Non-contact power supply system

Abstract

To provide a non-contact power supply system which can efficiently supply power without damaging the degree of traveling freedom of a mobile body.SOLUTION: A non-contact power supply system 1 which supplies power to a mobile body 2 including a power reception unit having a power reception coil without contact includes: a power supply 10 for supplying AC power; and power transmission units 4a, 4b and 4c which are provided on at least a part of a moving road surface 6 on which the mobile body moves, include power transmission coils in a storage case, receive supply of power from the power supply and supply power to the power reception unit through the power transmission coil from below the mobile body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a contactless power supply system. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as described in Patent Document 1, a system is known that uses a moving body that travels within a factory as a work space to perform transportation. Such a moving body can move forward and backward, turn on the spot, and travel freely in all directions within the factory. A specific example of a moving body is an automatic guided vehicle (AGV). Also, a method of supplying power to a moving body is known in which a power supply facility is provided at a predetermined location within the factory, and power is supplied at the power supply location where the power supply facility is provided by a contact method or a non-contact method from the side of the moving body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 8,831,984 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in the case of contact type or non-contact type power supply from the side of the moving object, the moving object's freedom of movement during power supply is impaired, and the installation location of the power supply equipment is limited, making it difficult to increase the number of power supply opportunities. If the number of power supply opportunities is low, moving objects will wait at the power supply location to be powered and not work, resulting in a decrease in the operating rate of the conveyance system. To compensate for this, it has become necessary to increase the number of moving objects. The present disclosure has been created in consideration of the above points, and its purpose is to provide a non-contact power supply system that can supply power efficiently without impairing the moving freedom of the moving object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure can be realized in the following forms.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a contactless power supply system for contactlessly supplying power to a moving body (2) equipped with a power receiving unit (24) having a power receiving coil (26), the contactless power supply system including: a power source (10) for supplying AC power; and a power transmission unit (4) disposed on at least a part of a moving road surface (6) on which the moving body moves, the power transmission unit (4) including a power transmission coil (61) in a housing case (66), receiving power from the power source and supplying power to the power receiving unit via the power transmission coil from below the moving body. According to the above configuration, since power can be supplied to a moving object from below the moving object in a non-contact manner, the degree of freedom in installing the power transmission unit on the moving road surface can be increased, and power supply opportunities can be easily provided. Therefore, for example, there is no need for the moving object to pause its operation by waiting at a power supply location in order to supply power, and the operating rate of the moving object can be improved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of a traveling power supply system in a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a traveling power supply system in a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of a transport vehicle. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a bottom view showing a schematic diagram of the transport vehicle. [Diagram 5] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a traveling power supply system in a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a power transmission unit. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a schematic diagram of a power transmitting unit. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of wiring. [Figure 9]4 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a failure determination process. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating a power transmitting unit according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a side view illustrating a schematic view of a power transmitting unit according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a wiring according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 13] 13 is a flowchart illustrating a procedure of a failure determination process in another embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, several embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0009] A. First embodiment: A1. Overall configuration of the wireless power supply system 1: 1 and 2, a contactless power supply system 1 of the first embodiment includes a plurality of unmanned transport vehicles 2 arranged in, for example, a warehouse, a management device 3 capable of wireless communication with each transport vehicle 2, and a plurality of power transmission units 4 provided on a moving road surface 6. The contactless power supply system 1 is a system capable of wirelessly supplying power from the power transmission unit 4 to a power receiving unit 24 (see FIG. 3) possessed by the transport vehicle 2 while the transport vehicle 2 is traveling. The transport vehicle 2 corresponds to an example of a "moving body."

[0010] At a loading station 9 provided, for example, at one end of the warehouse, a worker 8 performs loading work such as receiving the goods loaded on the shelf 5 transported by the transport vehicle 2 and handing over the goods to the shelf 5. Any type of goods is loaded on the shelf 5. As an example, the transport vehicle 2 travels along a route shown by the white arrow A1 in FIG. 1 to transport the goods on the shelf 5. The loading station 9 is a place where the goods are loaded and corresponds to an example of a "stopping place" where the transport vehicle 2 stops.

[0011] A plurality of transport vehicles 2 (five in this embodiment) are deployed on a moving road surface 6 in the warehouse. The transport vehicles 2 are automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) that can move forward, backward, left and right and turn and can travel autonomously. The transport vehicles 2 travel along a plurality of position markers 7 provided at approximately equal intervals on the moving road surface 6. The position markers 7 are markers on which coordinate information such as the travel path and stopping position of the transport vehicles 2 is recorded, and are, for example, QR codes (registered trademark) or RFID (radio frequency identification).

[0012] The management device 3 is disposed, for example, near the loading station 9, and manages the power supply to the transport vehicle 2, the movement of the transport vehicle 2, the transportation of the loaded object, etc. A plurality of power transmission units 4 (three in this embodiment) are provided on the moving road surface 6 of the loading station 9. The power transmission unit 4 supplies power to the power receiving unit 24 possessed by the transport vehicle 2 in a contactless manner. In this embodiment, three power transmission units 4a, 4b, 4c are integrated into a module. The number of modularized units may be two, four or more, or may not be modularized at all.

