JP4394087B2 - Connecting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a connecting device, and more particularly to a connecting device that can connect a trackless vehicle to each other by increasing a connection range.

  An IMTS vehicle developed in recent years is a vehicle that detects a magnetic marker embedded in a travel route and is automatically steered based on the detection result. When traveling in a platoon, the vehicles are connected to each other wirelessly. As described above, since the IMTS vehicles are connected to each other wirelessly, the vehicle deviates from the travel route when the wireless device breaks down. For this reason, there is a demand for mechanically connecting the vehicles.

By the way, in a railway vehicle in which each vehicle is mechanically coupled, various types of coupling devices are used. For example, in the coupling device described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-610766 (Patent Document 1), a technique for forming a convex portion and a concave portion at the tip of the coupler 7 is described. According to this technique, by engaging the substantially semicircular key with the convex portion fitted in the concave portion, the couplers 7 can be connected to each other, and the railway vehicles can be connected to each other.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-161076 (see FIG. 5)

  However, since the coupling device 7 is fixed to each rail vehicle, the coupling device described above has a limited insertion range of the convex portion with respect to the concave portion and a small coupling range. For this reason, trackless vehicles traveling without using a track such as a rail have a problem that the connection range is small and they cannot be connected to each other.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connecting device that can connect the trackless vehicles to each other by increasing the connecting range.

In order to achieve this object, a connecting device according to claim 1 includes a male connector disposed in one vehicle, and a female device disposed in the other vehicle so as to be connectable to the male connector. And the female side connector and the male side connector are connected to each other to connect the one vehicle and the other vehicle, and the male side connector is A substantially rod-shaped male trunk that is pivotally supported with respect to a vehicle; and the female connector includes a female side trunk that is pivotally supported with respect to the other vehicle, and the female a shall and an insertion opening which is opened and formed on the distal end side of the side body, the provided on one male body or a female side body, the outer or female body of the inner peripheral surface of the male body Between the protruding engagement position and the non-engagement position stored in the male or female trunk An engagement pin configured to be able to enter and exit, an engagement groove configured to be engageable with the engagement pin, and recessed in the other of the male side body or the female side body, and the male side body and the female side body And when the connection detecting means detects the connection between the male torso and the female torso, the engaging pin is positioned at the engaging position, and the engaging pin An engagement pin actuating device that engages with an engagement groove , a centering rod that is disposed on the rear end side of the male side and the female side body, and performs positioning when the male side and the female side body are connected, and A centering actuating device for extending and retracting a centering rod; and an engaging portion that is formed at a rear end portion of the male side and female side body and engages with the centering rod. As it is formed The distal end of the insertion port is formed in a trumpet shape gradually enlarged toward the opening side, inserted by connecting to one another and said one of the vehicle and the other vehicle the male-side body into the insertion hole, the centering actuators When the centering rod is extended, the centering rod and the engaging portion are engaged to position the male side and the female side body, and the centering actuator contracts the centering rod, thereby The engagement between the centering rod and the engagement portion is released, and the male side and female side body can be swung .

The connecting device according to claim 2 is the connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein the connection between the one vehicle and the other vehicle is performed by advancing the rear vehicle while the front vehicle is stopped. The engaging pin, the engaging pin actuating device, and the connection detecting means are disposed in the female side connector, and the female side connector is disposed in the rear vehicle.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the coupling device according to the first or second aspect , wherein the engagement groove has a dimension in the insertion direction larger than a dimension in the insertion direction of the engagement pin.

The connection device according to claim 4 is the connection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the male side and the female side connector connect the male side or the female body to the one or the other vehicle. Each of which is provided with a buffer member embedded in each of the male side or female side body side surface and the one or other vehicle side surface, An inner cylinder to which a bolt for fastening and fixing the main body portion is screwed, an outer cylinder disposed around the inner cylinder, and a rubber-like elastic body interposed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder. And an anti-vibration base.

The connecting device according to claim 5 is the connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , and includes a bolt for fastening and fixing the male side or female side connector and the one or the other vehicle, respectively. The bolt is composed of an adjusting bolt whose fitting length can be adjusted.

  According to the coupling device of claim 1, the male-side coupler disposed in one vehicle and the female-side coupler disposed in the other vehicle are coupled, and one vehicle and the other vehicle are connected. Are connected to each other, and the male side and the female side body are configured to be swingable with respect to one and the other vehicles. The range can be increased. As a result, there is an effect that trackless vehicles in which the deviation between vehicles is larger than that of a railway vehicle traveling on a rail can be connected to each other.

  In addition, since the tip of the male trunk is formed in a pointed shape, and the tip of the insertion slot is formed in a trumpet shape that gradually expands toward the opening, the opening area of the insertion slot with respect to the tip of the male trunk There is an effect that the connection range of the male-side and female-side connectors can be increased by increasing.

Further , when the connection detecting means detects the connection between the male body and the female body, the engagement pin actuating device positions the engagement pin at the engagement position and engages the engagement pin and the engagement groove. Therefore, it is possible to automate the connection work between the male side connector and the female side connector and to improve the work efficiency.
Further, the centering actuating device extends the centering rod, whereby the centering rod and the engaging portion can be engaged to position the male side and the female side body, and the centering actuating device contracts the centering rod. Thus, the engagement between the centering rod and the engaging portion can be released, and the male side and the female side body can be swung. That is, the positioning and swinging of the male side and the female side body can be switched by expansion and contraction of the centering rod.
As a result, the positioning and swinging of the male side or female side body can be switched by one driving source, so that the driving source for positioning the male side or female side body and the male side or female side body are swung. There is no need for two drive sources each for the drive source, and the cost can be reduced accordingly.

