AGV steering wheel assembly with floating structure and method of using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of automated transportation, and in particular to an AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure and a method of using the same, which comprises a steering wheel body and a floating plate and a fixed plate located above the steering wheel body, two sets of floating guide mechanisms are arranged between the floating plate and the fixed plate, the floating guide mechanism comprises a guide assembly and a floating assembly symmetrically arranged on both sides of the guide assembly, the guide assembly comprises a guide sleeve and a guide shaft slidably arranged inside the guide sleeve, the guide shaft is fixedly connected to the lower end surface of the fixed plate, the guide sleeve is fixedly connected to the floating plate, and the lower end surface of the guide shaft is connected to an anti-slip gasket; the floating assembly comprises a spring guide anti-slip shaft, a spring top plate and a spring sleeved on the outside of the spring guide anti-slip shaft; the present invention reduces the processing difficulty and production cost of parts and components, making the overall structure more compact and having a wider range of applications.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of automated transportation, in particular to an AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure. Background Art

[0002] AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) can replace the increasing labor costs year by year to achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvement. AGV can transport materials, semi-finished products and products across processes, production lines and regions to make the production process flexible. It can fully reflect its automation and flexibility in the automated logistics system to achieve efficient, economical and flexible unmanned production.

[0003] The steering wheel is the most commonly used unit for AGV steering drive. Currently, its shock-absorbing installation and fixing structure mostly adopts a mode of connecting rod floating or articulated floating in combination with spring preload. In the scheme of using connecting rod floating in combination with spring preload, it requires a set of connecting rod mechanisms and linear guide pairs, which leads to a large number of overall parts, high cost, complex installation and maintenance, and high installation space requirements. In the scheme of using articulated floating in combination with spring preload, when the steering wheel rotates to an angle, there is an angle between the steering wheel surface and the ground, causing eccentric wear of the wheel surface and affecting the walking posture of the vehicle body. It is only suitable for AGVs without lateral movement function.

[0004] In this regard, our company has developed Figure 1 The AGV steering wheel structure with spring assembly 001 and guide assembly 002 shown in the figure has a relatively simple structure and reduces the manufacturing cost. However, since the spring assembly 001 and the guide assembly 002 are both fixedly connected to the lower bracket plate 003, and the guide shaft 004 in the guide assembly 002 is connected to the fixed plate 005, the upper end of the guide sleeve 006 is fixed to the floating plate 007, and the lower end of the guide sleeve 006 is fixed to the lower bracket plate 003, it forms an over-positioning, and the concentricity requirements of the parts are extremely high, which is not convenient for assembly. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned background technology and to provide an AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure, which adopts a dual-axis guided steering wheel shock-absorbing floating structure, effectively solving the problems of high processing difficulty, high production cost, low reliability, complex structure, large installation space and small scope of application.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is: an AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure, including a steering wheel body and a floating plate and a fixed plate located above the steering wheel body, and two groups of floating guide mechanisms are arranged between the floating plate and the fixed plate. The floating guide mechanism includes a guide assembly and a floating assembly symmetrically arranged on both sides of the guide assembly, the guide assembly includes a guide sleeve and a guide shaft slidably arranged inside the guide sleeve, the guide shaft is fixedly connected to the lower end surface of the fixed plate, the guide sleeve is fixedly connected to the floating plate, and the lower end surface of the guide shaft is connected to an anti-slip gasket. When in use, the guide shaft slides in the guide sleeve to play a guiding role. And the two groups of floating guide mechanisms limit three degrees of freedom on the plane without over-positioning.

[0007] The floating assembly includes a spring guide anti-slip shaft, a spring top plate, and a spring sleeved on the outside of the spring guide anti-slip shaft. The upper end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft is connected to the fixed plate, and the lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft passes through the spring top plate. The spring top plate is fixedly connected to the floating plate, and the spring is located between the fixed plate and the spring top plate.

[0008] Preferably, a groove is provided on the top plate of the spring, the inner diameter of the groove is matched with the outer diameter of the spring, and the lower end surface of the spring abuts against the bottom surface of the groove, which can prevent the spring from moving laterally.

[0009] Furthermore, a waist-shaped hole is provided on the spring top plate, and the lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft passes through the waist-shaped hole. The setting of the waist-shaped hole can better absorb the concentricity deviation caused by the processing of the fixed plate and the floating plate.

[0010] Furthermore, the floating plate is designed in a planar lantern-shaped structure, and the spring top plate is fixedly connected to both ends of the floating plate by means of positioning pins and connecting screws, that is, the spring top plate is fixedly connected to both ends of the planar lantern-shaped structure. The spring top plate and the floating plate are connected in a split manner, which can avoid the protruding part of the steering wheel rotation, thereby reducing the length and width of the floating plate, making the overall structure more compact, and making installation and maintenance easier.

