JPH0810406B2 - Self-driving car - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic vehicle that steers wheels provided on a vehicle body by a steering means and travels along a wall so as to follow a predetermined trajectory. .

2. Description of the Related Art In a typical prior art, an inductive wireless antenna is provided along a trajectory of a vehicle body, and a vehicle receives a signal from this antenna to perform steering.

In such a prior art, it is necessary to attach an inductive wireless antenna along the locus, which increases equipment costs and cannot be implemented in a place where it is difficult to attach such an inductive wireless antenna.

In another prior art, an optical path such as a laser beam is provided as a target trajectory for the vehicle body to travel, and steering is performed so that the vehicle body travels along the optical path.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problems to be Solved by the Invention In such a prior art, a light path must be formed along a path along which a vehicle body should travel, which increases equipment costs and causes light to go straight, thus forming a curved path. Difficult to do.

As another prior art, there is JP-A-60-117168, but the transmitter / receiver is rotationally driven on the vehicle body, and therefore has moving parts and is inferior in durability.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic vehicle having a simple structure and capable of traveling a vehicle body by following a desired trajectory.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention is provided with wheels W1 and W2 that can be steered by laterally displacing to the front side of a vehicle body 1, and wheels W3 and W3 that can be steered by displacing to the left and right sides at the rear. In a mobile vehicle equipped with W4, ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 fixed to the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle body 1 and measuring the distance from the vehicle body 1 to the outer wall
~ S4 and the output of ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 ~ S4, the front left and right detection distance is set to 1, l2, the rear left and right detection distance is set to l3, l4, front and back ultrasonic distance measurement When the distance between the means S1, S2; S3, S4 along the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 is L, When y1 is a predetermined distance corresponding to the trajectory of the vehicle body 1 and Gr and Gθ are constants, a steering angle Sf of the front wheels W1 and W2, Sf = Gy (y1−y) −Gθ · sinθ and Means 7,9,14,15,16 for calculating steering angles Sr, Sr = Gy (y1−y) + Gθ ・ sinθ of rear wheels W3, W4 and outputs of calculation means 7,9,14,15,16 In response, the front left and right wheels W1, W2 are steered, while the rear left and right wheels W3, W2,
An automatic vehicle including means 8 for steering W4.

The present invention is also directed to traveling traveling in which wheels W1 and W2 that are angularly displaced to the left and right on the front side of the vehicle body 1 are provided, and wheels W3 and W4 that are angularly displaced to the left and right are provided to be steered. In the vehicle, in response to the outputs of the ultrasonic distance measuring means S2, S4 and the ultrasonic distance measuring means S2, S4 that are fixed to the front and rear right of the vehicle body 1 and measure the distance from the vehicle body 1 to the outer wall, The front right detection distance is l2, the rear right detection distance is l4, the distance between the front and rear ultrasonic distance measuring means S2, S4 along the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 is L, and the axis line of the vehicle body 1 is When a predetermined distance in the direction perpendicular to 4 is W, And determine a predetermined distance corresponding to the trajectory of the car body 1 as yr1
And Gy and Gθ are predetermined constants, the front wheels W1, W2
Steering means Sf, Sf = Gy (−yr1 + yr) −Gθ · sinθ, and steering angles Sr, Sr = Gy (−yr1 + yr) + Gθ · sinθ of the rear wheels W3, W4, calculating means 7,9,14,15, 16 and in response to the outputs of the computing means 7, 9, 14, 15, 16 and steer the front left and right wheels W1, W2, and the rear left and right wheels W3,
An automatic vehicle including means 8 for steering W4.