According to the connecting device according to claim 2 , in addition to the effect of the connecting device according to claim 1 , the connection detecting means is provided in the female side connector, and the female side connector is provided in the rear vehicle. Therefore, when the rear vehicle is advanced and the connection work is performed with the front vehicle stopped, the detection result of the connection detection means can be immediately transmitted to the rear vehicle. As a result, when the male fuselage and the female fuselage are connected, the rear vehicle can be stopped immediately, so that the male and female couplers are damaged by pushing the male fuselage too far into the insertion slot. There is an effect that can be prevented.

  Furthermore, since the engaging pin and the engaging pin actuating device are disposed in the female connector having the connection detecting means, the engaging pin actuating device is immediately actuated based on the detection result of the connection detecting means, The engagement pin can be immediately positioned at the engagement position. As a result, the relative movement between the male side body and the female side body can be restricted by engaging the engagement pin located in the engagement position with the engagement groove. Therefore, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent the male side and female side couplers from being damaged by excessively pushing the male side body into the insertion port.

According to the coupling device of the third aspect , in addition to the effect produced by the coupling device according to the first or second aspect , the dimension in the insertion direction of the engagement groove is set larger than the dimension in the insertion direction of the engagement pin. Therefore, the engagement range of the engagement pin can be increased. As a result, the engagement / exit timing of the engagement pin can be lengthened, so that there is no need for a highly accurate connection detection means, and the cost can be reduced correspondingly.

According to the connection device of the fourth aspect , in addition to the effect produced by the connection device according to any one of the first to third aspects, the shock absorbing member has a side surface of the male side or female side body of the main body and one or the other vehicle The angle of the male side or female side body relative to one or the other vehicle due to elastic deformation of the vibration-proof base when there is a deviation between the male side body and the female side body. There is an effect that the male side body and the female side body can be reliably connected with each other.

According to the connecting device of claim 5 , in addition to the effect of the connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , the bolt for fastening and fixing the male side or female side connector and one or the other vehicle is Because the fitting length is adjustable, the adjustment bolt can adjust the angle of the male or female body relative to one or the other vehicle due to manufacturing errors. There is an effect that the angle of the male side or female side body relative to the vehicle can be adjusted. Further, when the male side or female side body hangs down due to deterioration of the vibration-proof base of the buffer member, the angle of the male side or female side body with respect to one or the other vehicle can be adjusted with the adjustment bolt. effective.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1A is a side view of the front and rear vehicles 101 and 102 to which the coupling device 1 of this embodiment is attached, and FIG. 1B is the front and rear of the coupling device 1 of this embodiment. 1 is a top view of vehicles 101 and 102. FIG. In FIG. 1, only a part of the front and rear vehicles 101 and 102 is shown.

  First, the overall configuration of the coupling device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. The connecting device 1 is a device for connecting trackless vehicles 101 and 102 that travel without requiring a track such as a rail to each other, and is a male connector 2 disposed on a rear bumper 101a of the front vehicle 101. And a female-side connector 5 disposed on the front bumper 102a of the rear vehicle 102, and the female-side connector 5 and the male-side connector 2 are connected to each other so that the front vehicle 101 and the rear vehicle 102 Are connected to each other.

  Details of the male connector 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the male coupler 2 along the line IIa-IIa in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 2B is a male coupling along the line IIb-IIb in FIG. 1B. FIG. In FIG. 2, for easy understanding, the cross section of the centering operation cylinder 24 is not shown, and only a part of the rear bumper 101 a of the front vehicle 101 is illustrated.

  As described above, the male connector 2 is a male member that is connected to the female connector 5 (see FIG. 1) and connects the two vehicles 101 and 102 to each other. ) Projecting toward the male side body 21, a connecting pin 22 that pivotally supports the male side body 21, a pair of upper and lower main body portions 23 through which the connecting pin 22 is inserted, and the main body portion 23. The centering actuating cylinder 24 is fastened and fixed by a bolt 24a, and the centering rod 25 reciprocally moved toward the male body 21 by the centering actuating cylinder 24. A part of the main body 23, the centering operation cylinder 24 and the centering rod 25 are accommodated in a case body 26, and the case body 26 is connected to the front vehicle 101 via first and second support members 27 and 28. The rear bumper 101a is fixed.

  The male side body 21 is a rod-like member having a substantially rectangular cross section inserted into an insertion port 512 (see FIG. 4) of the female side body 51 to be described later, and is pivotally supported by the connection pin 22 via a bearing 221. The pin 22 is configured to be swingable in the left-right direction (FIG. 2 (a) up and down direction and FIG. 2 (b) perpendicular to the paper surface) with the center of swinging.

  Further, the distal end side (left side in FIG. 2) of the male side body 21 is formed in a pointed shape that each side surface is inclined and pointed in the protruding direction (left direction in FIG. 2). On the other hand, on the rear end side (the right side in FIG. 2) of the male side body 21, an engaging portion 211 having substantially the same shape as a tip portion of a centering rod 25 described later is provided so as to be engaged with the tip portion of the centering rod 25. It is configured to be compatible. Further, on both the left and right side surfaces of the male side body 21, engagement grooves 212 having a substantially dish-shaped cross section extending along the vertical direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 2A) are recessed, and the dimensions in the insertion direction thereof. d1 is set larger than an outer diameter d2 (see FIG. 4) of an engagement pin 516 described later.

  As described above, the connecting pin 22 is a shaft-like member for pivotally supporting the male body 21 so that the male body 21 can swing, and is connected to the projecting portion of the main body 23 projecting from the case body 26 and the male body 21. On the other hand, it is inserted in the vertical direction. Thereby, since the connection pin 22 can rock | fluctuate the male side fuselage | body 21 in the left-right direction, the connection range in the left-right direction of the male side body | body 21 can be enlarged correspondingly. As a result, the trackless vehicles 101 and 102 in which the positional deviation between the vehicles is larger than that of the railway vehicle can be connected to each other.

