JPS6217328Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a right-angle direction changing device for a transfer trolley used in production lines, automated warehouses, parking facilities, etc.

Conventional methods for changing the direction of transport carts include the radius stern method (see Figure 1), the traverser method (see Figure 2), and the turntable method (see Figure 3 A and B). Ta.

However, the radius stern method requires a large curve in the running rail, which is disadvantageous in terms of space, and the traverser method has a loss in the return time of the traverser.
This is disadvantageous in terms of cycle time, and the turntable method is disadvantageous in terms of cycle time and space.

In view of this situation, the system shown in Figures 4 and 5 has been proposed as a system that allows the direction to be changed at right angles.

That is, a running wheel 2 that can freely change direction and guide wheels 5 are provided at the four corners of the underside of the trolley 1. The running wheels 2 roll on rails 3 laid on the foundation of a production line, etc., and the guide wheels 5 The bogie 1 is loosely fitted into a guide rail 4 having a concave cross section and laid parallel to the rail 3, so that it can be guided by the guide rail 4 and run on the rail 3.

However, missing portions 6 are provided at required locations on the guide rail 4, so that the guide wheel 5 can enter and leave the guide rail 4, and the cart 1 moving in the direction of the arrow X moves in the direction of the arrow Y. Change direction perpendicular to the direction.

The systems shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 require a certain amount of clearance between the guide wheels and both inner surfaces of the guide rail 4, and this clearance makes it difficult to ensure accurate positioning of the trolley. Further, each time the contact surface between the guide wheel 5 and the guide rail 4 changes, the guide wheel 5 rotates forward and backward, causing severe wear on the guide wheel 5 and the guide rail 4. Furthermore, there are also problems such as foreign matter accumulating in the grooves of the guide rail 4. Figure 6 shows the guide wheel 5 connected to the angle iron 7.
Although the gap between the guide wheel 5 and the guide rail 4 is minimized by sandwiching them between the guide wheels 5 and 4, it is not possible to completely eliminate the above-mentioned problems, and it is necessary to ensure the left and right spacing and parallelism. This will require an increase in the number of parts.

The present invention completely solves the above problem, and includes a rail follower consisting of a pair of guide wheels arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the parallel guide rails on running rails that intersect at right angles. The structure is such that each of the intersecting guide rails can be sandwiched between a pair of guide wheels, and the direction of the bogie is regulated by the engagement between the guide rail and the rail follower. The cross section of the guide rail that crosses the guide rail is made short by the mounting pitch of a pair of rail followers arranged parallel to the guide rail, and one switching guide rail is arranged in the missing part, and another switching guide rail is installed in the missing part. Place the guide rail in the above 1
Both switching guide rails can be raised and lowered alternately from the engagement position of the rail follower to below the rail running surface. The present invention is characterized in that a missing portion is formed through which the front guide wheel can pass, and a guide rail piece for replenishing the missing portion is provided so as to be able to rise and fall from the inside with respect to the outer guide wheel.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of the layout of the transport cart equipment equipped with the orthogonal direction conversion guide device of the present invention.

In the figure, 8, 9, 10 are running lines, 11, 12
is a traverse line, and when the bogie 13 travels on the travel line 9 and arrives at point A, it branches to either the left or right and travels on the traverse line 11, and then passes through the travel lines 8, 10 and the traverse line 12. It is designed to merge at point B and go around, and without changing the absolute direction of the bogie 13 (a portion is hatched to show the direction), it is possible to go straight and sideways.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 9 to 15 shows the case where the present invention is applied to a friction drive carriage. First, the drive system of the friction drive carriage will be briefly described with reference to Fig. 8.

A drive shaft 15 arranged parallel to the traveling rail 14
is rotated by a motor 16, and a friction drive wheel 17 attached to the lower surface of the truck 13 is in pressure contact with the drive shaft 15 so as to be able to rotate by a required angle about a vertical axis.

By appropriately changing the angle, ie, the contact angle θ, between the axis of the drive shaft 15 and the axis of the friction drive wheel 17, the cart can be stopped or made to travel at a required speed.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the truck 13 used in the transfer truck facility shown in FIG. 7.

A bracket 19 rotatably supports the running friction drive wheel 18 on a line centered in the X direction on the lower surface of the truck 13.
A link arm 20 is extended from each bracket 19, and the link arms 20, 20, 20 are connected by a connecting link 21. Also, a pair of transverse friction drive wheels 22 are mounted symmetrically with respect to the center line in the Y direction via brackets 19 like the traveling drive wheels 18, and link arms 23 extending from each bracket 19 are connected by connecting links 24, 24. do. The connecting links 21, 24, 24 are connected via pivots 25, 25, respectively, so that the connecting links 21, 24, 24 are interlocked, and the cam roller 26 provided on the running drive wheel 18, the traverse drive The traveling driving wheel 18 and the traversing driving wheel 22 are configured to be able to rotate around a vertical axis following the movement of cam rollers 27, 27 provided on the wheel 22.