[0013] In the following, when there is no need to distinguish between the three power transmission units 4a, 4b, and 4c, they will simply be referred to as "power transmission units 4." A detailed configuration of the power transmission unit 4 will be described later. A power source 10 supplies AC power to the power transmission units 4. The power source 10 is an external power source provided on the ground. The power source 10 and the multiple power transmission units 4 are continuously connected by wiring 11 such as wires.

[0014] A2. Configuration of transport vehicle 2: As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the transport vehicle 2 in this embodiment includes a loading platform 21, a pair of drive wheels 22, a pair of steering wheels 23, a power receiving unit 24, and a marker sensor 25. A shelf 5 can be loaded on the loading platform 21. The drive wheels 22 are provided as a pair near the center in the front-rear direction of the transport vehicle 2 and at the ends in the left-right direction, and move the transport vehicle 2 forward or backward by a driving force transmitted from a motor generator (not shown). The steering wheels 23 are provided as a pair near the center in the left-right direction of the transport vehicle 2 and at the ends in the front-rear direction, and change the traveling direction of the transport vehicle 2. Hereinafter, when there is no particular distinction between the drive wheels 22 and the steering wheels 23, they will simply be referred to as "wheels 22, 23".

[0015] The power receiving unit 24 has a power receiving coil 26 and a power receiving circuit 27. The power receiving coil 26 is housed in a case. The power receiving coil 26 is connected to the power receiving circuit 27. A battery 28 is connected to the output of the power receiving circuit 27. The power receiving circuit 27 includes a rectifier circuit that converts the AC voltage output from the power receiving coil 26 into a DC voltage. The power receiving circuit 27 may include a DC / DC converter circuit that converts the DC voltage generated by the rectifier circuit into a voltage suitable for powering the battery 28. The DC voltage output from the power receiving circuit 27 can be used to power the battery 28, as well as to drive a motor generator via an inverter circuit (not shown).

[0016] The marker sensor 25 is an image sensor that detects the position marker 7. The marker sensor 25 is fixed to approximately the center of the vehicle body above the power receiving coil 26. An opening 29 is formed below the marker sensor 25. The opening 29 corresponds to the central hollow region of the power receiving coil 26 that is formed in a circumferential shape. In addition to the above, the transport vehicle 2 may also have a power meter.

[0017] A3.Function block configuration: Next, the functions of each unit constituting the contactless power supply system 1 will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the transport vehicle 2 includes a control unit 30, a wireless communication unit 41, and various sensors 42. The control unit 30 is mainly composed of a microcomputer, for example, and includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. (not shown). The storage units such as the ROM and RAM store map data indicating the layout of the travel route and the loading operation positions, etc., as well as a travel program, an operation execution program, a communication program, etc.

[0018] The control unit 30 is connected to various sensors 42 including the position marker 7, a wireless communication unit 41 for communicating with the management device 3, and other devices such as a motor driver for driving wheels (not shown). The control unit 30 controls the driving and steering of the wheels 22, 23 via the motor driver based on information received from the management device 3 and input signals from the various sensors 42. The motor driver operates by receiving a supply of DC power from a battery 28. The transport vehicle 2 travels autonomously along a pre-planned travel route. In addition, the control unit 30 can transmit the detection result to the management device 3 when it detects a failure on the power transmission unit 4 side, as described later.

[0019] The control unit 30 has functional blocks such as a fault determination unit 31, a position estimation unit 32, a movement control unit 33, and a power supply control unit 34. Each of these functional blocks is realized by a CPU included in the control unit 30 executing a computer program stored in a ROM to execute processing corresponding to the computer program, that is, by software. Note that at least a part of each functional block may be realized by hardware.

[0020] The fault determination unit 31 determines a fault in the power transmission system including the power transmission unit 4 and the power source 10. Details will be described later. The position estimation unit 32 estimates the current position of the transport vehicle 2 using position information from the marker sensor 25, the rotational position of the motor, etc. The movement control unit 33 controls the operation of the mobile body via the motor driver so that the self-position estimated by the position estimation unit 32 coincides with the target position. When receiving contactless power while traveling, the power supply control unit 34 controls the power receiving circuit 27 to receive power.

[0021] The management device 3 includes a wireless communication unit 51 and a control unit 50. The control unit 50 is mainly composed of, for example, a microcomputer, and includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. (not shown). The storage devices such as the ROM and the RAM store a power supply program related to power supply, a program for communication with the transport vehicle 2, and identification information for identifying the transport vehicle 2. The wireless communication unit 51 is connected to the control unit 50. The management device 3 transmits and receives signals to and from each transport vehicle 2 via the wireless communication unit 51, and manages the movement of the transport vehicles 2. The management device 3 controls a power transmission control unit 64 (described later) and manages the power supply to the transport vehicles 2 that are the power supply targets. The management device 3 also manages information on the loads transported by the transport vehicles 2.

[0022] A4. Configuration of power transmission unit 4: The power transmission unit 4 has a power transmission coil 61, a resonance capacitor 62, a power transmission control unit 64, an alarm unit 63, and a power receiving coil detection unit 68. The alarm unit 63 is, for example, an LED incorporated in a QR code, and when lit, notifies the outside of a failure in the power transmission system. The marker sensor 25 of the transport vehicle 2 can read the lighting of the LED. The alarm unit 63 notifies the outside of a failure in the power transmission system. The alarm unit 63 may have, for example, a blue LED that notifies of a failure in the power transmission unit 4 and a red LED that notifies of a failure in the power source 10. The power source 10 converts system power into high-frequency AC power and is composed of an inverter or the like. The power transmission control unit 64 detects the presence of the power receiving coil 26 by the power receiving coil detection unit 68, and controls whether or not to supply the high-frequency AC power of the power source 10 to the power transmission coil 61.

