JPH0587608U - Automated guided vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] Even if an obstacle is on the driving course, avoid the obstacle and drive. [Configuration] The automated guided vehicle 1 autonomously travels along a traveling course 10 using preset traveling course data. When the obstacle sensors 6R and 6L detect the obstacle 20, the changed traveling course 11 is set and the vehicle travels along the course 11. While the obstacle sensor 6R is detecting the obstacle 20, the vehicle travels along the course 11, and when the obstacle sensor 6R stops detecting the obstacle 20, the vehicle returns to the traveling course 10.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an automated guided vehicle so that it can run without obstacles.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 Automated guided vehicles are used in the assembly of machinery and electronic parts, as well as in factories in various fields such as food and textiles. In the automatic guided vehicle, the following two control methods are adopted in order to drive along the traveling course. (A) A line detection sensor (magnetic sensor, optical sensor, pickup coil, etc.) installed in an automated guided vehicle with an induction line (magnetic tape, light-reflecting tape, power line for passing alternating current, etc.) installed on the running course. The vehicle runs on the line while detecting the guide line. (B) The traveling course data is stored in advance in the control device of the automated guided vehicle, the current position is obtained from the data of the distance sensor, and the current position is on the traveling course while comparing the data indicating the current position with the traveling course data. Travel control is performed so that it is located at.

Further, the automatic guided vehicle is provided with an obstacle sensor, and when there is an obstacle on the traveling course, if the obstacle is approached to a certain distance, the obstacle is detected and the automatic guided vehicle stops. ..

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 By the way, in the conventional automated guided vehicle, when the obstacle sensor detects an obstacle, the vehicle simply stops and does not run while avoiding the obstacle. This situation was the same in any of the control methods (a) and (b) described above. When it stopped in this way, a person removed the obstacle and then pressed the restart switch to restart the automatic guided vehicle. Therefore, the efficiency of operation was poor.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional art, and an object thereof is to provide an automatic guided vehicle capable of avoiding an obstacle and traveling when the obstacle is on a traveling course.

[0006]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the configuration of the present invention obtains the traveling distance from the detection data detected by the distance sensor, obtains the current position based on the traveling distance while referring to the preset traveling course data, and the current position travels In an automated guided vehicle whose travel is controlled so that it is located on the course, an obstacle sensor for the front that detects an obstacle in front of the automated guided vehicle and an obstacle on the side of the automated guided vehicle are detected. When the obstacle sensor for the side and the obstacle sensor for the front detect obstacles, set a changed travel course that is shifted from the travel course and control the travel so that the vehicle travels along the changed travel course. While traveling on the changed traveling course, the vehicle travels along the changed traveling course while the lateral obstacle sensor detects obstacles, and when the lateral obstacle sensor stops detecting obstacles, the traveling course To Characterized by comprising a control device for the travel control so as to return.

[0007]

[Action]

 The automatic guided vehicle of the present invention travels along the changed traveling course when an obstacle sensor in the front detects an obstacle on the traveling course, and an obstacle is detected by a side obstacle sensor while traveling on the changed traveling course. When it no longer detects an object, it returns to the normal driving course.

[0008]

【Example】

 Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing an automatic guided vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof. The unmanned transport vehicle 1 is a three-wheel type having one front wheel 2 and two rear wheels 3. The front wheels 2 drive and steer the two wheels, and the two rear wheels 3 become driven wheels. There is. The distance sensor 4 detects the traveling distance of the automated guided vehicle 1, and uses, for example, a spatial filter type non-contact distance sensor. It should be noted that a pulse encoder or the like that detects the traveling distance from the rotation speed of the rear wheel 3 may be used as the distance sensor. The distance data detected by the distance sensor 4 is sent to the control device 5 and the traveling distance is calculated.

In the memory of the control device 5, travel course data indicating a travel course (see FIG. 3) is stored in advance. Therefore, the control device 5 obtains the current position based on the traveling distance while referring to the traveling course data, and controls the steering / driving of the front wheels 2 so that the obtained present position is located on the traveling course.

The unmanned guided vehicle 1 is provided with two obstacle sensors 6R and 6L on the front part and obstacle sensors 7R and 7L on both side parts. The obstacle sensors 6R and 6L are radar type sensors, and detect obstacles within a certain distance (range) in front of the automated guided vehicle 1 by using an electric wave. The obstacle sensors 7R and 7L are also radar type sensors and detect right and left obstacles. The detection signals of these obstacle sensors 6R, 6L, 7R, 7L are sent to the control device 5. The control device 5 also has a function of performing the avoidance control described below.

Next, the avoidance control by the control device 5 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 which is a plan view and FIG. 4 which is a flow chart. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the automatic guided vehicle 1 is moving forward along the traveling course 10 in the X direction, and the operating condition when there is an obstacle 20 on the traveling course 10 will be described.

In the automatic guided vehicle 1, the obstacle sensors 6R and 6L detect the obstacle 20 when the front portion thereof reaches the point A (step 1). Then, the control device 5 sets a changed traveling route that is shifted from the preset normal course 10 to the right or left by a predetermined distance. Whether to shift to the left or right and how much the shift distance should be are determined based on the data detected by the obstacle sensors 6R and 6L. In this example, the distance S is shifted to the left to set the changed travel route 11 shown by the solid line in the figure (step 2).

When the changed traveling route 11 is set, the control device 5 performs traveling control so that the vehicle travels along the changed traveling route 11 (step 3). While traveling on the changed travel route 11, while one of the side obstacle sensors 7R, 7L, in this example, the obstacle sensor 7R is detecting the obstacle 20, Drive along (step 4). Therefore, drive along the course of A point → B point → C point.

After passing the point C, the obstacle sensor 7R stops detecting the obstacle 20. Then, the control device 5 controls the traveling to return to the normal traveling course 10. When the vehicle returns to the traveling course 10 at the point D, the vehicle travels along the traveling course 10 thereafter (step 5).

[0015]

[Effect of the device]

 As described in detail with the embodiments above, according to the present invention, even if an obstacle is placed on the traveling course, the vehicle avoids this obstacle and travels past the obstacle to return to the original traveling course. It can be operated efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an automated guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an automatic guided vehicle according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing a traveling course of the automated guided vehicle of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a traveling control situation of the automated guided vehicle of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Automated guided vehicle 2 Front wheel 3 Rear wheel 4 Distance sensor 5 Control device 6R, 6L, 7R, 7L Obstacle sensor 10 Travel course 11 Change travel course 20 Obstacle

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A traveling distance is obtained from detection data detected by a distance sensor, a current position is obtained based on the traveling distance while referring to preset traveling course data, and traveling is performed so that the current position is located on the traveling course. In an automated guided vehicle that controls, an obstacle sensor for the front that detects an obstacle in front of the automated guided vehicle, and an obstacle sensor for a side that detects an obstacle on the side of the automated guided vehicle, When the obstacle sensor for the front detects an obstacle, a changed traveling course is set by shifting from the traveling course, and the traveling control is performed so that the vehicle travels along the changed traveling course. A control device that controls the vehicle to travel along the changed travel course while the obstacle sensor detects the obstacle and to return to the travel course when the obstacle sensor for the side does not detect the obstacle. AGV, characterized in that it comprises a.