JP3642156B2 - Obstacle sensor detection range inspection device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inspection device for an obstacle sensor detection range, and is devised so that an inspection range in which an obstacle can be detected by an obstacle sensor can be inspected automatically and accurately.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Automated guided vehicles travel unattended in various factories, warehouses, offices, etc., and transport parts, products, accessories, and the like. Such an automatic guided vehicle detects a guide line (electric wire or light reflecting tape) laid on a travel path with a guide sensor (magnetic sensor or light sensor) and travels along the guide line.
[0003]
Here, an example of the automatic guided vehicle will be described with reference to FIG. The automatic guided vehicle 1 shown in FIG. 3 is of a tricycle type having one front wheel (steering wheel) 2 that performs rotational driving and steering, and two rear wheels 3 that function as driven wheels. An induction sensor 5 is installed on the bottom front side of the vehicle body 4. When guided traveling, the guide wire 10 is detected by the guidance sensor 5 and travels while performing steering control so that the center portion of the guidance sensor 5, that is, the center portion of the vehicle body 4 is located directly above the guide wire 10. .
[0004]
The automatic guided vehicle 1 is provided with an obstacle sensor 6. The obstacle sensor 6 is composed of an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, or the like, and detects whether there is an obstacle (a person or an object) ahead of the automatic guided vehicle 1 in the traveling direction. When an obstacle is detected by this obstacle sensor 6, an alarm is sounded and the vehicle is decelerated. Furthermore, when an obstacle is not moved away within a predetermined area (for example, an area within 1 m), control is performed to automatically stop. The deceleration control and the automatic stop control are performed by a control device (not shown) mounted on the automatic guided vehicle 1. The detection range (detection distance / detection width) of the obstacle sensor 6 differs depending on the type and performance of the sensor.
[0005]
Although the same type of automatic guided vehicle 1 includes the obstacle sensor 6 having the same characteristic, the detection range varies slightly for each obstacle sensor 6 even though the obstacle characteristic is the same. Therefore, before shipping the automatic guided vehicle 1, the detection range of the obstacle sensor 6 is inspected to determine whether an obstacle can be detected within a preset detection range.
[0006]
Here, a method for inspecting the detection range of the conventional obstacle sensor will be described with reference to FIG. 4 which is a plan view. As shown in FIG. 4, a simulated obstacle 21 is mounted on the moving carriage 20. Then, the movable carriage 20 is set with the simulated obstacle 21 facing the front surface of the automatic guided vehicle 1. Then, the operator moves the movable carriage 20 along the front-rear direction (X direction) and the left-right direction (Y direction). Thus, when the moving carriage 20 is moved in the front-rear and left-right directions, the position of the moving carriage 20 (the position of the simulated obstacle 21) when the obstacle sensor 6 detects the simulated obstacle 21 is recorded. The detection range of the obstacle sensor 6 is inspected from this record. Of the detection ranges, the detection distance can be detected as a distance in the X direction, and the detection range at each detection distance can be detected as a distance in the Y direction.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the prior art shown in FIG. 4, the operator moves the movable carriage 20 and the operator determines whether the obstacle sensor 6 has detected the simulated obstacle 21. It will occur. Further, the measurement value varies due to the wrinkle of the operator.
For this reason, in the prior art, the obstacle detection range by the obstacle sensor 6 cannot be automatically and accurately inspected. In addition, it took a lot of time and labor for such inspection.
[0008]
An object of the present invention is to provide an inspection device for a detection range of an obstacle sensor that can automatically and accurately detect the detection range of the obstacle sensor in view of the above-described conventional technology.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The configuration of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.
In accordance with a triaxial movement command, it has a moving part that can move along the front-rear direction in the horizontal plane, the left-right direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and the vertical direction, and a simulated obstacle is attached to the moving part. A triaxial moving mechanism;
Sending a triaxial movement command to the triaxial movement mechanism, determining whether an obstacle sensor set at a preset position for the triaxial movement mechanism has detected the simulated obstacle, A control unit for inspecting the detection range of the obstacle sensor by determining the position of the moving unit when the obstacle sensor detects the simulated obstacle based on the three-axis movement command;
It is provided with.
[0010]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0011]
1 and 2 show an inspection device for a detection range of an obstacle sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention. In both figures, for easy understanding, the three-axis moving mechanism 100, the simulated obstacle 110, the setting position 120, and the automatic guided vehicle 1 are shown in a plan view, and the control computer (control unit) 130 and the printer 140 are shown on the front side. It shows from.
[0012]
In the triaxial moving mechanism 100, the left / right axis 102 can move in the front / rear direction (X direction) in the horizontal plane relative to the front / rear axis 101, and the moving unit 103 in the horizontal plane (Y direction) in the horizontal plane relative to the left / right axis 102 In addition to being able to move, it is also possible to move in the vertical direction (Z direction; the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIGS. A simulated obstacle 110 is attached to the moving unit 103.
[0013]