[0011] Furthermore, a copper gasket is sleeved on the outside of the spring guide anti-slip shaft, and the upper end of the spring abuts against the copper gasket. The setting of the copper gasket can reduce the friction noise generated by misaligned sliding after the spring is compressed.

[0012] Furthermore, a first brake portion is provided at the lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft, and a second brake portion is provided at the upper end of the guide shaft. The first brake portion and the second brake portion are provided to reduce production costs and avoid providing too many parts, that is, a wrench position is directly provided on the spring guide anti-slip shaft and the guide shaft.

[0013] Furthermore, the spring is a rectangular spring, and its elastic performance is more stable.

[0014] The present invention also provides a method for using the AGV steering wheel assembly with the floating structure, which includes the following steps:

[0015] S1, fixing the steering wheel body to the floating plate, the spring elastically supports and connects the floating plate to the fixed plate, and the guide assembly limits the movement direction between the floating plate and the fixed plate, so that the floating plate and the fixed plate always remain parallel;

[0016] S2, installing the steering wheel assembly on the AGV frame through the fixing plate;

[0017] S3. When the AGV trolley needs to move, the servo motor connected to one side of the steering wheel starts to work, and the servo motor drives the steering wheel to rotate to realize the transfer and transportation of the AGV trolley;

[0018] S4. When the AGV trolley needs to turn, the steering motor connected to the upper end of the steering wheel body drives the steering wheel body to rotate through gear transmission to achieve the steering of the AGV trolley.

[0019] Furthermore, in step S2, the number of the steering wheel assemblies is two groups, and the specific number can be selected according to the size and carrying capacity of the AGV trolley.

[0020] The beneficial effects of the present invention are: (1) by setting two groups of floating guide mechanisms and cooperating with the waist-shaped holes, three degrees of freedom on the plane are limited without over-positioning, which reduces the difficulty of processing and thus reduces the production cost; (2) the spring top plate and the floating plate are connected in a split manner, which can avoid the protruding part of the steering wheel rotation, thereby reducing the length and width of the floating plate and making the overall structure more compact; (3) during the floating process, the floating plate and the fixed plate are always parallel, so when the steering wheel rotates and turns, the steering wheel surface is always parallel to the ground without an angle, which can be suitable for AGVs with lateral movement function; (4) by setting the copper gasket, the friction noise generated by the misaligned sliding after the spring is compressed can be reduced, thereby improving the comfort of use. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The present invention is further described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0022] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of an AGV steering wheel assembly in the prior art;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Left view of;

[0025] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the parts of the present invention in an exploded state.

[0027] In the figure: 001. Spring assembly, 002. Guide assembly, 003. Lower bracket plate, 004. Guide shaft, 005. Fixed plate, 006. Guide sleeve, 007. Floating plate, 01. Steering wheel body, 02. Floating plate, 03. Fixed plate, 04. Floating guide mechanism, 05. Guide assembly, 051. Guide shaft sleeve, 052. Guide shaft, 053. Anti-slip gasket, 06. Floating assembly, 061. Spring guide anti-slip shaft, 062. Spring top plate, 0621. Groove, 0622. Waist-shaped hole, 063. Spring, 07. Copper gasket, 08. First brake part, 09. Second brake part. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These drawings are simplified schematic diagrams, which only illustrate the basic structure of the present invention in a schematic manner, and therefore only show the components related to the present invention.

[0029] like Figures 2 to 5As shown, an AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure includes a steering wheel body 01, a floating plate 02 and a fixed plate 03 located above the steering wheel body 01, and two groups of floating guide mechanisms 04 are arranged between the floating plate 02 and the fixed plate 03. The floating guide mechanism 04 includes a guide assembly 05 and a floating assembly 06 symmetrically arranged on both sides of the guide assembly 05. The guide assembly 05 includes a guide sleeve 051 and a guide shaft 052 slidably arranged inside the guide sleeve 051. The guide shaft 052 is fixedly connected to the lower end surface of the fixed plate 03, and the guide sleeve 051 is fixedly connected to the floating plate 02. The lower end surface of the guide shaft 052 is connected with an anti-slip gasket 053. When in use, the guide shaft 052 slides in the guide sleeve 051 to play a guiding role. The anti-slip gasket 053 can prevent the guide shaft 052 from slipping in the guide sleeve 051. The floating assembly 06 includes a spring guide anti-slip shaft 061, a spring top plate 062, and a spring 063 sleeved on the outside of the spring guide anti-slip shaft 061. The upper end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft 061 is connected to the fixed plate 03, and the lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft 061 passes through the spring top plate 062. The spring top plate 062 is fixedly connected to the floating plate 02, and the spring 063 is located between the fixed plate 03 and the spring top plate 062. The spring top plate 062 is connected to the floating plate 02 in a split type, which can avoid the protruding part of the steering wheel rotation, thereby reducing the length and width of the floating plate 02 and making the overall structure more compact.

