JPH0574842B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (a) Industrial application field The present invention relates to a guided electric vehicle that guides the vehicle along a guided route, and is suitable for golf carts, goods transport vehicles used in factories, etc. This can be applied to facilities where multiple guided electric vehicles run on a guidance route.

(b) Prior art Conventionally, in facilities where multiple guided electric vehicles run on a guide route, such as golf courses, when the preceding electric vehicle is stopped, it is difficult to avoid collisions when the following electric vehicle approaches. In this way, a transmitter is provided at the rear end of each electric vehicle, and a receiver is provided at the front end of each electric vehicle (Japanese Patent Publication No. 1983-48335). Therefore, when the electric field strength of the received signal exceeds a predetermined value, the trailing electric vehicle stops, but in a golf cart, when the leading electric vehicle moves forward, the trailing electric vehicle is in a stopped state, and the trailing electric vehicle The forward movement is made again based on the forward operation command. This is because when the following electric vehicle is stopped and the golfer etc. is exchanging clubs etc. with the following electric vehicle, the following electric vehicle suddenly starts and the golfer etc. This is to prevent harm from occurring.

However, at specific locations on the guidance route, such as near the clubhouse of a golf course or near an intersection of the guidance routes, when the leading electric vehicle moves forward, it is desirable that the trailing electric vehicle follow and move forward.

(c) Purpose of the Invention The present invention was invented in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a guided electric vehicle that can follow the guide line only in a specific area.

(d) Structure of the Invention In order to achieve the above object, the guided electric vehicle according to the present invention detects that the electric vehicle main body, which is guided along the guide route, comes close to an obstacle in front of the main body. a braking means for stopping the running of the electric vehicle body based on the output of the means; a driving means for moving the electric vehicle body; selection circuit means for selecting whether or not to automatically reactivate the drive means when the proximity state is resolved; a detection means for detecting a follow-up permission signal from a position near the guide route; and this means. and holding means for selectively holding the selection circuit means so as to reactivate the driving means based on the output of the drive means, and the operation of the holding means is canceled under a predetermined condition.

Therefore, following travel is possible only in a specific area of the guide route corresponding to when the electric vehicle main body detects the following permission signal and operates the holding means that selects and holds the selection circuit means.

(e) Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an induction electric vehicle. In this drawing, reference numeral 1 denotes an electric vehicle main body, which includes at least one drive wheel and at least one guide wheel. In the example, two driving wheels (rear wheels) and one
Consists of two guiding wheels (front wheels). The drive wheels are driven by a drive motor 2, the guide wheels by an angle control motor 3, and each motor 2, 3 is controlled by a drive circuit means 4 or 5, respectively.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a route detection means for detecting a predetermined guide line 7, and when a guide line to which alternating current is supplied is used as the guide line 7, it detects an alternating magnetic field from this guide line. In addition, when lines with different reflection efficiencies are provided as the guide line 7, these lines are optically detected. The embodiment detects an alternating magnetic field, and the line detecting means 6 includes a pair of detection coils 6a and 6b that detect an alternating magnetic field emitted from a guide wire buried as a guide line 7, and a coil whose output is amplified. It has amplifying circuits 6c and 6d to perform the amplification, and a comparison circuit 6e to differentially compare the amplified outputs thereof. The duty of the chopper circuit 8 is controlled based on the deviation output of this comparison circuit, and the rotation of the angle control motor 3 is controlled via the drive circuit 5. In this case, the rotation angle of the motor 3 is controlled so that the front guide wheels run on the guide line 7.

Reference numeral 9 has a magnetic sensor 9c which serves as a distance measuring means for measuring the distance traveled by the electric vehicle main body 1 and detects magnetic flux from a magnet 9b attached to the drive wheel or guide wheel 9a, and the output of this sensor is F-V. It is converted into a DC voltage by the conversion circuit 9d, and is inputted to the control circuit means 10 as a traveling distance signal and a speed signal.

