JPH06298020A - Protective plate of obstacle detection device for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a failure from occurring in an obstacle detection device, and operate the obstacle detection device properly by preventing external force from the above, and moving it according to the external force for external force from the front side. CONSTITUTION:On the front part of a working base 5 installed on an automated guided vehicle, a bumper 11 provided with a tape switch is mounted. If the bumper 11 comes into collision with an obstacle or the like from the front side, a tape switch comes into action to stop the automated guided vehicle. A protective plate 21 is mounted above the bumper 11 so as to be rotated by a hinge 22. For external force from the above, the external force is prevented to protect the bumper 11. For external force from the front side by an obstacle or the like, the protective plate 21 is rotated to escape from the obstacle, so that the obstacle comes into collision with the bumper 11, and the obstacle pushes the bumper 11 to operate the tape switch of the bumper 11 to stop the automated guided vehicle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a protective plate for a vehicle obstacle detection device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-51709,
There has been proposed an operation control method for an unmanned guided vehicle, which can prevent a collision between unmanned guided vehicles (unmanned vehicles) by communicating between the unmanned guided vehicles and changing the traveling route.

An obstacle sensor is attached to the automatic guided vehicle to detect the presence or absence of an obstacle. This obstacle sensor is composed of a known photocoupler consisting of a pair of a light emitting means such as a light emitting diode and a light receiving means such as a phototransistor for receiving the light from the light emitting means reflected by the obstacle.

However, this obstacle sensor has a problem in that a failure or the like may occur due to an external force from above, or its attachment portion may come off and fall off. Further, in a factory, an unmanned vehicle, such as a vehicle assembled on a production line, which travels with a work placed thereon, has a workbench attached to an outer peripheral portion of the unmanned vehicle so that an operator can easily perform the work. ing. According to this unmanned vehicle, the work table moves together with the unmanned vehicle. Therefore, the worker does not have to walk according to the traveling of the unmanned vehicle, and can easily perform complicated assembling work or assembling work while losing his posture. At this time, bumpers equipped with contact-type sensors for detecting obstacles are attached to the front and rear portions of this workbench.

The applicant further proposes a work table for an unmanned vehicle in which a transfer plate is rotatably attached to the rear part of the work table. According to the work table of the unmanned vehicle, the transfer plate is bridged over the work table of the unmanned vehicle traveling in the rear.
Therefore, since the bridge plate can close the gap between the worktables of the unmanned vehicle traveling forward and backward, the worker can easily come and go to the worktable of the unmanned vehicle traveling forward and backward. Further, the bridge plate is urged downward by a spring or the like in a state of being bridged over the workbench of an unmanned vehicle traveling in the rear and is reliably placed on the workbench.

[0006]

However, the bumper provided with the contact type sensor mounted on the workbench of the unmanned vehicle has a weak mounting state, so that, for example, the bridge plate or the like applies an external force from above. There is a problem that the bumper may come off and fall off, or a contact sensor may cause a failure such as a kink.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and its object is to prevent an external force from above and to detect an obstacle by moving the external force from the front in accordance with the external force. An object of the present invention is to provide a protective plate for an obstacle detection device for a vehicle, which can prevent the device from being damaged and can normally operate the obstacle detection device.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention mounts a protective plate on the upper portion of an obstacle detecting device attached to the outer peripheral portion of a vehicle, and protects external force from above by the protective plate. The gist is that the protective plate is provided so as to resist the external force from the outer peripheral direction according to the external force.

[0009]

Therefore, according to the present invention, the protective plate protects the obstacle detecting device from the external force from above and moves in accordance with the external force from the outer peripheral direction. Therefore, when an external force acts from the outer peripheral direction, the protective plate escapes in accordance with the external force, the external force acts on the obstacle detection device, operates the obstacle detection device, and stops the vehicle.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment embodying the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, in a production line 1 in a factory, an unmanned vehicle 2 runs at a low speed along a guide line L while maintaining a plurality of predetermined intervals. A lifter 4 for mounting a work 3 such as a vehicle is provided on the upper surface of the unmanned vehicle 2. That is, this lifter 4
The work 3 is moved up and down by the lifter 4 is controlled so that the worker can easily assemble the work 3. At this time, the unmanned vehicle 2 enters the production line 1 along the guide line L at a normal traveling speed and is controlled to a low speed by the entrance 1a thereof. Then, in the production line 1, the worker performs a predetermined work, and when the work is completed, the unmanned vehicle 2 is driven from the exit 1b of the production line 1 along the guide line L at a normal traveling speed. Is going to the production line of.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, worktables 5 are attached to the front and one side of the unmanned vehicle 2. This workbench 5 is mounted on the front part of the unmanned vehicle 2
Of the front board 5a having the same width and length as the unmanned vehicle 2
It is composed of the vehicle length attached to one side of the vehicle and a sideboard 5b having a length equal to the length of the frontboard 5a.