When a three-axis movement command is sent from the control computer 130 to the three-axis movement mechanism 100 via the transmission line L1, the moving unit 103 moves in the X, Y, and Z directions according to the three-axis movement command. It has become. Eventually, the three-dimensional position given by the three-axis movement command output from the control computer 130 corresponds to the three-dimensional position of the moving unit 103, and thus the three-dimensional position of the simulated obstacle 110. Therefore, the control computer 130 can determine the three-dimensional position of the moving unit 103 (simulated obstacle 110) based on the three-axis movement command. The triaxial movement command is sent by a transmission format such as RS232C.
[0014]
A preset setting position 120 is determined as a position facing the simulated obstacle 110 on the basis of the installation position of the triaxial moving mechanism 100. The setting position 120 is drawn by a white line line or the like.
[0015]
A printer 140 is connected to the control computer 130. Further, when the detection range of the obstacle sensor 6 of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is inspected, as shown in FIG. 2, the control computer 130 and the obstacle sensor 6 are connected by the transmission line L2.
[0016]
Actually, when the detection range of the obstacle sensor 6 of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is inspected, as shown in FIG. 2, the automatic guided vehicle 1 is moved and accurately positioned immediately above the set position 120 and then stopped. Let Further, the control computer 130 and the obstacle sensor 6 are connected by the transmission line L2.
[0017]
When the state shown in FIG. 2 is set, a three-axis movement command is sent from the control computer 130 to the three-axis movement mechanism 100, so that the moving unit 103, that is, the simulated obstacle 110, passes through each three-dimensional position sequentially. Move in the Y and Z directions. If the obstacle sensor 6 detects the simulated obstacle 110 while moving the simulated obstacle 110 three-dimensionally in this way, this detection is transmitted to the control computer 130 via the transmission line L2. That is, the control computer 130 can determine that the obstacle sensor 6 has detected the simulated obstacle 110.
[0018]
As described above, the control computer 130 can determine the three-dimensional position of the moving unit 103 (simulated obstacle 110) based on the three-axis movement command. Therefore, the control computer 130 stores all the three-dimensional positions of the simulated obstacle 110 when it is determined that the obstacle sensor 6 has detected the simulated obstacle 110. The three-dimensional position of the simulated obstacle 110 stored in this way becomes an obstacle detection range by the obstacle sensor 6. In other words, the detection range of the obstacle sensor 6 can be automatically inspected by the control computer 130. The inspected detection range can be ejected by the printer 140 and recorded on the paper.
[0019]
As described above, in the present embodiment, when the automatic guided vehicle 1 is accurately positioned at the set position 120 and stopped by the operator, the moving unit 103 (simulated) is controlled by the control centering on the control computer 130 thereafter. By moving the obstacle 110), the detection range of the obstacle sensor 6 can be obtained automatically and accurately in a short time. In other words, if the automatic guided vehicle 1 is accurately positioned at the set position 120 and stopped, the operator will not be operated thereafter, so that the inspection does not vary.
[0020]
Since the operator only needs to place the automatic guided vehicle 1 accurately at the setting position 120 and stop it, adjustment time for inspection can be reduced.
[0021]
【The invention's effect】
As specifically described in conjunction with the above-described embodiments, the present invention is a moving unit that can move along the front-rear direction in the horizontal plane, the left-right direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and the vertical direction in response to a triaxial movement command. And a triaxial moving mechanism in which a simulated obstacle is attached to the moving part,
Sending a triaxial movement command to the triaxial movement mechanism, determining whether an obstacle sensor set at a preset position for the triaxial movement mechanism has detected the simulated obstacle, A control unit that inspects the detection range of the obstacle sensor by determining the position of the moving unit when the obstacle sensor detects the simulated obstacle based on the triaxial movement command. It was.
[0022]
With this configuration, the detection range of the obstacle sensor can be inspected accurately and automatically in a short time.
Further, as long as the worker accurately positions the automatic guided vehicle at the set position, the inspection result does not vary from worker to worker.
Moreover, since the operator performs only the operation of the automatic guided vehicle accurately at the set position, preparation time and inspection time required for inspection can be shortened.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an inspection device for a detection range of an obstacle sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing an inspection device for a detection range of an obstacle sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing an automatic guided vehicle.
FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a conventional technique.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Automatic guided vehicle 6 Obstacle sensor 100 Triaxial moving mechanism 101 Front-rear axis 102 Left-right axis 103 Moving part 110 Simulated obstacle 120 Setting position 130 Control computer 140 Printer

Claims (1)

In accordance with a triaxial movement command, it has a moving part that can move in the front-rear direction in the horizontal plane, the left-right direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction, and the vertical direction, and a simulated obstacle is attached to the moving part. A triaxial moving mechanism;
Sending a triaxial movement command to the triaxial movement mechanism, determining whether an obstacle sensor set at a preset position for the triaxial movement mechanism has detected the simulated obstacle, A control unit that inspects the detection range of the obstacle sensor by determining the position of the moving unit when the obstacle sensor detects the simulated obstacle based on the three-axis movement command;
An inspection device for a detection range of an obstacle sensor, comprising:

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