JP6198353B1 - Automated guided vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic conveyance vehicle having a stopper that is easy to operate and prevents collision between workpieces is provided. A roller conveyor 4 is provided on a vehicle body. The regulation guide 12 is provided on one side in the width direction X of the conveyance surface 7 of the roller conveyor 4, and the attachment portion 13 is provided on the other side in the width direction X of the conveyance surface 7. The stopper 14 has a plate shape having a longitudinal direction and a short direction. The longitudinal direction is parallel to the transport direction Y of the transport surface 7, and the length in the short direction is shorter than the length of the transport surface 7 in the width direction X. At least two or more notches 15 are formed on one edge of the stopper 14 in the short direction. The stopper 14 is attached to the attachment portion 13 so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the transport direction Y at the other edge in the short direction. The stopper 14 rotates between a restriction position at which the workpiece W placed on the conveyance surface 7 can be partially received by the notch 15 and a release position that does not interfere with conveyance of the workpiece W on the conveyance surface 7. Move. [Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an automatic transport vehicle including a roller conveyor.

  Some automatic transport vehicles include a vehicle body and a roller conveyor provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body, and run while placing a work on the roller conveyor. In such an automatic transport vehicle, as disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a stopper prevents the workpiece from falling from the roller conveyor during traveling. The stopper is provided so as to be retractable from the conveying surface of the roller conveyor so that it does not get in the way when the workpiece is carried into the roller conveyor and when the workpiece is carried out of the roller conveyor.

  Such a stopper is essential when the roller conveyor is a free roller conveyor having no drive source. The stopper may be automatically driven by a drive mechanism as in Patent Documents 1 and 2, but the drive mechanism may be omitted and manually operated from the viewpoint of cost, space, and the like.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of an automated guided vehicle. The automatic transport vehicle includes a vehicle body 30 that travels on a traveling path F, and a free roller conveyor 31 provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body 30. And the bar-shaped stopper 32 is provided in the entrance and exit for carrying in and carrying out the workpiece | work W of the roller conveyor 31. FIG. The stopper 32 is provided at its base end so as to be rotatable around an axis C extending in the transport direction Y of the roller conveyor 31.

  The operator P tilts the stopper 32 and positions it at the entrance / exit of the roller conveyor 31, so that the workpiece W is prevented from dropping from the roller conveyor 31 while the automatic transport vehicle is traveling. Further, as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 6B, the worker P holds the stopper 32 and rotates it upward to retract from the entrance / exit of the roller conveyor 31 to carry the workpiece W into the roller conveyor 31. It can be carried out from the roller conveyor 31.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 06-32428 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 01-166624

  The bar-shaped stopper 32 has the same length as that of the roller conveyor 31 in the width direction X and extends in the radial direction of the axis C from the axis C. The moment when rotating is large. Therefore, a large force is required to rotate the stopper 32. In addition, the worker P must stand on the traveling path F, get out of the vehicle, hold the tip of the stopper 32, and rotate the stopper 32 upward.

  Furthermore, in this automatic conveyance vehicle, when a plurality of workpieces W are placed on one roller conveyor 31, the workpieces W collide with each other during traveling, thereby causing the workpieces W to be damaged or noise generated. To do. The stopper 32 can prevent the workpiece W from falling, but cannot prevent such a collision between the workpieces W.

  The present invention provides an automatic guided vehicle that is easy to operate and has a stopper that prevents a collision between workpieces.

  The automatic conveyance vehicle according to the present invention has a vehicle body, a conveyance surface on which a workpiece is conveyed and placed, and is provided on one side of the conveyance surface in the width direction of the roller conveyor provided on the vehicle body. A regulation guide, a mounting portion provided on the other side in the width direction of the transport surface, and a plate-shaped stopper having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction. The longitudinal direction of the stopper is parallel to the transport direction of the transport surface, and the length of the stopper in the short direction is shorter than the width direction of the transport surface. At least two or more notches are formed at one edge of the stopper in the short direction. The stopper is attached to the attachment portion so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the conveyance direction at the other edge in the short side direction, and the work placed on the conveyance surface is removed by the notch. It pivots between a partially acceptable restricting position and a release position that does not interfere with the transfer of the workpiece on the transfer surface.

