JP7357226B2 - Conveyance system and method - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure generally relates to transport systems and methods. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a conveyance system and a conveyance method for conveying an object to be conveyed.

Patent Document 1 discloses a pallet truck (conveyance system) that conveys a pallet (object to be conveyed). In this pallet truck, a fork (support part) is attached to the rear side (fork side) of the truck main body (main body part) so that it can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism. Furthermore, in this pallet truck, small wheels (wheels) are attached to the tips of the forks.

In the conveyance system described in Patent Document 1, the wheels of the support section remain in contact with the moving surface when the main body section is moved. Therefore, in the conveyance system described in Patent Document 1, if there is a step on the moving path of the main body, the wheels of the support section may come into contact with the step, which may affect the conveyance of the object to be conveyed. There was a problem.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-81240

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a conveyance system and a conveyance method in which when there is a step on the movement path of the main body, the wheels of the support section are less likely to come into contact with the step.

A conveyance system according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a main body, a support, a detection section, an elevation control section, and a wheel control section. The main body autonomously moves on a moving surface by drive wheels. The support portion has at least one wheel, extends from the main body portion, and supports the object to be transported while being inserted into the object. The detection section detects a positional relationship between the support section and a step on a moving path of the main body section. The lift control section is configured to control the support between a first height at which the support section is inserted into the object to be transported and a second height at which the support section supports the object to be transported. to raise and lower the parts. The wheel control unit switches between a state in which the wheels do not contact the moving surface and a state in which the wheels contact the moving surface. When the detection section detects that the main body section is located in a region where the support section can be inserted into the object to be transported, the elevation control section disposes the support section at the first height, and , the wheel control unit executes a preparatory operation to bring the wheels out of contact with the moving surface.

A transportation method according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a transportation method using a transportation device including a main body, a support, a detection section, an elevation control section, and a wheel control section . The main body autonomously moves on a moving surface by drive wheels. The support portion has at least one wheel, extends from the main body portion, and supports the object to be transported while being inserted into the object. The detection section detects a positional relationship between the support section and a step on a moving path of the main body section. The lift control section is configured to control the support between a first height at which the support section is inserted into the object to be transported and a second height at which the support section supports the object to be transported. to raise and lower the parts. The wheel control unit switches between a state in which the wheels do not contact the moving surface and a state in which the wheels contact the moving surface. In this conveyance method, when the detection section detects that the main body is located in an area where the support section can be inserted into the object to be conveyed , the elevation control section moves the support section to the object to be conveyed. The wheel is moved to a height at which the wheel is inserted, and the wheel control section moves the wheel from a position in contact with the moving surface to a position not in contact with the moving surface.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing a state before the support section is inserted into the object to be transported in the transport system according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the support section is inserted into the object to be transported in the transport system as described above. FIG. 1C is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the support section lifts an object to be transported in the above transport system. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a conveying device and an object to be conveyed in the same conveying system. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the conveying device in the same conveying system as above. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the transport system same as above. FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram showing a first state of the wheels in the above conveyance system. FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram showing a second state of the wheels in the above-mentioned conveyance system. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the above-mentioned conveyance system. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the support section is inserted into the object to be transported in the transport system of the comparative example. FIG. 8A is a schematic diagram illustrating a state before the wheels of the support section go over a step in the conveyance system according to the second embodiment. FIG. 8B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the wheels of the support section are climbing over a step in the above-mentioned conveyance system. FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the transport system same as above. FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram showing a first state of the wheels in the above-mentioned conveyance system. FIG. 10B is a schematic diagram showing a second state of the wheels in the above-mentioned conveyance system. FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram illustrating a state before the support section is inserted into the object to be transported in the above transport system. FIG. 11B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the support part is inserted into the object to be transported in the transport system same as above. FIG. 11C is a schematic diagram illustrating a state in which the support section lifts the object to be transported in the above transport system. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the above conveyance system. FIG. 13A is a schematic diagram illustrating a state before the wheels of the support section go over a step in a conveyance system according to a modification of the second embodiment. FIG. 13B is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the wheels of the support section are climbing over a step in the above-mentioned conveyance system.

(Embodiment 1)
(1) Overview A transport system 100 according to the present embodiment includes a transport device 1, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the transport system 100 includes a plurality of transport devices 1 and a host system 5 that remotely controls each of the plurality of transport devices 1. In the following, unless otherwise specified, the description will focus on one arbitrary transport device 1. The following description can be similarly applied to each of the remaining transport devices 1.

The transport device 1 is a device that moves on a moving surface 200 with one drive wheel 21, and is a device for transporting an object to be transported X1. The transport device 1 is introduced into facilities such as, for example, distribution centers (including distribution centers), factories, offices, stores, schools, and hospitals. The moving surface 200 is a surface on which the transport device 1 moves, and when the transport device 1 moves within a facility, the floor of the facility becomes the moving surface 200, and when the transport device 1 moves outdoors, the moving surface 200 is a surface on which the transport device 1 moves. The ground or the like becomes the moving surface 200. Below, a case will be described in which the transport device 1 is introduced into a distribution center.

The conveyance device 1 includes a main body portion 2 and a support portion 3, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C. Further, the conveyance device 1 includes an elevation control section 43 and a wheel control section 44, as shown in FIG.

The main body part 2 has a drive wheel 21 and moves on a moving surface 200 by the drive wheel 21. In this embodiment, the main body 2 is capable of autonomous movement.

The support section 3 has at least one wheel 31, extends from the main body section 2, and supports the object to be transported X1 while being inserted into the object to be transported. In the present disclosure, "inserted into the object to be transported" refers to insertion into the insertion port X11 of the object to be transported X1. In this embodiment, the conveyance device 1 includes a pair of support parts 3. Therefore, the conveyed object X1 is supported by the pair of support parts 3 in a state where the pair of support parts 3 are inserted. Moreover, in this embodiment, the pair of support parts 3 each have a pair of wheels 31. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the pair of support parts 3 will be simply referred to as "support parts 3", and the pair of wheels 31 will be simply referred to as "wheels 31".

The elevation control section 43 raises and lowers the support section 3 between a first height H1 and a second height H2. The "height" in the present disclosure is the length from the moving surface 200 to the upper surface of the support section 3 in the vertical direction. The first height H1 is the height at which the support portion 3 is inserted into the conveyance target object X1. The second height H2 is the height at which the support section 3 supports the conveyance target object X1. That is, the support portion 3 at the first height H1 can be inserted into the conveyed object X1 in contact with the moving surface 200. Furthermore, the support section 3 at the second height H2 can support the conveyed object X1 in a state where it is suspended from the moving surface 200.

The wheel control unit 44 determines a state in which the wheels 31 are not in contact with the moving surface 200 (hereinafter also referred to as a "non-grounding state") and a state in which the wheels 31 are in contact with the moving surface 200 (hereinafter also referred to as a "grounding state"). Switch. In other words, the wheels 31 that are not in contact with the ground are floating from the moving surface 200.

As described above, in this embodiment, the wheels 31 of the support section 3 can be switched from the grounded state to the non-grounded state. Therefore, this embodiment has an advantage in that when there is a step A1 on the moving path of the main body section 2, the wheels 31 of the support section 3 are less likely to come into contact with the step A1.

(2) Details The transport system 100 according to this embodiment will be described in detail below using FIGS. 1 to 5B. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the direction perpendicular to the moving surface 200 will be referred to as an up-down direction, and the transport device 1 side as seen from the moving surface 200 will be referred to as "upper" and the opposite direction as "lower". Furthermore, hereinafter, the direction in which the transport device 1 moves when inserting the pair of support parts 3 into the insertion port X11 of the object to be transported X1 will be referred to as "backward", and the opposite direction will be referred to as "front". Further, in the following description, a direction perpendicular to both the up-down direction and the front-back direction will be referred to as the left-right direction. However, these directions are not intended to limit the manner in which the conveyance device 1 is used. Further, arrows indicating each direction in the drawings are merely shown for explanation and have no substance. Further, the white arrows in the drawings merely represent the direction in which an object (for example, the main body portion 2, etc.) moves, and do not have any substance.

The conveyance device 1 (transport system 100) includes the main body 2, the support section 3, the elevation control section 43, and the wheel control section 44, as described above. Further, in the present embodiment, the conveyance device 1 further includes a control section 41, a drive section 42, an auxiliary wheel control section 45, a detection section 46, and a communication section 47, as shown in FIG. There is. In this embodiment, the elevation control section 43, the wheel control section 44, and the auxiliary wheel control section 45 are realized by a link mechanism 40, which will be described later.

The transport device 1 autonomously moves on a flat moving surface 200, such as the floor of a facility, for example. Here, as an example, it is assumed that the transport device 1 includes a storage battery and operates using electrical energy stored in the storage battery. In this embodiment, the transport device 1 moves on the moving surface 200 with the support section 3 supporting the transport target X1. Thereby, the transport device 1 can transport, for example, the object to be transported X1 placed at a certain location within the facility to another location within the facility.

In this embodiment, the conveyed object X1 is a flat pallet, as shown in FIG. In the following, unless otherwise specified, the "conveyed object X1" will be referred to as the "pallet X1." The pallet X1 has a rectangular parallelepiped pallet body X10. The upper and lower surfaces of the pallet main body X10 are square shaped. Note that the upper surface and lower surface of the pallet main body X10 may be rectangular. The dimension of the pallet main body X10 in the thickness direction (vertical direction) is smaller than the dimension in the width direction (horizontal direction). Luggage can be loaded on the upper surface of the pallet main body X10. In other words, during transportation, the transport device 1 moves on the moving surface 200 with the pallet X1 not loaded with cargo or the pallet X1 loaded with cargo supported by the support section 3. .

