JPH1159515A - Crawling carriage - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a crawling carriage capable of moving along a ground surface with height difference or wall surface or moving while holding its position along a rope by a relatively simple mechanism. SOLUTION: A crawling carriage 1 supported by at least a set of crawling devices 2 and 3 is formed so that it is provided with at least four leg devices 21 to 24 including at least two leg devices supported by an arm telescopable in the axial direction of the carriage and the leg device has a leg telescopable in vertical direction relative the axial direction of the carriage. Also a wheel capable of driving and braking and various types of holders are installed at the top end of the telescopable leg according to the crawling environment.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bogie capable of moving on a stepped ground or a wall surface or moving along a rope.
In particular, the present invention relates to a creeping trolley that moves while creeping while maintaining the posture of the trolley.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, many attempts have been made to carry a person or an object over a step, but it has not yet been put to practical use because it is applied only to a special purpose. Wheel-type robots that can move on uneven surfaces include a method of overcoming unevenness by using tires with low air pressure, and a rotating arm (large wheels) having three small wheels, and only small wheels on flat surfaces. There is a hybrid type robot that combines a wheel and a leg machine that runs over a step by rotating an arm when there is a step. The former is
The need to make the tires larger makes the machine itself larger, and is not suitable for carrying large objects. In addition, the latter has a drawback in that it cannot climb over a high step due to restrictions on the length of a rotating arm for raising and lowering a leg, and the carriage is greatly inclined when climbing over a step or climbing a stair.

Further, as a legged mobile robot, a fixed gait robot that divides a plurality of legs into two sets and alternately lands in each set, and a free gait in which the movement of each leg can be set independently and the phase change is variable. Gait robots are used. The former is conventionally restricted by the length of the link, so that the range of expansion and contraction of the legs is small and it is difficult to overcome a large step. Also,
It is difficult to increase the moving speed because of walking with the legs. Further, there is a drawback such that the carriage is greatly inclined when the vehicle climbs over a step. In the latter, the timing must be synchronized in order to obtain an appropriate gait, and the mechanism is complicated, it is not suitable for carrying heavy objects, and the moving speed is not fast because it is only walking by legs. There are disadvantages.

[0004] Although there are multi-legged dynamic walking robots, they cannot be used for carrying articles yet. Research has also been made on a legged robot and a hybrid type moving device combining a leg and a wheel with joints, but the mechanism is complicated and requires a high degree of arithmetic processing, and it is still difficult to use it for transportation. Also,
A robot for extreme work in which six structures with legs with crawlers attached to the tip are connected, and when hitting an obstacle, the individual structures are lifted up in order to avoid the obstacle However, they are expensive and limited to special applications, and are not suitable for general riding and transportation.

[0005] A pentagonal intelligent robot equipped with legs that can be extended and contracted with wheels at the vertices of a pentagon can run over a step while keeping the trolley horizontal.
Since the mounting position of the leg is fixed in a rectangular shape, the use is limited, and general use is also difficult. Further, the method using a crawler includes a bogie type, a crawler shape variable type, and the like. However, each of them has a complicated mechanism, and has a drawback that the carriage is greatly inclined when climbing over a step.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a transporting machine which can be moved by a relatively simple mechanism. It is an object of the present invention to provide a bogie that can move along, particularly a creeping bogie that creeps and moves while maintaining the posture of the bogie.

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a crawling vehicle according to the present invention is a crawling vehicle supported by at least one set of crawling devices, and the crawling device moves in the axial direction of the bogie. At least three leg devices including at least two leg devices supported on the telescopic arm, wherein the leg devices have legs that extend and contract in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the bogie.

Further, a brakeable wheel can be provided at the tip of the extendable leg. It is preferable to provide a mechanism for rotating the rotation axis of the wheel. The crawling trolley may be run manually by an occupant or an attendant, but may be driven by wheels by a drive mechanism such as an electric motor provided on the crawling trolley so that the crawling trolley can run on its own. The wheels are an auxiliary sprocket that keeps the relative position between the output sprocket linked to the wheels and the movement output sprocket in accordance with the expansion and contraction of the legs, and a drive sprocket mounted on the bogie as well as a drive sprocket that is supported by the bogie. A drawer sprocket whose position does not change is provided, and a chain is wound around these sprockets so that the length of the chain does not change even if the relative position between the output sprocket and the drive sprocket changes due to expansion and contraction of the legs. Thus, the rotational power of the driving sprocket may be transmitted to the wheels to drive the wheels.

In addition, a gripper that can be attached to and detached from a wall surface that creepes at the tip of the leg can be provided. Note that a gripper that can be attached to and detached from the rope can be provided at the tip of the extendable leg so as to be aligned with the rope. A carriage may be pivotally supported by this crawling device and may be hung down. Instead of the creeping trolley clinging to the ropes, it may cling to a pole or a stick. Further, a crawling device can be provided on both sides of the carriage. At least one leg device at a corresponding position of the crawling device provided on both sides of the cart may be fixed to an arm that expands and contracts to the side of the cart.

According to the crawling carriage of the present invention, at least two
While supporting the carriage by the first leg device,
The second leg units advance in the direction of travel according to the extension and contraction of the arm, where the legs of the second leg units are extended to secure a new ground point, and the bogie is supported at the new point, and then the first leg unit is extended. By retracting and loosening the legs of the second leg device, the bogie is pulled in the traveling direction by extending and contracting the arm of the second leg device, and then the bogie is moved forward by repeating the operation of supporting the bogie with the first leg device.

[0011] In such a creeping motion, the arm and the leg can be extended and contracted to overcome the unevenness on the running surface and overcome the step to advance forward. For example, when there is a step in the traveling direction, while supporting the bogie with the first leg device, lift the leg of the second leg device on the distal end side beyond the step, extend the arm, move forward, and drop the leg on the step. Fix it. During this time, the arm of the second leg unit on the rear side is contracted and advanced to land at the new fixed point.

Next, the leg of the first leg device is contracted and released,
The arm of the second leg device on the distal end side is contracted, and the arm of the second leg device on the rear side is extended to advance the bogie main body. At this time, since the first leg device is moving forward with the movement of the bogie, the leg is extended at a new position and fixed to the ground. Next, the position of the second leg device is advanced by retracting the leg of the second leg device again and extending the arm, and then the leg is extended and fixed to the ground. First
The leg device is released, and the arms of the second leg device are respectively extended and contracted in the directions opposite to the above directions, and the cart is drawn.

[0013] The second leg unit on the rear side can be configured to extend and retract by extending and contracting the arm of the second leg unit in the same manner as the arm on the distal end side. In this case, the arm on the tip side and the arm on the back side can move forward or pull the bogie by moving in the same direction. If the legs of the first leg device and the second leg device all land on the upper surface of the step due to the repetition of such an operation, the step has been overcome. In order to maintain the distance between the bottom of the cart and the surface of the step, the length of each leg may be adjusted.

Further, in a creeping carriage provided with wheels that can be driven and braked at the ends of the telescopic legs, it is possible to run at high speed using the wheels on flat ground. When a crawling motion is performed for moving on uneven terrain or climbing over a step, the wheels are braked so that it is easy to secure a ground contact position.
In the case where a wheel is provided at the tip of the leg, the step may be overcome by autonomous traveling using the wheels of the remaining leg devices without performing the operation of pulling the bogie.
In addition, by providing a mechanism for rotating the rotation axis of the wheel, there is an advantage that the change of the traveling direction is facilitated.

