Vehicle butt joint locking device

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of vehicle connecting devices, in particular to a vehicle butt joint locking device. A vehicle butt joint locking device comprises a conical opening passive system and a conical rod active system which are installed at the tail position in a front vehicle body and the head position in a rear vehicle body respectively. The cone opening passive system and the cone rod active system are used in cooperation, the main body is controlled to stretch out and retract according to needs, and hinged connection and rigid locking connection between vehicles are achieved. According to the invention, the vehicle can realize quick butt joint under the condition that butt joint deviation exists, meanwhile, the connection is stable, two states of hinged connection and rigid connection between the vehicles can be realized during movement, and the vehicle has obstacle crossing and passing performances.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle connection devices, and more specifically to a vehicle docking and locking device. Background Art

[0002] Vehicle docking technology plays a crucial role in modern transportation, logistics, military and other fields. It is not only the key technology to realize the coordinated operation of vehicles, improve transportation efficiency and system flexibility, but also the core means to ensure the connection stability and safety of vehicles. For example, in logistics transportation, by connecting multiple trucks into a "road train", the number of drivers can be reduced, transportation efficiency can be improved, and logistics costs can be reduced. Militarily, by docking single vehicles into multi-vehicle or multi-axle vehicles, the passability of vehicles can be improved, cross-country ability can be enhanced, and vehicle power can be increased. In addition, through the docking mechanism, the running ability of the vehicle under vehicle failure can be improved through redundant drive, ensuring the safe driving of the vehicle.

[0003] In the research on the design of existing vehicle docking mechanisms, the vehicle connection mechanism often adopts a hinged structure. For example, in BRT buses, large bearings are used in the middle, and a connection device with hydraulic struts on both sides is used. However, this device is generally installed at the factory and cannot achieve rapid connection during vehicle use. Moreover, its pitch and torsion degrees of freedom are limited and cannot adapt to rough road conditions. In articulated all-terrain vehicles, a hydraulic articulated device is used, but it has many drive units and complex control, and cannot achieve rapid docking either. In motorhomes, a ball joint device is used to connect vehicles. Its relative pitch and torsion movements both depend on the dimensional relationship between the ball head and the pin shaft, with limited swing amplitude, and rigid connection cannot be achieved, which reduces the passability of the vehicle under complex off-road conditions. Existing docking devices either cannot achieve rapid docking or have limited degrees of freedom after connection, and cannot meet the driving requirements of vehicles under complex road conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the present invention provides a vehicle docking and locking device, and its beneficial effect is that the vehicle can achieve rapid docking in the presence of docking deviation, and at the same time, the connection is stable.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problems is:

[0006] A vehicle docking and locking device includes a tapered orifice passive system and a tapered rod active system, which are respectively installed at the tail position inside the front vehicle body and the head position inside the rear vehicle body; the two components of the tapered orifice passive system and the tapered rod active system are used in cooperation, and the main body is controlled to extend and retract as needed to achieve articulated connection and rigid locking connection between vehicles;

[0007] The conical orifice passive system includes a bottom plate fixing device, a sliding pitching device, and an end conical orifice locking device; the bottom plate fixing device fixes the entire conical orifice passive system to the rear of the front vehicle, and at the same time has the functions of guiding and driving the movement of the sliding pitching device; the sliding pitching device can slide on the bottom plate fixing device and has a pitching degree of freedom; the end conical orifice locking device is connected to the conical rod active system to achieve vehicle docking.

[0008] The conical rod active system consists of a bottom plate fixing device and a sliding conical rod docking device; the bottom plate fixing device fixes the entire conical rod active system to the head of the rear vehicle, and the bottom plate fixing device drives the sliding conical rod docking device to move forward and backward and lock; the sliding conical rod docking device is connected to the bottom plate fixing device through a shaft pin, so that the sliding conical rod docking device has a yaw degree of freedom, and at the same time has axial rotation and pitching degrees of freedom itself.

[0009] The bottom plate fixing device on the conical orifice passive system includes a mounting bottom plate, a sliding pitching device fixing block, a fixed ear seat, a linear slide rail, a slider, a fixing plate one, an encoder, a reducer, a connecting rod locking device, a locking drive motor, a rack, a rack drive motor, a travel switch, and a drag chain. Fixed ear seats are fixed at the four corners of the mounting bottom plate, and mounting holes are provided at the bottom of the fixed ear seats. The mounting holes are responsible for connecting and fixing the bottom plate fixing device to the mounting vehicle. Two linear slide rails are fixed on the mounting bottom plate. Two sliders are fixed on the lower side of the fixing plate one, and the two sliders are respectively slidably connected to the two linear slide rails. A rack is fixed on the mounting bottom plate, and a rack drive motor is installed on the fixing plate one. The gear on the output shaft of the rack drive motor meshes with the rack. By driving the gear to move on the rack, the fixing plate one is driven to move along the linear slide rail.