At this time, in the front board 5a,
Casters 6 are provided on the left and right sides of the back surface, and on the front and rear sides of the back surface of the sideboard 5b. Therefore, the front board 5a and the side board 5b are kept in a stable state so that the operator does not lean on the board. Further, the casters 6 allow the front boards 5a and the side boards 5b to easily follow the unmanned vehicle 2.

At the rear end of the sideboard 5b on one side, a bridge plate 7 protruding rearward from the vehicle body of the unmanned vehicle 2 is provided.
Is rotatably attached. FIG. 4 shows a rotating mechanism of the transfer plate 7 configured in the portion A of FIG.

At the rear part (portion in FIG. 3A) between the unmanned vehicle 2 and the sideboard 5b, the sideboard 5b and the bridge plate 7 are rotatably connected by a hinge 8.
(In this embodiment, the hinge 8 rotatably connects the sideboard 5b and the bridge 7 to the side opposite to the unmanned vehicle 2.) Further, the sideboard 5b and the bridge 7 are connected to each other. A spring 9 is connected to the. That is, the bridge plate 7 is rotated downward from a horizontal state (hereinafter referred to as a horizontal state) with respect to the sideboard 5b to a position where the rear end portion 7a thereof contacts the floor surface G (floor surface contact position). ing. Further, the transfer plate 7 is configured to rotate upward from a horizontal state to a position (a flip-up position) which is rotated upward by a predetermined angle (70 ° in this embodiment). The spring 9 is configured to rotate while expanding and contracting together with the bridge plate 7 around the connecting portion 9a connected to the sideboard 5b. At this time, the spring 9 has the deadboard, which is the most extended point of the spring 10 when the transfer plate 7 is rotated, so that the dead point is rotated upward by a predetermined angle α ° from the horizontal state and the sideboard 5b and the transfer plate 7 are moved. Linked to and.

That is, when the bridge plate 7 is located below the state in which it is rotated upward from the horizontal state by a predetermined angle α °,
The spring 9 urges the bridge plate 7 downward. That is, the spring 9 rotates the bridge plate 7 downward to the floor contact position. Further, when the transfer plate 7 is located above the state in which the transfer plate 7 is rotated upward from the horizontal state by a predetermined angle α °, the spring 9 urges the transfer plate 7 upward. At this time, the transfer plate 7 rotates upward to a position where the force for rotating the transfer plate 7 downward by its own weight and the force for rotating the transfer plate 7 upward by the spring 9 are balanced, that is, to the splashed position. Then, it is positioned at that position.

Further, on the front upper surface of the sideboard 5b,
A storage recess 10 having a substantially rectangular shape is formed. That is, in the production line 1, the transfer plate 7 of the unmanned vehicle 2 traveling ahead is placed in the storage recess 10 in a horizontal state. At this time, the transfer plate 7 has the spring 9
The storage recess 10 is urged downward by. As described above, the bridge 7 closes the gap formed between the front and rear unmanned vehicles 2 so that the workbench 5 of the unmanned vehicle 2 can easily move in and out.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a tape switch 16 to be described later is provided as an obstacle detecting device on the front portion of the front board 5a and the front portion of the side board 5b, respectively.
The bumper 11 provided with is attached. Bumpers 12 made of urethane rubber are attached to the rear portion of the sideboard 5b and the rear portion of the unmanned vehicle 2, respectively.

5 and 6 show the sectional structure of the bumper 11 provided with the tape switch 16. This bumper 11 has a rectangular mounting plate 13 as a mounting member.
A pair of mounting brackets 14 for mounting to the unmanned vehicle 2 are provided on the back surface of the, and a groove 15 is formed on the front surface so as to extend in the lateral direction. A tape switch 16 as a detecting means is attached to the inside of the groove 15 along the groove 15, and a pressure sensitive surface 16a of the tape switch 16 for detecting pressure is slightly projected from the surface of the mounting plate 13. . Further, the terminals of the tape switch 16 are connected to a control circuit (not shown) for running the unmanned vehicle 2 via the lead wire 17 and the connector 17a.

On the surface of the mounting plate 13, sponge rubbers 18 which are elastically deformable are attached at both ends along the longitudinal direction thereof. A pressing plate 19 having high rigidity and not elastically deforming is attached to the surface of the sponge rubber 18 so as to cover the entire surface of the mounting plate 13 so as to be separated from the pressure sensitive surface 16a of the tape switch 16.

The distance between the pressing plate 19 and the pressure sensitive surface 16a of the tape switch 16 is exactly the same when the sponge rubber 18 is compressed to the limit value, that is, when the pressing plate 19 is moved to the rearmost position. Pressing plate 1
9 is set by the depth of the concave groove 15 or the thickness of the sponge rubber 18 so that the maximum allowable detection pressure that does not damage the tape switch 16 is obtained.

