JPS609846Y2 - Unmanned vehicle signal transmission and reception device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed explanation of the invention] This proposal concerns automatic transportation by unmanned vehicles, and in particular includes reflective bands, photoelectric switches, photodetectors, and
This invention relates to automatic transportation by unmanned vehicles equipped with a signal transmission and reception device consisting of lighting equipment.

Automatic transportation by conventional unmanned vehicles will be explained using FIGS. 1 and 2.

Figure 1 shows a conventional example of automatic transportation by an unmanned vehicle, with an unmanned vehicle 1 equipped with a load transfer drive conveyor, and an origin 2.
, a stopping point 3.4.5 at the transport point, an inducer 6 connecting each stopping point and the origin, an origin conveyor 7, a call display board 8, a loading worker 9, a conveyor 10 at the stop point 3, a calling device 11, Worker 1
2. Conveyor 13 at stopping point 4, calling device 14, worker 1
5. Conveyor 16 at stopping point 5, calling device 17, worker 1
I have been admonishing this since the age of 8.

The operation of automatic transportation is shown using FIG. 2. From the state where the unmanned vehicle is stopped at the origin 2, the worker 9 places the cargo 19 carried from the conveyor 7 onto the transfer conveyor of the unmanned vehicle 1, and calls it. The destination of the unmanned vehicle 1 is set using the display panel 8, and the start button is pressed to start the vehicle.

Unmanned vehicles travel automatically and stop at set stopping points.

When stopped, the control device of the unmanned vehicle 1 starts the transfer driving conveyor and transfers the cargo 19 onto the conveyor corresponding to the stopping point.

Upon receiving the transfer completion signal, the unmanned vehicle retreats to origin 2 and stops.

The above is the function of automatic transportation, but the following problems occur in the conventional example.

First, because it is not possible to send and receive signals between the unmanned vehicle and the stopping point,
Even if the point is different from the calling point due to incorrect advance setting by the worker 9 or malfunction of the unmanned vehicle, the cargo 19 will be transferred if it is the stopping point.

Even if the unmanned vehicle stops at the second set stop point, there are variations in the stopping accuracy of the unmanned vehicle, resulting in misalignment between the unmanned vehicle's transfer conveyor and the conveyor at the stop point, making it impossible to reliably transfer the cargo 19. may fall and damage the equipment.

The purpose of this proposal is to address the above-mentioned conventional problems and ensure automatic transportation by unmanned vehicles.

This proposal involves installing a transfer drive conveyor on an unmanned vehicle that automatically travels on a guide belt, and in automatic transportation by the unmanned vehicle that transports cargo from the origin to multiple arbitrary points, the unmanned vehicle is equipped with a reflective belt. A photodetector is provided, and a cargo receiving device (conveyor, etc.) corresponding to the driving conveyor, a photoelectric switch corresponding to the reflective band, and a lighting device for the photodetector are provided at the stopping point of each transportation location, and an unmanned vehicle and The above-mentioned photoelectric switch, reflection band, photodetector,
This is an automatic cargo transport device using an unmanned vehicle that can reliably transfer cargo from the transfer drive conveyor of the unmanned vehicle to a cargo receiving device at a stopping point by transmitting and receiving signals from an optical system consisting of lighting equipment.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described using FIGS. 3 to 8.

Figure 3 shows an example of automatic transportation in which this proposal is implemented.

FIG. 1 shows the configurations of 2 to 18 of the conventional embodiment, and an unmanned vehicle 27 obtained by adding a reflection band and a light detection device to the unmanned vehicle 1 in FIG.
, the reflective strip at each stop point, the photoelectric switches 20, 22, 24 provided at positions corresponding to the photodetection devices, the lighting equipment (lamps) 21, 23.25, and the transfer confirmation provided on the conveyors 10, 13.16. It is composed of claws 26, 27, and 28.

Further, the details of the configuration of the present invention will be explained using FIGS. 4 to 6.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the unmanned vehicle stopped at a stopping point, FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a front view of FIG. 4.

It is composed of an unmanned vehicle 30, a guide belt 31, a cargo 32, a receiving conveyor 33, a conveyor transfer confirmation claw 34, a photoelectric switch 35, a reflective belt 36, a lamp 38, a photodetector (CDS) 39, and a driving conveyor 40. .

In this, a photoelectric switch 35 is provided corresponding to a reflective band 36 provided on the unmanned vehicle 30, and a photodetector 39 is provided.
A lamp 38 is provided correspondingly.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained using FIGS. 7 and 8.

