JPS6220565B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic transport system having a self-propelled transport vehicle guided by guide wires laid on or below the floor.

For example, the Shinomaki conveyance system for spinning machines uses a simultaneous exchange system that transports one machine or half a machine, or a random exchange system that transports small units, but the simultaneous exchange system requires a huge amount of equipment. However, there are also problems in the process of processing the remaining grains, and although the equipment for small unit random exchange is relatively simple, the number of man-hours increases.

For example, the present invention can be used to carry out the replenishment of Shinomaki to workers using a self-propelled transport vehicle on a guide line course laid in the spinning room in a walking patrol unit for workers holding a spinning machine. A phototube sensor, for example, is installed on each machine to detect a passing transport vehicle, and a touch sensor, for example, is installed on each machine and activated by a passing worker, and the data from these sensors are taken into consideration to guide the transport vehicle through the work. This paper proposes an automated system for transporting equipment that allows personnel to follow the instructions and replenish Shinomaki smoothly.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention lays first and second guide wires in a zigzag pattern so as to weave through the passages between a plurality of workbenches arranged in parallel and are offset from each other. A third guide wire is laid around the outside so as to circumscribe the bent portion of each guide wire along the outer periphery of the workbench and at both ends of each workbench, and these first to third guide wires are An unmanned transport vehicle is provided that runs on its own along one of the guide lines by selectively detecting electrical signals having different frequencies flowing through the guide line, detects a transport vehicle passing through the circumscribed portion, and determines the address of the transport vehicle. A first sensor is provided at both ends of each workbench, and a second sensor that is activated by a worker who enters the passageway between the workbench to notify the address of the worker is installed at each end of each workbench. The worker's address is provided at both ends of the platform and is reported by the second sensor when the transport vehicle moving along the third guide line around the outside follows the worker's position in the passage between the work platforms. and the address of the transport vehicle notified by the first sensor,
If the address of the transport vehicle is far from the worker's address, the transport vehicle is moved directly on the third guide line and guided to the first sensor location corresponding to the second sensor that reported the worker's address. Alternatively, guide the workbench to a first sensor location at the opposite end of the workbench from the first sensor location,
The carrier is commanded to select the electric signal of the first or second guide wire in a zigzag shape connected to the third guide wire around the outside of the first sensor location, and the carrier is moved to the worker's position. It is designed to lead to the passage between workbenches.

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings. In Fig. 1, S ₁ to _{S 9} are the spinning machines arranged side by side, H is the loading base in Shinomaki, A, B, and C are guide wires buried under the floor, and A is the spinning machines S ₁ - S ₉ are laid in a zigzag pattern, B is laid out in a zigzag pattern in the same way as above A, and C is laid on the outer periphery of the spinning machines S ₁ - _{S 9} . The guide wires A and B are laid so as to circumscribe the bent portions of the guide wires A and B at both ends of each of the spinning machines S ₁ to _{S 9} . Electric signals α to γ for steering guidance having different frequencies are applied to each of the guide lines A to C, respectively. M is a self-propelled transport vehicle that is guided along each guide line A to C by electric signals α to γ, and loads Shinomaki from the loading base H, and transports each spinning frame S ₁ to S together with a worker. I replenish the Shinomaki while patrolling _{the 9} rooms. P ₁ to _{P 9} and P ₁ ′ to _{P 9} ′ are phototube sensors installed at both ends of each spinning machine S ₁ to _{S 9} .
Each bent part of B and the guide line C are the guide line A,
A transport vehicle M passing through a portion circumscribing each bending portion of B is detected, and an address signal of the transport vehicle M is sent to a central control unit CCB, which will be described later. T ₁ ~ _{T 9} and T ₁ ′ ~
T ₉ ' is a touch sensor installed at the entrance at both ends of each spinning machine S ₁ to _{S 9.} For example, when a worker is This sensor is pressed when entering spinning machines S ₁ to S ₉ .
Like the phototube sensors P ₁ to _{P 9} and P ₁ ′ to _{P 9} ′, an address signal is sent to the central control unit CCB to notify the worker's current position. In addition, only the spinning machine S ₁ is further provided with touch sensors T ₀ and T ₀ ′ at both ends, and the passage on the opposite side from the passage notified by the touch sensors T ₁ and T ₁ ′ in the first machine frame S ₁ is This is the sensor that you press when you enter the room.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of the self-propelled transport vehicle M, and D and D' are a pair of pick-up coils whose voltage is induced by electric signals α to γ flowing through the guide wires A to C, respectively. Provided at the front and rear, either D or D depending on the direction of travel.
D' is now used, and the steering of the transport vehicle M is controlled by the potential difference so that it follows the respective guide lines A to C. L is a route selection device that selects the tuning frequency of the pickup coils D, D' to one of the frequencies of the electric signals α to γ flowing through each guide wire A to C, and is connected to the central control unit CCB.
The transport vehicle M moves only along the selected guide lines A to C.
E is a drive device, F is a stop device, and G is a deceleration device, which, like the route selection device L, can be operated by commands from the central control device CCB.