Also, a creeping trolley provided with a gripper such as a suction cup or a magnet that can be attached to and detached from the wall at the end of the leg can move on the wall, and particularly can move even if the wall has an uneven surface. It can be a mobile robot. In addition, the creeping trolley provided with the gripper detachable with respect to the rope at the tip of the extendable leg so as to be aligned with the rope can be hung on the rope stretched vertically, horizontally or diagonally. If a horizontal rotating shaft is provided on the creeping device hanging on the rope in this way and the bogie is pivotally supported and hung there, the posture of the bogie is maintained by gravity, so the inclination of the rope and the crawling device You will not be affected by your posture.

Further, when the crawling device is provided on both sides of the bogie, not only the supporting force of the bogie is increased, but also it is easy to maintain the bogie in a predetermined posture by adjusting the length of the legs. And goods can be transported stably. In addition, one of the trucks is located at the corresponding position of the crawling device on both sides of the bogie and has wheels
In the case where the pair of leg devices has a structure fixed to an arm that expands and contracts to the side of the bogie, it is possible to drive the bogie to change its direction on the spot.

For example, assuming that the front leg device is capable of extending and retracting the arm to the side, one of the rear leg devices is braked so as not to rotate, and the other wheel can freely rotate. Then, extend one arm of the front leg device to the side, land the leg and contract the arm, and at the same time extend the other arm, the bogie turns laterally around the braking wheel and the bogie moves. Changes direction. When the rear leg device is provided with an arm that expands and contracts to the side of the bogie, the running direction can be changed with a smaller turning radius by interlocking the front leg device and the rear leg device.

[0018]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crawling vehicle according to the present invention.

[0019]

Embodiment 1 FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a transporting machine which moves on the ground by a crawling cart of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view thereof, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining a method of crawling on a flat ground, and FIG. 4 is a drawing for explaining a method of moving up and down stairs. The crawling trolley of this embodiment includes a trolley 1 in the center, and a first crawling device 2 and a second crawling device 3 on the side surface of the trolley 1, respectively. The first crawling device 2 and the second crawling device 3 are configured to be plane-symmetric, and the first crawling device 2 includes a first leg device 21 and a second leg device 2 in order from the front.
2, a third leg device 23 and a fourth leg device 24, and the second crawling device 3 includes a first leg device 31, a second leg device 32, a third leg device 33, and a fourth leg device 34.

Each leg device has a leg and an arm supporting the leg. The arm portion is supported so as to be slidable by the bogie, and holds the leg portion at the tip position, so that the leg portion can be moved in the front-rear direction of the bogie 1 according to expansion and contraction.
The arm is fitted to a sleeve or a sheath provided on the carriage and firmly gripped so as not to come off. However, for simplicity, the sleeve or the sheath is omitted in the figure. The legs allow the legs to expand and contract vertically.

Each of the leg devices has a similar structure.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the leg device in more detail in a state in which some members are removed or cut off in the rear half of the crawling carriage of the present embodiment. First, the arm mechanism of the leg device will be described using the third leg device 33 of the second crawling device 3. The arm or arm 41 of the leg device is slidably fixed to the carriage 1 by a sleeve or sheath 42. The lid part that holds down and fixes the sleeve and sheath arms from above is omitted for simplicity. In order to drive the arm 41 linearly, a rack and pinion structure or the like is provided on the side surface, upper surface, or lower surface of the arm. In the present embodiment, a rack 43 made of a spur gear is provided on the side surface of the arm, and the rotation of the arm drive motor 44 is transmitted to the arm via a pinion so that the arm 41 can be expanded and contracted.

Between the arm 41 and the sleeve or the sheath 42,
A linear bearing or the like may be interposed so that the arm can slide smoothly. Preferably, the arm is provided with a mechanism that can be fixed at an arbitrary position when necessary so as not to move from a desired stop position. For fixing the arm, the rotation of the arm rotation motor may be locked, or an arm lock device 45 may be separately provided. In the figure, the arm is pinched from both sides and locked. However, the arm may be pinched from above and below, or the spur gear of the rack may be locked and fixed.

Next, the structure of the legs of the leg device will be described mainly with reference to the first crawling device 2. In the crawling carriage of the present embodiment, a lifting drive motor 52 for raising and lowering the legs 51 is installed on the carriage 1 and power is transmitted via a chain 53 to the legs 51.
To move vertically. The chain 53 is pulled onto the arm from the lifting drive motor 52 by a pull-in sprocket 54 fixed to the carriage 1, and a lifting sprocket provided at one end of the arm via several guide sprockets 55 fixed on the arm. It is wound so as to circulate through the end sprocket 57 provided at the other end of the arm 56. In such a track, the track length of the chain 53 does not change even if the extension length of the arm changes, so that the chain can be transmitted efficiently without slackening. Note that the chains 53 are arranged at different heights, and the elevation drive motors 52 are arranged at positions facing each other so that the chains of the parallel leg drive mechanisms do not collide with each other.

The leg 51 is attached to the arm via a male screw threaded lifting column 58 for driving the leg up and down and a support column 59 for stabilizing the posture of the leg. The elevating sprocket 56 has a female screw on the inner surface, is fitted on the male screw of the elevating column 58, and is rotatably held by a bearing fixed to the arm. Lifting sprocket 5
When the chain 6 is rotated in one direction by the chain 53, the lifting column 58 is moved upward or downward by the function of the internal thread cut on the inner surface. Therefore, the leg 51 is supported
9 raises or lowers in the vertical direction relative to the carriage 1 with the help of 9. When the leg 51 is in contact with the ground,
Is supported, the carriage 1 is lowered or raised. The leg 41 may be connected to the upper part of the leg by a leg supporting spring 46. By the function of the leg support spring 46,
When the truck 1 is to be lifted, the force of the lifting drive motor 52 can be smaller, and even if the lock is accidentally released, the truck can be prevented from falling to the lowermost end.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a method of creeping on a flat ground by the creeping carriage of the above embodiment. Although the figure shows only the movement of the first crawling device 2 on one side of the crawling trolley, the bogie 1 moves as the crawling devices on both sides move in synchronization. The right leg shown in white in FIG. 3 is the leg of the second leg device 22, the left is the leg of the fourth leg device 24, the right leg with hatching is the leg of the first leg device 21, and the left is the third leg. Device 2
3 legs. As shown in FIG. 3 (1), all the legs are retracted to the home position at first, but when moving forward, the legs of the second leg device 22 are first lifted as shown in FIG. 3 (2).
Extend the arm by the required amount or up to limit A. Still, the position of the trolley remains at the original position. After the legs are grounded at that position, the legs of the first leg device 21 and the third leg device 23 are lifted. In this state, when the arm of the second leg device 22 is contracted and the arm of the fourth leg device 24 is extended, the bogie moves correspondingly forward as shown in FIG.

For example, if the truck moves forward by the amount A,
As shown in FIG. 3 (4), the leg of the first leg device 21 is extended by A as before, and the first leg device 21 is extended as shown in FIG. 3 (5).
Then, the leg of the third leg device 23 is grounded. Subsequently, the legs of the second leg device 22 and the fourth leg device 24 are lifted to contract the leg of the first leg device 21 by A, and at the same time, the third leg device 23
When the leg is extended by A, the carriage moves forward by A. Simultaneously with or subsequent to the operation of the legs of the first leg device 21 and the third leg device 23, the operation of extending the leg of the second leg device 22 by A and further contracting the leg of the fourth leg device 24 by A. The second leg device 22 and the fourth leg device 2
Ground the 4th leg. When the legs of the second leg device 22 and the fourth leg device 24 touch the ground, the legs of the first leg device 21 and the third leg device 23 are lifted as shown in FIG.
After performing the same operation as above, grounding is performed. This FIG. 3 (4)
3 to (6) are alternately repeated, so that the bogie moves forward. When the vehicle reaches the destination, the movement start operation is performed in reverse, and all the legs may be contracted and set in place.