A pair of rectangular insertion ports X11 are provided in each of the four side walls (front wall, rear wall, left wall, and right wall) of the pallet body X10. Each insertion port X11 penetrates the side wall in the thickness direction (front-back direction or left-right direction), and allows the support portion 3 to be inserted therein. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the pair of support parts 3 of the conveyance device 1 are inserted into the pair of insertion ports X11 in the front wall of the pallet body X10 by moving the main body part 2 backward. The lower portion of each insertion port X11 is a crosspiece X13. These crosspieces X13 become steps A1 on which the wheels 31 ride when the support section 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11 with the wheels 31 of the support section 3 in contact with the moving surface 200. A rectangular opening X12 penetrating in the thickness direction (vertical direction) is provided in the lower wall of the pallet main body X10. That is, when the support part 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11, the wheels 31 of the support part 3 can come into contact with the moving surface 200 through the opening X12.

The main body portion 2 is made of metal, for example. However, the main body portion 2 is not limited to metal, and may be made of resin, for example. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the main body portion 2 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is longer in the left-right direction than in the front-back direction and larger in the up-down direction than in the left-right direction and the front-back direction. The main body part 2 has one drive wheel 21, a pair of auxiliary wheels 22, and an operation part 23. Hereinafter, unless otherwise specified, the pair of auxiliary wheels 22 will be simply referred to as "auxiliary wheels 22." Further, the main body section 2 is equipped with a control section 41, a drive section 42, a detection section 46, and a communication section 47 (see FIG. 4).

The main body portion 2 is supported on a moving surface 200 by drive wheels 21 . The drive wheel 21 is arranged to protrude downward from the lower surface of the main body 2. The drive wheel 21 is rotatable by receiving the drive force from the drive unit 42 . In the present embodiment, the drive wheels 21 are drive wheels having, for example, a steering axis along the vertical direction. Therefore, in this embodiment, the main body part 2 supported by the driving wheels 21 is movable forward, backward, left, and right on the moving surface 200 by rotation of the driving wheels 21 and the steering shaft. .

The auxiliary wheel 22 is arranged to protrude downward from the lower surface of the main body 2. The auxiliary wheel 22 is located between the drive wheel 21 and the wheel 31 of the support section 3 in the front-rear direction. The auxiliary wheel 22 is controlled by the link mechanism 40 (the auxiliary wheel control unit 45) to have a state in which the auxiliary wheel 22 does not touch the moving surface 200 (non-ground state) and a state in which the auxiliary wheel 22 contacts the moving surface 200 (grounded state). is configured to switch. When the auxiliary wheels 22 are in contact with the ground, the auxiliary wheels 22 are rotatable by receiving the driving force from the drive unit 42 .

The operation unit 23 is a user interface that accepts operation input from a worker. In this embodiment, the operation unit 23 is equipped with a touch panel display. Therefore, the touch panel display realizes the function of accepting operations from the worker and the function of displaying information to the worker. The touch panel display is configured with, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) display. In this embodiment, it is also possible for a worker to directly give a transport command to the transport device 1 by operating the operation unit 23 .

The support portion 3 is made of metal, for example. However, the support portion 3 is not limited to metal, and may be made of resin, for example. In this embodiment, there are a pair of support parts 3. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the pair of support parts 3 are rectangular plates that are long in the front-rear direction, and extend rearward from the rear surface of the main body part 2. Moreover, the pair of support parts 3 are arranged at intervals in the left-right direction.

The pair of support parts 3 are each configured to be insertable into a pair of insertion ports X11 in any one side wall of the pallet main body X10. In this embodiment, the length of each of the pair of support parts 3 (the length in the front-rear direction) is shorter than the length in the front-rear direction of the pallet main body X10. Therefore, when the pair of support parts 3 are inserted into the pallet X1, the tips (rear ends) of each of the pair of support parts 3 are located inside the pallet main body X10.

A pair of wheels 31 is attached to the rear end of each of the pair of support parts 3 via an arm 32 that is a part of the link mechanism 40 . Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, a first shaft 321 is attached to the rear end of the arm 32. The pair of wheels 31 are attached to the first shaft 321 so as to rotate around the first shaft 321. Here, the arm 32 is configured to rotate around a second shaft 322 attached to the support section 3. Further, a third shaft 323 is attached to the front end of the arm 32. A roller 324 that rotates around the third shaft 323 is attached to the third shaft 323 . The roller 324 is pushed by the rear end of the rod 33 extending from the main body 2 through the inside of the support 3 . The arm 32, roller 324, and rod 33 are all part of the link mechanism 40. The arm 32 moves around the second shaft 322 as the rod 33 moves backward so as to fill the gap G1 between the rear end of the rod 33 and the roller 324, and is pushed backward by the rear end of the rod 33. It can be rotated to

The wheel 31 is switched between a first state and a second state by a link mechanism 40 (wheel control unit 44). The first state is a state in which the wheel 31 is in a state in which the length direction of the arm 32 is substantially parallel to the length direction (front-back direction) of the support portion 3, as shown in FIG. 5A. The second state, as shown in FIG. 5B, is the state of the wheel 31 in which the arm 32 is rotated clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 5A. The wheels 31 in the second state protrude more downward than the wheels 31 in the first state. In this embodiment, the link mechanism 40 (wheel control unit 44) moves the rod 33 forward and backward, and rotates the arm 32 around the second shaft 322, so that the wheel 31 can be switched between the first state and the second state. can be switched to either.

The support section 3 can be raised and lowered relative to the main body section 2 by a link mechanism 40 (elevation control section 43). In this embodiment, the support portion 3 may be located at at least three heights: a normal height H0, a first height H1, and a second height H2, as shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C. Among these three heights, the normal height H0 is the lowest and the second height H2 is the highest.

When the support portion 3 is located at the normal height H0, the wheels 31 in the first state are in contact with the moving surface 200. Therefore, in this case, the main body part 2 and the support part 3 move with the drive wheels 21 and the wheels 31 in the first state in contact with the moving surface 200.

When the support part 3 is located at the first height H1, the support part 3 can be inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet main body X10. Note that even when the support portion 3 is located at the normal height H0, the support portion 3 can be inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet main body X10. When the support portion 3 is located at the first height H1, the wheels 31 in the first state are floating above the moving surface 200 and do not touch the moving surface 200. In addition, in this case, the wheels 31 in the first state do not contact the crosspiece X13 (step A1) of the pallet X1 when the support portion 3 is inserted into the pallet X1.

When the support part 3 is located at the second height H2, the support part 3 is able to lift the pallet X1 off the moving surface 200 by lifting the pallet X1 while being inserted into the pallet X1. Therefore, when the support part 3 is located at the second height H2, the support part 3 supports the pallet X1 in a state where it is suspended from the moving surface 200. Therefore, in this case, the conveyance device 1 can convey the pallet X1 while supporting the pallet X1 with the support section 3. Further, when the support portion 3 is located at the second height H2, the wheels 31 in the second state are in contact with the moving surface 200. Therefore, in this case, the main body part 2 and the support part 3 move with the drive wheels 21 and the wheels 31 in the second state in contact with the moving surface 200.

The control section 41 controls the drive section 42 , the elevation control section 43 , the wheel control section 44 , the auxiliary wheel control section 45 , the detection section 46 , and the communication section 47 . In this embodiment, the control unit 41 has a main configuration of a computer system having a processor and a memory. The functions of the control unit 41 are realized by the processor of the computer system executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be recorded in a memory, provided through a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or provided recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

The drive unit 42 provides driving force to the drive wheels 21 directly or indirectly. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the auxiliary wheels 22 and the wheels 31 are non-driven wheels (driven wheels). Therefore, in this embodiment, the auxiliary wheels 22 and the wheels 31 that are in contact with the moving surface 200 rotate as the drive wheels 21 rotate when the drive unit 42 applies driving force to the drive wheels 21 . The drive section 42 is built into the main body section 2. The drive unit 42 includes, for example, an electric motor, and indirectly applies the driving force generated by the electric motor to the drive wheels 21 via a gearbox, a belt, and the like. Further, the drive unit 42 may be configured to directly apply driving force to the drive wheels 21, such as an in-wheel motor. Based on the control signal input from the control section 41, the drive section 42 drives the drive wheel 21 in a rotational direction and rotational speed according to the control signal.

The elevation control section 43 raises and lowers the support section 3 between a first height H1 and a second height H2. In this embodiment, as described above, the elevation control section 43 raises and lowers the support section 3 between the normal height H0, which is lower than the first height H1, and the second height H2. Further, in this embodiment, the elevation control section 43 is the link mechanism 40. The link mechanism 40 is realized by an appropriate mechanism that includes, for example, an electric motor and is capable of moving the support section 3 straight in the vertical direction using a driving force generated by the electric motor. The link mechanism 40 also includes an appropriate mechanism that mechanically connects the support portion 3 to the wheels 31 and the auxiliary wheels 22, and allows the wheels 31 and the auxiliary wheels 22 to move as the support portion 3 moves. include.

The wheel control unit 44 switches between a state in which the wheels 31 do not contact the moving surface 200 (non-ground state) and a state in which the wheels 31 contact the moving surface 200 (ground contact state). Further, the wheel control unit 44 switches the wheel 31 between the first state and the second state. In this embodiment, the wheel control section 44 is a link mechanism 40 that mechanically connects the support section 3 and the wheel 31 and moves the wheel 31 as the support section 3 moves up and down. That is, when the support part 3 is moved from the normal height H0 to the first height H1 by the link mechanism 40 (elevation control part 43), the wheels 31 rise as the support part 3 rises. Therefore, the wheels 31 switch from the ground contact state to the non-ground contact state (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). That is, in this embodiment, the elevation control section 43 also functions as the wheel control section 44. When the support part 3 moves from the normal height H0 to the first height H1, the rod 33 moves backward, but in order to fill the gap G1 between the rear end of the rod 33 and the roller 324, Not enough. Therefore, the third shaft 323 is not pushed by the rod 33, and the wheels 31 maintain the first state.

