WO2024100917A1

WO2024100917A1 - Pallet transportation device

Info

Publication number: WO2024100917A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/016777
Authority: WO
Inventors: 厚太鍋嶌
Original assignee: 株式会社Octa Robotics
Priority date: 2022-11-07
Filing date: 2023-04-27
Publication date: 2024-05-16

Abstract

A pallet transportation device 10 comprises: a top plate 20 on which a wheeled pallet is placed; and a drive unit provided below the top plate 20. The top plate 20 has rails 21 for the wheels of the pallet. The wheels can be rotated along the rails 21 so that after the pallet has been placed on the rails, the pallet can be secured. The drive unit has a sensor 12 for detecting peripheral conditions, and a drive wheel 11 that performs driving on the basis of the results of detection by the sensor 12. This configuration makes it possible to provide a highly versatile pallet transportation device that obviates the need for machining of the wheeled pallet and that enables movement similar to manual transportation.

Description

Pallet transport device

The present invention relates to a pallet transport device.

　Traditionally, cargo has been transported using wheeled pallets. A wheeled pallet is a cart with wheels attached to the platform on which the object to be transported is placed. For example, if the structure is a cage with wheels attached, it is called a cage cart, cage vehicle, roll box pallet, cargotainer, or combitainer.

Wheeled pallets are widely used for manual transport, but technology to automate the movement of wheeled pallets is also being considered. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses "an autonomous mobile device such as a self-propelled robot 1 that automatically connects to a towed cart such as a basket cart 2 and tows it to automatically transport the towed cart to a desired destination, and an embodiment relating to a transport system using this self-propelled robot 1."

JP 2020-040459 A

As a robot that automatically transports a wheeled pallet such as a basket cart, in addition to a towing type as disclosed in Cited Document 1, a forklift type, a lifting type, etc. are possible.
Of these, the towed type has disadvantages such as a large turning radius and the inability to turn on the spot.
The forklift system has disadvantages such as the requirement for the weight, size, and power of the robot that lifts the pallet being very large.
The lift-up type has some disadvantages, such as reduced safety in the event of it tipping over depending on the relationship between the size of the tabletop and the position of the wheels, high design difficulty due to the small space required if the robot is to slip under the floor of the basket cart, the direction of the casters on the basket cart can sometimes interfere with the robot's sensing and driving control, and the need for a mechanism on the basket cart side for docking with the robot.
Issues common to both methods include the need for a person to manually position the cart in the designated location, the need to align the casters, the time required to position the cart for docking, and the need for time to move the empty cart.

Carts and the like are standardized on the assumption that they will be transported by hand, and the layout of the aisles and the like is also based on the assumption that they will be transported by hand. Furthermore, they are widely used as returnable containers that are repeatedly transported between designated bases. In order to automate the movement of these carts and the like, they must be able to rotate on the spot, they must not require any processing, and they must be low cost.
However, conventional technologies have not been able to satisfy these demands, and automated transportation of wheeled pallets such as basket carts has little versatility. For example, it has not been possible to automate the operation of existing basket carts as is.

The present invention aims to provide a versatile pallet transport device.

In order to achieve the above object, one representative pallet transport device of the present invention comprises a top plate on which a wheeled pallet is placed and a drive unit provided under the top plate, the top plate has rails for the wheels of the pallet, and the wheels can be rotated along the rails to place the pallet on it and then fix the pallet, and the drive unit has a sensor that detects the surrounding conditions and drive wheels that are driven based on the detection results of the sensor.

The present invention provides a highly versatile pallet transport device. Problems, configurations, and advantages other than those described above will become clear from the description of the embodiments below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a pallet transport device. External perspective view of the pallet transport device (part 2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a pallet transport device with a basket cart loaded thereon (part 1); FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exterior of a pallet transport device with a basket cart loaded thereon. Three-dimensional view of the pallet transport device (part 1) Three-dimensional view of the pallet transport device (part 2) Three-dimensional view of the pallet transport device with a basket cart on it (part 1) Three-dimensional view of the pallet transport device with a basket cart on it (part 2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a pallet conveying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the exterior of a pallet conveying device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a side view of a pallet transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a front view of a pallet transport device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of the operation control of the pallet transport device according to the third embodiment.