Numeral 11 is a proximity detection means for detecting the proximity distance of the electric vehicle main body 1 to an obstacle in front, and may be one that detects reflected waves by the Doppler effect, and emits radio waves backward to the rear end of each electric vehicle main body 1. Transmission means 12
If the transmitter is provided with a transmitter, it may be one that receives radio waves emitted from the transmitter. Proximity detection means 11
The output of the proximity detection circuit 11a in the comparison circuit 1
1b is compared with a predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined separation distance, and when the electric vehicle main body 1 approaches within this predetermined separation distance, the output of the comparison circuit 11b is inputted to the control circuit means 10.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a detection means for detecting the magnetic flux from the magnet 14 provided near the guide line 7 with a detection coil 13a, and the detection output of this means is detected by the detection coil 13.
The output of the signal a is amplified by the amplification circuit 13b and waveform-shaped by the waveform shaping circuit 13c, and then inputted to the control circuit means 10. Depending on the direction of magnetic flux and the combination of the number of magnetic poles or the number of magnets, the magnet 14 generates a stop point signal for stopping the electric vehicle body 1, a deceleration instruction signal provided before a curve on the guide line 7, and an electric vehicle body 1. It generates a following permission signal for causing the leading electric vehicle to follow the preceding electric vehicle, or a following cancellation signal for canceling the following.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a clock signal generating means, which generates a clock signal for the operation of the control circuit means 10, and transmits this clock signal to the control circuit means 1.
The output of the timer means 15 which counts based on the zero command is also input to the circuit means 10. Reference numeral 16 denotes a control box for manually inputting command signals to the control circuit means 10.

The control circuit means 10 includes a microprocessor and selects the selection circuit means 17 based on each of the input signals.
It also controls the drive motor 2 and the brake means 18 via the drive circuit 4, and also controls the holding means 19 that holds the selection circuit means 17, the display means 20, and the like. Selection circuit means 17
is for selecting whether or not to operate the drive motor 2, and operates the drive motor 2 during tracking based on the detection output of the follow-up permission signal from the detection means 13. This means 17 is held by the operation of the holding means 19 based on the follow-up permission signal.

The holding means 19 starts its operation based on the follow-up permission signal from the detection means 13, and starts its operation based on the output from the timer means 15 after a certain period of time after the detection of the follow-up permission signal or the running distance measurement means 9. The operation is terminated based on the output after traveling a certain distance from the detection means 13 or on the basis of a follow-up release signal from the detection means 13, and the holding is released.

The brake means 18 operates based on the proximity output from the proximity detection means 11, the stop point signal from the detection means 13, or the stop signal from the control box 16, and is capable of regenerative braking, dynamic braking, and mechanical braking. The electric vehicle main body 1 is stopped.

Each of the means and circuits described above operates using a battery mounted on the electric vehicle main body 1 as a power source.

Next, the operation of the electric vehicle body will be explained based on FIG. 2. In this drawing, reference numeral 21 denotes a hangar in which a large number of electric vehicle bodies 1 are stored, and a guide line 7 is buried along the golf course from an exit 21a of the hangar, passing in front of a clubhouse 22. A magnet 14a for giving a follow permission signal is provided near the guide line 7 that exits the exit 21a, and a magnet 14a for giving a follow cancellation signal is provided at the end of the clubhouse 22.
4b is provided, and a magnet 14c for providing a stopping point signal is further provided at the entrance to the golf course.

Then, when the electric vehicle body 1 is placed on the guide line 7 at the exit 21a and is guided to run, the electric vehicle body 1 is guided along the guide line 7 by the operation of the route detection means 6.
Guided driving along. In this case, the detection means 13 detects the magnetic flux from the magnet 14a which gives a follow-up permission signal.
is detected, and the holding circuit 19 is activated based on the following permission signal, so that the electric vehicle follows the preceding electric vehicle even after the operation of the proximity detection means 11 is completed.

Now, let us assume that the electric vehicle body departing from the hangar 21 is 1a in FIG.
The proximity detection means 11 of the electric vehicle body 1b detects the presence of the electric vehicle body 1b, and the trailing electric vehicle body 1b stops at that point by actuating the brake means 18.

