JPS63307506A - Automatically guided vehicle equipped with winker - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the constitution at the ground side and to reduce the cost of facilities with an automatically guided vehicle equipped with winkers, by turning on before the vehicle reaches a direction turning point and at the same time starting measurement of the distance traveled for the vehicle to turn off those winkers when the measured distance is equal to the prescribed value. CONSTITUTION:Six mark plate sensors 36 are attached on the lower surface of a body 12 of an automatically guided vehicle 10 so that the mark plates 34 set at both sides of a guide wire 18 are detected. These sensors 36 form a means which gives the turn-on instructions to winkers 30 and 32. Thus these winkers are turned on by the instructions given from said means and then turned off when the distance traveled which is measured by a distance measuring means consisting of a computer 44 and a rotary sensor 40 is equal to the prescribed value. Thus it is not required to set an information offering means at the ground side for turn-off of the winkers. As a result, the constitution is simplified at the ground side and the cost of facilitates is reduced with the automatically guided vehicle equipped with winkers.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an unmanned vehicle equipped with a turn signal, and in particular to turn-off control of the turn signal.

Conventional technology An unmanned vehicle runs unmanned along a pre-set travel path, and is equipped with a cargo handling device and used to transport cargo in a warehouse, or equipped with a traction device to tow the vehicle. It is widely used, including being used for. Such an unmanned vehicle is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 61-273499.
As stated in the publication, in addition to being guided by electric m-guidance, which is a combination of an electromagnetic induction wire laid on the ground and a guidance wire detection means installed on the vehicle, Traveling is guided by various methods, such as guidance by a combination of a guide surface and a guide surface detection means provided on the vehicle.

In order for an unmanned vehicle to run, information regarding acceleration, deceleration, stopping, etc. is also required, and the vehicle is provided with an instruction means for instructing the vehicle to run, and a control means for controlling the travel of the vehicle based on the instruction. The instruction means reads the information provided by the information provision means provided on the ground side and issues instructions to the control means.For example, a mark plate is installed on the ground as the information provision means, and the mark plate is attached to the vehicle. It is possible to provide necessary information through optical communication by providing a sensor for detection and using it as an indicating means, by providing a floodlight on the ground side as a means for providing information, and by providing a light receiver on the vehicle to receive the light emitted by the floodlight as a means for indicating. It is done to make sure that the person receiving the item receives the item.

Turning on and off of the blinker is also performed based on instructions from the instruction means. The turn signal is turned on before the direction change position and is turned off after the direction change. Conventionally, an information providing means for providing turn signal lighting information is provided before the direction change position, and the turn signal is turned on before the direction change position. An information providing means for providing information on turning off the blinker was provided.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, if an information provision means is provided each time the lights are turned on or off, the configuration on the ground side will become complicated, and the equipment cost will inevitably increase. It is necessary to provide a means to provide information, and if it is unavoidable due to the length of the driving path, etc., and the installation of an information providing means for turning off the turn signals is omitted, it will be possible to drive with the turn signals on even though the direction is not changed. A situation may occur where the direction change is performed in a state where the turn signal on the side different from the side where the direction is actually changed is lit when the direction change is performed successively in different directions.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In order to solve this problem, the unmanned vehicle according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. (b) a driving distance measuring means that starts measuring the driving distance of the unmanned vehicle at the same time as the blinker starts turning on; (C1
The present invention is configured to include a blinker control means that lights up the blinkers based on a lighting instruction from the lighting instruction means and turns off the blinkers when the distance measured by the mileage measuring means reaches a predetermined distance.

Functions and Effects By doing this, the turn signals are automatically turned off when the unmanned vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance after being turned on.
There is no need to provide information provision means for turning off the blinker on the ground side. Therefore, the configuration on the ground side can be simplified, equipment costs can be reduced, and since it is not possible to provide means for providing lights-off information, the blinkers may remain on even though the direction is not changed, or the turn signal may remain on even though the direction is not changed. An effect can be obtained in that the direction change is not performed while the blinker on the side different from the side to which the direction is being changed remains lit.

