JPH0574843B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a mobile vehicle used for automatically transporting various tools, workpieces, etc. between desired stations, for example, in a factory or the like. Regarding driving control equipment for safe automatic driving, in detail, a moving vehicle guidance line is provided with a main guidance line and a merging guidance line that merges with the main guidance line, and it is also necessary to prevent obstacles in front of the vehicle. The present invention relates to travel control equipment for a mobile vehicle, which includes travel control means for automatically driving a mobile vehicle equipped with an emergency stop obstacle detection means for detecting the presence or absence of an object along the main guidance line and the merging guidance line.

[Conventional technology]

In the travel control equipment for moving vehicles of this type described above, a plurality of moving vehicles traveling along each guidance line, such as a main guidance line and a merging guidance line that merges with this main guidance line, are simultaneously and almost simultaneously near the merging point. In order to avoid collisions even when the vehicles arrive at the destination, it is necessary to temporarily stop the vehicles at the convergence point of the guidance line, or to determine the order of travel priority before proceeding.

That is, conventionally, for example, as shown in FIG. 8, when a moving vehicle Vb is traveling along a merging guidance line Lb, a moving vehicle Va approaching a merging point A is present on the main guiding line La near the merging point. A collision prevention sensor Sb for detecting whether or not the merging guidance line Lb
The moving vehicle Vb entering the confluence A along the main guidance line La is temporarily stopped at a point on the side before the confluence with the main guidance line La, and the collision prevention sensor Sb is used to stop the moving vehicle Vb approaching the confluence A along the main guidance line La approaching the confluence A. The presence or absence of a moving vehicle Va is confirmed, and only if there is no moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line La, the moving vehicle on the merging guidance line Lb is confirmed.
A means of controlling Vb so that it merges with the main guide line La has been considered. However, the main guidance line
The moving vehicle Va traveling along La is given priority to pass while the moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line Lb is stopped at the location before the merging.

In addition, even when using the above-mentioned collision prevention sensor, in order to ensure safety when traveling along the guidance line, each moving vehicle is required to check whether or not there are obstacles (including moving vehicles) in front of the vehicle. Obstacle detection means for emergency stop (No. 8) to detect and automatically stop the obstacle
(indicated by Sx in the figure) will be provided.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

In the above-mentioned conventional means, in order to avoid a collision at the confluence of the guidance lines, it is necessary to assemble a sensor to the mobile vehicle to detect the presence or absence of a moving vehicle approaching the confluence of the main guidance lines, and the structure of the mobile vehicle is The disadvantage is that it is complicated and expensive.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and its purpose is to make it possible to easily avoid collisions between moving vehicles at merging points by modifying the means provided originally. It is in.

[Means for solving problems]

The characteristic configuration of the travel control equipment for a mobile vehicle according to the present invention is that the obstacle detection means is divided into a narrow area where the obstacle detection area can detect an obstacle that is approximately within the width of the vehicle body, and an area that is larger than the width of the vehicle body. The configuration is configured such that the area can be switched to a wide area where a certain obstacle can be detected, and the moving vehicle traveling on the main guidance line immediately before the merging part is temporarily stopped at a location on the near side of the merging part, and the obstacle is detected. The detection area of the merging section passage control means for re-starting the vehicle when the detection means detects the absence of an obstacle for a predetermined period of time, and the obstacle detection means for the mobile vehicle traveling on the merging guidance line is set at a location immediately before the merging section. Obstacle detection that returns the detection area of the obstacle detection means to the narrow area after switching from the narrow area to the wide area and after the obstacle detection means in the wide area detects the absence of an obstacle. The area switching control means is provided, and its functions and effects are as follows.

[Effect]

In other words, a moving vehicle approaching a merging section on the main guidance line side is temporarily stopped immediately before the merging section, and an obstacle detection means installed in the moving vehicle detects the merging section approaching or entering the merging section. The presence or absence of moving vehicles on the guiding line side is confirmed, and if there is no obstacle for a predetermined period of time, that is, if it is detected that there are no moving vehicles on the merging guidance line side entering the merging section for a predetermined period of time, the merging section It will be relaunched to enter the area. However, the predetermined time is a waiting time in order to be able to reliably detect the presence of an obstacle when a moving vehicle on the merging guidance line has entered the merging section first.