In the figure, 28 is a swivel caster type running wheel that supports the bogie 13, and 29 is a rail follower provided at the four corners of the bottom surface of the bogie 13, and each rail follower 29 has two guide wheels 30, 31. A pair of outer guide wheels 30 and an inner guide wheel 31 sandwich a guide rail 32, which will be described later.

Furthermore, the rail follower 29 will be explained in detail.
Each of the guide wheels 30 and 31 is attached to the lower surface of the truck 13 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis and so as to float above the rolling surface of the running wheel 28 by a required amount.
A pair of guide wheels 30, 3 for each rail follower 29
The guide rails 32 are arranged so that a straight line connecting the rotation centers of the guide rails 1 and 1 forms a required angle with respect to the guide rail 32. Then, Ga 3
If the gaps t _x and t _y of 0 and 31 are made equal to the thickness of the guide rail 32, the guide rail 32 can be sandwiched between the guide wheels 30 and 1, and the vehicle can run using the guide rail 32 as a guide.

Here, the gaps t _x and t _y are the guide rails 32
This can be adjusted by appropriately changing the arrangement of the guide wheels 30, 31 according to the thickness of the rail. If the running and traversing guide rails 32 are of the same shape, t _x = t _y ,
That is, the pair of guide wheels 30 and 31 may be arranged at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the guide rail 32.
In addition, although the guide wheels 30 and 31 are arranged radially in the figure, each pair of guide wheels 30 and 31 may be arranged so that they are all parallel, or one side of the cart 13 is parallel. Various arrangements are possible.

Next, FIGS. 10 to 15 show details of point A in FIG. 7.

In the figure, reference numerals 33 and 34 indicate running rails for the lines 9 and 11, and along the running rails 33 and 34, an X-direction guide rail 35 and a Y-direction guide rail 36 are arranged in parallel. The X-direction guide rail 35 is almost missing the X-direction mounting pitch (rail-crossing portion of the guide rail) of the rail follower 29 in front of the intersection with the Y-direction guide rail 36, and the X-direction guide rail 35 is extended at this missing point. A switching guide rail 37 is arranged on the line. Further, another switching guide rail 3 is parallel to the switching guide rail 37 and facing the Y direction mounting pitch of the rail follower 29 at the same distance.
Place 8. A missing portion 39 is provided between the opposite ends of the switching rails 37 and 38 and the end of the X-direction guide rail 35 so that the guide wheel 30 can pass therethrough without any trouble. The guide wheel on the outside (top side) of the rail follower 29 of the bogie 13 that has entered point A passes through the Y-direction guide rail 36, and the guide wheel passes through the notches 40, 4.
Set 0. Further, by cutting out the portion of the running rail 34 that intersects with both the switching guide rails 37, 37, when the both switching guide rails 37, 38 are made to move up and down, the running rail 34 and the switching guide rail 3 are cut out.
7, 38 so that they do not interfere with each other, and when the switching guide rails 37, 38 are lowered, they sink into the cutout, and the upper surfaces of the switching guide rails 37, 38 and the upper surface of the running rail 34 are on the same level. do.

A base 41 is installed on a plane including the intersection point A of the lines 9 and 10, a bracket 42 is fixed to the lower surface of the base 41, and a swing shaft 43 extending in the X direction is pivotally attached to the bracket 42. , swing axis 43
A swing lever 44 and a cam lever 45 are fixed to the base 41, and a swing cylinder 46 is provided between the swing lever 44 and the base 41. Further, a rod 47 and a shaft 48 are vertically slidably inserted through the base 41, and the lower ends of the rod 47 and shaft 48 are connected to the swing lever 44 and the cam lever 45 via links 49 and 50, respectively. Connect and rod 4
At the ends of the switching guide rails 37 and 38, cam plates 51 and 52 for controlling the speed (acceleration and deceleration) of the truck 13 in the X direction are attached to the ends of the shafts.
As a result, the switching guide rails 37 and 38 and the cam plate 5 are
1 and 52 alternately move up and down like a seesaw, engage the rail follower 29 at the raised position of the switching guide rails 37 and 38, and engage the rail follower 29 at the lowered position.
9, and remove the cam plate 51,
In the raised position of 52, it contacts the cam rollers 26, 26, and in the lowered position, it does not interfere with the cam rollers 26, 26. A cam plate 53 for controlling the speed in the Y direction is attached to the base 41 so as to be able to come into contact with the cam roller 27.

Tilting guide rails 54 and 55 are provided in the missing portion 39 and the cutout portion 40 to ensure continuity of the X-direction guide rail 35 and Y-direction guide rail 36 and to prevent passage of the guide wheel 30. Since the configurations of both the tilting guide rails 54 and 55 are substantially the same, only the tilting guide rail 54 of the missing portion 39 will be described here.