Examples Below, we will take as an example the case where the present invention is applied to an automatic guided vehicle.
This will be explained in detail based on the drawings.

In FIG. 2, the automatic guided vehicle 10 is shown with the load transfer device omitted. On the front side of the vehicle body 12 of this conveyance vehicle 10, a pair of drive steering wheels 14 that serve both as a drive and a steering wheel are provided, while on the rear side, a pair of auxiliary wheels 16 are provided, and the vehicle body 12 is driven by electromagnetic induction. It will be done. A guide wire 18 is buried on the ground in a portion where the automatic guided vehicle 10 travels, and in the traveling vehicle 10, one set of pick amplifier coils 20 and 22 are installed at the front and rear of the vehicle body 12, respectively, to carry the guide wire 18. It is located in a position where you can straddle it. The guide wire 18 is connected to a computer (not shown) provided on the ground side via a power supply control circuit.
Current is supplied to the part where 0 runs. The pickup coils 20 and 22 induce an induced electromotive force based on the magnetic field generated by the current passed through the guide wire 18, detect the guide wire 18 based on the induced electromotive force, and detect the guide wire 18 based on the deviation of both electromotive forces. The deviation with respect to the guide wire 18 is detected, and the automatic guided vehicle 10 is caused to travel in a direction in which the deviation is reduced.

Left-turn blinkers 30.
A right turn blinker 32 is attached, and the transport vehicle lO
When the vehicle changes direction of travel, a predetermined blinker is turned on to display the direction of travel.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a mark plate 34 is installed on the ground to provide information necessary for driving, such as acceleration, deceleration, stopping, direction change, turn signal lighting, etc. The mark plates 34 are scheduled to be installed at six locations as shown in FIG. Six mark plate sensors 36 are provided corresponding to the locations where the mark plates 34 are installed.

Different information (mark plate patterns) can be provided depending on the combination of locations at which the mark plates 34 are installed among the six installation locations. For example, when the travel path is branched as shown in FIG. 6 and the transport vehicle 10 is to turn left, the left turn blinker 30
In this case, three mark plates 34 are installed in front of the direction change position.
It provides lighting information for the left turn blinker 30. However, of the six mark plate installation locations, one transport vehicle
A mark plate 34 is always installed at one of the two places on the front end side and one of the two places on the rear end side in the traveling direction of 0, and when both mark plates 34 are detected by the sensor 36. , other mark plates 34 are detected.

Further, the drive steering wheel 14 is provided with a rotation sensor 4 that generates a pulse signal every time the drive steering wheel 14 rotates by a certain angle.
0 is set.

The traveling of the transport vehicle 10 configured as described above is controlled by the computer 44. The computer 44
As shown in the figure, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 46.
Equipped with ROM (Read Only Memory >48) and RAM (Random Access Memory) 50.These CPUs
46. ROM48°RAM50 has I10 port 52
The travel control circuit 54. Steering control circuit 56
．． A brake control circuit 58 is connected, and a drive motor 6 that drives the drive steering wheel 14 is connected to the travel control circuit 54.
0 is connected, and the steering wheel 1 is connected to the steering control circuit 56.
A steering motor 62 for steering the drive motor 60 is connected to the brake control circuit 58, and an electromagnetic brake 64 for braking the motor shaft of the drive motor 60 is connected to the brake control circuit 58. In addition to this, although not shown, a cargo handling control circuit for controlling the cargo handling device is also connected.

