JPH0591604A - Power supply for automatically guided vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a downsized power supply for automatically guided vehicle in which the weight and volume of body are reduced. CONSTITUTION:The power supply comprises a current collecting unit 80 mounted on an automatically guided vehicle and a power supply unit 90 disposed on the station side, wherein the current collecting unit 80 comprises movable contactors 811, 812 of positive and negative poles on DC input side, a movable contactor 813 of positive pole on DC output side, means 82 for moving a movable contactor 81, and a charging contactor 83 connected between the movable contactors 811, 813. The power supply unit 90 is disposed oppositely to the current collecting unit 80 and comprises a fixed contactor 91 contacting with the movable contactor 81 at the tip thereof, a charger 62, and a charging time voltage regulator 701. The charger 62 is connected with fixed contactors 911, 912 of positive and negative poles on DC input side whereas the charging time voltage regulator 701 is connected with each fixed contactor of positive pole on DC output side. Since the charging time voltage regulator 701 is disposed in the station, the automatically guided vehicle can be downsized.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power supply device for an automated guided vehicle that charges a battery while the automated guided vehicle is stopped at a station.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional automatic guided vehicle will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the automatic guided vehicle, and FIG. 4 is a configuration explanatory view of the power feeding device. The automated guided vehicle 10 includes a traveling unit 11, a robot unit 12 mounted on the traveling unit 11, and a control unit 70 including a microcomputer (not shown). The traveling unit 11 includes a steering traveling unit and a position detecting unit, and has a function of conveying the transported object 21 from a plurality of stations 20 arranged along the traveling path to another preset station. There is. That is, the vehicle travels while detecting the optical tape 31 disposed on the floor by the steering traveling means, and stops at a predetermined position by detecting the magnetic tape 32 provided on the floor by the magnetic sensor mounted on the automatic guided vehicle 10. Is becoming

In the station 20, the robot section 12 has a function of receiving an object to be transported 21 from the other party or delivering it to the other party. The electric power of the automatic guided vehicle 10 is supplied from a battery 41 incorporated therein, and a power supply device is provided near the station 20 to appropriately charge the battery, and the robot unit 12 is provided while the automatic guided vehicle 10 is stopped.
The AC power is supplied to and the battery 41 is charged. The power feeding device includes a power collection unit 50 provided in the automatic guided vehicle 10 and a power feeding unit 60 provided in the station 20.

The current collecting unit 50 includes a movable contactor 51 and a moving means 52 for moving the movable contactor 51 toward the station 20, as shown in FIG. The movable contactor 51 includes a pair of movable contactors 511 for a single-phase AC power supply and a pair of positive and negative movable contacts 512 for a DC power supply.

The power supply unit 60 includes a fixed contact 61 and a charger 62.
And a power supply contactor 63. The fixed contact 61 includes a pair of fixed contacts 611 for a single-phase AC power supply and a pair of fixed contacts 612 for a DC power supply, and the moving means 52 moves the movable contact 51 and the fixed contactor. 61 is in electrical contact. 54 is a movable contactor 51 and a battery
It is a charging contactor connected between 41.

The control unit 70 includes a charging voltage regulator 701, a vehicle controller 702, and a robot controller 703. Reference numeral 71 is a power unit of the automated guided vehicle 10 including a motor, and 72 is a power unit of a robot including a motor. The voltage regulator during charging 701 has an automatic voltage adjusting function, and adjusts the charging supply voltage to a standard value of 24V when the battery voltage is 24V, for example.

