JPS60195621A - Running system of unmanned carrier car - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To eliminate the interference of induction signals, etc., and to surely change the route of an unmanned carrier car at desired points, by performing continuous induction in linear or slightly curved routes and running the car by itself as a non-induced car at turning points having short radii of curvature, branching points, and intersecting points. CONSTITUTION:The running route of an unmanned carrier car is formed by sticking a reflecting tape to the floor as an inducing element and non-induced sections are formed at intersecting points, branching points, and turning points having short radii of curvature by removing the reflecting tape. At the unmanned carrier car, reflecting lights from the inducing element are read as signals SR and SL of its right and left photoreceptor elements 311 and a CPU400 controls the running direction in such a way that, if both the signals SR and SL are SR SL, the car keeps moving in the same direction and, if they are not SR SL, the running direction is changed by the CPU400 to become SR SL. When the car enters the non-induced section and both signals becomes SR=0 and SL=0 and positional signals are received from positional signal generating devices on the route, the CPU400 counts the received frequency of the positional signals and judges that the advancing direction must be changed at which section. When the car reaches a route changing point, the car makes a spin turn to the direction set by a program by a set angle.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to an unmanned guided vehicle that changes course in a desired direction at turning points, branch points, or intersections with a small radius of curvature provided on a guidance route. Regarding car driving systems.

(B) Conventional technology In general, automated guided vehicles are guided by a method in which they travel while a reflective tape attached to the floor as a guiding element is detected by an optical sensor, or a method is formed along a tow bus wire buried in the floor. An alternating magnetic field.

A method of driving while being detected by a Quanop coil is being used, but in order to change course at a turning point, a branch point, or an intersection with a small radius of curvature provided in the middle of the travel route, the guidance element may be confused, and the detection is difficult. However, since it is difficult to distinguish between the two, it is necessary to add a separate guidance method for this part, which is complicated and expensive.

(c) Purpose The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a traveling system for an automatic guided vehicle that can easily change course at one turning point and an intersection with a small radius of curvature. The purpose is

B)) Structure The present invention comprises a self-propelled automatic guided vehicle equipped with a control device, a detector, and a position sensor, a guidance element, and a waypoint as a non-guidance section, in which a position signal is transmitted. It consists of a driving route with a generator installed.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an automatic guided vehicle used in this example, where 10 is an automatic guided vehicle, 100 is a drive mechanism, 111 is a drive wheel, 200 is a steering mechanism, 210 is a steering wheel, Reference numeral 220 is a steering motor, 30 is a detector, which in this embodiment is composed of a light receiving element, and 60 is a guide element that forms a travel path, and in this embodiment, a reflective tape is used.

Note that the automatic guided vehicle 10 is equipped with a control device, a position sensor, and a power source (not shown).

The drive mechanism 100 is composed of a differential gear, a drive motor, a brake, a spin turn motor, a solenoid, and a clutch, which will be described later, and performs a spin turn by reversing the forward and backward drive wheels and the drive wheels on both sides.

Further, the steering mechanism 200 is configured such that the direction of a steered wheel 210, which is a driven wheel, can be changed by a steering motor 210.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing how the guiding elements forming the guiding path are installed.

■ is a reflective tape attached to the floor as a guiding element and forms a travel route as shown in the figure, 6]0 is an intersection,
Reference numeral 620 indicates a branch point, and 630 indicates a turning point with a small radius of curvature.The reflective tape 60 is removed from these sections indicated by dotted lines, forming non-guidance sections.

If the above-mentioned non-guidance section were not provided and reflective tape was pasted continuously, a separate route identification device would be required to determine the direction of travel at intersection 6/0 and branch point 620, and the radius of curvature would be small. At the turning point 630, the position of the detector is offset from the turning center of the automatic guided vehicle, so the automatic guided vehicle cannot follow the reflective tape and loses its path, resulting in a runaway vehicle.

Further, 70 is a position signal generator, which in this embodiment is made of a magnetic material that acts on a proximity switch.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the control of the automatic guided vehicle, and the storage device 4]0 included in the control device 40 has the following information stored in advance:
Traveling conditions such as course change locations, turning angles, and stopping locations are stored and controlled via the central processing unit 400.