  The main body 23 is a pair of plate-like members that support the male-side body 21, and the overhanging portion that protrudes from the case body 26 supports the male-side body 21, and 4 of the accommodation portions that are accommodated in the case body 26. The corners are fastened and fixed to the case body 26 and the first support member 27 by adjusting bolts 34 described later. Details will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The centering actuating cylinder 24 is a hydraulic cylinder that reciprocates the centering rod 25 attached to the rod 241 along the insertion direction (left and right direction in FIG. 2), and the lower main body 23 (FIG. 2B). It is fastened and fixed with bolts 24a.

  The centering rod 25 is an engaging member that is reciprocally moved to the centering actuating cylinder 24. The centering rod 25 is formed in a pointed shape that is inclined in the protruding direction (left direction in FIG. 2) while the left and right side surfaces of the tip end side are inclined. . The left and right side surfaces of the engaging portion 211 of the male side body 21 have the same inclination as the left and right side surfaces on the front end side of the centering rod 25, and are configured to be engageable with the front end of the centering rod 25. .

  Thereby, when the centering actuating cylinder 24 is extended, the tip end portion of the centering rod 25 and the engaging portion 211 are engaged, and the male body 21 is positioned. On the other hand, when the centering actuating cylinder 24 contracts, a gap is formed between the centering rod 25 and the engaging portion 211, that is, the tip portion of the centering rod 25 and the engaging portion 211 are engaged. The male body 21 is released and can swing with respect to the centering rod 25. When the centering operation cylinder 24 is contracted, the centering rod 25 abuts on the engaging portion 211 of the male trunk 21 that is swung by a predetermined angle. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the centering rod 25 from being detached from the engaging portion 211 by restricting the male side body 21 from swinging at an angle of a predetermined angle or more.

  With reference to FIG. 3, the attachment method to the case body 26 and the 1st support member 27 of the main-body part 23 is demonstrated. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the main body 23. In FIG. 3, the length of the main body 23 in the longitudinal direction (length in the left-right direction in FIG. 3) is not shown, and only a part of the case body 26 and the first and second support members 27 and 28 are illustrated. ing.

  As described above, the four corners of the housing part accommodated in the case body 26 are fastened and fixed to the main body 23 by the adjustment bolts 34, and the front side (right side in FIG. 3) is the first support member by the adjustment bolts 34. 27 and the rear side (left side in FIG. 3) is fixed to the case body 26 by the adjusting bolt 34. Further, the buffer member 3 is embedded in the main body portion 23 at the four corners corresponding to the adjustment bolt 34.

  The shock-absorbing member 3 is an anti-vibration device configured as a bush type, and includes an inner cylinder 31 that is screwed with the adjustment bolt 34, an outer cylinder 32 that is disposed around the inner cylinder 31, and the outer cylinder 32 and the inner cylinder 32. An anti-vibration base body 33 that is interposed between the cylinder 31 and made of a rubber-like elastic body is provided.

  The inner cylinder 31 is a cylindrical pipe, and is configured so that a female thread is threaded on the inner peripheral surface thereof and can be screwed to the male thread of the adjustment bolt 34. The outer cylinder 32 is a cylindrical pipe, and an outer peripheral surface thereof is fitted to the main body portion 23. The vibration isolation base 33 is a rubber-like elastic body interposed between the outer cylinder 32 and the inner cylinder 31 and is vulcanized and bonded to the inner cylinder 31 and the outer cylinder 32.

  In the buffer member 3 configured as described above, the inner cylinder 31 and the outer cylinder 32 are relatively displaced by the elastic deformation of the vibration isolating base 33, so that the main body portion 23 is displaced with respect to the case body 26 and the first support member 27. Can be made. As a result, when a displacement occurs between the male side connector 2 and the female side connector 5 (see FIG. 1) due to road surface conditions or the like, the main body portion 23 is moved to the case body 26 by the elastic deformation of the vibration isolating base 33. And the first support member 27 can be displaced, that is, the angle of the male body 21 (see FIG. 2) with respect to the forward vehicle 101 can be changed, so the male connector 2 and the female connector. 5 can be reliably connected.

  The adjustment bolt 34 is formed with a double screw in which a coarse screw and a fine screw having different leads coexist on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and is arranged on the side opposite to the main body 23 of the first support member 27 and the case body 26. The nut 35 and the internal thread of the inner cylinder 31 are screwed together.

  Since the nut 35 is set to have a smaller lead than the lead of the female screw of the inner cylinder 31, the fitting lengths d3a to d3d of the adjustment bolt 34 and the inner cylinder 31 are made independent for each of the four corners. Can be adjusted. As a result, when an error occurs in the angle of the male connector 2 with respect to the front vehicle 101 due to a manufacturing error, the fitting lengths d3a to d3d of the adjustment bolt 34 and the inner cylinder 31 are adjusted, respectively. The angle of the male side connector 2 with respect to can be adjusted. Further, even when the male side body 21 hangs down due to the deterioration of the vibration isolating base body 33, the fitting lengths d3a to d3d of the adjustment bolt 34 and the inner cylinder 31 are adjusted to eliminate the sag of the male side body 21. can do.

  The details of the female connector 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the female connector 5 along the line IVa-IVa in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 4B is a female connection along the line IVb-IVb in FIG. 1B. FIG. In FIG. 4, for easy understanding, the cross section of the centering operation cylinder 54 is not shown, and only a part of the front bumper 102 a of the rear vehicle 101 is illustrated. Moreover, although the cross-sectional view of the female connector 5 shown in FIG. 4 illustrates the cross section of the male connector 2 shown in FIG. 1 on the extension line IIa-IIa and IIb-IIb, FIG. In order to facilitate understanding, the IVa-IVa line and the IVb-IVb line are illustrated as being shifted from the IIa-IIa line and the IIb-IIb line, respectively.