Further, when the support part 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2 by the link mechanism 40 (see FIGS. 1B and 1C), the rod 33 moves further rearward as the support part 3 rises. Moving. Then, the gap G1 between the rear end of the rod 33 and the roller 324 is filled, the third shaft 323 is pushed backward by the rear end of the rod 33, and the arm 32 rotates, so that the wheel 31 The first state is switched to the second state (see FIGS. 5A and 5B). In other words, the wheels 31 switch from the non-ground state to the ground state.

As described above, in this embodiment, when the support part 3 moves from the normal height H0 to the first height H1, the link mechanism 40 changes the wheel 31 from the grounded state to the non-grounded state as the support part 3 rises. Switch to Further, when the support part 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2, the link mechanism 40 switches the wheels 31 from the non-ground state to the ground state as the support part 3 rises.

The training wheel control unit 45 switches between a state in which the training wheels 22 do not contact the moving surface 200 (non-ground state) and a state in which the training wheels 22 contact the moving surface 200 (ground contact state). In this embodiment, the auxiliary wheel control section 45 is a link mechanism 40 that mechanically connects the support section 3 and the auxiliary wheel 22 and moves the auxiliary wheel 22 as the support section 3 moves up and down. That is, in this embodiment, when the support part 3 moves from the normal height H0 to the first height H1 by the link mechanism 40 (elevating control part 43), the rod 33 moves backward as the support part 3 rises. The cam mechanism connected to the rod 33 causes the auxiliary wheel 22 to protrude downward from the main body 2. Therefore, the auxiliary wheel 22 switches from the non-grounding state to the grounding state (see FIGS. 1A and 1B). Further, when the support part 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2 by the link mechanism 40, the rod 33 moves further rearward as the support part 3 rises, and is connected to the rod 33. The auxiliary wheel 22 is retracted into the inside of the main body by the cam mechanism. Therefore, the auxiliary wheel 22 switches from the ground contact state to the non-ground contact state (see FIGS. 1B and 1C).

As described above, in this embodiment, when the support part 3 moves from the normal height H0 to the first height H1, the link mechanism 40 moves the auxiliary wheel 22 from the non-ground state to the ground state as the support part 3 rises. Switch to state. Furthermore, when the support part 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2, the link mechanism 40 switches the auxiliary wheel 22 from the ground contact state to the non-ground contact state as the support part 3 rises.

The detection unit 46 detects the position of the main body 2, the behavior of the main body 2, the surrounding situation of the main body 2, and the like. "Behavior" as used in the present disclosure means an action, a state, and the like. In other words, the behavior of the main body 2 is determined by the operating state of the main body 2 indicating that the main body 2 is moving/stopped, the speed (and speed change) of the main body 2, the acceleration acting on the main body 2, and the main body 2. including posture, etc. Specifically, the detection unit 46 includes sensors such as a speed sensor, an acceleration sensor, and a gyro sensor, and detects the behavior of the main body 2 using these sensors. Further, the detection unit 46 includes, for example, sensors such as a sonar sensor, radar, and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and detects the surrounding situation of the main body 2 using these sensors. The “surrounding situation” in the present disclosure may include the pallet X1 around the main body portion 2 (or the support portion 3). Furthermore, the “surrounding situation” in the present disclosure may include a step A1 (for example, the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1) on the moving route of the main body 2. That is, the detection section 46 detects the positional relationship between the support section 3 and the step A1 on the moving path of the main body section 2.

Further, the detection unit 46 measures the number of rotations of the drive wheels 21 and estimates the position of the main body 2 based on information such as the measured number of rotations of the drive wheels 21. That is, in the present embodiment, the position of the main body 2 is determined mainly based on the electronic map acquired in advance, the detection results of the first sensor 461 and the second sensor 462, which will be described later, and so-called dead-reckoning (DR). It is estimated by

In this embodiment, the detection unit 46 includes a first sensor 461 and a second sensor 462, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The first sensor 461 and the second sensor 462 are both LiDAR. The first sensor 461 is provided at the rear of the main body 2 and is used mainly to detect the situation behind the main body 2. The second sensor 462 is provided at the front of the main body 2 and is used mainly to detect the situation in front of the main body 2.

The communication unit 47 includes a communication module that performs wireless communication using a communication method such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark). Furthermore, the communication unit 47 may include a communication module that performs wireless communication using a communication method that does not require a wireless station license, for example. As this type of communication method, there are communication methods compliant with standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), and specified low power wireless. In this embodiment, the communication unit 47 has a communication function to communicate with the host system 5. In the present embodiment, the communication unit 47 receives data such as an electronic map or a command (transportation command) output by the host system 5.

Further, the transport device 1 is appropriately equipped with a configuration other than the above, such as a charging circuit for a storage battery.

The host system 5 manages the operation of each of the plurality of transport devices 1 included in the transport system 100. That is, the host system 5 controls the transport device 1 (main body part 2 and support part 3) by a command (transfer command) transmitted to the main body part 2 from outside the main body part 2. In this embodiment, the host system 5 is, for example, a server, and has a main configuration of a computer system having a processor and a memory. The functions of the host system 5 are realized by the processor of the computer system executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be recorded in a memory, provided through a telecommunications line such as the Internet, or provided recorded on a non-temporary recording medium such as a memory card.

(3) Operation Hereinafter, the operation of the conveyance device 1 in the conveyance system 100 according to this embodiment will be explained.

(3.1) Basic operation of the transport device First, the basic operation of the transport device 1 will be explained. The transport device 1 drives the drive wheels 21 by controlling the drive unit 42 with the control unit 41, and autonomously moves on the moving surface 200. At this time, the transport device 1 autonomously moves on the moving surface 200 according to the electronic map stored in the memory (for example, the memory of the control unit 41). The electronic map records the moving route of the conveyance device 1 and the position of the pallet X1 that is the object of conveyance by the conveyance device 1. The electronic map can be updated, for example, by having the communication unit 47 receive an electronic map updated by the host system 5. Further, the electronic map may be updated by the transport device 1 based on the transport command, for example, by receiving the transport command from the host system 5 through the communication unit 47. Further, the conveyance device 1 detects the surrounding situation of the main body portion 2 and the like using the detection portion 46 while the conveyance device 1 is moving. For example, when the detection unit 46 detects an obstacle that impedes movement, the transport device 1 autonomously moves to avoid the obstacle within a range that does not deviate from the movement route.

Further, when the conveyance device 1 receives a conveyance command and reaches the position of the pallet X1 to be conveyed, the conveyance device 1 causes the pair of support parts 3 to support the pallet X1. Specifically, the position of the main body part 2 is adjusted so that the pair of support parts 3 face the pair of insertion ports X11 on any one side wall of the pallet X1. Then, by moving the main body part 2 backward, the pair of support parts 3 are inserted into the pair of insertion ports X11. Thereafter, by raising the pair of support parts 3, the pallet X1 is lifted, and the pallet X1 is placed in a floating state from the moving surface 200. This allows the pair of support parts 3 to support the pallet X1.

(3.2) Step avoidance operation by the conveyance device Next, the avoidance operation of the step A1 (here, the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1) by the conveyance device 1 will be explained using FIGS. 1A to 1C and FIG. 6. . In the following description, it is assumed that the transport device 1 has received a transport command and is heading to a location where the pallet X1 to be transported is located.

Until the detection unit 46 detects the pallet X1, that is, until the conveyance device 1 reaches the location where the pallet X1 is located (S1: No), the support unit 3 is normally located at the height H0. Furthermore, the wheels 31 are in the first state. Therefore, the conveying device 1 moves with the wheels 31 in contact with the moving surface 200.

When the detection unit 46 detects the pallet X1, that is, when the conveying device 1 reaches in front of the pallet X1 (S1: Yes), the supporting portion 3 of the conveying device 1 can be inserted into the pair of insertion ports X11 of the pallet X1. Adjust the position of the main body part 2 so that it is in the correct position. Then, the transport device 1 uses the link mechanism 40 to raise the support portion 3 from the normal height H0 to the first height H1. At this time, since the wheels 31 remain in the first state, the wheels 31 are in a state of floating from the moving surface 200 due to the rise of the support portion 3, that is, a non-ground state (S2). In other words, when the detection section 46 detects that the main body section 2 is located in an area where the support section 3 can be inserted into the pallet (object to be transported) X1, the link mechanism 40 (elevation control section 43) It is placed at a first height H1. In addition, the link mechanism 40 (wheel control unit 44) executes a preparatory operation to bring the wheels 31 out of contact with the moving surface 200.

Further, as the support portion 3 is raised by the link mechanism 40, the auxiliary wheel 22 projects downward from the state housed in the main body portion 2. Thereby, the auxiliary wheel 22 switches from the non-grounding state to the grounding state and comes into contact with the moving surface 200 (S3). Therefore, since the drive wheel 21 and the auxiliary wheel 22 are in contact with the moving surface 200, the support section 3 is less likely to sink toward the moving surface 200, and the postures of the main body section 2 and the support section 3 are stabilized.

Next, the transport device 1 causes the main body portion 2 to move backward by the drive portion 42 (S4). Then, the support part 3 moves backward as the main body part 2 moves backward, and the support part 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet X1. At this time, since the wheels 31 are not in contact with the ground, the support part 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet X1 without the wheels 31 coming into contact with the crosspiece X13 (that is, the step A1) of the pallet X1 ( (see Figure 1B). In this manner, in this embodiment, the wheels 31 are prevented from coming into contact with the step A1 (here, the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1) by switching the wheels 31 from the ground contact state to the non-ground contact state.

Thereafter, the conveyance device 1 moves the main body 2 backward until the insertion of the support section 3 into the pallet X1 is completed (S5: No). In this embodiment, when the detection section 46 detects that the distance between the main body section 2 and the pallet X1 reaches a predetermined distance, the conveyance device 1 determines that insertion of the support section 3 into the pallet X1 is completed. to decide.