[0023] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the power transmission unit 4 has an inner case member 65 that houses the power transmission coil 61, and a storage case 66 that houses the inner case member 65 inside. In Figs. 6 and 7, two power transmission units 4b and 4c are illustrated as examples among the three power transmission units 4. In addition to the coil substrate on which the power transmission coil 61 is formed, the inner case member 65 houses a power transmission circuit (not shown in Fig. 6), a ferrite plate, a heat sink, and the like (not shown). In addition, the power transmission unit 4 of this embodiment has the inner case member 65 and the power transmission circuit, but it is sufficient to include at least the power transmission coil 61 and the storage case 66. In other words, the inner case member 65 may not be provided. The inner case member 65 and the storage case 66 are non-conductive and are formed of a non-magnetic material such as resin.

[0024] The power transmission unit 4 has electronic components 67 in the inner case member 65. The electronic components 67 are, for example, a capacitor for resonance. The electronic components 67 may include electronic components of the power transmission control unit 64. In FIG. 6, the lines along which the wheels 22, 23 of the transport vehicle 2 pass, i.e., the travel trajectory lines, are illustrated by two-dot chain lines in a plan view. The travel trajectory lines L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8, L9, L10, L11, and L12 of the wheels 22, 23 moving in the front-rear and left-right directions are depicted as multiple straight lines (12 lines at a portion corresponding to one power transmission unit 4) extending vertically up-down and left-right in FIG. 6. The travel trajectory lines L13, L14, and L15 of the wheels 22, 23 moving in the turning direction are depicted as multiple circular lines of different sizes (three lines at a portion corresponding to one power transmission unit 4) in FIG. 6. In the following description, when there is no need to distinguish between multiple driving locus lines, they will simply be referred to as "driving locus line L."

[0025] The power transmission unit 4 is provided on the moving road surface 6 so that the electronic component 67 is offset in the vertical direction from the traveling trajectory line L. By arranging the power transmission unit 4 in this manner, it is possible to prevent the electronic component 67 from being subjected to a load from above by the transport vehicle 2, and therefore it is possible to suppress breakdowns of the electronic component 67.

[0026] The center of the power transmission unit 4 and the position marker 7 on the travel road surface 6 are approximately aligned. The position marker 7 is also approximately aligned with the center of the transport vehicle 2 when it turns. In this embodiment, the position marker 7 is integrated with the power transmission unit 4 by being printed approximately in the center of the upper surface of the storage case 66. If the position marker 7 is a QR code, it can be implemented in a form printed on the upper surface of the storage case 66, and if it is an RFID tag or the like, it may be implemented in a form stored within the storage case 66. Integrating the position marker 7 with the power transmission unit 4 in this way eliminates the need to install the position marker 7 separately from the power transmission unit 4, improving ease of installation.

[0027] The power transmission unit 4 is provided with the position marker 7 as a reference. Here, "provided with the position marker 7 as a reference" includes a configuration in which the center of the power transmission unit 4 and the center of the position marker 7 coincide with each other and the power transmission unit 4 overlaps the entire position marker 7 in the up-down direction, as in this embodiment. In addition, it also includes a configuration in which the power transmission unit 4 overlaps part of the position marker 7 in the up-down direction with the position marker 7 as a reference line, and a configuration in which the power transmission unit 4 is provided at a position separated by a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction from the position marker 7 with the position marker 7 as a reference line, although it does not overlap with the position marker 7 in the up-down direction. In this configuration, the position marker 7 is provided separately from the power transmission unit 4.

[0028] When the transport vehicle 2 travels on the power transmission unit 4, the power transmission coil 61 and the power receiving coil 26 face each other, making it possible to supply power from below the transport vehicle 2. Note that the management device 3 may determine which transport vehicle 2 to supply power to based on the remaining power of the battery 28 of each transport vehicle 2, or may determine the time elapsed since the previous power supply.

[0029] As indicated by solid black circles in Fig. 6, a plurality of support columns 71 are provided in the housing case 66. Note that, in order to avoid complicating the drawing, support columns 71 are illustrated only in the power transmission unit 4b in Fig. 6, but similar support columns 71 are also formed in the power transmission unit 4c.

[0030] Each support pillar 71 is provided continuously from the top to the bottom inside the storage case 66, and maintains a vertical space inside the storage case 66. Each support pillar 71 has a cylindrical shape of the same size. The multiple support pillars 71a are provided, for example, to coincide with the travel trajectory line L. The portion of the power transmission unit 4 corresponding to the travel trajectory line L is a portion where the weight of the transport vehicle 2 and the transported object acts directly on the power transmission unit 4 via the wheels 22, 23. For this reason, by providing the support pillar 71 at a portion of the storage case 66 corresponding to the travel trajectory line L where a greater load is applied, the strength of the power transmission unit 4 can be effectively increased.