  As described above, the female connector 5 is a female member that is connected to the male connector 2 (see FIG. 1) and connects the two vehicles 100 and 102 to each other, and forward (right side in FIG. 4). ) Projecting toward the female side body 51, a connecting pin 52 that pivotally supports the female side body 51, a pair of upper and lower main body portions 53 through which the connecting pin 52 is inserted, and the main body portion 53. The centering actuating cylinder 54 is fastened and fixed by a bolt 54a, and the centering rod 55 reciprocally moved toward the female side body 51 by the centering actuating cylinder 54.

  The connecting pin 52, the main body 53, the centering operation cylinder 54 and the centering rod 55 constituting the female connector 5 are the same as the connecting pin 22, the main body 23, and the centering operation cylinder 24 constituting the male connector 2. The centering rod 25 and the centering rod 25 are configured in the same manner, and the description thereof is omitted. Moreover, although the buffer member 3 is embed | buried in the main-body part 53 similarly to the main-body part 23 of the male side coupler 2, since it is comprised similarly to the buffer member 3 of the male side coupler 2, its description Is omitted.

  The female-side body 51 is a part for interpolating the male-side body 21 (see FIG. 2) and connecting the male-side body 21, and is an engaging portion that is recessed on the rear end side (left side in FIG. 4). 511, an insertion opening 512 formed on the opposite side (right side in FIG. 4) of the engaging portion 511, a spring 513 disposed at the bottom of the insertion opening 512, and the spring 513 forward (right side in FIG. 4). ), A connection detection sensor 515 for detecting the contact plate 514, an engagement pin 516 housed in the outer wall forming the insertion port 512, and a drive for rotating the engagement pin 516. An engagement pin actuating cylinder 517 that applies force is mainly provided.

  As with the male side body 21, the female side body 51 is pivotally supported by the connecting pin 52 via a bearing 521, and the left and right directions (FIG. 4 (b) can swing in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface. As a result, since the connection range in the left-right direction can be increased, trackless vehicles 101 and 102 in which the positional deviation between the vehicles is larger than that of the railroad vehicle can be connected to each other.

  Similar to the engaging portion 211 of the male side body 21, the engaging portion 511 has the same slope as the left and right side surfaces on the distal end side of the centering rod 55, and engages with the distal end of the centering rod 55. It is configured to be possible. Thereby, when the centering actuating cylinder 54 is extended, the front end portion of the centering rod 55 and the engaging portion 511 are engaged, and the male body 21 is positioned. On the other hand, when the centering operation cylinder 54 contracts, a gap is formed between the centering rod 55 and the engaging portion 511, that is, the engagement between the centering rod 55 and the engaging portion 511 is released, The female side body 51 can swing with respect to the centering rod 55.

  When the centering operation cylinder 54 is contracted, the centering rod 55 abuts on the engaging portion 511 of the female side body 51 that is swung by a predetermined angle. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the centering rod 55 from being detached from the engaging portion 511 by restricting the female-side body 51 from swinging at an angle of a predetermined angle or more.

  The insertion port 512 is a hollow part for inserting the male side body 21, and has a central part 512 a located substantially in the center, and an opening part 512 b connected to one end side (right side in FIG. 4) of the central part 512. And a storage portion 512c connected to the other end side (left side in FIG. 4) of the central portion 512.

  The central portion 512a is formed in a substantially rectangular cross section having the same shape as the male side body 21, and is configured so that the male side body 21 can be inserted. The opening 512b is configured such that each side surface is inclined outward, and the opening area gradually increases as it goes toward the opening side (right side in FIG. 4). The storage portion 512c is a hollow portion for storing the spring 513 and the contact plate 514, and has a substantially rectangular cross section whose vertical dimension (the vertical dimension in FIG. 4B) is larger than the vertical dimension of the central portion 512a. Is formed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4B, a step 512c1 is formed at the connecting portion between the storage portion 512c and the central portion 512a, and the step 512c1 leads to the opening side (right side of FIG. 4B) of the contact plate 514. Is restricted from moving.

  The spring 513 is an elastic member for biasing the contact plate 514, and is stored in the storage portion 512c to bias the contact plate 514 toward the opening side. The contact plate 514 is a plate-like member formed in substantially the same shape as the cross section of the storage portion 512c, and is biased toward the opening side by the spring 513, and a step formed by the storage portion 512c and the central portion 512a. The movement to the opening side is regulated by 512c1.

  The connection detection sensor 515 is a proximity sensor that receives the light emitted from the light projecting unit by the light receiving unit and detects the presence or absence of the contact plate 514 from the detected light amount change, and the contact plate 514 is brought into contact with the step 512c1. When it exists, it is embed | buried under the side surface of the female side body 51 which can detect the contact plate 514. The connection detection sensor 515 is configured to output an ON signal when the contact plate 514 is moved to the bottom surface side (left side in FIG. 4) of the insertion port 512 and the contact plate 514 cannot be detected. Details will be described later with reference to FIG.

  The engagement pin 516 is a substantially semicircular cross-sectional shaft member in which a cylindrical shaft member is cut out, and is recessed in the left and right side surfaces of the central portion 512a and in the vertical direction (see FIG. 4A). They are stored in storage recesses 512a1 extending in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and in the vertical direction of FIG. The engagement pin 516 protrudes from the disengagement position stored in the storage recess 512a1 and the outer wall forming the central portion 512a by the engagement pin operating cylinder 517 that operates based on the detection result of the connection detection sensor 515. Rotates between engagement positions.

  As described above, the outer diameter d2 of the engagement pin 516 is set smaller than the insertion direction dimension d1 of the engagement groove 212 (see FIG. 2A). Thereby, when engaging the engagement pin 516 with the engagement groove | channel 212, the timing which positions the engagement pin 516 located in a non-engagement position in an engagement position can be lengthened. As a result, it is not necessary to use the highly accurate connection detection sensor 515, and the cost can be reduced accordingly.