When the insertion of the support section 3 into the pallet X1 is completed (S5: Yes), the conveyance device 1 stops the movement of the main body section 2 by the drive section 42. Then, the transport device 1 raises the support portion 3 from the first height H1 to the second height H2 using the link mechanism 40 (see FIG. 1C). As a result, the pallet X1 is lifted upward by the support portion 3, and the pallet X1 becomes floating from the moving surface 200.

At this time, the wheel 31 is switched from the first state to the second state by the link mechanism 40 as the support portion 3 is raised. As a result, the wheels 31 protrude toward the moving surface 200 and come into contact with the moving surface 200 through the opening X12 of the pallet X1, that is, in a grounded state (S6). That is, after the preparatory operation, the link mechanism 40 (wheel control section 44) controls the wheels before the link mechanism 40 (lift control section 43) moves the support section 3 from the first height H1 to the second height H2 31 is in contact with the moving surface 200 (grounding state).

Thus, in this embodiment, when the support portion 3 is at the normal height H0, the wheels 31 in the first state are in contact with the moving surface 200. Further, when the support portion 3 is at the second height H2, the wheels 31 in the second state are in contact with the moving surface 200. Note that even when the support portion 3 is at the first height H1, the wheel 31 in the second state may be in contact with the moving surface 200. That is, the wheels 31 can be in contact with the moving surface 200 regardless of the height of the support section 3.

Furthermore, the link mechanism 40 causes the auxiliary wheel 22 to retract into the main body 2 as the support portion 3 rises. As a result, the auxiliary wheels 22 are switched from the grounded state to the non-grounded state and become floating above the moving surface 200 (S7). Thereafter, the transport device 1 transports the pallet X1 by moving on the moving surface 200 while supporting the pallet X1 with the support section 3. When transporting the pallet X1, the transport device 1 moves with the drive wheels 21 and wheels 31 in contact with the moving surface 200.

Hereinafter, the advantages of the conveyance system 100 of this embodiment will be explained with a comparison with the conveyance system 300 of a comparative example. The conveying system 300 of the comparative example is different from the conveying system 100 of the present embodiment in that the conveying device 301 moves with the wheels 303 of the support section 302 always in contact with the moving surface 200, as shown in FIG. . Further, the conveyance system 300 of the comparative example differs from the conveyance system 100 of the present embodiment in that the conveyance device 301 does not include auxiliary wheels.

In the conveyance system 300 of the comparative example, when inserting the support part 302 into the insertion port X11 of the pallet A1). Therefore, in the comparative example conveyance system 300, for example, the wheels 303 of the support section 302 push the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1 without getting over it, resulting in the pallet X1 being pushed without being able to be supported. there is a possibility. This situation may occur particularly when pallet X1 is not loaded with cargo.

Further, in the comparative example conveyance system 300, for example, even if the wheels 303 of the support section 302 get over the crosspiece X13 (that is, the step A1) of the pallet X1, when the wheels 303 get over the crosspiece X13, the wheels 303 By colliding with the crosspiece X13, there is a possibility that the drive wheel 304 slips. In such a case, it is difficult for the detection unit to accurately measure the rotation speed of the drive wheels 304. If the rotation speed of the drive wheels 304 cannot be accurately measured as described above, it becomes difficult for the transport device 301 to recognize where it is. As a result, it becomes difficult for the transport device 301 to recognize the relative positional relationship between itself and the pallet X1, which may make it difficult to transport the pallet X1.

As described above, in the conveyance system 300 of the comparative example, the conveyance of the pallet X1 may be affected due to the wheels 303 of the support section 302 coming into contact with the step A1 (the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1).

On the other hand, in the conveyance system 100 of the present embodiment, when inserting the support part 3 into the insertion port X11 of the pallet It is possible to switch to a non-contact state (non-ground state). Therefore, this embodiment has an advantage in that the wheels 31 of the support section 3 are unlikely to come into contact with the crosspiece X13 (that is, the step A1) of the pallet X1. In other words, when there is a step A1 on the moving path of the main body section 2, there is an advantage that the wheels 31 of the support section 3 are less likely to come into contact with the step A1. Therefore, this embodiment has the advantage that problems that may occur in the transport system 300 of the comparative example described above are less likely to occur, that is, the transport of the pallet X1 is less likely to be affected.

(4) Modifications The embodiment described above is just one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments described above can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the objective of the present disclosure can be achieved. Further, functions similar to those of the transport system 100 may be realized by a transport method, a computer program, a non-temporary recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, or the like.

A transport method according to one embodiment is a transport method using a transport device 1 including a main body part 2 and a support part 3. The main body portion 2 moves on a moving surface 200 by driving wheels 21 . The support section 3 has at least one wheel 31, extends from the main body section 2, and supports the object to be transported X1 while being inserted into the object to be transported. In this transport method, when the main body 2 is located in a region where the support part 3 can be inserted into the transport target X1, the support part 3 is moved to a height where it can be inserted into the transport target X1. Further, in this conveyance method, the wheels 31 are moved from a position where they are in contact with the moving surface 200 to a position where they are not in contact with the moving surface 200.

Modifications of the above embodiment will be listed below. The modified examples described below can be applied in combination as appropriate.

In the transport system 100 according to the present disclosure, the control unit 41, the host system 5, and the like include a computer system. A computer system mainly consists of a processor and a memory as hardware. The functions of the control unit 41 and the host system 5 in the present disclosure are realized by the processor executing a program recorded in the memory of the computer system. The program may be pre-recorded in the memory of the computer system, may be provided through a telecommunications line, or may be recorded on a non-transitory storage medium readable by the computer system, such as a memory card, optical disc, hard disk drive, etc. may be provided. A processor in a computer system is comprised of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) or large scale integrated circuits (LSIs). The integrated circuits such as IC or LSI referred to herein have different names depending on the degree of integration, and include integrated circuits called system LSI, VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration), or ULSI (Ultra Large Scale Integration). Furthermore, an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), which is programmed after the LSI is manufactured, or a logic device that can reconfigure the connection relationships within the LSI or reconfigure the circuit sections within the LSI may also be employed as a processor. I can do it. The plurality of electronic circuits may be integrated into one chip, or may be provided in a distributed manner over a plurality of chips. A plurality of chips may be integrated into one device, or may be distributed and provided in a plurality of devices. The computer system herein includes a microcontroller having one or more processors and one or more memories. Therefore, the microcontroller is also composed of one or more electronic circuits including semiconductor integrated circuits or large-scale integrated circuits.

Furthermore, it is not an essential configuration for the control unit 41 and the host system 5 that a plurality of functions in the control unit 41 and the host system 5 are integrated into one housing. In other words, the components of the control unit 41 and the host system 5 may be distributed and provided in a plurality of housings. Furthermore, at least some functions of the control unit 41 and the higher-level system 5, for example, some functions of the higher-level system 5, may be realized by cloud (cloud computing) or the like.

In the above-described embodiment, the wheels 31 are switched from the ground contact state to the non-ground contact state by raising the support part 3 when inserting the support part 3 into the pallet X1, but this is not intended to limit the invention. For example, when inserting the support part 3 into the pallet X1, the wheel 31 may be switched from the grounded state to the non-grounded state by raising the wheel 31 using the wheel control part 44 without raising the support part 3. . That is, the elevation control section 43 does not need to function as the wheel control section 44.

In the embodiment described above, the lift control section 43, the wheel control section 44, and the auxiliary wheel control section 45 are all realized by the link mechanism 40 driven by one drive source (electric motor), but the invention is not limited to this. This is not the intention. For example, the elevation control section 43, the wheel control section 44, and the auxiliary wheel control section 45 may operate independently from each other using different drive sources. For example, the wheel control unit 44 may control only the wheels 31 so as to switch the wheels 31 between a ground contact state and a non-ground contact state, regardless of whether the support unit 3 is raised or lowered. Further, for example, the auxiliary wheel control section 45 may control only the auxiliary wheels 22 so as to switch between the grounding state and the non-grounding state of the auxiliary wheels 22 without depending on the elevation of the support section 3 .

In the above-described embodiment, when the wheels 31 are in contact with the ground, the auxiliary wheels 22 are brought into a non-contact state to avoid a situation in which both the wheels 31 and the auxiliary wheels 22 come into contact with the moving surface 200. It is not intended to be limited to. For example, the auxiliary wheels 22 may continue to be in contact with the moving surface 200 at all times. Note that the center point of the rotation of the main body part 2 and the support part 3 is determined when all of the driving wheels 21, wheels 31, and auxiliary wheels 22 are in contact with the moving surface 200, and when the driving wheels 21 and wheels 31 are in contact with the moving surface 200. It depends on the case. Therefore, in a mode in which the auxiliary wheels 22 are always in contact with the moving surface 200, it is preferable to control the movement of the main body part 2 in consideration of the above-mentioned deviation of the center point.

In the above-described embodiment, the wheels 31 are in contact with the moving surface 200 both when not transporting the pallet X1 and when transporting the pallet X1, but this is not intended to limit the invention. For example, the wheels 31 may be in contact with the moving surface 200 only when transporting the pallet X1. That is, the wheels 31 do not need to be in contact with the moving surface 200 when the pallet X1 is not being transported. In this embodiment, it is preferable to stabilize the postures of the main body portion 2 and the support portion 3 using only the drive wheels 21, for example, using a counterweight or the like.

In the embodiment described above, there is only one driving wheel 21, but there may be a plurality of driving wheels 21. Further, in the above-described embodiment, there is a pair of support parts 3, but there may be one or more support parts. Further, in the above-described embodiment, the support part 3 has a pair of wheels 31, but the support part 3 may have one wheel 31 or even more wheels 31. It's okay. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the conveying device 1 has a pair of auxiliary wheels 22, but the conveying device 1 may have one auxiliary wheel 22, or even more auxiliary wheels 22. may have.