The bumper 11 is closed by a cover 20 fixed to the mounting plate 13 and made of urethane rubber or the like. The inner surface of the cover 20 is fixed to the entire surface of the pressing plate 19, and the tape switch 16 and the sponge rubber 18 are provided in the cover 20.
Etc. are housed.

That is, when no obstacle collides with the bumper 11, the sponge rubber 18 separates the pressure plate 19 from the pressure sensitive surface 16a of the tape switch 16, so that the tape switch 16 does not operate. .

When an obstacle collides, the pressing plate 19 is pressed by the cover 20 toward the mounting plate 13 side. At this time, the pressing plate 19 has the sponge rubber 18
The tape switch 16 is actuated by moving to the mounting plate 13 side against the elastic force of the tape switch 16 and pressing the pressure sensitive portion 16a of the tape switch 16. The tape switch 16 has a lead wire 17
An operation signal is output to the control circuit via the control circuit, and the control circuit determines that the bumper 11 has hit an obstacle and stops the unmanned vehicle 2.

As shown in FIG. 7, a protective plate 21 made of an iron plate or the like is rotatably attached by a hinge 22 to the front portion of the storage recess 10 formed in the sideboard 5b.
The protective plate 21 is attached to the sideboard 5b with its base end portion placed on the sideboard 5b, so that the hinge 22 moves from the horizontal state (horizontal state) to the sideboard 5b.
It is adapted to rotate upward (in the direction of arrow B) about.

The protective plate 21 is bent downward from the base end portion thereof toward the substantially central portion, and is bent upward from the substantially central portion toward the distal end portion. At this time, the substantially central portion is the lowermost point (lowermost point) 21a of the protective plate 21, and the lowermost point 21a does not contact the bumper 11 even when the protective plate 21 is horizontal. It is like this. In other words, the protective plate 21 is rotated upward from the horizontal state about the hinge 22, so that the protective plate 21 is rotated.
The bumper 11 is always protected without touching the bumper 11.

For example, since the unmanned vehicle 2 has finished its work on the production line 1, when the vehicle speed is increased from the low speed state to the normal traveling speed in order to move from the exit 1a to the next production line, the unmanned vehicle 2 The moving board 7 of the vehicle moves out of the storage recess 10 of the unmanned vehicle 2 traveling at a low speed in the rear direction, and tries to rotate until it comes into contact with the floor surface G by the urging force of the spring 9. Then, the transfer plate 7 moves on the protective plate 21 while urging the protective plate 21 downward. At this time, the protective plate 21 has its base end placed on the sideboard 5b, that is,
It is held in a horizontal state to prevent the bridge plate 7 from coming into contact with the bumper 11.

The tip of the protective plate 21 is the bumper 11
Is projected slightly forward. Therefore, when there is an obstacle in front of the unmanned vehicle 2 in the traveling state of the unmanned vehicle 2, the obstacle first collides with the vicinity of the tip of the protection plate 21. At this time, since the protection plate 21 is bent upward from the lowermost point 21a toward the tip, the force of the obstacle pushing the tip becomes a force for rotating the protection plate 21 upward, and the protection is performed. It acts on the plate 21. That is, when an obstacle collides with the protective plate 21, it rotates upward,
The protection plate 21 is designed to escape from the obstacle.
When the unmanned vehicle 2 further travels forward from this state, the obstacle collides with the bumper 11.

Next, the operation and effect of the protective plate 21 of the vehicle obstacle detection device configured as described above will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, since the unmanned vehicle 2 has finished its work on the production line 1, the vehicle speed is increased from the low speed state to the normal traveling speed in order to move from the exit portion 1a to the next production line. . Then, the bridging plate 7 of the unmanned vehicle 2 comes out of the storage recess 10 of the unmanned vehicle 2 traveling at a low speed rearward, and tries to rotate until it comes into contact with the floor surface G by the urging force of the spring 9. Then, the transfer plate 7 moves on the protective plate 21 while urging the protective plate 21 downward. At this time,
The protective plate 21 is held in a state where its base end is placed on the sideboard 5b, that is, in a horizontal state, and the contact plate 7 is prevented from coming into contact with the bumper 11.

In the running state of the unmanned vehicle 2, if there is an obstacle in front of the unmanned vehicle 2, the obstacle first collides near the tip of the protective plate 21. At this time, since the protection plate 21 is bent upward from the lowermost point 21a toward the tip, the force of the obstacle pushing the tip becomes a force for rotating the protection plate 21 upward, and the protection is performed. It acts on the plate 21. That is, when an obstacle collides with the protection plate 21, the protection plate 21 rotates upward and escapes from the obstacle. When the unmanned vehicle 2 further travels forward from this state, the obstacle collides with the bumper 11. And the tape switch 16
Is operated, and the traveling of the unmanned vehicle 2 is stopped.