  The engagement pin actuating cylinder 517 is a hydraulic cylinder for rotating the engagement pin 516, and is housed in a case body 519 disposed on the lower end surface of the female side body 51. In addition, the engagement pin operating cylinder 517 extends the rod 517a, thereby causing the worm gear 518 that meshes with the tip of the rod 517a to rotate forward to position the engagement pin 516 at the engagement position (FIG. 5 ( a)), by retracting the rod 517a, the worm gear 518 is rotated in the reverse direction, and the engagement pin 516 is positioned at the non-engagement position (see FIG. 4A).

  With reference to FIG. 5, the connection state of the connection apparatus 1 is demonstrated. 5A is a cross-sectional view of the connecting device 1 taken along the line Va-Va in FIG. 1A, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view of the connecting device 1 taken along the line Vb-Vb in FIG. It is a figure and the state where the male side coupler 2 and the female side coupler 5 were connected is shown. In FIG. 5, in order to facilitate understanding, the cross sections of the centering operation cylinders 24 and 54 are not shown, and only the rear bumper 101a of the front vehicle 101 and a part of the front bumper 102a of the rear vehicle 102 are shown. It is shown. 5 is an extension of the IIa-IIa line, the IIb-IIb line, the IVa-IVa line, and the IVb-IVb line of the male side and female side couplers 2 and 5 shown in FIG. Although the cross section on the line is illustrated, in FIG. 1, in order to facilitate understanding, the lines are illustrated by being shifted from the IIa-IIa line, the IIb-IIb line, the IVa-IVa line, and the IVb-IVb line.

  As described above, the connecting device 1 is a device for connecting the two vehicles 101 and 102 to each other by connecting the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 as shown in FIG. The male body 21 is inserted into the insertion port 512 of the female body 51, and the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 are connected.

  Here, as described above, the distal end portion of the male side body 21 is formed in a pointed shape, and the opening 512b of the insertion port 512 of the female side body 51 is formed in a substantially trumpet shape. The opening area of the opening 512b with respect to the tip of the body 21 can be increased, and the connection range of the male side and female side connectors 2 and 5 can be increased.

  Further, when the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 are connected, the engaging pin 516 located at the engaging position engages with the engaging groove 212, so that the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 are engaged. That is, it can be prevented that the male body 21 is detached from the insertion port 512 and the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 are separated.

  Further, since the spring 513 and the contact plate 514 are disposed in the storage portion 512c of the insertion port 512, when the male body 21 is inserted with a predetermined size or more, the male body 21 is attached to the spring 513 and the contact. The plate 514 is urged toward the opening side (right side in FIG. 5), and insertion of the male side body 21 can be restricted. As a result, it is possible to prevent the male side and female side couplers 2 and 5 from being damaged by pushing the male side body 21 too much.

  With reference to FIG. 6, the electrical configuration of the female connector 5 will be described. FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the female connector 5. The female-side control device 70 is a control device for controlling each device of the female-side coupler 5 and includes a CPU 71, a ROM 72, and a RAM 73, which are input / output via a bus line 74 as shown in FIG. Connected to port 75. A plurality of devices such as a centering operation cylinder 54 are connected to the input / output port 75. The female control device 70 is housed in the rear vehicle 102 when the female connector 5 is attached to the rear vehicle 102.

  The CPU 71 is an arithmetic device that controls each unit connected to the bus line 74. The ROM 72 is a non-rewritable nonvolatile memory that stores a control program executed by the CPU 71 (for example, a flowchart of the connection / separation control process shown in FIG. 7), fixed value data, and the like. The RAM 73 is a memory for storing various work data, flags, and the like in a rewritable manner when the control program is executed, and includes a connection flag 73a.

  The connection flag 73 a is a flag indicating whether or not the female side connector 5 is connected to the male side connector 2. The connection flag 73 a is turned on when the female connector 5 is connected to the male connector 2, and is turned off when the female connector 5 is separated from the male connector 2.

  The changeover switch 76 is a switch for instructing whether to perform a connection operation (connection mode) or a separation operation (separation mode), and when the female connector 5 is attached to the rear vehicle 102, the rear vehicle 102 is disposed in the vehicle. When the changeover switch 76 is turned on, the CPU 71 determines that it is instructed to perform the connecting work, and when it is turned off, the CPU 71 determines that it is instructed to perform the separation work. The changeover switch 76 is configured by a lock type switch that can maintain the on and off states. For example, when switched from off to on, the on state is maintained until the next switch to off.

  As described above, the connection detection sensor 515 is a proximity sensor that detects the presence / absence of the contact plate 514 from the detected light amount change. When the contact plate 514 is removed from the detection range, that is, the contact plate 514 is on the male side. When the body 21 is pushed in, an ON signal is output.

  As described above, the centering operation cylinder 54 is a hydraulic cylinder for reciprocating the centering rod 55. When the changeover switch 76 is switched from OFF to ON, the centering operation cylinder 54 expands and contracts. As a result, the engagement and disengagement between the engagement portion 511 and the distal end portion of the centering rod 55 are switched, and the positioning and swinging of the female side body 51 are switched. The centering operation cylinder 54 is operated by a trigger operation, and the extension and contraction of the rod 541 are continuously performed.

  As described above, the engagement pin actuation cylinder 517 is a hydraulic cylinder for rotating the engagement pin 516. When the engagement detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal when the engagement pin actuation cylinder 517 contracts, the engagement pin actuation cylinder 517 is engaged. The combination pin actuation cylinder 517 extends to place the engagement pin 516 in the engagement position. On the other hand, when the connection detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal when the engagement pin actuating cylinder 517 is extended, the engagement pin actuating cylinder 517 contracts to place the engagement pin 516 at the non-engagement position.

  The buzzer 77 is a sounding device that generates a sound by vibrating a piezoelectric element, and is disposed in the rear vehicle 102 when the female connector 5 is attached to the rear vehicle 102. Such a buzzer 77 rings when the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 are connected or separated, and allows the driver of the rear vehicle 102 to recognize the connected or separated state. Details will be described later with reference to FIG.