On the other hand, the moving vehicle on the merging guidance line side detects the obstacle detection area of the obstacle detection means at the point just before the merging part of the merging guidance line to the main guidance line.
Switching from a narrow area that can detect obstacles within approximately the width of the vehicle body to a wide area that can detect obstacles that are greater than or equal to the width of the vehicle body, and with the obstacle detection means switched to the wide area, Similarly to the moving vehicle on the main guidance line side, it is confirmed whether or not there is a moving vehicle at a location immediately before the confluence of the main guidance line.
If there are no obstacles, that is, there are no moving vehicles on the main guidance line approaching the merging point,
If a moving vehicle on this merging guidance line enters the merging section as it is and there is a moving vehicle, the absence of an obstacle is detected as in normal emergency stop control, and the merging guidance line side Even if the moving vehicle enters the AC section, after it is in a state where it does not collide with the moving vehicle on the main guidance line side, it will automatically restart and merge into the main guidance line.

In addition, after the absence of an obstacle is detected in the wide area, the obstacle detection area is returned to the narrow area used during normal driving, so vehicles can move along each guidance line other than the merging area. When driving, as in the past, the system detects the presence or absence of an obstacle in front of the vehicle within approximately the width of the vehicle body and performs stop control, and various equipment on the side of the vehicle path is mistakenly detected as an obstacle. There's nothing to do.

In particular, according to the present invention, as described above, moving vehicles approaching the merging area along the main guidance line,
The vehicle is temporarily stopped just before the merging point, and if it is detected that there are no moving vehicles on the merging guidance line side for a predetermined period of time, the vehicle is allowed to enter the merging section, so it is prepared for moving vehicles on the merging guidance line side. When switching the obstacle detection area of the obstacle detection means that has been set to a wide area in front of the merging part,
The amount of expansion can be made as small as possible, and the inconvenience of increasing the amount of expansion, that is, the inconvenience of erroneously detecting various devices installed near the merging portion as obstacles, can be avoided. In other words, even if various devices are installed near the confluence, the obstacle detection means will not malfunction.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Therefore, collisions with moving vehicles at merging points can be avoided while switching the obstacle detection area of the obstacle detection means originally provided in moving vehicles to a narrower area. The structure of the mobile vehicle can be simplified compared to the structure of the mobile vehicle, and while obtaining these advantages, the obstacle detection means can be prevented from malfunctioning near the AC section, and the mobile vehicle can be simplified. This allows the vehicle to run smoothly.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 2, a light reflective tape L for forming a line for guiding a moving vehicle is formed so that a main guiding line La, a merging guiding line Lb, and a branch guiding line Lc are formed along the travel route of the moving vehicle V. affixed to the road surface side so that the load transfer station is
A plurality of STs are installed on the lateral side of the traveling path, and the structure is such that a plurality of moving vehicles V can simultaneously travel between the stations and carry out various loads. .

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the mobile vehicle V is configured by having a vehicle body equipped with a loading platform 1, and a pair of left and right propulsion wheels 2, 2 driven by a pair of left and right electric motors M, M. In addition, a pair of left and right caster-type idle wheels 3 are provided at the front and rear ends of the vehicle body, so that the electric motors M, A light-reflecting obstacle detecting means for an emergency stop is constructed so that the vehicle M is shifted and redirected, and detects whether or not there is an obstacle in front of the moving vehicle V. Object sensors Sx are provided at both the front and rear ends of the vehicle body.

