JPH0641303U - Automatic charging device for automated guided vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To prevent current collectors installed on an automated guided vehicle and sliding on contactors on the floor from being caught by obstacles such as pebbles on the floor. [Arrangement] An arm 14 rotatable around a pin 15 is provided on the lower surface of the automated guided vehicle 1. A current collector 8 is provided at one end of the arm 14 and a roller 18 is provided at the other end thereof. Is set higher than the contactor 6, so that the current collector 8 slides on the contactor 6 by the roller 18 riding on the contactor 6 during traveling while charging.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to an automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle used to charge a battery mounted on the automated guided vehicle.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Since the automated guided vehicle travels using the battery installed in it as an energy source, the battery must be charged every time the vehicle travels a certain distance. An automatic charger is used to charge the battery. There are two types of automatic charging devices for automated guided vehicles: one that charges when the automated guided vehicle is stopped and one that charges while the vehicle is running.

An automated guided vehicle corresponding to the latter is an automatic charging device shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). In the figure, 1 is an automated guided vehicle, 10 is a guided vehicle main body, 2 is wheels, 11 is a battery, and 3 is an automatic charging device. The structure of the automatic charging device 3 is shown in FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b). As shown in the figure, a pair of parallel plate-shaped contactors 6 are mounted on a base 5 projecting from the floor surface 4, while a lower part of the automatic guided vehicle 1 slides on top of each contactor 6. The electrons 8 are attached via the base 7. In order to prevent dust from intervening between the contactor 6 and the current collector 8 to cause improper energization, brushes 9 are provided in front of and behind the current collector 8 in combination with the base 7.

Since the contactor 6 is long in such an unmanned guided vehicle, even if the unmanned guided vehicle 1 is running, the current collector 8 slides on the contactor 6 and the battery can be charged while running.

[0005]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, since the current collector is placed close to the floor surface, if there are obstacles such as pebbles on the floor surface, the current collector may be caught by the obstacle and may be damaged. Since they are forcibly pushed up and come into contact with each other, there is a high risk of mutual damage and failure due to impact when they are pushed up.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic charging device for an automatic guided vehicle that solves the above problems.

[0007]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve such an object, the structure of the present invention is provided with a contactor that is connected to a power source and extends in the horizontal direction in a state of protruding from the floor surface, while sliding on the contactor and connected to a battery. In an automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle in which an electron is installed in an automated guided vehicle, an arm is provided at the lower part of the automated guided vehicle so as to be rotatable in the middle of the lengthwise direction of the arm, and at one end of the arm. A current collector facing the contactor is provided, and a rotatable roller is provided at the other end at a position lower than the current collector, and the current collector is set so as to contact the contactor when the roller rides on the contactor. It is characterized in that a biasing means for biasing upward is provided.

[0008]

[Action]

 When the automatic guided vehicle travels without charging, one end of the arm is lifted by the biasing means, and the current collector occupies a higher position than the contactor. Therefore, the collector does not get caught on the obstacle on the floor. The roller is lower than the current collector, but because it rotates, it can easily overcome obstacles.

When the automatic guided vehicle travels while being charged, the roller rides on the contactor and the arm rotates, so that the current collector descends and slides on the contactor.

[0010]

【Example】

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. Since the present embodiment is an improvement of a part of the conventional automatic charging device for the automatic guided vehicle, the same parts as those of the conventional parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. Only different parts will be described.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, an auxiliary rod 13 projecting downward is fixed to the base 7 and extends from the middle position of the arm 14 which is long in the front-back direction of the automatic guided vehicle 1 (the arrow in the figure indicates the front). The slightly forward position is rotatably supported by the lower end of the support rod 13 via a pin 15. A supporting portion 14a protruding downward is formed at a rear end of the arm 14, and a rotating body 17 is rotatably attached to a lower end of the supporting portion 14a via a pin 16. Then, the current collector 8 facing the contactor 6 is provided below the rotating body 17. On the other hand, a support portion 14b, which is longer than the support portion 14a, is formed to project downward at the front end of the arm 14, and a rotatable roller 18 is provided at the tip of the support portion 14b. A spring 19 is provided between the rear end of the arm 14 and the base 7 as a biasing means for pulling up the rear end of the arm 14 and holding the arm 14 substantially horizontally.

In the automatic charging device, the arm 14 is substantially horizontal and the position of the current collector 8 is higher than the upper surface of the contactor 6 in a non-charged state where the current collector 8 is away from the contactor 6. The length of each part is set. In addition, the lengths of the respective parts are set so that the arm 14 rotates around the pin 15 and the current collector 8 contacts the contactor 6 when the roller 18 rides on the contactor 6 in the charging state. It The arms 14 and the like are provided on both sides of the automatic guided vehicle 1 and are connected to batteries respectively.

Next, the operation of the automatic charging device for such an automated guided vehicle will be described. When the automatic guided vehicle travels without being charged, the rear end of the arm 14 is pulled up by the spring 19 so that the arm 14 is substantially horizontal as shown in FIG. In this state, the position of the current collector 8 is sufficiently higher than the height of the contactor 6, and even if pebbles or the like are present on the floor surface 4, there is no risk of the current collector 8 colliding or being caught. Further, the roller 18 is also separated from the floor surface 4 and can easily pass over an obstacle by rotating.

When the automatic guided vehicle travels while being charged, the roller 18 rides up on the contactor 6, whereby the arm 14 rotates around the pin 15 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. Contacts the upper surface of the contactor 6. Since the automatic guided vehicle is charged while traveling, the roller 18 rolls on the contactor 6 and the current collector 8 slides on the contactor 6 at the same time. As a result, the battery is charged from the pair of contactors 6 via the collector 8, the rotating body 17, the arm 14, and the support rod 13.

The current collector and the spring may be arranged at the front end of the arm, and the roller may be arranged at the rear end of the arm.

[0016]

[Effect of device]

 As can be seen from the above description, according to the automatic charging device for the automatic guided vehicle of the present invention, the collector and the roller are provided at the end of the rotatable arm, so that the automatic guided vehicle is not charged when the automatic guided vehicle is not charged. Since the electrons are far away from the floor surface, the current collector will not come into contact with and get caught in obstacles such as pebbles on the floor surface. You can easily get over it. During running while charging, the arm rotates so that the current collector and the contactor slide smoothly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of essential parts showing an embodiment of an automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 relates to a conventional automated guided vehicle, FIG. 2 (a) is a front view, and FIG. 2 (b) is a right side view.

3A and 3B relate to a conventional automatic charging device, FIG. 3A is a front view, and FIG. 3B is a right side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Automated guided vehicle 3 ... Automatic charging device 4 ... Floor surface 6 ... Contactor 8 ... Current collector 11 ... Battery 14 ... Arm 15 ... Pin 18 ... Roller 19 ... Spring

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An unmanned guided vehicle in which an unmanned guided vehicle is provided with a current collector connected to a power source and extending in a horizontal direction in a state of protruding from a floor surface, and a current collector connected to a battery and sliding on the contactor. In the automatic charging device, an arm is provided at the lower part of the automated guided vehicle so as to be rotatable in the middle of the lengthwise direction of the arm, one end of the arm is provided with a current collector facing the contactor and the other end is provided. It features a rotatable roller at a position lower than the current collector and a biasing means to set the current collector to contact the contactor when the roller rides on the contactor and to urge the current collector upward. Automatic charging device for automated guided vehicles.