In the embodiment described above, the main body portion 2 has the auxiliary wheels 22, but this is not intended to limit the invention. For example, the auxiliary wheel 22 may be provided on the support portion 3. In this case, the auxiliary wheels 22 are preferably provided at a position where they do not interfere with the conveyance of the pallet X1 (that is, at a position close to the main body 2). Further, for example, if it is possible to maintain the state in which the supporting part 3 is lifted from the moving surface 200 while the wheels 31 are floating from the moving surface 200, the conveying device 1 can control the auxiliary wheels 22 and the auxiliary wheel control section 45. It is not necessary to have it.

In the above-described embodiment, the wheels 31 are in contact with the moving surface 200 through the opening X12 of the pallet X1 when the support part 3 is inserted into the pallet X1, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the wheels 31 may contact the moving surface 200 on the outside of the pallet X1 in a state where the support portion 3 is inserted into the pallet X1. That is, the dimension of the support part 3 in the length direction (front and rear direction) may be smaller or larger than the dimension of the pallet X1 in the length direction (front and rear direction).

In the embodiment described above, the detection unit 46 detects the completion of insertion of the support unit 3 into the pallet X1 when the distance between the pallet X1 and the main body unit 2 reaches a predetermined distance. It is not intended to be limited to. For example, the detection section 46 may include a push switch that is provided at the rear of the main body section 2 and turns on/off depending on whether or not it is pushed by the pallet X1. In this aspect, the detection unit 46 can detect completion of insertion of the support unit 3 into the pallet X1 when the push switch is turned on.

In the embodiment described above, the transport device 1 is autonomously movable, but it may also be a manually operated pallet truck. In this aspect, if the conveyance device 1 includes the main body 2, the support section 3, the elevation control section 43, and the wheel control section 44, it can achieve the same effects as the above-described embodiment.

In the above-described embodiment, the plurality of transport devices 1 are managed by the host system 5, but this is not intended to be limiting. For example, the plurality of transport devices 1 may be able to communicate with each other without going through the host system 5. In this aspect, when one or more of the plurality of transport devices 1 manages another transport device 1 instead of the host system 5, the host system 5 is not necessary. In other words, the transport system 100 may or may not include the host system 5.

In the above-described embodiment, the conveyed object X1 is the pallet X1, but this is not intended to be limiting. For example, the conveyed object X1 may be a case having an insertion port X11 into which the support section 3 is inserted. In other words, it is sufficient that the object to be transported X1 can be supported by the support section 3 in a state where the support section 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11.

In the above-described embodiment, the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1 is cited as an example of the step A1, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the step A1 may exist on the moving path of the conveyance device 1, including the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1. For example, if the step A1 exists on the route that the transport device 1 needs to pass, the transport device 1 avoids the step A1 by switching the wheels 31 from the ground contact state to the non-ground contact state. In this case, the drive wheel 21 will get over the step A1, but since the drive wheel 21 has a larger diameter than the wheel 31 and is less likely to generate an impact when going over the step A1, the transport of the comparative example Problems such as those mentioned in the description of system 300 are unlikely to occur.

Here, the step A1 on the path that the transport device 1 needs to pass can be detected, for example, if the detection unit 46 has 3D-LiDAR. For example, if the detection unit 46 has a camera that images the surroundings of the main body 2, a recognition marker is attached to the step A1 in advance, and the detection unit 46 images the marker and performs image recognition. It is also possible to detect the step A1 by detecting the step A1.

In the embodiment described above, the step A1 is detected by the detection unit 46, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the location of the step A1 is marked on the electronic map possessed by the transport device 1, the transport device 1 will be able to move the wheels when it reaches the front of the step A1 even if the detection unit 46 does not detect the step A1. 31 can be switched from a grounded state to a non-grounded state. Alternatively, the host system 5 may issue a command to the transport device 1 to switch the wheels 31 from the ground contact state to the non-ground contact state when the transport device 1 reaches the step A1.

(Embodiment 2)
(1) Overview The conveyance device 1 of this embodiment includes a main body portion 2 and a support portion 3 similarly to the first embodiment. Moreover, unlike Embodiment 1, the conveying device 1 of this embodiment includes a suspension 6 as shown in FIGS. It is equipped with

The suspension 6 is provided between the support portion 3 and the wheel 31 to reduce the impact transmitted to the wheel 31. That is, in this embodiment, for example, when there is a step A1 on the moving path of the main body portion 2 and the wheel 31 comes into contact with the step A1, the shock transmitted to the wheel 31 is alleviated by the suspension 6.

As described above, in this embodiment, the suspension 6 alleviates the impact transmitted to the wheels 31 of the support section 3. Therefore, this embodiment has the advantage that when the wheels 31 of the support section 3 come into contact with the step A1 on the moving path of the main body section 2, the transportation of the object to be transported X1 is hardly affected.

(2) Details Hereinafter, the transport system 100A according to this embodiment will be explained in detail using FIGS. 8 to 11C. However, below, descriptions of parts common to Embodiment 1 will be omitted.

The transport device 1 (transport system 100A) includes the main body part 2, the support part 3, and the suspension 6, as described above. Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the conveyance device 1 includes a control section 41, a drive section 42, an elevation control section 43, a switching section 48, a detection section 46, a communication section 47, It also has the following. In this embodiment, the elevation control section 43 and the switching section 48 are realized by the link mechanism 40.

A pair of wheels 31 is attached to the rear end of each of the pair of support parts 3 via an arm 32 that is a part of the suspension 6 and link mechanism 40 . Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, a first shaft 321 is attached to the rear end of the arm 32. The pair of wheels 31 are attached to the first shaft 321 so as to rotate around the first shaft 321. Here, the arm 32 is configured to rotate around a second shaft 322 attached to the support section 3. Further, a third shaft 323 is attached to the front end of the arm 32. A roller 324 that rotates around the third shaft 323 is attached to the third shaft 323 . The roller 324 is pushed by the rear end of the rod 33 extending from the main body 2 through the inside of the support 3 . The arm 32, roller 324, and rod 33 are all part of the link mechanism 40. The arm 32 is rotatable around the second axis 322 by the roller 324 being pushed backward by the rear end of the rod 33 .

The suspension 6 is provided between the support part 3 and the pair of wheels 31 for each pair of support parts 3 . In this embodiment, the suspension 6 is a coil spring 61 whose axial direction is a direction (vertical direction) intersecting the moving surface 200, as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. A first end (upper end) of the coil spring 61 in the axial direction is attached to the support portion 3 . A second end (lower end) of the coil spring 61 in the axial direction is attached to the arm 32 . As already mentioned, the pair of wheels 31 are attached to the first shaft 321 of the arm 32. Therefore, by being provided between the support portion 3 and the arm 32, the suspension 6 is indirectly provided between the support portion 3 and the pair of wheels 31.

The suspension 6 is deflected between the support portion 3 and the arm 32, thereby alleviating the impact transmitted to the wheel 31. Specifically, when the wheel 31 contacts a step A1 on the movement path of the main body 2, force is transmitted from the step A1 to the suspension 6 via the wheel 31 and the arm 32, causing the suspension 6 to bend upward. . Therefore, the wheel 31 moves upward together with the arm 32 and overcomes the step A1. At this time, a portion of the force transmitted from the step A1 to the wheels 31 is absorbed by the suspension 6, so that the impact transmitted to the wheels 31 is alleviated. In addition, the suspension 6 is capable of supporting the load (for example, several tens of kg) of the support part 3 to the extent that the support part 3 does not sink in a state where the support part 3 does not support the pallet X1. It only needs to have strength.

The wheel 31 is switched between a first state and a second state by a link mechanism 40. The first state is a state in which the wheel 31 is in a state in which the length direction of the arm 32 is substantially parallel to the length direction (front-back direction) of the support portion 3, as shown in FIG. 10A. The second state, as shown in FIG. 10B, is the state of the wheel 31 in which the arm 32 is rotated clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 10A. The wheels 31 in the second state protrude more downward than the wheels 31 in the first state. In this embodiment, the link mechanism 40 moves the rod 33 forward and backward, and rotates the arm 32 around the second shaft 322, thereby switching the wheel 31 between the first state and the second state. .

The support section 3 can be raised and lowered relative to the main body section 2 by a link mechanism 40 (elevation control section 43). In this embodiment, the support portion 3 may be located at at least two heights, a first height H1 and a second height H2, as shown in FIGS. 11A to 11C. The second height H2 is higher than the first height H1.

When the support portion 3 is located at the first height H1, the wheels 31 in the first state are in contact with the moving surface 200. Therefore, in this case, the main body part 2 and the support part 3 move with the drive wheels 21 and the wheels 31 in the first state in contact with the moving surface 200. Moreover, when the support part 3 is located at the 1st height H1, the support part 3 can be inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet main body X10. That is, in this case, the support part 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11 by the wheel 31 climbing over the crosspiece X13 (step A1) of the pallet X1.

When the support part 3 is located at the second height H2, the support part 3 is able to lift the pallet X1 off the moving surface 200 by lifting the pallet X1 while being inserted into the pallet X1. Therefore, when the support part 3 is located at the second height H2, the support part 3 supports the pallet X1 in a state where it is suspended from the moving surface 200. Therefore, in this case, the conveyance device 1 can convey the pallet X1 while supporting the pallet X1 with the support section 3. Further, when the support portion 3 is located at the second height H2, the wheels 31 in the second state are in contact with the moving surface 200. Therefore, in this case, the main body part 2 and the support part 3 move with the drive wheels 21 and the wheels 31 in the second state in contact with the moving surface 200.

The control section 41 controls the drive section 42 , the elevation control section 43 , the switching section 48 , the detection section 46 , and the communication section 47 .

The drive unit 42 provides driving force to the drive wheels 21 directly or indirectly.

The elevation control section 43 raises and lowers the support section 3 between a first height H1 and a second height H2. The "height" in the present disclosure is the length from the moving surface 200 to the upper surface of the support section 3 in the vertical direction. The first height H1 is the height at which the support portion 3 is inserted into the conveyance target object X1. The second height H2 is the height at which the support section 3 supports the conveyance target object X1. That is, the support portion 3 at the first height H1 can be inserted into the conveyed object X1 in contact with the moving surface 200. Furthermore, the support section 3 at the second height H2 can support the conveyed object X1 in a state where it is suspended from the moving surface 200.