[0030] The spring top plate 062 is provided with a groove 0621, the inner diameter of which matches the outer diameter of the spring 063, and the lower end surface of the spring 063 abuts against the bottom surface of the groove 0621, which can prevent the spring 063 from moving laterally. The spring top plate 062 is also provided with a waist-shaped hole 0622, and the lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft 061 passes through the waist-shaped hole 0622. The setting of the waist-shaped hole 0622 can better absorb the concentricity deviation caused by the machining of the fixed plate 03 and the floating plate 02.

[0031] The floating plate 02 is designed as a planar lantern-shaped structure, and the spring top plate 062 is fixedly connected to the two ends of the floating plate 02 by using positioning pins and connecting screws, that is, the spring top plate 062 is fixedly connected to the two ends of the planar lantern-shaped structure.

[0032] The outside of the spring guide anti-slip shaft 061 is also covered with a copper gasket 07, and the upper end of the spring 063 is against the copper gasket 07. The setting of the copper gasket 07 can reduce the friction noise generated by the misaligned sliding after the spring 063 is compressed.

[0033] The lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft 061 is provided with a first brake portion 08, and the upper end of the guide shaft 052 is provided with a second brake portion 09. The first brake portion 08 and the second brake portion 09 are wrench positions directly provided on the spring guide anti-slip shaft 061 and the guide shaft 052, which is to reduce production costs and avoid providing too many parts.

[0034] When in use, the fixed plate 03 is fixed on the frame, the steering wheel body 01 is fixed on the floating plate 02, and the spring 063 elastically supports and connects the fixed plate 03 to the floating plate 02. At the same time, the guide component 05 limits the movement direction between the fixed plate 03 and the floating plate 02 (that is, the fixed plate 03 can only move vertically up and down relative to the floating plate 02). It can ensure that the floating plate is always parallel to the fixed plate. Therefore, when the steering wheel rotates and turns, the steering wheel surface is always parallel to the ground without an angle. It can be suitable for AGVs with lateral movement function and has a wider range of applications.

[0035] Based on the above ideal embodiments of the present invention, the relevant staff can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of the present invention through the above description. The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents of the specification, and its technical scope must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure, comprising a steering wheel body and a floating plate and a fixed plate located above the steering wheel body, characterized in that: Two groups of floating guide mechanisms are arranged between the floating plate and the fixed plate, and the floating guide mechanism includes a guide assembly and a floating assembly symmetrically arranged on both sides of the guide assembly, the guide assembly includes a guide shaft sleeve and a guide shaft slidably arranged inside the guide shaft sleeve, the guide shaft is fixedly connected to the lower end surface of the fixed plate, the guide shaft sleeve is fixedly connected to the floating plate, and the lower end surface of the guide shaft is connected with an anti-slip gasket; the floating assembly includes a spring guide anti-slip shaft, a spring top plate and a spring sleeved on the outside of the spring guide anti-slip shaft, the upper end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft is connected to the fixed plate, the lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft passes through the spring top plate, the spring top plate is fixedly connected to the floating plate, and the spring is located between the fixed plate and the spring top plate; The floating plate is in a planar lantern-shaped structure, and the spring top plate is fixedly connected to both ends of the floating plate by means of positioning pins and connecting screws; The spring top plate is provided with a groove, the inner diameter of the groove is adapted to the outer diameter of the spring, and the lower end surface of the spring is against the bottom surface of the groove. The spring top plate is also provided with a waist-shaped hole, and the lower end of the spring guide anti-slip shaft passes through the waist-shaped hole.

2. The AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer part of the spring guide anti-slip shaft is also covered with a copper gasket, and the upper end of the spring abuts against the copper gasket.

3. The AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The lower end of the spring-guided anti-slip shaft is provided with a first braking portion.

4. The AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper end of the guide shaft is provided with a second braking portion.

5. The method for using the AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The steps include: S1, fixing the steering wheel body to the floating plate, the spring elastically supports and connects the floating plate to the fixed plate, and the guide assembly limits the movement direction between the floating plate and the fixed plate, so that the floating plate and the fixed plate always remain parallel; S2, installing the steering wheel assembly on the AGV frame through the fixing plate; S3. When the AGV trolley needs to move, the servo motor connected to one side of the steering wheel starts to work, and the servo motor drives the steering wheel to rotate to realize the transfer and transportation of the AGV trolley; S4. When the AGV trolley needs to turn, the steering motor connected to the upper end of the steering wheel body drives the steering wheel body to rotate through gear transmission to achieve the steering of the AGV trolley.

6. The method for using the AGV steering wheel assembly with a floating structure according to claim 5, characterized in that: In step S2, the number of the steering wheel assemblies is two.

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