JPS6247715A - Sensor for unmanned vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate an easy contact of a sensor with a guide wall by providing the 1st hook member to a support member or a shift member of the sensor together with the 2nd hook member which interlocks the 1st hook member and an operating member which releases the interlock between both hook members. CONSTITUTION:A sensor is attached to the side of the body of a forklift to detect the distance traveled and the driving posture of the forklift with a contact secured with a guide wall. The sensor contains a box 36 storing a shift member. A bracket 72 is fixed to the box 36 and a cylinder 80 is fitted rotatably to a pin 76 of a support part 74 for the bracket 72. Then a hook 82 of the 1st hook member is fixed to the cylinder 80. While a lever 92 serving as an operating member is fixed at the part corresponding to the upper side of the hook 82. Furthermore, a knob type member 98 serving as the 2nd hook member is fixed to the lower surface side opposite to the bracket 72, etc. via a plate 96. Then, both members 82 and 98 interlock with each other and held at a shunting position. This interlock between both members can be released with operation of the lever 92 with reduced labor and time.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention Technical Field The present invention relates to a sensor that is attached to a vehicle that can run unmanned while being guided by a guide wall, and that detects changes in the distance between the vehicle and the guide wall while following the guide wall. It is related to.

Background of the Invention Conventionally, a sensor is attached to a vehicle and the vehicle is driven unmanned while the sensor follows a guide wall. As a sensor for such a vehicle that can run unmanned, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a sensor that is attached to a support member fixed to the vehicle so as to be movable in a direction intersecting the guide wall. a movable member having a contact portion at its tip; a biasing device that biases the movable member in a direction in which the contact portion contacts a guide wall; and a travel amount detection device that detects the amount of movement of the movable member. We proposed a sensor with This sensor detects changes in the distance by detecting the amount of movement of the moving member that moves with changes in the distance between the vehicle and the guide wall, and the vehicle control device receives the information sent from the sensor. determine whether or not it is necessary to correct the traveling direction based on the detected signal,
Make corrections if necessary.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, when a vehicle equipped with such a sensor is no longer guided by the guide wall and moves away from the guide wall, there is nothing to receive the biasing force of the biasing device. For,
The movable member may move until the contact portion is farthest from the vehicle, which may interfere with traveling or subsequent work.

Furthermore, when the contact portion is brought into contact with the guide wall in order to cause the vehicle to travel along the guide wall again, the sensor is brought into contact with the guide wall while pushing the moving member back toward the vehicle against the biasing force of the biasing device. Although this is often necessary or desirable, such work is troublesome, and in particular, it is not easy to perform it while the vehicle is moving, and there is an unavoidable problem that it takes time and effort.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve these problems, the present invention includes a moving member, a biasing device, and a moving amount detecting device attached to a support member fixed to a vehicle as described above. In the sensor,
A first engaging member is provided on either the support member or the moving member, the first engaging member being rotatable around an axis substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the moving member and biased in one direction by a biasing means. On the other hand, as the movable member moves toward the vehicle, the first engaging member is rotated against the biasing force of the biasing means, and the second engaging member is brought into a stationary state with the first engaging member. An engaging member is provided, and an operating member is provided for rotating the first engaging member against the biasing force of the biasing means to disengage the second engaging member.

In the sensor configured as described above, when the movable member is moved toward the vehicle, the first engagement member and the second engagement member come to a standstill state, whereby the movable member is not biased by the biasing device. It is kept in a retreat position where it retreats to the vehicle side against the force. Furthermore, when the engagement between the first engagement member and the second engagement member is released by operating the operating member, the movable member moves toward the guide wall, making it possible to detect changes in the distance between the guide wall and the vehicle. Returns to normal operating position.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the movable member is maintained at the retracted position retracted toward the vehicle by the engagement between the first engaging member and the second engaging member, so even if the vehicle becomes detached from the guide wall. , the moving member does not extend out and can be kept out of the way.

In addition, in this state, the amount of protrusion of the sensor from the vehicle becomes small, so that it is possible to easily bring the sensor into contact with the guide wall in order to make the vehicle run along the guide wall again after it has come off the guide wall. can get. Furthermore, the engagement and release of the first engagement member and the second engagement member in this sensor are easily accomplished by moving the movable member and operating the operating member, respectively, which has the advantage of saving time and effort.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, a case in which the present invention is applied to a sensor for a counterbalance type forklift truck that can run unmanned will be described in detail based on the drawings.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, 2 is the vehicle body, and the front wheels are drive wheels 4. The rear wheel is the steering wheel 6. The vehicle body 2 is provided with a balance weight 8 at the rear thereof and a head guard 10 above. In front of the vehicle body 2, as is well known, there is a fork 1 on which the work W is placed.
2. Outer mast 14. Innamast 16. A cargo handling device including a lift cylinder 18 for raising the inner mast 16, a tilt cylinder 20 for tilting the cargo handling device forward or backward, a side shift cylinder 22 for side shifting the fork 12 in the left-right direction of the vehicle body 2, etc. are provided. There is.