The above CPU46. ROM48. Further, a pickup coil 20, 22.6 mark plate sensors 36, and a rotation sensor 40 are connected to the RAM 50.
Turn signal for left turn 30. The right turn indicators 32 are connected via control circuits 66 and 68, respectively. Among the mark plate sensors 36, those that are scheduled to detect the mark plate 34 that is always installed, that is, the sensors 34 provided at two locations on the leading side in the vehicle traveling direction, and the sensors 34 provided at two locations on the rear end side, respectively. provided sensor 34
Regarding the total of four sensors 34, the circuit connected to the I10 boat 52 is branched, and the two sensors 36 that detect the mark plate 34 on the leading side are connected to the OR circuit 70.
Two sensors 3 that detect the mark plate 34 on the rear side
6 is connected to an OR circuit 72. These OR circuits 7
0°72 is an AND circuit 74. I1 via delay circuit 76
0 port 52, and when two mark plates 34 for mark plate detection instructions are detected together, a high level signal is generated from an AND circuit 74, and is delayed for a certain period of time by a delay circuit 76. teI10
It is supplied to boat 52. The computer 44 takes in the detection signals of the six mark plate sensors 36 based on the signal supplied via the delay circuit 76, and at this time, each mark plate sensor 36 is positioned exactly on the corresponding mark plate 34. Since the mark plate 34 is located at the center, the mark plate 34 can be reliably detected even if there is an error in the installation position of the mark plate 34.

Above J? The AM 50 includes a mark plate pattern memory 80 . A counter 84 for counting signals sent from the blinker lighting distance memory 82 and the rotation sensor 40 is provided. Also, R.O.
The memory of M48 stores information corresponding to a plurality of types of mark plate patterns, and also stores the distance L that the transport vehicle 10 travels from the start of turning on the turn signal to turning off the turn signal (turn signal lighting distance). Note that this number is stored as the number of signals emitted by the rotation sensor 40.

ROM4B further includes a transport vehicle 10 for traveling, transferring cargo, etc.
It stores the programs necessary for its operation. The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 is the mark plate processing program among the above programs, and the CPU 46 processes the information provided by the mark plate according to this program.

The flowchart shown in FIG. 5 mainly describes turning on and off of the blinkers, and hereinafter, the process of turning on and off the blinkers will be explained together with other mark plates based on this flowchart.

In step Sl (hereinafter simply referred to as 81; the same applies to other steps), it is determined whether or not a mark plate is detected. If detected, the detected mark plate pattern is stored in the memory 80 in S2. be remembered. Next, in S3, it is determined whether the information represented by the stored mark plate pattern instructs to turn on the left turn blinker 30. If so, the determination result is YES, and in S4, the left turn blinker 30 is turned on. 30 is turned on, and the conveyance vehicle 10 turns left while blinking the blinker 30 as shown in FIG.

After the left turn blinker 30 is turned on, the blinker lighting distance is read in S5 and stored in the memo IJ82, and measurement of the travel distance is started in S6. The counter 84 starts counting. Next, in S7, it is determined whether or not the turn signal is blinking, but since the turn signal has not been turned off yet, the result of this judgment is YES, and in S8, the count number of the counter 84 is set in advance. A determination is made as to whether or not the count number representing the blinker lighting distance matches.

If the conveyance vehicle 10 has not completely changed its direction and has not traveled the set distance since the blinker was turned on, the determination result will be No, 39.310 will be bypassed, and the program will be executed in the main routine. Return to In S4, only the left turn blinker 30 is turned on,
This allows other processing to be performed without waiting for the lights to go out.

Then, the next time this mark plate processing routine is performed, either there is no mark plate, or even if there is, the mark plate provides information other than blinker lighting.

If there is no mark plate, the determination result of Sl is No, and then S7 is executed.

Furthermore, even if there is a mark plate 34, it does not instruct the blinkers 30 and 32 to light up, so S3.
All Sll judgment results are N.

Then, step 313 is executed, and processing corresponding to the information provided by the detected mark plate 34 is performed. This process is to perform some kind of operation similar to turning on the turn signal, and step 37 is executed without waiting for the completion of the operation.

In either case, since the turn signal is on, the determination result in S7 is YES, and S8 is executed. Below, S8
The above S1 to S7. until the determination result becomes YES. S13
is executed repeatedly, and when the guided vehicle 10 has traveled the set distance and completed the direction change, the determination result in S8 is Y.
After ES is executed and step 89 is executed, and the blinker is turned off, the measurement of the distance traveled is completed in S10, the counter 84 is cleared, and the program execution returns to the main routine.