[0031] In addition, the plurality of pillars 71b are provided between the traveling locus lines L that are close to each other. For example, an example of a portion where the traveling locus lines L are close to each other is between the outermost circular traveling locus line L15 and the circular traveling locus line L14 located inside it. The outermost circular traveling locus line L15 and the circular traveling locus line L14 located inside it are close to each other, and if the pillars 71 are provided at positions corresponding to the respective traveling locus lines L14, L15, the number of pillars 71 increases, which may hinder the arrangement of other members. Therefore, when the traveling locus lines L are close to each other, the strength of the storage case 66 at a position close to the part receiving the load can be increased by providing the pillars 71 between the adjacent traveling locus lines L without taking up unnecessary space.

[0032] The upper surface 72 of the storage case 66 has a size that allows all the wheels 22, 23 of the transport vehicle 2 to ride on it at the same time. This prevents, for example, only one of the wheels 22, 23 of the transport vehicle 2 from riding on the power transmission unit 4, causing the posture of the transport vehicle 2 to become unstable. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, a slope 73 is provided on any power transmission unit 4, which is connected to the upper surface 72 of the storage case 66 and connects the upper surface 72 to the moving road surface 6. The slope 73 of this embodiment is provided on the travel path entering the loading station 9, on the entrance side of the transport vehicle 2 at the first power transmission unit 4A that passes through, and on the exit side of the transport vehicle 2 at the third power transmission unit 4C that passes through. This slope 73 can reduce the impact applied to the transport vehicle 2 when the transport vehicle 2 rides on the power transmission unit 4 and when the transport vehicle 2 gets off the power transmission unit 4.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 8, the wiring 11 connecting the power source 10 and each power transmission unit 4 has a flat shape. In the installed state, the length of the wiring 11 in the horizontal direction is longer than the length in the vertical direction. The wiring 11 has a conductor 82 inside an insulator 81. In the conductor 82 shown in FIG. 8, hatching in different directions is applied to distinguish the round-trip conduction paths. The conductor 82 is a thin sheet-like conductor, and is arranged inside the insulator 81 in a form in which the round-trip conduction paths are separated vertically. This makes it possible to cancel out magnetic fields that are generated in the conductor 82 in the round-trip conduction paths and have opposite directions to each other, thereby suppressing eddy current loss in the conductor 82 due to the generation of a high-frequency magnetic field caused by passing a high-frequency current. Furthermore, by using a thin wiring, it is possible to reduce the average distance of the round-trip conduction paths, thereby enhancing the effect of canceling the magnetic field. It is also possible to reduce eddy current loss not only in the conductor 82 but also in an electromagnetic noise shield (not shown) that covers the outer periphery of the conductor 82. Furthermore, by using a thin wiring 11, even if the wiring 11 is installed on the floor, it is possible to ensure that the travel of the transport vehicle 2 is not impeded.

[0034] A5.Fault detection process: Next, the fault determination process executed by the fault determination unit 31 of the control unit 30 of the transport vehicle 2 will be described. The fault determination process shown in FIG. 9 is repeatedly executed at predetermined intervals while the transport vehicle 2 is traveling on the moving road surface 6. As shown in FIG. 9, in S101, it is determined whether or not the position marker 7 is detected by the marker sensor 25. If the position marker 7 is detected, the process proceeds to S102, where it is determined whether or not the detected position marker 7 is provided with a power transmission unit 4. The determination of whether or not the power transmission unit 4 is provided can be made by the control unit 30 of the transport vehicle 2 reading the detection signal of the position marker 7 by incorporating the fact that the power transmission unit 4 is provided. Alternatively, the control unit 30 may transmit the position marker 7 ID of the position marker 7 read by the control unit 30 to the management device 3, and inquire of the management device 3 of whether or not the power transmission unit 4 is provided at the position marker 7 ID.

[0035] If it is determined that the power transmitting unit 4 is provided at the detected position marker 7 (S102: Yes), the process proceeds to S103, where it is determined whether or not power is not being supplied from the power receiving unit 24 to the battery 28. In S102, for example, if it is detected that the power transmitting unit 4 is provided at the position read by the transport vehicle 2 and power supply permission has been issued but power supply is not being supplied, it is determined that power is not being supplied. In this state where power is not being supplied, it can be assumed that there is an abnormality in either the power receiving side or the power transmitting side device.

[0036] If power is not supplied from the power receiving unit 24 to the battery 28 in S103 (S103: True), the process proceeds to S104, where it is determined whether or not the other power transmitting units 4 connected to a single power source 10, i.e., the same power source 10, were able to supply power. This determination is made, for example, by receiving a power supply history stored in the management device 3. If the other power transmitting units 4 connected to the single power source 10 were able to supply power (S104: Yes), the process proceeds to S105, where the management device 3 is notified that the power transmitting unit 4 is faulty. This is because, for example, if the transportation vehicle 2 currently on the power transmitting unit 4C is performing a fault detection process and the other power transmitting units 4A and 4B connected to the single power source 10 were able to supply power, it is highly likely that the power source 10 and the power receiving unit 24 are normal and that the power transmitting unit 4C is faulty.

[0037] On the other hand, in S104, if the other power transmission units 4 connected to the single power source 10 are also unable to supply power (S104: No), the process proceeds to S106, where the management device 3 is notified that there is a failure in the power source 10. This is because, for example, when the transport vehicle 2 currently located on the power transmission unit 4C is performing a failure detection process, if the other power transmission units 4A and 4B connected to the single power source 10 are also unable to supply power, there is a high possibility that there is a failure in the power source 10.