In order to get over a step or climb a stair, it is only necessary to combine the above-described movement on a flat ground with the elevation of each leg. FIG. 4 is a view for explaining a method of climbing stairs by the crawling carriage of the above embodiment. In FIG. 4, the second leg device 22
The case where only the arm extension and contraction mechanism of the fourth leg device 24 and the arm extension and contraction mechanism of the first leg device 21 and the third leg device 23 are not used and the stairs are moved up and down is illustrated.

When the creeping vehicle approaches the first step, first raise the leg of the second leg device 22 to a height obtained by adding a margin to the height of the step, advance to the step, and then lower it. Ground. Next, the first leg device 21 and the third leg device 23
, The arm of the second leg device 22 is contracted, the arm of the fourth leg device 24 is extended, and the carriage is drawn. First
After the legs of the leg device 21 are sufficiently raised so as not to hit the step, the leg device 21 is advanced to a position where the foot of the leg of the first leg device 21 can be secured, and then the first leg device 21 and the third leg device 23 are moved.
Lower the legs to support the crawling trolley in the new position. If the height of the step is higher than the height of the trolley, lift the trolley above the step while moving forward or before moving forward to prevent the trolley from hitting the step while moving. There is a need. Next, the second leg device 22 and the fourth
The leg of the leg device 24 is contracted and the crawl advances.

When the creeping carriage approaches the second step, the same operation is repeated to lift the carriage and climb the step. When the leg of the third leg device 23 approaches the step, the user rides on the step by the same operation as the previous procedure. Further, the procedure when the fourth leg device 24 is raised to the upper stage can be analogized from the above description. After that, it is possible to repeatedly go up the stairs while combining the operations of these leg devices as needed.

When going down the stairs, on the other hand,
When the second leg no longer touches the ground, advance to a position where the leg does not hit the wall of the stairs and lower the leg until it touches the ground. Next, the robot advances by the distance between the second leg device 22 and the first leg device 21 and lowers the legs of the first leg device 21 to touch the ground. The bogie is appropriately lowered while moving forward or prior to moving forward. This operation is repeated each time the legs of the second leg device 22 no longer touch the ground.

When the step width of the stairs is narrow, for example, the second
The arm of the leg device 22 and the arm of the first leg device 21 may be adjusted so as to extend and contract to land at the same position in parallel. When the leg of the rear leg device approaches the step, the climbing operation is performed in a procedure similar to the above. The work of climbing over the front leg and the rear leg is usually performed alternately, but may be performed simultaneously if conditions such as the step width of the stairs are met.

In the crawling method described above, the operations are disassembled and operated in order for easy understanding. However, the operations that can be superimposed are performed simultaneously to save time. In addition, during normal movement, each of the two legs of the crawling device on both sides is lifted. However, for stability and operation of the carriage, each leg is loosened and the arm is extended and contracted. The carriage may be supported by a total of six legs.

Note that the crawling device may be provided with three or more leg devices before and after each other, and in this case, it is more secure to secure a scaffold and to support the cart. In the above description, the crawling device is provided with four leg devices, but the crawling device may be moved by three leg devices. In this case, first, while supporting the carriage with the first and second leg devices, the third leg device is lifted, the arm is extended, and the arm is moved to a new support point and landed.
Next, the first leg device is lifted to extend the arm, and the second leg device is extended.
The trolley is moved by adjusting the length of the arm while supporting the trolley with the third leg unit that secures the new support point and the third leg unit. Next, while supporting the carriage with the first leg device and the third leg device that have secured the new support points, the arm is extended and retracted and the second leg device is advanced to the new support point. What is necessary is just to repeat such an operation | movement and to advance a truck.

Further, in the crawling carriage of the present embodiment, the respective leg devices can be independently driven and controlled. However, the same operation may be performed by connecting the crawling devices on both sides together. . In this case, there is a restriction in a situation that can be dealt with, but there is an effect that the mechanism of the bogie becomes simpler. Alternatively, the leg device provided before and after the crawling device provided on the left and right sides of the trolley may be moved together with the trolley by omitting the telescopic mechanism of the arm. In this case, the movement speed is reduced because the amount of movement in one cycle of operation is reduced by half, but there is an advantage that the mechanism can be simplified because the arm does not expand and contract and the leg only expands and contracts. If the legs are not extended or contracted, the use environment of the crawling trolley is restricted, but the mechanism is further simplified.

In this embodiment, two leg devices in each crawling device are arranged in parallel, but four leg devices may be arranged in a straight line. In this case, since the arm of the leg device will extend and contract within a range that does not hit the front and rear leg devices,
There is a limit to the amount that can be moved in one cycle of operation.
Since the legs of the book are arranged in the front-rear direction, there is a disadvantage that the step margin increases when going up and down stairs, but there is an effect of reducing the width of the crawling cart.

In the above description, the threaded lifting column is fixed to the leg so as not to rotate, the lifting column is fitted with the lifting sprocket, and the lifting column is driven by the lifting driving motor. Although the legs are extended and contracted by rotating with a chain, it goes without saying that other known methods can be used. For example, a male-threaded drive column installed rotatably with respect to the leg is fitted with a female-threaded sprocket that is fixed to the arm, and the drive column is rotated by a motor to extend and contract the leg. Is also good. Further, the legs may be directly driven up and down by an actuator that performs linear motion such as a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, or a linear actuator that converts rotation of an electric motor or the like may be used. Furthermore, a motor may be installed on an arm or the like for each leg, and the leg may be driven up and down by driving a spur gear installed in the leg.

Alternatively, a hydraulic motor or a pneumatic motor may be installed in or near the leg, and the drive gear of the leg may be rotated by a hydraulic or pneumatic pump on the bogie to ascend or descend. When using a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, it is preferable to select a double-acting cylinder.
The rod of the cylinder can be used as a driving column directly or via an amplification mechanism. Hydraulic cylinders or pneumatic cylinders with brakes may be used to maintain the position of the legs after expansion or contraction by the brake mechanism, or a separate locking device may be installed on the arm, and a support column or a separately provided locking column. The holding may be performed by using. A plurality of mechanisms may be used in combination for safety.

When it is desired to store the expansion / contraction state of the legs in a computer mounted on the transporting machine for automation of the operation, a cylinder with a position detecting reed switch is employed and the position detected by the reed switch is stored. Can be done. In addition, if the drive system is free and the landing is performed by natural fall due to the own weight of the leg, and the landing is locked, it is not necessary to detect the grounding using a sensor. Also, installing a counterweight inside each leg device whose movement other than up and down is regulated by a guide etc., and connecting it with a bogie via a pulley or sprocket installed in the leg with a rope or chain, Although the weight of the legs and the entire transport machine is increased, less force is required to raise the bogie. Note that both the leg support spring and the counterweight may be used together.

In this embodiment, the control of raising and lowering the legs is performed using an independent lifting and lowering drive motor for each leg. However, even if the legs are driven up and down by a lifting and lowering drive motor common to a plurality of or all the legs. Good. In such a case, for example, a clutch may be provided at a position where the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the lifting mechanism of the leg, and the extension and contraction control of each leg may be performed by connecting and disconnecting the clutch.

In this embodiment, the arm is formed in a plate shape. However, the arm may be constituted by a plurality of round or square pipes or rods. In this case, both ends are connected so as to cope with twisting. Is desirable. For example, when an arm is formed by a plurality of pipes connected at both ends, the pipe can be gripped by using a cylinder fixed on a carriage as a pipe receiver. The pipe receiver is shorter than the length of the pipe so that the pipe can protrude forward of the pipe receiver, and the front and rear positions of the legs can be changed by sliding the pipe within the protruding portion.
Since the pipes are connected to each other, the connector serves as a stopper, so that it is not necessary to provide a separate stopper.

