JPS63273113A - Safety device for unmanned carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent danager of a person in contact with a mounted truck even if the person accesses the titled carrier during the operation of the mounted truck by providing a forward/backward detector detecting an near or remote obstacle in the forward/backward direction of the carrier and detecting the vicinity at the operation of the mounted truck. CONSTITUTION:A forward detector 12 and a backward detector 13 are provided respectively to the forward/backward part of the carrier 3 with a mounted truck 11 installed thereupon. A detection selecting means 14 selects the forward detector 12 at the forward movement of the carrier 3 and the backward detector 13 at the backward movement so as to detect a reflected wave from a remote obstacle among the reflected waves detected by the detectors, a control means 15 outputs stop command to stop the carrier 3 tentatively. Moreover, the reflected wave from a near obstacle among reflected wave detected by the forward/backward detectors 12, 13 is detected during operation of the mounted truck 11, a stop command is output from the control means 15 to stop the mounted truck 11 tentatively. Thus, even when a person accesses the carrier during the operation of the mounted truck, the danager in contact with the mounted truck is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a safety device for an automatic guided vehicle equipped with a transfer device for transferring objects.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a conventional safety device for an automatic guided vehicle disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 55-15502.

In the figure, C1) is the road surface, (2) is the reflective guide such as aluminum tape or stainless steel tape installed along the road surface (11), and [3] is the road surface that runs on the road surface (1) and carries the conveyed object (4I). A transport vehicle, (51 is a reflective photoelectric switch, and (6) is an obstacle on the road surface (1).

Conventional safety devices for automated guided vehicles are configured as described above.
Transport vehicle (31 detects reflective guide (2) (details omitted)
By doing so, the vehicle travels guided by this reflective guide (2). A reflective photoelectric switch (51) projects a light beam in front of the transport vehicle (31) and detects the reflected light to detect an obstacle (61. The transport vehicle (3) is also equipped with a transfer machine, and the transported objects (4) are automatically loaded and unloaded (hereinafter referred to as "transfer").

[The problem that the invention attempts to solve]

With conventional automatic guided vehicle safety devices such as those mentioned above.

Obstacles (61) are detected when the conveyance vehicle (31) is running, and obstacles are not detected when the conveyance vehicle (41) is being transferred. In this case, there is a problem that it is dangerous because it may come into contact with the transfer machine, and there is also a possibility that the transported object (4) may fall.

This invention was made to solve the above problems, and is an unmanned transport system that prevents the risk of contacting the transfer machine even if one person approaches the transfer machine while the transfer machine is in operation. The purpose is to provide car safety equipment.

[Means for solving problems]

The safety device for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention includes front and rear detectors that detect distant and nearby obstacles in a non-contact manner at the front and rear of the guided vehicle. When traveling, it detects a distant area, and when the transfer machine is operating, it detects a nearby area, and if an obstacle is detected, the movement of the transport machine or the operation of the transfer machine is temporarily stopped, respectively.

[Effect]

In this invention, the front and rear detectors are used in common during traveling and during transfer, and during transfer, they are designed to detect the vicinity, so when a person approaches the conveyance vehicle during transfer, it is detected and the transfer machine is activated. Temporarily stop the transfer work.

〔Example〕

Figures 1 to 4 are diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a perspective view of the carrier, the third factor is a block circuit diagram, and FIG. N4 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG. 3. Portions similar to those of the conventional device are designated by the same reference numerals.

This embodiment is constructed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. That is, a front detector Qz and a rear detector c are installed at the front and rear of the transport vehicle (31) on which the transfer machine I is mounted.
Is has been installed. These detectors υ, 0 are rays,
Obstacles are detected by emitting ultrasonic waves and detecting the reflected waves. And these detectors Q
l, (detection selection means (14
1, a reflected wave from a distant obstacle is detected among the reflected waves detected by the front detector az when the carrier (31) is moving forward, or by the rear detector a3 when it is moving backward.

