JPH0670003U - Operation control device for automated guided vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] (Corrected) [Purpose] Even if an automated guided vehicle traveling on a track detects and stops the automated guided vehicle in front of the work transfer station, a command from the operation management controller Then, ignoring this, the work can be performed by entering the supply section or the carry-out section on the rear side. [Structure] The distance L1 between the adjacent supply / unload sections in station C is longer than the total length (2 × L3) of the automatic guided vehicle 1, and the total length (2 × L3) and the detection distance L4 of the obstacle detection sensor 7 are equal to each other. When the length is shorter than the added length, the operation management controller 6 ignores the signal from the obstacle detection sensor 7 and the automated guided vehicle 1 is allowed to enter the station C.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is for supplying and unloading workpieces to an automated guided vehicle, for example, a carriage that travels along a guideline attached to a floor surface, a carriage that travels along a rail track, and a monorail overhead traveling carriage. It relates to an operation control device that guides an automated guided vehicle to a station so that work can be performed efficiently when the supply or discharge parts of the station are located close to each other.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a technique is known in which a work is placed on an automatic guided vehicle in a distribution center or a factory to be transported to a predetermined position. Such an automated guided vehicle is configured to run on a track so that it runs a predetermined process, and a station for supplying and unloading work is set on the track. In order to transport a large amount of work, the automatic guided vehicles are configured to run on multiple orbits, and when an automatic guided vehicle stops at a station or the like, the succeeding automatic guided vehicles do not collide with the forward automatic guided vehicle. In order to prevent collision with other workers or other obstacles that cross the track, a sensor is installed at the front of the automated guided vehicle to stop when the obstacles are detected. It was composed.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 When the supply unit and the carry-out unit are set in parallel at the stations, as shown in FIG. 4, the distance L5 between the supply units 2a and 2a is equal to the detection distance L4 of the obstacle detection sensor 7. The length of the unmanned guided vehicle 1 was made longer than the total length (2 × L3), and the supply section 2a was set in a range where it was not stopped by the signal from the obstacle detection sensor 7. However, if you want to increase efficiency by soaring land prices or shortening the travel distance of automated guided vehicles, or if you need to install multiple stations in parallel in a limited space such as in a factory, It is necessary to arrange the supply unit and the discharge unit in parallel and close to each other. In such a case, if the station is set as it is, if the automatic guided vehicle stops at the front feeding section, for example, even if the succeeding automatic guided vehicle has a sufficient distance so as not to collide, the automatic guided vehicle will not collide. Since it had a collision prevention sensor, it could not enter the range detected by the sensor and could not enter the supply section on the rear side. Therefore, the work of supply or carry-out at that station was delayed, and there were cases such as retention, which reduced the overall work efficiency. It is also possible to set the detection distance L4 of the obstacle detection sensor 7 to be short, but a braking distance is also required, and if you get too close to the outside of the station, you may feel a sense of fear and a certain distance is required. .

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The present invention is configured as follows to solve the above problems. That is, in an unmanned guided vehicle that travels on a track, in a station that supplies and unloads work, the distance between adjacent feeding and unloading parts is longer than the total length of the unmanned guided vehicle, and If the length is shorter than the total length of the detection distance of the detection sensor, the traffic management controller ignores the signal of the obstacle detection sensor and the automated guided vehicle can enter the station. However, the track can be installed on the ceiling.

[0005]

[Action]

 By using such means, the obstacle detection sensor always operates in the area other than the station, stops when the obstacle is in front of the automatic guided vehicle, and when the obstacle enters the station area, the operation management controller According to the command, the obstacle detection sensor is effective when there is no automatic guided vehicle in front, but when the automatic guided vehicle is located in front, the signal from the obstacle detection sensor is ignored and the rear side It is possible to enter to the supply section or the carry-out section.

[0006]

【Example】

 The problems and solutions to be solved by the present invention are as described above. To explain the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings, FIG. 1 shows a work taken out from an automatic warehouse and mounted on an automatic guided vehicle. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an unmanned factory where the robot is placed and transported to the manufacturing equipment. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the station.

[0007] Explaining an example of supplying and unloading a work by an automated guided vehicle in an unmanned factory, as shown in FIG. 1, an automated guided vehicle 1.1. The traveling shelves A are connected to each other in a ring shape so that the shelves 5, 5, ... ..Work W can be placed on each. Then, the loading / unloading parts B and B are arranged at arbitrary positions of the rotary shelf A, and the picking device 4 is arranged in the loading / unloading part B. The picking device 4 is provided with a mast 4a in an upright position. An elevating table 4b is provided on the elevating table 4a and a loader 4c is arranged on the elevating table 4b so that the elevating table 4b can reach a predetermined shelf height or the mounting section 1a of the automated guided vehicle 1. The work W is lifted up and down, and the work W is locked by the loader 4c so that the work W can be placed on or lowered from the elevating table 4b or the placing part 1a of the automatic guided vehicle 1.