[0007]

As described above, in the conventional power feeding apparatus for the automatic guided vehicle, the charging voltage regulator 701 is used.
Is always built into the automated guided vehicle 10. However, since the voltage regulator during charging 701 has a large volume and a large weight, it is not possible to reduce the size and weight of the vehicle body, and there are drawbacks such as a heat source. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a power supply device for an automatic guided vehicle, which reduces the weight and volume of the vehicle body and reduces the size and weight.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An electric power feeding apparatus for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention travels between a plurality of stations installed along a traveling path and charges a battery while stopped at a predetermined station. A power supply device for a vehicle, which comprises a power collection unit provided in an unmanned guided vehicle and a power supply unit provided in a station, wherein the current collection unit includes one of a DC input side positive / negative movable contact and a DC output side positive electrode. The power supply unit includes a movable contactor, a moving unit that moves each movable contactor toward the station, and a charging contactor electrically connected between the movable contacts of each positive electrode. It is arranged facing the current collection unit,
Each movable contact has a fixed tip to which the movable contact electrically contacts at the moved tip of the movable contact, a charger, and a charging voltage regulator for adjusting the charging voltage of the battery,
Moreover, the DC input side of the charger shall be electrically connected to the positive and negative fixed contacts, and the charging voltage regulator shall be electrically connected to the DC input side positive and negative fixed contacts and the DC output side positive fixed contacts, respectively. Is characterized by.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view of a main configuration of a power feeding device, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an operation of the power feeding device. Note that FIG.
In the figure, the illustration of the part related to the robot section 12 is omitted. The power supply device of the present invention comprises a power collection unit 80 provided in the automatic guided vehicle and a power supply unit 90 provided in the station 20.

The automated guided vehicle 10 includes a traveling unit 11, a robot unit 12, a battery 41, a current collecting unit 80, and a control unit 100. The battery 41 is, for example, a NiCd battery and has a capacity of 24V10AH in this embodiment. The current collecting unit 80 is a movable contactor 81 and the movable contactor 81 is a station.
It includes a moving means 82 for moving in the arrow direction toward 20 and for electrically contacting the fixed contact 91, and a charging contactor 83.

The movable contact 81 includes positive and negative movable contacts 811 and 812 on the DC input side and one movable contact 8 on the positive side of the DC output.
It consists of 13. Movable contactor 811 on the DC input side
, 812 are electrically connected to the battery 41, the movable contacts 811 and 813 on the DC input side and the DC output side are electrically connected to both terminals of the charging contactor 82, and the movable contacts 813 and 812 are electrically connected to the vehicle controller 702. Has been done. The control unit 100 includes a vehicle controller 702, a robot controller 703, an automatic guided vehicle power unit 71, and a robot power unit 72.
Is included.

Next, the power supply unit 90 will be described. The power feeding unit 90 includes a fixed contactor 91, a charger 62, a power feeding contactor 63, and a charging voltage regulator 701. Fixed contact
91 is provided to face the movable contact 81, and is composed of fixed contacts 911 and 912 of positive and negative electrodes on the DC input side and one fixed contact 913 of one positive electrode on the DC output side. The positive and negative fixed contacts 911 and 912 on the DC input side are connected to the charger 62 and the charging voltage regulator 701 via the power contactor 63, and the positive output fixed contact 913 on the DC output side is connected to the charging voltage regulator 701. Each is electrically connected to the output terminals. The charging voltage regulator 701 is a so-called three-terminal regulator. When charging the battery 41 having a normal voltage of 24V, it is necessary to apply a voltage of about 31V. On the other hand, when power is supplied from the battery 41 to the control unit 100, it is supplied at approximately 28 to 20V.
Therefore, the voltage of 31V is not applied to the control unit 100, but is lowered to the standard voltage value of 24V. A communication means (not shown) using, for example, an optical communication device is provided between the unmanned guided vehicle 10 and the station 20, and the contact operation of both contacts 81 and 91 and the start and stop of charging are performed. It is configured to exchange information between the two parties.

Next, the power feeding method according to the present invention will be described. The automated guided vehicle 10 arrives at the station 20 and stops at a fixed position (see S1 and S2 in FIG. 2). By the output of the position detecting means (not shown), the moving means 82 operates via the vehicle controller 702, the movable contact 81 moves to a predetermined position and electrically contacts the fixed contact 91 (S
3, see S4). The movement of the movable contact 81 is detected by a detection means (not shown). The charging contactor 83 remains turned on, but no current flows because the power feeding contactor 63 is turned off.
Station 20 from the automated guided vehicle 10 by the communication means
The charging start signal is transmitted to the side (see S6), and both contacts 81,
The contact state of 91 is confirmed by appropriate means. In the case of poor contact, error processing is performed separately (see S7).

