JPH0248703A - Switching device for manual operation of unmanned vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate switching so as to improve work efficiency by converting a system from an automatic operation mode to a manual operation mode in a controller only by means of taking out a manual operation device 6 from the housing part 7 of a vehicle. CONSTITUTION:A control means 19 which automatically operation-controls the vehicle based on a signal from an external device in the automatic operation mode, and the manual operation device 6 which is detachably fitted to the vehicle and which is operated when the vehicle is manually operated are given. When the manual operation device 6 is detached from the vehicle which is automatically operation-controlled based on the signal inputted from the external device 4 when the control means is in the automatic operation mode, a detection means 13 detects it. An operation mode conversion means 19 switches the system to the manual operation mode, and the signal from the external device 4 is made invalid. At the same time, the control means is caused to manually operation-control the vehicle which follows the signal based on the operation of the manual operation device 6. Thus, the switching of the operation mode is facilitated and superior work efficiency can be guaranteed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a manual operation switching device for an unmanned vehicle.

[Prior Art] -a. An automatic guided vehicle travels by detecting electromagnetic radiation laid on a travel route by a pink up quill according to a command from an external computer. Depending on the breakdown or malfunction of the traveling system components of the automatic guided vehicle, or the content of the transport work,
By operating the manual instruction device installed in the unmanned vehicle,
Signals from the external computer are disabled, and vehicle travel control is performed only based on signals from the manual instruction device.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, a storage box 42 having a rectangular planar shape is fixedly installed on the upper part of an automatic guided vehicle 41 that automatically moves on a traveling route according to a command signal from an external device, and a manual instruction device is installed inside the storage box 42. 43 and its cables 44 are housed together. When the automatic guided vehicle 41 is manually driven, the cable 44 is
Connect the connector 45 at the tip of the
, and rotate the connection locking member to securely lock it. Then, according to the signal from the connector 46, a controller (not shown) provided in the automatic guided vehicle 41 invalidates the command signal input from the external computer, and also disables the command signal input from the external computer based on the operation of the switch 47 etc. of the manual instruction device 43. Manual operation control of the automatic guided vehicle 41 is performed according to the signals.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, the automatic guided vehicle 41 may be repeatedly operated manually and automatically depending on the conditions such as the objects to be transported and the content of the work, and the side connectors 45 and 46 may be connected and operated each time. Separating them not only becomes extremely complicated, but also causes a decrease in work efficiency.

This invention was made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a manual operation switching device for an unmanned vehicle that allows easy switching of vehicle operation modes and ensures excellent work efficiency. It is about providing.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention includes a control means for automatically controlling a vehicle in an automatic driving mode based on a signal from an external device, and a control means that is detachable from the vehicle. a manual operating device that can be attached to the vehicle and operated when manually driving the vehicle; a detecting means for detecting whether or not the manual operating device is detached from the vehicle; When detachment is detected, the mode of the control means is converted from automatic operation mode to manual operation mode, and the signal input from the external device to the control means is invalidated, and the operation signal is followed based on the operation of the manual operation device. The gist thereof is that a driving mode converting means is provided for causing the control means to perform manual driving control of the vehicle.

[Operation] By employing the above-described means, the present invention has the following feature: When the control means is in the automatic driving mode, when the manual operation device is removed from the vehicle that is automatically controlled based on a signal input from an external device, This is detected by the detection means, and according to this detection result, the driving mode conversion means switches the control means to manual driving mode, disables the signal from the external device, and operates the vehicle manually according to the signal based on the operation of the manual operating device. The control means is made to perform operation control.

[Embodiment 1] Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is embodied in a manual operation switching device for an unmanned forklift will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

In Figures 1 and 2, the unmanned forklift is equipped with a pair of left and right masts M at the front for supporting the fork F, and an automatic operation indicator lamp 22 and an abnormality indicator lamp 23 are attached to these masts M, respectively. ing. In addition, a pick amplifier coil 2 is attached to the front lower part of the leg part 1 that supports the lower end of each mast M, and this pick amplifier coil 2 sends a guidance signal sent from the external computer 4 of the ground station to the guidance vA3 laid in the running path. The deviation of the vehicle with respect to the guide line 3 is detected by a controller 19, which will be described later. The pickup coil 2 also detects a travel command signal sent from the external computer 4 to the guide wire 3 superimposed on the guidance signal, and the controller 19 detects the travel command signal sent from the external computer 4 to the guidance wire 3.
It is designed to determine the contents of travel commands such as travel speed, start/stop, etc. Further, an operation panel 5 is provided above the rear of the forklift vehicle.
A housing portion 7 in which a box-shaped manual operation device 6 is housed is recessed forward, and a keyboard 8 for inputting operational data is provided adjacent to the housing portion 7.

