JP4370267B2 - Bifurcation mechanism of track-type traffic system and steering method of branch road - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention is a vehicle such as a new traffic system that travels along a predetermined track and travels by driving and rotating the vehicle body with rubber tires, for example. When the vehicle is equipped with a fail-safe mechanism that prevents deviation and deflection from the track, the branching mechanism is suitable for the vehicle traveling on a branching path such as a Y-shaped branching path or an X-shaped branching path. And a method of steering a branch road.

  Unlike a railway vehicle that travels on rails, a vehicle with a new transportation system that travels by supporting the vehicle body with rubber tires and rotating it usually turns the rubber tires that are traveling wheels along a predetermined track. In order to do this, steering guide wheels are provided, and the guide wheels are guided by guide rails provided along the track, whereby the vehicle is mechanically steered to run.

For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-146204), the amount of protrusion from the vehicle body can be easily achieved by attaching a guide wheel provided at the tip of a guide arm protruding on both sides of the vehicle body to an eccentric shaft. A guide rail vehicle trolley is disclosed which is adjustable and thereby steers the vehicle body.
In Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-104198), a gap is provided between the guide wheel on the rear side in the traveling direction of the vehicle and the guide surface of the track, and the turning motion of the vehicle is allowed within this gap. The structure made to do is disclosed.

However, such a mechanical guide mechanism is excellent in safety and reliability. However, the structure of the carriage in which the wheels and the drive mechanism are installed in the vehicle is complicated, and the mass and running cost are increased. It is necessary to install guide rails having sufficient strength to support the wheels over the entire line with high accuracy, and there is a drawback that the construction cost of the track becomes enormous.
Therefore, in order to eliminate such drawbacks, an automatic steering system that does not particularly require a guide rail or the like for steering has been proposed (Patent Document 3).

Patent Literature 3 steering system disclosed in (JP 2002- 3 51544 JP) are laid a plurality of ground coil for transmitting and storing information necessary for the operation of the vehicle over the entire length of the track vehicle is traveling In addition, when the vehicle travels, a control device provided in the vehicle sequentially issues a steering command based on information transmitted from each ground element, and the steering device provided in the vehicle according to the steering command. However, it does not require a guide rail for steering, can reduce the construction cost and maintenance cost, and can reduce the vibration and noise generated.

  The steering system of patent document 3 is demonstrated based on FIG.19 and FIG.20. FIG. 19 is a configuration diagram of the steering system, in which FIG. 19A is a side view, FIG. 19B is a front view, and FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the steering device. 19 to 20, a vehicle 03 is a vehicle of a new transportation system, and travels along a track 01. The vehicles 03 are supported by rubber tires 05 attached to a carriage 04 provided on the front and rear sides via air springs, and are steered by an actuator 07 by a drive motor 06 being rotationally driven.

  The steering system includes a ground unit 02, a transmitter 08, a receiver 09, a control device 010, and a steering device 020, and steers the vehicle 03 by turning the rubber tire 05. The ground pieces 02 are non-powered ground pieces that are laid along the orbit 01 along the orbit 01 at a predetermined interval, and are set uniquely. Such unique information includes the identification number and position information, trajectory information, and control information of each ground element 02.

The position information is information regarding the position of the ground element 02 such as absolute position coordinates and a distance from the reference point. Further, trajectory information indicating the conditions of the trajectory 01 such as the gradient, curvature, cant, and bifurcation at the point of the ground element 02 is set in the ground element 02 as the specific information as necessary (these information are collected together). Hereinafter referred to as “driving information”).
The ground unit 02 has no power supply, but is configured to emit a set operation information signal when it is supplied with electric power. The ground unit 02 is configured by an electronic circuit including a ROM that stores driving information, for example.

  The transmitter 08 is a device that supplies power to the ground unit 02 by radio waves, and the receiver 09 is a device that receives operating information emitted from the ground unit 02 that has been supplied with power. The control device 010 is a device that performs predetermined data processing based on the driving information received by the receiver 09 and transmits a speed command and a steering command to the drive motor 06 and the actuator 07.

  The steering device 020 is a device for turning the rubber tire 05 including the actuator 07 that operates according to the steering command, and is connected to the tip of the arm 011 and the arm 011 that are rotatably attached to the carriage 04 by a pin 012 at one end thereof. The electric, hydraulic or pneumatic actuator 07, the connecting rod 059, the levers 056a and 056b for the left and right rubber tires 05, and tie rods 057 for connecting them.

In such a device, when the actuator 07 moves in accordance with the steering command from the control device 010, the arm 011 rotates around the pin 012 accordingly, and the levers 056a and 056b are connected via the connecting rod 059 and the tie rod 05 by the movement. The rubber tire 05 is turned to the left and right.
This automatic steering system steers the vehicle 03 based on the driving information stored in the ground child 02 without using a guide rail or the like, so that a guide rail or the like is not necessary, so that the track 01 is constructed. Costs can be greatly reduced, and no guide wheels are used, so these consumable parts are not required, maintenance costs can be reduced, and there is no contact between the guide wheels and guide rails, reducing vibration and noise, etc. Has advantages.

