JPH07228259A - Traveling device for stairs, etc. - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To safely goup and down differences level, such as stairs, through comparatively simple constitution and perform conversion of a direction and traveling on a level land without any trouble. CONSTITUTION:A traveling device 1 for stairs comprises rotary arms 7 having a rotation center 6 positioned eccentrically from the axle 4 of a wheel 3 for running and consisting of one or a plurality of constitution arms 7a; and a motor 8 to rotate the rotary arms 7 around the rotation center 6. The running device is provided with a limit switch 15 which is brought into an ON-state when the rotary arm is rotated to a given rotation position and stop rotation of the arm; and a timer 11 to restart rotation operation of the rotary arm 7 after a lapse of a specified time starting from the stop of the arm.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traveling device suitable for raising and lowering stairs or the like having a step, and is used, for example, in a hand cart, a wheelchair, a robot traveling device, a carrier vehicle, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Since the above-mentioned hand carts, wheelchairs and the like are generally made on the assumption that they run on a flat surface or an inclined surface, it is not possible to run on stairs or the like with a certain height or more. It is often impossible. For this reason, if there are steps such as stairs while traveling, for example, in the case of a relatively lightweight hand cart or wheelchair, those must be lifted and raised manually, and compared with a robot traveling device. With heavy weight, it was inconvenient to give up and down and take a detour.

Therefore, as means for dealing with such a problem, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-77279 proposes a crawler type stairway traveling device. This is one in which wheels are attached to a bendable body frame, and crawlers are attached to those wheels, and according to this, it is possible to climb up and down stairs by getting on the same device as a wheelchair.

Further, as a technique capable of ascending and descending stairs or the like by a method different from the crawler method, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-27945
Japanese Patent No. 9 discloses a carriage for carrying a cruciform arm. This is a cruciform arm rotatably attached to the bottom of the platform, and wheels are attached to each tip of the cruciform arm. According to this, the wheels are brought into contact with the steps of stairs. By rotating the cross arm, it is possible to raise and lower the entire carriage along the stairs.

[0005]

However, in the case of using the crawler as described above, since the crawler is hooked on the nose to move up and down due to friction and slight unevenness, slippage occurs and the device becomes unstable. There is a risk of
Moreover, since the entire device is relatively large-scale, it is not suitable for traveling on urban roads and stairs,
Not only are there problems with speed and noise, but they may damage stairs.

On the other hand, in the transportation cart using the above-mentioned cross-shaped arm, two adjacent wheels among the wheels provided at the tip of the arm when traveling on a level ground are grounded in a state of being aligned in the front-rear direction. Therefore, there is a problem that it is difficult to change the direction freely.

As is well known, there is an elevator as a means for moving between floors in a building, and a means for eliminating steps is a step eliminating machine or a slope. It is actually impossible to prepare for the location due to layout and cost constraints.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to safely move up and down steps such as stairs with a relatively simple structure, and also to change direction and run on level ground without any trouble. The main purpose is to provide a traveling device for use.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the inventions of the present application are directed to a vehicle body, left and right traveling wheels provided on the vehicle body, and a rotation wheel at a position eccentric to the axis of the wheel. Left and right rotating arms consisting of one or more arms that have a center and can position the tip side on the upper surface side of the steps when climbing a step such as stairs, and the left and right rotating arms around the rotation center. The traveling devices for stairs or the like having the arm driving means for rotating them at the same time are characterized by being configured as follows.

That is, in the first invention (the invention according to claim 1), the switch that detects that the rotating arm has rotated to a predetermined position and stops the rotation of the rotating arm by the arm driving means at the rotating position. And a timer for restarting the rotation of the rotary arm by the arm driving means when a fixed time has elapsed after the stop. This is especially conscious of the problem that in the case of a hand cart, it is necessary to move the cart forward / backward to an appropriate position on the tread at an appropriate timing with respect to the rotation of the rotating arm, and some skill is required. It is a thing. Specifically, in order to stop the rotation of the rotating arm when it reaches an appropriate position, for example, attach a cam with a hit corresponding to the number of the constituent arms to the central axis of the rotating arm, One limit switch for each of down and down, or by devising the shape of the cam, one limit switch for both up and down is provided, and the rotation of the rotating arm is stopped by the millimeter switch, and after stopping A certain time of is measured by a timer and restarted. In order to make the timing easier, it is advisable to turn on a lamp or sound a chime when the rotating arm is stopped (or activated).

Further, the second invention (the invention according to claim 2)
In this case, an abutting portion for the step is provided near the center of rotation of the vehicle body or the rotating arm so that the orientation of the vehicle body and the degree of engagement of the rotating arm on the step are appropriate when going up the step. This is because if the rotary arm is inserted too deeply into the tread, the vehicle body may have to be returned when the rotary arm is hung on the next tread, and the direction of the vehicle may change greatly left and right in the traveling direction. It is particularly conscious of the problem of being. In this case, a switch for detecting a step and outputting a step detection signal is provided at the contact portion as a means for obtaining a signal of the rotating operation of the rotating arm at the time of rising.
It is desirable that the arm driving means receives the step detection signal and rotates the rotary arm. (Third invention of claim 3). If the descent operation is performed earlier than the proper position when the step is descended, the contact portion may be caught by the corner of the tread surface. Therefore, the contact portion may be made movable so as to be released.

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the invention (the invention according to claim 4), a sensor for detecting a step and a brake device for stopping the rotation of the traveling wheels based on the output of the sensor are provided.