The travel control means for automatically driving the moving vehicle V along the main guidance line La and the merging guidance line Lb is as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Vessel 5 and
A light sensor S L equipped with an image sensor 6 for receiving reflected light from the light reflective tape L and detecting the position of the light reflective tape L is provided at each of the front and rear ends of the moving vehicle V, and the light sensor S _L is provided at each of the front and rear ends of the moving vehicle V. A host controller 7 that controls the operation of the optical sensor S _L , an image processing controller 8 that processes the detection information from the optical sensor S L, a digital servo controller 9 that controls the operation of both the electric motors M, and the details will be described later. a detection area switching unit 10 for switching the obstacle detection area by the obstacle sensor Sx to a narrow one;
A traveling control device B is provided on the moving vehicle side. As shown in FIG. 1, the encoders 11, 11 attached to the two electric motors M, M are
At the same time, the servo amplifiers 12 for the two electric motors M, M are connected to the digital servo controller 9 via the servo amplifier driver 13, and the image processing controller 8 While calculating and determining the amount of lateral deviation of the vehicle body with respect to the reflective tape L, the speeds of both electric motors M and M are operated to reduce the amount of lateral deviation to zero, thereby moving the moving vehicle V to the light reflecting tape L, that is, the moving vehicle. It is configured to automatically travel along guide lines La, Lb, and Lc. still,
The obstacle sensor Sx and the optical sensor S _L are
When moving forward, the front side is selectively used, and when reversing, the rear side is selectively used.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the obstacle sensor Sx is constructed by projecting infrared light toward the front of the vehicle so that it can sense the obstacle X in front of the vehicle without contact. The projector 14a, this projector 14
and a light receiver 14b that receives reflected infrared light projected from a and reflected from the obstacle X,
The light receiver 14b is configured to be able to detect the presence or absence of an obstacle in a non-contact manner based on whether or not it receives reflected infrared light of a set intensity or higher, and the obstacle detection area is shown in FIG. As shown, there is a narrow area that is approximately equal to the width of the vehicle body and that senses obstacles in front of the vehicle, and a wide area that is wider than the width of the vehicle body and that detects obstacles in front of the vehicle. can be freely switched while using the same obstacle sensor Sx.

That is, as shown in FIG.
A pulse generator 15 that generates a pulse signal for repeatedly projecting pulsed light from the light projector 14a at a predetermined period; a light emitting pulse driver 16 that is driven to correspond to the narrow area or the wide area; an amplifier 17 that amplifies the light signal received by the light receiver 14b to a predetermined level; a level comparator 18 that shapes the waveform of the output signal of the amplifier 17; A synchronous detection circuit 19 is also provided for detecting the output signal from the level comparator 18 in synchronization with the pulse signal generated from the pulse generator 15.

Further, in configuring the detection area switching unit 10, the light intensity projected from the light projector 14a is
An automatic pulse level switching circuit 2 that switches the light emitting pulse driver 15 to two levels, low and high, so that the obstacle detection area corresponds to the narrow area and the wide area, respectively.
0, based on the switching signal from this pulse level automatic switching circuit 20, the synchronous detection circuit 1
an output circuit 21 which outputs an output signal from the light projector 14a as an obstacle sensing signal corresponding to each of the narrow area () and the wide area () in accordance with the low and high intensity of the light projected from the light projector 14a; A detection signal switching circuit 23 is provided to switch which of the narrow area and wide area obstacle detection signals outputted from the output circuit 21 is to be used.

Accordingly, the host controller 7 selects which of the obstacle detection signals outputted through the detection signal switching circuit 23 corresponds to the narrow area and the wide area to use. By this, the obstacle detection area by the obstacle sensor Sx is switched between a narrow area where obstacles within approximately the width of the vehicle body can be detected and a wide area where obstacles within a wide range greater than the vehicle body width can be detected. It is configured freely.

Then, the host controller 7 determines the presence or absence of an obstacle based on the obstacle detection signal outputted via the detection signal switching circuit 23, and when detecting the presence of the obstacle, stops the mobile vehicle V, and Stop/start command information is transmitted so that the system automatically restarts when the absence of an obstacle is detected.
The information is configured to be transmitted from the host controller 7 to the digital servo controller 9.

In addition, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the stopping position, branching position, and
Marks (m ₁ to m ₅ ) are provided on the light reflective tape L to display various travel control information such as the deceleration start position and the merging start position of the main guidance line La and the merging guidance line Lb.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, various information such as destination data can be transmitted from the station to the moving vehicle, and various information such as station arrival data can be transmitted from the moving vehicle to the station. Optical communication devices 24 and 25 equipped with a pair of infrared transmitters a and receivers b are used for transmission.
The optical communication device 24 on the moving vehicle side is connected to the host controller 7, and the optical communication device 25 on the station side is connected to the central control device C on the ground side.
Based on various information such as information input to the central control device C and information stored in advance, various travel control information detected by the optical sensor S _L , and information detected by the obstacle sensor Sx, The moving vehicle V performs branch control, merging control, deceleration control near station ST, stop control, and emergency stop control.
It is possible to automatically travel to a desired station ST.