A pivot 56 is horizontally protruded from the end face of the switching guide rail 37, and the tilting guide rail 54 is pivotally attached to the pivot 56. An L-shaped bracket 57 is fixed to the lower end face of the switching guide rail 37, an arm 58 is extended from the tilting guide rail 54, and a tilting cylinder 59 is attached between the bracket 57 and the arm 58, so that the tilting guide rail 54 can be tilted by the extension and contraction of the tilting cylinder 59. When the tilting cylinder 59 is extended, the tilting guide rail 54 falls to the inside of the guide rail 37, so that the outer guide wheel 30 can pass through without any hindrance, and when the tilting cylinder 59 is contracted, the tilting guide rail 54 falls to the inside of the guide rail 37, so that the outer guide wheel 30 can pass through without hindrance.
4 stands upright and fills in the missing portion of the guide rail 37.

Next, when the bogie 13 completes its approach to point A, the outer guide wheel 30 of the leading rail follower 29 is in a free state, and the relationship between the leading rail follower 29, the X-direction guide rail 35, and the Y-direction guide rail 36 indicates the attitude of the bogie 13. becomes impossible to regulate. In order to eliminate this uncontrolled state, the additional tilting guide 60,
60' is disposed near the intersection of the Y-direction guide rail 36 and the switching guide rails 37, 38, and parallel to the switching guide rails 37, 38. Since the additional tilting guides 60 and 60' have the same structure, the additional tilting guide 60 will be explained below.

The switching guide rail 37 is cut out to a required width, and a lever 62 is pivotally supported in the cutout via a horizontal shaft 61. The additional tilting guide 60 is fixed to one end of the lever 62, and the rod of the cylinder 63 is fixed to the other end. to be pivoted. A bracket 64 is fixed to the lower end of the switching guide rail 37, and the main body of the cylinder 63 is pivotally connected to the bracket 64, so that the additional tilting guide 60 tilts as the cylinder 63 expands and contracts.

In addition, 65 is a drive shaft for traveling, and 66 is a drive shaft for traverse.

The top position of both drive shafts 66, 67 is on the running rail 3.
3 and 34 protrude by the required amount. Therefore, both drive wheels 1 in contact with the drive shafts 66, 67
8 and 22 are in a floating state with respect to the running rails 33 and 34, so that the running rails 33 and 34 and the drive wheels 18 and 22 do not interfere with each other when the bogie 13 travels and traverses.

Next, FIG. 10 shows a state in which the truck 13 has entered point A.

The following explanation relates to the case where the truck 13 enters in the X direction and changes direction in the Y direction.

The swing cylinder 46 is extended to raise the switching guide rail 37 and the cam plate 51. This switching guide rail 37 includes a tilting guide rail 5.
4. Since the additional tilting guide 60 is attached, both can be raised at the same time. Simultaneously with the operation of the swing cylinder 46, the tilt cylinders 59 and 63 are both retracted, and the tilt guide rail 54 and additional tilt guide 60 are retracted.
to ensure continuity of the guide in the X direction and restraint at the intersection of the guide in the X direction and the guide in the Y direction. Other tilting guide rails 54', 55,
The additional tilting guide 60' has the tilting cylinders 59 and 63 extended and laid down so that the guide wheels 30 and 31 can freely pass above the tilting guide rails 54' and 55 and the additional tilting guide 60'. put.

Due to the rotation of the travel drive shaft 65, the trolley 13 travels in the X direction and enters point A.

The rail follower 29 is the X direction guide rail 35
As the cam roller 26 comes into contact with the cam plate 51 and is pushed in, the angle between the running drive wheel 18 and the running drive shaft 65 changes, and the bogie 13 The outer guide wheel 30 of the leading rail follower 29 passes through the notch 40 in a state where the speed is decelerated and eventually reaches the minimum speed, and the inner guide wheel 31 is sandwiched between the switching guide rail 37 and the additional tilting guide 60. The carriage 13 hits the Y-direction guide rail 36 and stops.

In this stopped position, the cam roller 27 is in contact with the cam plate 53, and the traverse drive shaft 22 is in a state where it rides on the traverse drive wheel 66.