In this embodiment, the elevation control section 43 is the link mechanism 40. The link mechanism 40 is realized by an appropriate mechanism that includes, for example, an electric motor and is capable of moving the support section 3 straight in the vertical direction using a driving force generated by the electric motor. Further, the link mechanism 40 includes an appropriate mechanism that mechanically connects the support part 3 and the wheel 31 and can move the wheel 31 as the support part 3 moves. That is, in this embodiment, when the support part 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2 by the link mechanism 40 (see FIGS. 11B and 11C), the rod 33 moves as the support part 3 rises. moves backwards. Therefore, when the roller 324 is pushed by the rod 33, the wheel 31 is switched from the first state to the second state (see FIGS. 10A and 10B).

The switching unit 48 switches between a valid state in which the shock mitigation operation of the suspension 6 is effective and an invalid state in which the shock mitigation motion of the suspension 6 is disabled. The "impact mitigation operation" in the present disclosure refers to an operation in which the suspension 6 is bent to alleviate the impact transmitted to the wheels 31. In this embodiment, the switching unit 48 switches between the valid state and the invalid state as the support unit 3 moves up and down. In particular, in the present embodiment, when the support section 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2, the switching section 48 switches the suspension 6 from the enabled state to the disabled state. In other words, in this embodiment, when the support part 3 is at the first height H1, the suspension 6 is in the valid state, and when the support part 3 is at the second height H2, the suspension 6 is in the invalid state.

Further, in this embodiment, the switching section 48 is realized by the link mechanism 40. Specifically, the link mechanism 40 includes an arm 32 to which the wheels 31 and the suspension 6 are attached, and a rod 33, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. Here, the rod 33 rotates the arm 32 around the second axis 322 by pushing the roller 324 of the arm 32 backward, as already mentioned. In other words, the rod 33 is a transmission section 33 that moves the arm 32 by transmitting force to the arm 32. In the following, the "transmission portion 33" will be referred to as the "rod 33" unless otherwise specified. Then, the switching unit 48 switches to the effective state by separating the rod 33 from the arm 32, and switches to the disabled state by bringing the rod 33 into contact with the arm 32.

That is, as shown in FIG. 10A, when the rod 33 is moving forward and the rod 33 and the arm 32 are separated (the gap G1 is open between the rod 33 and the arm 32), the arm 32 is in a state where no force is transmitted from the rod 33. In this state, the rod 33 does not inhibit the movement of the arm 32, so the suspension 6 can be freely bent. Therefore, in this state, the suspension 6 is in an effective state.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10B, when the rod 33 is moving backward and the rod 33 and the arm 32 are in contact, the arm 32 is in a state where the force from the rod 33 is transmitted. In this state, the rod 33 obstructs the movement of the arm 32, so the suspension 6 is prevented from freely deflecting. Therefore, in this state, the suspension 6 is in an invalid state. In this embodiment, the rod 33 fixes the arm 32 in a state where the arm 32 rotates clockwise about the second shaft 322 by maintaining the backward state. Therefore, the rod 33 obstructs the movement of the suspension 6 to return to its original state (that is, the undeflected state), so that the suspension 6 maintains an almost fully extended state.

(3) Operation Hereinafter, the operation of the conveyance device 1 in the conveyance system 100A according to this embodiment will be explained. Note that the basic operation of the conveyance device 1 is the same as in the first embodiment, so a description thereof will be omitted here. Therefore, here, the transport operation by the transport device 1 will be explained using FIGS. 11A to 11C and FIG. 12. In the following description, it is assumed that the transport device 1 has received a transport command and is heading to a location where the pallet X1 to be transported is located.

Until the detection unit 46 detects the pallet X1, that is, until the conveyance device 1 reaches the location where the pallet X1 is located (S11: No), the support unit 3 is located at the first height H1. Furthermore, the wheels 31 are in the first state. Therefore, the conveying device 1 moves with the wheels 31 in contact with the moving surface 200. Furthermore, when the support portion 3 is at the first height H1, the rod 33 is moving forward, so there is a gap G1 between the rod 33 and the arm 32. Therefore, the suspension 6 is in an effective state.

When the detection unit 46 detects the pallet X1, that is, when the conveyance device 1 arrives in front of the pallet X1 (S11: Yes), the conveyance device 1 allows the support portion 3 to be inserted into the pair of insertion ports X11 of the pallet X1. Adjust the position of the main body part 2 so that it is in the correct position. Next, the transport device 1 causes the main body portion 2 to move backward by the drive portion 42 (S12). Then, the support part 3 moves backward as the main body part 2 moves backward, and the support part 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet X1. At this time, the wheel 31 contacts the crosspiece X13 (that is, the step A1) of the pallet X1, but since the suspension 6 is in an effective state, the shock transmitted to the wheel 31 is alleviated by the suspension 6 being bent. Therefore, the support portion 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet X1 while the wheels 31 ride over the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1 (see FIG. 11B).

Thereafter, the conveyance device 1 moves the main body 2 backward until the insertion of the support section 3 into the pallet X1 is completed (S13: No). In this embodiment, when the detection section 46 detects that the distance between the main body section 2 and the pallet X1 reaches a predetermined distance, the conveyance device 1 determines that insertion of the support section 3 into the pallet X1 is completed. to decide.

When the insertion of the support section 3 into the pallet X1 is completed (S13: Yes), the conveyance device 1 stops the movement of the main body section 2 by the drive section 42. Then, the transport device 1 raises the support portion 3 from the first height H1 to the second height H2 using the link mechanism 40 (S14). As a result, the pallet X1 is lifted upward by the support portion 3, and the pallet X1 is placed in a floating state from the moving surface 200 (see FIG. 11C).

At this time, the wheel 31 is switched from the first state to the second state by the link mechanism 40 as the support portion 3 is raised. Thereby, the wheels 31 protrude toward the moving surface 200 and come into contact with the moving surface 200 through the opening X12 of the pallet X1. Also, at this time, as the support portion 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2, the rod 33 moves backward, thereby fixing the arm 32 in a clockwise rotated state. . Therefore, the suspension 6 is switched from the enabled state to the disabled state (see FIG. 10B).

Thereafter, the transport device 1 transports the pallet X1 by moving on the moving surface 200 while supporting the pallet X1 with the support section 3. When transporting the pallet X1, the transport device 1 moves with the drive wheels 21 and wheels 31 in contact with the moving surface 200. Further, when the pallet X1 is being transported, the suspension 6 remains in an inactive state. Therefore, when the pallet X1 is transported, the suspension 6 is hard to bend, so the support part 3 is hard to move in the vertical direction, and the posture of the support part 3 is stabilized.

Hereinafter, the advantages of the conveyance system 100A of this embodiment will be explained with a comparison with the conveyance system 300 of the comparative example described in the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the conveyance system 300 of the comparative example differs from the conveyance system 100A of the present embodiment in that the conveyance device 301 does not include a suspension.

In the conveyance system 300 of the comparative example, when inserting the support part 302 into the insertion port X11 of the pallet It contacts the crosspiece X13 (that is, the step A1) of the pallet X1. Therefore, in the comparative example conveyance system 300, for example, the wheels 303 of the support section 302 push the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1 without getting over it, resulting in the pallet X1 being pushed without being able to be supported. there is a possibility. This situation may occur particularly when pallet X1 is not loaded with cargo.

Further, in the comparative example conveyance system 300, for example, even if the wheels 303 of the support section 302 get over the crosspiece X13 (that is, the step A1) of the pallet X1, when the wheels 303 get over the crosspiece X13, the wheels 303 By colliding with the crosspiece X13, there is a possibility that the drive wheel 304 slips. In such a case, it is difficult for the detection unit to accurately measure the rotation speed of the drive wheels 304. If the rotation speed of the drive wheels 304 cannot be accurately measured as described above, it becomes difficult for the transport device 301 to recognize where it is. As a result, it becomes difficult for the transport device 301 to recognize the relative positional relationship between itself and the pallet X1, which may make it difficult to transport the pallet X1.

As described above, in the conveyance system 300 of the comparative example, the conveyance of the pallet X1 may be affected due to the wheels 303 of the support section 302 coming into contact with the step A1 (the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1).

On the other hand, in the conveyance system 100A of this embodiment, the suspension 6 alleviates the impact transmitted to the wheels 31 when the support part 3 is inserted into the insertion port X11 of the pallet X1. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the wheels 31 of the support section 3 come into contact with the crosspiece X13 (that is, the step A1) of the pallet X1, the wheels 31 easily get over the crosspiece X13 without pushing the crosspiece X13. , there is an advantage. Furthermore, in the present embodiment, even if the wheel 31 collides with the crosspiece X13, the impact transmitted to the wheel 31 is alleviated by the suspension 6, and as a result, the impact transmitted to the drive wheel 21 is also alleviated. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if the wheel 31 collides with the crosspiece X13, the drive wheel 21 is unlikely to slip, and the measurement of the rotational speed of the drive wheel 21 is unlikely to be affected. Therefore, this embodiment has the advantage that problems that may occur in the transport system 300 of the comparative example described above are less likely to occur, that is, the transport of the pallet X1 is less likely to be affected.

(4) Modifications The embodiment described above is just one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The embodiments described above can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the objective of the present disclosure can be achieved. Further, the same functions as the transport system 100A may be realized by a transport method, a computer program, a non-temporary recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, or the like.