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, when the moving vehicle starts traveling based on the traveling command information, based on the detection information by the obstacle sensor Sx, the front side of the traveling vehicle is While confirming the presence or absence of an obstacle, steering control is performed based on the detection information from the optical sensor S _L so that the amount of lateral deviation with respect to the light reflective tape L becomes zero. Further, when the detected information from the optical sensor S _L is the mark m ₁ to _{m 5} indicating the travel control information described above, the type of the mark is determined. If the determined mark is a mark _m2 indicating a branching position, a branching process is performed in which the moving vehicle V is run along a branching guidance line Lc branching from the main guiding line La, and a mark m2 indicating a deceleration start position is performed. If it is ₃ , a deceleration process is performed to run the vehicle at a deceleration speed for a set time, if it is a mark m ₁ indicating a stop position, a stop control is performed to stop the moving vehicle V, and if it is a mark m ₄ or m ₅ indicating a merging position. performs a merging process which will be described later.
Note that when the obstacle sensor Sx detects the presence of an obstacle, a stop process is performed in which the mobile vehicle V is stopped until the absence of the obstacle is detected.

In short, the image processing controller 8
The controller calculates and determines the amount of deviation in the lateral direction from the center of the light reflective tape L based on the detection information from the optical sensor S _L , and also determines the type of detection mark, and sends the amount of deviation and mark identification information to the host controller 7. and the host controller 7
Based on the mark discrimination information, a signal for switching the detection area to be used is transmitted to the detection area switching unit 10, and also based on the amount of deviation with respect to the light reflective tape L, the mark discrimination information, and the obstacle presence/absence detection information from the obstacle sensor Sx. , transmits steering information, travel speed information, turning information, forward/reverse information, etc. to the digital servo controller 9, transmits selection information of the optical sensor S _L used by the digital servo controller 9 to the image processing controller 8, and further, The digital servo controller 9 controls the traveling of the mobile vehicle V while exchanging information among the controllers 7, 8, and 9, such as transmitting information on whether or not the vehicle is traveling to the host controller 7. However, a command information input unit for the central control device C is provided at each station ST, and a command information input unit for the host controller 7 is provided in the mobile vehicle V.

Next, a merging section passage control means for causing the moving vehicle V traveling on the main guidance line La to pass through the merging section A, and a merging section passage control means for causing the mobile vehicle V traveling on the merging guidance line Lb to pass through the merging section A.
The merging control means for causing the vehicle to merge into the main guidance line La will be explained.

First, to explain the merging section passage control means, as the optical sensor S _L of the moving vehicle V traveling on the main guidance line La detects the mark _m4 indicating the merging start position of the main guidance line La, As described above, while exchanging information between each controller, the mobile vehicle V traveling on the main guidance line La is temporarily stopped, and as shown in FIG. m ₄ ,
At a position where the moving vehicle V traveling in the area immediately before the merging section is stopped at a location on the main guidance line La before the merging section A, and when the moving vehicle V on the merging guidance line Lb approaches the merging section A, The obstacle sensor Sx
The detection area is switched to a wide area, and the stationary vehicle V on the main guide line La is located at a position where it can be detected as an obstacle.

Then, the obstacle sensor of the stopped moving vehicle V
While checking the presence or absence of a moving vehicle on the merging guidance line Lb entering the merging section A based on the detection information by Sx, the moving vehicle V is restarted when the absence of a moving vehicle is detected for a predetermined period of time. , the mobile vehicle V is configured to restart while exchanging information between each controller.

Next, the merging control means will be explained.

That is, as the optical sensor S _L of the moving vehicle V traveling on the merging guidance line Lb detects the mark _m5 indicating the merging start position of the merging guidance line Lb, the obstacle sensor Sx provided in the moving vehicle V The host controller 7 switches the detection area from the narrow area to the wide area as described above, and switches to the narrow area after detecting the absence of an obstacle in the wide area.
Obstacle detection area switching control means is constituted by causing the detection area switching unit 10 to output a detection area switching command at .

However, as shown in FIG. 2, the merging guidance is switched to the wide area so that the presence or absence of vehicles on the main guidance line La approaching the merging section A can be confirmed based on the detection information of the obstacle sensor Sx. A mark _m5 indicating the merging start position of the line Lb is provided at a position where it can be detected whether or not a mobile vehicle V is present immediately before the merging point of the main guide line La.