As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the transfer plate 7 from directly colliding with the bumper 11 of the unmanned vehicle 2 traveling rearward from above. Also,
Even if luggage is falling from above, this board 7
Thus, it is possible to prevent the bumper 11 from directly colliding. Therefore, it is possible to protect the tape switch 16 and the like provided on the bumper 11 for detecting an obstacle from an external force from above.

Further, when an external force such as an obstacle acts on the protective plate 21 from the front, the protective plate 21 rotates upward.
Therefore, the obstacle collides with the protection plate 21 and the protection plate 21
Can be prevented from being destroyed by an obstacle and the protective plate 21 from damaging the obstacle. At this time,
The obstacle is not obstructed by the protection plate 21, and the bumper 1
Can collide with 1. Therefore, when an obstacle collides with the bumper 11, the tape switch 16 provided on the bumper 11 is activated to stop the unmanned vehicle 2.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but may be implemented as follows with appropriate modification of a part of the structure without departing from the spirit of the invention. (1) In the above embodiment, the vehicle is applied to an unmanned vehicle, but it may be applied to various vehicles such as a forklift and an automobile.

(2) In the above embodiment, the protective plate 21 is used for the bumper 11 having the tape switch 16 as an obstacle detecting device. This may be used for the bumper 23 using a link mechanism, as shown in FIG.

That is, in this bumper 23, a detection rod 25 is arranged in front of the unmanned vehicle 2 via a link 24.
When 5 comes into contact with the obstacle, the link 24 is generated by the pressing force.
Of the limit switch 26
Turn on. At this time, a control circuit (not shown) stops the unmanned vehicle 2 based on this ON signal.

(3) In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 10, the protective plate 21 may be opened upward only at the tip. Further, it may be a flat plate. (4) In the above embodiment, the protective plate 21 may be biased upward by an elastic member such as a spring.
At this time, even when the transfer plate 7 is placed on the protection plate 21, the force by which the protection plate 21 is biased upward is always stronger than the force by which the transfer plate 7 is biased downward. I shall.

(5) In the above embodiment, the bridge plate 7 may be biased downward by its own weight. Further, it may be driven by various actuators. (6) In the above embodiment, the tape switch 16 as the obstacle detecting device is provided in the bumper 11, but it may be directly attached to the outer peripheral portion of the unmanned vehicle 2.

(7) In the above embodiment, the tape switch 1
The bumper 11 provided with 6 was attached to the front of the workbench 5, that is, the front of the front board 5a and the side board 5b. This may be attached to the side and rear parts of the sideboard 5b or the side and rear parts of the unmanned vehicle 2 as the outer peripheral part of the vehicle.
Further, also in the unmanned vehicle 2 which does not use the workbench 5, a bumper may be attached to the outer peripheral portion thereof and a protective plate may be used above the bumper. At this time, the protective plate can protect the bumper 11 from, for example, luggage falling from above. Further, when an external force is applied from the outer peripheral direction, the external force rotates and escapes according to the external force, and the external force acts on the bumper 11 to operate the tape switch 16 provided in the bumper 11 to drive the unmanned vehicle. 2 can be stopped.

(8) In the above-mentioned embodiment, the obstacle is made to collide with the bumper 11 by rotating the protective plate, but by moving horizontally with respect to the sideboard 5b, the obstacle is prevented. It may be configured to collide with the bumper 11.

(9) The above embodiment may be applied to an unmanned vehicle having worktables 5 attached to the front and both sides.

[0040]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, an external force from above is prevented, and the external force from the front is moved in accordance with the external force to prevent the obstacle detection device from being damaged. There is an excellent effect that the obstacle detection device can be operated normally.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an unmanned vehicle provided with a workbench that travels at predetermined intervals in an embodiment embodying the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a state diagram showing a state in which the casters are attached to the workbench seen from the rear in one embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an unmanned vehicle provided with a workbench in one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a portion A in one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a bumper including a tape switch in one embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a bumper including a tape switch in one embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing a state in which a protection plate is arranged above a bumper in one embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a plan view showing a state in which a protection plate is arranged above a bumper in one embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the structure of a bumper in another example.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing the shape of a protection plate in another example.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... unmanned vehicle as vehicle, 11 ... bumper, 16 ... tape switch as obstacle detection device, 21 ... protective plate, 2
6 ... Limit switch as an obstacle detection device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A protection plate is attached to an upper portion of an obstacle detection device attached to an outer peripheral portion of a vehicle, and the protection plate resists an external force from above and protects an external force from an outer peripheral direction according to the external force. A protective plate for a vehicle obstacle detection device, which is provided so as to be movable.