Further, the fifth invention (the invention according to claim 5)
In that case, when a stairs or the like is descending, a small wheel that detects a front step by falling off from the tread before the traveling wheel and a small wheel that detects a front step And a braking device that stops rotation. In that case, further, a switch that is turned on when the small wheel comes off from the tread surface, and a control means that controls the arm driving means so that the rotating arm rotates when the switch is turned on. It is desirable to provide (claim 6).
6th invention according to).

In the above second to sixth inventions, in the case of a hand cart, the stairs can be stably moved up and down by the rotation of the rotating arm unless the cart is stopped at an appropriate position on the tread surface of the stairs (fifth and fifth embodiments). In the case of the sixth invention, since it is difficult to get off, it is particularly considered that it is necessary to start the rotation of the rotating arm after stopping the cart at an appropriate position on the tread of the stairs. ..

Further, in the seventh invention (the invention according to claim 1), when the rotating arm is in the rotating position requiring a large torque when moving up and down the step, the rotating speed of the arm is relatively changed. On the other hand, a speed change mechanism for changing the rotation speed of the arm according to the rotation position of the rotation arm is provided so that the rotation speed of the arm can be relatively increased when the rotation position is not required to have a large torque. . This is because the required torque greatly changes depending on the rotation angle, and therefore it is particularly conscious of the problem that if the rotational speed and the required horsepower are determined at the maximum torque position, the efficiency is poor and the required horsepower becomes large. Examples of the transmission mechanism in this case include an oval gear, a bug gear, and a combination gear.
One example is a gear mechanism whose rotation speed changes during rotation. These are preferably attached to the central axis of the rotating arm.

Further, in the eighth invention (the invention according to claim 8), in particular, in a four-wheel type traveling device in which the traveling wheel and the rotating arm are provided on the front side and the rear side of the vehicle body, respectively. Small wheels are attached to the ends of the rotating arms, and a small one-way clutch is provided on each of the small wheels, which allows only the wheels to rotate in the forward direction when going up a step. In that case, the rotation detecting means for detecting the rotation of the small wheel and the rotation speed of the rotating arm is increased when the rotation of the small wheel in one of the front or rear rotating arms is detected by the detecting means. It is desirable to provide a control means for controlling the arm driving means so as to slow down the rotation speed of the rotating arm (9th invention according to claim 9).

According to the eighth and ninth aspects of the invention, in the case of the four-wheel type traveling device, the driving mechanism is not overloaded when the vehicle is moved up and down, and the sliding portion is not generated at the contact portion with the tread or the floor. In order to achieve the above, it is necessary to delicately control and change the rotational speeds of the front and rear rotary arms in accordance with the positional relationship of the rotary arms.

[0018]

According to the traveling device for stairs or the like of the inventions of the present application, the stairs or the like can be safely and reliably moved up and down in a stable posture as follows.

First, when climbing stairs, the left and right rotating arms are rotated by the arm driving means while the traveling device for stairs or the like is close to the step. With this configuration, the tip ends of the left and right rotating arms ride on the upper surface side (the upper tread surface) of the step, and the left and right rotating arms try to rotate in that state. At this time, the rotating arm simultaneously rotates around the center of rotation that is eccentrically provided with respect to the axis of the traveling wheel, with the tip side thereof grounded on the upper surface side of the step. The vehicle body moves diagonally upward in the traveling direction in a stable posture, and when the rotary arm rotates to a predetermined position, the traveling wheels simultaneously contact the upper surface of the step, that is, the tread surface. In this way, the traveling device can climb the stairs safely and securely in a stable posture.

Next, when going down the stairs, the rotary arm is rotated in the opposite direction to that when going up the stairs, the arm tip side is made vertically downward, and the vehicle body is moved in this state.
The wheels disengage from the tread and the rotating arm supports the vehicle body. If the rotating arm is rotated from this state, the vehicle body is moved diagonally downward while advancing along with the rotating operation of the rotating arm whose tip is in contact with the tread, and when the rotating arm further rotates to the predetermined position. The traveling wheels touch the lower tread. Also in this case, since the rotating arms rotate simultaneously on the left and right of the vehicle body, it is possible to safely and surely descend the stairs in a stable posture as in the case of going up the stairs.

On the other hand, when traveling on a flat ground, the rotary arm is stopped at a position where the arm tip does not contact the ground or floor. In this case, only the traveling wheels come into contact with the ground or the like, so that the vehicle can easily travel and change the direction.

In the above case, in particular, according to the structure of the first invention, the rotation of the rotating arm is stopped when the rotating arm is rotated to the predetermined position, and then the arm is restarted after the time set by the timer has elapsed. While the rotation of the arm is stopped, the hand cart or the like may be moved to an appropriate position on the tread of the stairs, which makes the operation easier and enhances the safety.

Further, according to the structures of the second and third aspects of the present invention, when the contact portion contacts the step, it can be used as a guide for the rotating operation of the rotating arm, the position of the vehicle body, etc. It will be easier. In addition, by bringing the step into contact with the abutting portion, it is possible to make the degree of engagement of the rotary arm on the step appropriate, so that the rotary arm is caught too deeply on the step or the base portion of the rotary arm is stepped. It is possible to prevent a situation in which the front end portion of the arm is forced to slip by hitting a corner portion of the arm or the rotary arm falls too shallowly on the step and falls. Further, by constantly contacting the contact portion with the step, it is possible to prevent the direction of the vehicle body from changing from side to side with respect to the traveling direction, so that the vehicle can travel stably. In that case, particularly according to the configuration of the third invention, when the contact portion comes into contact with the step and the vehicle body stops at an appropriate position, the rotation of the rotary arm starts based on the step detection signal output from the switch. Therefore, time loss can be eliminated.