An electric vehicle main body 1d that precedes the preceding electric vehicle main body 1c is stopped at the point of the magnet 14c that provides a stop point signal, and when this electric vehicle main body 1d starts traveling in response to a travel command from the control box 16. , the second electric vehicle main body 1c detects when the separation distance from the first electric vehicle main body 1d becomes larger than a certain value using the proximity detection means 1 of the main body 1c.
1 is detected and follows the first electric vehicle body 1d. In this case, the second electric vehicle main body 1c passes the magnet 14b that gives the tracking cancellation signal, so after passing it, it no longer follows the first electric vehicle main body 1d at a certain distance, and the stopping point Once stopped due to signal detection, proximity detection by the proximity detection means 11, etc., the stopped state is maintained thereafter until a manual travel command is given. Therefore, after the magnet 14b is added, by detecting the stop point signal from the magnet 14c, the second electric vehicle main body 1c stops at a point 1d in FIG. 2, and a golf bag or the like is loaded at this point. It turns out.

Next, Figure 3 is a model diagram where the guide lines intersect. In this drawing, guide lines 7a and 7b merge at point P to form guide line 7c. Traffic lights 23 that emit stop signal radio waves in front of each confluence point P
magnets 14d and 14e are provided in front of these magnets 14d and 14e, respectively, which provide a follow-up permission signal, and the guide line 7c is provided with a magnet 14f, which provides a follow-up cancellation signal.

In this state, it is assumed that the electric vehicle bodies 1e and 1f have traveled on the respective guide lines 7a and 7b, respectively. The traffic lights 23a and 23b are connected to each guide line 7a and 7.
In order to temporarily stop the electric vehicle bodies 1e and 1f of b, stop signal radio waves are alternately emitted, and the emission period is limited to the time when each traffic signal 23a or 2
The electric vehicle main body 1e or 1f that has stopped depending on the position of the stop signal 3b is set so as to pass the magnet 14f from the stop position by canceling the stop signal radio wave.

When the electric vehicle bodies 1e and 1f that have traveled on the guide lines 7a and 7b detect the follow-up permission signal from the magnet 14d or 14e, respectively, with the respective detection means 13, the electric vehicle bodies 1e and 1f respectively follow the preceding electric vehicle. It becomes possible to follow the vehicle itself. If the traffic light 23b is now emitting a stop signal radio wave, the electric vehicle body 1f, which has detected this radio wave by the proximity detection means 11, will stop at a position corresponding to the traffic light 23b. In this case, the other electric vehicle main body 1e does not detect the stop signal radio wave, so it continues running and when it reaches the point Q of the magnet 14f, the magnet 14f
When the detection means 13 detects a follow-up cancellation signal from the electric vehicle body 1e, the electric vehicle body 1e enters a state in which it does not follow the vehicle body, and when there is no preceding electric vehicle body,
Continue driving. After this electric vehicle main body 1e passes point Q, the stop signal radio wave from the traffic light 23b disappears, so the one electric vehicle main body 1f is in the following running state, so it automatically starts and magnet 14f
After detecting the following cancellation signal from the vehicle, the vehicle automatically travels without following the vehicle. The magnets 14b and 14e are installed before the leading electric vehicle body passes point Q.
This is to cause the following electric vehicle to follow in such a case, since there may be a case where the following electric vehicle follows the stop signal radio wave from the traffic light 23a or 23b.

In the case shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
This is done by the detection means 13 detecting the follow-up permission signal and follow-up release signal from d, 14e, and 14f. Generally speaking, the flowchart of the operation of the electric vehicle itself is such that the flow of following travel is added as a subroutine to the main routine, but the electric vehicle body stops after the start and end of following travel. The extracted flowchart up to this point is shown in Figure 4. In this drawing, "following mode set" means that the detection means 13 detects a following permission signal from the magnets 14a, 14d, or 14e and enters a state in which following traveling is possible, and "following mode set" is also used. This means that the tracking cancellation signal from the magnet 14b or 14f is detected, and the tracking travel ends and the vehicle enters the non-following state.