The present invention is also directed to traveling traveling in which wheels W1 and W2 that are angularly displaced to the left and right on the front side of the vehicle body 1 are provided, and wheels W3 and W4 that are angularly displaced to the left and right are provided to be steered. In the vehicle, in response to the outputs of the ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 and S3 that are fixed to the front and rear left of the vehicle body 1 and measure the distance from the vehicle body 1 to the outer wall, and the ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 and S3, The front right detection distance is 1, the right rear detection distance is l3, the distance between the front and rear ultrasonic distance measuring means S1, S3 along the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 is L, and the axis line of the vehicle body 1 is When a predetermined distance in the direction perpendicular to 4 is W, And a predetermined distance corresponding to the locus of the vehicle body 1 is determined by y
1 and Gy, Gθ are predetermined constants, the front wheels W1, W
Calculation means 7,9,14 for calculating the steering angle Sf of 2 and the steering angle Sr of the rear wheels W3 and W4 and Sf = Gy (y1-yl) -Gθ · sinθ , 15, 16 and in response to the outputs of the computing means 7, 9, 14, 15, 16 and steer the front left and right wheels W1, W2, and the rear left and right wheels W3,
An automatic vehicle including means 8 for steering W4.

Action According to the present invention, a total of four ultrasonic distance measuring means are fixed to the front and rear sides of the vehicle body, respectively, and the configuration is extremely simple. Moreover, this distance measuring means measures the distance from the vehicle body to the outer side wall, so that it is possible to perform steering by separating a predetermined distance from the wall, and for example, to make a complicated bend. It is possible to drive automatically by following the trajectory.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view of a vehicle body 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle body 1 is provided with wheels W1 and W2 on the front left and right sides in the traveling direction 2, and wheels W3 and W4 are provided on the rear left and right sides, respectively. Of these wheels W1-W4, the front wheels W1, W
2 can be steered by angular displacement. The front wheels W1, W2 or the rear wheels W3, W4 are driven by the driving means 3 and can travel by themselves. Ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 to S4 are fixed to the left and right of the front and rear of the vehicle body 1, respectively.
The reference mark G of the vehicle body 1 is on a vertical line passing through the centroid of the virtual rectangle whose vertexes are the contact positions of the wheels W1 to W4, and the centroid of the virtual rectangle whose vertexes are the distance measuring means S1 to S4. It is on a vertical line passing through. The axis line 4 of the vehicle body 1 is parallel to the virtual straight line passing through the reference sign G and passing through the left distance measuring means S1 and S3 and the virtual straight line passing through the distance measuring means S2 and S4.

Distance measuring means S1 attached to the front left part of the vehicle body 1
Is an angle α on the outside of the vehicle body 1 in the front-rear direction about the axis 5.
Ultrasonic waves are emitted with a spread of / 2, and the reflected wave from the wall 6 is detected, whereby the shortest distance between the distance measuring means S1 and the wall 6 is measured.

Referring to FIG. 2, the distance measuring means S1 emits the ultrasonic signal shown in FIG. 2 (1) to the outside. The reflected wave is received by the distance measuring means S1 with a delay of time T1 as shown in FIG. 2 (2). The shortest distance between the distance measuring means S1 and the wall 6 corresponding to this time T1 is detected and measured as described above. The remaining distance measuring means S2 to S4 also have the same configuration as the above-mentioned distance measuring means S1 and generate ultrasonic waves toward the outer side of the vehicle body 1 to measure the distance.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the electrical construction of the embodiment shown in FIG. The outputs of the distance measuring means S1 to S4 are input to the arithmetic circuit 7, and the front wheels W1, W2 are steered by the steering means 8 based on the arithmetic result, whereby the setting circuit 9 is set.
The vehicle body 1 travels along the trajectory set in.

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing a state where the vehicle body 1 travels between the walls 6 and 6a, and FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view thereof. The wheels W1 to W4 of the vehicle body 1 travel on the road surface 10 between the walls 6 and 6a. The center line between the left and right walls 6, 6a is indicated by reference numeral 11, and the distance y between this center line 11 and the reference numeral G of the vehicle body 1 is detected by the distance measuring means S1 to S4. The distance to the wall 6,6a
When it is set to l4, it is shown by the first equation.

The angle θ formed by the axis 4 passing through the reference sign G of the vehicle body 1 and the center line 11 of the walls 6, 6a is as shown in the second equation.

Here, L is the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 between the distance measuring means S1 and S3.
The distance L is equal to the distance along the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 between the distance measuring means S2, S4. In FIG. 1, the distance in the direction perpendicular to the vehicle body position axis 4 between the distance measuring means S1 and S2 is indicated by W, and this distance W is perpendicular to the vehicle body position axis 4 between the distance measuring means S3 and S4. Equal to the distance.

