JPS61217715A - Sensor for unmanned vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To elevate the straight running performance, by a method wherein a detection plate is formed in a shape of a sleigh by being extended longitudinally to be supported in such a manner as to turn horizontally so that it can run over any ruggedness on the guide wall surface without detecting it. CONSTITUTION:When an unmanned vehicle 1 is running straight along a guide wall surface 3, a support member 4 of a sensor 2 is energized with tension springs 18 and 18 so that a slide section 12A of a detection plate 12 is kept pressed on the wall surface 3. When the wall surface 3 is rugged partly, the detection plate 12 formed in a shape of a boxed sleigh can keep travelling straight running over the ruggedness without turning horizontally. When there is any step on the wall surface, the detection plate 12 can run over it with being caught thereby with a guide roller 13 pivoted and horizontally turn gently loosely and a potentiometer detects inclination so closely to enable a smooth turning of the steering wheel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a sensor for an unmanned vehicle, and more specifically, to a sensor for unmanned vehicles that is installed to run unmanned along a guide wall. The present invention relates to a sensor provided to detect an angular deviation with respect to a wall surface.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, one method of making an industrial vehicle such as a forklift truck run unmanned is to attach a sensor to the side wall of the vehicle and run the vehicle while sliding the sensor on a guide wall surface. A method has been proposed in which a distance difference and an angle difference between a vehicle and a vehicle are detected, and a steering device is controlled using the detected signals.

FIGS. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are drawings showing a specific method, in which the rotating shaft C is suspended horizontally on a support stand fixed to the side wall of the vehicle a. An arm d is attached to one end of the rotating shaft C so that it can move forward and backward in the direction of the guide wall f, and a rotating shaft e is mounted on the tip of the arm d so that it can rotate freely, and the rotating wheel e is attached to the guide wall f. One side is provided so that it rolls along the other side.

A potentiometer g is attached to the other end of the rotating shaft C, and the potentiometer g is provided so as to detect the displacement and inclination of the vehicle a with respect to the guide wall f.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the sensor of the above conventional structure, the rotating wheel e
The problem is that the following problems occur because the device is arranged to detect the deviation and inclination of the device by rolling it along the guide wall surface f.

■ If there are irregularities on the guide wall surface, the potentiometer will detect these irregularities and the vehicle will not be able to travel straight.

■ If there is a step on the guide wall surface, the rotating wheel will get caught and accurate detection cannot be obtained.

In addition to the above-mentioned sensors, ultrasonic sensors have been proposed as sensors for unmanned driving, but these sensors are easily affected by obstacles in the vicinity of the running route and cannot provide accurate detection. The problem is that there is no such thing.

The present invention attempts to improve the problem in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and when the guide wall surface has unevenness or a step, the present invention can be applied to the guide wall without being affected by the unevenness or step. The problem to be solved is to be able to accurately detect the displacement and inclination of the vehicle. The specific means and effects for solving the above problems are as follows.

Measures to solve the problem ■ A support member is provided in a box that is fixed to the side wall of the vehicle so that it can move forward and backward. The support member is provided so as to be biased toward the guide wall surface, and also connected to a linear potentiometer.

■ At the tip of the support member, a sliding surface against the guide wall is formed in a sled shape, and at both front and rear ends of the support member, there are detection plates extending in the front and back direction that support the guide rollers so that they can rotate freely. Connect freely. A pair of front and rear springs are interposed in the detection plate, and the plate is held in a neutral position through the balancing action of both springs. Additionally, a potentiometer is provided at the connecting portion of the detection plate.

Function ■ When unevenness occurs on the guide wall surface, it is possible to overcome the unevenness without detecting it.

■ When there is a step on the guide wall.

You can get over it smoothly without getting caught. Also, you can turn the handle smoothly.

EXAMPLES Specific examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to illustrative drawings.

1 is a forklift truck (unmanned vehicle).