When an obstacle is detected, a stop command is output from the control means aS to temporarily stop the transport vehicle (3). In addition, transfer machine a
During the operation of D, the front and rear detectors (13, aa) are enabled, and among the reflected waves detected by them, reflected waves from nearby obstacles are detected, and when an obstacle is detected, control means 4 is activated. A stop command is output to temporarily stop the transfer machine anf.

In Figure 3, aa is a microcomputer (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) installed in a transport vehicle (31), C!Pt1.
(18A), ROM (18B), RAM (180)
, an input circuit (18D) and an output circuit (18 circuits); (12112 (151)) is input, and the output circuit (18) is connected to the wheel drive device of the conveyance vehicle (31) (hereinafter collectively referred to as the conveyance vehicle (31)) and the transfer machine aD.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG.

The control program of the flowchart in Figure 4 is microcomputer a.
・It is stored in the ROM (18A).

When the transport vehicle (3) is started, the control program starts operating, and in step aυ it is determined whether the transport vehicle (3) is in the running mode. If it is a running mode, it is determined whether it is moving forward in step (2), and if it is moving forward, it is detected by the forward detector Q2 in step (2), or if it is backward, it is detected by the backward detector a in step (goods).
It is determined whether a distant obstacle has been detected. If no obstacle is detected, the transport machine (3) is controlled to continue traveling in step (2). When an obstacle is detected, the transport machine (3)
to pause.

Next, when it is determined in step Qυ that the vehicle is not in the travel mode, it is determined in step (goods) whether the vehicle is in the transfer mode. If the transfer mode is in step @, the front or rear detector a3.
The main judgment is made as to whether or not a nearby obstacle has been detected. If no obstacle is detected, in step 4, the transfer device is controlled to allow the transfer of the object to proceed.

If an obstacle is detected, the transfer machine aD is temporarily stopped in step (2).

In this way, the forward and backward detectors α2. αj is used for both distant obstacle detection and nearby obstacle detection, and when a person approaches the transport vehicle (3) during the transfer operation of the transported object, this is detected and the operation of the transfer machine aIJ is temporarily stopped. Therefore, the risk of collision between the transfer machine AP and people is prevented.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the front and rear detectors Q2゜a3 are installed, or similar detectors are installed on the left and right sides of the conveyance vehicle, and when transferring the conveyed object, the detectors are placed in the transfer direction. It is also possible to make only the detector insensitive and detect in three directions.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In this invention as explained above, front and rear detectors are installed at the front and rear of the transport vehicle to detect obstacles in the distance and in the vicinity without contact. When loading, the nearby area is detected, and when an obstacle is detected, the transport machine or transfer machine is temporarily stopped, so even if the transfer machine is in operation or approaches the transport vehicle, it will not come into contact with the transfer machine. Is there anything you can do to prevent the risk of death?

Furthermore, since the same detector is used during traveling and during transfer, it has the advantage of being able to be constructed at low cost.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 4 are diagrams showing an embodiment of the safety device for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention, in which Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the guided vehicle, and Figure 3 is a block circuit. 4 is a flowchart showing the operation of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a side view showing a conventional safety device for an automatic guided vehicle. In the figure, (3) is a transport vehicle, I is a transfer machine, Z is a front detector, α3 is a rear detector, α is a detection selection means, and al is a control means. Note that the same reference numerals in the two figures indicate the same or equivalent parts.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A conveyance vehicle equipped with a transfer device is automatically run along a predetermined route, and the conveyance device is automatically transferred to the conveyance vehicle by the transfer device. A front detector and a rear detector detect nearby obstacles in a non-contact manner, and when the transport vehicle is running, the front or rear detector detects a distant area, and when the transfer machine is operating, the front and rear detectors detect the distance. detection and selection means for detecting the vicinity; and when the transport vehicle is running, when the detection and selection means operates, the transport vehicle is temporarily stopped, and when the transfer machine is operated, when the detection selection means is operated, the transfer machine is operated. A safety device for an automatic guided vehicle, comprising a control means for temporarily stopping the vehicle.