This forklift 28 can be operated manned by a driver, but it can also be operated unmanned by being guided by a guide wall 30 as shown in FIG.

Sensors 32 and 34 are attached to the sides of the vehicle body 2 to detect the distance and traveling attitude of the vehicle body 2 with respect to the guide wall 30 by contacting the guide wall 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the sensor 32 includes a box 36 as a support member fixed to the vehicle body 2, and a moving member 38 is provided within the box 36. The moving member 38 includes a longitudinal main body 40, crossbars 42 and 43 fixed at right angles to one end and the upper surface of the intermediate portion of the main body 40, respectively, and a slider fixed to the lower surface of the intermediate portion of the main body 40. 44, and the slider 44 is supported movably in a direction perpendicular to a wall surface 46 of the guide wall 30 (hereinafter referred to as the guide wall surface 46) by a guide rail 45 fixed to the box 36. This moving member 38 is constantly urged toward the guide wall surface 46 by a spring 47 serving as a biasing device. A spring 47 is stretched between one longitudinal end of the cross spar 42 and the box 36, and the amount by which the moving member 38 moves in and out of the box 36 due to the bias of the spring 47 is detected by the linear potentiometer 48. It has become. The linear potentiometer 48 functions as a movement amount detection device that detects the movement amount of the moving member 3 days.

Further, a plate 52 serving as a contact portion having a U-shaped cross section is attached to the distal end of the main body portion 40 of the moving member 380 so as to be rotatable around the axis of a vertical shaft 50 at the intermediate portion. . The plate 52 is normally held at a neutral position perpendicular to the main body 40 by two symmetrically arranged springs 54, and receives the biasing force of the spring 47 via the moving member 38 to guide the plate 52. It is urged toward the wall surface 46 side. Both ends of the plate 52 are roundly curved in a direction away from the guide wall surface 46, and rollers 56 are rotatably attached to the respective curved surfaces at positions slightly exposed to the outside through notches. If there is an obstacle such as a protrusion on the guide wall surface 46, the plate 52 rotates around the axis of the shaft 50 to help overcome it. Further, the plate 52 is brought into contact with the guide wall 30 via a plurality of spheres 60 rotatably housed within the case 58. Inside the bottom wall 62 of the plate 52,
Support Fi is provided via a bracket 64 having a U-shaped cross section.
66 is attached at a certain distance from the bottom wall 62, a case 58 is fixed to this support plate 66, a part of the sphere 60 is made to protrude from the case 58, and as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3, it projects from a notch 68 formed in the bottom wall 62 toward the guide wall 30 side. The plate 52 connects to the guide wall surface 4 via these spheres 60.
These spheres 60 make it possible for the sensor 32 to evenly follow the guide wall 46 while reducing the friction between the plate 52 and the guide wall 46.

The other sensor 34 has a similar configuration, and the distance between the vehicle body 2 and the guide wall surface 46 is detected by the output signals of the linear potentiometers 48 of both sensors 32 and 34. Further, the running attitude of the vehicle body 2 with respect to the guide wall surface 46 is detected based on the output difference between both linear potentiometers 48, and signals emitted from both sensors 32 and 34 are sent to a steering control circuit (not shown), and if necessary, The driving posture of the vehicle and the distance from the guide wall surface 46 are corrected.

The moving member 38 is attached to the box 3 for the sensors 32 and 34.
The following engagement device is provided to engage the device 6.

A portion of the bottom wall 70 of the box 36 on the side opposite to the side on which the spring 47 is stretched,
A bracket 72 is fixed to a portion that faces the cross spar 43 when the cross spar 43 is in the most retracted state into the box 36. As shown in FIG. 2, this bracket 72 is provided with a support part 74 having a U-shaped cross section and opening on the side opposite to the vehicle body 2. A pin 76 is attached to the support part 74 in the direction of movement of the moving member 38. It is mounted almost at right angles to the A cylinder 80 is rotatably fitted into the portion of the pin 76 sandwiched between the side walls of the support portion 74 via a bush 78, and a hook 82 as a first engagement member is fixed to the cylinder 80. As shown in FIG. 3, the hook 82 is fixed to the cylinder 80 at its intermediate portion, and the other end of a spring 84 as a biasing means is wound around the cylinder 80 and has one end engaged with the support portion 74. The spring 84 is biased counterclockwise in FIG. 3. The rotation of the hook 82 based on the bias of the spring 84 is restricted by one end of the hook 82 coming into contact with the tip of an adjustment bolt 86 screwed into the support portion 74. It is always maintained in the posture shown in Figure 3. Further, a protrusion 88 is formed at the other end of the hook 82 . The bottle 76 of this protrusion 88
The surface of IIJ is an engaging surface 89 that is substantially in contact with an arc centered on the axis of the pin 76, while the opposite surface is an inclined surface 90 that is inclined with respect to the engaging surface 89. ing.