According to the fourth aspect of the invention, when the sensor detects that the vehicle body (or the traveling wheel) has reached an appropriate stop position from the step when the step is moved up and down, the brake device is actuated to stop the rotation of the wheel. As a result, the vehicle body stops.
At this time, the rotation of the rotary arm is started to lift and raise (lower) the vehicle body. When the rotating arm rotates a predetermined angle and the wheel lands one step up (down), the rotation of the rotating arm stops. In that state, release the brakes on the wheels and move the vehicle body until the next brake operates. Push forward. In this way, the stairs can be stably moved up and down, which facilitates the operation and enhances the safety. Also, after the car body stops at the most appropriate position to start the ascending / descending operation, the rotating arm supports the car body, and then rotates to enter the ascending (descending) operation. There is no problem such as the arm striking the arm or moving the car body too far forward when it descends and coming off the tread.

Further, in the fifth and sixth aspects of the invention, when the small wheel comes off from the tread surface before the traveling wheel when the small wheel descends on stairs or the like, the brake device stops the traveling wheel. Therefore, as in the case of the fourth aspect, the operation is easy and the safety is high. Further, even if an inappropriate operation is performed, it is possible to avoid dropping down one step.

Further, in the seventh aspect of the invention, when the rotating arm is in a rotating position requiring a large torque when moving up and down the step (that is, a horizontal position), the rotating speed of the arm is relatively slowed down. Therefore, a large torque can be obtained by the deceleration. Further, when the rotating arm is in a rotating position where a large torque is not required (a vertical position where the load is small, or a position where there is no load in contact with the stairs), the arm rotates quickly. Therefore, the prime mover having a relatively small output can be efficiently moved up and down.

Further, in the eighth aspect of the invention, the small wheel attached to the tip of the rotating arm rotates only in the forward direction when going up the step due to the action of the one-way clutch provided on the wheel. Therefore, even if the rotation state and rotation speed of the front and rear rotating arms are different, the contact surface of the same arm with the tread with small wheels will always move only to the back side of the tread, further improving safety. In addition, the drive mechanism is not overpowered, and slippage does not occur at the contact portion of the rotary arm with respect to the tread or the floor. Further, it is not necessary to delicately control and change the rotation speed of the front and rear rotating arms in accordance with the positional relationship between the rotating arms.

Further, in the ninth invention, in addition to the structure of the eighth invention, when the rotation detecting means detects the rotation of the small wheel in one of the front and rear rotary arms, the rotation speed of the rotary arm is increased. However, since the rotation speed of the other rotating arm is slowed, it is controlled so that the ground contact _{1 of} the small wheel does not move greatly. Therefore, it is possible to avoid a situation in which the rotary arm is caught on the tip of the tread due to the large movement of the grounding position to the inner side of the tread, and thus it is possible to move up and down in a more stable state.

[0029]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described below. [First Embodiment] This embodiment relates to a hand cart, and FIG. 1 is a partially omitted perspective view showing the hand cart.

This hand cart 1 has a handle portion 2a at the upper end.
And a mounting portion 2b is formed on the lower end side of the vehicle body 2. A pair of left and right bearing brackets 3, 3 are attached to the lower rear portion of the vehicle body 2, and both ends of an axle 4 are supported by the brackets 3, 3, and a pair of left and right traveling wheels 5 are attached to the axle 4. 5,
Is rotatably provided. Then, the luggage (not shown) is placed on the placing portion 2b, the vehicle body 2 is tilted, and in that state, the wheels 5 and 5 are rolled by pushing forward or pulling backward, thereby carrying the luggage. You can do it.

Further, the hand cart 1 is provided with a rotary arm mechanism for raising and lowering a step. The rotary arm mechanism includes a drive shaft 6 that extends in the vehicle width direction and is supported by brackets 3 and 3 on both ends, a pair of left and right rotary arms 7 and 7 attached to both ends of the drive shaft 6, and the drive shaft 6. A motor 8 for rotationally driving the rotary arms 7, 7 via
And a switch 9 for a motor provided inside the upper part of the vehicle body 2. Further, the vehicle body 2 includes a power source 10 for supplying a current to the motor 8 and rotary arms 7, 7 via the motor 8.
And a control unit 11 for controlling the rotation operation of the
By operating the switch 9, the current supplied to the motor 8 can be turned on and off, and the supply direction of the current can be reversed by operating the switch to rotate the motor 8 forward and backward. There is. In addition,
On the upper part of the vehicle body 2, display lamps 12 and 13 indicating the rotating state and the stopped state of the rotating arms 7 and 7 are provided.

The shaft center of the drive shaft 6, which is the center of rotation of the rotary arms 7, 7, is provided at a position eccentric from the shaft center of the wheels 5, 5 by a predetermined amount. In particular,
As shown in FIG. 2, in a state where the vehicle body 2 is set in a posture of climbing a step such as a staircase, as shown in FIG. 2, among the range divided into four parts by a horizontal line and a vertical line passing through the axis of the axle 4 of the traveling wheel 5,
The shaft center of the drive shaft 6 is configured to be located above the shaft center of the axle 4 and on the upside of the step a (portion indicated by diagonal lines in the figure).