To extend and contract the arm, a drive shaft formed by cutting a spur gear may be incorporated separately from the pipe, and the arm may be driven by rotation of a gear fixed to a motor on the bogie. In addition, a spiral with a free-rotation-allowed drive shaft is installed and rotated, and a cylinder with a female screw fixed to the bogie and having an internal thread corresponding to the male screw of the drive shaft cut on the inner surface, or a slant having a tilt corresponding to the drive shaft The rotation may be converted into a linear motion via a spur gear or the like with a knurled tooth to extend and retract the arm. In this case, the drive shaft is fixed to the connectors at both ends so as to allow rotation, and the drive shaft is rotated by a motor fixed on the front or rear connector, or the working point moves as described above. In addition, a method can be used in which the motor is rotated by a motor on a bogie using a chain system using a drawer sprocket capable of supplying power.

[0042]

Embodiment 2 The crawling carriage of the second embodiment of the present invention is a hybrid carriage having wheels at the end of each leg of the crawling carriage of Embodiment 1, and can be used as, for example, a wheelchair or a transport vehicle. . Such a wheelchair or the like travels at a high speed on wheels on a flat ground, and moves over an uneven ground, a step or a stair by a creeping motion using a leg in a substantially horizontal posture.
Therefore, even when the vehicle runs freely on a path with stairs or the like on its way and gets over an obstacle, it does not cause fear to the rider and does not cause cargo to collapse. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a crawling carriage of the present invention, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a wheel drive unit in the present embodiment, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a steering unit, and FIG. It is a figure explaining a method of going up and down stairs by a crawling trolley.

The crawling trolley of this embodiment is provided with crawling devices 62 and 63 on both sides of the trolley 61. In order to simplify the structure and reduce the weight, the crawling devices on both sides are connected and interlocked. That is, the two inner leg devices 64, 65, 66, 67 of each crawling device have no telescopic arm and
1 and the leg devices 68, 69 at the front end and the leg device 7 at the rear end.
Only 0 and 71 are connected to and cooperate with common arms 72 and 73 which can extend and contract in the axial direction of the carriage 61, respectively. Each of the leg devices 64,..., 71 has an extendable leg 74, and wheels 75, 76 at the tip of the leg 74. The wheels 75 and 76 are driven by a motor but can be locked so as not to rotate as necessary. A steering mechanism for changing the traveling direction is provided on the two front wheels 76.

FIG. 6 illustrates a case where the drive wheels of the crawling trolley are driven by an actuator installed at a remote place on the trolley via a chain. When the driving device is not provided in the leg device, the structure of the leg device is simplified and the weight is reduced, so that the operation can be performed more easily. In the figure, for the sake of explanation, the rear leg device is shown, the wheel driving method is shown for the left leg device, and the leg extension mechanism is shown for the right leg device. Some or all of the structures related to the other parts are omitted. Since the leg extension and contraction mechanism does not differ in principle from that of the first embodiment, the same mechanical parts are assigned the same reference numerals as in FIG. 2 and their explanation is omitted.

In the second embodiment, traveling drive motors 81 and 82 are used as actuators for traveling.
These motors are fixedly installed on the trolley 61. The leg devices 66, 67 are driven by a first travel drive motor 81, and the leg devices 70, 71 are driven by a second travel drive motor 8.
2 drive. Each element is controlled by a chain 83, 89, 95. For example, as shown for the leg device 67, an auxiliary sprocket 84 is provided at the opposite end of the output sprocket driving the wheels 75, and the output sprocket and the auxiliary sprocket 84 are provided.
Two drawer sprockets 96 are provided between them, and the drive sprocket 85 is engaged between them so that the chain length does not change even if the legs expand and contract. For this reason chain 8
Since no slack occurs in 3, the driving force of the driving sprocket 85 can be efficiently transmitted to the wheels 75.

Instead of keeping the length of the chain to which two drawer sprockets are attached and passed over, a floating sprocket attached to the tip of the arm may be pressed against the chain to absorb the play of the chain. . For the leg devices 70 and 71 whose leg positions change due to the expansion and contraction of the arm 91, the rotation of the second traveling drive motor 82 is transmitted to the wheels by a two-stage chain mechanism. In any of the chain mechanisms, the driving sprocket is set together with the draw-out sprocket between the output sprocket and the auxiliary sprocket so that power transmission can be performed accurately.

In the case of the present embodiment, the traveling drive motors 81, 8
The torque of (2) is transmitted to drive shafts 86 and 87 for transmitting power to the left and right legs by interposing a bevel gear or the like, and is rotated.
At this time, a differential gear 97 may be interposed to smoothly absorb the difference between the rotational forces of the left and right wheels. At the sprocket position of the first drive shaft 86, the chain does not come off in the same manner as described for the leg elevating method.
Two pull-out sprockets 96 for pulling out the chain are fixedly provided on the bogie 61 so that the driving force can be stably provided even when the length of the leg is changed. Sprocket 85 of shaft 86
And the rotation of the first drive shaft 86 is transmitted to the traveling drive chain 83.

A drive sprocket 88 is attached to the tip of the second drive shaft 87, and drives a second travel drive chain 95 on the arm. Second traveling drive chain 95
There is also a sprocket at each end to support the rear, and a rear output sprocket 92 is supported at the position of the leg devices 70, 71 and rotates a chain 89 for driving wheels. The terminal sprocket 90 in front of the second traveling drive chain 95 is installed sufficiently forward so that the rotation of the drive sprocket 88 of the second drive shaft 87 is not hindered even when the arm 91 is extended. A further child sprocket 93 is coaxially connected to the output sprocket 92, and the child sprocket 93 is connected to a chain 89 connecting the upper end of the leg and the wheel 75.
To drive the wheels 75 to rotate. Two drawer sprockets 94 are fixed to the arm 91 at the part of the child sprocket 93, and the child sprocket 93 is engaged with the part of the chain 89 drawn by the drawer sprocket 94.

FIG. 7 is a drawing showing the steering mechanism 77 used in this embodiment. The steering mechanism 77 is provided to adjust the directions of the four left and right wheels in front of the crawling carriage. This steering mechanism 77 changes the direction of only the wheels 76 without changing the direction of the leg housing. Wheel 76
A prism 101 connected to the axle is provided along the center axis of the leg housing. The above-mentioned prism 101 has a slide sheath 1
02 is fitted movably in the axial direction, and a knuckle arm 103 is connected to the slide sheath 102. The knuckle arm 103 is connected to a tie rod 104 that moves left and right, and the tie rod 104 is operated by a gear 105 that is linked to a handle or a stick (not shown).

When the tie rod 104 slides by operating a handle, a stick, or the like, the movement is transmitted to the knuckle arm 103. The movement of the knuckle arm end is transmitted to the sliding sheath 102 at the center of the housing via a link or a gear, and the prism 101 rotates to rotate the wheel 7.
6 changes direction. The slide sheath 102 is supported at the height of the arm, and can regulate the direction of the wheels 76 even when the housing moves up and down as the legs expand and contract. In order to be able to control the direction of the creeping trolley even if the arm 106 for adjusting the position of the leg device is extended or contracted, as shown in the figure, the knuckle arm 103 is used.
Can be expanded and contracted. This makes it possible to approximately satisfy the Ackerman shunt principle in which the inner wheel steering angle is larger than the outer wheel steering angle.

According to the creeping carriage of the present embodiment, when traveling on a flat ground where traveling is not difficult, the wheels 75 and 76 at the lower part of the legs may be usually used. it can. When traveling by wheels, the vehicle may travel with the eight legs grounded, but traveling can be performed using four wheels with at least four corners grounded. When running on eight wheels, a recess smaller than the distance between the aligned wheels,
For example, it can run smoothly over seams of paving stones.