[0010] The connecting rod locking device and the locking drive motor are installed on the fixing plate one. A fixing hole is provided on the fixed ear seat. The locking drive motor drives the connecting rod locking device under the action of the reducer to achieve locking and unlocking with the fixing hole on the fixed ear seat, and the coaxial encoder provides position information for the locking drive motor; a sliding pitching device fixing block is installed on the fixing plate one, and the sliding pitching device fixing block is connected to the sliding pitching device.

[0011] A drag chain is installed on the mounting bottom plate to facilitate the movement of the cables on the bottom plate fixing device. The front and rear travel switches on the mounting bottom plate provide in-place signals for the rack drive motor.

[0012] The sliding pitch device includes a main frame, a rotary connecting sleeve, a pitch centering pull rod, a hinge encoder, and a yaw connecting sleeve. Two rotary connecting sleeves are fixed on the main frame, and the two rotary connecting sleeves are respectively connected to two fixed blocks of the sliding pitch device, providing the pitch freedom degree for the sliding pitch device. The two ends of the pitch centering pull rod are respectively hinged to the first fixing plate and the main frame. The pitch centering pull rod can be telescopic, and its internal structure is a spring structure. The zero position can ensure the pitch centering of the main frame, enabling the main frame to automatically return to the center when sagging or rising. A yaw connecting sleeve is arranged at the front part of the main frame, providing a connection port with the end cone locking device. At the same time, it has a hinge encoder that can obtain the yaw hinge angle of the end cone locking device.

[0013] The end cone locking device includes a second fixing plate, a yaw centering pull rod, a connecting pin, a locking bracket driving motor, a locking bracket, a guiding cone, a lower slide plate, a preset bracket moving slideway on the lower slide plate, and a cone guiding groove. The entire end cone locking device is connected to the yaw connecting sleeve of the sliding pitch device through the connecting pin, having the yaw freedom degree. To ensure the yaw centering of the end cone locking device in the non-working state, yaw centering pull rods are arranged on the left and right sides of the end cone locking device. The yaw centering pull rod can be telescopic, and its internal structure is a spring structure. When the two yaw centering pull rods make the end cone locking device deviate to one end, they provide a centering force to make the end cone locking device quickly center. The second fixing plate and the connecting pin are an integral structure. The second fixing plate is fixedly connected to the locking bracket driving motor. A lower slide plate is fixed on the second fixing plate, and a preset bracket moving slideway is arranged on the lower slide plate. The locking bracket driving motor can drive the locking bracket to move along the preset bracket moving slideway on the lower slide plate. The locking bracket is locked and connected to the cone rod active system through opening and closing. The guiding cone is conical, providing fault tolerance ability when the cone rod is inserted. A cone guiding groove is designed inside the guiding cone, which can make the cone rod straight through the cone guiding groove.

[0014] The bottom plate fixing device on the cone rod active system includes a mounting bottom plate, fixed ear seats, linear slide rails, sliders, a first fixing plate, an encoder, a reducer, a connecting rod locking device, a locking driving motor, a rack, a rack driving motor, a travel switch, a drag chain, and a sliding device guiding and limiting groove. The bottom plate fixing device on the cone rod active system is similar to the bottom plate fixing device on the cone mouth passive system as a whole. The main difference is that its front fixed ear seat has two front and rear locking and fixing holes, and a sliding device guiding and limiting groove. When the overall docking mechanism is docked, it has two yaw joints in the yaw freedom degree. By pulling back and locking a part of the sliding part of the cone rod active system, one yaw joint is restricted, making it easier to control the vehicle during driving.

[0015] The sliding cone rod docking device includes a middle mounting seat, a pitching centering pull rod, a cone rod, a brass cone head, a locking allowance spring, a hook ear seat, a hook ear seat guiding rod, a docking buffer spring, a spring guiding rod, a yaw centering pull rod, a pitching kingpin, a bearing, and a brass lubricating block. The middle mounting seat is hinged to the first fixed plate through a rear pin hole. Two yaw centering pull rods are hinged to the middle mounting seat, and the other ends of the two yaw centering pull rods are hinged to the first fixed plate, enabling the sliding cone rod docking device to have the freedom of yaw. At the same time, through the two yaw centering pull rods, it maintains yaw centering when not under force. The rear mechanism on the middle mounting seat is connected to the middle mounting seat through a pitching kingpin, enabling the middle mounting seat to have the freedom of pitching. A pitching centering pull rod is arranged on the middle mounting seat, which can keep the mechanism in pitching centering when not under force. The hook ear seat guiding rod guides the hook ear seat.

