up-and-down column 4 made of a pipe is provided on the column 3 so as not to rotate relative to the column 3 so as to be movable up and down. I have. As a structure for preventing the elevating column 4 from rotating relative to the column 3, a groove (not shown) is formed in one of the column 3 and the elevating column 4 so as to extend in the vertical direction, and the other side is vertically movable in the groove. Generally, a sliding protrusion (not shown) is provided, but is not limited thereto.

An operating device 6 for the lifting column 4 includes a screw member 7 rotatably provided on the vehicle body 2 and having an axial center directed vertically.
A female screw member 8 screwed to the screw body 7 and fixed to a lower portion of the lifting column 4, and a forward / reverse rotatable motor 9 provided on the vehicle body 2 for rotating the screw body 7. are doing.

A position detector 11 for detecting the upper stop position and the lower stop position of the lifting column 4 includes a dog 12 provided at the lower portion of the lifting column 4 and a position detector 11 when the lifting column 4 is located at the lower stopping position. A lower stop position detection switch 13 (provided on the column 3) such as a limit switch operated by the dog 12, and an upper stop position operated by the dog 12 when the lifting column 4 is located at the upper stop position. A detection switch 14 (provided on the column 3). With such a configuration, when the lifting column 4 is raised and the upper stop position detection switch 14 is operated, the motor 9 is stopped, while the lifting column 4 is lowered and the lower stop position detection switch is moved. 1
When the motor 3 is operated, the motor 9 is stopped.

The signal transmitting / receiving receiver 1 is provided at the upper end of the lifting column 4.
9 are provided. The signal transmission / reception receiver 19 transmits a signal L having directivity such as a laser while performing scanning rotation (horizontal rotation of 360 degrees for scanning) and transmits the signal L from fixed reflectors 21 and 22 fixed to the ground side. It receives the reflected signal. Then, information obtained from the reflection signal is sent to the host CPU on the ground side by radio or the like, where the position of the traveling vehicle 1 is calculated using triangulation or the like. If the calculated position of the traveling vehicle 1 is different from a predetermined track on which the traveling vehicle 1 should travel, a position correction signal for position correction is issued to the traveling vehicle 1 and the position of the traveling vehicle 1 is changed. Correction is performed.

The traveling vehicle 1 travels in both an area 24 where a high obstacle (not shown) for blocking a signal is present and an area 25 where no obstacle is present for blocking a signal. The fixed reflection plate 21 provided corresponding to the area 24 is located above the obstacle, while the fixed reflection plate 22 provided corresponding to the area 25 is located at the lower stop position. It is provided at a height position facing the signal transmission / reception receiver 19. As is apparent from this description, the operating device 6 is a lifting / lowering operating device of the signal transmission / reception receiver 19, and the position detector 11 is a position detector for detecting the upper stop position and the lower stop position of the signal transmission receiver 19. . The fixed reflectors 21 and 22 are attached to a building wall, a dedicated stand, or the like. With such a configuration, when the signal transmission / reception receiver 19 travels in the area 24,
It is raised so as to face the fixed reflecting plate 21, while
When traveling in the area 25, it is positioned at the lower stop position so as to face the fixed reflector 22. Therefore, at least when the traveling vehicle 1 travels in the area 25, the swing of the signal transmission receiver 19 due to the vibration of the traveling vehicle 1 during traveling is made as small as possible, and the vibration of the signal transmission receiver 19 is fixed. The position change between the reflection plate 22 and the signal transmission / reception receiver 19 can be reduced, and the error in detecting the position of the traveling vehicle 1 can be reduced.

[0013]

[Modifications and the like] Modifications and the like will be described below. The signal transmission / reception receiver 19 itself is known.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified side view showing an embodiment of the present invention with an intermediate omission.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part A of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 traveling vehicle 19 signal transmission / reception receiver 21 fixed reflector 22 fixed reflector 24 area where obstacle to block signal exists 25 area where obstacle to block signal does not exist

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A traveling vehicle is provided with a signal transmission receiver that transmits a signal having directivity such as a laser while scanning and turning while receiving a reflected signal, and is vertically movable, and there is an obstacle that blocks the signal. In the area where the signal is reflected, a fixed reflector is provided so as to be located above the obstacle, and the signal transmission / reception receiver can be raised to a height position facing the fixed reflector, so that an obstacle that blocks a signal is obstructed. In areas where there is no signal receiver is lowered,
A position detecting device for a traveling vehicle in which a fixed reflecting plate is provided at a height position facing a signal transmission / reception receiver. 2. A screw body having an axis oriented in the vertical direction is rotatably provided on the traveling vehicle, and a female screw member is screwed into the screw body so as to move up and down with rotation of the screw body. The position detecting device for a traveling vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a signal transmission / reception device is directly or indirectly attached to the female screw member. 3. A position detector for detecting an upper stop position and a lower stop position of the signal transmission / reception device, wherein a motor for rotating a screw body is stopped based on a position detection signal of the position detector. The position detecting device for a traveling vehicle according to claim 2.