JPS62211709A - Movable light bumper for unmanned carrying car - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to set an obstacle detection area optionally by detecting obstacles by turning a pair of bumper members provided in front and rear parts of the body of an unmanned carrying car according to the width of an object mounted on the unmanned carrying car and forming an obstacle detection area of required extent. CONSTITUTION:In the case where an object mounted on an unmanned carrying car is narrower than the width of the car body 1, pairs of front and rear bumpers 11-12, 13-14 are made to the state of shrinkage shown by attenuate long and short dash lines. When an object wider in width than the car is loaded, servo motor 31 is driven normally and pairs of front and rear bumpers 11-12, 13-14 are rotated in opposite direction and set to broadening position. At this broadening position, transmitting and receiving of light is made between light emitting elements 11b, 12c, 14b, 13c and light receiving elements 12e, 14d, 13e, 11d arranged at the tips 11a-14a of rodlike bumpers 11a-14a, and an obstacle detection area wider than the width of the load shown by broken lines is formed around the unmanned running car.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a movable optical bumper for an automatic guided vehicle for safe operation of an automatic guided vehicle.

Conventional technology Automated guided vehicles (hereinafter referred to as
(referred to as AGV) is deployed to transport, pick up and deliver the work,
2. Description of the Related Art It is well known to transport a chassis on which various vehicle body devices are mounted. For example, an electromagnetic pickup coil installed on both sides of an AGV detects the magnetic field generated around a guide wire laid along a travel path on an automobile manufacturing line, and detects the magnetic field generated in both layers of the AGV according to the difference in induced voltage between the two coils. The AGV is driven along a guide line by controlling the driving wheels, and work such as mounting various vehicle body devices on the chassis is carried out.

It is also known that the AGV is equipped with flexible bumpers equipped with collision detection switches on the front and rear surfaces of the AGV to detect when the AGV collides with an obstacle and to perform safe driving.

For example, this flexible bumper can be connected to 8G via wire.
When an obstacle collides with the bumper during AGV operation, the bumper deforms and the wire loosens, causing the collision detection switch, which is normally in the OFF position, to turn to the ON position due to the tensioned wire. The system is configured to detect a collision with an obstacle and perform safety management to open the AGV in the front direction. However, from the viewpoint of factory layout etc., it is better for AGVs to have a narrow vehicle width;
Some of the items loaded on the GV are wider than the GV vehicle width, and A
It is difficult to safely drive an AGV equipped with a wide chassis due to the conventional contact-type collision detection flexible bumper for AGVs, which has a detection width that is only slightly wider than the vehicle width of the GV.

In addition, the AGV is provided with a bar-shaped bumper that extends outward from the front and rear surfaces of the vehicle body and has a joint in the middle.When an obstacle collides with the bumper, the bumper bends around the joint and turns on the corresponding switch. A contact bumper is known that detects a collision by detecting a collision.

However, this type of contact bumper has a problem in that it cannot detect obstacles between the bumper member and the dirt floor.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention The present invention has a variable obstacle detection area depending on the size of the load on the AGV, etc., and is more sensitive to the surrounding environment than a conventional AGV contact bumper with a limited obstacle detection area. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a movable optical bumper for an AGV that has excellent adaptability to the vehicle and has excellent obstacle detection ability, and to ensure safety in driving the AGV.

Means for Solving the Problems The movable optical bumper for an AGV of the present invention includes a pair of front bumper members and a pair of rear bumper members, each of which is rotatably supported in a horizontal direction at the front and rear of the vehicle body of an AGV; An optical sensor disposed at the tips of the front and rear bumper members to be able to detect obstacles, and the front bumper members and the first bumper members are rotated in directions approaching and separating from each other. and a bumper drive device for selectively arranging the front bumper member at any one of a plurality of obstacle detection positions where the optical sensor can detect an obstacle.

Operation A pair of front bumper members and a pair of rear bumper members provided at the front and rear of the vehicle body of the AGV are rotated toward or away from each other by a bumper drive device depending on the width dimension of the object mounted on the AGV. and takes one of a plurality of predetermined rotational positions in which obstacles can be detected by optical sensors disposed at the tips of the front and rear bumper members. At this time, the optical sensor forms an obstacle detection area having a size corresponding to the size of the loaded object, and when an obstacle enters this detection area, it is detected by the optical sensor.