That is, the reflected signals from the guiding elements read by the light receiving elements 311 and 312 of the detector 30 are inputted to the central processing unit 400 via the adding circuit 420 and the A/D converter 421, processed, and outputted as a steering signal. Synchronization circuit 0, D
The steering motor 220 constituting the steering mechanism 200 is driven via the /A conversion circuit 431 and the control circuit 433 to control the steering wheel 2.
Steer 10.

On the other hand, the drive signal to the drive mechanism 100 is sent to the central processing unit 400.
is applied to the drive motor 140 via the synchronization circuit 440, the D/A converter 441, the control circuit 442, and the switching circuit 443, and is applied to the drive shaft 11 via the illustrated differential gear.
1.112 is driven in the same direction, and the automatic guided vehicle starts traveling.

Next, as will be described later, when the position sensor 50 receives a position signal, it is input to the central processing unit 400 via the input circuit 480, and after being judged, it is output as a spin turn signal and sent to the switching circuits 443, 450, 460 and 470. is applied, the input to the drive motor 140 is cut off, the brake 150 is energized, and the drive motor 140, pinion 14], ring gear 131, and casing 130 are locked via the brake disc [42].

Further, the solenoid 180 is energized, and the clutch gear 83 engages with the clutch pulley 163 via the bell crank 182.

Also, the spin turn motor 160 is driven, and the pulley 161
Since the clutch pulley 163 is rotated via the belt ]62, the clutch, the drive wheel 111, and the drive shaft ]2]
Rotate.

However, the drive shaft] 21 is connected to the differential gear by the ring gear 132, and since the casing is locked as described above, the ring gear 13 is connected to the differential gear by the known differential gear theory.
3 rotates in the opposite direction to the above, and the drive wheel 112 rotates in the opposite direction to the drive wheel 111 via the drive shaft 122, causing the automatic guided vehicle to spin turn.

Note that 170 and 230 are encoders, and output signals are fed back to the respective circuits via pulse counters 444 and 434 to maintain stability of the circuits.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart explaining the operation of the system.

First, as mentioned above, the running conditions are stored in the memory device, and when there is an instruction to start, the vehicle starts running, and the reflected light from the guiding element is read as the signals SL and SR of the left and right light receiving elements of the detector, and the two are compared. If it is SR ÷ milk, it is traveling along the route, so it continues to travel as it is, and if it is SR\SL, it steers to the smaller signal so that SR:FsL.

Next, when entering the no-guidance zone, SR=O, SL=O and receiving the position signal from the position signal generator, it becomes certain that the no-guidance zone has been entered, so count the number of times the position signal has been received. The program determines whether to change course in the non-guidance section of If it receives it again, it will continue running until it receives an instruction to stop.

Even if SR=01SL=0, the position signal is still sensed.

If the train cannot receive the SR or SL signals again after changing direction and loses the route, a warning is issued and the train stops to prevent accidents.

(f) Effects According to the present invention, continuous guidance is provided on a straight path and a gently curved path, and it is easy to accurately travel along the path, and turning points with a small radius of curvature At branch points and intersections, the vehicle travels independently without guidance, so it not only allows the vehicle to change course at a desired location without interference or misunderstanding of guidance signals, but also has the effect that the equipment is simple and inexpensive.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing how the induction elements are installed, FIG. 3 is a block diagram, and FIG. 4 is a flow chart. 10... Automatic guided vehicle, 60... Induction element, 70...
・Position signal generator. Patent applicant Hitachi Kiden Kogyo Co., Ltd. Patent attorney Koji Onishi Procedural amendment (voluntary) October 29, 1980 3. Person making the amendment 6. Number of inventions increased by the amendment O 8. Details of the amendment Between lines 7 and 8 on page 3, it says, ``Here, the induction element is an optical induction tape, an electromagnetic induction tape, a laser beam, or any other conventionally known element, and any of them can be used depending on the need.'' .” is inserted.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A traveling system for an automatic guided vehicle that causes a self-propelled automatic guided vehicle equipped with a control device, a detector, and a position sensor to travel along a route on which a guiding element is installed, the vehicle having a curvature provided in the route. A non-guidance section is formed by removing the guiding elements in a certain section including turning points, branch points, and intersections with a small radius, and a position signal generator is installed in the section, and a position signal generator is installed in the non-guiding section. The automated guided vehicle is switched from guided travel to independent travel based on a signal from the position signal generator, and is operated at the turning point, branch point, or intersection according to a program stored in advance in the control device. A traveling system for an automatic guided vehicle, characterized in that it is configured to cause the vehicle to travel in a different direction.