[0016] The spring guiding rod is connected to the middle mounting seat and its end cover through a bearing, providing the hook ear seat with the freedom of rotation. The docking buffer spring can slide on the spring guiding rod, reducing the collision during the docking collision of the vehicle and providing buffering.

[0017] The hook ear seat at the head of the sliding cone rod docking device is connected to the locking bracket of the cone opening passive system, forming a four-bar mechanism. To further utilize the dead point of the link and increase the reliability of locking, a locking allowance spring is arranged in the hook ear seat and its guiding rod, thereby providing a locking stroke allowance, enabling the locking bracket to pass through the dead point and increasing the utilization range of the dead point.

[0018] The frontmost part of the sliding cone rod docking device is the cone rod. Guide strips are arranged on the cone rod, and the guide strips are matched with the cone opening guide grooves. A brass cone head is arranged on the cone rod, and the brass cone head is used to insert into the guide cone opening to reduce collision.

[0019] The beneficial effects of a vehicle docking and locking device of the present invention are:

[0020] 1. Allowing large docking deviations: Due to the design of the docking of the cone opening and the cone rod, and each of the two parts having the freedom of yaw and pitching, it allows deviations between the cone rod and the cone opening during docking. The specific size is proportional to the size of the cone opening. Therefore, the docking task of this device can be completed without overly precise vehicle docking operations. A buffer spring is designed during the docking process to provide collision buffering. At the same time, the cone opening and the cone rod are designed with guide grooves and guide strips, which can ensure that after the cone rod is inserted into the cone opening, the ear seat and the locking bracket are in the same plane, facilitating the locking of the hook.

[0021] 2. It has two forms: articulated connection and rigid connection. The articulated connection can make the vehicle system more flexible, facilitating driving on rugged mountain roads and areas with many curves. The rigid connection connects two vehicles into a whole, thus forming a multi-axle vehicle, which is convenient for transporting large items. At the same time, it improves the driving performance of the overall system and enhances its obstacle-crossing ability.

[0022] 3. Strong locking ability after docking: The locking bracket device is designed to be connected with the hook ear seat to form a four-bar linkage structure. The locking force is generated by using the dead point of the mechanism, without the need for the motor to drive and tighten all the time. To achieve this, a locking margin spring is also designed, enabling the linkage mechanism to pass through the dead point after docking, so as not to fail to reach the dead point during docking due to machining errors, assembly errors, etc., thus making full use of the structural strength.

[0023] 4. Centering tie rods are configured for each rotational degree of freedom: enabling it to remain centered in the non-operating state.

[0024] 5. Compact structure: The two parts can be separately installed at the tail and head positions of the vehicle and can be retracted into the vehicle when not in use.

[0025] 6. Simple operation: All moving devices cooperate with limit switches or encoders, enabling automated movement without manual operation.

[0026] 7. It can be modularly deployed in the vehicle, easily realizing the expansion of the docking vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The following further elaborates on the present invention in detail in conjunction with the drawings and specific implementation methods.

[0028] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural diagram of the tapered orifice passive system;

[0029] Figure 2 It is a schematic structural diagram of the bottom plate fixing device on the tapered orifice passive system;

[0030] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the sliding pitching device;

[0031] Figure 4 It is a schematic structural diagram of the end tapered orifice locking device;

[0032] Figure 5 It is a schematic structural diagram of the sliding plate preset bracket moving slideway;

[0033] Figure 6 It is a schematic structural diagram of the tapered orifice guide groove;

[0034] Figure 7 It is a schematic structural diagram of the tapered rod active system;

[0035] Figure 8 Schematic structural diagram of the bottom plate fixing device on the conical rod active system;

[0036] Figure 9 Schematic of the structure of the sliding conical rod docking device Figure 1 ;

[0037] Figure 10 Schematic of the structure of the sliding conical rod docking device Figure 2 ;

[0038] Figure 11 Schematic of the structure of the sliding conical rod docking device Figure 3 ;

[0039] Figure 12 Schematic diagram of the initial separation state of the conical opening passive system and the conical rod active system;

[0040] Figure 13 Schematic of the docking process of the conical opening passive system and the conical rod active system Figure 1 ;

[0041] Figure 14 Schematic of the docking process of the conical opening passive system and the conical rod active system Figure 2 ;

[0042] Figure 15 Schematic of the docking process of the conical opening passive system and the conical rod active system Figure 3 ;

[0043] Figure 16 Schematic diagram of the rigid connection process of the conical opening passive system and the conical rod active system.