The following describes the embodiment with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a pallet transport device 10 disclosed in the first embodiment.
The pallet transport device 10 comprises a top plate 20 on which a wheeled pallet (e.g., a basket cart) is placed, and a drive unit provided below the top plate 20.

The top plate 20 is generally rectangular and has two rails 21 along its two longer sides. Each rail 21 has a rotating member 22 at each end.
In addition, two drive wheels 11 are provided in the center of the long side and between the two rails 21.
Furthermore, a sensor 12 and a swivel caster 13 are provided on each of the two short sides (short sides) of the tabletop 20. The sensor 12 is, for example, an external sensor such as a LiDAR or a camera, and detects the surrounding conditions. The swivel caster 13 improves the safety against tipping over by maintaining the inclination of the tabletop 20.

The sensor module including the sensor 12 and the drive wheel module including the drive wheels 11 are connected via communication to form a drive unit. The drive unit controls the autonomous driving of the pallet transport device 10 based on the surrounding conditions detected by the sensor 12 and pre-set route information. Here, the rotation of the two drive wheels 11 can be controlled independently, and the differential two-wheel drive allows the pallet transport device 10 to move forward, backward, turn on the spot, etc.

In Fig. 1, the rotating member 22 is in a state where it functions as a slope connecting the surface on which the drive wheels 11 run and the surface of the rail 21. Fig. 2 shows a second state where the rotating member 22 functions as a wheel stopper that stops the wheels of the pallet on the rail. The first state and the second state can be switched by rotating the rotating member 22.
In addition, a structure having a lock mechanism that stops the rotation of the rotating member 22 itself may be used. For example, a structure in which a receiving round hole is provided on the rail 21 side and the rotating member 22 is fixed by a round drop can be used. The adoption of the round drop structure has the advantage that the worker can approach from the position where the basket cart 30 is pushed in. Since multiple basket carts may be arranged so that their long sides are aligned, it is important from the viewpoint of workability that the worker can approach from the pushed-in position. In addition, since the basket cart may weigh about 300 kg, it is required to have strength that will not break even if the wheel 31 hits the rotating member 22 in the car stop state during acceleration and deceleration, and this requirement can be met with the round drop structure. In addition, general parts can be used for the parts that make up the round drop structure, which is easy to lock and unlock, inexpensive, and easily available.

Figures 3 and 4 are external perspective views of the pallet transport device 10 with the basket cart 30 loaded on it. In Figure 3, the rotating member 22 is in the first state (slope), and in Figure 4, the rotating member 22 is in the second state (car stop).

The basket cart 30 has four wheels 31 on its bottom surface. As shown in FIG. 3, when the rotating member 22 functions as a slope, an operator can push the basket cart 30 and rotate the wheels 31 along the rails 21, thereby placing the basket cart 30 on the top plate 20 of the pallet transport device 10.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the worker can rotate the rotating member 22 to function as a wheel stopper, thereby preventing the wheels 31 of the cart 30 from falling off the rails 21 and fixing the cart 30 in place.

5 and 6 show three views of the pallet transport device 10. In Fig. 5, the pivot member 22 is in a first state (slope), and in Fig. 6, the pivot member 22 is in a second state (car stop).
Similarly, Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 show three-sided views of the pallet transport device 10 with the basket cart 30 placed thereon. In Fig. 7, the rotating member 22 is in the first state (slope), and in Fig. 8, the rotating member 22 is in the second state (car stopper).

5 to 8, the rail 21 is formed by a surface that is lower than the upper surface of the top plate 20. Therefore, the basket cart 30 can be easily loaded onto the pallet transport device 10.
Furthermore, the drive wheels 11 are disposed between the two rails 21. Therefore, the drive wheels 11 can be accommodated inside the footprint of the cart 30.
Furthermore, by making the underside of the top plate 20 higher than the surface of the rails 21 and arranging the drive wheels 11 between the two rails 21, the space for arranging the drive unit can be increased and the diameter of the drive wheels 11 can be made larger than the height from the surface on which the drive wheels 11 run to the surface that forms the rails 21. Increasing the diameter of the drive wheels 11 contributes to improving the running performance of the pallet transport device 10.