FIG. 6 is a horizontal sectional view showing a traveling state of the vehicle body 1 when only the right side wall 6a is present, and FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view thereof. The distance yr between the reference mark G of the vehicle body 1 and the wall 6a on the right side is as shown by the third equation.

The angle θ formed by the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 and the wall 6a is as shown in the fourth equation.

FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view showing a traveling state of the vehicle body 1 when only the left side wall 6 of the vehicle body 1 is present, and FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof. The distance yl between the reference mark G of the vehicle body 1 and the wall 6 is as shown in the fifth equation.
The angle θ between the axis 4 and the wall 6 is as shown in the sixth equation.

The arithmetic circuit 7 (see FIG. 3) performs the arithmetic operations of the first and second equations when the walls 6 and 6a are present on the left and right in response to the outputs from the distance measuring means S1 to S4, and When the wall 6a exists only on the right side of 1, the above-described calculations of the third and fourth expressions are performed, and when only the wall 6 exists on the left side of the vehicle body 1, the calculations of the fifth and sixth expressions are performed. In this way, the distances y, yr and yl are calculated and sin θ is calculated.

Distance yref, yr corresponding to the predetermined target trajectory of vehicle body 1
1, y1 is derived from the setting circuit 9, subtracted from the detected distances y, yr, yl from the arithmetic circuit 7 in a subtraction circuit 13, and given to an amplifier circuit 14 having a gain Gy. A signal representing sin θ from the arithmetic circuit 7 is given to the amplifier circuit 15 having a gain Gθ. The outputs of the amplifier circuits 14 and 15 are given to the subtraction circuit 16. As a result, a signal representing the steering angle s is given to the steering means 8. The steering means 8 carries out steering by angularly displacing the wheels W1 and W2. The steering angle s referred to here is, for example, the angle formed by a plane perpendicular to the axle of the wheel W1 with the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 as shown in FIG.

Thus, when the vehicle body 1 travels between the left and right walls 6 and 6a as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 described above, the steering angle s is expressed by the equation 7 based on the equations 1 and 2. Desired. Here, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the distance y1 corresponding to the locus of the vehicle body 1 represents the distance from the center line 11 between the walls 6 and 6a.

s = Gr (y1−y) −Gθ · sinθ (7) As described above, when the wall 6a is present only on the right side of the vehicle body 1 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the calculation of the equation 8 is performed. And the steering angle s is obtained.

s = Gy (−yr1 + yr) −Gθ · sinθ (8) Here, the distance yr1 representing the locus of the vehicle body 1 is the distance from the wall 6a.

Furthermore, when there is a wall 6 only on the left side of the vehicle body 1 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the distance y from the wall 6 is y.
By setting 1, the steering angle s expressed by the equation 9
Is obtained.

s = Gr (y1−yl) −Gθ · sinθ (9) As another embodiment of the present invention, not only the front wheels W1 and W2 can be steered but also rear wheels W3 and W3
The 4 can also be configured to be steered by the steering means 8. In this case, as shown in FIG. 13, the front wheels W1, W2 are angularly displaced by the steering angle Sf and the rear wheels W3, W4 are steered by the steering angle Sr in order to drive the vehicle body 1 along the predetermined target locus 20. Then, the steering angles Sf and Sr are calculated by setting the left side angular displacement as positive and the right side angular displacement as negative with respect to the straight line parallel to the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1. Figure 13 (1) shows
The state where the angle θ formed by the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 and the target locus 20 is substantially zero is shown. FIG. 13 (2) shows a vehicle body 1
The reference mark G in FIG. 13 (3) and 13 (4) show the vehicle body 1.
Shows the steering state when is away from the target locus 20. By configuring the wheels W1 to W4 to be individually steered for each two pairs of the front wheels W1 and W2 and the rear wheels W3 and W4, compared to the case where steering is performed only by the front wheels W1 and W2. Good controllability is obtained.