Reference numeral 2 indicates a sensor attached to the body of the forklift truck 1, and reference numeral 3 indicates a guide wall surface. In the sensor 2, a box 5 is fixed to the side wall of the body, and the box 5 is provided so as to extend in one direction (direction perpendicular to the center line of the body). More specifically, the box 5 is formed to have a relatively shallow bottom (in the vertical direction) and a wide width dimension (in the front-back direction). At the bottom of the box 5, a linear way 6 is laid extending in one direction (direction perpendicular to the center line of the aircraft), and a support member 4 of a detection plate 12, which will be described later, is installed on the linear way 6. It is mounted on a rack so that it can move forward and backward via a slider 7. More specifically, the support member 4 is attached to the support rod 8 with respect to the slider 7.
The slider 7 is formed by fixing the support rods 15 in a stacked manner, and the slider 7 is slidably mounted on the linear way 6 as described above. The support rod 8 has a vertical rod portion 8A extending in a direction parallel to the linear way 6, and a horizontal rod portion 8B extending in a direction perpendicular to the linear way 6 at the rear end of the vertical rod portion 8A. It is formed into a T-shape, and the same vertical rod part 8A
The tip of the box 5 is provided so as to protrude from the tip of the box 5. Further, the support rod 15 is located substantially directly above the slider 7 and is provided so as to extend in both left and right width directions (directions parallel to the horizontal rod portion 8B). A support pin 10 is fixed to the tip of the vertical rod portion 8A, extending vertically through a support cylinder 9, and the aforementioned detection plate 12 is attached to the support pin 10 through a sleeve 11 in the front-rear direction. It is extended and supported for horizontal rotation. The detection plate 12 has a sliding contact part 12A formed by curving both front and rear ends into an arc shape, and a pair of upper and lower ends extending horizontally from the upper and lower ends of the sliding contact part 12A in the rear direction (towards the box 5). The support frame portions 12B and 12B are formed in a substantially box-like shape, and guide rollers 13 and 13 are freely rotatably mounted on both ends of the sliding contact portion 12A. More specifically, the detection plate 12 is formed to have a longer length (front-to-back direction) and a wider width (up-down direction) than the box 5 so that it can hold the tip of the box 5. Further, the guide rollers 13.13 are provided so that a portion thereof protrudes from both ends of the sliding contact portion 12A in the front-rear direction. At one end of the support pin 10 is an adapter 19 that is fixed to the detection plate 12 side.
A potentiometer 21 is connected via a coupling 20 built into the adapter 19, and a linear potentiometer 22 is fixed to the box '5 in parallel with the vertical rod part 8A, and can move forward and backward from the potentiometer 22. The distal end of the extending rod 23 is connected to the slider 7. Furthermore, a pair of engagement pieces 14.14 are fixed to the back surface of the sliding contact portion 12A at symmetrical positions in the front and back with the support pin 10 in between. A tension spring 16.16 is interposed between the sections. And also, the front wall part (inner wall surface) of the box 5
A pair of engaging pieces 17 and 17 are fixed to the front and rear symmetrical positions with the support pin 10 between them.
and the open end of the vertical rod portion 8A.
8 and 18 are interposed.

Next, its effect will be explained.

Figures 1 and 2 are drawings showing a forklift truck (unmanned vehicle) 1 traveling straight along a guide wall 3 (inner wall of the container); When the support member 4 (slider 7, support rod 8, support rod 15
) are urged by the tension springs 18, 18 and pushed out toward the distal end of the linear way 6.

That is, the sliding portion 12A of the detection plate 12 is in pressure contact with the guide wall surface 3. Further, the Ryogawa tension springs 16.degree. 16 are in a balanced state, that is, in a state in which the detection plate 12 is held at a neutral position (shape S extending in a direction parallel to the centerline of the aircraft body).