  The stopper has the notch formed on one edge, a main body portion attached to the attachment portion at the other edge, and extends along the entire other edge of the main body portion, and the other edge of the main body portion. A projecting portion integrally formed with the main body portion so as to project from the main body.

  The automatic transport vehicle includes a first locking portion for locking the stopper at the restriction position, and the stopper is locked at the restriction position when the protrusion comes into contact with the first locking portion. May be.

Automatic carrier has a second locking portion for locking the stopper into the release position, the stopper is locked in the release position by the main body portion comes into contact with the second locking portion May be.

  The stopper may be provided on a side closer to the side surface of the vehicle body on both sides of the conveyance surface in the width direction.

  A plurality of handles are attached to the stopper, and the handles and the notches are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction.

Automated guided vehicles
A detector attached to the stopper;
A stopper detection sensor that detects the detection body when the stopper is in the restriction position and does not detect the detection body when the stopper is in the release position;
Travel control means for allowing the vehicle body to travel when the stopper detection sensor detects the detection body, and prohibiting the vehicle body from traveling when the stopper detection sensor does not detect the detection body; You may prepare.

  A pad may be provided at the edge of each notch.

  The roller conveyor may be a free roller conveyor having no power source.

  In the present invention, when the stopper is rotated to the restriction position, each workpiece on the conveying surface of the roller conveyor is partially received in the notch of the stopper. And the movement range on the conveyance surface of each workpiece | work is regulated by this stopper and the regulation guide on the opposite side. As a result, the workpiece does not fall from the conveying surface, and collision between the workpieces is also prevented.

  The plate-shaped stopper rotates so that its short direction is the radial direction of the axis, and the length in the short direction is shorter than the length in the width direction of the transport surface. Therefore, the moment when the stopper is rotated is small, and the operator can easily operate (rotate) the stopper.

FIG. 1A is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an automatic guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a front view of FIG. 1A. It is a top view of the roller conveyor provided in the automatic conveyance vehicle of FIG. It is a front view of the roller conveyor of FIG. It is a top view of the stopper provided in the roller conveyor of FIG. It is a front view of FIG. 4 for demonstrating rotation of a stopper. FIG. 6A is a plan view illustrating a schematic configuration of an automatic guided vehicle according to a comparative example, and FIG. 6B is a front view of FIG. 6A.

  Hereinafter, an automated guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. 1, the automated guided vehicle includes a vehicle body 1 and wheels 2 (FIG. 1B) that are provided on the vehicle body 1 and roll on a traveling path F.

  The automated guided vehicle includes a travel control unit 3 (travel control means) (FIG. 1B) that controls a drive unit (not shown) including a motor that rotates the wheels 2 to drive the vehicle body 1. For example, the travel control unit 3 captures an image of a guide line laid along the travel path F with a camera, and controls the drive unit based on the imaging result to cause the vehicle body 1 to travel along the guide line. The traveling method of the vehicle body 1 is not limited to the image guiding method described above, and a magnetic guiding method may be adopted.

  The automatic conveyance vehicle includes a roller conveyor 4 provided on the upper surface of the vehicle body 1. In the embodiment, two roller conveyors 4 are provided, but only one roller conveyor 4 may be provided. Since the two roller conveyors 4 have symmetrical configurations, the configuration of one roller conveyor 4 (left side in FIG. 1) will be described, and the description of the other roller conveyor 4 will be basically omitted. Is done. The roller conveyor 4 is a free roller conveyor that does not have a drive source.