When traveling on a hill, adjusting the height of the front and rear legs in accordance with the inclination to keep the cart substantially horizontal may cause a spill or a fear to the riding person. You can go up and down without. Eight or six wheels may be used in accordance with the inclination of the slope, or the vehicle may run using only four wheels, two wheels in front and two behind. Further, when climbing up or down a steep hill where it is difficult to run the wheels, the wheels may be locked and moved by a creeping movement method.

When the vehicle travels on a level terrain where it is difficult to travel on wheels, such as on uneven terrain, the wheels may be locked and the legs may be lifted by a small amount necessary for the traveling operation, and moved in a creeping manner. In addition, as for climbing over a step, any method of a creeping movement or a movement combining the expansion and contraction of a leg and the running of a wheel under a leg can be adopted. In order to get over the step by creeping movement, it is only necessary to lock all the wheels and to creep by the same method as described in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows a case where the crawling trolley according to the present embodiment climbs the stairs by combining the expansion and contraction of the legs and the running of the wheels under the legs. It is assumed that the creeping trolley moves rightward in the figure. First, move forward from a state in which all the legs are touching the ground, and when the foremost leg is approaching the first step of the stairs, shrink the leg slightly more than the step, and make the foremost leg 1
Move forward until you can touch the top of the step. Next, the second leg is lifted slightly above the upper surface of the first step and further advanced to land. In the state shown by the solid line in the drawing, the foremost leg is in contact with the upper surface of the first step, and the second leg is being lifted before proceeding further. When the second leg rises slightly above the step of the first step, move forward to a place where the leg can touch the upper surface of the first step and touch the leg. Thus, the front leg gets on the first step.

Subsequently, in order to ascend the second stairs, the foremost leg is further elevated slightly from the second stair and moved forward. In the state shown by the dotted line in the figure, the front leg is lifted slightly above the second leg while the second leg is in contact with the first stage. After this, touch the top of the second step with the front leg,
Lift the second leg and move forward to touch the upper surface of the second step, and put the front leg on the second step. When the rear leg approaches the stairs, it is sufficient to go over the stairs by the same operation. In some cases, the front leg and the rear leg can be linked with each other to easily and easily jump over a step in a short time.

When the vehicle collides with a step during wheel running,
The carriage may be moved before the step, and then may be moved. Alternatively, a series of lifting and lowering operations may be performed automatically with the help of a sensor or the like while traveling. The method of temporarily stopping and crawling is effective when traveling on uneven terrain or when climbing over a step with relatively narrow treads. It is effective when you get over a large staircase faster.

In the case of a stair or a stair that is too steep to keep the carriage horizontal, it is possible to adjust the length of the legs to lower the inclination of the carriage, even if the transport machine itself is inclined. is there. In this case, although the bogie is not completely horizontal, the bogie has a gentler angle than the inclination of the stairs or the like, so that the fear of the occupant can be reduced and the collapse of the cargo can be reduced.

The above-mentioned various operations may be performed by giving a command one by one to a person on the carriage or an external remote operator. Alternatively, a computer may be mounted on the crawling carriage to automate the execution of complicated procedures. it can. For example, when the creeping trolley approaches the stairs and the first leg collides with the step, when a person enters the height at which the person can get over the step and operates and lands on the tread surface, the computer moves to the step on the remaining leg. By judging that it is approaching, the leg length is adjusted and the crawling motion is performed, so that it is possible to go up and down the stairs. In order to detect that each leg has hit a step, it may be detected by a sensor installed at a necessary portion. As the sensor, a non-contact sensor such as an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, or a proximity switch may be used, or a contact sensor such as a limit switch may be used. Alternatively, a visual sensor such as a small CCD camera may be used. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a limit switch 78 using a wire spring is used.

The computer may detect that the crawling vehicle has traveled the distance between the wheels based on the rotational drive amount of the wheels, and shift to the next operation. In order to detect that each leg touches the ground, a pressure sensor such as a strain gauge or a limit switch may be provided at an appropriate portion of the wheel supporting device. Pressure sensors can be used to interlock such that one leg cannot be raised or lowered until one leg touches the ground. Alternatively, the height of the step may be detected by using a sensor, and the climbing operation may be automatically performed by a computer.

When descending the stairs, if the sensor detects that the frontmost leg has no longer a ground contact surface, the transport machine is immediately stopped, and then the rear end of the leg does not hit the step according to a human or computer command. It is also possible to move forward to a place and shift to a step-down operation. If the bogie tilts while repeating the ascending and descending of each leg, or the bogie tilts while traveling on an inclined surface such as a hill, the computer judges the information detected by the tilt angle sensor provided on the bogie, and Can be raised and lowered to automatically adjust the length to correct the tilt.

In the above description of the present embodiment, the structure is such that the arm can be extended and contracted only with respect to the foremost leg device and the last leg device. Equipment may be provided so as to be able to expand and contract. This makes the control of the leg device complicated, but increases the amount of stepping by a series of creeping motions and smoothens the motion, thereby increasing the moving speed. Also,
In the description of the embodiment, the leg devices on both sides are connected and interlocked, but they may be independent. If each leg device moves independently, the degree of freedom increases,
For example, it is possible to appropriately cope with a case where the stairs are oblique to the traveling direction. Further, in the present embodiment, the leg devices provided at the front end and the rear end of the truck in two stages in the front-rear direction may be provided in parallel. By arranging the legs in parallel, the legs can be easily landed even when the steps of the stairs are narrow.

Although the wheels are driven by a motor via a chain, each wheel may be driven directly by an actuator such as an electric motor or a fluid pressure motor. By doing so, the load of the mounted elements is increased, but the mechanical control is simplified and the left and right wheel driving can be freely adjusted, so that the movement control of the creeping truck becomes easy. Conversely, the traveling drive motor may be shared, and each leg may be driven by one motor via a mechanism such as a clutch.

Further, in a wheelchair or the like, the rider may manually turn a flywheel capable of transmitting driving force to wheels. Alternatively, the assistant may press it. With this configuration, it is possible to provide a simple structure without mounting a heavy drive mechanism.
Further, one of the driving by the motor and the driving by human power may be selectively used depending on the situation. In any case, it is preferable to provide a mechanism for braking the wheels so that the creeping movement is facilitated.

The steering device employs a mechanism in which a sliding sheath is fitted on the prism and the movement of the handle or the like is transmitted to the prism to control only the direction of the wheels. Good. When the direction is changed for each housing, the prism may be connected to a housing capable of rotating instead of directly connecting to the wheels.

The steering of the crawling trolley may be performed by a method called a two-wheel speed differential steering method in which the steering is performed by making a difference between the rotational speeds of the left and right wheels. In this method, the wheels of the front legs are in the state of a free caster that can freely rotate in both direction and rotation,
The rear legs can be independently driven so as to perform turning work during running and turning at the place.
For example, by driving the left and right wheels in opposite directions, the bogie rotates around the midpoint of the line connecting the left and right wheels. Instead of setting the front wheels in the state of a free caster, a separate free caster may be provided and pulled out and used when performing a turning operation.

[0066]

[Embodiment 3] A device in which at least one leg is provided at each of the four corners of a crawling carriage and wheels are inserted and removed by an arm that expands and contracts in the lateral direction is easy to turn and rotates on the spot. can do. 9 to 12 are views for explaining a method of turning, and show a case of turning rightward on the spot as an example. In any case, at the time of turning, only the leg device having the arm that expands and contracts in the lateral direction is used, and the other legs may be floated without touching the ground. However, since the leg with the arm that expands and contracts in the horizontal direction expands and contracts, the other leg touches and supports while floating above the ground.