As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of leaf springs 9 are arranged in parallel on the mutually opposing inner walls on the long sides of the storage section 7, and these springs correspond to the manually operated bag W6 disposed in the storage section 7. By pressing the side surface of the manual operating device 6 inward, the manual operating device 6 is held in the housing portion 7 so that it will not come off naturally. Further, the cable 12 of the manual operation device 6 is led out from the storage section 7 into the vehicle interior, and extends from a cable storage section 10 provided at the lower part of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3.4, a limit switch 13 as a detection means is disposed on the other inner wall of the accommodating portion 7, and this contact 14 is connected to the tapered outer surface 15 of the manual operating device 6. Being pressed.

The manual operation device 6 is used when an operator operates the device 6 to run the forklift or carry out cargo handling operations, and the surface operation surface thereof has a group of switches for operating the drive. , a group of switches for cargo handling operations are provided. The switch group for running operations includes a steering knob 17 that indicates the running direction (i.e. steering angle), a forward/backward switch 16b that sets whether to go forward or backward;
A speed switch 16a1 for setting the traveling speed to either 1st speed (low speed) or 2nd speed (high speed).A guide signal flowing through the guide line 3 determines whether the vehicle is run based on the operation of the steering knob 17. A semi-automatic changeover setting switch 16c for setting whether to run along the guide line 3 by using the guide line 3, and a frequency of the guide signal flowing along the guide line 3 when the guide signal is used to run the guide line 3. A frequency switching knob 29 is provided for adjusting the frequency.

On the other hand, the switch group for cargo handling operations includes a lift lever 26 for raising and lowering the fork F, a reach switch 30a for moving the mast M back and forth, a tilt switch 30b for tilting the fork F, and each of the cargo handling switches 26, 30a30b. An intercock switch 34 is provided for validating the operation.

Note that in this embodiment, the interlock switch 34 does not operate the lift lever 26, the tilt switch 30b, and the reach switch 30a unless the switch 34 is pressed down.
Each cargo handling operation based on the operation is not performed. In order to facilitate manual operation, the manual operation device 6 also includes a fork horizontal lamp 35 that indicates whether the fork F is in a horizontal state, and a display on the guide line that indicates whether the vehicle is on the guide line 3. A lamp 36 is provided.

FIG. 5 shows the electrical configuration of the external computer 4, manual operating device 6, and controller 19 mounted on the forklift.

The controller 19 determines the displacement of the vehicle relative to the guide wire 3 and the content of the speed command based on the guidance signal and speed command signal sent from the external computer 4 to the guide wire 3 via the pickup coil 2. And controller 1
9 drives and controls the driving motor 20 and the steering motor 21 that determines the steering angle to run the forklift along the guide line 3 and to run the forklift at a speed based on the speed command, a so-called automatic driving mode. It has become. In addition, the content of the speed command signal includes content for commanding the cargo handling operation in this embodiment, and based on the content, the controller 19 controls the lift device 27 for raising and lowering the fork F, and the command for tilting the fork F. It drives and controls the tilt operation 28 and the reach device 37 that moves the mast M back and forth.

Further, the controller 19 receives operation signals from the respective switch groups provided in the manual operation device 6, and controls the steering angle of the vehicle based on the amount of operation of the steering knob 17. It is determined whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward by operating the switch 16a, and whether the traveling speed is 1st or 2nd speed is determined by operating the speed switch 16a. Based on these determination results, the controller 19 controls the forward/reverse rotation and speed of the driving motor 20, drives the steering motor 21, and controls the movement of the forklift according to the operation of the manual operation bag W6.