Here, the size of the cart 30 is standardized, but there is not just one, but multiple sizes. It is desirable to match the size of the tabletop 20 and the width of the rails 21 to the standard of the cart 30. Since the drive unit is modularized, it can be fixed to tabletops of different sizes in a positional relationship that matches the size of the tabletop. At this time, the drive unit controls the travel based on parameters set according to the size of the tabletop.

Also, a docking mechanism may be provided between the top plate 20 and the drive unit, the drive unit may be detachable from the top plate 20, and the drive unit may autonomously perform positioning and attachment/detachment with respect to the top plate 20. With this configuration, no machining is required for the cart 30. Also, the wheels 31 of the cart are fixed by the rails 21 and do not interfere with sensing or travel control. Furthermore, a larger space can be secured than in a configuration in which the cart 30 is recessed under the floor surface, so that the difficulty of design can be reduced.
Furthermore, in a configuration in which the drive units autonomously perform positioning and attachment/detachment of the tabletops 20, the number of tabletops 20 and the number of drive units can be determined independently, allowing for flexible operation at low cost.
Note that a docking mechanism may be provided between the top plate 20 and the drive unit, and the positioning and attachment/detachment may be performed manually. In this configuration, the worker can manually replace the top plate 20 and the drive unit depending on the situation at the site (for example, when the item to be transported changes).

In this manner, the cage cart 30 is loaded onto the disclosed pallet transport device 10 by an operator. At this time, the wheels 31 of the cage cart 30 are guided by the rails 21, and positioning by the operator is not required. Also, docking of the cage cart 30 and the pallet transport device 10 is not required. Also, there is no need to consider the orientation of the casters when controlling the travel of the pallet transport device 10.
Once loaded, the basket cart 30 remains loaded until the worker unloads it, making it particularly suitable for regular round-trip transportation.
In addition, if a mechanism for lowering the basket cart 30 is added and made controllable together with the rotating mechanism of the rotating member 22, it is possible to accommodate a type of transportation in which a worker is present at the delivery origin and delivers goods to multiple delivery destinations from there.
At the collection and delivery center on the first floor, the worker only loads the basket cart onto the pallet transport device 10.
The pallet transport device 10 goes to the delivery destination, unloads the basket cart, and returns to the collection and delivery center.
The worker places the next basket cart on the returning pallet transport device 10.
The above-mentioned work can be repeated to transport the goods. When returning the cart to the collection and delivery center, the relationship between the delivery destination and the delivery source can be reversed. This type of transportation is suitable for situations such as construction sites where a large number of carts must be delivered in one day and the carts that have been delivered are kept there for several days.
In addition, the pallet transport device 10 has an equivalent structure for forward and backward movement, and can change direction (pivot turn) on the spot. In addition, passages and elevators can be used in the same way as when transporting by hand. In addition, by arranging the drive wheels 11 near the rails 21, the width of the two drive wheels 11 can be made wide, and high stability against tipping can be obtained. In addition, the pallet transport device 10 requires fewer parts and is low cost. In addition, the weight, size, and output can be kept small. Therefore, it is possible to make the pallet transport device 10 heavy enough to be lifted by a person. Furthermore, since the pallet transport device 10 is thin and has a top plate 20, it can be stacked. In other words, when using it, the pallet transport devices 10 that have been stacked and stored can be taken down and used. In addition, a normal delivery company can be used to transport the robot itself, such as for shipping and returning.

FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of a pallet transport device 110 disclosed in the second embodiment.
FIG. 10 is an external perspective view of a pallet transport device 110 according to the second embodiment with a wheeled pallet placed on it.
FIG. 11 is a side view of a pallet transport device 110 disclosed in the second embodiment.
FIG. 12 is a front view of a pallet transport device 110 disclosed in the second embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, the pallet transport device 110 includes a top plate 120 on which a wheeled pallet 130 is placed, and a drive unit provided below the top plate 120.
The top plate 120 has a generally rectangular shape and is provided thereon with two rails 121. The rails 121 extend in the longitudinal direction of the top plate 120.