JP 2003-146204 A JP 2003-104198 A JP 2002-351544 A

However, since the automatic steering system disclosed in Patent Document 3 does not use a mechanical steering method using guide wheels, guide rails, or the like, the steering system breaks down or environmental disturbances such as wind, rain, snow, etc. In the event of an emergency, a method for ensuring safety against vehicle runaway and derailment has not been solved.
For this reason, the inventors of the present invention do not have a contact-type mechanical steering device composed of a guide wheel, a guide rail, etc., and the steering system is disclosed in Patent Document 3 as well. We propose a fail-safe mechanism that can ensure safety in the event of an abnormality, and can achieve a simplified structure and lighter weight than the mechanical steering device, thereby reducing costs. (Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-370280).

  However, even in a vehicle having a fail-safe mechanism as described above, if the vehicle does not have a contact-type mechanical steering device composed of guide wheels and guide rails, the vehicle has a track branch point such as a Y-shape. If an abnormality occurs in the steering mechanism when approaching a branch road or an X-shaped branch road, the fail-safe mechanism alone can safely and reliably select a desired track on the branch road. It's not possible.

  In view of the problems of the prior art, the present invention does not have a contact-type mechanical steering device composed of guide wheels and guide rails in a vehicle that travels along a predetermined track. In the vehicle having the automatic steering system as disclosed in No. 3 and the fail-safe mechanism proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-370280, the desired path can be safely and reliably formed with a simple configuration. It is an object of the present invention to provide an effective branching mechanism that makes it possible to select and travel and a steering method in a branching path.

Diverter of the present invention is to achieve the object travels along a predetermined trajectory, between the front wheels by an actuator receiving the steering command, by driving the tie rod which is mounted to each between the rear wheels In a vehicle equipped with a steering mechanism for steering front wheels and rear wheels,
The branch protection track that branches from the protection track and the protection track on the track provided, the protective orbit of a bracket attached respectively forward protection wheel and backward protection ring loosely fitted in a non-contact state front and rear wheels At the lower part of each vehicle, pivotally mounted around a support shaft, the bracket is interlocked with the movement of the tie rod, and the vehicle is separated from the track by the clearance between the front guard wheel and the rear guard wheel and the protective track. It has a fail-safe mechanism that is set smaller than the allowable limit dimension to come off ,
The branch protection track has a narrower track width than the protection track,
The branch protection track is configured to steer the front wheel or the rear wheel so that the front protection wheel and the rear protection wheel are moved forward in contact with the side walls .
Preferably, a protective bar for blocking a protective track provided on a track where the vehicle does not travel is provided at a point where the track branches .

The branching mechanism of the present invention travels along a predetermined track, and the front or rear wheel is moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the tie rods mounted between the front wheels or the rear wheels by an actuator that receives a steering command. The present invention is applied to a vehicle having a steering mechanism that steers the vehicle and having a fail-safe mechanism proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2004-370280.
That is, the fail-safe mechanism is that a protective track is provided on the track, and a bracket with a protective wheel that is loosely fitted to the protective track in a non-contact state is attached to the lower part of the vehicle so as to be rotatable around a support shaft. The bracket is interlocked with the movement of the tie rod, and the clearance between the protective wheel and the protective track is set to be smaller than an allowable limit dimension that allows the vehicle to move off the track.

Hereinafter, the fail-safe mechanism will be described. The vehicle is normally steered by a steering mechanism including the actuator. Since this fail-safe mechanism has the above-described configuration, the bracket on which the protective wheel is attached travels in the protective track in the same direction as the front wheel or the rear wheel. When the steering mechanism is operating normally, the protective wheel travels without contacting the protective track.
However, when an abnormality occurs in the steering mechanism, the front and rear wheels of the vehicle are mechanically steered by traveling in the protective track while the protective wheel is in contact with the protective track. Vehicles usually have a tolerable range that must not be derailed. In this fail-safe mechanism, the guard wheel is normally in non-contact with the protective track, and there is a gap between them. It is required that the dimension of is smaller than the allowable range. Also, the protection track is required to have a strength capable of holding the protection wheel in the protection track even if the protection wheel comes into contact when an abnormality occurs in the steering mechanism while the vehicle is running.

  The shape of the protection track may be, for example, a groove shape in which a protection wheel is inserted in a non-contact state. For example, two rails may be installed on the ground in parallel to form a groove-shaped space. Alternatively, a rail having an I-shaped cross section may be used instead of a groove shape, and protective rings may be disposed on both sides of the rail with a gap. If a rail or the like is used in this way, a protective track can be easily created. Further, a projection wall may be provided in the center of the groove-shaped protection track, and the protection wheel may be arranged so as to sandwich the projection wall.

  In the present invention, preferably, at least two guard wheels are attached to the bracket, and at least one guard wheel is disposed on each of the front and rear sides across the support shaft. Alternatively, the actuator is interlocked with the actuator so as to face the same direction as the steering direction of the rear wheels. By configuring in this way, when the bracket moves in conjunction with the actuator, the direction of the bracket can be accurately turned in the same direction as the wheel, and the direction along the protection track provided on the track of the vehicle Easily and accurately.

More preferably, the support shaft of the bracket is arranged so as to coincide with a line connecting the rotation centers of the wheels in the front-rear direction.
With this configuration, the bracket can rotate around the support shaft while interlocking with the actuator, so the wheel, tie rod, and bracket constitute a parallelogram link mechanism, and the bracket is steered by the actuator. It will always be able to point in the exact same direction as the wheel.

