JPS5885702A - Method of automatically coupling trailer to unmanned tractor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable an unmanned tractor and a tailer to be automatically coupled together, by coupling the unmanned tractor to the coupling shaft of the trailer through an automatically disconnecting type coupler after the trailer is positioned in a predetermined position on a runway with the use of a trailer positioning jig. CONSTITUTION:Upon coupling, the direction of a trailer B is adjusted so that a coupling shaft 2 is positioned at the front end side of guide parts 19 for travelling the trailer into a jig D. Thereby, the wheels 18 of the trailer B are positioned widthwise by means of the front end parts 19a of the guide parts 19 and the guide parts 19, and then are stopped by being abutted to stopper parts 20 so that the wheels 18 are positioned in a running position. Next, an unmanned tractor is moved back in the direction F, and then, the coupling shaft 2 is fitted into a receiving hole 6 in a connecting plate 7 within a coupler 1 mounted to the rear end of the unmanned tractor. Therefore, a latch 9 is rotated clockwise, the front end of a pressure receiving part 9b is hooked onto the hook part of a dog 11 which is biased counterclockwise by a spring 15, thereby the coupling is completed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This issue 811 relates to a method for automatically coupling a trailer to an unmanned towing vehicle.

A trailer loaded with goods such as parts and products is towed by traveling along the optical tape in the guide line installed on the driving route.
2. Description of the Related Art Unmanned towing vehicles for transporting goods within factories and other operations are generally known.

By the way, in general, in order to connect a trailer to this type of unmanned towing vehicle, a connecting shaft such as a 9-point tie bottle or a connecting rod installed at the front of the trailer is connected to a connector installed at the rear of the unmanned towing vehicle. However, in order to simply connect a trailer with a conventional coupler, an operator is required to operate the coupler. This is a situation where autonomous driving is not possible.

Therefore, in recent years, it has become possible to automate the disconnection between the unmanned towing vehicle and the trailer by installing an automatic disconnection coupler with an automatic disconnection mechanism on the rear of the unmanned towed vehicle.
Automation of trailer coupling has not progressed due to problems with trailer positioning accuracy and stopping ratio accuracy of unmanned vehicle pulling. Driving is still difficult.

This invention has been made based on the above background, and includes a sickle that positions a trailer using a trailer positioning jig.
By bringing the unmanned towing vehicle close to the trailer and coupling the automatic disconnection coupler to the coupling shaft of the trailer, the trailer can be automatically coupled to the unmanned towing vehicle, and the unmanned towing vehicle can be fully automated, including the coupling of the trailer. The purpose is to drive.

The present invention will be explained below based on an embodiment of the device shown in the drawings. Figures 1 to 5 show an example of an automatic coupling device used to carry out the present invention. An automatic disconnection coupler (hereinafter referred to as a coupler) l protrudingly attached to the section, a coupling @B2 attached to the front of the trailer B facing in the vertical direction, and a trailer positioning jig installed on the travel path 0. It is mainly composed of Rito.

The unmanned badge puller is provided with wheels 4 and 5 attached to the vehicle body frame 3, and a steering mechanism for lowering the unmanned towing soldier installed on the travel route 0 and traveling along the next guide line etc. ing.

The coupler l is provided with a pair of connecting plates 7 vertically and approximately horizontally spaced apart, each having an insertion hole 6 formed therein that narrows from the tip (right end in FIG. 3) to the end. The rotation shaft 8 provided on one side near the insertion hole 6 in item 7 has a grip portion 91 and a pressure receiving portion 9b that rotate approximately parallel to the connecting plate 7 and reach the bottom 6a of the insertion hole 6. is C
A metal 9 is rotatably attached to the hook provided in the shape of a letter. Then, the tip of the pressure receiving part 9b that has reached the cocoon bottom part 6a is hooked to the other side IC near the insertion hole 6 of the connecting plates 7, 7 and the pivot shaft 10 is hooked with the hook part 11c of the one end part 11a. A stopping dog 11 is rotatably attached to the connecting plate 7 at the other end 11bll of the dog 11.
A rotary solenoid 12 is attached to the other end 11b to rotate the dog 11 and separate the hook portion 11c, which locks the pressure receiving portion 9b, from the tip of the pressure receiving portion 9b. The rotary solenoid 12 is connected to one of the side plates 13, 13 provided by connecting the rotary solenoid 12.
A microswitch S is attached to detect the approach of the other end 11b of the dog 11 rotated by the rotary renoid 12 and to release the excitation of the rotary lean renoid 12. Furthermore, the hook has a grip 99m on the metal 9 and a protruding piece 1 on the opposite side 11 of the pressure receiving part 9b.
The hook 4 is formed integrally with the metal 9, and the protruding piece 14
and one end 1151 of the locking piece 11 are connected by a spring 15, and this spring 15
Both are biased counterclockwise in FIG.

Therefore, the hook 16 is attached to the connecting plate 7.7, and the hook 117Fi is attached to the hook 9VC* for regulating the rotation range of the hook 9 in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3. The hook is a manual lever for manually rotating the metal 9.