The drive shaft of the drive unit is located under the top plate 120, but the drive wheels 111 are disposed on the outside of the longer sides of the top plate 120. This allows the diameter of the drive wheels 111 to be made larger than the height of the top plate 120 from the floor surface. The larger drive wheels 111 contribute to improved running performance, and the lower top plate 120 contributes to the ease of loading the pallet 130.
The drive wheel 111 has a rotation axis perpendicular to the rail 121. That is, the drive wheel 111 can travel in the extension direction of the rail 121 (the longitudinal direction of the tabletop 120).

The pallet transport device 110 has four drive wheels 111 corresponding to the four corners of the top plate 120. In addition, the pallet transport device 110 has auxiliary wheels 113 near the center of the long sides of the top plate 120. For example, Mecanum wheels or omnidirectional casters may be provided on the outside of the center of the long sides. Also, normal casters may be provided on the inside of the center of the long sides.

It is preferable that the four drive wheels 111 are, for example, Mecanum wheels. If the drive wheels 111 are Mecanum wheels, in addition to moving in the longitudinal direction of the tabletop 120, movement in the lateral direction and pivot turns are possible.
The two auxiliary wheels 113 contribute to improving the load-bearing capacity of the pallet transport device 110. If omni-wheels are used as the auxiliary wheels 113, the driving force can be improved. If omni-directional casters are used, smooth movement in all directions can be achieved while realizing cost reduction and weight reduction compared to a configuration using omni-directional wheels. If normal casters are used, further cost reduction can be achieved compared to a configuration using omni-directional casters.

The pallet 130 is equipped with two rows of six wheels 131. The two rows of wheels 131 are fitted onto the two rails 121, allowing the pallet 130 to be placed on the pallet transport device 110. At least a portion of the wheels 131 is equipped with a locking mechanism 132. The pallet 130 can be fixed by locking the locking mechanism 132 while the pallet 130 is placed on the pallet transport device 110, so a locking mechanism is not required for the pallet transport device 110. In addition, if a slope that brings the running surface of the pallet 130 to the height of the rails 121 is provided on the floor, a slope member is not required for the pallet transport device 110.

There is a space 122 between the two rails 121. In this space, a sensor and a control unit that determines the control content of the drive wheels 111 based on the detection results of the sensor can be placed.

An example of the operation control of a pallet conveying device will be described as Example 3. For convenience, the pallet conveying device 10 of Example 1 is illustrated, but the same operation control is possible for the pallet conveying device 110.
13 is an explanatory diagram of the operation control of the pallet transporting device 10. The pallet transporting device 10 determines the control content (53) based on route data 51 and sensor data 52. The route data 51 may be provided from an external source, or may be generated by the pallet transporting device 10 from map data or the like. The sensor data 52 is the detection result of the situation around the pallet transporting device 10.

Furthermore, the pallet transport device 10 receives the details of the operation by the worker from the worker's terminal 40 (54) and switches between traveling permission and disabling (56). Specifically, the pallet transport device 10 executes drive control on the condition that permission operation by the worker has been accepted (56).

In this way, in the operation of Example 3, the pallet transport device 10 automatically decides how to drive, but follows the operator's instructions on whether to drive or not. In other words, it drives only while the operator is performing the permission operation. In this way, even in places such as construction sites where it is necessary to consider the possibility of unexpected objects being present on the driving route, the pallet can be transported safely with the assistance of the operator.

As described above, the disclosed pallet transport device 10 comprises a top plate 20 on which a wheeled pallet is placed, and a drive unit provided under the top plate 20, the top plate 20 having rails 21 for the wheels of the pallet, and the wheels can be rotated along the rails 21 to load the pallet and then fix the pallet, and the drive unit is characterized by having a sensor 12 that detects the surrounding conditions, and a drive wheel 11 that drives based on the detection results of the sensor 12.
This makes it possible to provide a highly versatile pallet transport device that does not require machining of wheeled pallets and can be moved in the same way as by hand.