A lever 92 as an operating member is fixed to the upper portion of the cylinder 80 when the hook 82 is in the position shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the lever 92 is extended upwardly from the cylinder 80 and then bent 90 degrees to protrude outward from a notch 94 formed in the box 36. As shown in the figure, the lever 92 is formed along an arc centered on the axis of the bin 76 in a direction that allows the lever 92 to rotate clockwise in the figure.

A handle-like member 98 serving as a second engagement member is fixed to the lower surface of the cross bar 43 facing the bracket 72 and the like via a plate 96. As is clear from FIGS. 1 and 3, the handle-like member 98 connects a pair of L-shaped mounting legs 100 fixed to the plate 96 and the tips of the mounting legs 100, and connects the movable member 38.
The connecting portion 102 extends substantially perpendicularly to the direction of movement of the connecting portion 102.

In the sensors 32 and 34 configured as above,
When the forklift 28 is driven unmanned along the guide wall 30, the moving member 38 moves freely relative to the box 36 to detect the distance between the vehicle body 2 and the guide wall 46. In this case, the moving member 38 is locked to the box 36 in the following manner. That is,
When the operator pushes the moving member 38 and moves it toward the vehicle body 2, the connecting portion 102 of the handle-like member 98 comes into contact with the inclined surface 90 of the hook 82 at approximately the middle portion in the longitudinal direction 1, and the position is aligned with the pin 76. The hook 82 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3 against the biasing force of the spring 84 due to the fact that the hook 82 is above the axis of the hook 82 and the effect of the slope. When the connecting portion 102 passes through the protrusion 88, the hook 82 returns to the state shown in FIG. The movable member 38 is engaged with the engagement surface 89 of the hook 82 under the force of a spring 47 that urges the movable member 38 in a direction away from the vehicle body 2 . As a result, the movable member 38 is locked to the box 36 in the retracted position, and the sensors 32 and 34 are kept in a state where the amount of protrusion is the smallest.

In order to release the movable member 38 from the box 36, the lever 92 can be turned clockwise in FIG. 3. The hook 82 and the cylinder 80 are rotated in the same direction against the biasing force of the spring 84, and the engagement between the hook 82 and the connecting portion 102 is released, and the moving member 38 biased by the spring 47 is activated. After moving to this position, the sensors 32 and 34 return to a state in which they can detect the distance between the guide wall surface 46 and the vehicle body 2.

In this way, in the sensors 32 and 34, the moving member 38
box 36 while moving it to the retracted position on the vehicle body 2 side.
Therefore, if the forklift 28 no longer needs to travel along the guide wall 30 due to reasons such as switching to manned travel, the guide wall 3
If the movable member 38 is locked to the box 36 as described above before or after leaving the box 36, the movable member 3
8 is biased by the spring 47, and the cross bar 43 protrudes until it comes into contact with the side wall of the box 36 on the plate 52 side, and does not interfere with traveling or work, and furthermore, the cross bar 43 travels by the amount of the protruding moving member 38. There is no need to make the road wider.

Furthermore, even when the vehicle that has once come off the guide wall 30 is caused to run again under the guidance of the guide wall 30, if the moving member 38 is engaged with the box 36 as described above, the sensors 32 and 34 can be guided. The movable member 38 of the sensors 32 and 34 can be easily brought into contact with the box 36 by moving the movable member 38 toward the vehicle body 2 and pressing the lever 92. Each can be easily performed by rotating the device, which has the advantage of not requiring much effort or time.