Preferably, the bracket to which the protective wheel is attached is attached to a carriage on which the vehicle body is placed and supported.
The carriage supports the vehicle body in the lower part of the vehicle, has a corresponding strength, and is close to the wheel and the protection track in terms of location, so it is suitable for mounting the bracket.

The branching mechanism of the present invention is applied to a vehicle having the steering mechanism and the fail-safe mechanism as described above, and is provided with a protection bar that blocks a protection track provided on a track where the vehicle does not travel at a point where the track branches. It is a thing.
The branching mechanism of the present invention is not particularly necessary in a vehicle having an automatic steering mechanism as disclosed in Patent Document 3 while the equipped steering mechanism is operating normally. However, if the branching mechanism of the present invention is provided, even if an abnormality occurs in such a steering mechanism, it is possible to select and travel on a planned branch path safely and reliably. In other words, if the vehicle heads on the wrong track, it is blocked by the protection bar and cannot go any further. This makes it easy to correct the direction to the correct trajectory.

  Preferably, at least one of the protection bars is pivotally supported at a point where the vehicle track branches. Preferably, in addition to the above configuration, the protection bar is driven to rotate by the electric cylinder.

Preferably, at the point where the track branches, at least one protection bar is provided for each branch path so as to be rotatable about one end, and a receiving seat for receiving the other end of the protection bar is provided on the opposite side of the branch path. In addition, the receiving seat is configured such that the other end of the protection bar can be mechanically constrained or opened.
In this configuration, the end portion of the protection bar straddling the track on which the vehicle is not scheduled to enter is restrained by the receiving seat, and the end portion of the protection bar straddling the track on which the vehicle is scheduled to enter is defined by the receiving seat. Restrain mechanically. When the other end of the protection bar is not restrained, the vehicle can enter the track while pushing the protection bar. On the other hand, when the other end of the protection bar is restrained, the vehicle is prevented from entering. As a specific restraining means, it is possible to adopt a means such as locking by applying a current to a mechanical locking means including a solenoid, an electromagnet, or the like.
By switching the restraint of the other end of the protection bar with the receiving seat having such a configuration, the branch path into which the vehicle enters can be easily switched.

Further, as a branching mechanism in the Y-shaped branching path, a protection bar having two sides having a crossing angle equal to the crossing angle of the two tracks is preferably provided on the Y-shaped branching path so as to be movable or rotatable. By translating the protection bar having such a configuration, the track set so that the vehicle does not enter can be blocked by the protection bar.
Further, as a branching mechanism in the X-shaped branching path, preferably, a road surface at the intersection of the branching path of the X-shaped branching path is rotatably provided, and two rows of protection bars having the same interval as the width of the protective track on the road surface Are fixed in parallel. In this configuration, it is possible to switch the track on which the vehicle enters only by rotating the road surface.

According to the present invention, a steering mechanism that travels along a predetermined track and drives a tie rod mounted between front wheels or between rear wheels by an actuator that receives a steering command to steer front wheels or rear wheels. In the vehicle provided, a protective track is provided on the track, a bracket attached with a protective wheel that is loosely fitted to the protective track in a non-contact state is attached to the lower portion of the vehicle so as to be rotatable around a support shaft, and the bracket is mounted. In conjunction with the movement of the tie rod, the vehicle has a failure-safe mechanism in which the clearance between the protective wheel and the protective track is set smaller than the allowable limit dimension for the vehicle to be off the track. Even if it occurs, the vehicle can be safely protected and passengers can be transported reliably, ensuring safety and reliability.
Moreover, since fail safe can be achieved with an extremely simple mechanism, not only simplification and weight reduction of the vehicle but also simplification of ground facilities such as track facilities and reduction of infrastructure costs can be achieved.

  This fail-safe mechanism does not use a steering mechanism as disclosed in Patent Document 3, that is, a contact-type steering mechanism composed of a guide wheel and a guide rail, but the entire length of the track on which the vehicle travels. Information necessary for driving is stored and a plurality of ground elements to be transmitted are laid, and when the vehicle travels, a control device provided in the vehicle is based on information transmitted by each ground element, The present invention is particularly suitable when applied to a vehicle having a child steering system in which steering commands are issued sequentially and a steering device provided in the vehicle performs steering in accordance with the steering commands.

  Further, the branching mechanism of the present invention has a protection bar for opening a track where the vehicle enters and shuts off a track which does not enter the point where the vehicle track branches, with respect to the vehicle having the steering mechanism and the fail-safe mechanism as described above. As a result, when an abnormality occurs in the steering mechanism on the branch road, the protective bar prevents the vehicle from traveling even if it tries to travel on the wrong track, so that it does not enter the wrong track, and the normal track It becomes easy to change direction.

In the branching mechanism of the present invention, preferably, at least one protective bar is pivotally supported at a point where the track of the vehicle branches so that the planned approach track and the non-entry track of the vehicle are separated. Even when the switch is made, the blocking by the protection bar can be easily switched following it.
Preferably, in addition to the above-described configuration, the protection bar is driven to rotate by the electric cylinder, so that the protection bar can be easily driven accurately with a simple device configuration.

  Preferably, at the point where the track branches, at least one protection bar is provided for each branch path so as to be rotatable about one end, and a receiving seat for receiving the other end of the protection bar is provided on the opposite side of the branch path. In addition, the other end of the protection bar is configured to be mechanically constrained or opened by the receiving seat, so that the vehicle entry path on the branch road can be changed only by switching the restraining state or opening state of the protection bar by the receiving seat. It can be switched easily.