[0044] In the figure: Bottom plate fixing device 1; Installation bottom plate 101; Sliding pitching device fixing block 102; Fixed ear seat 103; Linear slide rail 104; Slide block 105; Fixed plate one 106; Encoder 107; Reducer 108; Link locking device 109; Locking drive motor 110; Rack 111; Rack drive motor 112; Travel switch 113; Drag chain 114; Sliding device guide and limit groove 115;

[0045] Sliding pitching device 2; Main body frame 201; Rotary connection sleeve 202; Pitching centering pull rod 203; Hinge encoder 204; Yaw connection sleeve 205;

[0046] End conical opening locking device 3; Fixed plate two 301; Yaw centering pull rod 302; Connecting pin 303; Locking bracket drive motor 304; Locking bracket 305; Guide conical opening 306; Lower slide plate 307; Preset bracket movement slideway for the lower slide plate 308; Conical opening guide groove 309;

[0047] Sliding cone rod docking device 4; middle mounting seat 401; pitching centering pull rod 402; cone rod 403; brass cone head 404; locking allowance spring 405; hook ear seat 406; hook ear seat guide rod 407; docking buffer spring 408; spring guide rod 409; yaw centering pull rod 410; pitching kingpin 411; bearing 412; brass lubricating block 413. Detailed implementation manner

[0048] Such as Figure 1-11 , a vehicle docking and locking device, comprising a tapered orifice passive system and a cone rod active system, which are respectively installed at the tail position inside the body of the front vehicle and the head position inside the body of the rear vehicle; the two components of the tapered orifice passive system and the cone rod active system are used in cooperation to control the main body to extend and retract as needed, so as to realize articulated connection and rigid locking connection between vehicles;

[0049] The tapered orifice passive system includes a bottom plate fixing device 1, a sliding pitching device 2 and a terminal tapered orifice locking device 3; the bottom plate fixing device 1 fixes the entire tapered orifice passive system at the tail of the front vehicle, and at the same time has the movement guiding and driving functions of the sliding pitching device 2; the sliding pitching device 2 can slide on the bottom plate fixing device 1, and the sliding pitching device 2 has pitching freedom; the terminal tapered orifice locking device 3 is connected to the cone rod active system to realize vehicle docking;

[0050] The cone rod active system is composed of a bottom plate fixing device 1 and a sliding cone rod docking device 4; the bottom plate fixing device 1 fixes the entire cone rod active system at the head of the rear vehicle, and the bottom plate fixing device 1 drives the sliding cone rod docking device 4 to move back and forth and lock; the sliding cone rod docking device 4 is connected to the bottom plate fixing device 1 through a shaft pin, so that the sliding cone rod docking device 4 has yaw freedom, and at the same time has axial rotation and pitching freedom.

[0051] The bottom plate fixing device 1 on the conical opening passive system includes a mounting bottom plate 101, a sliding pitching device fixing block 102, a fixed ear seat 103, a linear slide rail 104, a slider 105, a first fixing plate 106, an encoder 107, a speed reducer 108, a connecting rod locking device 109, a locking driving motor 110, a rack 111, a rack driving motor 112, a travel switch 113 and a drag chain 114. Fixed ear seats 103 are fixed at the four corners of the mounting bottom plate 101. Mounting holes are provided at the bottom of the fixed ear seats 103, and the mounting holes are responsible for connecting and fixing the bottom plate fixing device 1 to the mounting vehicle. Two linear slide rails 104 are fixed on the mounting bottom plate 101. Two sliders 105 are fixed on the lower side of the first fixing plate 106, and the two sliders 105 are respectively slidably connected to the two linear slide rails 104. A rack 111 is fixed on the mounting bottom plate 101. A rack driving motor 112 is installed on the first fixing plate 106, and the gear on the output shaft of the rack driving motor 112 meshes with the rack 111. By driving the gear to move on the rack 111, the first fixing plate 106 is driven to move along the linear slide rail 104.

[0052] The first fixing plate 106 is installed with a connecting rod locking device 109 and a locking driving motor 110. A fixing hole is provided on the fixed ear seat 103. The locking driving motor 110 drives the connecting rod locking device 109 under the action of the speed reducer 108 to realize the locking and unlocking of the fixing hole on the fixed ear seat 103, and the coaxial encoder 107 provides position information for the locking driving motor 110; A sliding pitching device fixing block 102 is installed on the first fixing plate 106, and the sliding pitching device fixing block 102 is connected to the sliding pitching device 2.

[0053] A drag chain 114 is installed on the mounting bottom plate 101 to facilitate the movement of the cables on the bottom plate fixing device 1. The front and rear travel switches 113 on the mounting bottom plate 101 provide in-place signals for the rack driving motor 112.