  Although not shown, the male connector 2 includes a switch for driving the centering actuating cylinder 24. When the male connector 2 is mounted on the front vehicle 101, the switch is connected to the front vehicle. 101 is disposed in the vehicle. Thereby, the driver of the front vehicle 101 can drive the centering operation cylinder 24 from the front vehicle 101, that is, the reciprocating movement of the centering rod 25 can switch the positioning and swinging of the male side body 21. .

  With reference to FIG. 7, the process performed with the female | scalpel side control apparatus 70 is demonstrated. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the connection / separation control process executed by the female control device 70. 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9 as appropriate. FIG. 8A to FIG. 8E are cross-sectional views showing the connecting process of the connecting device 1. FIG. 9A to FIG. 9D are cross-sectional views showing the separation process of the coupling device 1. 8 and 9, the cross-sections of the centering operation cylinders 24 and 54 are not shown, and only a part of the rear bumper 101a and the front bumper 102a is shown.

  As shown in FIG. 7, in the connection / separation control process, first, it is determined whether or not the connection flag 73a is on, that is, whether or not the male side connector 2 and the female side connector 5 are connected ( S11). As a result, if the connection flag 73a is not on, that is, if the connection flag 73a is off (S11: No), since the male side coupler 2 and the female side coupler 5 are separated, The process proceeds to S12 and subsequent processes.

  In the process of S12, it is determined whether or not the changeover switch 76 is in the connection mode, that is, whether or not the changeover switch 76 is on (S13). If the changeover switch 76 is not in the connection mode, that is, if the changeover switch 76 is OFF (S12: No), there is no connection instruction between the male side connector 2 and the female side connector 5, so this connection / separation control processing is performed. finish.

  On the other hand, in the process of S12, if the changeover switch 76 is in the connection mode, that is, if the changeover switch 76 is on (S12: Yes), there is an instruction to connect the male side coupler 2 and the female side coupler 5. Then, the centering operation cylinder 54 is driven by a trigger operation (S13).

  As a result, as shown in FIG. 8A, the centering actuating cylinder 54 moves the centering rod 55 along the direction of arrow A in FIG. The extended tip of the centering rod 55 is engaged with the engaging portion 511 of the female side body 51. By this engagement, the female side body 51 swings along the direction of arrow B in FIG. 8A, and as shown in FIG. 8B, the female side body 51 is connected to the opening of the insertion port 512. The vehicle is positioned (hereinafter referred to as “centering”) so as to face the preceding vehicle 101.

  As described above, the centering operation cylinder 54 is driven by a trigger operation, and the centering rod 55 moves along the direction of arrow C in FIG. 8B due to the contraction of the centering operation cylinder 54. . As a result, as shown in FIG. 8C, the engagement between the centering rod 55 and the engaging portion 511 is released, and the female-side body 51 can swing in the left-right direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the connecting operation between the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 is performed in a state where the front vehicle 101 is stopped. In the male connector 2 disposed in the forward vehicle 101, the male fuselage 21 is centered in advance by expansion and contraction of the centering operation cylinder 24.

  After executing the process of S13, in the process of S14, it is determined whether or not the output signal of the connection detection sensor 515 is on (S14). As a result, if the output signal of the connection detection sensor 515 is not on, that is, if the output signal is off (S14: No), the male-side body 21 has not been inserted into the female-side body 51 to the predetermined position. , S14 is repeated.

  In the process of S14, as shown in FIG. 8 (c), the rear vehicle 102 is advanced slightly along the direction of arrow D in FIG. 8 (c) while the front vehicle 101 is stopped. Then, as shown in FIG. 8D, until the male side body 21 is inserted into the insertion port 512 of the female side body 51 and the connection detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal, the rear vehicle 102 is moved to FIG. ) Slow forward along the arrow E direction.

  On the other hand, if the output signal of the connection detection sensor 515 is ON in the process of S14 (S14: Yes), the male fuselage 21 has been inserted into the female fuselage 51 up to a predetermined position. 517 is extended (S15). That is, as shown in FIG. 8 (e), when the rear vehicle 102 moves forward at a slow speed, the contact plate 514 is pushed out to the front end of the male body 21 and moved rearward in the forward direction (left side in FIG. 8 (e)). To do. When the contact plate 514 is out of the detection range of the connection detection sensor 515, the connection detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal, and the engagement pin actuating cylinder 517 is extended. With the extension of the engagement pin actuating cylinder 517, each engagement pin 516 is rotated in the direction of arrow F and arrow G in FIG. 8E, that is, each engagement pin 516 located at the non-engagement position. Are rotated toward the engagement position, and the engagement pin 516 and the engagement groove 212 located at the engagement position are engaged.

  After performing the process of S15, the buzzer 77 is sounded (S16). As a result, the driver of the rear vehicle 102 can recognize that the connection work between the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 has been completed, and the rear vehicle 102 can be stopped. As a result, by pushing the female side connector 5 into the male side connector 2 too much, the male side and female side connectors 2 and 5 are prevented from being damaged.

  After the process of S16 is executed, the connection flag 73a is turned on (S17), the connection state is stored, and this connection / separation control means is terminated.

  On the other hand, in the process of S11, if the connection flag 73a is ON (S11: Yes), since the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 are connected, in such a case, the process proceeds to S18 and subsequent steps. To do.

  In the process of S18, it is determined whether or not the changeover switch 76 is in the separation mode, that is, whether or not the changeover switch 76 is off (S18). As a result, if the changeover switch 76 is not in the separation mode, that is, if the changeover switch 76 is on (S18: No), there is no instruction to separate the male connector 2 and the female connector 5, so this connection / separation. The control process ends.