In addition, each rotating arm 7 has two constituent arms 7a in this embodiment, and when climbing the step a of the stairs, the tip ends of the constituent arms are placed on the upper surface (step surface of the upper side) a of the step a. Each arm size is set so that it can be located on the _1st side. When the drive shaft 6 is driven by the motor 8, both rotary arms 7, 7 rotate about the axis of the drive shaft 6 as a center of rotation, so that the tread surface located immediately above the wheel ground contact surface b. _One of the constituent arms 7a, 7a is hung on a1, and the rotating arms 7, 7 are further rotated in a predetermined direction from that state so that the entire vehicle body can be lifted and moved in a predetermined direction. In addition,
In the illustrated example, cylindrical anti-slip rubber 7b is attached to the tip of each constituent arm 7a.

Further, in the hand cart 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The contact portions 3a, 3a for the step are formed on the tip end side of the vehicle. By contacting the contact portions 3a, 3a with the vertical surface of the step a, the orientation of the vehicle body 2 and the rotation arms 7, 7 The step upper surface a ₁ is configured so as to be in an appropriate state.

Further, in addition to the above-mentioned structure, the drive shaft 6 of the hand cart 1 has arms 7a and 7a constituting the rotary arm 7.
The cam 14 having the contact portions 14a, 14a positioned corresponding to a is attached. In the vicinity of the cam 14,
A lit switch 15 that is turned on / off by the hitting portions 14a, 14a is provided, and the control unit 11 has a timer (not shown) that starts timing by the output of the limit switch 15. . And
When the rotating arms 7 and 7 rotate to an appropriate position, the contact switch 14a of the cam 14 causes the limit switch 15
Is turned on, the control unit 11 stops the rotation of the rotating arms 7 and 7 via the motor 8 based on the output from the switch 15, and at the same time, the timer in the control unit 11 starts time measurement. The rotating arms 7, 7 are restarted after a lapse of a certain time.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. Now, when the switch 9 is set to the neutral position (OFF), it is possible to travel on a level ground in a state where the tips of the two rotary arms 7, 7 do not contact the ground contact surface b of the wheel 5. When the hand cart 1 is brought close to the step a of the stairs when coming up from the level ground to the step a, the contact portions 3a, 3a provided on the bearing brackets 3, 3 on the rear side of the vehicle body hit the vertical surface of the step a. This makes it possible to bring the rotating arms 7, 7 onto the step a in a proper state, so that the rotating arm 7,
7 is too deep, the base of the arm hits a corner of the step a, and the tip of the arm is forced to slip, or the step a is too shallow to fall. It can be prevented. Moreover, the abutting action described above can prevent the direction of the vehicle body 2 from changing laterally with respect to the traveling direction, so that the vehicle can travel stably.

Further, in this way, the contact portion 3 is attached to the step a.
When the switch 9 is set to the up position with the a and 3a in contact with each other, the drive shaft 4 is driven by the motor 8, and the left and right rotating arms 7 and 7 are rotated accordingly, and the tip end side of the arm is moved. Take the upper surface a ₁ side of the step a (the upper tread surface),
Further, in that state, the left and right rotating arms 7, 7 try to rotate. At this time, the rotating arms 7 and 7 are provided with their tip ends grounded on the upper surface a ₁ side of the step a and are provided with eccentricity with respect to the axle 4 of the wheel 5 (drive shaft 6).
Rotate around simultaneously. Therefore, the vehicle body 2 moves in a stable posture obliquely upward in the traveling direction as the two rotary arms 7, 7 rotate, and when the both rotary arms 7, 7 rotate to a predetermined position, the wheels 5, 5, Simultaneously contacts the upper surface a ₁ side of the step a, that is, the tread surface. In this way, the hand cart 1 can safely and reliably climb the step a of the stairs in a stable posture.

Next, when the rotating arms 7, 7 are further rotated to an appropriate position in that state, the contact portion 14 of the cam 14 is moved.
The a hits the limit switch 15. As a result, the limit switch 15 is turned on, and the control unit 11 stops the motor 8 based on the output from the switch 15, whereby the rotation of the rotating arms 7 and 7 is stopped, and at the same time, the timer in the control unit 11 is stopped. Starts timing. Then, when the time set by the timer has elapsed, the rotary arms 7, 7 start rotating again. Therefore, it is sufficient to move the hand cart 1 to an appropriate position on the next tread of the stairs while the rotation of the rotating arms 7 and 7 is stopped, which facilitates the operation and increases the safety.

On the other hand, when going down the stairs, the hand cart 1
When the switch 9 is set to the down position and the switch arm 9 is set just before the upper corner a ₁ of the step a, the rotary arms 7 rotate in the opposite directions, the tip ends of the arms are grounded, and the vehicle body 2 is lifted. As the arm 7 rotates, the vehicle body 2 moves obliquely downward in the traveling direction, and when each rotary arm 7 rotates to a predetermined position, each wheel 5 contacts the lower tread. Also in this case, since the rotating arms 7 and 7 rotate simultaneously on the left and right of the vehicle body 2, it is possible to safely and surely descend the stairs in a stable posture as in the case of climbing the stairs.

When traveling on a flat ground, both rotary arms 7 and 7 are stopped at a position where the tips of the constituent arms do not contact the ground or floor. In this case, only the wheels 5, 5 come into contact with the ground or the like, so that the direction can be easily changed.