  2 and 3, the roller conveyor 4 includes a pair of support plates 5 and a plurality of rollers 6. The pair of support plates 5 are arranged to face each other with a space therebetween. The rollers 6 are arranged side by side at an appropriate interval, and the rotation shaft portions are supported by the pair of support plates 5 so that the rollers 6 can rotate around the rotation shaft portions. As a result, a conveyance surface 7 on which the workpiece W is conveyed and placed is formed on the upper surface of the main body of these rollers 6. The arrangement direction of the rollers 6 is the conveyance direction Y of the conveyance surface 7, and the extending direction of the rotation shaft portion of the roller 6 is the width direction X of the conveyance surface 7. The conveyance direction Y and the width direction X are orthogonal to each other.

  Cover frames 8, 9, and 10 are provided on both sides of the conveyance surface 7 in the width direction X and one side of the conveyance surface 7 in the conveyance direction Y. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the side opposite to the cover frame 10 of the conveyance surface 7 becomes an entrance / exit 11 for carrying the workpiece W into the conveyance surface 7 or carrying the workpiece W out of the conveyance surface 7.

  The regulation guide 12 is provided on one side of the conveyance surface 7 in the width direction X, and the attachment portion 13 is provided on the other side of the conveyance surface 7 in the width direction X.

  The regulation guide 12 is attached to the cover frame 8 on one side in the width direction X, is at a position higher than the transport surface 7, and extends in the transport direction Y along the transport surface 7.

  The attachment portion 13 is provided on the upper surface of the cover frame 9 on the other side in the width direction X. In the embodiment, a plurality of (three) attachment portions 13 are provided in the transport direction Y with appropriate intervals.

  A stopper 14 is provided for the roller conveyor 4. The stopper 14 has a plate shape having a longitudinal direction and a short direction. The longitudinal direction of the stopper 14 is parallel to the transport direction Y. The length of the stopper 14 in the longitudinal direction is slightly larger than the length of the transport surface 7 in the transport direction Y. The length of the stopper 14 in the short direction is sufficiently shorter than the length of the conveying surface 7 in the width direction X (the length of the main body of the roller 6). In the embodiment, the length of the conveying surface 7 in the width direction X is short. Less than half.

  As shown in FIG. 4, at least two notches 15 are formed at one edge in the short direction of the stopper 14 at a predetermined interval in the longitudinal direction (conveying direction Y). This notch 15 is for partially receiving the workpiece W placed on the transport surface 7. The number of the notches 15 is two in the embodiment, but is determined by the number of workpieces W placed simultaneously on the transport surface 7. The interval between the notches 15 and the shape of the notches 15 are as follows. The size is determined by the size and shape of the workpiece W to be placed.

  A plurality of resin pads 16 are attached to the edges of the notches 15 so that the workpiece W does not hit the edges of the notches 15 and be damaged. In the embodiment, two pads 16 are provided for one notch 15.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the stopper 14 is attached to the attachment portion 13 via the hinge 17 at the other edge in the short side direction (the edge opposite to the notch 15), thereby extending in the conveyance direction Y. It can be rotated around an axis C (FIG. 5). The stopper 14 is attached to the attachment portion 13 by the plurality of hinges 17 along the longitudinal direction in this way, so that sufficient strength of the attachment structure is obtained.

  A plurality of handles 18 (three in the embodiment) are attached to one surface of the stopper 14. The handle 18 and the notch 15 are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction of the stopper 14. The worker P (FIG. 1A) grips at least one handle 18 and operates (rotates) the stopper 14.

  The stopper 14 has the notch 15 formed at one edge as described above, and extends along the entire other edge of the main body portion 14a and the main body portion 14a attached to the attachment portion 13 via the hinge 17 at the other edge. , And a protruding portion 14b protruding at a right angle from the other edge of the main body portion 14a. The protruding portion 14b is formed by bending a plate member constituting the stopper 14 along the longitudinal direction thereof, and is thereby integrally formed with the main body portion 14a. The protrusion 14b improves the rigidity of the plate-shaped stopper 14.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the automated guided vehicle includes a first locking portion 19 and a second locking portion 20 for locking the stopper 14. The first locking portion 19 is provided in each attachment portion 13 and protrudes from the facing surface of the attachment portion 13 that faces the workpiece W on the transport surface 7. The second locking portion 20 is provided in each attachment portion 13 and protrudes from the hinge 17 on the upper surface of the attachment portion 13.