Further, as a branching mechanism in the Y-shaped branching path, preferably, a protective bar consisting of two sides having a crossing angle equal to the crossing angle of the two tracks is provided on the Y-shaped branching path so as to be movable or rotatable. The trajectory can be easily switched by simply moving the protective bar in parallel.
In addition, there is an advantage that a simple drive device for performing the linear motion is sufficient because the protective bar does not require a rotational motion and only needs to perform a linear motion.
Further, as a branching mechanism in the X-shaped branching path, preferably, a road surface at the intersection of the branching path of the X-shaped branching path is rotatably provided, and two rows of protection bars having the same interval as the width of the protective track on the road surface Is fixed in parallel, it is possible to switch the track on which the vehicle enters only by rotating the road surface, and there is an advantage that precise control is not required as compared with the drive of the protective bar alone.

Further, the branch road steering method of the present invention travels along a predetermined track and drives the tie rods mounted between the front wheels or the rear wheels by an actuator that receives a steering command to move the front wheels or the rear wheels. In a vehicle equipped with a steering mechanism for steering, a protective track is provided on the track, and a bracket attached with a protective wheel that is loosely fitted to the protective track in a non-contact state can be rotated around a support shaft at the lower part of the vehicle. A fail-safe mechanism is provided in which the bracket is interlocked with the movement of the tie rod, and the clearance between the protective wheel and the protective track is set smaller than an allowable limit dimension from which the vehicle is off the track. When the vehicle having a mechanism travels on a Y-branch, the protective wheel is allowed to travel while being in contact with the side wall of the protective track on the side where the vehicle enters. Ri, in particular without requiring the installation of a protective bar as described above, performs steering of the Y-shaped branch passage only on the equipment configuration including a fail-safe mechanism in a very easy steering method.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the component parts described in this example are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention only to specific examples unless otherwise specified. Only.

  FIG. 1 is an overall explanatory view showing a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C show a steering mechanism and a fail-safe mechanism for a front tire in the first embodiment. 3A and 3B are an elevation view and a side view showing the steering mechanism and the fail-safe mechanism of the front wheel tire, FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the fail-safe mechanism, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing an example of a rotation / translation motion conversion mechanism that is a part of the fail-safe mechanism, and FIG. 7 is a diagram of a vehicle using the fail-safe mechanism. FIG. 8 is an overall configuration diagram at the branch path point of the first embodiment, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a steering method on the Y-shaped branch path A of the first embodiment.

  1 to 7 showing a first embodiment of the device of the present invention, reference numeral 1 is a vehicle equipped with the fail-safe mechanisms 2a and 2b of the present invention, and 4a and 4b are front-wheel rubber tires provided at the lower portion of the vehicle 1. These rubber tires swing left and right by the reciprocating motion of tie rods 5a and 5b connected to the tire center axis. 6a and 6b are actuators that reciprocate the tie rods 5a and 5b, and are attached to a carriage 1a that supports the vehicle body at the lower part of the vehicle 1, as shown in FIG. The tie rods 5a and 5b are connected to a movable part (not shown) of the actuator, and the rod 11a and the steering rod 13a connected to the tire 4a are rotatably connected by a rotary joint 12a, and the rod 13a and the tire 4a. Is always fixedly connected so as to turn in the same direction.

  Hereinafter, the fail-safe mechanism of the first embodiment will be described based on the front wheel portion, but the rear wheel portion has the same configuration. 2 to 3, reference numeral 21a denotes a bracket that forms part of the fail-safe mechanism 2 of the present invention. The bracket 21a is rotatably attached to the carriage 1a by a support shaft 24a, and is provided below the bracket 21a. The two guard wheels 22a and 23a are rotatably attached to the front and rear of the support shaft 24a. The material of the tie rod 5a and the support shaft 24a is preferably made of a highly rigid metal in order to receive a reaction force from a rubber tire or a protective wheel during traveling.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the protective wheels 22 a and 23 a are brackets so that the peripheral surface faces the side wall of the protective track 3 via the bearing 28 and the central shaft 26 or 27 that rotatably support the protective wheel. It is attached to 21a. As the material of the guard ring, it is desirable to use a material using a steel belt used for urethane, rubber, rubber tires and the like having high vibration resistance and wear resistance.
A bracket 21a is interlocked with a movable portion (not shown) of the actuator 6a, and a tie rod 5a is connected. However, while the actuator movable portion and the tie rod 5a reciprocate, the tip portion of the bracket 21a moves in an arc shape. Therefore, these three connecting portions absorb the arc-shaped motion of the bracket 21a. A rotary translational motion conversion mechanism 7a is provided that enables the actuator 6a and the tie rod 5a to reciprocate.

  The rotational translational motion converting mechanism 7a is preferably a highly rigid metal link mechanism in order to convert motion with high accuracy and to allow external force from the protective wheels and rubber tires. This is a conventionally known mechanism, and as an example, there is a rapson slider as shown in FIG. 6, and when the fail-safe mechanism performs a rotational movement, the tie rod 5a is coupled by a rotary joint 12a to perform a translational movement. . Generally, this mechanism uses this principle and is used for ship steering gears. As another example, a mechanism incorporating a motion conversion mechanism using gear elements such as a rack and a pinion, or a worm gear and a worm wheel is used. In these mechanisms, it is desirable to allow the amount of translational movement in the perpendicular direction (deviation of the circular arc of the rotational movement) with an oilless plate, a rubber bush, or the like.