A transport method according to one embodiment is a transport method using a transport device 1 including a main body part 2 and a support part 3. The main body portion 2 moves on a moving surface 200 by driving wheels 21 . The support section 3 has at least one wheel 31, extends from the main body section 2, and supports the object to be transported X1 while being inserted into the object to be transported. This transportation method moves the suspension 6 from a valid state in which the shock mitigation operation is effective to an invalid state in which the shock mitigation motion is disabled when the support portion 3 moves from the first height H1 to the second height H2. Switch. The first height H1 is the height at which the support portion 3 is inserted into the conveyance target object X1. The second height H2 is the height at which the support section 3 supports the conveyance target object X1. The suspension 6 is provided between the support portion 3 and the wheel 31 to reduce the impact transmitted to the wheel 31.

Modifications of the above embodiment will be listed below. In the following, modifications common to Embodiment 1 will be omitted. The modified examples described below can be applied in combination as appropriate.

In the embodiments described above, the suspension 6 may include a damper 62 that damps vibrations of the suspension 6, as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B. The damper 62 is a telescopic cylinder damper, and here it is an oil type damper. The damper 62 is disposed inside the coil spring 61, and has a first axial end (upper end) attached to the support portion 3 and a second axial end (lower end) attached to the arm 32. In this aspect, it is possible to attenuate vibrations when the suspension 6 returns from a bent state to its original state by the damper 62. Therefore, this aspect has the advantage that disturbances in the posture of the support section 3 due to continued vibration of the suspension 6 can be easily suppressed.

In the above-described embodiment, the suspension 6 is put into an effective state by leaving a gap G1 between the rod 33 and the arm 32, but this is not intended to limit the invention. For example, the gap G1 may not be provided between the rod 33 and the arm 32. That is, the rod 33 may always be in contact with the arm 32. In this case, even when the rod 33 is in contact with the arm 32, if the arm 32 is allowed to move, the suspension 6 can be activated.

In the embodiment described above, the switching unit 48 switches the suspension 6 between the disabled state and the enabled state depending on whether or not the rod 33 and the arm 32 are brought into contact with each other in accordance with the movement of the rod 33 as the support unit 3 moves up and down. Although we are switching, it is not intended to be limited to this. For example, the switching unit 48 uses an appropriate mechanism such as a rack and pinion, a ball screw, a hook mechanism using a solenoid, or a cam mechanism to switch the suspension 6 between the disabled state and the enabled state as the support unit 3 moves up and down. You may switch.

In the above-described embodiment, the lift control section 43 and the switching section 48 are all realized by the link mechanism 40 driven by one drive source (electric motor), but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the elevation control section 43 and the switching section 48 may operate independently from each other using different drive sources. In this case, the switching unit 48 may switch the suspension 6 between the disabled state and the enabled state, for example, in response to a command from the host system 5. In other words, the switching unit 48 may switch the suspension 6 between the disabled state and the enabled state, regardless of whether the support unit 3 is raised or lowered.

In the above-described embodiment, the suspension 6 is switched from the valid state to the invalid state only when the support part 3 supports the pallet X1, but this is not intended to be limiting. For example, even when the support part 3 is not supporting the pallet X1, the suspension 6 may be switched to the effective state only when climbing over the step A1, and the suspension 6 may be switched to the disabled state in other cases.

In the embodiment described above, the transport device 1 does not need to include the switching unit 48. In other words, the suspension 6 may always be in an effective state. In this case, the suspension 6 is capable of supporting the load of the support part 3 and the pallet X1 (including cargo) to such an extent that the support part 3 does not sink while the support part 3 supports the pallet X1. It only needs to have strength.

In the embodiment described above, the transport device 1 is autonomously movable, but it may also be a manually operated pallet truck. In this aspect, as long as the conveying device 1 includes the main body portion 2, the support portion 3, and the suspension 6, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be achieved.

In the above-described embodiment, the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1 is cited as an example of the step A1, but the present invention is not limited to this. That is, the step A1 may exist on the moving path of the conveyance device 1, including the crosspiece X13 of the pallet X1. For example, if the step A1 exists on the route that the transport device 1 needs to pass, the transport device 1 overcomes the step A1 while the suspension 6 alleviates the impact transmitted to the wheels 31. In this case, the drive wheel 21 will get over the step A1, but since the drive wheel 21 has a larger diameter than the wheel 31 and is less likely to generate an impact when going over the step A1, the transport of the comparative example Problems such as those mentioned in the description of system 300 are unlikely to occur.

In the embodiment described above, the step A1 is detected by the detection unit 46, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, if the location of the step A1 is marked on the electronic map possessed by the transport device 1, the transport device 1 can suspend the suspension when it reaches the front of the step A1 even if the detection unit 46 does not detect the step A1. 6 can be switched from a disabled state to an enabled state. Alternatively, the host system 5 may issue a command to the transport device 1 to switch the suspension 6 from the disabled state to the enabled state when the transport device 1 reaches the step A1.

(summary)
As described above, the conveyance system (100) according to the first aspect includes the main body (2), the support section (3), the elevation control section (43), and the wheel control section (44). Be prepared. The main body (2) moves on a moving surface (200) by drive wheels (21). The support part (3) has at least one wheel (31), extends from the main body part (2), and supports the object to be transported (X1) while being inserted into the object to be transported (X1). The lift control unit (43) has a first height (H1) that is a height at which the support part (3) is inserted into the object to be transported (X1), and a height at which the support part (3) supports the object to be transported (X1). The support part (3) is raised and lowered between the second height (H2), which is the height at which the support part (3) is raised and lowered. The wheel control unit (44) switches between a state in which the wheels (31) are not in contact with the moving surface (200) and a state in which the wheels (31) are in contact with the moving surface (200).

According to this aspect, there is an advantage that when there is a step (A1) on the movement path of the main body (2), the wheels (31) of the support section (3) are less likely to come into contact with the step (A1). .

In the first aspect, the conveyance system (100) according to the second aspect includes a detection unit ( 46).

According to this aspect, when the support part (3) approaches the step (A1), the wheels (31) can be switched to a state where they are not in contact with the moving surface (200), so that the wheels (31) can move closer to the step (A1). There is an advantage that the possibility of contacting A1) can be reduced.

In the conveyance system (100) according to the third aspect, in the second aspect, the detection unit ( 46), the elevation control section (43) arranges the support section (3) at the first height (H1). Additionally, the wheel control unit (44) executes a preparatory operation to bring the wheels (31) out of contact with the moving surface (200).

According to this aspect, when inserting the support part (3) into the object to be transported (X1), the wheels (31) of the support part (3) )) has the advantage of being difficult to come into contact with.

In the conveyance system (100) according to the fourth aspect, in the third aspect, after the preparation operation, the wheel control section (44) moves the elevation control section (43) from the first height (H1) to the second height. Before moving the support part (3) to the height (H2), the wheels (31) are switched to a state in which they are in contact with the moving surface (200).

According to this aspect, since the wheels (31) can receive the load of the conveyed object (X1), etc. supported by the support part (3), the attitude of the support part (3) can be stabilized. The advantage is that it can be done.

In the conveyance system (100) according to the fifth aspect, in any of the first to fourth aspects, the wheel control section (44) mechanically connects the support section (3) and the wheel (31). , a link mechanism (40) that moves the wheels (31) as the support part (3) moves up and down.

According to this aspect, since the wheel (31) moves in conjunction with the support part (3), there is an advantage that there is no need to provide a new power source to move the wheel (31).

In the conveyance system (100) according to the sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the main body part (2) or the support part (3) is connected to the driving wheel (21) and the wheel (31). It has an auxiliary wheel (22) located in between.

According to this aspect, there is an advantage that the posture of the support portion (3) can be stabilized even when the wheels (31) are not in contact with the moving surface (200).

The conveyance system (100) according to the seventh aspect further includes an auxiliary wheel control section (45) in the sixth aspect. The auxiliary wheel control unit (45) switches between a state in which the auxiliary wheel (22) does not touch the moving surface (200) and a state in which the auxiliary wheel (22) contacts the moving surface (200).

According to this aspect, the training wheels (22) can be brought into contact with the moving surface (200) only when necessary, thereby preventing the training wheels (22) from affecting the movement of the main body (2). The advantage is that you can.

In the conveyance system (100) according to the eighth aspect, in the seventh aspect, the auxiliary wheel control section (45) mechanically connects the support section (3) and the auxiliary wheel (22), and the support section ( 3) is a link mechanism (40) that moves the auxiliary wheel (22) as it moves up and down.

According to this aspect, since the auxiliary wheel (22) moves in conjunction with the support part (3), there is an advantage that there is no need to provide a new power source to move the auxiliary wheel (22).

In the conveyance system (100) according to the ninth aspect, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the wheels (31) are in contact with the moving surface (200) regardless of the height of the support section (3). Is possible.

According to this aspect, the posture of the support section (3) can be stabilized both when the object to be transported (X1) is transported and when the object to be transported (X1) is not transported. There are advantages.

A conveyance system (100) according to a tenth aspect, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, transports the main body (2) and the support part (3) from the outside of the main body (2). ) further includes a host system (5) that is controlled by commands sent to the host system (5).

According to this aspect, the object to be transported (X1) can be transported in response to a command from the host system (5), so there is no need for the main body (2) to store commands in advance, which is an advantage. There is.

The transport method according to the eleventh aspect is a transport method using a transport device (1) including a main body (2) and a support part (3). The main body (2) moves on a moving surface (200) by driving wheels (21). The support part (3) has at least one wheel (31), extends from the main body part (2), and supports the object to be transported (X1) while being inserted into the object to be transported (X1). In this conveyance method, when the main body (2) is located in an area where the support part (3) can be inserted into the object to be conveyed (X1), the support part (3) is placed at a height that allows the support part (3) to be inserted into the object to be conveyed (X1). move it. Moreover, this transportation method moves the wheels (31) from a position where they are in contact with the moving surface (200) to a position where they are not in contact with the moving surface (200).

According to this aspect, there is an advantage that when there is a step (A1) on the movement path of the main body (2), the wheels (31) of the support section (3) are less likely to come into contact with the step (A1). .

The configurations according to the second to tenth aspects are not essential to the transport system (100) and can be omitted as appropriate.