Figure 7 shows the sequence of automatic driving in this case.
The figure is a block diagram showing the operation of the present invention, including an unmanned vehicle control block 40, an unmanned vehicle control device 41. photodetector 42, photodetection signal 43, cargo transfer command 44, drive conveyor control device 45, transfer completion signal 46, reflection band 47,
Control block 50 at the stopping point. Photoelectric switch 51, light emission 52 of photoelectric switch 51, reflected light 53, reflection band 47, stop point confirmation signal 54, conveyor control device 55, transfer confirmation signal 56, lamp 57, light emission 48 of lamp 47, calling device 60, It consists of a calling command 61.

To explain the operation with reference to FIG.
The vehicle is loaded onto the driving conveyor, and the destination is set according to the call display board 8.

The unmanned vehicle automatically travels on the guide strip toward the set stopping point and stops at the stopping point.At the stopping point, as shown in FIG. Perform setting detection.

In this case, when it is not the set point, there is no calling command from the calling device 60, and there is no calling command 61 from the calling device 60, so the photoelectric switch 51 does not operate, and even if it is at the set point, the accuracy of stopping the unmanned vehicle is poor. The position of the reflective band 47 is the photoelectric switch 5
1, the reflected light 53 cannot be detected.

In either case, the transfer confirmation signal 56 is not obtained, and at that point the system waits and issues an alarm.

If it stops normally at the set point, the photoelectric switch 51 sends a stop point confirmation signal 54 to the conveyor control device 55, which operates the transfer confirmation claw 34 in FIG.
get.

This signal lights up the lamp 57, and the light hits the photodetector 42 provided on the unmanned vehicle.

Then, a light detection signal 43 is given to the control device 41 of the unmanned vehicle, and a transfer command 44 is input from the control device 41 of the unmanned vehicle to the control device 45 of the driving conveyor, and the cargo is automatically transferred onto the conveyor at the stopping point. do.

When the transfer is completed, the transfer completion signal 46 indicates that the unmanned vehicle 2
7 automatically travels toward the origin 2 in FIG.

Also, when the conveyor at the stopping point is already loaded with cargo, or the position of the photodetector 42 and the lamp 57 is misaligned, the lamp 5
When the light emission 48 of No. 7 cannot be detected by the photodetector 42, there is no transfer confirmation signal 56, the transfer is not carried out, and an abnormality alarm is issued.

By repeating the above-mentioned actions in this way, the unmanned vehicle automatically transports the luggage.

According to the above proposal, in order to obtain a confirmation signal by transmitting and receiving signals between the unmanned vehicle and the stopping point using an optical system consisting of a photoelectric switch, a reflective band, a photodetector, and a lamp, wiring is required between the unmanned vehicle and the stopping point. To simplify and inexpensively eliminate the need for construction work on the road surface on which an unmanned vehicle travels, eliminate transfers at erroneous stopping points, and ensure reliable transfers at stopping points.

In addition, by applying this proposal, when the stopping accuracy of an unmanned vehicle is limited due to transfer between conveyors, etc., the length of the reflective strip provided on the unmanned vehicle can be set to an arbitrary length to stop within the stopping accuracy. It can be detected and transported reliably.

According to the present invention, automatic transportation by the unmanned vehicle can be ensured by using optical system signal transmission and reception between the unmanned vehicle and the stopping point, which is highly effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a diagram showing an example of conventional automatic transportation, Figure 2 is a diagram showing a sequence of conventional automatic transportation, Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of automatic transportation of the present invention, and Figures 4 to 6 are diagrams showing an example of automatic transportation. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a sequence of automatic transportation according to the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a control block for automatic transportation according to the present invention. 1...Unmanned vehicle, 2-5...Stopping point, 6...Guidance zone, 7...Conveyor, 8
...Call sign board, 9...Worker, 10
... Conveyor, 11 ... Calling device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In an unmanned vehicle that automatically travels along a reflective strip or guide line laid on the road surface to a predetermined stopping point and transports cargo, a reflective strip and a photodetector installed on the unmanned vehicle to confirm the stoppage are used. A conveyor control device on the side of the unmanned vehicle controlled by the photodetector, and a conveyor control device on the unmanned vehicle side provided at each stop point at a position facing the reflective strip and the photodetector of the unmanned vehicle and detecting the presence or absence of the reflective strip, respectively. A photoelectric switch, a light emitting body that gives a light signal to the photodetector that is controlled by the output of the photoelectric switch, and a conveyor control device on the stopping point side, and when the unmanned vehicle stops at the stopping point, , the reflective band of the unmanned vehicle is detected by the photoelectric switch, the detection signal is used to start and control the conveyor on the stopping point side, the light emitter is turned on, and the light signal is received by the photodetector of the unmanned vehicle. 1. A signal transmission and reception device for an unmanned vehicle, characterized in that a conveyor on the unmanned vehicle side is activated and controlled.