In this embodiment, the bearing brackets 3 and 3 on the rear side of the vehicle body are formed with the contact portions 3a and 3a for the step. However, as shown in FIG. 3, the center of the rotary arm 27 (driving shaft 26). You may provide the contact parts 27c and 27c to the step a on the side.

Further, when the rotating arm is in the rotating position requiring a large torque when moving up and down the step, the rotational speed of the arm is relatively slowed down, while it is in the rotating position not requiring a large torque. In order to make the rotation speed of the arm relatively high, as shown in FIG. 4, a drive shaft 36 of the rotary arm 37 is provided with a speed change mechanism 39 including an oval gear 38 and the like, and a motor is driven via the speed change mechanism 39. The shaft 36, that is, the rotary arm 37 may be rotationally driven. With this configuration, when the rotary arm 37 is in the horizontal vicinity position (state shown in the drawing) that requires a large torque when moving up and down the step a, the rotation speed of the arm 37 is relatively slowed down. A large torque is obtained by the deceleration, and when the rotating arm 37 does not require a large torque, for example, when the rotating arm 37 is in the vicinity of a vertical position where the load is small or in an unloaded position where it is not in contact with the stairs, the arm 37 quickly It will rotate to.
Therefore, the prime mover having a relatively small output can be efficiently moved up and down.

Further, in this embodiment, although the horizontal movement is performed by human power, a control means composed of, for example, a microcomputer is additionally provided, and programming for causing the control means to perform the above-mentioned operation is stored in advance. In addition, if a wheel drive mechanism (wheel drive means) including a motor for driving both wheels 5, 5 is provided, not only the rotation arms 7, 7 but also the rotation of the wheels 5 can be controlled by the control means. It becomes possible to control. [Second Embodiment] FIG. 5 shows a four-wheel traveling apparatus for stairs and the like according to this embodiment.

This traveling device 41 is supported by a vehicle body 42, a pair of left and right traveling wheels 45 ... 45 respectively provided on bearings 43, 43 'arranged at the front and rear of the vehicle body 42, and the bearings. Front and rear drive shafts 46, 46, and a pair of left and right rotary arms 47, 47 attached to both ends of each drive shaft 46, respectively. These rotating arms 47,
The drive shafts 46, 46, which are the center of rotation of 47, are provided at positions eccentric to the axles 44, 44 of the wheels 45, 45, respectively, as in the first embodiment.

Here, the bearing 4 on the right side in the drawing
3'is connected to a bracket 48 provided on the lower surface of the vehicle body via parallel links 49, 49. In other words, the bearing 43 ', the bracket 48 and the parallel link 49,
A parallel link mechanism is constituted by 49. And
A drive cylinder 50 is provided between the bracket 48 and the bearing 43 '.
By displacing the bearing 43 ′ by the drive cylinder 50, the vehicle body 42 can be maintained in a substantially horizontal state when climbing the stairs as shown in the drawing.

Further, in this traveling device 41, a small wheel 51 is attached to the tip of each rotary arm 47 as a characteristic part of this embodiment, and each small wheel 5 is attached.
As shown in FIG. 6, a one-way clutch (cam clutch or the like) 52 that allows only the wheel 51 to rotate in the forward direction when going up a step is provided on the vehicle 1. A rotation detector (rotation detecting means) 53 that detects the rotation of the wheel 51 is provided in the vicinity of the position. Then, when the rotation detector 53 detects the rotation of the small wheel 51 on one of the front or rear rotating arms 47, the separately provided control means operates a rotating arm driving motor or the like (none of which is shown). By controlling the rotation, the rotation speed of the rotation arm 47 is increased or the rotation speed of the other rotation arm 4 is increased.
The rotation speed of 7 is slowed down.

In the traveling device 41 thus constructed, the small wheels 51 of the rotary arms 47, 47 are rotated even if the front and rear rotary arms 47, 47 have different rotational states and rotational speeds. The contact side to a certain tread will always move only to the inner side of the step tread due to the action of the one-way clutch 52, so that the safety is further enhanced and the drive mechanism is not overloaded, and rotation with respect to the tread or floor is possible. Sliding does not occur at the contact portion of the arms 47, 47. Moreover, when the rotation detector 53 detects the rotation of the small wheel 51 on either the front or rear rotation arm 47, the rotation speed of the rotation arm 47 is increased or the rotation speed of the other rotation arm 47 is decreased. Therefore, the ground contact portion of the small wheel 51 is controlled so as not to move largely. Therefore, for example, it is possible to prevent the rotating arm 47 from being caught on the upper corner of the tread due to the difference in the rotational positions (phase angles) of the front and rear rotating arms 47, and to move up and down in a more stable state.

Further, since the vehicle body 42 can be kept substantially horizontal by the parallel links 49, 49, etc. when traveling on a step such as stairs, even a four-wheeled vehicle as shown in the figure is comfortable to ride and is carried. If it is for use, there is no fear that the load will collapse, and it is possible to climb the stairs and others safely and reliably. In the illustrated example, the horizontal body maintaining means such as the parallel link mechanism is provided only on one side (right side) of the vehicle body 42, but it goes without saying that it may be provided on both sides. However, even in the case of riding, it is possible to use only one of the horizontal maintaining means by making the cockpit rotatable. In that case, since the side with steps or steps and the ascending and descending directions are limited, if the shape of the rotating arm is eccentric with respect to the center of rotation instead of being radial as in this embodiment, the diameter of the rotating arm is reduced. The size can be reduced, and the device can be made compact accordingly. [Third Embodiment] FIGS. 7 and 8 show a third embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a hand cart.