Since the support shaft 24a is located on a line b (see FIG. 2A) connecting the front tire 4a, the bracket 21a forms a parallelogram link mechanism together with the tie rod rod 11a and the tire 4a. 6a always turns while facing the same direction as the rubber tire 4a.
As shown in FIG. 3, the protection track 3 has a groove shape with respect to the road surface 8, and the protection wheels 22 a and 23 a are inserted therein. In the meantime, the vehicle 1 has a clearance smaller than an allowable range that should not be further deflected left and right from the track, so that the guard wheels do not touch the side walls of the protection track while the steering system is normal. It has become. In addition, a fixing member 25a is connected between the protection wheels 22a and 23a to increase the strength by fixing the protection wheel.

In the apparatus of the first embodiment, the vehicle 1 usually travels while the tire 4a is steered by the actuator 6a. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the bracket 21a is also interlocked with the actuator 6a and is oriented in the same direction as the tire 4a based on the above configuration, so that the protection wheels 22a and 23a are provided on the track of the vehicle 1. It moves within 3 without contacting the side wall of the protective track 3.
The steering mechanism of the first embodiment may be a steering system as disclosed in Patent Document 3, for example, in which a ground unit is laid on a track and point information is obtained from the ground unit to perform steering.

In such a device, when an abnormality occurs in the steering system, for example, when the vehicle 1 tries to go off the track, the protective wheels 22a and 23a come into contact with the side walls of the protective track 3 to stop the vehicle 1, The vehicle 1 does not go further off the track.
Further, since the vehicle 1 has a gap smaller than an allowable range between the side wall of the protective track 3 and the protective wheels 22a and 23a which should not be further deflected from the track to the left and right, the vehicle is out of the allowable range. Derailment and deflection of the vehicle 1 can be reliably prevented.

As described above, according to the fail-safe mechanism of the first embodiment, even when a failure occurs in the steering system of the vehicle, the vehicle can be safely protected and the passenger can be reliably transported, and safety and reliability can be improved. It can be secured. Moreover, since the fail safe can be achieved with an extremely simple mechanism, not only simplification and weight reduction of the vehicle but also simplification of the equipment in terms of track equipment and reduction of infrastructure costs can be achieved.
In particular, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, if it is applied to a pattern steering control system using ground element point information that does not include a guide rail or the like and a mechanical steering means such as a guide wheel that is steered in contact with the guide rail. The safety and reliability of the system can be dramatically improved.

  Since the support shaft 24a of the bracket 21a is arranged on a line connecting the tires 4a, the bracket 21a always forms the parallelogram with the rods 11a and 13a of the tie rod 5a. Swing while holding. Accordingly, since the protective wheels 22a and 23a turn along the direction of the protective track 3 in the same manner as the rubber tires turned along the track of the vehicle 1, they do not come into contact with the side wall of the protective track 3, and No extra load is applied to the vehicle due to friction or the like.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the distance between the guard wheels 22a and 23a and the support shaft 24a is set to be a to b (a <b). The lateral movement of the front protection wheel 22a is transmitted to the tie rod 5a in proportion to the distance a from the support shaft 24a to the front protection wheel 22a and the distance from the support shaft 24a to the tie rod 5a. The same applies to the rear guard wheel 23a. Since a <b, the lateral movement of the front guard wheel 22a is transmitted more sensitively than the lateral movement of the rear guard wheel 23a.

  As a result, the front protective wheel 22a can steer the rubber tire 4a with a steering magnification proportional to the link ratio a and the rear protective wheel 23a proportional to the link ratio b. Accordingly, it is possible to increase the sensitivity of the turning angle of the front protection wheel 22a and to reduce the turning sensitivity of the rear protection wheel 23a with respect to the movement of the movable portion of the actuator 6a, thereby improving the straightness of the vehicle. , Driving stability can be improved. In the rear rubber tire 4b, as shown in (b) and (d) of FIG. 7 described later, the link ratio is set symmetrically opposite to the front wheel, so that the vehicle 1 moves forward even when moving backward. The same operational effects can be achieved.

A manner of steering the vehicle 1 by the fail-safe mechanism of this embodiment when an abnormality occurs in the vehicle steering system will be described with reference to FIG. 7, in (a) and (c) showing the front wheel portion of the vehicle 1, the distance between the protective wheels 22a and 23a and the support shaft 24a is as shown in FIG. In (b) and (d) showing the rear wheel portion of the vehicle 1, the distance from the support shaft 24 b to 22 b and 23 b is opposite to that of the front wheel portion. The pair is b (a <b), and even when the vehicle 1 moves backward, the operation mode is the same as when the vehicle 1 moves forward.
First, (a) shows an operation mode in the case where the protective wheel 22a cuts into the inner track side of the protective track 3 in the front wheel portion of the vehicle, and the front wheel 22a contacts the inner side wall of the protective track 3 and is mechanically steered. .
(B) is an operation mode in the case where the protective wheel 23b is cut to the inner track side of the protective track 3 in the rear wheel portion of the vehicle, and the inner side wall of the protective track 3 and the protective wheel 23b are in contact and mechanically steered. Indicates.