When traveling between the left and right walls 6, 6a as shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 10 above, the steering angle Sf of the front wheels W1, W2 is
Is the steering angle Sr of the rear wheels W3 and W4, as shown in equation 10.
Is calculated as shown in Equation 11.

Sf = Gy (y1−y) −Gθ · sinθ (10) Sr = Gy (y1−y) + Gθ · sinθ (11) Further, as shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. When there is a wall 6a only on the right side of, the steering angle S of the front wheels W1, W2
f is the steering angle Sr of the rear wheels W3 and W4, as shown in Equation 12.
Is calculated as shown in Equation 13.

Sf = Gy (−yr1 + yr) −Gθ · sinθ (12) Sr = Gy (−yr1 + yr) + Gθ · sinθ (13) Further, as shown in FIG. 8, FIG. 9 and FIG. When the wall 6 exists only on the left side, the front wheels W1, W
The steering angle Sf of 2 is as shown in Formula 14, and the rear wheels W3, W4
The steering angle Sr of is steered as shown in Expression 15.

Sf = Gy (y1-yl) -G [theta] .sin [theta] (14) Sr = Gy (y1-yl) + G [theta] sin [theta] (15) Thus, the vehicle body 1 can be made to travel along the desired trajectory.

The invention can be implemented not only in the context of, for example, a robot for cleaning a channel in a channel, but also in a wide range of other applications.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to easily drive the vehicle body along a predetermined trajectory that is bent with a simple configuration.