In this embodiment, a step detecting sensor and a brake device for stopping and locking the traveling wheels are provided in the lower portion of the vehicle body (not shown). As the step detecting sensor, there are two sensors, an ascending side sensor 68a and a descending side sensor 68b, which respectively indicate that the vehicle body or the traveling wheel 65 has reached appropriate stop positions with respect to the ascending and descending steps a and c. There are sensors, for example, a position suitable for detecting a step in the vehicle width direction central portion of a vehicle body (not shown) (in the state of FIG. 7, a diagonally lower left of the drive shaft 66 of the rotating arm 67 and the traveling wheel 65). Is disposed on the lower right side of the axle 64). On the other hand, as the brake device 69, in the illustrated example, a disc portion 69a that is coupled to the traveling wheel 65 and rotates integrally with the traveling wheel 65 includes a pad portion 69b.
A disc brake is used to stop rotation of the wheel by sandwiching it with. When the ascending-side (falling-side) sensor 68a (68b) detects an ascending-side (falling-side) step a (c) when the stairs are ascending (descent), the braking device is based on the output from the sensor. 69 is activated and wheel 6
The rotation of 5 is stopped and locked.

The hand cart of this embodiment operates as follows. It is detected by the sensor 6 that the vehicle body (or the traveling wheels 65) has reached an appropriate stop position from the step a (c) when the step is moved up and down.
When 8a (68b) is detected, the brake device 69 is activated to stop the rotation of the wheels 65 and stop the vehicle body. At this time, the rotation arm 67 is started to rotate and the vehicle body is lifted and raised (lowered). When the rotating arm 67 rotates a predetermined angle and the wheel lands one step up (down), the rotating arm 6
Since the rotation of 7 stops, the brake of the wheel 65 is released in that state, and the vehicle body is pushed until the next brake operates. In this way, the stairs can be raised and lowered stably. [Fourth Embodiment] FIGS. 9 and 10 show a fourth embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a hand cart.

In this embodiment, a small wheel 80 for detecting a step is formed.
A brake device 81 for stopping and locking the rotation of the traveling wheels 75, and a limit switch 82 for rotating a rotating arm (not shown) when a step is detected by the small wheels 80 are provided.

That is, a bearing bracket 73 for supporting the axle 74 of the traveling wheel 75 and the drive shaft 76 of the rotary arm is provided in the lower portion of the vehicle body 72, and the inner surface of the bearing bracket 73 is provided with the above-mentioned latch at a predetermined position. A mitt switch 82 is attached, and a substantially L-shaped V-shaped swing arm 83 constituting the brake device 81 is attached via a pin 84.

The swing arm 83 is swingable around a pin 84, and the small wheel 80 is rotatably provided at one end portion 83a thereof. Also, the swing arm 8
A tension spring 85 is attached to the other end portion 83b of the bearing 3 between the tension bracket 85 and the bearing bracket 73, and the swing arm 83 is always urged clockwise in the state of FIG. ing. A brake shoe 86 is provided on the inner surface of the other end portion 83b of the swing arm 83 so as to be pressed against the brake drum 75a that rotates integrally with the traveling wheel 75. The brake device 81 in this embodiment is constituted by the brake shoe 86, the brake drum 75a, the tension spring 85, the swing arm 83 and the like described above.

When the small wheel 80 deviates from the step surface a _{1 of the} stairs during the descent of the stairs and changes from the chain line state in FIG. 9 to the solid line state, the swing arm 83 is centered on the pin 84 by the force of the tension spring 85. The brake shoe 86 swings in the clockwise direction in the figure, and along with this, the brake shoe 86 that was initially in the position of the chain line in the figure
Is pressed against the brake drum 75a as indicated by the solid line in the figure to stop and lock the rotation of the traveling wheel 75, while the one end portion 83b of the swing arm 83 comes into contact with the limit switch 82 and the switch is operated. It is turned on, and the rotation of the rotary arm (drive shaft 76) is started based on the output.

According to this structure, when the step a is detected by the small wheels 80 while descending the stairs, the brake device 81 is operated to stop / lock the rotation of the traveling wheels 75, while the limit switch 82 is operated. Since the rotating arm (driving shaft 76) starts to rotate in the ON state, it is possible to stably descend the stairs by rotating the rotating arm while the vehicle body 72 is stopped at an appropriate position on the tread surface a ₁ of the stairs. . Further, even when an inappropriate operation is performed, the traveling wheel 75 is stopped / locked on the front side of the step a, so that it is possible to prevent the vehicle body 72 from falling down one step. Other Examples Next, other examples of the present invention will be listed.

FIG. 11 shows a fifth embodiment in which a differential brake device is adopted instead of the brake device in the fourth embodiment. In this embodiment, both ends 106a and 106b of the brake band 106 are fixed at positions sandwiching the swing center (pin 104) of the swing arm 103 swingably attached to the bearing bracket 93 via the pin 104. There is. The small wheel 100 attached to one end 103a of the swing arm 106 when off the tread a ₁ staircase, the swing arm 103 by the force of the spring 105 tensile around the pin 104 by a predetermined amount swinging Accordingly, the rotation of the traveling wheel 95 is stopped by tightening the outer peripheral surface of the traveling-wheel-side brake drum 95a by the brake band 106, while the limit switch 102 provided on the bearing bracket 93 swings. The other end 103b of the arm 103 is brought into contact with the rotary arm (not shown) to rotate in a predetermined direction together with the drive shaft 96. Therefore, also in this embodiment, the same effect as the fourth embodiment can be obtained.

