JPS6275722A - Automatic running vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To cause a running vehicle to make automatic right turn or left turn at diverging points of its running route, by operating the steering circuit of the running car in accordance with commands from a running mode commanding circuit and detecting signals of two sensors. CONSTITUTION:Two sensors 5 and 6 which are arranged almost normal to the advancing direction of a running vehicle at an interval and detect presence/ absence of a leading zone M just below the sensors 5 and 6, are fitted to each running vehicle which is provided with driving wheels 1 and a steering wheel 3 that are respectively driven by driving means 2 and 4 and automatically runs along the leading zone M provided on the running route of the running vehicle. Moreover, a running mode commanding circuit 7 which commands the running vehicle to run along the right edge or left edge of the leading zone M and a steering circuit 8 which operates in accordance with a command from the circuit 7 and detecting outputs of the two sensors 5 and 6 and controls the driving means 4 of the steering wheel 3 are provided. Therefore, the running car automatically runs along either right or left edge of the leading zone M and makes right or left turn following the curve of the leading zone M at the diverging points of the running route.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an improvement in an automatic traveling vehicle that automatically travels along a guide strip laid on a travel route.

[Conventional technology] Conventional self-driving vehicles include those that guide the vehicle by passing alternating current through electric wires buried in the route, and those that use sensors to detect metal tape affixed to the route. There was one that ran.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-mentioned buried electric wire method, if a branch point is provided in the driving route to automatically make the vehicle turn right or left, it is necessary to switch the current flowing through the electric wire. Complex on-road equipment was required for switching.

In addition, the conventional metal tape system requires special detection means for turning right or left, and there is a problem in that it is difficult to obtain a reliable automatic branching means.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The configuration of the present invention for solving the above problems will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 corresponding to embodiments.

The automatic driving vehicle of the present invention has drive wheels 1 and steering wheels 3, each of which is driven by a drive means 2 or 4, and automatically travels along a guide strip M laid on a travel path. In the vehicle, two sensors 5 and 6 are arranged in a direction substantially perpendicular to the traveling direction at a predetermined mutual interval and are attached to the traveling vehicle and detect the presence or absence of the guide band M located directly below; A running mode command circuit 7 instructs the running mode of running along the left edge or right edge of the band M, based on the command from the command circuit 7 and the detection outputs of the two sensors 5 and 6. The steering wheel 3
The steering circuit 8 is provided with a steering circuit 8 for controlling the drive means 4 of the vehicle.

[Operation of the Invention] In the automatic driving vehicle configured as described above, the two sensors 5 and 6 detect the presence or absence of the guide band M located directly below each sensor and output a detection signal. Further, a driving mode command is issued from the driving mode command circuit 7. The steering circuit 8 operates based on this running mode command and the detection signal from the sensor 5.6, and controls the drive means 4 for the steered wheels 3 by its output. As a result, the vehicle automatically travels along either the left or right edge of the guide strip M, and turns left or right according to the bend in the guide strip M at the branch point of the travel route.

[Example] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the main parts of an automatic traveling vehicle according to the present invention, with the vehicle body omitted. In the figure, M indicates a metal tape as a guide band laid on the traveling route of the vehicle, and the arrow indicates the traveling direction. Reference numeral 1 denotes a drive wheel that drives the vehicle, 2 a travel motor that is a driving means for the drive wheel, 3 a steering wheel that determines the running direction of the vehicle, and 4 a steering wheel that drives the direction of the steering wheel. It's a motor. 5 and 6 are metal tape M
Two sensors are installed at the front of the vehicle in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval according to the width of the vehicle in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of travel.Depending on their position relative to the direction of travel, 5 is the left sensor and 6 is the right sensor. It is called a sensor. These sensors are for detecting the presence or absence of the metal tape M located directly below them. Furthermore, these sensors are connected to the steered wheels 3 so that their orientation changes depending on the orientation of the steered wheels 3 with respect to the traveling direction. Reference numeral 7 denotes a running mode command circuit which outputs a signal instructing a running mode in which the vehicle runs along the left edge of the metal tape M or along the right edge. Reference numeral 8 denotes a steering circuit which operates upon receiving the command signal from this command circuit and the detection outputs of the two sensors 5 and 6 to control the steering motor 4.

FIG. 2 shows a specific example of the configuration of the driving mode command circuit 7 and the steering circuit 8 described above. In the same figure, 1
1 is a signal generator that outputs a signal with a digital value of "1", 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a switch for outputting this signal as a left edge running command or a right edge running command from different output terminals. A1 and A2 are AND circuits, I1 and I2 are inhibition circuits, and 01 and 02 are OR circuits, which constitute a logic circuit connected as shown in the figure to detect the above running command and both sensors 5 and 6. It is designed to receive output.