FIG. 9 shows a case where the right rear leg 111 is locked by a brake, and the bogie 110 is rotated clockwise around the grounding point of the leg. While supporting the carriage with the other legs, the right front leg 113 is lifted, and the arm is extended by a necessary amount to contact the ground. Left rear leg 112 and front left and right legs 113, 1
14 keeps the wheel free to rotate without braking,
When the arm of the left front leg 114 is extended at the same time as the arm of the right front leg 113 is contracted, the wheels of the left rear leg 112 autonomously travel on a circle centered on the grounding point of the right rear leg 111. Since the front left and right wheels 113 and 114 also rotate back and forth autonomously, the bogie 110 turns rightward around the right rear leg 111 on the spot. To continue turning, the same operation may be repeated after lifting the left front leg 114 to contract the arm to the initial posture. When the direction of the creeping carriage 110 changes to the desired direction and the on-the-spot turning operation is completed, the arm is stored, and if it is desired to continue moving forward, the movement may be shifted to a creeping movement or a movement from four wheels to eight wheels.

FIG. 10 shows the left rear leg 1 opposite to the turning direction.
This is an on-the-spot turn that locks 12. Right rear leg 111
When the left and right front legs 113 and 114 are set free, the arm of the right front leg 113 is extended, the landing is performed, and a similar rotation operation is performed. In this case, when turning, as compared with FIG. 9, the movement is protruded backward instead of being less protruded forward.

FIG. 11 shows a method in which the front and rear arms can be extended and contracted in the lateral direction, and are extended in opposite directions to perform the on-the-fly turning. First, the arm of the leg 113 on the right front side and the arm of the leg 112 on the left rear side are extended and landed. Next, while contracting these arms, the arms of the opposite legs 114 and 112 are extended, and the crane carriage 110 is extended.
To rotate. In this case, rotation can be performed at twice the rotation angle in FIGS. 9 and 10 by one rotation operation, and in-situ rotation with less protrusion can be realized with the center position of the bogie 110 as the rotation center. However, because none of the wheels are locked, it may become unstable in uneven places.

FIG. 12 is a view showing a case where the same operation as in FIG. 11 is performed while the right rear leg 111 is locked. While the right front leg 113 remains almost at the original position, the left legs 112 and 114 run slightly large autonomously, and the bogie 110
While slightly moving the center of, the vehicle turns around at the same angle as in FIG. Further, although the mechanism becomes complicated, the other left and right legs on the front side are also provided with arm mechanisms that expand and contract in the lateral direction, and the arms of the two leg devices can be alternately expanded and contracted at each position. By doing so, these turning operations can be performed more quickly. In addition, by configuring the arm at each pair position to be driven in the opposite direction, for example, extending the right front arm to the right and simultaneously extending the left rear arm to the left to rotate, It can turn at a large angle. The mechanism for extending and contracting the arm in the lateral direction can be the same as the mechanism for extending and contracting the arm in the forward direction.

In the case where an arm that expands and contracts in the horizontal direction is provided, the creeping carriage can be placed sideways on the step, and then can be moved in the horizontal direction to move over the step. On stairs where the steps are narrow and relatively steep, if the width of the car body is narrower than the length in the vertical direction, the carriage will not be able to hold the stairs if it moves in the horizontal direction, and it will be required for work There is an advantage that the length of the leg can be relatively short because the vertical movement distance of the leg can be reduced. In addition, because the wheels are placed sideways to contact the ground, they do not have the necessary width to contact the ground compared to the vertical direction. There are advantages such as being able to. By providing one or two pairs of front and rear legs with a mechanism having three degrees of freedom so as to be able to expand and contract in three directions on the orthogonal axis, it is possible to carry out creeping movement in the lateral direction and on-the-fly turning of the transport machine more efficiently. become able to.

[0072]

Fourth Embodiment Various components other than wheels can be attached to the tip of each leg of the crawling truck of the present invention as required. For example, if you attach a flat plate with a large area, you can move on muddy ground, and if you attach a crampon-like object, you can safely move on frozen ground or snowy surface. The fourth embodiment is a wall-moving robot in which a suction cup is attached to a leg tip so as to move on a smooth wall surface. The crawling trolley of this embodiment can climb on a flat wall surface or crawl on a ceiling surface, but can further move over unevenness in the wall surface. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a situation in which a wall-moving robot climbs a wall having irregularities. For simplicity, only one of the creeping devices on both sides of the crane is shown in the figure.

Conventionally, wall-moving robots include a robot equipped with a crawler connected to a suction cup, a robot combined with two trolleys provided with a suction cup via a joint, and a multi-legged walking type leg device having a suction cup. Although there are robots equipped with such devices, they can only move on a flat surface or can move to another adjacent wall, but cannot move to a convex surface even if they can move to another surface that forms a concave angle Met. If the crawling trolley of the present invention is used as a wall moving robot, it is possible to move not only on a concave angle but also on a surface having a convex angle. When moving to another wall that is adjacent at a right angle, the truck and legs should be inclined with respect to the wall so that the suction surface has an appropriate angle to the transfer surface, and then transfer to a new surface .

FIG. 13A shows a state in which the carriage is tilted in advance with respect to the wall surface when moving from another wall surface having a concave angle such as a ceiling from the wall surface. For example, if the trolley is tilted to a 45-degree angle and continues crawling while grasping the wall, the suction cup can catch the new wall and move to the next wall quickly in the same posture, but it is necessary to increase the inclination angle The length of the leg to be inevitably increases. Therefore, FIG.
As shown in (1), the inclination of the bogie is stopped to a certain limit, and as shown by a solid line and a dotted line in FIG. The length of the legs need not be so long if the inclination of the carriage is adapted to the new plane by changing the inclination. Further, as shown in FIG. 13 (3), it is possible to move to a surface forming a convex angle in the same procedure as described above.

In the present embodiment, a suction cup is attached to the tip of the leg to attach to and detach from the wall, but an electromagnet or a nail may be attached depending on the material of the wall. In addition, a work machine can be loaded on this wall-moving robot, and the position of the work machine can be accurately adjusted by adjusting the expansion and contraction of the arm and moving the bogie on a plane while keeping the legs fixed. By tilting the work machine at a desired angle, the posture of the work machine can be set to an accurate angle. The greater the degree of freedom given to each leg, the greater the degree of freedom of movement of the creeping carriage. For example, if the legs at the four corners have degrees of freedom in three orthogonal axes, the traveling direction can be changed or stopped during the creeping movement and the vehicle can turn on the spot.

[0076]

Fifth Embodiment FIG. 14 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
It is a partially notched perspective view showing the conveyance machine which crawls while suspending one rope. In this embodiment, a set of four crawling devices having four legs is divided into two sets, which are mounted on a truck while being distributed to the left and right. Each leg device 121 includes an arm 122, and the arm 122 slides in a cylinder 123 provided on the carriage 120 in parallel with the axis. A tube 124 having a vertical axis is provided at the tip of each arm 122.
Is provided so that the leg 125 can slide vertically in the cylinder. A cylinder 126 is also provided at the upper end of each leg 125, and a child arm 127 that slides in the horizontal direction is also attached thereto. Child arm 12
7 is provided with a gripper 129 for gripping a rope 128 on a rope 12 extending above the center of gravity of the bogie 120.
It is mounted horizontally so that it can be extended to 8.

The gripper 129 and the child arm 127 are connected via a joint 130 so that the gripper 129 can take a certain inclination and have a twist angle so that the rope 128 can be gripped well. A stopper 131 is provided at the lower end of the leg 125 so that the bogie will not fall out of the leg in case of emergency. As the gripper 129, an appropriate type may be selected. As shown in the figure, the pressing plates 134 provided on the left and right are slid slightly from below, and the rope 128 is pressed and gripped and fixed at three points including the inner surface of the gripper. Is also good. A carriage 132 is fixed to the carriage 120 so that people and cargo can be carried.

