JPH0276009A - Unmanned vehicle operating system - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify constitution to guide plural unmanned vehicles and to easily execute control by controlling the travel driving system of the second unmanned vehicle so as to follow up the first unmanned vehicle according to a distance between the first and second unmanned vehicles and a deviation amound. CONSTITUTION:A first unmanned vehicle 1 is guided by a guide line 4 and traveled. A microcomputer 10 of a second unmanned vehicle 2 detects the deviation amound between the right and left positions of the preceding first unmanned vehicle 1 by detecting which switch is turned on among respective photoelectric switches 6 in a sensor unit 5. The microcomputer 10 detects a distance to the first unmanned vehicle 1 by a distance sensor 7 and calculates the distance between the both vehicles. Then a deviation angle in the trabeling direction of the second unmanned vehicle 2 to the first unmanned vehicle 1 is obtained. In a condition that the constant distance between the both vehicles is kept with the first vehicle 1 to the determined in advance, a travel driving system is controlled so that the deviation amound in the right and left positions to the first unmanned vehicle 1 by the photo-electric switch 6 can be made close to zero and the deviation angle in the traveling direction of the first unmanned vehicle 1 by the distance sensor 7 can be made close to zero.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to an unmanned vehicle operation system.

[Prior Art and Problems] The present applicant proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 113885@1983 that a system in which multiple unmanned vehicles are introduced in place of assembly line conveyors used in factories, etc. We are proposing an unmanned vehicle system that runs unmanned vehicles at a predetermined distance from other vehicles.

However, in such an unmanned vehicle system, it is necessary to maintain a constant distance between each unmanned vehicle and the unmanned vehicles in front and behind it while being guided by a guide line, which poses the problem of complicated configuration and control. are doing.

An object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned vehicle operation system that can simplify the configuration for guiding a plurality of unmanned vehicles and facilitate control.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention provides a first unmanned vehicle that travels along a preset travel route and a second unmanned vehicle that travels following the first unmanned vehicle.
In an unmanned vehicle operation system having two unmanned vehicles, a device is installed on at least one of the first unmanned vehicle or the second unmanned vehicle, and the inter-vehicle distance between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle is determined in a non-contact manner. An inter-vehicle distance detection means that detects by a formula, and a non-contact method that is attached to at least one of the first unmanned vehicle or the second unmanned vehicle, and detects the gap between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle. a deviation detection means for detecting the deviation m;
An unmanned vehicle operation system comprising: an inter-vehicle distance detection means; and a travel control means for controlling a travel drive system of the second unmanned vehicle to follow the first unmanned vehicle based on the detection result of the deviation amount detection means. ``The gist of the document''.

[Operation] The travel control means is configured to follow the first unmanned vehicle based on the detection results of the inter-vehicle distance detection means and the deviation m detection means, that is, the inter-vehicle distance and deviation between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle. The driving system of the second unmanned vehicle is controlled.

[Example] An example embodying the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first unmanned vehicle 1 guided along a guide line 4 and a second unmanned vehicle 2 that follows the first unmanned vehicle 1. FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof.

A guide wire 4 is laid on the floor 3, and the first unmanned vehicle 1 travels along a preset travel path by detecting the signal emitted by the guide wire 4 with a pickup coil (not shown). It looks like this. A sensor unit 5 shown in FIG. 3 is disposed on the front surface of the second unmanned vehicle 2. This sensor unit 5 is provided with a plurality (five in this embodiment) of reflective photoelectric switches 6 spaced apart from each other by a distance a in the left and right directions, and a fourth reflective photoelectric switch 6 is provided below the left and right ends of the group of photoelectric switches 6. As shown in the figure, distance sensors 7 are disposed at a distance W C from left to right.

On the other hand, a reflection plate 8 is disposed on the rear surface of the first unmanned vehicle 1 at the same height as the group of photoelectric switches 6 of the sensor unit 5. Therefore, each photoelectric switch 6 of the sensor unit 5 provided in the second unmanned vehicle 2 emits light toward the first unmanned vehicle 1, but only the photoelectric switch that receives the light reflected by the reflector plate 8 is turned on. Operate.

Note that the second unmanned vehicle 2 is also provided with a reflecting plate 9 for reflecting light from a photoelectric switch of a sensor unit of a following unmanned vehicle.

The two distance sensors 7 of the sensor unit 5 optically detect the distance L1. to the preceding first unmanned vehicle 1. L2
Detect.

FIG. 5 shows a travel control device provided in the second unmanned vehicle 2, in which a microcomputer (hereinafter simply referred to as a microcomputer) 10 receives detection signals from each photoelectric switch 6 of the sensor unit 5 and a detection signal from the distance sensor 7. Input the signal. or,
The microcomputer 10 is a travel drive system (travel motor, steering equipment, etc.)
11 to perform its running speed control and steering control. Note that the first unmanned vehicle 1 is equipped with a travel control device for driving the vehicle along the guide wire 4 using the pickup coil.