FIG. 7 (c) shows the operation when the protective wheel 22a cuts to the outer track side of the protective track 3 in the front wheel portion of the vehicle and the front wheel 22a contacts the outer side wall of the protective track 3 and is mechanically steered. An aspect is shown.
(D) shows the operation when the protective wheel 23b cuts to the outer track side of the protective track 3 in the rear wheel portion of the vehicle, and the outer side wall of the protective track 3 and the protective wheel 23b are in contact and mechanically steered. An aspect is shown.
The actual operation mode is generated by arbitrarily combining (a), (c), which is the operation mode of the front wheel portion of the vehicle, and (b), (d), which is the operation mode of the rear wheel portion, depending on the situation. To do.

In the first embodiment having the above-described configuration, the case where the vehicle travels on a branch track will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 8 is an overall configuration diagram at a branch path point. In FIG. 8, reference numeral 30 denotes a vehicle track defined by a side wall 32, and two groove-like parallel protection tracks 3 are formed in the vehicle track 30. Is formed.
At the branch path point, a groove-shaped branch protection track 3 a that intersects in an X shape between the two protection tracks 3 is formed. 31 schematically shows the branch switching mechanism according to the present invention. A Y-shaped branch path A and an X-shaped branch path B are formed at this branch point.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a steering method in the Y-shaped branch path A. In FIG. 9, when heading toward the protection track 3, both the front protection wheel 22 and the rear protection wheel 23 provided on the bracket 21 are moved forward while being in contact with the side wall 3 c of the protection track as indicated by broken lines. Steer. Further, when entering the branch protection track 3a, the front protection wheel 22 and the rear protection wheel 23 are steered so as to move forward while being in contact with the side wall 3d as indicated by solid lines.
By performing such steering in the Y-shaped branch path A, it is not particularly necessary to install the protective bar as described above, and only with the device configuration including the steering mechanism and the fail-safe mechanism of the first embodiment, Traveling to a desired track on the Y-shaped branch road A can be performed by an extremely easy steering method.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a branch path portion showing the second embodiment.
In FIG. 10, reference numerals 40 and 41 denote protection bars provided at the branch point of the Y-shaped branch path A so as to be rotatable around the fulcrum 42, and the other end of the protection bar 40 straddles the normal protection track 3. It is accommodated in a receiving seat 43 fixed on the facing side. The other end of the protection bar 41 is accommodated in a receiving seat 44 fixed on the facing side across the normal branch protection track 3a. The receiving seats 43 and 44 are configured to be restrained by a device such as temporarily mechanically locking the other ends of the protection bars 40 and 41 using, for example, a solenoid or an electromagnet. Thus, the other end of the protection bar 40 or 41 is switched to an open state or a restrained state.

In the second embodiment having such a configuration, when a vehicle traveling from the approach direction a enters the protection track 3, the end of the protection bar 40 is opened at the receiving seat 43 according to a command from the control device 45. Thus, the end of the protection bar 41 is restrained by the receiving seat 44. Therefore, the vehicle that has entered the protection track 3 can enter the protection track 3 side while pushing the protection bar 40.
Further, when the vehicle enters the branch protection track 3a, the receiving seat 44 is in an open state, so that the vehicle can enter the branch protection track 3a while pushing the receiving seat 44.
According to the second embodiment, the control device 45 can easily switch the restraining function or the opening function of the protection bars 40, 41 by the receiving seats 43, 44, and therefore easily switch the vehicle entry route on the branch road. Can be easily accommodated.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the branch path portion showing the third embodiment. In FIG. 11, reference numeral 50 denotes an electric cylinder, and a cylinder portion 50a is connected to a protection bar 51 provided at a branch point so as to be rotatable around a fulcrum 52. The cylinder portion 50a is provided at a height that does not protrude upward from the road surface of the protection track 3 so as not to interfere with the traveling of the vehicle. The electric cylinder 50 rotates the protection bar 51 so that the protection bar 3 or the branch protection orbit 3a can be switched to a position where the protection bar 3 or the branch protection orbit 3a is cut off, and the electric cylinder 50 has a lock mechanism (not shown). The protection track 3a can be fixed at a position where it is blocked.
According to the third embodiment, it is possible to easily drive the protection bar with a simple device configuration.

  FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing an example of the X-shaped branch path B where the branch protection track 3a intersects. As shown in the figure, this example is for an X-shaped branch path B where the branch protection track 3a intersects. By reducing the width of the branch protection track 3a to improve the braking performance of the protection wheels 22 and 23, and by making the corners have a curved shape r, the impact caused by the collision of the protection wheels 22 and 23 can be reduced. It is the target.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing an X-shaped branch path of the fourth embodiment. In the figure, reference numerals 60 and 61 denote protection bars provided at the intersections of the branch protection track 3a so as to be rotatable around fulcrums 62 and 64, respectively. Reference numerals 63 and 65 are receiving seats having an electronic lock mechanism, and are configured such that the end portions of the protection bars 60 and 61 can be individually electronically locked or released.
In FIG. 13, when the current maintenance vehicle enters from the approach direction a and is set by the automatic steering mechanism so as to travel in the linear direction, the protection bars 60 and 61 have their ends in the state shown by the solid lines. Electronically locked to the receiving seats 63 and 65. As a result, the vehicle can travel in the straight direction as it is.