When the vehicle moves away from the guide wall 3 while the vehicle is traveling straight along the guide wall 3, the biasing force of the separation spring 16.16 is applied when the vehicle moves away from the guide wall 3. The effect of further pushing out the detection plate 12 can be obtained through this. By pushing out the detection plate 12 in this way, the support member 4 (slider 7, connecting rod 8
, each part of the support rod 15) slides on the linear way 6 toward the tip.
By sliding the support rod 15 toward the tip end on the linear way 6 in this manner, the rod 23 is pulled out from the linear potentiometer 22, thereby providing an effect of detecting displacement of the vehicle.

Furthermore, if the vehicle tilts with respect to the guide wall surface 3, the detection plate 12 will horizontally rotate about the support pin 10 against the urging force of the tension springs 18, 18. , By horizontally rotating the detection plate 12 in this way,
The potentiometer 21 has the function of detecting the inclination of the vehicle.

In this way, a deviation is detected in the linear potentiometer 22, and an inclination is detected in the potentiometer 21, and a one-car detection signal is transmitted to the steering device, thereby turning the steering wheel back toward the three guide wall surfaces to correct the deviation and inclination. In other words, the effect of returning the vehicle to a straight traveling state can be obtained.

On the other hand, when the guide wall surface 3 is uneven (when the unevenness is smaller than the length of the detection plate 12), the detection plate 1
2 is formed into a box-sled shape with an appropriate length in the front-rear direction, so that the detection plate 12 can overcome unevenness without horizontally rotating, as shown in FIG. The potentiometer 21 can maintain the straight running state without detecting inclination. In addition, when there is a step on the guide wall surface 3, the guide rollers 13 are rotatably mounted on both the front and rear ends of the detection plate 12, so that the detection plate 12 can be moved in the same direction as shown in FIG. You can get over the steps without getting caught. And the same detection plate 12
can be rotated gently horizontally. That is, the potentiometer 21 can detect a small inclination, and this allows the steering device to smoothly turn the steering wheel.

Effects of the Invention The present invention is constructed as described above. By having the above-described construction, in particular, by extending the detection plate in the front-rear direction and forming it in a sled shape, unevenness on the guide wall surface can be avoided. In some cases, the vehicle can overcome the unevenness without detecting it, and as a result, it has become possible to improve straight-line driving performance.

Furthermore, in the present invention, guide rollers are freely rotatably provided at both the front and rear ends of the detection plate extending in the front and back direction and forming a bridge shape as described above, thereby creating a step on the guide wall surface. When there is a difference in level, it is possible to cross the same level difference smoothly without getting caught, and it has become possible to turn the steering wheel smoothly with the steering device.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, it has become possible to more accurately detect the displacement and inclination of the vehicle relative to the guide wall surface compared to the ultrasonic sensor.

[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS] Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the entire forklift truck equipped with a sensor according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a part of the sensor, and Fig. 3 is an A-A in Fig. 2. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line B--B, and FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the sensor showing the same operating state. Further, FIGS. 6 and 7, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are drawings showing sensors of conventional structure. 1... forklift truck, 2... sensor,
3... Guide wall surface, 4... Supporting member, 5... Box. 6... Linear way, 7... Slider, 8...
Support rod, 8A...Vertical rod part, 8B...Horizontal rod part, 9...
・Support tube, 1o...Support pin, 11...Sleeve,
12...Detection plate, 12A...Sliding contact part, 12B...
Support frame portion, 13... Guide roller, 14... Engagement piece, 15... Support rod, 16... Tension spring, 17
...Engaging piece, 18...Tension spring, 19...Adapter, 2011. Coupling, 21... Potentiometer, 22... Linear potentiometer,
23...Rod. Patent applicant Toyota Industries Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 911A

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A box is fixed to the side wall of the vehicle, a support member is provided on the box so that it can move forward and backward so as to be biased toward the guide wall surface, and a linear potentiometer is connected to and provided on the support member. At the tip of the support member, a sliding surface with respect to the guide wall surface extends in the front-rear direction to form a sled shape, and at both front and rear ends, a detection plate on which a guide roller is freely rotatably mounted is horizontally rotatable. A sensor for an unmanned vehicle, which is connected to a potentiometer in the connecting part, and is always held at a neutral position through the balancing action of a pair of springs.