In this embodiment, the photoelectric switch 6 detects the deviation m.
The distance sensor 7 constitutes inter-vehicle distance detection means and deviation amount detection means, the reflector 8 constitutes deviation amount detection means, and the microcomputer 10 constitutes inter-vehicle distance detection means, deviation amount detection means, and travel control means. .

Next, the operation of the unmanned vehicle operation system configured as described above will be explained.

The first unmanned vehicle 1 is guided along a guide line 4 and travels. The microcomputer 10 of the second unmanned vehicle 2 detects the deviation in left and right positions from the preceding first unmanned vehicle 1 by detecting which of the photoelectric switches 6 of the sensor unit 5 is turned on. Further, the microcomputer 10 detects the distances Ll and L2 from the first unmanned vehicle 1 using the distance sensor 7, calculates the inter-vehicle distance (=(L2+11)/2), and, as shown in FIG. The deviation angle θ of the second unmanned vehicle 2 in the running direction with respect to the first unmanned vehicle 1 is determined by the following formula.

e=jan-1 ((Ll-12>/W) Then, the microcomputer 10 maintains a predetermined distance between the first unmanned vehicle 1 and a certain inter-vehicle distance (
= (L2 +11
At the same time, the travel drive system 11 is controlled so that the deviation angle θ of the traveling direction of the second unmanned vehicle 2 with respect to the first unmanned vehicle 1 measured by the distance sensor 7 approaches "0". . As a result, the running speed control and steering control are performed so that the second unmanned vehicle 2 is guided to the first unmanned vehicle 1 while maintaining a constant distance from the preceding first unmanned vehicle 1.

In this embodiment, the second unmanned vehicle 2 is equipped with the sensor unit 5 including the photoelectric switch 6 and the distance sensor 1J7, and the first unmanned vehicle 1 is equipped with the reflector 8. Inter-vehicle distance between the first unmanned vehicle 1 and the second unmanned vehicle 2 (=
(L2 11 The travel drive system 11 is controlled. Therefore, by guiding the second unmanned vehicle 2 along the guide line 4, the second unmanned vehicle 2 can be guided without following the first unmanned vehicle 1.
It is possible to make the vehicle follow the first unmanned vehicle 1, simplify the configuration for guiding a plurality of unmanned vehicles, and facilitate control.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where only one second unmanned vehicle 2 is made to follow the first unmanned vehicle 1 has been described, but the second unmanned vehicle 2
A second unmanned vehicle 2 may follow the second unmanned vehicle 2. In other words, a plurality of second unmanned vehicles 2 may be made to follow the first unmanned vehicle 1 to form a line for assembly.

Furthermore, a transmission type photoelectric switch may be used instead of the reflective type photoelectric switch 6. That is, even if a light emitter is provided in the first unmanned vehicle 1 and a light receiver is provided in the second unmanned vehicle 2, the light from the light emitter is received by the receiver and the left and right misalignment openings are detected. good.

Further, the inter-vehicle distance detecting means and the deviation amount detecting means may be an ultrasonic type sensor in addition to an optical type, and the number, arrangement, pitch, etc. of the photoelectric switches and distance sensors are not limited to the above embodiments. It may be set arbitrarily.

Roughly speaking, the first unmanned vehicle 1, in addition to using a guide line,
It may also be configured to be guided by a built-in storage device. In this case, there is no need to bury the guide wire in the floor, and if there is one guided vehicle that has memorized the course, all the other unmanned vehicles can operate in the same way, so the configuration is simple and the course can be easily changed. becomes.

Further, the unmanned vehicle may be of any type, such as a three-wheel or four-wheel type.

[Effects of the Invention] As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the configuration for guiding a plurality of unmanned vehicles is simplified, and the excellent effect of facilitating control is exhibited.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an unmanned vehicle in an unmanned vehicle operation system embodying the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the unmanned vehicle in the unmanned vehicle operation system, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the sensor unit, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the sensor unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a travel control device provided in the second unmanned vehicle 2, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing two unmanned vehicles. 1 is a first unmanned vehicle, 2 is a second unmanned vehicle, 6 is a photoelectric switch that constitutes a displacement amount detection means, 7 is a distance sensor that constitutes an inter-vehicle distance detection means and a displacement amount detection means, and 8 is a displacement amount detection means. A reflecting plate 10 constitutes a means, a microcomputer 1 constitutes an inter-vehicle distance detection means, a deviation amount detection means, and a travel control means;
1 is the travel drive system.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an unmanned vehicle operation system having a first unmanned vehicle that travels along a preset travel route and a second unmanned vehicle that travels following the first unmanned vehicle, Inter-vehicle distance detection means is attached to at least either the first unmanned vehicle or the second unmanned vehicle and detects the inter-vehicle distance between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle in a non-contact manner; a deviation amount detection means that is attached to at least one of the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle and detects the amount of deviation between the first unmanned vehicle and the second unmanned vehicle in a non-contact manner; and the distance between the vehicles. An unmanned vehicle operation system comprising a traveling control means for controlling a traveling drive system of the second unmanned vehicle to follow the first unmanned vehicle based on the detection results of the distance detecting means and the deviation amount detecting means.