12 and 13 show the small wheel 12 at one end.
6 shows a sixth embodiment (hand cart) in which the brake shoe portion 126 is provided at the other end of the swing arm 123 to which 0 is attached.

In this embodiment, when the small wheel 12 comes off the step surface a _{1 of the} stairs, the brake shoe portion 126 of the swing arm 123 is directly pressed against the outer periphery of the traveling wheel 115 to stop its rotation. However, since the other functions of the limit switch 122 and the like are similar to those of the fourth or fifth embodiment, the description thereof will be omitted.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show a seventh embodiment in which, in addition to the configuration of the sixth embodiment, a movable contact portion 143 incorporating a limit switch 142 for detecting a step on the up side is further provided.

In this case, the movable contact portion 143 is provided on the bearing bracket 133 so as to be rotatable around the pin via the mounting pin 144, and the contact surface to the step a is forward by a spring. Is formed by a rubber member 143a biased to
The limit switch 142 is installed in the space formed behind the switch when the rubber member 143a comes into contact with the step a and is displaced rearward, and is pushed by the rubber member 143a to be turned on. Further, the bearing bracket 133 is provided with a stopper 133a for restricting the rotation of the contact portion 143 at a predetermined position shown by the solid line in FIG. Then, when the contact portion 143 contacts the step a in the state shown by the solid line, the limit switch 142 is turned on and the rotating arm (not shown) rotates about the drive shaft 136. The arm raises the vehicle body 132 up the step a.
Further, even when the tip of the rotating arm happens to touch the front side (back side) of the proper position of the tread when it descends and rotates, and the upper corner of the tread hits the abutting part 143, the abutting part 143 remains the same. As shown by the chain line in the drawing, the contact portion 143 is prevented from being subjected to an unreasonable force by rotating backward and escaping.

14 and 15, reference numeral 140 is a small wheel for detecting a step when descending, and reference numeral 13 is a wheel.
Reference numeral 5 indicates a traveling wheel, and reference numeral 146b indicates a brake shoe portion for stopping / locking the traveling wheel.

[0062]

As described above, according to the traveling apparatus for stairs or the like of the inventions of the present application, the rotating arm is provided at a position eccentric to the axis of the wheel, so that the entire apparatus is large-scaled. Even without doing so, steps such as stairs can be safely lifted and lowered, and direction changes and flatland traveling can be performed without any problems.

Particularly, according to the first aspect of the invention, the hand cart or the like can be moved to an appropriate position on the tread surface of the stairs while the rotary arm is stopped at a predetermined position, so that the operation becomes easier and Safety is also increased.

Further, according to the second and third aspects of the present invention, when the contact portion comes into contact with the step can be used as a reference for the rotational movement of the rotary arm, the position of the vehicle body, etc., and therefore the operation becomes easy. At the same time, it is possible to make the degree of engagement of the rotary arm on the step appropriate. In addition, since it is possible to prevent the direction of the vehicle body from changing to the left or right with respect to the traveling direction, it is possible to travel stably. In particular, according to the third aspect of the invention, since the rotation of the rotating arm starts when the vehicle body stops at the proper position when climbing the stairs, it is possible to eliminate a time loss.

Further, according to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the vehicle is stopped at the most appropriate position for starting the ascending / descending operation, the rotary arm supports the vehicle body and then rotates to enter the ascending (descending) operation. It is possible to prevent troubles such as the rotation arm hitting the portion or falling down one step due to careless travel.

Further, particularly according to the fifth and sixth inventions,
When the small wheels descend from the tread surface before the traveling wheels when the small wheels descend such as stairs, the braking device stops the traveling wheels, so that the operation is easy as in the case of the fourth invention. , The safety will be higher. Further, even if an inappropriate operation is performed, it is possible to avoid dropping down one step.

According to the seventh aspect of the invention, a large torque is obtained when the rotating arm requires a large torque when moving up and down the step, and otherwise the arm is rotated rapidly, so that it is relatively small. The output prime mover can move up and down efficiently.

Further, according to the eighth aspect of the invention, the contact surface of the rotary arm with the tread surface with the small wheels always moves only to the back side of the tread surface, so that the safety is further enhanced and the driving mechanism is unreasonable. As a result, slippage does not occur at the contact portion of the rotary arm with respect to the tread or the floor.

Further, according to the ninth aspect of the invention, the rotation states of the front and rear rotary arms are properly controlled, so that, for example, the rotary arm may have an upper angle of the tread due to a difference in rotational position (phase angle) of the front and rear rotary arms. It is possible to move up and down in a more stable state, because the situation of being caught on the ground is avoided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted perspective view showing a traveling device (hand cart) for stairs or the like according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a range in which a rotation center of a rotation arm in the above device is located.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a single body showing another example of the rotating arm.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of a speed change mechanism used in another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a traveling device for stairs or the like according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of a peripheral portion of a small wheel included in the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a simplified side view of a traveling wheel peripheral portion showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a front view thereof

FIG. 9 is a simplified side view of the periphery of the traveling wheel showing the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 11 is a simplified side view of a traveling wheel peripheral portion showing a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a simplified side view of a traveling wheel peripheral portion showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a front view thereof