[0038] As described above, the failure determination unit 31 determines a failure in the power transmission system using information on whether or not power could be received on another power transmission unit 4. In the failure determination after S104, it is possible that the power receiving unit 24, not the power transmission system, may have failed after passing the power transmission unit 42B, for example. However, the failure frequency of the power transmission system that receives the load from above is higher, and the possibility of it failing immediately after it was able to receive power is low, so the determination is made as described above. After the failure notification is made in S105 or S106, this processing routine ends. In addition to the notification to the management device 3, the notification in S105 and S106 may display the ID of the failed device on a liquid crystal display or the like mounted on the transport vehicle 2.

[0039] In addition, in the fault determination process, if it is determined that the position marker 7 has not been detected (S101: No), if it is determined that the power transmission unit 4 is not provided at the detected position marker 7 (S102: No), or if it is determined that power is being supplied from the power receiving unit 24 to the battery 28 (S103: False), then this processing routine is terminated.

[0040] In the flowchart shown in FIG. 9, the transport vehicle 2 performs the fault determination process. In addition to the fault determination, the power transmission unit 4 may have a fault determination section that determines whether or not the power transmission unit 4 itself has a fault, and may determine a fault using the power supply state or applied voltage. In this case, if a fault is determined in the power transmission unit 4, the LED of the notification section 63 is turned on to notify the outside. Then, the fault determination section 31 of the transport vehicle 2 may read the lighting of the notification section 63 by the marker sensor 25, and notify the management device 3 of the fault.

[0041] A6.Effects: In the non-contact power supply system of the first embodiment, power can be supplied from below the transport vehicle 2 while it is traveling, i.e., while it is performing a transporting operation. For example, in contact power supply or non-contact power supply from the side of the transport vehicle 2, the freedom of travel of the transport vehicle 2 during power supply is impaired, and the installation location of the power supply equipment is limited. However, in the above embodiment, power can be supplied without impairing the freedom of travel of the transport vehicle 2, and the power transmission unit 4 can be installed on the travel road surface 6 with a high degree of freedom, making it easy to provide opportunities for power supply.

[0042] Therefore, for example, there is no need for the transport vehicles 2 to wait at the power supply location while not working, and the operation rate of the transport system can be improved. Since the stop time at the loading station 9 can be efficiently used for power supply, there is no need to stop the transport vehicles 2 just to supply power. Therefore, the number of transport vehicles 2 required can be reduced.

[0043] In the above embodiment, the power transmission unit 4 is provided based on the position marker 7 of the moving road surface 6 in the loading station 9. However, the power transmission unit 4 may be provided in other areas where the transportation vehicle 2 stays frequently. For example, a plurality of power transmission units 4 may be provided on the route entering the loading station 9. In this way, by disposing a large number of power transmission units 4 in areas where the transportation vehicle 2 slows down or often stops, or areas where the transportation vehicle 2 travels frequently, the required power can be supplied with a smaller number of power transmission coils 61, and power can be supplied efficiently. As described above, if there are entrance and exit passages on the entry and exit routes to and from the loading station 9, or routes that overlap in the course of traveling to and from the loading station 9, it is preferable to proactively provide the power transmission units 4 on the moving road surface 6 of such routes.

[0044] In the contactless power supply system 1 of the first embodiment, the position marker 7 is integrated with the power transmission unit 4. That is, since it is not necessary to separately install the position marker 7 and the power transmission unit 4, it is possible to improve ease of installation of the position marker 7 and the power transmission unit 4.

[0045] In the contactless power supply system 1 of the first embodiment, a plurality of support pillars 71 are provided in the housing case 66 at locations corresponding to the travel trajectory line L of the wheels 22, 23. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the housing case 66. In addition, since the support pillars 71 are provided on the travel trajectory line L or in close proximity to the travel trajectory line L so as to correspond to the travel trajectory line L, it is possible to efficiently reinforce the areas subject to load and to prevent an increase in costs due to the provision of an unnecessarily large number of support pillars 71.

[0046] In the contactless power supply system 1 of the first embodiment, the power receiving unit 24 of the transport vehicle 2 has an opening 29 formed therein corresponding to the detection range of the marker sensor 25. Therefore, the position marker 7 present below the transport vehicle 2 can be reliably read, and the detection operation of the position marker 7 by the marker sensor 25 is not hindered.

[0047] The power transmission unit 4 of the contactless power supply system of the first embodiment is provided with a slope 73. Therefore, in a configuration in which the power transmission unit 4 is provided exposed above the moving road surface 6, it is possible to reduce the impact applied to the transporting vehicle 2 when the transporting vehicle 2 climbs up onto the power transmission unit 4 and when the transporting vehicle 2 descends from the power transmission unit 4.

[0048] The transport vehicle 2 of the contactless power supply system of the first embodiment has a failure determination unit 31. This allows the repair and replacement of a broken power transmission unit 4. By detecting a failure and repairing and replacing the broken device early, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the operating rate due to insufficient power supply of the transport vehicle 2. Furthermore, since failure determination is performed using information on the position marker 7 and the power supply state, there is no need to provide additional devices or functions for failure determination, and the system configuration can be simplified.