On the inner surface of the gripper, for example, a pressure-sensitive sensor or a strain gauge may be provided forward and backward. Even if the rope is inclined, once the leg that has been lifted above the rope is pulled down and comes into contact with the rope, the gripper makes the same inclination as the rope with the help of the joint, and secure the rope around the gripper. After the sensor detects the contact with the rope, it is pressed down from below by a pressure contact plate to hold and fix the rope at three points. In addition, although the arms 122 of the front and rear legs of each set are arranged so as to be overlapped with each other and extend and contract independently, they may be connected and perform the same movement as one.

FIG. 14 shows an example of the crawling carriage of this embodiment.
Will be described. In the illustrated state, the two arms on the left side in the traveling direction advance forward, and the left leg device is located forward of the right leg device. The gripper of the right leg device grips the rope firmly, the left gripper is located above the rope and the gripper is released. Next, the left leg is contracted to lower the gripper, and when the front and rear grippers firmly grip and fix the rope, the right gripper is loosened and raised sufficiently to get over the left gripper. By operating the left arm and simultaneously pulling the left leg device backward by an equal amount, the bogie moves forward accordingly.

At this time, when the right arm is advanced, the right gripper rides over the left gripper and is located in front of it. Then, the right leg is lowered, and the rope is gripped and fixed by both grippers. Next, the left gripper is loosened and advanced, and the above-described operation is repeated. The bogie moves forward by repeating the creeping motion in this manner. If there is an obstacle 133 such as a rope support rope or a support arm in the middle of the rope 128 as shown in the figure, the floating gripper is moved in the horizontal direction to remove it from the rope, and then the arm 122 is extended first. What is necessary is just to return to a position above the rope before the obstacle 133, lower the gripper, and grasp the rope 128.

In FIG. 14, two sets of leg devices are arranged on the left and right sides of the cart, but both are arranged on the same side of the cart.
The carriage may be cantilevered. In this case, it is necessary that the gripper of the arm located inward be passed under the rope and protruded beyond the outer gripper, or the rope should be gripped at a position before the outer gripper. Further, in this embodiment, each leg can be independently extended and contracted. However, the extension and contraction mechanism is provided only in one set of leg devices, and the other leg device is simply connected to the rope while stepping on one leg device. May be simply held to support the cart. In this case, the movement of the bogie is slower than that described above, but the mechanism can be simplified. In addition, in the above, although it moves by one rope, it may be made to move along two ropes stretched in parallel with one set of right and left crawling devices.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the crawling carriage of the present embodiment is suspended on a rope and moved. As shown in the figure, even if there is an obstacle 133 such as a support cable or a side arm in the middle of the rope 128, if there is a space below the rope 133, the leg device is lowered below the rope to avoid the obstacle, and By grasping the rope, it is possible to move in front of the obstacle 133. Also, even if the inclination angle of the rope changes,
If the gripper is raised to a sufficiently high position and the rope is grasped at that position, the movement can be continued along the new inclined rope.

The carriage is not a structure fixed to the carriage as shown in FIG. 14, but is suspended from the carriage through a kingpin or the like as in a transportation machine 135 shown on the left side of FIG. It may be. In that case, although the carriage may swing back and forth during movement, the carriage can be kept horizontal by gravity, so that it is not necessary to adjust the carriage horizontally by expanding and contracting the legs. Further, since the direction of the cart can be made closer to the stretched rope, the vertical movement distance of the leg device is reduced, and the length of the leg can be shorter.

Conventionally, a machine that moves along a rope has utilized a mechanism that rotates and rotates a wheel to run and move the rope, or realizes movement of a truck by fixing a truck to the rope and moving the rope together. . The former was caused by rolling friction, so if the rope angle was too steep, it was impossible to run and the wheels could come off the rope. In the latter case, the whole mechanism becomes large. On the other hand, the above-described transporting machine using the creeping trolley of the present invention can also travel a steeply angled rope, and the gripper always holds the rope, so that the rope may be dislodged even if the rope shakes. Although it takes a longer time to move than a conventional method in which wheels are run on a rope, it is possible to move in the air without the need for any other complicated device simply by attaching the rope. Therefore, it can be used for disaster relief, transport of building materials, transport of cargo across valleys, and the like. In addition, even if there is an obstacle such as a brace on the way, it is possible to avoid the obstacle and to further advance, and it may be used for inspection and repair of overhead lines.

[0085]

Sixth Embodiment FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a sixth embodiment of the present invention. The sixth embodiment is a crawling carriage that rises and descends while suspending a vertically stretched rope. In this embodiment, the gripper that holds the rope 140 at a position on a straight line is three
, The uppermost gripper 141 and the lowermost gripper 1
46 is fixed to the carriage 150 by one fixed arm 147. Further, the second gripper 142 and the fourth gripper 144 are connected by one upper movable arm 148, and the third gripper 143 and the fifth gripper 145 are connected by one lower movable arm 149. It goes up and down in conjunction with it. A horizontal slide table 151 that is slid in a horizontal direction by a horizontal drive motor 157 is attached to a carriage 150 that slidably supports each arm. The horizontal slide table 151 is provided with a horizontal slide table 152 which slides in a horizontal plane in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the horizontal slide table 151 by a horizontal drive motor 158. Further, a carriage 153 on which cargo and people are placed is horizontally mounted on the lateral slide 152.

The positions of the horizontal slide table 152 and the horizontal slide table 151 were adjusted in accordance with the change in the weight and the center of gravity of the cargo or the like placed on the transfer table 153 so that the horizontal balance of the entire transfer machine could be maintained. Heavy objects such as motors are put together on the opposite side of the carriage 153 across the rope to make it easier to balance. It goes without saying that a balance weight may be separately provided. An arm drive motor 155 provided at the tip of the horizontal slide table 151 allows the movable arm 148,
149 is driven by a chain 156 provided with a drawer sprocket in order to expand and contract regardless of the position of the horizontal slide table 151. Each gripper is provided with a trap mechanism 154 that allows the rope to be easily inserted into the opening from the outside but prevents the rope from coming off from the inside so that the rope does not come off accidentally when the grip of the rope 140 is loosened. Preferably, it is provided.

In order to raise the transport machine along the rope 140, the following is performed. First, the upper movable arm 148 and the lower movable arm 149 are located below the fixed arm 147, and each gripper 141.
It is assumed that 0 is grasped. When you start climbing,
First, loosen the second gripper 142 and the fourth gripper 144,
The upper movable arm 148 is raised to just below the fixed arm 147, where the gripper grips the rope 140.
Next, loosen the third gripper 143 and the fifth gripper 145,
The lower movable arm 149 is raised to just below the upper movable arm 148, where the gripper grips the rope 140. Rope 14 with gripper of movable arm 148, 149
While holding the gripper 0, loosen the gripper of the fixed arm 147,
The carriage 150 is pulled up by the movable arms 148 and 149, and the gripper of the fixed arm 147 grips the rope 140 again. By repeating this operation, the carriage 150 moves up along the rope 140. When descending, the reverse may be performed.

As described above, in the creeping trolley that raises and lowers one vertical rope using three arms, the grip of the fixed arm grips both ends of the rope portion gripped by the grip of the movable arm, and tensions the grip. The movable arm can grip the rope that has been straightened at the same position. It should be noted that it is possible to more simply perform the creeping movement using only two movable arms. In addition, in order to stabilize the posture of the carrier, the carrier may be moved up and down by using two ropes or a vertical parallel rod that hang down substantially in parallel. In order to use parallel ropes and rods, one pair of the above-described carts may be provided on the left and right sides of the carrier. Alternatively, a pair of horizontal slide tables may be installed on the carriage, and each of the slide tables may be provided with a carriage. When two carts are used, the horizontal slide mechanism may not be provided. A transporting machine equipped with a gripper that can be gripped in the vertical direction in this way can vertically hang down or lift a rope or a vertical rod stretched up and down, but is particularly large-scale except for a transporting machine. Since no equipment is required, it can be used for, for example, wiping glass of a building, repairing walls, rescuing in the event of a disaster, transporting materials during construction work, and the like.