Embodiment FIGS. 1 and 2 show an automatic guided vehicle (hereinafter referred to as AGV) equipped with a movable optical bumper for an automatic guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention and deployed, for example, on an automobile manufacturing line.
The AGV is, for example, a conventionally known magnetic induction type, and includes electromagnetic pickup coils (
The vehicle body 1 is configured to drive and control the driving wheels 2 according to the difference in induced voltage on the road (as shown), and a chassis (as shown on the road) on which various vehicle body devices are mounted, for example, is mounted on the upper surface of the vehicle body 1 . 3
are casters provided on the front lower surface of the vehicle body 1.

The movable optical bumper for an AGV includes a pair of front bumper members 11 and 12 arranged at the front of the vehicle body 1 and a pair of rear bumper members 13 and 14 arranged at the rear of the vehicle body 1. In this embodiment, it is configured to selectively take one of two predetermined rotational positions (obstacle detection positions), that is, the expanded position shown by the solid line in FIG. 1 and the retracted position shown by the dashed line. There is. The front bumpers 11 and 12 are made of, for example, square pipes, have the same length, are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the vehicle body 1, and have a shaft 21.2 rotatably supported at the front of the vehicle body 1.
The proximal end portion is fixed to 2. Similarly, the rear bumpers 13 and 14 made of square pipes have the same length and are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the vehicle body 1, and their base ends are attached to shafts 23 and 24 rotatably supported at the rear of the vehicle body 1. It is fixed. Incidentally, although not shown in the drawings, as is conventionally known, a joint and a switch for detecting the bending of the bumper around the joint are provided in the middle part of each bumper, and the switch is used to detect the bending of the bumper when an obstacle collides with the bumper. It is designed to be detected.

In addition, the front bumpers 11 and 12 and the rear bumper 13i
A bumper drive device 30 is disposed within the vehicle body 1 for rotating the bumper pairs toward or away from each other so that each bumper pair assumes an expanded position or a retracted position. A servo motor 31 is provided with toothed pulleys 32 and 33 fixed in two stages, upper and lower. An external gear 34 is attached to the shaft 21 that supports one front bumper 11.
and a toothed pulley 35 are fixed in two stages, upper and lower, a gear 36 that meshes with the gear 34 is fixed to the other front bumper 12, and a timing belt 37 is wound between the pulleys 32 and 35. Similarly, an external gear 38 and a toothed pulley 39 are fixed to the shaft 24 that supports one rear bumper 14, and a gear 40 that meshes with the gear 38 is fixed to the other rear bumper 13. A belt 41 is wound between pulleys 33 and 39.

The diameter of each pulley 32, 33, 35.39 is such that the front bumper pair 11.12 and rear bumper pair 13. The values are set so that each bumper pair can be driven to expand or retract so that when the vehicle body 1 of the AGV is taken off, the tips of adjacent bumpers face each other on the front, rear, and both sides of the vehicle body 1 of the AGV. . That is, in FIG. 1, if the left and right direction of the running direction of the AGV is the X axis, the vertical direction perpendicular to the running direction is the y axis, and the directions perpendicular to the plane of the paper are the two axes, then the bumpers 11 to 14 are arranged in the same direction. Rotates horizontally on the Z-axis coordinate position to the expanded position.

In the contracted and closed position, the tip 11a of the bumper 11 and the bumper 1
The X-axis coordinate positions of the tips 12a of the bumper 13 and the tips 14a of the bumper 14 are also the same; The X-axis coordinate position and the X-axis coordinate positions of the tip 12a of the bumper 12 and the tip 14a of the bumper 14 are also set to be the same. The servo motor 31 is driven in a conventionally known manner by a control circuit (not shown) using a position detector provided on the servo motor, and each bumper pair is moved to a predetermined expanded position and retracted position via the pulley and gear. It is provided so that it can be selectively positioned.

Optical sensors are arranged at the tips of the bumpers 11 to 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the tip 11a of the bumper 1 is provided with a light emitting element 11b.

1' IC and light receiving elements 11d and 11e.

Similarly, two light emitting elements 12b, 12c, and 13b are provided at the tips 12a to 14a of the bumpers 2 to 14, respectively.

13C, 14b, and 14C, and a light receiving element 12d.