[0054] The sliding pitching device 2 includes a main body frame 201, a rotary connection sleeve 202, a pitching centering pull rod 203, a hinge encoder 204 and a yaw connection sleeve 205. Two rotary connection sleeves 202 are fixed on the main body frame 201, and the two rotary connection sleeves 202 are respectively connected to the two sliding pitching device fixing blocks 102 to provide the pitching degree of freedom for the sliding pitching device 2. The two ends of the pitching centering pull rod are respectively hinged to the first fixing plate 106 and the main body frame 201. The pitching centering pull rod 203 can be telescopic and has a spring structure inside. The zero position can ensure the pitching centering of the main body frame 201, so that when the main body frame 201 sags or rises, it can automatically return to the center. A yaw connection sleeve 205 is provided at the front part of the main body frame 201 to provide a connection port with the end conical opening locking device 3, and at the same time has a hinge encoder 204, which can obtain the yaw hinge angle of the end conical opening locking device 3;

[0055] The described end tapered orifice locking device includes a second fixed plate 301, a yaw centering pull rod 302, a connecting pin 303, a locking bracket driving motor 304, a locking bracket 305, a guiding tapered orifice 306, a lower slide plate 307, a preset bracket moving slideway 308 for the lower slide plate, and a tapered orifice guiding groove 309. The entire end tapered orifice locking device 3 is connected to the yaw connecting sleeve 205 of the sliding pitching device 2 through the connecting pin 303 and has a yaw degree of freedom. To ensure the yaw centering of the end tapered orifice locking device 3 in the non-operating state, yaw centering pull rods 302 are provided on both the left and right sides of the end tapered orifice locking device 3. The yaw centering pull rods 302 can be telescoped and have a spring structure inside. When the end tapered orifice locking device 3 is biased towards one end by the two yaw centering pull rods 302, a centering force is provided to quickly center the end tapered orifice locking device 3. The second fixed plate 301 and the connecting pin 303 are of an integral structure. The second fixed plate 301 is fixedly connected to the locking bracket driving motor 304. The lower slide plate 307 is fixed on the second fixed plate 301. The preset bracket moving slideway 308 for the lower slide plate is provided on the lower slide plate 307. The locking bracket driving motor 304 can drive the locking bracket 305 to move along the preset bracket moving slideway 308 for the lower slide plate. The locking bracket 305 is locked and connected to the cone rod active system through opening and closing. The guiding tapered orifice 306 is conical and can provide a fault tolerance ability when the cone rod 403 is inserted. The tapered orifice guiding groove 309 is designed inside the guiding tapered orifice 306, and the cone rod 403 can be straightened through the tapered orifice guiding groove 309.

[0056] The bottom plate fixing device 1 on the cone rod active system includes a mounting bottom plate 101, a fixed ear seat 103, a linear slide rail 104, a slider 105, a first fixed plate 106, an encoder 107, a speed reducer 108, a connecting rod locking device 109, a locking driving motor 110, a rack 111, a rack driving motor 112, a travel switch 113, a drag chain 114, and a guiding and limiting groove 115 for the sliding device. The bottom plate fixing device 1 on the cone rod active system is similar to the bottom plate fixing device 1 on the tapered orifice passive system as a whole. The main difference is that its front fixed ear seat 103 has two front and rear locking and fixing holes, and the guiding and limiting groove 115 for the sliding device. When the overall docking mechanism is docked, it has two yaw joints in the yaw degree of freedom. By pulling back and locking a part of the sliding part of the cone rod active system, one yaw joint is restricted, making it easier to control the vehicle during driving.

[0057] ​The sliding conical rod docking device 4 includes a middle mounting seat 401, a pitch centering pull rod 402, a conical rod 403, a brass conical head 404, a locking allowance spring 405, a hook ear seat 406, a hook ear seat guide rod 407, a docking buffer spring 408, a spring guide rod 409, a yaw centering pull rod 410, a pitch kingpin 411, a bearing 412, and a brass lubricating block 413. The middle mounting seat 401 is hinged to the first fixing plate 106 through a rear pin hole. Two yaw centering pull rods 410 are hinged to the middle mounting seat 401, and the other ends of the two yaw centering pull rods 410 are hinged to the first fixing plate 106, so that the sliding conical rod docking device 4 has the freedom of yaw, and at the same time, it maintains yaw centering when not under force through the two yaw centering pull rods 410. The rear mechanism on the middle mounting seat 401 is connected to the middle mounting seat 401 through a pitch kingpin 411, so that the middle mounting seat 401 has the freedom of pitch. A pitch centering pull rod 402 is arranged on the middle mounting seat 401, which can keep the mechanism in pitch centering when not under force. The hook ear seat guide rod 407 guides the hook ear seat 406.

[0058] The spring guide rod 409 is connected to the middle mounting seat 401 and its end cover through a bearing 412, providing the hook ear seat 406 with the freedom of rotation. The docking buffer spring 408 can slide on the spring guide rod 409, reducing the collision and providing buffering during the docking collision of the vehicle.