In the above embodiment, the end of the following run is based on the follow-up release signal from the magnet 14b or 14f, but after detecting the follow-up permission signal, the timer means 15 is activated, and after the timer period, the follow-up run state is activated. Alternatively, the distance traveled by the electric vehicle after detecting the following permission signal may be measured by the distance measuring means 9, and the following driving state may be ended after traveling a certain distance. good. A flowchart corresponding to FIG. 4 when using the timer means 15 is shown in FIG. 5,
Similarly, a flowchart corresponding to FIG. 4 when the distance measuring means 9 is used is shown in FIG. 6.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the tracking release signal from the magnet 14b or 14f is detected by the detection means 13, and the magnet 14
Although the detection means 13 is the same as the detection means 13 for detecting the following permission signal from a, 14d or 14e, the detection means for the following cancellation signal is a special sensing means separate from the detection means 13 for the following permission signal. It may be configured by means. As shown in FIG. 7, the sensing means 24 in this case is comprised of a sensing coil 24a for sensing magnetic flux, an amplification circuit 24b, and a waveform shaping circuit 24c, similar to the sensing means 13. Shaping circuit 2
The output of 4c is input to the control circuit means 10 similarly to the detection means 13.

(F) Effects of the Invention The guided electric vehicle according to the present invention includes a proximity detection means for detecting that the electric vehicle body that guides the vehicle along a guide route is in proximity to an obstacle in front of the body; a braking means for stopping the traveling of the electric vehicle body based on the output of the means; a driving means for moving and traveling the electric vehicle body; and when the proximity state is canceled by the proximity detection means after the braking operation of the brake means is completed. a selection circuit means for selecting whether or not to automatically reactivate the drive means; a detection means for detecting a follow-up permission signal from a position near the guide line; and holding means for selectively holding the selection circuit means so as to reactivate the circuit, and the operation of the holding means is canceled under a predetermined condition.
It is possible to provide a guided electric vehicle that is convenient to use, in which it is possible to follow only a specific area of the corresponding guidance route when the electric vehicle body detects a following permission signal and activates the holding means that selects and holds the selection circuit means. can.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment of the induction electric vehicle according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of the induction electric vehicle, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are for explaining the operation of the electric vehicle. Fig. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of the electric vehicle from the start of follow-up travel until the electric vehicle stops. FIGS. 5 and 6 are flowcharts similar to FIG. 4 except that the specific structure of the holding means is different. FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the sensing means. 7, 7a-7c...Guidance route, 1, 1a-1f
...Electric vehicle body, 11... Proximity detection means, 18...
... Brake means, 2 ... Drive means (motor), 1
7...Selection circuit means, 13...Detection means, 19...
...Holding means, 15...Timer means, 9...Distance measuring means, 24...Sensing means.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Proximity detection means for detecting that the main body of an electric vehicle traveling guided along a guidance route is in proximity to an obstacle in front of the main body, and an electric vehicle based on the output of this means. A brake means for stopping the running of the vehicle body, a driving means for moving and traveling the electric vehicle body,
selection circuit means for selecting whether or not to automatically reactivate the drive means when the proximity state is canceled by the proximity detection means after the brake operation of the brake means is completed, and a position near the guide route; and a holding means for selectively holding the selection circuit means so as to reactivate the driving means based on the output of the detection means, the holding means for controlling the operation of the holding means under predetermined conditions. An induction electric vehicle that is released. 2. The induction electric vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the holding means is released after a certain period of time after detecting the follow-up permission signal by an output of a timer provided on the electric vehicle body. 3. The guidance according to claim 1, wherein the holding means is released after the vehicle has traveled a certain distance after detecting the following permission signal based on the output of a distance measuring means provided on the electric vehicle body. electric car. 4. The electric vehicle main body has means for sensing a follow-up release signal from a position near the guide line, and the holding means is released by an output from the sensing means. Induction electric car.