The controller 19 also controls the lifting direction and lifting speed of the fork F based on the amount of operation of the lift lever 26.
It is determined whether the mast M is tilted forward or backward by operating the tilt switch 30b for tilting the mast M, and whether the mast M is tilted forward or backward by operating the reach switch 30a for moving the mast M back and forth. Based on these judgment results, the controller 19 drives and controls the lift device 27, tilt device 28, reach device 37, and steering motor 21, and operates the fork F and mass M of the forklift according to the operation of the manual operation device 6. Control.

Further, the controller 19 receives the on/off signal of the limit switch 13, and when the on signal is input, it determines that the manual operation device 6 is disposed in the housing section 7, and when the off signal is input, the controller 19 determines that the manual It is determined that the operating device 6 is not disposed in the housing section 7. When the controller 19 determines that the manual operating device 6 is disposed in the housing section 7, the controller 19 controls the drive of the motors 20, 21, the lift device 27, etc. based on the operation of the manual operating device 6 (hereinafter referred to as
Instead of executing the manual operation mode), the automatic operation mode is executed to perform traveling and cargo handling control based on the speed command signal from the external computer 4.

On the contrary, the controller 19 has the manual operation device 6 connected to the housing section 7.
When it is determined that the vehicle is not installed in the vehicle, the automatic operation mode is switched to the manual operation mode, and travel and cargo handling are controlled based on the operation of the manual operation device 6.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, when the vehicle stops running or when manual operation is previously incorporated into the vehicle work process, the operator can Pull out the manual operation device W6. As a result, the pressure on the contact 14 of the limit switch 13 by the tapered outer surface 15 of the manual operation device 6 is released, and the output of the signal from the limit switch 13 to the controller 19 is stopped. Then, the controller 19 is converted from the automatic operation control mode to the manual operation control mode, and invalidates the signal input from the external computer 4. Thereafter, when the speed switch 16a of the manual operation device 6 is operated by the operator, the rotational speed of the traveling motor 20 is controlled based on the signals from these to make the vehicle travel at the desired speed, and the necessary By operating the steering knob 17 in accordance with this, the amount of rotation of the steering motor 21 is controlled, and the vehicle is guided away from the road and in a desired direction.

Further, the conversion of the controller 19 from the automatic driving mode to the manual driving mode can be achieved by simply taking out the manual operating device 6 from the housing section 7 of the vehicle, thereby avoiding complicated operations.

Furthermore, 1. By providing the accommodating portion 7 in the operation panel 5 that is preliminarily partitioned in the vehicle frame, there is no need to specifically secure a space for installing the manual operation device 6, and the vehicle frame can be effectively utilized.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and for example, as shown in FIG. , detecting that the manual operating device 6 has been removed from the accommodation section 7 by the proximity switch S, and applying it to various unmanned vehicles other than unmanned forklifts, etc., as long as it does not depart from the spirit of the invention. Changes are of course possible.

[Effects] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the operation mode can be easily switched and excellent work efficiency can be ensured.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a side view showing the entire unmanned forklift, Figure 2 is a rear view of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rear view of the vehicle with a manual operating device attached, and Figure 4 is Figure 3. 5 is a block circuit diagram showing the electrical configuration of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a plan sectional view showing another example of the detection means, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a conventional example. External computer 4 as external device, manual operation device 6
, a limit switch 13 as a detection means, a controller 19 as a control means and an operation mode conversion means, and a proximity switch S as a detection means. Patent Applicant Toyota Industries R Manufacturing Co., Ltd. Agent
Patent Attorney On 1) Hironori! Figure 3 No. 41

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A control means for automatically controlling the vehicle based on signals from an external device in the automatic driving mode, and a control means detachably attached to the vehicle and for manually driving the vehicle. a detection means for detecting whether or not the manual operation device is detached from the vehicle; and when the detection means detects that the manual operation device is detached from the vehicle, the mode of the control means is set to automatic. An operation in which a driving mode is converted to a manual driving mode, a signal input from an external device to the control means is invalidated, and the control means is caused to perform manual driving control of the vehicle in accordance with the operation signal based on the operation of the manual operation device. A manual operation switching device for an unmanned vehicle, comprising a mode conversion means.