In the above embodiment, the movement of the moving member 38 toward the vehicle body 2 and the operation of the lever 92 are performed manually, but it is also possible to perform them automatically. For example, as shown in FIG.
One end of the hydraulic cylinder 104 is rotatably connected to the side wall of the example, and the piston rod 106 of the hydraulic cylinder 104 is
is connected to the crossbar 43, and a hydraulic cylinder 108 is attached to the box 36 at a position opposite to the lever 92 at an appropriate distance. When the piston rod 106 is contracted, the moving member 38 is moved toward the vehicle body 2, and the connecting portion 102 is engaged with the hook 82 in the same manner as in the previous embodiment. When the piston rods 106 and 110 are extended and the lever 92 is rotated, the engagement between the two is released, and this expansion and contraction of the piston rods 106 and 110 is performed by the control device that controls the unmanned running of the forklift 28. be. Note that the supply of hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder 104 is cut off after the movable member 38 is locked to the box 36, and the piston rod 110 of the hydraulic cylinder 108 is made to contract immediately after the lever 92 is rotated. .

Yet another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. In this example,
A hook 112 as a first engaging member is attached to the moving member 38, and a handle-like member 114 as a second engaging member is attached to the box 36. hook 112
The shaft 118 is attached to the crossbar 43 by the placket 116.
It is rotatably mounted around the body and is biased clockwise in FIG. 9 by a spring (not shown). The limit of clockwise rotation of the hook 112 in FIG. 9 is that one arm 120 of the hook 112 is
6, and is always maintained in the posture shown in FIG. 9. Also,
The inner surface of the protrusion 124 provided at the tip of the hook 112 is an engagement surface 126, and the outer surface is an inclined surface 128. A hydraulic cylinder 130 is provided. This hydraulic cylinder 130 is connected to a box 3 by a bracket (not shown) 1-.
It is attached to 6. Further, the handle-like member 114 has a shape in which the tips of a pair of L-shaped mounting legs 132 fixed to the bottom wall 70 of the box 36 are connected by a U-shaped connecting part 134.

As the movable member 38 moves toward the vehicle body 2, the hook 112
The inclined surface 128 of the handle-like member 114 comes into contact with the connecting part 134 and is rotated counterclockwise against the biasing force of the spring (not shown), so that the protruding part 124 climbs over the connecting part 134, and then the above-mentioned The movable member 38 is rotated clockwise by the biasing force of the spring, and when the force applied to the moving member 38 is released, the movable member 38 is engaged with the connecting portion 134 by the biasing force of the spring 47. Furthermore, in order to release this engagement, the piston rod 136 of the hydraulic cylinder 130 may be extended and the hook 112 may be rotated counterclockwise against the biasing force of the spring. In this embodiment, the hydraulic cylinder 130 functions as an operating member.

In addition, the present invention can be applied to sensors for vehicles capable of unmanned driving in addition to counterbalance forklifts, and can also be applied to support members and moving members.

Various modifications and improvements can be made based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art, such as changing the structures of the contact portion, the biasing means, the first engaging member, the second engaging member, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a rear sectional view showing a portion of a sensor according to an embodiment of the present invention in which an engagement device is provided, FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a side sectional view thereof. FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the entire sensor excluding the earthen wall of the box.
FIG. 5 is a front view (partially cut away). FIG. 6 is a plan view schematically showing a counterbalance forklift truck equipped with the above sensor, and FIG. 7 is a side view thereof. FIG. 8 is a diagram corresponding to FIG. 4 showing a sensor that is another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing the main parts of a sensor which is still another embodiment of the present invention. 22 Vehicle body 28: Forklift 30 Guide wall 32, 34: Sensor 36: Box (supporting member) 38 2nd moving member 47: Spring (biasing device) 4th: Linear potentiometer (travel amount detection device) 52
Nibrate (contact part) 82: Hook (second engagement member) 84: Spring (biasing means) 90: Bright slope 92 Nilever (operation member) 98: Handle-like member (second engagement member) 112: Hook (First engaging member) 114: Handle-shaped member (second engaging member) 130: Hydraulic cylinder (operating member) Applicant Toyota Industries Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A movable member that is movably attached to a support member fixed to a vehicle that runs unmanned along the guide wall in a direction intersecting the guide wall and that has a contact portion at its tip, and the movable member. a biasing device that biases the contact portion of the moving member in a direction in which it contacts the guide wall, and a movement amount detection device that detects the amount of movement of the moving member, and detects a change in the distance between the vehicle and the guide wall. In the sensor, one of the supporting member and the movable member is rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the movable member;
A first engaging member is provided which is biased in one direction by a biasing means, and the first engaging member is biased by the biasing force of the biasing means as the movable member moves toward the vehicle. a second engaging member that is rotated against the force of the first engaging member and engaged with the first engaging member; and the first engaging member is rotated against the urging force of the urging means. , a sensor for a vehicle capable of unmanned driving, characterized in that it is provided with an operation member for disengaging from the second engagement member.