12e, 13d, 13e, 14d, and 14e, respectively. When the bumpers 1 to 14 are in the expanded position, the light emitting element 11 provided at the tip 11a of the bumper 1
The light from b enters the light receiving element 12e provided at the tip of the bumper 2, and similarly, the light emitting element 12c of the bumper 2 enters the light receiving element 12e provided at the tip of the bumper 2.
The light from the bumper 4 enters the light receiving element 14d of the bumper 4, and the light from the light emitting element 14b of the bumper 4 enters the light receiving element 1 of the bumper 3.
The light from the light emitting element 13G of the bumper 3 is arranged so as to enter the light receiving element 11d of the bumper 1. That is, if the flow of light is described only with symbols, it is 11b-+12e, 12c→14d.

14b-'13e, 13c→11d
−(1). Furthermore, when the bumpers 1 to 14 are positioned in the retracted/closed position, the light emitting elements 'l'lc, 12b, 1 are arranged so that the flow of light is as shown in (2) below.
4c, 13b and light receiving elements'12d, 14e, 13d
, 11e are arranged.

11c → 12d, 12b-+14e.

14c→13d, 13b→11e (2) In this way, obstacles can be detected in the front, rear, and sides of the vehicle body in both the expanded and closed positions of each bumper pair.

Next, the bang-bang effect of the movable light for AGV configured as described above will be explained.

Travel control of the AGV itself is performed in a conventionally known manner.
For example, the V travels along a guide line laid on a travel route of an automobile manufacturing line, and various vehicle body devices are mounted on a chassis mounted on an elevator table 6 of the AGV.

If the items mounted on the AGV do not protrude beyond the width of the vehicle body 1, the front bumper pair 11.12 and the rear bumper pair 13
．． 14 is brought into a contracted and closed state as shown by the dashed line in FIG. Furthermore, when an object larger than the width of the vehicle body 1 is mounted, the servo motor 31 is driven to rotate in the normal direction, and its output shaft 31a rotates in the direction shown by the arrow in FIG. The pulley 35 rotates in the same direction in the figure via the shaft 21.37, which is integral with the pulley 35. gear 34
are rotated in the same direction, while the gear 36 meshing with the gear 35 and the shaft 22 are rotated in opposite directions. As a result, front bumper pair 11.
12 rotate in directions away from each other. On the other hand, the pulley 39 rotates in the same direction as the rotation direction A of the servo motor 31 via the pulley 33 and the timing belt 41.
9 and a gear 38 that can freely rotate integrally with the gear 38. The shaft 24 rotates in the same direction, the gear 40 meshing with the gear 38 and the shaft 23 rotate in the opposite direction, and the rear bumper pair 13, 14 rotates away from each other. On the other hand, when the position detector provided on the servo motor 31 detects that both bumper pairs have reached the expanded position shown by the solid line in FIG. held in the expanded position.

In this expanded position, the light emitting elements 11b, 12G arranged at the tips 11a to 14a of each rod-shaped bumper 11 to 14,
14b, 13C and the light receiving element 12e.

Between 14d, 13e, and 11d, as described above (1
) light flow is transmitted and received, and there is a light flow around the AGV.
An obstacle detection area shown by a broken line in FIG. 1 is formed which is wider than the width of a mounted object such as a chassis mounted on the GV. If an obstacle enters either of the bumper spaces adjacent to each other in the vertical or horizontal direction of the vehicle body 1, the light from the corresponding light emitting element is blocked, the obstacle is detected, and the AGV is activated as necessary. Measures such as emergency shutdown are performed using conventionally known methods.

Further, when the width of the object mounted on the AGV is less than the width of the vehicle body 1, the servo motor 31 is reversely driven in the direction opposite to the arrow in FIG. 1, and the pulley 32. Timing belt 37. The shaft 21 is connected to the shaft 2 in the same direction via the pulley 35.
The shaft 22, which is rotatable together with the gear 36 that meshes with the gear 35 that is integral with the gear 1, is rotated in the opposite direction. As a result, the front bumper pair 11.12 pivots toward each other. At the same time, the pair of trunk bumpers 13 and 14 similarly rotate in the direction toward each other. When both the bumper pairs reach the retracted/closed position shown by the dashed line in FIG. 1, the servo motor 31 is stopped and the bumper pairs are held at the position.

In this contracted and closed position, the light emitting elements 11c, 12b arranged at the tips 11a to 14a of each rod-shaped bumper 11 to 14,
14c, '13b, and light receiving elements 12d, 14e, 13d
, 11e, the light of the light flow (2) is transmitted and received as described above, and a narrow obstacle detection area shown by the broken line in Figure 1 is formed around the AGV. Avoid interfering with work. When an obstacle enters either of the bumper spaces adjacent to each other in the vertical or horizontal direction of the vehicle body 1, the light from the corresponding light emitting element is blocked.
Detects obstacles and activates alarms as necessary! 2! l position is taken.