  In the fourth embodiment, since the two protection bars 60 and 61 can easily block any branch protection track 3a, the vehicle can easily select any travel path. According to the fourth embodiment, it is possible to easily block or open the X-shaped branch path with a simple configuration.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing an X-shaped branch path of the fifth embodiment. In the figure, a turntable 70 is provided that can rotate around an axis 71 located at the center at the intersection of X-shaped branch paths. Two protective bars 72 and 73 are fixed on the upper surface of the turntable 70 in parallel with the position matching the width of the branch protection track 3a.
When the vehicle now travels from the approach direction a toward the branch and travels in a straight line direction, the turntable 70 rotates so that the protection bars 72 and 73 are in the positions of the solid lines. Thus, it is possible to deal with the approach path of the vehicle simply by rotating the turntable 70.

  Next, a sixth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a Y-shaped branch path of the sixth embodiment. The sixth embodiment is an example in which the protection bar is driven using a conventionally known switch. In the figure, reference numeral 80 denotes a protection bar whose one end is rotatably mounted around a fulcrum 81, and a jig 82 for receiving the other end of the protection bar 80 is provided on the facing side across the protection track 3 from the fulcrum 81. In addition, a similar jig 83 is provided on the facing side across the branch protection track 3a from the fulcrum 81.

84 is a conventionally known rolling machine, which is configured so that the protective bar 80 can be rotated by the rolling machine 84 via the rack and pinion mechanism 85. Further, the protection bar 80 can be locked at a desired position via the rack and pinion mechanism 85 by using a locker (not shown) provided in the switch 84.
In the sixth embodiment, the protection bar 80 is rotated using a conventionally known switch 84, and since the protection bar 80 can be driven to a desired position using the conventional device as it is, the device configuration is simple and inexpensive. It becomes.

Next, a seventh embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram showing a Y-shaped branch path of the seventh embodiment. In the figure, reference numeral 90 denotes a protection bar composed of two pieces parallel to the protection track 3 and the branch protection track 3a, respectively. The protection bar 90 is translated in the direction of the arrow b through the slider linear motion mechanism 93 by the switch 92. It is possible. 91 is a receiving seat which receives the protection bar 90 when the protection bar 90 comes to the position which interrupts the branch protection track 3a. The rolling machine 92 and the slider linear movement mechanism 93 have a conventionally known structure.
In the seventh embodiment having such a configuration, it is possible to change the approach path only by reciprocating the protection bar 90 using the conventional structure 92, and therefore, the movement is greater than when the protection bar is rotated. It can be easily performed, and the apparatus configuration can be simplified and made inexpensive.

  Next, an eighth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing a Y-branch path of the eighth embodiment. In the figure, two independent protection bars 100 and 101 are installed on a Y-shaped branch path so as to be reciprocally movable in the b direction or the c direction, respectively. These protection bars 100 and 101 are moved using a single switch 104. In other words, the protective bars 100 and 101 can be reciprocated by the switch 104 via the slide mechanism 105. As a device configuration that enables these movements, for example, a differential gear is used, or a reverse gear divided by two is used. In addition, 102 is a receiving seat which receives the front-end | tip of the protection bar 100 in the position which the protection bar 100 interrupted | blocked the protection track | orbit 3, and 103 is a receiving seat with respect to the protection bar 101 similarly.

  According to the eighth embodiment having such a configuration, the protection bars 100 and 010 are arranged so as to cross each other and are thus driven. Since the existing switch is used, the apparatus is inexpensive, and since the protection bars 100 and 101 are driven independently, large power is not required and the apparatus is reciprocating. The configuration can be simplified.

FIG. 18 is an operation diagram when the protective wheels 22 and 23 of the vehicle 1 having the configuration of the first embodiment travel on a Y-shaped branch road having the branch mechanism of the sixth embodiment of FIG.
In FIG. 18, when the vehicle 1 travels from the protection track 3 to the branch protection track 3a along the approach direction a, the protection wheels 22 and 23 (regardless of whether the front wheel portion protection wheel or the rear wheel portion protection wheel) are: When the automatic steering mechanism described in detail in the first embodiment is operating normally, the vehicle travels without contacting the side wall of the protection track 3 or the branch protection track 3a or the protection bar 80. As shown in the figure, the protection wheels 22 and 23 travel while contacting the protection track 3, the protection bar 80, or the side walls of the branch protection track 3a.

As a result, the course of the vehicle is steered along the path of the protection track 3 or the branch protection track 3a, and deviation, derailment, and the like from the vehicle track can be prevented.
At this time, since the protection bar 80 blocks the non-entry road of the vehicle, the vehicle can travel reliably and safely on the set approach road 3a.