[0049] Furthermore, the power transmission unit 4 has an alarm section 63 that notifies the management device 3 of a malfunction in a form that can be read by the marker sensor 25. The transport vehicle 2 can detect the lighting of the alarm section 63 by the marker sensor 25 and notify the management device 3. In other words, the power transmission unit 4 does not communicate with the management device 3 to notify the malfunction, but the power transmission unit 4 only notifies the outside of the malfunction, and the transport vehicle 2 reads the malfunction notification while traveling and notifies the management device 3. In other words, the power transmission unit 4 does not have to have a communication means on its side, and the management device 3 can be notified of the malfunction via the marker sensor 25 of the transport vehicle 2. This is more efficient than, for example, a warehouse manager checking for the lighting of LEDs to check for malfunctions.

[0050] B. Second embodiment: Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 10 to Fig. 12. In the second embodiment, the overall configuration of the non-contact power supply system 1, the circuit configuration of the non-contact power supply system 1, the mechanical configuration of the transport vehicle 2, etc. are substantially similar to those in the first embodiment, so the same reference numerals are used for substantially the same parts and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] 10 and 11, a power transmission unit 4d in the contactless power supply system 1 of the second embodiment is smaller than the power transmission unit 4 of the first embodiment. The power transmission unit 4d is provided at a position corresponding to the turning center of the transporting vehicle 2, exposed above the moving road surface 6, and provided so as to avoid a plurality of travel trajectory lines L. The size of the power receiving coil 26 of the transporting vehicle 2 can be appropriately set and changed in consideration of the coupling coefficient with the power transmitting coil 61, etc. Also, there is no inner case member 65, and a coil board, a ferrite plate, etc. are accommodated in a housing case 66.

[0052] According to the second embodiment, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the first embodiment. Furthermore, although the power transmission unit 4 is provided exposed on the travel road surface 6, it is provided in a smaller size than the first embodiment so as to avoid the travel trajectory line L of the wheels 22, 23. Therefore, the carrier vehicle 2 does not climb onto the power transmission unit 4 during travel, so that the power consumption can be reduced. Furthermore, the stability of travel is maintained.

[0053] C. Other embodiments: (C1) In each of the above embodiments, the power transmission unit 4 is provided on the moving road surface 6, but it may be buried in the moving road surface 6. In this configuration as well, the power transmission unit 4 may be buried with the position of the electronic component 67 offset in the vertical direction from the moving trajectory line L of the wheels 22, 23. Also, in this configuration, the support pillars 71 may be provided at locations corresponding to the moving trajectory line L to increase the strength of the housing case 66. Furthermore, by using a flat-shaped wiring 11, even when the wiring 11 is buried in the floor, the amount of excavation of the floor can be reduced, improving ease of installation.

[0054] (C2) In each of the above embodiments, the transport vehicle 2 detects the position marker 7 provided on the travel road surface 6 and travels on the position marker 7. Alternatively, a configuration may be used in which a LIDAR is used to control the travel of the transport vehicle 2. In this configuration, the position marker 7 and the marker sensor 25 do not need to be provided.

[0055] (C3) In each of the above embodiments, the marker sensor 25 is configured separately from the power receiving coil 26, but the marker sensor 25 may be configured by being incorporated into the power receiving unit 24. For example, if the position marker 7 is an RFID, the marker sensor 25 that detects the RFID can be incorporated into the board of the power receiving unit. With this configuration, the relative positions of the power receiving coil 26 and the marker sensor 25 are fixed, so that the operation of the marker sensor 25 and the power supply operation are not hindered by each other. In addition, since there is no need to consider the deviation of the relative positions of the marker sensor 25 and the position marker 7, there is no need to provide an opening 29. Note that the marker sensor 25 may be provided on the side of the transport vehicle 2 as long as it can read the position marker 7 on the travel road surface 6.

[0056] (C4) In each of the above embodiments, the position marker 7 may be printed on a plate separate from the power transmission unit 4 and provided on the travel road surface 6.

[0057] (C5) In each of the above embodiments, the multiple power transmission units 4a, 4b, and 4c are connected to the single power source 10 by the wiring 11. However, a single power transmission unit 4 may be connected to the single power source 10. In the fault determination process in this configuration, for example, a fault in the power transmission system may be determined using information that a certain power transmission unit 4 cannot receive power even though other power transmission units 4 can receive power.

[0058] (C6) Also, the system may have a plurality of power sources 10, and may include a first system in which a plurality of power transmission units 4 are connected to a first power source, and a second system in which a plurality of power transmission units 4 are connected to a second power source. In this configuration, for example, if all the power transmission units 4 in the first system are able to supply power but all the power transmission units 4 in the second system are unable to supply power, it can be determined that the second power source has failed. Also, if all the power transmission units 4 in the first system are able to supply power and some of the power transmission units 4 in the second system are able to supply power but any of the power transmission units 4 in the second system is unable to supply power, it can be determined that any of the power transmission units 4 in the second system has failed.

[0059] (C7) In the failure determination process of each of the above embodiments, a process for detecting a failure on the power receiving unit 24 side may be incorporated. In this configuration, as shown in Fig. 13, if in S104, the other power transmitting units 4 connected to the single power source 10 are also unable to supply power (S104: No), the process proceeds to S104A, where it is determined whether or not the power transmitting units 4 connected to the other power sources are able to charge. If the power transmitting units 4 connected to the other power sources are able to charge (S104A: Yes), the process proceeds to S106, where the management device 3 is notified that the power source 10 is broken. On the other hand, if the power transmitting units 4 connected to the other power sources are also unable to charge (S104A: No), the process proceeds to S107, where the management device 3 is notified that the power receiving unit 24 is broken.

