JPH11161330A - Branching controller for automated guided vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a branching controller which facilitates the installation and alteration of an electromagnetic guide path, makes secure and easy a choice and a guidance to the right or left, specially, at a branch point on the guide path, and reduces the facility cost. SOLUTION: This branching controller consists of the magnetic guide path 11 which is arranged on a floor surface for a circular tour of desired places and has branch points, an automated guided vehicle 17 which travels while detecting the guide path and can be steered, address magnet members 14, 15, and 16 for branching which are installed at the branch points 13-1, 13-2, and 13-3, and a control means which is mounted on the automated guided vehicle 17 and detects and compares the addresses of the address magnet members with previously set right/left judgement numerals and select the direction to the right or left to make an indication for turning: and the facility costs are much lower than those of a conventional electromagnetic wire system and the route change of the magnetic guide path 11 and the operation become very easy. Further, a choice between the right and left and a guidance of the unmanned truck and made secure and easy.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a so-called automatic guided vehicle (hereinafter referred to as an AGV) for unmannedly transporting luggage and the like to a destination designated in advance along a taxiway provided in a factory, a warehouse or the like. ), In particular, a direction control device at a junction of a taxiway.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 1, one example of an AGV is a driving steering wheel which can be driven and steered by a driving motor 3 and a steering motor 4 at a lower center of a loading bed 2 and at a front center thereof. 5 and a driven wheel 6 on each rear side, and a guide sensor 7 is installed in front of the drive steering wheel 5. Based on data detected by the sensor 7, comparison and control are performed by an electronic control mechanism 8. The operation and output are performed, and the motors 3 and 4 are controlled to perform traveling and steering. The AGV 1 travels while detecting the magnetic guide path 9 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 by the guide sensor 7, and stops when instructed.

The control at the branch point 10 of the AGV 1 as described above has conventionally been performed as follows. That is, the electromagnetic induction path 9 shown in FIG. 5 employs a so-called electromagnetic radiation system, and a zone Z1 and a junction Z between the branch points in FIG.
Zone Z2 between the zones, zone Z3 between the zones, zone Z4 between the zones, zone Z5 between the zones, zone Z6 between the zones and zone Z7 between the zones. In order to make the AGV 1 at the position shown in FIG. , A current is caused to flow sequentially to the electromagnetic rays of the zones Z9, Z2, and Z3 on which the AGV 1 is to run, under the control of a ground control panel (not shown).

[0004] However, in the above-mentioned conventional control system, electromagnetic radiation is embedded in each zone and is controlled by a ground control panel.
Naturally, the equipment cost is high, and it is necessary to bury the electromagnetic radiation, so that it is very difficult to change the route of the taxiway.
Further, in this control system, the ground control panel must have a means for knowing which zone of the electromagnetic induction path 9 the AGV is in.
Since the GV cannot be controlled, equipment for capturing the position of the AGV is required, which also causes an increase in equipment cost.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the problem to be solved by the present invention is that the installation and change of the taxiway are easy, and particularly, the selection and change of the branch point of the installed taxiway to the left and right. Another object of the present invention is to provide a branch control device that can reliably and easily guide the vehicle and that is inexpensive.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a branching control device for an automatic guided vehicle, comprising: a magnetic guide path having a branch point, which is disposed on a floor surface so as to move around a desired place; A steerable automatic guided vehicle that travels while detecting the taxiway, an address magnet member stored at the junction where the address is stored, and an address mounted on the automatic guided vehicle and the address of the address magnet member. Control means for detecting, comparing, and setting a left / right judgment value set in advance to select one of the left and right directions to instruct and steer.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. Reference numeral 11 denotes a magnetic guideway of the present invention, which is a desired place such as a factory or a warehouse, that is, a destination (stop) shown in FIG. )
The points A, B, C, D, and E are arranged on the floor so as to branch and move, but this may be achieved, for example, by simply attaching a magnetic tape to the floor. Further, the stop (stop) point A, B, C, D, or E may be provided with a stop address magnet member 12 storing the stop address of the point at a desired location by pasting or the like. Further, in the magnetic guideway 11 of the present invention,
Next to the branch points 13-1, 13-2, and 13-3 on the magnetic guide path 11, addresses "1", "2",
Branch address magnet members 14, 15, 1 storing "3"
6 is provided by sticking or the like.

As an AGV of the present invention, for example, FIG.
The one indicated at 7 is used, which is as follows. That is, below the loading bed 18 and at the front center thereof,
A driven wheel 19 and a variable speed drive motor 2
Drive wheels 21 and 21 ′ driven by 0 and 20 ′ are provided, respectively, and a guide sensor 22 is provided in front of the driven wheel 19.
1, and an address sensor 23 is installed on the left side in the traveling direction from the center of the AGV 17 in the example of FIG. The AGV 17 has an electronic control mechanism 24 mounted thereon, and controls the rotation of the drive motors 20 and 20 ′ in accordance with data detected by the guide sensor 22 and the address sensor 23 and a program preset in the electronic control mechanism 24. In addition to starting, stopping, and speed control, the drive motor 2
Straight running can be performed by instructing the same rotation to 0 and 20 ', and curved running can be performed by instructing the drive motors 20 and 20' to perform differential rotation. The electronic control mechanism 24 includes
The respective addresses “1”, “2”, and “3” of the branch address magnet members 14, 15, and 16 are detected, and one of the left and right directions is selected by comparison with a preset left / right determination value. Control means for instructing and steering. Each address "1" of the branch address magnet members 14, 15, 16;
The left and right judgment numerical values in “2” and “3” are set, for example, as shown in Table 1. In Table 1, "0" indicates a right turn,
"1" indicates a left turn.