  The stopper 14 is locked so that the main body 14 a is parallel to the transport surface 7 by the protrusion 14 b coming into contact with the first locking part 19. At this position, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the stopper 14 partially receives the workpiece W placed on the transport surface 7 by the notch 15.

  On one side of the conveyance surface 7, the stopper 14 partially receives the workpiece W on the conveyance surface 7 by the notch 15, and the regulation guide 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3) exists on the other side of the conveyance surface 7. Thus, the movement range of each workpiece W on the transfer surface 7 is regulated. Hereinafter, the position where the stopper 14 can partially receive the workpiece W on the transport surface 7 by the notch 15 is defined as a restriction position.

  When the stopper 14 is rotated 90 ° or more upward from the restriction position, the stopper 14 is locked by the main body portion 14 a coming into contact with the second locking portion 20 as indicated by the one-dot chain line in FIG. At this position, the stopper 14 is completely retracted from the transport surface 7, and therefore, it does not interfere with the work for loading the work W into the transport surface 7 and the work for unloading the work W from the transport surface 7. Absent. Hereinafter, the position where the stopper 14 does not interfere with the conveyance of the workpiece W on the conveyance surface 7 will be referred to as a release position. As described above, the stopper 14 rotates between the restriction position and the release position.

  When the stopper 14 is rotated to the regulation position, the movement range of each workpiece W on the conveyance surface 7 is regulated, and thus when the automatic conveyance vehicle travels with the workpiece W placed on the conveyance surface 7. It is possible to prevent the workpiece W from falling from the transfer surface 7 and the workpieces W from colliding with each other. As a result, there is no damage or noise on the workpiece W due to the collision. By rotating the stopper 14 to the release position, the worker P can carry the workpiece W into and out of the conveyance surface 7.

  The stopper 14 rotates around the axis C so that the short direction is the radial direction of the axis C, and the length in the short direction is sufficiently larger than the length in the width direction X of the transport surface 7. short. Therefore, the moment when the stopper 14 is rotated is small, and the operator P can easily operate (rotate) the stopper 14.

  The stopper 14 is provided on the side closer to the side surface of the vehicle body 1 among both sides in the width direction X of the transport surface 7. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment in which the width direction X is the traveling direction of the vehicle body 1, in the roller conveyor 4 at the front of the vehicle body 1 (on the right side in FIG. 1), the stopper 14 The stopper 14 is provided on the side close to the rear side 1b of the vehicle body 1 in the roller conveyor 4 (left side in FIG. 1) provided on the side close to the side surface 1a. As a result, the operator P can easily access the stopper 14 from the front side surface 1a and the rear side surface 1b of the vehicle body 1, and the stopper 14 has a short length in the short direction. Can be operated.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the automatic guided vehicle includes a detection body 21 provided on the stopper 14 and a stopper detection sensor 22 for detecting the detection body 21. The detector 21 is attached to one end of the main body 14 a of the stopper 14 in the longitudinal direction, and rotates together with the stopper 14. The cover frame 10 (FIG. 2) facing the detection body 21 is formed with an insertion hole into which the detection body 21 is inserted when the stopper 14 is rotated to the restriction position.

  The stopper detection sensor 22 is provided in the cover frame 10 and supported by the sensor bracket 23. The stopper detection sensor 22 is a photoelectric sensor in the present embodiment, detects the detection body 21 when the stopper 14 is in the restriction position, and does not detect the detection body 21 when the stopper 14 is in the release position. Thereby, it is detected whether the stopper 14 is in the restriction position or the release position. The stopper detection sensor 22 is electrically connected to the travel control unit 3.

  The traveling control unit 3 sets the vehicle body 1 in a travelable state when the stopper detection sensor 22 detects the detection body 21. Therefore, at this time, if the worker P presses the automatic travel button of the automatic transport vehicle, the automatic transport vehicle automatically travels. On the other hand, the traveling control unit 3 prohibits the vehicle body 1 from traveling when the stopper detection sensor 22 does not detect the detection body 21. Therefore, at this time, even if the worker P presses the automatic travel button, the automatic guided vehicle does not travel.