In this way, the turn signal is turned off based on the measurement of the distance traveled, rather than on the information provided by the mark plate 34. In the mark plate processing routine, after the turn signal is turned on, steps 37 and subsequent steps are executed regardless of whether the mark plate 34 is installed or not, because the turn signal is turned off by the mark plate processing as described above. This is because a step for turning off the light is required, and similarly, if the mark plate processing performed in 313 is not terminated by the mark plate, a step for terminating the process is performed after S10. There will be steps.

As described above, according to the transport vehicle 10 of the present embodiment, there is no need to provide a mark plate for turning off the turn signal on the ground side, the configuration on the ground side can be simplified, equipment costs can be reduced, and other operation information marks can be used. This has the effect that the direction change will not be performed with the blinker on the side different from the direction of change turned on, which is the case when a mark plate for turning off the lights cannot be provided due to the relationship with the turn plate.

As is clear from the above explanation, in this example,
The mark plate sensor 34 constitutes the lighting instruction means, and the rotation sensor 40. The counter 84 constitutes a distance measuring means, and the CPU 46. The portion of the ROM 48 that stores S3 to S12, the blinker lighting distance memory 82, and the like constitute blinker control means.

Note that if the detected mark plate 34 instructs the guided vehicle IO to turn right, the determination result of S3 is N.
At the same time, the determination result of S11 becomes YES, and S
At step 12, the right-turn blinker 32 is turned on, and the rest of the process is the same as when the left-turn blinker 30 is turned on.

Further, if step 31 is executed when the blinker is not lit and there is no mark plate 34, the judgment result of Sl becomes NO, and S7 is executed, but this judgment result is also NO.
The program execution then returns to the main routine.

Furthermore, if the mark plate 34 detected while the blinker is not lit provides information other than the blinker being lit, step S2. When S11 becomes NO, 313 is executed and appropriate processing is performed, and then the determination result of S7 becomes NO and the process returns to the main routine or the step for terminating the processing performed in S13 is executed. and return to the main routine.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the mark plate installed on the ground was used to provide operation information to the transport vehicle 1O, but a floodlight was provided on the ground side as an information providing means, and a floodlight was provided on the vehicle side. Operation information may be provided by communicating with a light receiver serving as an instruction means.

Further, in the above embodiment, the mark plate 34 is
The detection signal of the mark plate sensor 36 was taken into the computer 44 when both one plate on the front end side and one plate on the rear end side in the vehicle traveling direction were detected. Set the location in advance in ROM48.
It may be stored in the memory of.

Furthermore, the present invention can be applied not only to automatic guided vehicles but also to unmanned towed vehicles and the like.

Although not illustrated in detail, the present invention can be implemented in various modifications and improvements based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing an automatic guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the installation position of a mark plate installed on the ground on which the automatic guided vehicle travels. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a control device that controls the traveling of the automatic guided vehicle. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing only the portions closely related to the present invention out of the programs stored in the ROM of the computer that constitutes the main body of the control device. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a left turn of the carrier vehicle. 10: Automatic guided vehicle 30: Left turn turn signal 32: Right turn turn signal 34: Mark plate 36: Mark plate sensor 40: Rotation sensor 44: Computer Applicant Toyota Industries Corporation Figure 1
3rd r! IJ Figure 4 11゜Figure 6

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] An unmanned vehicle that has a turn signal and that runs unmanned along a running path and lights up the turn signal to support the running direction when changing the running direction, wherein the unmanned vehicle is in a direction change position. a lighting instruction means for instructing the turn signal to turn on before the turn signal is turned on; a mileage measuring means for starting measuring the distance traveled by the unmanned vehicle at the same time as the turn signal starts to turn on; An unmanned vehicle, characterized in that it is provided with a turn signal control means that turns on a turn signal and turns off the turn signal when the distance measured by the distance measuring means reaches a predetermined distance.