  On the other hand, in the process of S18, if the changeover switch 76 is in the separation mode, that is, if the changeover switch 76 is OFF (S18: Yes), there is an instruction to connect the male side coupler 2 and the female side coupler 5. , The process proceeds to S19 and subsequent steps.

  In the process of S19, it is determined whether or not the output signal of the connection detection sensor 515 is on (S19). As a result, if the output signal of the connection detection sensor 515 is not on, that is, if the output signal is off (S19: No), the engagement pin 516 and the engagement groove 212 are engaged, and therefore again S19. Repeat the process.

  In the process of S19, as shown in FIG. 9 (a), the backward vehicle 102 is advanced slightly along the direction of the arrow H in FIG. 9 (a) with respect to the stopped front vehicle 101, and the connection detection sensor 515 is operated. The rear vehicle 102 is advanced at a slow speed until an ON signal is output.

  On the other hand, if the output signal of the connection detection sensor 515 is ON in the process of S19 (S19: Yes), the engagement pin operating cylinder 517 is contracted (S20), and the engagement pin 516, the engagement groove 212, Release the engagement. That is, as shown in FIG. 9B, when the rear vehicle 102 moves forward at a slow speed, the contact plate 514 is pushed out to the front end of the male body 21 and moves to the rear vehicle 102 side (left side in FIG. 9B). Then, the connection detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal. By the output of the ON signal of the connection detection sensor 515, the engagement pin operating cylinder 517 contracts, and each engagement pin 516 is rotated in the direction of the arrow I and the arrow J in FIG. The engagement pins 516 located at the engagement positions are rotated toward the non-engagement positions, respectively, and the engagement between the engagement pins 516 and the engagement grooves 212 is released.

  After executing the process of S20, the buzzer 77 is sounded (S21). Accordingly, the driver of the rear vehicle 102 can recognize that the engagement between the engagement pin 516 and the engagement groove 212 has been released, and the rear vehicle 102 can be stopped. As a result, the male side and female side connectors 2 and 5 are prevented from being damaged by pushing the female side connector 5 into the male side connector 2 too much.

  And as shown in FIG.9 (c) and FIG.9 (d), the front side vehicle 101 is advanced along the arrow K direction in FIG.9 (c), The male side connector 2 and the female side connector 5 and the separation work is completed. After executing the process of S21, the connection flag 73a is turned off (S20), the separation state is stored, and this connection / separation control means is terminated.

  As described above, in the coupling device 1 of this embodiment, the engagement pin 516 can be rotated between the engagement position and the non-engagement position based on the ON signal of the connection detection sensor 515, that is, male. Since the side connector 2 and the female side connector 5 can be connected and separated, the connection and separation operations of the male side connector 2 and the female side connector 5 are automated to improve work efficiency. be able to.

  Further, in the male side and female side couplers 2 and 5 of the present embodiment, the male side or female side body 21 or 51 can be centered by the extension of the centering operation cylinders 24 and 54. As a result, centering and swinging of the male side or female side body 21, 51 can be switched by one drive source, that is, the centering operation cylinders 24, 54, respectively. Two drive sources, ie, a drive source for centering and a drive source for swinging the male or female body 21, 51 are not required, and the cost can be reduced accordingly.

  Further, in the connecting operation of the male side and female side connectors 2 and 5, as shown in FIG. 8, the rear vehicle 102 is advanced with respect to the stopped front vehicle 101, so that the driver of the rear vehicle 102 While driving the vehicle 102, the connection state of the male side and female side connectors 2 and 5 can be confirmed.

  Further, since the female connector 5 and the buzzer 77 are disposed in the rear vehicle 102, the driver of the rear vehicle 102 immediately completes the connection of the male and female connectors 2, 5 when the buzzer 77 rings. Can be recognized. As a result, since the driver of the rear vehicle 102 can immediately stop the rear vehicle 102, the male side body 21 is prevented from being pushed too much into the insertion port 512 of the female side body 51, so that the male side and the female side Damage to the side couplers 2 and 5 can be prevented.

  In addition, since the connection detection sensor 515, the engagement pin 516, and the engagement pin operation cylinder 517 are disposed in the female connector 5, the engagement pin operation cylinder based on the output signal of the connection detection sensor 515. 517 can be immediately extended, i.e., the engagement pin 516 can be immediately positioned in the engaged position. As a result, the engagement pin 516 and the engagement groove 212 are engaged, and the relative movement between the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 can be restricted. Therefore, it can prevent pushing the male side body 21 into the female side body 51 too much, and can prevent damage to the male side and the female side couplers 2 and 5.

  Since the insertion direction dimension d2 of the engagement groove 212 is set larger than the outer diameter dimension d1 of the engagement pin 516 as described above, the timing for positioning the engagement pin 516 at the engagement position is lengthened. can do. As a result, it is not necessary to use the highly accurate connection detection sensor 515, and the cost can be reduced accordingly.

  In addition, once the connection detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal, it is electrically de-energized until the changeover switch 76 is switched. As a result, during the connection between the male connector 2 and the female connector 5, the connection detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal to release the engagement between the engagement pin 516 and the engagement groove 212. Can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 from being inadvertently separated during the connection, thereby preventing the rear vehicle 102 from deviating from the travel route.

  Further, since the connection detection sensor 515 outputs an ON signal when the contact plate 514 is out of the detection range, when the connection detection sensor 515 fails and an OFF signal is output, the connection detection sensor 515 is engaged with the engagement pin 516. The engagement with the joint groove 212 is released, and the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 can be prevented from being separated. As a result, it is possible to prevent the rear vehicle 102 from deviating from the travel route due to inadvertent separation of the male connector 2 and the female connector 5 during platooning.

The “engagement position” described in claim 1 corresponds to a position where the engagement pin 516 protrudes from the outer wall surface of the insertion port 512 due to the extension of the engagement pin actuating cylinder 517. The “non-engagement position” described in claim 1 corresponds to a position where the engagement pin 516 is accommodated in the accommodation recess 512a1 due to contraction of the engagement pin actuating cylinder 517.