FIG. 14 is a simplified side view of a traveling wheel peripheral portion showing a seventh embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the vicinity of an abutting portion arranged in front of the traveling wheel.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 41 ... Traveling device for stairs (1 ... Hand cart) 2, 42, 72, 132 ... Car body 3a, 27c, 143 ... Abutting part 5, 45, 65, 75, 95 , 115, 135 ... Wheels for traveling 6, 26, 36, 46, 66, 76, 96, 136 ...
-Drive shafts 7, 27, 37, 47, 67 ... Rotating arm 8 ... Arm driving means (motor) 11 ... Timer (control unit) 15, 82, 102, 122, 142 ... Switch ( Limit switch) 51 ... Small wheels 52 ... One-way clutch 69, 81, 95a, 104, 106, 123, 12
6, 146b ... Brake device 68a, 68b ... Step detection sensor 80, 100, 120, 140 ... Step detection small wheel

Claims (9)

[Claims] 1. A vehicle body, left and right traveling wheels provided on the vehicle body, a center of rotation provided at a position eccentric to the axis of the wheel, and an upper surface of the step when going up a step such as stairs. A traveling device for stairs or the like having left and right rotating arms composed of one or a plurality of constituent arms whose distal ends can be positioned on the side and arm driving means for simultaneously rotating the left and right rotating arms around a rotation center. And a switch for detecting that the rotating arm has rotated to a predetermined position and stopping the rotation of the rotating arm by the arm driving means at the rotating position, and a rotating arm by the arm driving means when a certain time has elapsed after the stop. And a timer for restarting the rotation of the stairs. 2. A vehicle body, left and right traveling wheels provided on the vehicle body, a center of rotation provided at a position eccentric to the axis of the wheel, and an upper surface of the step when going up a step such as stairs. A traveling device for stairs or the like having left and right rotating arms composed of one or a plurality of constituent arms whose distal ends can be positioned on the side and arm driving means for simultaneously rotating the left and right rotating arms around a rotation center. Therefore, a contact portion for the step is provided near the center of rotation of the vehicle body or the rotating arm so that the direction of the vehicle body and the degree of engagement of the rotating arm with the step can be properly adjusted when going up the step. A traveling device for stairs, etc. 3. The contact portion is provided with a switch for detecting a step and outputting a step detection signal, and the arm drive means is configured to rotate the rotary arm in response to the step detection signal. The traveling device for stairs or the like according to claim 2, wherein: 4. A vehicle body, left and right traveling wheels provided on the vehicle body, a center of rotation provided at a position eccentric to the axis of the wheel, and an upper surface of the step when climbing a step such as stairs. A traveling device for stairs or the like having left and right rotating arms composed of one or a plurality of constituent arms whose distal ends can be positioned on the side and arm driving means for simultaneously rotating the left and right rotating arms around a rotation center. A traveling device for stairs and the like, comprising: a sensor that detects a step; and a brake device that stops the rotation of the traveling wheels based on the output of the sensor. 5. A vehicle body, left and right traveling wheels provided on the vehicle body, a center of rotation provided at a position eccentric to an axis of the wheel, and an upper surface of the step when going up a step such as stairs. A traveling device for stairs or the like having left and right rotating arms composed of one or a plurality of constituent arms whose distal ends can be positioned on the side and arm driving means for simultaneously rotating the left and right rotating arms around a rotation center. Therefore, when a stairs or the like is descending, the small wheel that detects the front step by falling off the tread before the traveling wheel and the rotation of the traveling wheel when this small wheel detects the front step A traveling device for stairs or the like, which is provided with a braking device for stopping. 6. A switch which is turned on when the small wheel is disengaged from the tread surface downward, and a control means which controls the arm driving means so that the rotary arm is rotated when the switch is turned on. The traveling device for stairs or the like according to claim 5, wherein the traveling device is provided. 7. A vehicle body, left and right traveling wheels provided on the vehicle body, a center of rotation provided at a position eccentric to the axis of the wheel, and an upper surface of the step when going up a step such as stairs. A traveling device for stairs or the like having left and right rotating arms composed of one or a plurality of constituent arms whose distal ends can be positioned on the side and arm driving means for simultaneously rotating the left and right rotating arms around a rotation center. Therefore, when the rotating arm is in a rotating position that requires a large torque when moving up and down a step, the rotation speed of the arm is relatively slowed, while when the rotating arm is in a rotating position that does not require a large torque, A traveling device for stairs or the like, comprising a speed change mechanism that changes the rotational speed of the rotating arm according to the rotational position of the rotating arm so that the rotational speed can be relatively increased. 8. A vehicle body, left and right traveling wheels provided on the front and rear sides of the vehicle body, a center of rotation provided at a position eccentric with respect to the axis of the wheel, and going up a step such as stairs. There are front and rear left and right rotary arms consisting of one or a plurality of constituent arms whose tip side can sometimes be located on the upper surface side of the step, and arm drive means for rotating the rotary arms around the rotation center. A traveling device for stairs, etc., having small wheels attached to the tip of each of the rotating arms, and these small wheels can only rotate in the forward direction when going up a step. A traveling device for stairs or the like, characterized by being provided with a one-way clutch. 9. A rotation detecting means for detecting the rotation of a small wheel, and when the rotation of the small wheel in one of the front and rear rotating arms is detected by the detecting means, the rotation speed of the rotating arm is increased. 9. The traveling apparatus for stairs or the like according to claim 8, further comprising: a control unit that controls the arm driving unit so as to reduce the rotation speed of the other rotating arm.