In addition, the rail 21 is formed by a surface that is lower than the upper surface of the top plate 20, the top plate 20 has two rails 21 along a pair of opposing sides, the drive wheel 11 is arranged between the two rails 21, and the diameter of the drive wheel 11 is greater than the height from the surface on which the drive wheel 11 runs to the surface that forms the rail.
This makes it possible to provide a pallet transport device that is easy to load and unload pallets and has high navigation performance.

In addition, the tabletop 20 is approximately rectangular, the two rails 21 are arranged along the two longer sides of the tabletop 20, the drive wheels 11 are provided on each of the two rails near the center of the longer sides, the two drive wheels 11 can be independently controlled in rotation, and the sensor 12 is provided on each of the two shorter sides of the tabletop.
This makes it possible to provide a pallet transport device in which forward and reverse travel are equivalent.

Furthermore, by providing swivel casters 13 on each of the two short sides of the tabletop 20, safety in the event of the tabletop tipping over can be improved.

In addition, a rotating member 22 is provided on at least one end of the rail 21, and the rotating member 22 can be switched by rotation between a first state in which it functions as a slope connecting the surface on which the drive wheels 11 run and the surface that forms the rail 21, and a second state in which it functions as a wheel stopper that keeps the wheels of the pallet on the rail 21.
This allows the pallets to be easily loaded, unloaded and secured in place.

The drive unit may be detachable from the tabletop 20 and may autonomously perform positioning and attachment/detachment with respect to the tabletop 20 .
In this configuration, the number of tabletops 20 and the number of drive units can be determined independently, allowing for flexible operation at low cost.
If the positioning and attachment/detachment of the tabletop 20 is performed manually, the cost can be further reduced.

In addition, the drive unit has a configuration in which a sensor module including the sensor 12 and a drive wheel module including the drive wheel 11 are connected, and the sensor module and the drive wheel module can be fixed to different sized tabletops in a positional relationship that matches the size of the tabletop, and the drive unit controls the running based on parameters set according to the size of the tabletop.
This allows the device to flexibly accommodate a variety of tabletop sizes at low cost.

In addition, the pallet transport device 110 of Example 2 has two rails 121 on the top plate 120, the rails 121 extending in the longitudinal direction of the top plate 120, the drive wheel 111 being arranged outside the longitudinal side of the top plate 120, and the drive wheel 111 having a rotation axis perpendicular to the rails 121.
Therefore, the top plate 120 can move in the longitudinal direction with a high driving force.

Further, the pallet transport device 110 of the second embodiment is provided with four drive wheels 111 corresponding to the four corners of the top plate 120 .
Furthermore, auxiliary wheels 113 may be provided near the center of the long sides of the tabletop 120. For example, Mecanum wheels or omnidirectional casters may be provided on the outside of the center of the long sides. Ordinary casters may be provided on the inside of the center of the long sides.
These configurations allow the pallet to be mounted stably.

Furthermore, in the pallet transport device 110 of the second embodiment, the sensor and a control unit that determines the control content of the drive wheels based on the detection result by the sensor can be disposed between the two rails 121.
This allows the space between the rails to be used effectively, making the device more compact.

In addition, the disclosed pallet transport device determines the control content of the drive wheels based on the detection result by the sensor, and drives the drive wheels on the condition that an authorization operation by an operator has been received.
By operating in this way, pallets can be transported safely with the assistance of an operator, even in locations where fully automated driving is difficult.

