JPH03226806A - Guidance system for free-running vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the structure by positioning a guide body between two pieces of wheels, varying the steering angle of a steering shaft by a fact that the inside face of a steering wheel comes into contact with the left and the right side faces of the guide body while scarcely applying a load in the vertical direction against the guide body, and running a free-running vehicle along the guide body. CONSTITUTION:In a free-running vehicle 3, two pieces of steering wheels 5 positioned on both sides of a guide body 1 and placed at an interval being a little wider than the width of the guide body 1 are supported coaxially by an axis 5a in the horizontal direction, and in the intermediate position in the lengthwise direction of this axis 5a, a steering handle 7 to which a steering shaft 8 which rises toward the upper part is provided. In such a state, the guide body 1 is positioned between two pieces of steering wheels 5, and the steering angle of the steering shaft 8 is varied by a fact that the inside face of the steering wheel 5 comes into contact with the left and the right faces of the guide body 1 while scarcely applying a load in the vertical direction against the guide body 1, by which the free-running vehicle 3 is run along the guide body 1. In such a way, the constitution is simplified.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to a continuous guiding body provided on the ground surface, which is automatically steered by the guiding body in an unmanned state. This invention relates to a guidance device for a self-propelled vehicle that travels along a road.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, 11 guide bodies were installed in a row that stood up from the ground surface on three sides at approximately a predetermined height, and self-propelled vehicles that traveled while straddling these guide bodies were unable to perform automatic driving. The control device for this had a complicated structure, including the use of electronic equipment.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

If the structure is complicated as described above, the production cost will be high, and maintenance and maintenance will also be troublesome, making it unsuitable for use in agricultural applications such as gardening facilities and orchards.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a continuous guide body that stands upward from the ground surface at a substantially predetermined height, and provides a self-propelled vehicle that runs while straddling this guide body. , the above-mentioned self-propelled vehicle has two wheels coaxially supported by a horizontal shaft located on both sides of the guide body with a spacing slightly wider than the width of the guide body, and at an intermediate position in the length direction of this shaft. To”
A steering wheel to which a steering shaft is fixed that stands up in three directions is provided, and the guide body is positioned between the two wheels, so that almost no vertical load is applied to the guide body.
The steering wheel is characterized in that the inner surface of the steering wheel contacts the left and right side surfaces of the guide body, thereby changing the steering angle of the steering shaft and causing the self-propelled vehicle to travel along the guide body.

[For production]

With the above configuration, the steering wheels are positioned so as to sandwich the guide body, and their inner surfaces are in contact with the left and right side surfaces of the guide body, so that the self-propelled vehicle can be guided along the guide body while changing the steering angle of the steering shaft. and run automatically.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a guide body made of steel pipes, synthetic resin pipes, etc., which is attached to the ground surface along the route on which the self-propelled vehicle 3 is to be moved using an inverted U-shaped fixture 2. Fixed. The self-propelled vehicle 3 has steering wheels 5, 5 supported by a substantially horizontal axle 5a at a distance slightly wider than the width of the guide body 1 at the front of the vehicle body 4, and a rear wheel 6 supported at the rear of the vehicle body 4. are doing. A lower end portion of a steering shaft 8 is fixed to an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the axle 5a, extends substantially vertically upward, is supported by a handle post so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, and is connected to the steering handle 7.

In the self-propelled vehicle guidance system having such a configuration, when the self-propelled vehicle travels, the steering wheels 5, 5 are connected to the steering shaft 8.
Since it is freely rotatable in the horizontal direction around the guide body 1, it is guided by the guide body 1 and automatically runs along the guide body 1.

In the second embodiment shown in FIG.
The above-mentioned steering wheel 5.
A guide wheel 9 similar to that in 5 is provided, and this guide wheel 9 moves along the guide body 1, and the steering shaft 8 is rotated via the arm 10 to automatically travel. A weight 11 is provided on the upper part of the guide ring 9 in this embodiment to prevent the guide ring 9 from jumping up and coming off the guide body l.

In the third embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the weight 11 of the second embodiment is omitted and the spring 12 prevents the guide ring 9 from jumping up. This is similar to that of the second embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in each of the above embodiments, the base of the arm 14 is rotatably supported on the axle 5a, and the sensor wheel 13 is pivotally supported on the tip of the arm 14. A switch 16 is provided at the lower part of the steering shaft 8, and when the sensor wheel 13 is on the guide body (Fig. 5), the switch 16 is closed by the arm 14, and the switch 16 is closed by the arm 14 when the sensor wheel 13 is on the guide body. 1 is removed (FIG. 6), the switch 16 sends an opening signal. and,
The traveling of the self-propelled vehicle 3 is stopped when the sensor wheel 13 comes off the guide body 1 as shown in FIG. 6.

As described in detail, the guide device for a wooden self-propelled vehicle allows the self-propelled vehicle to automatically travel along the guide, and its configuration is extremely simple, making it suitable for greenhouse horticulture and other applications. It is suitable for introduction as an automatic means of transportation in orchards, etc. In addition, it is possible to easily switch from unmanned to manned driving.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a self-propelled vehicle guidance system according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the same, FIG. 3 is a side view of a second embodiment, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the third embodiment, FIG. 5 is a side view of the guide sensor, and FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of the operation of FIG. 5. ■... Guide body, 2... Fixing bracket, 3... Self-propelled vehicle, 4... Vehicle body, 5... Steering wheel, 5a... Axle, 6... Rear wheel, 7... Steering handle, 8. Steering shaft, 9...
Guide wheel, 10... Arm, II... Way l-51-
2... Spring, 13... Sensor wheel, 14... Arm, 15... Operation piece, 16... Switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A self-propelled vehicle that is provided with one continuous guide body that stands upward from the ground surface to a substantially predetermined height, and that travels while straddling this guide body. , a steering system in which two wheels are coaxially supported by a horizontal shaft located on both sides of the guide body with a spacing slightly wider than the width of the guide body, and the steering wheel stands upward at the midpoint in the length direction of this shaft. A steering wheel with a fixed shaft is provided, and the guide body is positioned between the two wheels, so that the inner surface of the steering wheel is positioned on the left and right sides of the guide body without applying almost any vertical load to the guide body. A guidance device for a self-propelled vehicle, characterized in that the self-propelled vehicle is caused to travel along a guide by changing the steering angle of a steering shaft by contacting the side surface.