In addition, the command signal from the central control unit CCB to the transport vehicle M modulates a carrier wave as appropriate with the command signal, superimposes the modulated carrier wave on the guide lines A to C, and sends the modulated carrier wave to the transport vehicle M.
picks up and demodulates this modulated carrier wave, and the command signal is used to drive the route selection device L, drive device E, stop device F, and deceleration device G.

In the central control unit CCB, the address signal, selected route data, etc. are stored in a memory, accumulated, and updated each time.

Assume that the transport vehicle M leaves the loading base H and heads toward the spinning machines S ₁ to _{S 9} from the position shown in FIG. 1 in the direction of arrow A. At that time, the worker uses the touch sensor
Suppose you touch T ₅ ' and enter the passage between spinning machines S ₅ and S ₆ from the direction of arrow B. It is assumed that the central control unit CCB is programmed so that the workers sequentially visit spinning machines _S1 to _S9 .

The operation of the central controller CCB at this time is as follows. In FIG. 3, which shows the routine for the worker state, the worker's address signal (corresponding to the address signal of the touch sensor _T5 ') stored in a separate memory is read at a, and the address signal of the transport vehicle M is read at b. be compared. The address signal of the vehicle M represents the position at which the phototube sensors P ₁ to _{P 9} or P ₁ ' to _{P 9} ' detected the vehicle M and is stored separately in a memory. In the case of FIG. 1, since the carrier M is not detected by any phototube sensor, [touch sensor address>phototube sensor address], and the process proceeds to C. Determine the traveling route of transport vehicle M at C, and since it is currently traveling on guide line C, proceed to d, determine whether it is heading for machine 9 S ₉ , and if so, proceed to e, and proceed to transport vehicle M. The shortest course for car M to reach touch switch T ₅ ' is calculated. In other words, in this case, the vehicle will continue on the guide line C until it crosses the fourth machine platform _S4 , and when it reaches the fourth machine platform _S4 (when the phototube sensor _P4 detects the transport vehicle M), the course will be guided. Switch from line C to B (γ→
Calculate what will be achieved by performing B), and use these data, that is, 4 for route selection.
Data is created that indicates that the γ signal is used until the machine reaches _S4 , and that the β signal is used thereafter, and is temporarily stored in a separate memory.