[0059] The hook ear seat 406 at the head of the sliding conical rod docking device 4 is connected to the locking bracket 305 of the conical opening passive system, forming a four-bar linkage mechanism. To further utilize the dead point of the linkage and increase the reliability of locking, a locking allowance spring 405 is arranged in the hook ear seat 406 and its guide rod, thereby providing a locking stroke allowance, enabling the locking bracket 305 to pass through the dead point and increasing the utilization range of the dead point.

[0060] The frontmost part of the sliding conical rod docking device 4 is the conical rod 403. Guide strips are arranged on the conical rod 403, and the guide strips cooperate with the conical opening guide groove 309. A brass conical head 404 is arranged on the conical rod 403, and the brass conical head 404 is used to insert into the guide conical opening 306 to reduce the collision.

[0061] Working process:

[0062] The following combines different usage conditions of the docking device to specifically illustrate the working process of the device of the present invention. Ignoring the vehicle's own structure, it is defaulted that the conical opening passive system and the conical rod active system are respectively installed at the rear of the leading vehicle and the front of the trailing vehicle.

[0063] Separation initial state, as Figure 12 shown: The conical opening passive system and the conical rod active system are each retracted into the vehicle interior.

[0064] The docking process is as follows Figure 13 shown below

[0065] 1. The rack drive motor 112 in the two systems drives the gear to rotate, enabling the upper device to move forward and extend along the linear slide rail 104. When it reaches the frontmost designed position, the front travel switch 113 is triggered, and the rack drive motor 112 stops moving. The locking drive motor 110 rotates, driving the connecting rod locking device 109 to extend and insert into the locking hole on the fixed ear seat 103. The encoder 107 provides the distance information of the extension. When the specified length is extended, it stops moving, and the sliding device is regarded as locked. The locking bracket 305 of the tapered opening passive system opens under the action of the locking bracket drive motor 304. At this time, under the action of each centering pull rod, each device can ensure that the tapered rod 403 and the guiding tapered opening 306 are horizontally centered

[0066] 2. As Figure 14 shown below, considering the head vehicle stops moving and the rear vehicle drives forward for docking, it can be combined with autonomous driving to insert the tapered rod 403 into the guiding tapered opening 306. Due to the design of the tapered rod 403, the guiding tapered opening 306, and the yaw freedom, pitch freedom, and axial rotation, the tapered rod 403 can be inserted into the guiding tapered opening 306 in the case of docking deviation. When the vehicles are in contact during docking, the docking buffer spring 408 can provide buffering to avoid hard impacts. At the same time, the guiding strip of the tapered rod 403 cooperates with the tapered opening guiding groove 309 of the guiding tapered opening 306 to ensure that the fixed ear seat 103 of the tapered rod 403 and the locking bracket 305 are in the same plane without angular deviation. At this time, the locking bracket drive motor 304 drives the locking bracket 305 to move along the tapered opening guiding groove 309, enabling it to hook the hook ear seat 406, forming a four-bar linkage structure. At the same time, the designed locking margin spring 405 can enable the hook to pass through the dead point of the connecting rod. At this time, if there is a separation force between the two vehicles, the formed four-bar linkage structure can resist the separation force without the need for motor drive to resist. However, at this time, there are two yaw joints in the system, forming a double-articulated structure, which is difficult to control the vehicle movement

[0067] 3. As Figure 15As shown in the figure, to facilitate the control of the vehicle movement and control system, it is necessary to eliminate a yaw degree of freedom to form a single articulated structure. At this time, the left conical port passive system remains stationary, and the rear conical rod active system opens the connecting rod locking device 109. At the same time, the rear vehicle slowly moves forward, and the rack drive motor 112 pulls back the rear conical rod active system and stops after the middle travel switch 113 is triggered. At this time, the connecting rod locking device 109 is just in the second fixing hole of the front fixing ear seat 103. At this time, the movement stops, and the connecting rod locking device 109 is inserted into the second fixing hole. Because there is a sliding device guiding and limiting groove 116 at the bottom, the yaw joint of the rear conical rod active system is restricted, and thus the overall system becomes a single articulated structure. At this time, the docking of the two vehicles is completed, and they can become articulated vehicles for driving. It has the characteristics of flexible transportation and improved transportation efficiency.

[0068] The rigid connection process is as Figure 16 shown:

[0069] To improve the off-road ability and the overall transportation performance of large items of the vehicle, sometimes it is necessary to rigidly fix and connect the front and rear vehicles. Open the connecting rod locking device 109 of the conical port passive system, and the rack drive motor 112 drives the sliding system to retract along the linear slide rail until the innermost end. When the innermost end travel switch is triggered, the rack drive motor 112 stops moving. At this time, the connecting rod locking device 109 extends and inserts into the locking hole to fix the system. At this time, the state of the two vehicles is the tightly fitting state of the front and rear vehicles. By relying on the tight fit of the vehicle bodies, degrees of freedom such as yaw and pitch are eliminated, so that the vehicle can move as a whole. Even if there is a failure in the rear vehicle or the rear vehicle drive, the driving force of the remaining drive wheels can be relied on for adjustment to drive the entire vehicle to travel stably and safely.