  According to the present invention, for a vehicle having a steering mechanism that travels along a predetermined track and reciprocates a tie rod mounted between front wheels or between rear wheels to steer front wheels and rear wheels. Equipped with a fail-safe mechanism with a simple and inexpensive structure, even if an abnormality occurs in the steering system, it is possible to reliably prevent vehicle runaway and derailment, ensuring the safety and reliability of passengers, etc., and branching When traveling on a road, even if an abnormality occurs in the steering system, it is possible to travel safely and reliably on a branch road without departing from the track.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is whole explanatory drawing which shows 1st Example of this invention apparatus. (A), (b) and (c) are plan views showing a steering mechanism and a fail-safe mechanism of the front rubber tire in the first embodiment. (A) And (b) is the elevational view and side view which show the steering mechanism and fail-safe mechanism of the front-wheel tire in the said 1st Example. It is an enlarged plan view showing the fail safe mechanism of the first embodiment. It is an expansion perspective view which shows the guard ring of the said 1st Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the rotation / translation motion conversion mechanism which is a part of the fail safe mechanism of the said 1st Example. It is explanatory drawing which shows the behavior aspect of the vehicle by the fail safe mechanism of the said 1st Example. It is a whole block diagram in the branch road point of the said 1st Example. It is explanatory drawing of the Y-shaped branch path which concerns on the said 1st Example. It is explanatory drawing of the Y-shaped branch path which concerns on 2nd Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the Y-shaped branch path which concerns on 3rd Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of an X-shaped branch path. It is explanatory drawing of the X-shaped branch path which concerns on 4th Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the X-shaped branch path which concerns on 5th Example of this invention apparatus. It is explanatory drawing of the Y-shaped branch path which concerns on 6th Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the Y-shaped branch path which concerns on 7th Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the Y-shaped branch path which concerns on 8th Example of this invention. In this invention, it is an operation | movement figure in case a protection wheel drive | works the Y-shaped branch road which has a branch mechanism of the said 6th Example at the time of abnormality of a steering mechanism. (A) is an elevation view of a vehicle equipped with a conventional steering system, and (b) is a side view thereof. It is a top view of the steering apparatus of the said conventional steering system.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2a, 2b Fail safe mechanism 3 Protection track 3a Branch protection track 4a Front wheel rubber tire 4b Rear wheel rubber tire 5a, 5b Tie rod 6a, 6b Actuator 7a Rotary translational motion conversion mechanism 8 Road surface 11a Rod 12a Rotation joint 13a Steering rod 21a Bracket 22, 23, 22a, 23a, 22b, 23b Guard wheel 24a Support shaft 25a Guard wheel fixing member 26, 27, 71 Center shaft 28 Bearing 40, 41, 51, 60, 61, 72, 73, 80, 90, 100, 101 Protection Bars 42, 62, 64 Support points 43, 44, 63, 65 Receiving seat 50 Electric cylinder 70 Rotary plate 82, 83, 91, 102, 103 Jig 84, 92, 104 Turning machine 85 Rack and pinion mechanism 93 Slider linear motion mechanism 105 Slide Mechanism A Y-shaped branch X-branch path a vehicle approach direction

Claims (12)

Travels along a predetermined trajectory, between the front wheels by an actuator receiving the steering command, the vehicle having a steering mechanism by driving the mounted been tie rods respectively between the rear wheels to steer the front wheels and rear wheels,
The branch protection track that branches from the protection track and the protection track on the track provided, the protective orbit of a bracket attached respectively forward protection wheel and backward protection ring loosely fitted in a non-contact state front and rear wheels At the lower part of each vehicle, pivotally mounted around a support shaft, the bracket is interlocked with the movement of the tie rod, and the vehicle is separated from the track by the clearance between the front guard wheel and the rear guard wheel and the protective track. It has a fail-safe mechanism that is set smaller than the allowable limit dimension to come off ,
The branch protection track has a narrower track width than the protection track,
A branching mechanism for an orbital traffic system, wherein the front and rear wheels are steered so that the front and rear wheels are moved forward in a state where both the front and rear protective wheels are in contact with the side walls . 2. A branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 1, wherein a protection bar for blocking a protection track provided on a track where a vehicle does not travel is provided at a point where the track branches. 2. A branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 1, wherein the protection track has a groove shape, and the protection wheel is loosely fitted to the protection track in a non-contact state.   At least two of the protective wheels are attached to the bracket, and at least one of the protective wheels is disposed on both front and rear sides of the support shaft, and the protective wheels are used to steer front wheels or rear wheels while the vehicle is running. 2. The branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 1, wherein the branching mechanism is interlocked with the actuator so as to face the same direction as the direction. 5. A branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 4 , wherein a front end portion of the bracket is interlocked with a movable portion of the actuator or the tie rod. 6. The branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 5, wherein the support shaft of the bracket is arranged so as to coincide with a line connecting the rotation centers of the wheels in the front-rear direction. 5. A branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 4, wherein the bracket is attached to a carriage on which a vehicle body is placed and supported. 3. A branching mechanism for an orbital traffic system according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the protection bars is pivotally supported at a point where the track branches. 9. The branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 8, wherein the protection bar is rotatably driven by an electric cylinder. At the point where the track branches, at least one protection bar is provided for each branch path so as to be rotatable about one end, and a receiving seat for receiving the other end of the protection bar is provided on the opposite side of the branch path. 3. A branching mechanism for a track-type traffic system according to claim 2 , wherein the seat is configured such that the other end of the protection bar can be mechanically constrained or opened. 3. The track-type traffic system according to claim 2 , wherein a protection bar having two sides having a crossing angle equal to a crossing angle of two tracks is provided on the Y-shaped branching path so as to be able to translate or rotate. Branch mechanism. Provided road outlet line intersection of X-branching path rotatably, claim 2, characterized in that in parallel to fix the protective bar of two rows with the road width and the same interval of the protection track on the same road surface Bifurcation mechanism of the described track system traffic system.

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