In the steps up to now, no commands have been sent to the transport vehicle M. On the other hand, transport vehicle M has machines S ₁ to _{S 4}
Address signals are sent from the phototube sensors P ₁ to _{P 4} each time the end of the cell is crossed. In other words, transport vehicle M
When the vehicle travels to the end of the first vehicle _S1 , in FIG. 4, which shows the routine of the transport vehicle state, the address signal sent from the phototube sensor _P1 is read at f, and the traveling route is determined at g. Proceeds to h only when transport vehicle M has selected the γ signal, and the address signal of the current vehicle is one point before the course change point, that is, the first
In the case shown in the figure, it is determined whether the phototube sensor _P3 is the address signal. If this is the case, a deceleration command is issued to the transport vehicle M in preparation for a course change at the next machine, that is, machine No. ₄ S4. Then, at j, the vehicle data at that time, ie, the address signal, selected route data, etc., are temporarily stored in the memory.

Next, when the transport vehicle M reaches the No. 4 platform S ₄ and the photocell sensor P ₄ detects the transport vehicle M, it is determined at k that this is a course change point, and the program advances to 1, as shown in Figure 3. The route selection device L of the transport vehicle M issues a course change command according to the data calculated in step e and stored in the memory.
instructs to select the β signal. The transport vehicle M now travels along the guide line B in the direction of arrow C along the passage between the fourth machine stand _S4 and the fifth machine stand _S5 . The car data at this time is temporarily stored in memory again. and 5
After turning the end of No. 5 car stand S ₅ , there are No. 5 car stand S ₅ and 6.
Enter the passageway between machine stand S ₆ from the direction of arrow B and follow the worker.

At m in FIG. 4, the operator flag is determined.
This flag is set when the worker touches the touch sensor T ₅ ', and the transport vehicle M detects the photocell sensor.
When detected at _P5 ', it is determined that the transport vehicle M has followed the worker at n, and the operator flag is reset at p.

Also, if the worker touches touch sensor T ₅ and enters the passage between spinning machines S ₅ and S ₆ from the two directions of the arrows, the course change point of the calculated shortest course is at phototube sensor P ₅ . , at this point, the transport vehicle M is instructed to select the α signal for the guide line A, enters the passage from the direction of arrow D, and when it reaches this point, the operator flag is reset.

As described above, according to the present invention, when, for example, the Shinomaki loaded on a transport vehicle runs out during Shinomaki replenishment work, the worker does not have to operate the transport vehicle and return to the loading base one by one. As long as the second sensor is activated, the worker can continue walking patrol, and the transport vehicle that left the base after replenishing Shinomaki will automatically start the work. It is possible to follow the worker from the same direction as the direction in which the worker entered the passage between the workbenches, thereby eliminating simple transportation work and significantly improving work efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the overall configuration, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle, and Figs. 3 and 4 are routines in the worker state and the routine in the transport vehicle state. This is a flowchart showing the following. S ₁ ~ _{S 9} ... Spinning machine (workbench), P ₁ ~ P ₉ , P ₁ ′ ~
_P9 '...Phototube sensor, _T0 ~ _T9 , _T0 '~ _T9 '...Touch sensor, A, B...Zigzag-shaped laying guide wire, C
...Outer guide line, M...Transport vehicle.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The first and second guide wires are laid in a zigzag pattern so as to weave through the passages between the plurality of workbenches installed in parallel and are offset from each other. selectively transmitting electric signals having different frequencies flowing through a third guiding wire around the outer circumference laid so as to circumscribe the bent portion of each guiding wire at both ends and the first to third guiding wires; A first device is provided at both ends of each work platform that detects an unmanned carrier vehicle that is self-propelled along one of the guide lines, and detects a carrier vehicle passing through the circumscribed portion and notifies the address of the carrier vehicle. a sensor, a second sensor provided at both ends of each workbench and activated by a worker entering the passageway between the workbench to notify the address of the worker; The addresses are compared, and the transport vehicle moving along the third guide line around the outside is moved to the first sensor location corresponding to the second sensor that has notified the worker's address or one position before the transport vehicle travel direction. at the opposite end of the workbench from the first sensor location.
a zigzag-shaped first guide line leading to a sensor location and touching a third guide line around the outside of the first sensor location.
or a control device that instructs the transport vehicle to select the electric signal of the second guide line.