After the charger 62 and the power supply contactor 63 are turned on, the charging contactor 83 is turned off, the charging of the battery 41 is started, and the control unit 100 receives the voltage adjusted by the charging voltage regulator 701. Is applied. The charger 62 has a mechanism for applying a voltage of 24V when the power supply contactor 63 is turned on and gradually increasing the voltage to 31V (see S8 and S9). The charging voltage regulator 701 outputs a battery voltage of 24 V at the start of charging, and the output voltage reaches the maximum value by the automatic voltage adjustment function as the charging voltage rises.
Controlled to 26.4V. When the operation in the station 20 is completed, a charge stop signal is output via the vehicle controller 702 (S10
A charge stop command is issued after the check between the charging time and a preset time (see S11 and S12), the charging contactor 83 is turned on, the power supply contactor 63 is turned off and charging is stopped (see S13 and S14). .. Charger voltage regulator 701
The automatic voltage control function is released at the same time when the charging voltage is exhausted, and the battery voltage of 24V is output. During charging, the charging voltage does not exceed 26.4V, and charging starts,
The output voltage is controlled within the range of 24V ± 10% even in the transitional period after completion of charging.

After the preset time-up of the charge stop signal (see S15), the charge contactor 82 is turned off via the vehicle controller 702 (see S16). The output of the vehicle controller 702 enables the movable current collector.
81 moves to the original position and returns, and after detecting the return position (S17, S1
8), and the automated guided vehicle 10 starts (see S19).

[0016]

As described above, the power feeding device for the automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention comprises the power collection unit provided in the automatic guided vehicle and the power feeding unit provided in the station.
The current collecting unit includes a three-pole movable contactor, a moving means, and a charging contactor. The power feeding unit faces the movable contactor and electrically contacts the three-pole fixed contactor and a charger. A charging voltage regulator having a terminal is provided. The three terminals of the voltage regulator during charging are electrically connected to the fixed contacts. Therefore, since the automated guided vehicle does not always have a built-in voltage regulator for charging, which has a large volume and weight, it is possible to reduce the size and weight.
Since the heat source is eliminated, the temperature rise inside the vehicle body is reduced, which is convenient in terms of maintenance and maintenance of the built-in electronic components.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram according to the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram of a main part configuration of a power feeding device.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart according to the present invention, showing the operation of the power supply device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of an automated guided vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram according to the present invention, and is a configuration explanatory view of a power feeding device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Automated guided vehicle 20 Station 62 Charger 63 Feeding contactor 701 Voltage regulator during charging 702 Vehicle controller 80 Current collecting unit 81 Moving contact 811, 812 Positive moving contact 813 Negative moving contact 82 Moving means 83 Charging contactor 90 Power feeding unit 91 Fixed contact 911, 912 Positive fixed contact 913 Negative fixed contact 100 Controller

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A power supply device for an automatic guided vehicle, which runs between a plurality of stations installed along a travel route and charges a battery while stopped at a predetermined station, the power supply device being provided in the automatic guided vehicle. And a power supply unit provided in the station, wherein the current collecting unit has one movable contact for positive and negative electrodes on the DC input side and one movable contact for the positive electrode on the DC output side, and each of the movable contacts facing the station. And a charging contactor electrically connected between the movable contacts of the respective positive electrodes.
The power feeding unit is arranged so as to face the current collecting unit, and each fixed contact to which the movable contact makes electrical contact with the moved tip of each movable contact, the charger, and the charging voltage of the battery It is equipped with a charging voltage regulator to be adjusted, and the charger is a DC input side positive and negative fixed contact,
Further, the charging voltage regulator is electrically connected to each of the fixed contacts of the positive and negative electrodes on the DC input side and the positive electrode on the DC output side.