[0060] (C8) In each of the above embodiments, the wiring 11 connecting the power source 10 and the power transmission unit 4 is in the form of a flat sheet, but it may be a wire having a circular cross section. Also, the wiring 12 may be in the form of a flat sheet and have a cross section as shown in FIG. 12. In the conductor 83 shown in FIG. 12, hatching is applied in different directions to distinguish the round-trip conduction paths. As shown in FIG. 12, the conductor 83 inside the insulator 81 may be arranged in a form in which the round-trip conduction paths are separated not only vertically but also horizontally. With this configuration, it is possible to further suppress the generation of a magnetic field and reduce eddy current loss.

[0061] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be realized in various configurations without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, the technical features in each embodiment corresponding to the technical features in the form described in the Summary of the Invention column can be appropriately replaced or combined in order to solve some or all of the above-mentioned problems or to achieve some or all of the above-mentioned effects. Furthermore, if the technical feature is not described as essential in this specification, it can be appropriately deleted.

[0062] (Aspect 1) A non-contact power supply system for supplying power to a moving object (2) having a power receiving unit (24) having a power receiving coil (26) in a non-contact manner, A power source (10) for supplying AC power; a power transmission unit (4) disposed on at least a part of a moving road surface (6) along which the moving body moves, the power transmission unit (4) including a power transmission coil (61) in a housing case (66), receiving power from the power source and supplying power to the power receiving unit via the power transmission coil from below the moving body; A non-contact power supply system comprising: (Aspect 2) A plurality of position markers (7) that mark the line along which the moving body travels are provided on the moving road surface, the moving object travels along the position marker, 2. The wireless power supply system according to aspect 1, wherein the power transmitting unit is provided at a predetermined position on the travel path surface with reference to the position marker. (Aspect 3) 3. The wireless power supply system according to embodiment 2, wherein the power transmitting unit is integrated with the position marker. (Aspect 4) The moving body has a plurality of wheels (22, 23), The power transmission unit is provided exposed above the travel path surface, The wireless power supply system according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the housing case has an upper surface portion (72) large enough to allow all of the plurality of wheels to rest on the housing case at the same time. (Aspect 5) 5. The wireless power supply system according to aspect 4, further comprising a slope (73) connected to the top surface of the storage case and connecting the top surface and the travel path surface. (Aspect 6) The moving body has a plurality of wheels (22, 23), The wireless power supply system according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the power transmission unit is provided exposed above the travel road surface, avoiding a portion through which the plurality of wheels pass. (Aspect 7) The moving body has a plurality of wheels (22, 23), The power transmitting unit includes: The housing case has an electronic component (67), The wireless power supply system according to any one of aspects 1 to 6, wherein the electronic component is provided on the travel path surface so as to be positioned vertically offset from a travel trajectory line (L), which is a line along which the multiple wheels pass. (Aspect 8) The moving body has a plurality of wheels (22, 23), The wireless power supply system according to any one of aspects 1 to 7, wherein a plurality of pillars (71) for maintaining vertical space within the storage case are provided in the storage case at locations corresponding to a running trajectory line (L) along which the wheels pass. (Aspect 9) the moving body has a marker sensor (25) that detects the position marker, reads the position marker with the marker sensor, detects the self-position of the moving body using the read position marker, and travels along the position marker; The contactless power supply system according to aspect 2 or 3, wherein the power receiving unit has an opening (29) formed therein corresponding to a detection range of the marker sensor. (Aspect 10) the moving body has a marker sensor (25) that detects the position marker, reads the position marker with the marker sensor, detects the self-position of the moving body using the read position marker, and travels along the position marker; The wireless power supply system according to aspect 2 or 3, wherein the marker sensor is integrally incorporated into a substrate of the power receiving unit. (Aspect 11) The wireless power supply system according to aspect 2 or 3, comprising a plurality of the power transmission units, The moving body is The vehicle has a marker sensor (25) for detecting the position marker, the marker sensor reads the position marker, and the vehicle detects its own position by using the read position marker and travels along the position marker, The wireless power supply system includes a fault determination unit (31) that, when it detects the position marker corresponding to the power transmission unit and detects that power cannot be received despite the mobile body transmitting power supply permission, determines a fault in the power source and the power transmission system including the power transmission unit by using information on whether or not power can be received on another power transmission unit different from the power transmission unit. (Aspect 12) In the power transmission system, the plurality of power transmission units are connected to a single power source, The failure determination unit is A wireless power supply system as described in embodiment 11, in which when determining whether or not each of the power transmission units has a fault as a fault in the power transmission system, the determination is made using information on whether or not power was received on other power transmission units connected to a single power source. (Aspect 13) the moving body has a marker sensor (25) that detects the position marker, reads the position marker with the marker sensor, detects the self-position of the moving body using the read position marker, and travels along the position marker; The power transmitting unit includes: A failure determination unit that determines whether or not the device itself has a failure; a notification unit that notifies the user of the presence of a malfunction in a form that can be read by the marker sensor when the malfunction determination unit determines that a malfunction has occurred; The wireless power supply system according to embodiment 2 or 3, (Aspect 14) the moving body is an unmanned transport vehicle capable of transporting an object, The non-contact power supply system according to any one of aspects 1 to 13, wherein the power transmission unit is provided at a stopping location where the transported goods are loaded and where the transport vehicle stops, or at an entrance / exit passage to the stopping location. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1... non-contact power supply system, 2... transport vehicle (mobile body), 3... management device, 4, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d... power transmission unit, 5... shelf, 6... moving surface, 7... position marker, 8... worker, 9... loading station, 10... power source, 11... wiring, 21... loading platform, 22... driving wheel (wheel), 23... steering wheel (wheel), 24... power receiving unit, 25... marker sensor, 26... power receiving coil, 27... power receiving circuit, 28... battery, 29... opening, 30... control unit, 31... fault judgment position estimation unit, 32...position estimation unit, 33...movement control unit, 34...power supply control unit, 41...wireless communication unit, 42...various sensors, 50...control unit, 51...wireless communication unit, 61...power transmission coil, 62...resonance capacitor, 63...alarm unit, 64...power transmission control unit, 65...inner case member, 66...container case, 67...electronic components, 68...power receiving coil detection unit, 71...pillar, 72...upper surface, 73...slope, 81...insulator, 82...conductor, 83...conductor, L...travel trajectory line