The present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various modifications are included. For example, the above-mentioned embodiment is described in detail to easily explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to the embodiment having all the described configurations. Moreover, the present invention is not limited to the deletion of the configurations, and it is also possible to replace or add the configurations.
For example, the rotating member 22 may be provided at one end, and a fixed stopper may be provided at the other end. The shape of the top plate is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be designed as appropriate. Any swivel caster, such as a ball caster, may be used. Instead of providing the pallet transport device 10 with a slope, a slope may be installed on the floor side, and after a worker places the basket cart 30 on the pallet transport device 10, the worker may manually install a wheel stop between the rail 21 and the wheels 31.
In the above embodiment, the outer edge of the rail 21 is curved upward, but the outer edge of the rail 21 may be uncurved and an L-shaped guide member having the same length as the rail 21 may be screwed to the rail 21 to restrict the orientation of the wheels 31. In such a configuration, even if the distance between the wheels of the cart 30 or the width of the wheels themselves changes due to adjustment of the fixed position of the L-shaped guide member, the same member can be used while maintaining strength.

10, 110: pallet transport device, 11, 111: drive wheel, 12: sensor, 13: swivel caster, 20, 120: top plate, 21, 121: rail, 22: rotating member, 30: basket cart, 31, 131: wheel, 113: auxiliary wheel, 130: pallet, 132: locking mechanism

Claims

A top plate on which a wheeled pallet is placed;
A drive unit provided under the top plate,
The top plate has rails for wheels of the pallet, and the wheels can be rotated along the rails to place the pallet on the top plate, and then the pallet can be fixed.
A pallet transport device, characterized in that the drive unit has a sensor that detects a surrounding condition and a drive wheel that is driven based on a result of detection by the sensor.
2. A pallet transport device according to claim 1,
The rail is formed by a surface that is lower than the upper surface of the top plate,
The top plate includes two rails along a pair of opposing sides,
The drive wheel is disposed between the two rails,
A pallet transport device, characterized in that the diameter of the drive wheels is greater than the height from a surface on which the drive wheels run to a surface forming the rail.
3. A pallet transport device according to claim 2, further comprising:
The top plate is generally rectangular in shape,
The two rails are provided along two longitudinal sides of the top plate,
The drive wheels are provided in pairs near the center of the long side, corresponding to the two rails,
The rotation of the two drive wheels can be controlled independently.
A pallet transport device, characterized in that the sensor is provided on each of two shorter sides of the top plate.
4. A pallet transport device according to claim 3, further comprising:
A pallet transport device characterized in that a swivel caster is provided on each of the two short sides of the top plate.
2. A pallet transport device according to claim 1,
A rotating member is provided at at least one end of the rail;
A pallet transport device characterized in that the rotating member can be switched between a first state in which it functions as a slope connecting the surface on which the drive wheels run and the surface forming the rail, and a second state in which it functions as a wheel stopper that keeps the wheels of the pallet on the rail, by rotating it.
2. A pallet transport device according to claim 1,
A pallet transport device, characterized in that the drive unit is detachable from the top plate and autonomously performs positioning and attachment/detachment with respect to the top plate.
2. A pallet transport device according to claim 1,
the drive unit has a configuration in which a sensor module including the sensor and a drive wheel module including the drive wheel are connected to each other,
The sensor module and the drive wheel module can be fixed to different sizes of tabletops in a positional relationship that matches the size of the tabletop,
The pallet transport device, wherein the drive unit controls travel based on parameters set in accordance with the size of the top plate.
2. A pallet transport device according to claim 1,
The top plate is provided with two rails,
The rail extends in a longitudinal direction of the top plate,
The drive wheel is disposed on the outer side of the long side of the top plate,
A pallet transport device, characterized in that the drive wheels have rotation axes perpendicular to the rails.
9. A pallet transport apparatus according to claim 8,
A pallet transport device comprising four drive wheels corresponding to the four corners of the top plate.
10. A pallet transport apparatus according to claim 9,
A pallet transport device characterized in that auxiliary wheels are provided near the center of the longer sides of the top plate.
9. A pallet transport apparatus according to claim 8,
A pallet transport device characterized in that the sensor and a control unit that determines the control content of the drive wheels based on the detection result by the sensor are disposed between the two rails.
2. A pallet transport device according to claim 1,
A pallet transport device characterized in that the control content of the drive wheels is determined based on the detection result by the sensor, and the drive wheels are driven on the condition that an authorization operation by an operator has been received.