[0070] The disassembly process:

[0071] The disassembly process of the device of the present invention is the reverse process of the docking process.

Claims

1. A vehicle docking locking device, characterized in that: It includes a cone mouth passive system and a cone rod active system, which are respectively installed at the tail position inside the body of the front vehicle and the head position inside the body of the rear vehicle; the cone mouth passive system and the cone rod active system are used together to control the main body to extend and retract as needed, so as to realize the articulated connection and rigid locking connection between vehicles; The cone mouth passive system comprises a bottom plate fixing device (1), a sliding pitch device (2) and a terminal cone mouth locking device (3); the bottom plate fixing device (1) fixes the entire cone mouth passive system at the rear of the front vehicle and has the motion guidance and driving function of the sliding pitch device (2); the sliding pitch device (2) can slide on the bottom plate fixing device (1), and the sliding pitch device (2) has a pitch degree of freedom; the terminal cone mouth locking device (3) is connected to the cone rod active system to achieve the docking of the vehicle; The cone-rod active system comprises a base plate fixing device (1) and a sliding cone-rod docking device (4); the base plate fixing device (1) fixes the entire cone-rod active system on the head of the rear vehicle, and the base plate fixing device (1) drives the sliding cone-rod docking device (4) to move forward and backward and to lock; the sliding cone-rod docking device (4) is connected to the base plate fixing device (1) via an axle pin, so that the sliding cone-rod docking device (4) has a yaw degree of freedom, and at the same time has an axial rotation and pitch degree of freedom.

2. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base plate fixing device (1) on the cone-mouth passive system comprises a mounting base plate (101), a sliding pitch device fixing block (102), a fixing ear seat (103), a linear slide rail (104), a slider (105), a fixing plate 1 (106), an encoder (107), a reducer (108), a connecting rod locking device (109), a locking drive motor (110), a rack (111), a rack drive motor (112), a travel switch (113) and a drag chain (114). The fixing ear seats (103) are fixed at the four corners of the mounting base plate (101), and the bottom of the fixing ear seat (103) is provided with a mounting hole, which is used to fix the base plate The plate fixing device (1) is connected and fixed to the installation vehicle, two linear slide rails (104) are fixed on the installation base plate (101), two sliders (105) are fixed on the lower side of the fixed plate (106), and the two sliders (105) are respectively slidably connected to the two linear slide rails (104), a rack (111) is fixed on the installation base plate (101), and a rack drive motor (112) is installed on the fixed plate (106), and the gear on the output shaft of the rack drive motor (112) is meshed with the rack (111), and the fixed plate (106) is driven to move along the linear slide rail (104) by driving the gear to move on the rack (111).

3. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The fixing plate (106) is provided with a connecting rod locking device (109) and a locking drive motor (110); a fixing hole is provided on the fixing ear seat (103); the locking drive motor (110) drives the connecting rod locking device (109) under the action of a reducer (108) to achieve locking and unlocking with the fixing hole on the fixing ear seat (103); and a coaxial encoder (107) provides position information for the locking drive motor (110); a sliding pitch device fixing block (102) is installed on the fixing plate (106); the sliding pitch device fixing block (102) is connected to the sliding pitch device (2).

4. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A drag chain (114) is installed on the installation base plate (101) to facilitate the movement of the cables on the base plate fixing device (1), and the front and rear travel switches (113) on the installation base plate (101) provide in-position signals for the rack drive motor (112).

5. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 4, characterized in that: The sliding pitch device (2) comprises a main frame (201), a rotating connecting sleeve (202), a pitch center pull rod (203), an articulated encoder (204) and a roll connecting sleeve (205). Two rotating connecting sleeves (202) are fixed to the main frame (201). The two rotating connecting sleeves (202) are respectively connected to two sliding pitch device fixed blocks (102) to provide the sliding pitch device (2) with a pitch degree of freedom. The two ends of the pitch center pull rod are respectively hinged to a fixed plate (102). 106) and the main frame (201), the pitch centering pull rod (203) can be extended and retracted, and has a spring structure inside. The zero position can ensure that the pitch of the main frame (201) is centered, so that the main frame (201) can automatically return to the center when it droops or rises. The front part of the main frame (201) is provided with a roll connecting sleeve (205) to provide a connection port with the end cone locking device (3), and at the same time has an articulation encoder (204) to obtain the roll articulation angle of the end cone locking device (3).

6. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The end cone locking device comprises a second fixing plate (301), a lateral swing centering rod (302), a connecting pin (303), a locking frame driving motor (304), a locking frame (305), a guide cone (306), a lower slide plate (307), a preset frame moving slideway (308) of the lower slide plate and a cone guide groove (309); the entire end cone locking device (3) is connected to the lateral swing connection sleeve (205) of the sliding pitch device (2) through the connecting pin (303) and has lateral swing freedom; in order to ensure that the end cone locking device (3) is lateral swing centered in a non-working state, lateral swing centering rods (302) are arranged on the left and right sides of the end cone locking device (3); the lateral swing centering rods (302) can be extended and retracted, and have a spring structure inside; when the two lateral swing centering rods (302) are biased toward one end, the end cone locking device (3) is moved to the left and right sides. , providing a centering force to quickly center the end cone-mouth locking device (3); the second fixing plate (301) and the connecting pin (303) are an integrated structure; the second fixing plate (301) is fixedly connected to the locking frame driving motor (304); a lower slide plate (307) is fixed on the second fixing plate (301); a lower slide plate preset frame moving slideway (308) is provided on the lower slide plate (307); the locking frame driving motor (304) can drive the locking frame (305) to move along the lower slide plate preset frame moving slideway (308); the locking frame (305) is locked and connected to the cone rod active system through opening and closing; the guide cone mouth (306) is cone-shaped and can provide fault tolerance when the cone rod (403) is inserted; a cone mouth guide groove (309) is designed inside the guide cone mouth (306) and the cone rod (403) can be straightened through the cone mouth guide groove (309).

7. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 6, characterized in that: The base plate fixing device (1) on the cone rod active system comprises a mounting base plate (101), a fixing ear seat (103), a linear slide rail (104), a slider (105), a fixing plate (106), an encoder (107), a reducer (108), a connecting rod locking device (109), a locking drive motor (110), a rack (111), a rack drive motor (112), a travel switch (113), a drag chain (114) and a sliding device guide limit groove (115). The base plate fixing device (1) on the cone rod active system is similar to the base plate fixing device (1) on the cone mouth passive system as a whole, and the main difference is that the front end fixing ear seat (103) has two front and rear locking fixing holes and a sliding device guide limit groove (115). When the overall docking mechanism is docked, it has two yaw joints in the yaw degree of freedom. By pulling back a portion of the sliding part of the cone rod active system and locking it, one yaw joint is restricted, so that the vehicle is easier to control during driving.

8. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The sliding cone rod docking device (4) comprises a middle mounting seat (401), a pitch centering rod (402), a cone rod (403), a brass cone head (404), a locking margin spring (405), a hook ear seat (406), a hook ear seat guide rod (407), a docking buffer spring (408), a spring guide rod (409), a roll centering rod (410), a pitch main pin (411), a bearing (412) and a brass lubricating block (413). The middle mounting seat (401) is hingedly connected to a fixed plate (106) through a rear pin hole. Two roll centering rods (410) are hingedly connected to the middle mounting seat (401). The two roll centering rods (410) are hingedly connected to the middle mounting seat (401). The other end of the pull rod (410) is hinged on the fixed plate (106), so that the sliding cone rod docking device (4) has the freedom of sway, and at the same time, through two sway centering pull rods (410), it can maintain the sway centering when no force is applied; the rear mechanism on the middle mounting seat (401) is connected to the middle mounting seat (401) through the pitch kingpin (411), so that the middle mounting seat (401) has the pitch freedom; the middle mounting seat (401) is provided with a pitch centering pull rod (402), which can enable the middle mounting seat (401) to maintain the pitch centering of the mechanism when no force is applied; the hook ear seat guide rod (407) guides the hook ear seat (406).

9. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The spring guide rod (409) is connected to the middle mounting seat (401) and its end cover via a bearing (412), providing rotational freedom for the hook ear seat (406); the docking buffer spring (408) can slide on the spring guide rod (409), thereby reducing collision and providing buffering during the docking collision process of the vehicles.

10. A vehicle docking locking device according to claim 9, characterized in that: The hook ear seat (406) at the head of the sliding cone rod docking device (4) is connected to the locking bracket (305) of the cone mouth passive system to form a four-bar linkage; in order to further utilize the connecting rod dead point and increase the reliability of locking, a locking margin spring (405) is provided in the hook ear seat (406) and its guide rod, thereby providing a locking travel margin, so that the locking bracket (305) can pass the dead point, thereby increasing the dead point utilization range; The frontmost portion of the sliding cone rod docking device (4) is a cone rod (403), on which a guide bar is arranged, which matches with the cone mouth guide groove (309); the cone rod (403) is provided with a brass cone head (404), which is used to be inserted into the guide cone mouth (306) to reduce collision.

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