Then, the obstacle detection area is changed to a wide area while checking the presence or absence of a moving vehicle on the main guidance line La approaching or entering the merging section A based on the detection information of the obstacle sensor Sx, which has been switched to a wide area. The configuration is such that when the presence is detected, the moving vehicle V on the merging guide line Lb is caused to merge while information is exchanged between each controller so that the moving vehicle V enters the merging section A. Incidentally, when the presence of a moving vehicle is detected, it goes without saying that the moving vehicle V is stopped until the above-mentioned absence of a moving vehicle is detected.

Each of the control means will be explained based on FIG. 2, FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and FIG. 7. However, in the following description, the moving vehicle V traveling on the main guidance line La will be referred to as the traveling vehicle Va, and the traveling vehicle V traveling on the merging guidance line Lb will be referred to as the traveling vehicle Vb.
It is written as

First, move the moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side to the merging section A.
The merging section passage control means for passing through the merging section will be explained.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the moving vehicle Va traveling along the main guidance line La has a mark indicating the merging start position of the main guidance line La.
Stops when m ₄ is detected.

Then, in the stopped state, the obstacle sensor
While keeping the detection area of Sx as the normal narrow area, it is confirmed whether or not there is an obstacle within the narrow area. The vehicle was made to wait until a predetermined time required to enter the detection area of the obstacle sensor Sx (set to about 2 seconds in this example), and the state of no obstacle continued until the predetermined time elapsed. Only in this case, the moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side is restarted to pass through the confluence section A. However, after the moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side restarts, if there is an obstacle in front of the vehicle, for example, a moving vehicle Vb that has merged in advance, the automatic stop control will be performed using normal stop control. This will result in a temporary stoppage.

Next, a merging control means for causing the moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side to merge into the merging section A will be explained.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, a moving vehicle Vb traveling along the merging guidance line Lb,
When a mark _m5 indicating the merging start position of the merging guidance line Lb is detected, the obstacle detection area of the obstacle sensor Sx is switched from a narrow area to a wide area, and an obstacle is present within the wide area. In other words, whether the moving vehicle Va approaching or entering the merging part A exists on the main guidance line La near the merging part is monitored, and when the absence of an obstacle is detected, the obstacle sensor The obstacle detection area of Sx is returned from the wide area to the narrow area, and the moving vehicles on the merging guidance line Lb are
Vb is made to merge with the main guidance line La.

On the other hand, if there is a moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side that approaches or enters the merging area A before the moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side enters the merging area A, the movement on the merging guidance line side Since the obstacle sensor Sx of the vehicle Vb detects the presence of an obstacle, that is, the moving vehicle Va, the moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side is moved to a position where the moving vehicles do not collide with each other, that is, the moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side is at the merging point. It is stopped until it passes A.

In short, when merging the moving vehicle Vb traveling on the merging guidance line Lb with the main guidance line La,
In order to avoid collisions between moving vehicles, the moving vehicles Va,
It is sufficient to avoid both vehicles Va and Vb from entering the confluence A at the same time when the obstacle sensor Sx of each Vb cannot detect the other vehicle. The moving vehicle Va on the side is temporarily stopped in front of the merging section A, that is, at a position where the moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side can reliably detect the moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side approaching the merging section A. , moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side
The detection edge of the obstacle sensor Sx is expanded to the extent that it is possible to confirm the presence or absence of the previously stopped moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side, and the moving vehicle on the main guidance line side approaching or entering the confluence section A is detected. The moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side is asked to confirm whether Va exists or not. Also, moving vehicles on the main guidance line side
By stopping Va until the absence of an obstacle is detected for a predetermined period of time in front of the merging section, the presence or absence of the moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side that has entered the merging section A first can be confirmed. be. Also,
This automatically prevents both moving vehicles Va and Vb from entering the merging section A at the same time.

[Another example]

In the above embodiment, in order to configure the obstacle detection elimma to be freely switched between narrow and wide, the light emitting level on the projector side is alternately switched between low and high, and the elimma corresponding to each narrow and wide elimma is simultaneously output. Although we have shown an example in which the detection signal is selectively used, it is also possible to continuously switch the light emission level on the emitter side between low and high states depending on the narrow or wide detection area to be selectively used. good. Alternatively, the light transmission level of the light emitter may be changed to a low level and the light receiving sensitivity of the light receiver side may be switched between a low level and a high level. In that case, the light receiving sensitivity is switched by the amplifier 17.
The degree of amplification of the sensor is switched between low and high levels corresponding to the narrowing and widening of the detection area, or the waveform shaping level by the level comparator 18 is switched between low and high levels corresponding to the narrowing and widening of the detection area. etc., various changes can be made.