In particular, according to the present invention, the ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 to S4 are provided to the front and rear left and right of the vehicle body 1, the front and rear right, or the front and rear left in an automatic traveling vehicle such as a work carriage traveling in a completely submerged waterway. It is possible to create a highly reliable mobile travel control by fixing the distance to 1 to 14 by detecting the distance. Further, in the present invention, since both the front and rear wheels can be steered, the position can be moved without changing the direction of the vehicle body, that is, the lateral movement is possible. This makes it possible to carry out the present invention preferably, for example, for robot work in a place where there is a flow of water. Further, by not changing the orientation of the vehicle body in this way, when traveling underwater, even if there is a flow of water, the force due to the flow of water received by the vehicle body is in a constant direction, which is convenient and Therefore, even if the four wheels have a concave arc shape on the floor, the four wheels do not float up from the floor and the stable running is also achieved. You can do it.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified plan view of a vehicle body 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram for explaining the operation of the distance measuring means S1, and FIG. 3 is an embodiment shown in FIG. A block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the example, FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view showing a state where the vehicle body 1 travels between the walls 6 and 6a, FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, and FIG. 6 shows only the right wall 6a. 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing a traveling state of the vehicle body 1 in the presence of a vehicle, FIG. 7 is a vertical sectional view thereof, and FIG. 8 is a horizontal sectional view showing a traveling state of the vehicle body 1 when only the left wall 6 of the vehicle body 1 is present. A sectional view, FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, and FIG. 10 is a vehicle body 1 as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
Fig. 11 is a horizontal sectional view showing a traveling state when the walls 6 and 6a are present on both sides of the vehicle. Fig. 11 shows a traveling state when the wall 6a is present only on the right side of the vehicle body 1 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. FIG. 12 is a horizontal sectional view showing the traveling state when the wall 6 exists only on the left side of the vehicle body 1 as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, and FIG. 13 is a front wheel in the traveling direction. Not only W1 and W2
FIG. 11 is a simplified plan view of another embodiment of the present invention in which the rear wheels W3 and W4 are also steered for traveling. 1 ... vehicle body, 2 ... running direction, 3 ... driving means, 4 ...
Axis, 6,6a ... Wall, 7 ... Arithmetic circuit, 8 ... Steering means,
9 ... Setting circuit, 14,15 ... Amplifying circuit, W1-W4 ... Wheels, S1-S4 ... Distance measuring means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Takaya Misumi 1-1 Kawasaki-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. Akashi factory (72) Inventor Tetsuya Sugimasa 1-1 Kawasaki-cho, Akashi-shi, Hyogo Kawasaki Heavy Industry Co., Ltd. Akashi Factory (72) Inventor Kiyoi 500 No. 1-1 Kawasaki-cho, Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture Kawasaki Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. Akashi Factory (56) Reference JP 59-140520 (JP, A) JP 62 -105206 (JP, A) JP 62-221707 (JP, A) Actually opened 58-101205 (JP, U) Actually opened 59-122607 (JP, U)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A traveling vehicle in which front and rear wheels W1 and W2 of the vehicle body 1 that are angularly displaced to the left and right are provided, and wheels W3 and W4 that are laterally displaced to the rear of the vehicle and are steerable are provided. In a car, ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 to S11 are attached to the front, rear, left and right of the vehicle body 1 to measure the distance from the vehicle body 1 to the outer wall.
In response to the output of S4 and the ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 to S4, the front left and right detection distances are set to 1, l2, and the rear left and right detection distances are set.
l3 and l4, and L is the distance between the front and rear ultrasonic distance measuring means S1, S2; S3 and S4 along the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1. When y1 is a predetermined distance corresponding to the trajectory of the vehicle body 1 and Gr and Gθ are constants, a steering angle Sf of the front wheels W1 and W2, Sf = Gy (y1−y) −Gθ · sinθ and Means 7,9,14,15,16 for calculating steering angles Sr, Sr = Gy (y1−y) + Gθ ・ sinθ of rear wheels W3, W4 and outputs of calculation means 7,9,14,15,16 In response, the front left and right wheels W1, W2 are steered, and the rear left and right wheels W3, W4
And a means (8) for steering the vehicle. 2. A traveling vehicle in which wheels W1 and W2 are provided on the front side of the vehicle body 1 and are steerable by angular displacement to the left and right, and wheels W3 and W4 are provided on the rear side that are steerable by angular displacement to the left and right. In the vehicle, in response to the outputs of the ultrasonic distance measuring means S2, S4 and the ultrasonic distance measuring means S2, S4 that are fixed to the front and rear right of the vehicle body 1 and measure the distance from the vehicle body 1 to the outer wall, The front right detection distance is l2, the rear right detection distance is l4,
When the distance along the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 between the front and rear ultrasonic distance measuring means S2, S4 is L, and the predetermined distance in the direction perpendicular to the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 is W, And determine a predetermined distance corresponding to the trajectory of the car body 1 as yr1
And Gy and Gθ are predetermined constants, the front wheels W1, W2
Steering means Sf, Sf = Gy (−yr1 + yr) −Gθ · sinθ, and steering angles Sr, Sr = Gy (−yr1 + yr) + Gθ · sinθ of the rear wheels W3, W4, calculating means 7,9,14,15, 16 and in response to the outputs of the computing means 7, 9, 14, 15, 16 and steer the left and right front wheels W1, W2, and the left and right rear wheels W3, W4.
And a means (8) for steering the vehicle. 3. A traveling vehicle in which wheels W1 and W2 are provided on the front side of the vehicle body 1 and are steerable by angular displacement to the left and right, and wheels W3 and W4 are provided on the rear side that are steerable by angular displacement to the left and right. In the vehicle, in response to the outputs of the ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 and S3 that are fixed to the front and rear left of the vehicle body 1 and measure the distance from the vehicle body 1 to the outer wall, and the ultrasonic distance measuring means S1 and S3, The front right detection distance is 1, the right rear detection distance is l3, the distance between the front and rear ultrasonic distance measuring means S1, S3 along the axis 4 of the vehicle body 1 is L, and the axis line of the vehicle body 1 is When a predetermined distance in the direction perpendicular to 4 is W, And a predetermined distance corresponding to the locus of the vehicle body 1 is determined by y
1 and Gy, Gθ are predetermined constants, the front wheels W1, W
Calculation means 7,9,14 for calculating the steering angle Sf of 2 and the steering angle Sr of the rear wheels W3 and W4 and Sf = Gy (y1-yl) -Gθ · sinθ , 15, 16 and the output of the computing means 7, 9, 14, 15, 16 in response to the steering of the left and right front wheels W1, W2 and the rear left and right wheels W3, W4.
And a means (8) for steering the vehicle.