Further, the manufacturing apparatus 2.2 for processing the work W is arranged on the same floor, and the manufacturing apparatus 2.2 and the rotary shelf A and other floors are installed on the floor for transportation to the outside. A track 3 is laid to serve as a guide when the automated guided vehicle 1 travels, and a signal is provided on the track 3 so that signals can be transmitted and received between the automated guided vehicle 1 and the operation management controller 6. The transmission means is integrally arranged. However, it is also possible to configure so as to transmit and receive a signal using radio or the like. A sensor 7 for detecting an obstacle in front of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is arranged. The sensor 7 is composed of an infrared sensor or the like, detects an obstacle in a predetermined range, and detects the obstacle. It is connected to the driving control circuit 9 inside.

In addition, an area for allowing the automated guided vehicle 1 to stop in the supply section 2a and the unloading section 2b of the manufacturing apparatus 2 on the track 3 is a station C, and the area of this station C is an automated guided vehicle. The recognition means 10.11 is arranged on the track 3 for recognition by the station 1 at the beginning and the end of the area of the station C, and also at the stop position at the feeding section 2a, the unloading section 2b or the loading and unloading section B. Stop recognizing means 12, 12, ... Are arranged, and a detecting section 1b for detecting these recognizing means is arranged at the bottom of the automatic guided vehicle 1.

Particularly, the present invention relates to the operation control of the automatic guided vehicle 1 when the supply unit 2a or the unloading unit 2b is arranged close to each other in the station, and as shown in FIG. The case of the supply unit 2a of the device 2 will be described in detail. Although the distance L1 between the supply units 2a and 2a is longer than the total length (2 × L3) of the automated guided vehicle 1, the distance L1 is If the total length of the automatic guided vehicle 1 (2 × L3) and the detection distance L4 of the sensor 7 are shorter, the automatic guided vehicle 1 stops when the sensor 7 detects the forward automatic guided vehicle 1. You cannot enter station C. However, even if the unmanned guided vehicles 1 are located in the supply units 2a, the work W can be delivered because the work W is vacant by the distance L2. Therefore, the present invention controls the automatic guided vehicle 1 in the station C such that the detection signal of the sensor 7 is ignored and the automatic guided vehicle 1 enters the station C and stops at the supply unit 2a as shown in the flowchart of FIG. Is doing.

That is, in the station C, the distance L1 between the supply units 2a and 2a, the total length (2 × L3) of the automated guided vehicle 1, and the detection distance L4 of the sensor 7 are known in advance, so L1> In the case of (2 × L3), the recognition means 10 and 11 are installed in the station C, and the automatic guided vehicle 1 travels on the track 3 (S1). It is judged whether the automatic guided vehicle 1 detects the recognition means 10 or not in the station C area (S2). If it is not in the station area, the sensor 7 detects whether there is an obstacle in front (S3). For example, the traveling is stopped (S4). If there is no obstacle, move to step 7 described later.

In step 2, if it is in the station area, it is determined whether or not there is a signal from the operation management controller 6 (S5). This signal is sent when the automatic guided vehicle 1 is in front of the station C and the automatic guided vehicle 1 transfers the work W in the station C. Therefore, when there is no work to be done at the station C, it is not necessary to stop at the supply unit 2a, so the sensor 7 is allowed to continue detecting obstacles, and it is determined whether the sensor 7 should be turned on (S3), If the automatic guided vehicle 1 is present, it is stopped when it is detected (S4). When there is a signal from the operation control controller 6, the signal from the sensor 7 is ignored and the vehicle moves forward, and it is determined whether the vehicle has reached the stop position (S7). When the stop position is reached, the vehicle stops moving on the spot. Set (S8). Therefore, the work W is transferred between the automatic guided vehicle 1 and the supply section or the unloading section, and it is judged whether or not the work is completed (S9), and when it is completed, the work W is moved forward (S10) to the next station. Then, the above is repeated. However, the above control is performed not only in the supply section or the carry-out section, but also in the case where the transfer section B and the like are arranged in close proximity.

[0013]

[Effect of device]

 Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. That is, in the station where the work is delivered, if the supply and unload parts are arranged close to each other and the interval is longer than the entire length of the automatic guided vehicle, the signal from the obstacle detection sensor is ignored. It has become possible to position an automated guided vehicle at each of the supply and unloading parts, so it was possible to transfer work only at one place in the past, but now it is possible to work in parallel and work efficiently. The distribution capacity can be improved, and the space for stations can be made compact, so that a space-saving travel path can be configured and the time required for transportation can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an unmanned factory in which a work is taken out from an automated warehouse, placed on an automated guided vehicle, and transported to a manufacturing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a station.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of operation control of an automated guided vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a conventional station.

[Explanation of symbols]

 C station W work 1 Automated guided vehicle 2 Manufacturing equipment 2a Supply section 2b Unloading section 3 Track 6 Operation management controller 7 Obstacle detection sensor

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An automated guided vehicle traveling on a track, comprising:
In the station for supplying and unloading workpieces, if the distance between adjacent supply and unloading sections is longer than the total length of the automated guided vehicle and shorter than the total length plus the detection distance of the obstacle detection sensor, An operation control device for an unmanned guided vehicle, wherein the unmanned guided vehicle can enter the station by ignoring the signal from the obstacle detection sensor by the operation management controller.