In addition, in order to configure the obstacle detection area to be freely switchable between narrow and wide areas, the light emitting level of the light projector may be changed to a configuration in which the light projection level is switched between low and high, and, for example, the light projected from the light projector is scanned in the width direction of the vehicle body. The scanning width may be changed to narrow or wide.

Further, in the above embodiment, only the obstacle detection area of the moving vehicle Vb on the merging guidance line side is switched from the narrow area to the wide area, but if the obstacle detection area of the moving vehicle Va on the main guidance line side is switched from the narrow area to the wide area, The object detection area may be switched from a narrow area to a wide area. Further, the obstacle detection area that has been switched from the narrow area to the wide area may be switched after passing through the confluence part A in order to return to the normal narrow area. In that case, a mark is provided on the guide line La to indicate the switching and return position of the detection area, and upon detection of this mark, the detection area can be switched or the detection area can be changed after the predetermined time required to pass through the confluence A. It may be possible to switch.

In addition, in the above embodiment, in order to stop moving vehicles on the main guidance line side or switch the obstacle detection area of moving vehicles on the merging guidance line side, marks m ₄ and m ₅ indicating the position are placed on the guiding line side. Although the case where the optical communication device 25,
26 etc. may be provided, and instructions may be given to each moving vehicle to stop at the merging start position or to switch the obstacle detection area via these optical communication devices 25 and 26.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which the light reflective tape L was used to form the line for guiding moving vehicles, but it is also possible to form the line for guiding moving vehicles by applying a fluorescent substance along the travel route. Various changes can be made, such as installing an electromagnetic induction wire. In addition to being provided on the traveling road surface, the moving vehicle guiding line may also be provided on a side wall surface along the traveling route, a ceiling surface, etc.

Further, in the above embodiment, an example was shown in which a light reflection type obstacle sensor Sx was used as the obstacle detection means.
Various types can be used, such as a radar type using radio waves such as extremely high frequency waves, and an ultrasonic type using ultrasonic waves.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 7 show an embodiment of the traveling control equipment for a moving vehicle according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the traveling control device, and FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of the traveling route of the moving vehicle. 3 is an overall side view of the mobile vehicle, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the structure of the light reflective tape, FIG. 5 is a flowchart of travel control, and FIG.
The figure is a flowchart of the merging section passage control for vehicles moving on the main guidance line side, and FIG. 7 is the flowchart of merging control for vehicles moving on the merging line side. FIG. 8 is a drawing showing a conventional example. L...Moving vehicle guidance line, La...Main guidance line, Lb...Merging guidance line, Sx...Obstacle detection means, V...Moving vehicle, i...Narrow area,...
Wide area.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 Convert the mobile vehicle guidance line L to the main guidance line La.
The moving vehicle V is provided with a merging guidance line Lb that merges with the main guidance line La, and an obstacle detection means Sx for emergency stop that detects the presence or absence of an obstacle in front of the vehicle. A traveling control equipment for a moving vehicle, comprising a traveling control means for automatically traveling along a main guidance line La and a merging guidance line Lb, wherein the obstacle detection means Sx is arranged so that its obstacle detection area is approximately within the width of the vehicle body. The main guidance line is configured to be able to switch between a narrow area where a certain obstacle can be detected and a wide area where an obstacle within a range greater than the width of the vehicle body can be detected.
Passing through the junction where the mobile vehicle V traveling in the area immediately before the junction La is temporarily stopped at a location on the near side of the junction, and then restarted when the obstacle detection means Sx detects the absence of an obstacle for a predetermined period of time. a control means and a moving vehicle V traveling on the merging guidance line Lb;
The detection area of the obstacle detection means Sx is switched from the narrow area to the wide area immediately before the merging part, and after the obstacle detection means Sx in the wide area detects that there is no obstacle, Travel control equipment for a mobile vehicle, comprising an obstacle detection area switching control means for returning the detection area of the object detection means Sx to the narrow area.