Relays 13 and 14 are opened and closed by the output of OR circuit 01 or 02, respectively. 15 and 16 are batteries, and the mutual connection points of these batteries and the mutual connection points of relays 13 and 14 are connected to the steering motor 4.

Next, the operation of the automatic driving vehicle of this embodiment will be explained.

There are two types of running modes for this running vehicle: a left edge running mode in which the vehicle runs along the left edge of the metal tape M, and a right edge running mode in which it runs along the right edge. Fig. 3 shows the outline of these running modes, and (a) to (e) in the figure each show the different positional relationships of the sensors 5 and 6 with respect to the metal tape M, which is the guide band. . The shaded sensor in the same figure is
The presence of the metal tape M is detected directly below it, and the detection signal "1" is detected.
", and the sensor outputs the signal rOJ.

First, let us explain the case of left edge driving. In this case,
The switch 12 in FIG. 2 is switched to the contact side, and a left edge running command is sent to the steering circuit 8.

When the sensors 5 and 6 are located across the left edge of the metal tape M as shown in FIG. 3(d), the output signal of the sensor 5 is "O" and the output signal of the sensor 6 is "1". , are calculated by the logic circuit of the steering circuit 8 together with the above travel command. In this case, the output from the OR circuit 01.02 becomes "0", the steering motor 4 is not driven, and the vehicle travels straight along the left edge of the metal tape M. Sensors 5 and 6 are the third
When in position (1) or (C) in the figure, the output signal from each sensor at the respective position is "1" or "0".
”, and a signal “1” is output from the OR circuit 01 of the steering circuit 8. This causes the relay 13 to operate and the steering motor 4 to drive the steering wheels 3 to turn the vehicle to the left, resulting in the state shown in (d). When the sensors 5 and 6 are in the position shown in FIG. 3 (e), a signal "1" is output from the OR circuit 02, the relay 14 is operated, and the motor 4 drives the steered wheel 3 in the opposite direction to the above. to make the vehicle turn right,
Make the state as shown in (d).

Next, the case of right edge travel will be described. In this case, the switch 12 in FIG. 2 is switched to the contact R side, and a right edge travel command is issued. When the sensor 5.6 is in the position shown in FIG. 3(b), the output from the OR circuit 01.02 is "0" based on the calculation in the steering circuit 8, the motor 4 is not driven, and the vehicle is driven by the metal tape. Go straight along the right edge of M. When the sensor 5.6 is in the position of (C) or (d) in FIG. 3, a signal "1" is output from the OR circuit o2.

This causes the relay 14 to operate and the motor 4 to drive the steering wheels 3 to turn the vehicle to the right. When the sensor 5.6 is in the position shown in FIG. 3 (a), the signal "1" is output from the OR circuit 01.
" is output, the relay 13 operates, and the vehicle turns left.

Fig. 4 shows an example of laying the metal tape M at a branch point of the travel route. When the vehicle is traveling on the left edge, the vehicle travels in the direction of the left turn arrow shown in the figure, and when traveling on the right edge, the vehicle travels as shown in the left turn arrow. Drive in the direction of the right turn arrow.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the induction band was a metal tape, but
It may also be formed from a light reflecting material.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the automatic driving vehicle of the present invention uses two sensors attached to the traveling vehicle in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of travel, and determines whether there is a guide band located directly below each sensor. is detected, the steering circuit is operated based on the command from the driving mode command circuit and the above-mentioned detection signal, and the drive means for the steered wheels is controlled by the output of the steering circuit, so the detection is relatively simple. The control means can automatically cause the vehicle to turn left or right at a branch point in the travel route.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an overview of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a specific configuration example of a driving mode command circuit and a steering circuit used in the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 4, which is an explanatory diagram showing how the vehicle travels, is a plan view showing an example of installing guide strips at branch points of the traveling route. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Drive wheel, 2... Traveling motor as a drive wheel drive source, 3... Steering wheel, 4... Steering motor as a steered wheel drive source, 5... Left sensor, 6 ...Right sensor, 7...Driving mode command circuit, 8...Steering circuit, M
...Metal tape as an induction band. Figure 3 4th prisoner

Claims (1)

[Claims] In an automatic driving vehicle that has driving wheels and steering wheels each driven by a driving means and automatically travels along a guide belt laid on a traveling route, the vehicle is driven approximately in the direction of travel with a predetermined mutual interval. two sensors installed on the vehicle in a perpendicular direction to detect the presence or absence of the guide strip located directly below; and a travel mode of running along the left edge or right edge of the guide strip. and a steering circuit that operates based on the command from the command circuit and detection outputs of the two sensors to control the drive means for the steered wheels. self-driving car.