Next, the tilting cylinder 59 is shortened and the tilting guide rails 55 are made to stand up, ensuring the continuity of the Y-direction guide rail 36, and the tilting cylinder 5
9 and the cylinder 63 are extended, and the tilting guide rail 54 and the additional tilting guide 60 are collapsed so that the truck 13 can travel in the Y direction without any problem. If the traverse drive shaft 66 is rotated in such a state, the carriage 13
begins to move sideways in the Y direction at the minimum speed while its direction is regulated by the Y direction guide rail 36, and the cam roller 2
7 moves along the cam plate 53, the angle between the traverse drive wheel 22 and the traverse drive shaft 66 changes, the speed gradually increases, and when the vehicle leaves point A, it travels at maximum speed. As described above, the running drive wheels 18 are in a state of floating above the running rails 33, and the cam plate 52 and the switching guide rail 38 have also been lowered to positions where they do not interfere with each other, and the upper surface of the switching guide rail 38 is lowered. is on the same level as the top surface of the running rail 34, and serves to compensate for the notch in the running rail 34, allowing for smooth direction changes.

When changing the direction of the truck 13 in the Y' direction, the swing cylinder 46 is shortened and the switching guide rail 3
8. Raise the cam plate 52 and shorten and shorten the tilting cylinder 59 and cylinder 63, respectively.
The traverse drive wheel 66 may be rotated in the opposite direction by performing substantially the same operation as in the case of changing the direction in the Y direction, such as raising the tilting guide rail 54' and the additional tilting guide 60'.

In the above embodiment, the switching rails 37 and 38 are raised and lowered alternately by the swing lever 44, but an actuator such as a cylinder is attached to each switching rail 37 and 38 so that they can be raised and lowered independently. Good too. Further, in order to eliminate the impact when passing through the notch of the traveling rail 34, it may be arranged as shown in FIGS. 16a and 16b. That is, the switching guide rail 38 is completely sunk into the notch, the movable rail 68 is wrapped around the notch 67, and the movable rail 68 is rotatable around one end and rotated counterclockwise by a spring (not shown). It is energized. Therefore, when the switching guide rail 38 moves up, the switching guide rail 38 itself pushes the movable rail 68 open, and when it moves down, the movable rail 68 closes due to the force of the spring. In this way, the running wheels 28 do not roll from the running rails 34 to the movable rails 68 and then back to the running rails 34, thereby preventing any impact from occurring.

Further, although the above embodiments have been explained using a T-shaped branch, it goes without saying that the present invention can be implemented with a right-angled direction change on only one side or a right-angled direction change at a crossroads. Furthermore, although the friction drive cart has been described, it goes without saying that the drive method is not limited to friction drive.

As described above, according to the present invention, the running rail and guide rail are combined at right angles, which saves space and simplifies the layout.The cycle time can be shortened because there is almost no stopping time for the bogie. , Since the gap between the guide rail and the guide wheel can be reduced to zero, the stopping accuracy can be greatly improved. The direction of rotation of the guide wheel is always constant, so there is less wear on the guide wheel and rail. There is no discontinuous part of the guide rail. Since the bogie is always controlled by the engagement between the guide rail and rail follower, direction changes can be made safely and reliably.Since the inner guide wheel is offset from the outer guide wheel, the inner guide wheel has a stopper function. There is no need to provide a special stopper device.Since the tilting guide rail stands up from the inside of the outer guide wheel, the missing part can be filled safely and reliably.

Demonstrates excellent effects such as

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 are explanatory diagrams of the conventional example, FIG. 4 is a front view of another conventional example, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the same,
FIG. 6 is a partial explanatory diagram of another conventional example, and FIG. 7 is a layout diagram of a transfer trolley facility implementing the present invention.
Figure 8 is a principle diagram of the friction-driven truck, Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the same truck, Figures 10 to 15 show details of point A in Figure 7, Figure 10 is a plan view, and Figure 11. is the 10th
C-C arrow view in the figure, Figure 12 is D-D in Figure 10
13 is a view taken along E-E in FIG. 10, FIG. 14 is a view taken along F-F in FIG. 10, and FIG. Figures 16a and 16b are explanatory diagrams showing a modification of the present invention. 13 is a trolley, 30, 31 are guide wheels, 33, 3
4 is a running rail, 39 is a missing part, 40 is a notch part, 5
4 and 55 are tilting guide rails, and 59 is a tilting cylinder.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A rail follower consisting of a pair of guide wheels arranged at a predetermined angle with respect to the parallel guide rails is provided on at least the four corners of the bogie on running rails that intersect at right angles, and each of the intersecting guide rails is connected to a pair of guide wheels. At the intersection of the running rails, the cross section of the guide rail that crosses the running rails is parallel to the guide rail. Make the distance equal to the installation pitch of the installed pair of rail followers,
One switching guide rail is arranged in the missing part, and another switching guide rail is arranged facing the first switching guide rail, and both switching guide rails are alternately moved from the engagement position of the rail follower to the rail. A guide that can be raised and lowered to below the running surface, forms a missing part at a required position near the intersection of the guide rails through which the front guide wheel of the front rail follower can pass in the direction of travel, and replenishes the missing part. A guide device for changing the direction of a transfer cart at right angles, characterized in that a rail piece is provided so as to be able to rise and fall from the inside with respect to an outside guide wheel.