  That is, the automatic guided vehicle does not travel when the stopper 14 is in the release position, but can travel only when it is in the restriction position. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the automatic guided vehicle from running while forgetting to move the stopper 14 to the restriction position.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the automatic conveyance vehicle includes a workpiece detection sensor 24 for detecting the workpiece W on the conveyance surface 7. The work detection sensors 24 are provided by the number of the cutouts 15 of the stopper 14, that is, by the number of works W that are simultaneously placed on the transport surface 7. The workpiece detection sensor 24 is supported by the sensor bracket 25 on one side in the width direction X of the transport surface 7. The workpiece detection sensor 24 of the embodiment is a reflective photoelectric sensor, and the reflection plate 26 is supported by the cover frame 8 on the opposite side of the conveyance surface 7 from the workpiece detection sensor 24 and faces the workpiece detection sensor 24.

  When the workpiece W is conveyed on the conveyance surface 7 and placed between the workpiece detection sensor 24 and the reflection plate 26, the workpiece W is detected by the workpiece detection sensor 24. As a result, it is detected independently for each workpiece W that the workpiece W is placed at a position where it is received in the notch 15 of the stopper 14.

  As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Car body 1a Front side 1b Rear side 3 Travel control part 4 Roller conveyor 6 Roller 7 Conveying surface 12 Restriction guide 13 Mounting part 14 Stopper 14a Main body part 14b Projection part 16 Pad 18 Handle 19 1st locking part 20 2nd locking part 21 Detecting body 22 Stopper detection sensor C Axis F Running path P Worker W Work X Transport surface width direction Y Transport surface transport direction

Claims (9)

The car body,
A roller conveyor provided on the vehicle body, having a transfer surface on which the workpiece is transferred and placed;
A regulation guide provided on one side in the width direction of the transport surface;
A mounting portion provided on the other side in the width direction of the transport surface;
A plate-shaped stopper having a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction,
The longitudinal direction of the stopper is parallel to the transport direction of the transport surface,
The length in the short direction of the stopper is shorter than the length in the width direction of the transport surface,
At least two or more notches are formed at one edge of the stopper in the short direction;
The stopper is attached to the attachment portion so as to be rotatable around an axis extending in the conveyance direction at the other edge in the short side direction, and the work placed on the conveyance surface is removed by the notch. Rotating between a partially acceptable restriction position and a release position that does not interfere with the transfer of the workpiece on the transfer surface;
An automated guided vehicle characterized by that. The stopper is
The notch is formed on one edge, and the main body part attached to the attachment part on the other edge;
A protrusion that extends along the entire other edge of the main body and is integrally formed with the main body so as to protrude from the other edge of the main body.
The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1. A first locking portion for locking the stopper at the restriction position;
The stopper is locked at the restricting position when the protruding portion abuts on the first locking portion.
The automated guided vehicle according to claim 2. A second locking portion for locking the stopper into the release position,
The stopper is locked at the release position when the main body comes into contact with the second locking portion.
The automated guided vehicle according to claim 3. The stopper is provided on a side near the side surface of the vehicle body among both sides of the transport surface in the width direction.
The automatic guided vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein A plurality of handles are attached to the stopper,
The handle and the notch are alternately arranged in the longitudinal direction,
The automatic guided vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein: A detector attached to the stopper;
A stopper detection sensor that detects the detection body when the stopper is in the restriction position and does not detect the detection body when the stopper is in the release position;
Travel control means for allowing the vehicle body to travel when the stopper detection sensor detects the detection body, and prohibiting the vehicle body from traveling when the stopper detection sensor does not detect the detection body; Prepare
The automated guided vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: A pad is provided at the edge of each notch,
The automatic guided vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein The roller conveyor is a free roller conveyor having no power source.
The automatic guided vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein

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