  The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It can be easily guessed.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the centering rods 25 and 55 are swung by a predetermined angle in a state in which the distal ends thereof are disengaged from the engaging portions 211 and 511 of the male side or female side body 21 or 51. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and the engaging portion 211 of the centering rods 25 and 55 and the male or female side body 21 or 51 is not necessarily limited thereto. The centering rods 25 and 55 may be arranged so that the centering rods 25 and 55 do not contact the male side or female side body 21 or 51 in the state where the engagement with the 511 is released. Thereby, since the male side and female side body 21 and 51 can be rock | fluctuated 90 degrees at a time in the left-right direction, when the front vehicle 101 or the back vehicle 102 drive | works independently, the male side or female side body 21 , 51 can be stored in the vehicles 101, 102, respectively.

(A) is a side view of the front and back vehicles to which the connecting device of this embodiment is attached, and (b) is a top view of the front and back vehicles to which the connecting device of this embodiment is attached. (A) is sectional drawing of the male side coupler in the IIa-IIa line of Fig.1 (a), (b) is sectional drawing of the male side coupler in the IIb-IIb line of FIG.1 (b). is there. It is a fragmentary sectional view of a main-body part. (A) is sectional drawing of the female side coupler in the IVa-IVa line of Fig.1 (a), (b) is sectional drawing of the female side coupler in the IVb-IVb line of FIG.1 (b). is there. (A) is sectional drawing of the connection apparatus in the Va-Va line | wire of Fig.1 (a), (b) is sectional drawing of the connection apparatus in the Vb-Vb line | wire of FIG.1 (b). It is the block diagram which showed the electrical constitution of the female side coupler. It is the flowchart which showed the connection / separation control processing performed with the female | scalpel side control apparatus. (A) to (e) is a cross-sectional view showing a connecting step of the connecting device. (A)-(d) is sectional drawing which shows the isolation | separation process of a connection apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Connection apparatus 2 Male side connector 3 Buffer member 5 Female side connector 21 Male side body 23,53 Main-body part 24,54 Centering action | operation cylinder (centering action | operation apparatus)
25, 55 Centering rod 31 Inner cylinder 32 Outer cylinder 33 Anti-vibration base 34 Adjustment bolt 51 Female side body 76 Changeover switch (switching device)
101 Vehicle ahead (one vehicle or the other vehicle)
102 Rear vehicle (one vehicle or the other vehicle)
212 engaging grooves 211, 511 engaging portion 512 insertion port 515 connection detection sensor (connection detection means)
516 Engagement pin 517 Engagement pin actuation cylinder (engagement pin actuation device)
d1 Insertion direction dimension (dimension in the insertion direction)
d2 Outer diameter dimension (dimension in the insertion direction of the engagement pin)
d3a-d3d fit length

Claims (5)

A male-side coupler disposed in one vehicle, and a female-side coupler disposed in the other vehicle so as to be connectable to the male-side coupler, the female-side coupler and the male-side coupler; Connecting the one vehicle and the other vehicle by connecting each other ,
The male connector includes a substantially rod-shaped male fuselage that is pivotally supported with respect to the one vehicle, and the female connector is pivotable with respect to the other vehicle. a female body to be supported, the connecting device Ru and a insertion opening which is opened and formed at the tip side of the female side body,
An engagement position provided on one of the male trunk and the female trunk and protruding from the outer circumferential surface of the male trunk or the inner circumferential surface of the female trunk, and is stored in the male trunk or female trunk. An engagement pin configured to be able to enter and exit between the mating positions;
An engagement groove configured to be engageable with the engagement pin and recessed in the other of the male side body or the female side body,
A connection detecting means for detecting the connection between the male body and the female body;
When the connection detecting means detects the connection between the male body and the female body, the engagement pin is positioned at the engagement position and the engagement pin is engaged with the engagement groove. A pin actuator ;
A centering rod which is disposed on the rear end side of the male side and the female side body, and performs positioning when the male side and the female side body are connected;
A centering actuator for expanding and contracting the centering rod;
Formed at the rear end of the male side and female side body, and with an engaging part that engages with the centering rod,
The distal end of the male trunk is formed in a pointed shape, and the distal end of the insertion port is formed in a trumpet shape that gradually expands toward the opening side, and the male trunk is inserted into the insertion port and the one The other vehicle and the other vehicle ,
When the centering actuator extends the centering rod, the centering rod and the engaging portion engage with each other to position the male side and female side body, and the centering actuator contracts the centering rod. Thereby, the engagement between the centering rod and the engaging portion is released, and the male and female side bodies can be swung . The connection between the one vehicle and the other vehicle is performed by advancing the rear vehicle while the front vehicle is stopped.
The engaging and coupling pin and the engaging pin operating device and the connecting sensing means is disposed on the female side connector, the female coupler according to claim 1, characterized in that it is arranged on the rear vehicle Connecting device. The engagement groove, the coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the dimension in the insertion direction is set larger than the dimension in the insertion direction of the engaging pin. The male-side and female-side couplers include main bodies that respectively support the male-side or female-side body with respect to the one or the other vehicle,
The main body includes a cushioning member embedded in each of the male side or female side body side surface and the one or other vehicle side surface,
The buffer member is a rubber-like member interposed between the outer cylinder and the inner cylinder, an inner cylinder to which a bolt for fastening and fixing the main body portion is screwed, an outer cylinder disposed around the inner cylinder, and the outer cylinder. The coupling device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the coupling device comprises a vibration-proof base made of an elastic body. A bolt for fastening and fixing the male-side or female-side connector and the one or the other vehicle, respectively, is provided, and the bolt is constituted by an adjusting bolt whose fitting length can be adjusted. The connecting device according to any one of 1 to 4 .

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