Moreover, the conveyance system (100A) according to the twelfth aspect includes a main body (2), a support part (3), and a suspension (6). The main body (2) moves on a moving surface (200) by driving wheels (21). The support part (3) has at least one wheel (31), extends from the main body part (2), and supports the object to be transported (X1) while being inserted into the object to be transported (X1). The suspension (6) is provided between the support part (3) and the wheel (31) to reduce the impact transmitted to the wheel (31).

According to this aspect, when the wheels (31) of the support part (3) come into contact with the step (A1) on the moving path of the main body part (2), the transport of the object to be transported (X1) is affected. It has the advantage of being difficult.

In the first aspect, the conveyance system (100A) according to the thirteenth aspect has two states: an effective state in which the impact mitigation action of the suspension (6) is effective, and an ineffective state in which the impact mitigation action of the suspension (6) is ineffective. The apparatus further includes a switching section (48) for switching.

According to this aspect, there is an advantage that the state of the suspension (6) can be switched so that the suspension (6) does not function when the shock mitigation operation by the suspension (6) is not required.

The transport system (100A) according to the fourteenth aspect further includes a lift control section (43) in the second aspect. The lift control unit (43) has a first height (H1) that is a height at which the support part (3) is inserted into the object to be transported (X1), and a height at which the support part (3) supports the object to be transported (X1). The support part (3) is raised and lowered between the second height (H2), which is the height at which the support part (3) is raised and lowered. The switching section (48) switches between a valid state and an invalid state as the support section (3) moves up and down.

According to this aspect, there is an advantage that the posture of the support portion (3) can be stabilized by switching the suspension (6) to the disabled state as necessary.

In the transport system (100A) according to the fifteenth aspect, in the third aspect, the switching section (48) mechanically connects the support section (3) and the wheels (31), and the switching section (48) mechanically connects the support section (3) and the wheels (31). This is realized by a link mechanism (40) that moves the wheels (31) as it moves up and down.

According to this aspect, since the state of the suspension (6) is switched in conjunction with the support part (3), there is an advantage that there is no need to control the timing of switching the state of the suspension (6).

In the conveyance system (100A) according to the sixteenth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the link mechanism (40) includes an arm (32) and a transmission section (rod) (33). A wheel (31) and a suspension (6) are attached to the arm (32). The transmission section (33) moves the arm (32) by transmitting force to the arm (32). The switching section (48) is switched to an effective state by separating the transmission section (33) from the arm (32), and switched to an ineffective state by bringing the transmission section (33) into contact with the arm (32).

According to this aspect, the state of the suspension (6) can be switched by a simple configuration of bringing the transmission part (33) into contact with the arm (32) or separating the transmission part (33) from the arm (32). , there is an advantage.

In the conveyance system (100A) according to the seventeenth aspect, in any one of the third to fifth aspects, the switching part (48) is configured such that the support part (3) moves from the first height (H1) to the second height. When moving to (H2), the suspension (6) is switched from the valid state to the invalid state.

According to this aspect, by switching the suspension (6) to the disabled state while the object to be transported (X1) is being transported, the attitude of the support part (3) that supports the object to be transported (X1) is stabilized. It has the advantage of being able to

In the conveyance system (100A) according to the eighteenth aspect, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the positional relationship between the support part (3) and the step (A1) on the movement path of the main body part (2) It further includes a detection unit (46) that detects.

According to this aspect, when the support part (3) approaches the step (A1), the suspension (6) is switched from the disabled state to the enabled state, the moving speed of the main body part (2) is slowed down, and the wheels ( 31) has the advantage of being able to reduce the impact on it.

A conveyance system (100A) according to a nineteenth aspect is a conveyance system (100A) according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, in which the main body (2) and the support part (3) are transported from the outside of the main body (2). ) further includes a host system (5) that is controlled by commands sent to the host system (5).

According to this aspect, the object to be transported (X1) can be transported in response to a command from the host system (5), so there is no need for the main body (2) to store commands in advance, which is an advantage. There is.

In the transport system (100A) according to the twentieth aspect, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the suspension (6) includes a damper (62) that damps vibrations of the suspension (6).

According to this aspect, there is an advantage that disturbances in the posture of the support portion (3) caused by vibrations of the suspension (6) can be easily suppressed.

The transport method according to the twenty-first aspect is a transport method using a transport device (1) including a main body (2) and a support part (3). The main body (2) moves on a moving surface (200) by driving wheels (21). The support part (3) has at least one wheel (31), extends from the main body part (2), and supports the object to be transported (X1) while being inserted into the object to be transported (X1). In this transportation method, when the support part (3) moves from the first height (H1) to the second height (H2), the suspension (6) is changed from the effective state where the shock mitigation operation is effective to the shock mitigation operation. Switch to a disabled state where the operation is disabled. The first height (H1) is the height at which the support portion (3) is inserted into the conveyed object (X1). The second height (H2) is the height at which the support portion (3) supports the conveyed object (X1). The suspension (6) is provided between the support part (3) and the wheel (31) to reduce the impact transmitted to the wheel (31).

According to this aspect, when the wheels (31) of the support part (3) come into contact with the step (A1) on the moving path of the main body part (2), the transport of the object to be transported (X1) is affected. It has the advantage of being difficult.

The configurations according to the thirteenth to twentieth aspects are not essential to the transport system (100A) and can be omitted as appropriate.

1 Transport device 2 Main body part 21 Drive wheel 22 Auxiliary wheel 3 Support part 31 Wheel 40 Link mechanism 43 Elevation control part 44 Wheel control part 45 Auxiliary wheel control part 46 Detection part 5 Upper system 100 Transport system 200 Moving surface A1 Step H1 First Height H2 Second height X1 Pallet (object to be transported)

Claims (17)

A main body that autonomously moves on a moving surface using drive wheels;
a support part that has at least one wheel, extends from the main body part, and supports the object to be transported while being inserted into the object;
a detection section that detects a positional relationship between the support section and a step on the movement path of the main body section;
Lifting control that raises and lowers the support part between a first height, which is a height at which the support part is inserted into the object to be transported, and a second height, which is a height at which the support part supports the object to be transported. Department and
a wheel control unit that switches between a state in which the wheels are not in contact with the moving surface and a state in which the wheels are in contact with the moving surface ;
When the detection section detects that the main body section is located in a region where the support section can be inserted into the object to be transported, the elevation control section disposes the support section at the first height, and , the wheel control unit executes a preparatory operation to bring the wheels out of contact with the moving surface;
Conveyance system. After the preparatory operation, the wheel control section switches the wheels to a state in which they are in contact with the moving surface before the elevation control section moves the support section from the first height to the second height.
The conveyance system according to claim 1. The wheel control unit is a link mechanism that mechanically connects the support unit and the wheel and moves the wheel as the support unit moves up and down.
The conveyance system according to claim 1 or 2. The main body portion or the support portion has an auxiliary wheel located between the drive wheel and the wheel.
The conveyance system according to any one of claims 1 to 3. further comprising an auxiliary wheel control unit that switches between a state in which the auxiliary wheel does not touch the moving surface and a state in which the auxiliary wheel contacts the moving surface;
The conveyance system according to claim 4. The auxiliary wheel control unit is a link mechanism that mechanically connects the support portion and the auxiliary wheel and moves the auxiliary wheel as the support portion moves up and down.
The conveyance system according to claim 5. The wheels can be in contact with the moving surface regardless of the height of the support part,
The conveyance system according to any one of claims 1 to 6. further comprising a host system that controls the main body part and the support part by a command transmitted to the main body part from outside the main body part;
The conveyance system according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A main body that autonomously moves on a moving surface using drive wheels;
a support part that has at least one wheel, extends from the main body part, and supports the object to be transported while being inserted into the object;
a detection section that detects a positional relationship between the support section and a step on the movement path of the main body section;
Lifting control that raises and lowers the support part between a first height, which is a height at which the support part is inserted into the object to be transported, and a second height, which is a height at which the support part supports the object to be transported. Department and
A transport method using a transport device, comprising: a wheel control unit that switches between a state in which the wheels do not touch the moving surface and a state in which the wheels contact the moving surface,
When the detection unit detects that the main body is located in a region where the support part can be inserted into the object to be transported, the elevation control unit moves the support part to a height where the support part can be inserted into the object to be transported. , the wheel control unit moves the wheel from a position in contact with the moving surface to a position not in contact with the moving surface;
Transportation method. A suspension is provided between the support part and the wheel to reduce the impact transmitted to the wheel.
The conveyance system according to any one of claims 1 to 8. further comprising a switching unit that switches between an effective state in which the shock mitigation operation of the suspension is enabled and an ineffective state in which the shock mitigation operation of the suspension is disabled;
The conveyance system according to claim 10. The switching unit switches between the valid state and the invalid state as the support unit moves up and down.
The conveyance system according to claim 11. The switching unit is realized by a link mechanism that mechanically connects the support unit and the wheel and moves the wheel as the support unit moves up and down.
The conveyance system according to claim 12. The link mechanism includes an arm to which the wheel and the suspension are attached, and a transmission section that moves the arm by transmitting force to the arm,
The switching unit switches the transmission unit to the valid state by separating the transmission unit from the arm, and switches the transmission unit to the invalid state by bringing the transmission unit into contact with the arm.
The conveyance system according to claim 13. The switching unit switches the suspension from the valid state to the invalid state when the support unit moves from the first height to the second height.
The conveyance system according to any one of claims 12 to 14. The suspension includes a damper that damps vibrations of the suspension.
The conveyance system according to any one of claims 10 to 15. When the support part moves from a first height, which is a height at which the support part is inserted into the conveyance target object, to a second height, which is a height at which the support part supports the conveyance target object,
switching a suspension provided between the support portion and the wheel to alleviate shock transmitted to the wheel from an effective state in which a shock mitigation operation is effective to an ineffective state in which the shock mitigation operation is disabled;
The conveying method according to claim 9.

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