JPS6250201A - Caster device for carrying car - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify structure and to improve shock absorbing ability and the ability of following a running road surface, by a method wherein, in a caster device for an unmanned carrying car in a shop, a moving member provided with an eccentric caster is secured to the mounting part of the carrying car through a spring. CONSTITUTION:During running and the stop of an AGV, a moving member 20 and a mounting member 30 are stabilized in a position relation shown in a Fig. through the force of a spring 40. During running, a roller 11 of an eccentric caster 10 follows an uneven road surface, the moving member 20, simultaneously, is slid over the mounting member 30 with the spring 40 expanded and contracted, and a shock from a road surface is abbsorbed by the spring 40. Further, a cylinder body 21 of the moving member 20 is formed in a tapering shape, and its outer peripheral surface is tapered, and this smoothens sliding of cylinder bodies 21 and 32 even if a force from a rod surface is exerted in any way. This constitution improves shock absorbing ability and the ability of following a road surface.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a caster device for a transport vehicle.

Conventional technology Automated guided vehicles (hereinafter referred to as AGVs) that transport workpieces to CNC equipment in unmanned factories are known. This type of AGV typically has drive wheels on both sides of the vehicle body, and Auxiliary casters are provided before and after each drive wheel on the bottom,
GV Absorbs shocks caused by uneven road surfaces A, G
This ensures that the V runs smoothly. Conventional auxiliary casters for AGVs include, for example, a lever mechanism connected to the bottom surface of the vehicle body via a spring to rotatably and pivotably support the rollers of the casters. However, this type of AGV caster has a large number of component parts and has a complicated structure.Moreover, each part is not available as a general-purpose part and must be manufactured to order, which poses a problem in terms of cost.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention An object of the present invention is to provide a caster device for a transport vehicle that has a simple structure, has excellent shock absorption properties and ability to follow the AGV running road surface, and can be manufactured at a low cost.

Means for Solving the Problems The caster device for a transport vehicle according to the present invention has an eccentric caster attached to the bottom of the transport vehicle via a spring.

Function: While the automatic guided vehicle is running on an AGV running road surface, the spring expands and contracts according to the unevenness of the road surface to absorb shock from the road surface, and the eccentric casters follow the road surface well. A general-purpose 4-caster can be used as the eccentric caster.

EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an example of an AGV according to an embodiment of the present invention.
This caster device mainly includes an eccentric caster 10, a movable member 20 to which the caster 10 is fixed, and a movable member 20 arranged coaxially and slidably fitted to the AGV vehicle body. Mounting member 3 for fixing to the bottom of 50
0 and a spring 40 interposed between both members 20 and 30.

The eccentric caster 10 is preferably a general-purpose caster, and the caster 10 of this embodiment supports a roller 11 via a roller shaft at the lower end of an eccentric support leg 12.
A rotating shaft (not shown) integrally protruding from the upper surface is rotatably and irremovably supported by a bearing 14 fixed to a mounting plate 13, and a roller 11 rotates around the rotating shaft. It is possible to rotate.

The movable member 20 is made by integrally forming a cylindrical body 22 with two closed end faces on a flange 21 having a square outer shape,
The caster 10 is attached to the bolt/nut 51 on the second wall 23.
It is fastened with. On the other hand, the handle member 30 has an upper wall 31 made of a rectangular flat plate, and the upper wall 31 is connected to the movable member 2.
The cylindrical recess 32 that is integral with the upper wall 31 slides on the cylindrical body 22 of the movable member 20. It can be fitted freely. And the movable member 20
The outer shape of the cylindrical body 21 is slightly tapered, in other words, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 21 is slightly tapered so that it can slide smoothly on the mounting member 30. Further, step portions 21b and 32a are formed on the lower side of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 21 and on the upper side of the inner peripheral surface of the four cylindrical parts 32.
It constitutes a sill/flange that restricts the sliding of the 0.

Further, springs/IO are fitted into bolts 53 welded to the four corners of the upper wall 31 of the mounting member 30, respectively, and each spring 40 has both ends in contact with the flange 21 of the movable member 20 and the upper wall 31 of the mounting member 30. The members 20 and 30 are brought into contact with each other and urged in the direction of separation. Each bolt 53 has a flange 21
A nut 54 extends through an insertion hole 21a formed in the hole 21a and is screwed into a threaded portion at the lower end of the nut 54, holding the movable member 20 in a fitted state with the member 30.

When assembling the caster device with the above configuration, caster 10
is fixed to the movable member 20 with a bolt/nut 51, while a spring 40 is attached to a bolt 53 welded to the mounting member 30.
Wrap it around. Next, with the cylindrical body 21 of the movable member 20 fitted into the cylindrical recess 32 of the mounting member 30, the bolt 53
Finish the assembly by screwing on the nut 54.

Then, from the insertion hole 23a of the movable member 20, the poles 1 and 52 are inserted.
and adjust the caster load assembled with the bolt 52 to ΔG.
It is fixed to the bottom of the V car body 50.

Next, the operation of the caster device configured as in (e) above will be explained.

When the AGV stops running, the movable member 20 and the mounting member 30 assume the positional relationship approximately shown in FIG. 1 due to the spring force of the spring 40, and the caster device stably holds the AGV. to G
During V running, the rollers 11 of the eccentric casters 10 follow the uneven running road surface well, and the movable member 20 slides against the mounting member 30 while expanding and contracting the spring 40 according to the unevenness of the road surface. The spring 40 absorbs the impact applied from the spring 40. Then, from the road surface, roller 11
The force applied to the eccentric caster 10 is caused by the fact that the support leg 12 of the eccentric caster 10 extends diagonally with respect to the rotation axis (not shown) of the caster 100, and the roller 11 moves in any circumferential direction with respect to the rotation axis in response to changes in the direction of movement of the AGV. It acts in various directions depending on its position. However, since the cylindrical body 21 of the movable member 20 has a tapered shape and its outer circumferential surface is tapered, even if this type of force acts in the direction of displacement, the cylindrical bodies 21 and 32 will not be strained against each other. Both slide smoothly.

In this embodiment, the cylindrical body 21 is tapered for ease of processing, but the same effect can be obtained by forming a taper on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical recess 32.

When a considerably large force is applied to the caster device in the direction of contracting the spring 40, the stepped portions 21b and 32a of the cylindrical body 21.32 come into contact with the opposing surfaces of the extension side cylindrical body 32.21, causing the cylindrical body 21. This prevents damage caused by collisions between component parts of the caster device.Although the above embodiment has been described as a caster device for AGVs, it is not limited to AGVs. , even if the caster device of the present invention is attached to a transport vehicle or the like.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, since the eccentric casters are attached to the bottom of the automatic guided vehicle via springs, the caster device can be configured with a small number of parts, and the structure can be simplified. Shock absorbency and ability to follow the road surface can be improved. Furthermore, general-purpose casters can be used as the eccentric casters, resulting in a significant cost reduction.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 2 showing a caster device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the same embodiment. 10... Eccentric caster, 20... Movable member, 30...
... Mounting member, 40... Spring, 50... Automated guided vehicle body.

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) In a caster device fixed to the bottom of a transport vehicle,
A caster device for a transport vehicle, comprising a movable member to which eccentric casters are fixed, and a mounting member for attaching to the bottom of the transport vehicle, which is fixed to the movable member via a spring. (2) The caster device for a guided vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member has a cylindrical recess, and the movable member has a cylindrical body that slidably fits into the cylindrical recess. (3) The caster device for a transport vehicle according to claim 2, wherein one of the fitting surfaces of the cylindrical recess and the cylindrical body is tapered.