In the above embodiment, an AGV installed in an automobile manufacturing line was explained, but the present invention can be applied to various AGVs.
Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the tips of the bumpers that are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body 1 of the AGV are also provided so that they can face each other, so that in addition to detecting obstacles in the front and rear of the AGV, it is also possible to detect obstacles on the sides of the AGV. However, obstacle detection on the side of the AGV may be omitted. Further, in the above embodiment, a transmissive type optical sensor is used as the optical sensor disposed on the bumper, but a reflective optical sensor may be used. Although the first and second light emitting elements are constructed from two light emitting elements that emit light in different directions, for example, an optical system may be placed immediately outside one light emitting element to direct the emitted beam within the required angle range. It may also be diffused.

Moreover, although each bumper pair is arranged to take two rotational positions, the expanded position and the contracted/closed position, it may be provided so that it can take three or more predetermined rotational positions. Further, in the above embodiment, the bumper drive device is composed of a servo motor, a pulley, a gear, etc., but the invention is not limited to this. For example, the servo motor and each bumper may be connected by a shaft drive groove, or the front The bumper pair and the rear bumper pair may be driven and controlled by separate servo motors.

Moreover, if the lengths of the bumper members 11 to 14 are the same and the shafts 21 to 24 that support the bumper members 11 to 14 are arranged at the same symmetrical position with respect to the AGV vehicle body axis, each bumper part vJ
The tips 11a to 14a of Nos. 11 to 14 are always the tips 11a and 12a, 13a and 14a regardless of the rotation angle of the bumper member.
are opposed in the middle direction of the vehicle body 1 (the y-axis direction in the above example), and the tips 11a and 138, and 12a and 14a are in the side direction of the vehicle body 1 (
Since they face each other in the X-axis direction (as in the example described above), it is possible to form any obstacle detection area depending on the width of the object to be loaded on the AGV.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the pair of front bumper members and the pair of rear bumper members provided at the front and rear of the vehicle body of the AGV are arranged in accordance with the width dimension of the object mounted on the AGV. Since the AG is rotated relative to each other and the optical sensors disposed at the tips of the front and rear basipa members form an obstacle detection area of a required width to detect an obstacle, the AG
The range of the obstacle detection area can be changed according to the size of the vehicle's load, etc., and the AGV has much superior obstacle detection ability compared to the conventional AGV contact type van van with a limited obstacle detection area.
It is possible to provide a movable optical vane for use, and to ensure the safety of AGV operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram for explaining the principle of optical banging operation for an AGV according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic side view of the same AGV, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing an optical sensor provided on a bumper member. It is a diagram. 1...Vehicle body, 11.12...Front bumper member, 13
．． 14... Rear bumper member, 30... Bumper drive device, 11b to 14b, 11c to 14G... Light emitting element,
11 d ~ 14d, 1 'le ~ 14e-...
Light receiving element. Figure 3

Claims (4)

[Claims] (1) A pair of front bumper members and a pair of rear bumper members that are rotatably supported in the horizontal direction on the front and rear parts of the vehicle body of the automated guided vehicle, respectively, and the front end portions of the front and rear bumper members are damaged. An optical sensor arranged to be able to detect objects, and the front bumper members and the rear bumper members are rotated in directions approaching and separating from each other, so that the front and rear bumper members can detect obstacles using the optical sensor. A movable optical bumper for an automatic guided vehicle, comprising a bumper drive device for selectively placing the bumper at any one of a plurality of obstacle detection positions. (2) The front bumper members and the rear bumper members are arranged symmetrically with respect to the axis of the vehicle body, and are rotated by the same angle by the bumper drive device to take either obstacle detection position. A movable optical bumper for an automatic guided vehicle according to claim 1. (3) A patent for detecting an obstacle that has entered between the tips of a pair of bumper members by transmitting and receiving light between the pair of bumper members using optical sensors placed at the tips of the pair of front and rear bumper members. A movable optical bumper for an automatic guided vehicle according to claim 1 or 2. (4) Claim 1, wherein an optical sensor disposed at the tip of the bumper member transmits and receives light on the side of the automatic guided vehicle to detect an obstacle that has entered the side of the automatic guided vehicle. , the movable optical bumper for an automatic guided vehicle according to item 2 or 3.