The trailer positioning jig A (hereinafter referred to as jig) l)r!
, the left and right (width direction) wheels 18 of trailer B are fixed with bolts, etc., substantially parallel to the travel path 00 predetermined position rctx at an interval slightly wider than the interval of 18 degrees 18, and the wheels 18 of trailer B...
・Plate-shaped guide part 1 that guides and positions in the width direction
9.19, and the wheels 18.18 of trailer B that are fixed with bolts or the like in a direction intersecting these guide portions 19.19 and move while being guided by the guide portion 194C.
The stopper portion 20.20 contacts the trailer Bt to stop the trailer Bt and positions the trailer B in the traveling direction. Then, the tip 1 of the guide portion 19.19
The 9m and 19m opposing l1lia are tapered to make it easier to guide the wheels 18 of the trailer B.

Next, if--the case in which the method of the present invention is carried out using the nine coupling devices shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 will be described.

First, the direction of the trailer B is adjusted so that the connection #I2 is located on the leading end side of the guide portion 19, and the tray 2B is driven into the jig. Then, the unmanned towing military personnel is moved backward in the direction indicated by the tip 19a of the guide portion 19 and the gas mark F to approach the trailer B, and is inserted into the insertion hole 6 of the connecting plate 7 of the coupler L. Insert concatenation @2. (However, at this time, before inserting the connection @2 into the insertion hole 6, the rotary renoid 12 is energized, the dog 11 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3, and the latch 9 is held by the spring 15. Rotate it counterclockwise to the position shown by the two-dot chain line in Fig. 3. At the same time, the other end 11b is connected to the micro switch S.
is activated to de-energize the rotary solenoid 12, but the dog 11 is returned to the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 3 by the spring 15. ) Then, the connection @2ri hook is gold 90 pressure receiving part 9
Rotate the hook 9 clockwise as shown in Fig. 3 when it comes into contact with b.
The hook 1 of one end 11m of the dog 11 is attached to the tip of the pressure receiving i9b.
Caught on 1c. At this time, since the dog 11 is biased counterclockwise by the spring 15, the latch locks the metal 9.

As described above, the tray 2B is connected to the unmanned towed soldier. Currently, there seems to be some error in the width direction and the traveling direction when stopping the unmanned towed military personnel, but in the width direction, the opening of the insertion hole 6 of the connecting plates 7, 7,
Further, in the direction of movement, the above-mentioned dimensional error can be sufficiently absorbed in the backward direction of the insertion hole 6. In addition, by installing a large number of the above-mentioned jigs on the travel path 0 and positioning a large number of trays 2B on these jigs D at the same time, several trailers B can be operated without an operator. It can be connected to multiple unmanned towing soldiers at the same time to be towed.

(9) To separate trailer B from the unmanned towing military personnel, the unmanned towing military personnel are stopped, the rotary solenoid 12 is energized, and the unmanned towing vehicle A is moved forward for a predetermined time using a timer or the like. Then, since the unmanned towing military personnel moves forward with the hook part 11c of the dog 11 disengaged from the pressure receiving part 9b of the hook 9, the hook 9 rotates counterclockwise and the connection @2 is connected to the insertion hole 6. Trailer B is left behind at the stopped position.

The excitation of the rotary solenoid 12 as described above, the stopping/advancement when separating the unmanned towing soldier from the tray 2B, the destination of the unmanned towing soldier, etc. can all be controlled by the operation panel of the unmanned towing vehicle A. This means that the connection and disconnection between car A and trailer B has been automated.

In the above-mentioned example of the coupling device, the coupling shaft 2 of the trailer B is oriented in the vertical direction, but the coupling shaft 2 may be horizontal or inclined. However, the connecting plate 7.7 is provided in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the connecting shaft 20. Furthermore, the shape of the jig Dq is not limited to the above-mentioned example, but can be realized in various shapes such as a channel shape or a pipe. In addition, 1 jig Dr! , one that positions the trailer B by contacting the wheels 1B, 1@, or one that positions the trailer B by contacting the vehicle body of the trailer B.

As explained above, the present invention connects the automatic disconnection coupler of the unmanned towing vehicle to the connecting shaft of the tray 2 to the sickle that positions the trailer at a predetermined position on the travel path using a trailer positioning jig installed on the travel path. Since the trailer is thereby connected to the unmanned towing vehicle, the unmanned towing vehicle and the trailer can be automatically connected and disconnected without an operator. As a result, the present invention makes it possible to realize complete automatic operation including connection and disconnection of the unmanned towing vehicle to and from the trailer.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an unmanned towing vehicle equipped with an example of an automatic coupling device embodying the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic side view showing the towing vehicle, and Fig. 1g3 is a cutaway view of the same example. Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the same example, and Fig. 5 is an enlarged schematic side view of the mounting part of the same example.
The figure is a schematic perspective view showing the trailer positioning jig of the same example. A...Unmanned towing vehicle, B...Trailer, 0...Travel road, 1...Automatic separation cup 2.2...Connection shaft, D
...Trailer positioning jig, 19...Guide part, 2
0...stopper part. Figure 3 Figure 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A trailer positioning jig is installed on a running road, the trailer is positioned at a predetermined position on the running road using this trailer positioning jig, and - class 9 - an unmanned towing vehicle is brought close to the trailer. A method for automatically connecting a trailer to an unmanned towing vehicle, the special feature being to connect the trailer to the unmanned towing vehicle by coupling an automatic disconnection coupler to a connecting shaft of the trailer. z Using the trailer positioning jig consisting of a guide part and a stopper part, the guide part guides the tray 2 to position it in the width direction, and the stopper part stops the tray 2 to move the trailer in the traveling direction. A method for automatically connecting a trailer to an unmanned towing vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the positioning of the trailer is performed by □.