[0089]

Seventh Embodiment FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a creeping trolley for ascending and descending a single vertically hanging rope according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the carriage 160 is connected to the king pin 1.
It is designed to be suspended from the cart 162 via the gripper 61. To simplify the structure, the grippers 163, 164, 1
65 and 166 are provided two each with a trolley interposed therebetween, so that the arms 167 supporting the respective grippers can be individually extended and contracted. When ascending along the rope 168, the arm 167 is extended and contracted one by one, while the rope 168 is held by three grippers.

For example, while holding the rope 168 with the upper second gripper 164 and the lower third gripper 165 and the fourth gripper 166, the upper first gripper 163 is loosened to extend the arm, and the first gripper is positioned at that position. 163
Causes the rope 168 to be gripped. Next, the second gripper 164
And extend the arm, whereupon the second gripper 16
4 causes the rope 168 to be gripped. When the upper two arms are contracted while all the grippers are tightened, the lower two arms are extended and the carriage 162 is moved upward.
The lower third gripper 165 is loosened to contract the arm, and the rope 168 is gripped there. Next, the fourth gripper 166 is loosened, the arm is contracted, and the rope 168 is gripped to return to the initial position. This operation is repeated, and the carriage 160 is raised. When descending, the reverse may be performed.

The movement of the carriage 162 is controlled by the second gripper 164.
Alternatively, the operation can be performed in synchronization with the movement of the third gripper 165 to shorten the movement operation time. Further, the first gripper 163 and the third gripper 165 or the second gripper 1
It is also possible to shorten the operation time by simultaneously moving the second gripper 64 and the fourth gripper 166. If the lower grippers 165 and 166 are open downward as shown in the figure, the rope 168 may come off when loosened.
A trap may be provided at the opening of the gripper to prevent the rope 168 from coming off, and a rope guide 169 may be provided outside the fourth gripper 166 as shown in the drawing. At the end of the arm, a stopper 170 as shown
May be provided so that the arm 167 does not fall out of the cart 162 in case of emergency.

In this embodiment, since the carriage 160 is suspended by the kingpin 161 and the average is obtained by gravity, there is an advantage that the operation for maintaining the horizontal level is unnecessary and the mechanism is simple. However, in the case of vertically moving up and down by the crawling carriage of the present embodiment, since the center of gravity of the carriage 160 is located on the extension of the rope 168, the rope is limited to the rope that is free to fall below and hangs down. However, if you move along a horizontal or diagonal rope or rod, you can use this machine. Also in this embodiment, it is possible to provide a configuration in which two carts are provided and the two carts are moved up and down.

[0093]

As described above, the crawling trolley of the present invention is constructed so as to be able to move on a stepped ground or wall surface or along a rope, in particular, while having a relatively simple mechanism. The creeping trolley of the present invention can be used as a wheelchair or a cargo transporting trolley because it can crawl particularly while maintaining the posture of the trolley. Crawling trolleys that lift vertical ropes and vertical rods do not require any special equipment other than transport equipment, so they wipe the glass of the building, repair the wall, rescue in case of disaster, It can be used for temporary work such as transporting materials during construction work.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a crawling carriage according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of crawling on a flat ground according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a method of crawling on stairs according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of a crawling carriage according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a wheel drive unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a steering unit according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a method of moving up and down stairs by a creeping carriage according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an example of a turning method according to a third embodiment of the crawling carriage of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a drawing for explaining a second example of the turning method according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a drawing for explaining a third example of the turning method according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a drawing for explaining a fourth example of the turning method according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a view showing a state in which a wall-moving robot according to a fourth embodiment climbs a wall surface having irregularities.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a fifth embodiment of a crawling carriage according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing a manner in which the crane of the fifth embodiment is suspended from a rope and moved.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a sixth embodiment of a creeping carriage according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a seventh embodiment of a crawling carriage according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 1 cart 2 first crawling device 3 second crawling device 21, 31 first leg device 22, 32 second leg device 23, 33 third leg device 24, 34 fourth leg device 41 arm 42 sleeve 43 rack 44 arm drive motor 45 Arm lock device 46 Leg support spring 51 Leg 52 Elevating drive motor 53 Chain 54 Retraction sprocket 55 Guide sprocket 56 Elevating sprocket 57 Terminal sprocket 58 Elevating column 59 Support column 61 Bogie 62, 63 Crawling device 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71 Leg device 72, 73, 91 Arm 74 Leg 75, 76 Wheel 77 Steering mechanism 78 Wire spring switch 81, 82 Traveling drive motor 83, 89, 95 Chain 84 Auxiliary sprocket 85, 88 Drive sprocket 86, 87 Drive shaft 90 End Sprocket 92 Output sprocket 93 Child sprocket 94, 96 Extraction sprocket 97 Differential 101 Square pillar 102 Slide sheath 103 Knuckle arm 104 Tie rod 105 Gear 106 Arm 110 Crawling trolley 111, 112, 113, 114 Leg 120 Dolly 121 Leg device 122 Arm 123, 124, 126 Cylinder 125 Leg 127 Child arm 128 Rope 129 Gripper 130 Joint 131 Stopper 132 Carrier 133 Obstacle 134 Pressure plate 135 Transport machine 140 Rope 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146 Gripper 147 Fixed arm 148, 149 Movable arm 150 Cart 151 Horizontal slide table 152 Horizontal slide table 153 Carrier 154 Trap mechanism 155 Arm drive motor 56 Chain 157 horizontal drive motor 158 traverses the drive motor 160 carriage 161 kingpin 162 bogie 163,164,165,166 gripper 167 arm 168 rope 169 rope guide 170 stopper

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A creeping truck supported by at least one set of crawling devices, wherein the crawling device includes at least two leg devices supported by arms that extend and contract in the axial direction of the truck. A crawling trolley comprising: a leg device having a leg which expands and contracts in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction. 2. The creeping carriage according to claim 1, wherein a brakeable wheel is provided at a tip of the leg. 3. The creeping carriage according to claim 2, further comprising a mechanism for rotating a rotation shaft of the wheel. 4. An output sprocket interlocking with the wheel, an auxiliary sprocket which moves with expansion and contraction of the leg, and maintains a relative position between the output sprocket, a driving sprocket pivotally supported by the bogie, and a relative position with the driving sprocket. With a drawer sprocket that does not change, the chain is wound around these sprockets, so that the chain length of the chain does not change even if the relative position between the output sprocket and the drive sprocket changes due to expansion and contraction of the legs. The crawling carriage according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the vehicle is configured to transmit rotational power of a driving sprocket to wheels. 5. The creeping trolley according to claim 1, wherein a gripper detachable from a target wall surface is provided at an end of the leg, and the crawler crawls on the wall surface. 6. A gripper detachably attached to a target rope or pole at the tip of the leg so as to be lined up in a straight line, and creeping along the rope or pole. The crawling trolley according to 1. 7. The creeping trolley according to claim 6, wherein a trolley is supported by the crawling device and is hung. 8. The creeping trolley according to claim 1, wherein the crawling device is provided on both sides of the trolley. 9. A crawl device provided on both sides of the bogie, wherein at least one leg device at a corresponding position is fixed to an arm extending and contracting to the side of the bogie. The creeping carriage according to claim 8, wherein 10. A crawling truck adapted to be crawled along a rope by at least one set of crawling devices, wherein the crawling device includes at least two grippers supported by arms that extend and contract in the axial direction of the bogie. A crawling trolley comprising detachable grippers provided on at least three ropes including the ropes in a straight line.