Claims

1. A non-contact power supply system for non-contact power supply to a moving body (2) equipped with a power receiving unit (24) having a power receiving coil (26), a power source (10) for supplying AC power, a power transmission unit disposed on at least a part of a moving road surface (6) on which the moving body moves, including a power transmission coil (61) in a housing case (66), receiving power supply from the power source, and performing power supply to the power receiving unit via the power transmission coil from below the moving body, the power transmission unit (4), comprising: the moving body has a plurality of wheels (22, 23), a plurality of struts (71) for holding the vertical space of the housing case are provided in the housing case, the plurality of struts include struts provided at positions corresponding to a travel locus line (L) which is a line through which the plurality of wheels pass, and struts provided between two adjacent travel locus lines, the non-contact power supply system.

2. a plurality of position markers (7) which are marks of a line on which the moving body travels are provided on the moving road surface, the moving body travels along the position marker, the power transmission unit is provided at a predetermined position on the moving road surface with reference to the position marker, the non-contact power supply system according to Claim 1.

3. the position marker is integrated with the power transmission unit, the non-contact power supply system according to Claim 2.

4. the moving body has a plurality of wheels (22, 23), the housing case has an upper surface portion (72) sized such that all of the plurality of wheels can simultaneously ride on the housing case, the non-contact power supply system according to Claim 1.

5. further comprising a slope (73) connected to the upper surface portion of the housing case and connecting the upper surface portion and the moving road surface, the non-contact power supply system according to Claim 4.

6. The power transmission unit is provided exposed on the moving road surface while avoiding a portion through which the plurality of wheels pass, the non-contact power supply system according to Claim 1.

7. The power transmission unit, has electronic components (67) in the housing case, the position of the electronic components is provided on the moving road surface such that the position is shifted in the vertical direction from the travel locus line (L), the non-contact power supply system according to Claim 1.

8. The moving body has a marker sensor (25) for detecting the position marker, reads the position marker by the marker sensor, detects its own position of the moving body using the read position marker, and travels along the position marker. The non-contact power supply system according to claim 2, wherein an opening (29) corresponding to a detection range of the marker sensor is formed in the power receiving unit.

9. The moving body has a marker sensor (25) for detecting the position marker, reads the position marker by the marker sensor, detects its own position of the moving body using the read position marker, and travels along the position marker. The non-contact power supply system according to claim 2, wherein the marker sensor is integrally incorporated in a substrate of the power receiving unit.

10. The non-contact power supply system according to claim 2, comprising a plurality of the power transmission units. The moving body has a marker sensor (25) for detecting the position marker, reads the position marker by the marker sensor, detects its own position of the moving body using the read position marker, and travels along the position marker. When it is detected that power cannot be received even though the position marker corresponding to the power transmission unit is detected and a power supply permission is transmitted from the moving body, a failure determination unit (31) is provided to determine a failure of a power supply system including the power supply and the power transmission unit using information on whether power can be received on another power transmission unit different from the power transmission unit. A non-contact power supply system.

11. In the power transmission system, the plurality of power transmission units are connected to a single power supply. The failure determination unit When determining the presence or absence of a failure of each power transmission unit as a failure of the power transmission system, it is determined using information on whether power can be received on another power transmission unit connected to the single power supply. The non-contact power supply system according to claim 10.

12. The moving body has a marker sensor (25) for detecting the position marker, reads the position marker by the marker sensor, detects its own position of the moving body using the read position marker, and travels along the position marker. The power transmission unit has a failure determination unit for determining the presence or absence of its own failure. When it is determined by the failure determination unit that there is a failure, a notification unit that notifies in a form that the failure can be read by the marker sensor; The contactless power supply system according to claim 2, comprising:

13. The moving body is an unmanned transport vehicle capable of transporting a transported object, The power transmission unit is provided at a stop location where the transported object is loaded and where the transport vehicle stops, or an access passage to the stop location, according to any one of claims 1 to 12. The described contactless power supply system.

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