Table 1 Address “1” Same “2” Same “3” Destination (stop) point A 0 10 Same as above B 100 0 Same as above C 100 0 Same as above D 0 0 1 Same as above E 0 0 0

FIG. 3 is a flowchart in the branching control device of the automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention. The operation of the device of the present invention will be described below with reference to this flowchart. Assuming that the AGV 17 departs from the position shown in FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrow, any one of destination (stop) points A to E, for example, “A” is input to the control memory constituting the electronic control mechanism 24 of the AGV 17 before departure. (Step P ₁ ). Then issues a "travel command" (step P _2).
Thereby, the AGV 17 is driven forward by the drive wheels 21, 21 'driven by the drive motors 20, 20', and the AGV 17 is moved forward by the guide sensor 2.
The motor 20 and 20 'are controlled by the electronic control mechanism 24 on the basis of the data detected in Step 2 to drive and steer as described above.

[0010] In the immediately preceding branch point 13-1 of the magnetic induction path 11, the address sensor 23 detects the branching address magnet member 14 which stores the addresses "1" (step P _3), the signal is an electronic control mechanism 24 Is compared with the left / right judgment value shown in Table 1 (step P ₄ ), and in this case, the address “1”
In because it is "0", "right turn" is selected (Step P _5), the drive wheels 20, 20 AGV17 'is steered to the right to rotate the differential.

AGV 17 traveling from junction 13-1 (address "1") to junction 13-2 (address "2")
However, when the address sensor 23 detects the address magnet member 15 storing the address “2” immediately before the branch point 13-2, it is determined whether or not the stop point has been detected (step P).
_7), the process returns to the step P ₃ If NO, the is again compared to the such in the determination in step P ₃ ~ Step P ₄ is made of, left and right decision numbers the detection signal is shown in Table 1 in the electronic control mechanism 24 ( Step P ₄ ) In this case, the address “2”
In because it is "1", "left" is selected (Step P _6), the drive wheels 21, 21 AGV17 'is steered to the left to rotate the differential.

The AGV 17 traveling from the branch point 13-2 (address "2") to the destination (stop) point A,
Immediately before the destination (stop) point A, the address sensor 2
3. Stop address magnet member 1 that stores a stop address according to 3.
When 2 is detected, the running command ends (YES in step P7), a stop command is issued to the drive motors 20 and 20 ', and the AGV 17 stops at the stop point A. (Step P ₈ )

Similarly, when the AGV 17 is driven toward the destination (stop) points B to E, the address "1" is set at the branch points 13-1, 13-2, and 13-3.
Branch address magnet members 14, 1 storing "2" and "3"
The address sensor 23 detects 5 and 16 and compares them with the left and right judgment numerical values shown in Table 1, and can automatically turn right or left to go to desired destination (stop) points B to E.

[0014]

According to the branching control device for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention, a magnetic guideway having a branch point disposed on the floor so as to move around a desired place, and traveling while detecting the guideway. A steerable unmanned guided vehicle, an address magnet member installed at the junction where the address is stored, and mounted on the unmanned guided vehicle, detecting the address of the address magnet member and performing a predetermined left / right determination Since it is composed of control means for selecting and indicating one of the left and right directions by comparison with the numerical value and steering, the magnetic guide path and the address magnet member etc. are arranged on the floor surface, and the address of the address magnet member is set. Detected and compared with a preset left / right judgment numerical value to select and indicate one of the left and right directions, and by installing control means on the automatic guided vehicle to control and steer, the equipment cost is compared with the electromagnetic radiation method. Much lower, and Route change of the gas taxiway it becomes very easy. Further, by providing the address magnet member and the control means mounted on the automatic guided vehicle, instructing the means,
The automatic guided vehicle can be made to travel to the destination from anywhere, and there is an effect that selection, change, and guidance of the left and right of the automatic guided vehicle at a branch point of the electromagnetic guideway are reliably and easily performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of an electromagnetic induction path including a branching control device for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart in the branching control device of the automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a conventional automatic guided vehicle.

FIG. 5 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional electromagnetic induction path including a branching control device for an automatic guided vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

1,17 Automatic guided vehicle (AGV) 2,18 Loading platform
Reference Signs List 3 drive motor 4 steering motor 5 drive steering wheel 6, 19 driven wheel 7, 22 guide sensor 8, 24 electronic control mechanism
9, 11 Magnetic guideway 10, 13-1, 13-2, 13-3 Junction point 12
Stop address magnet members 14, 15, 16 Branch address magnet members 20, 2
0 'Speed variable drive motor 21, 21' Drive wheel 23 Address sensor A, B, C, D, E Destination (stop) point Z1, Z2, Z3, Z4, Z5, Z6, Z7, Z8, Z
9 zones.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic guideway having a branch point disposed on a floor so as to move around a desired place, a steerable automatic guided vehicle traveling while detecting the guideway, An address magnet member that stores the installed address, and is mounted on the automatic guided vehicle, detects the address of the address magnet member, and selects one of the left and right directions by comparing with a preset left / right determination value. And a control means for instructing and steering the automatic guided vehicle. 2. The branching control device for an automatic guided vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said magnetic guide path is a magnetic tape.