Autonomous travel vehicular apparatus

Abstract

To provide an autonomous travel vehicular apparatus capable of inhibiting a detection object such as an obstacle from remaining undetected when a transition is made to a successive road surface which extends in a bent manner with respect to an inclined road surface.SOLUTION: An autonomous travel vehicular apparatus 100 includes an autonomous travel vehicle body 101 that autonomously travels on a descending successive road surface DAR which extends in a bent manner with respect to a descending road surface DR at an angle range of less than 180°. The autonomous travel vehicle body 101 includes an optical sensor 110 for detecting a detection object OB ahead of the autonomous vehicle body 101, and a controller 120. The optical sensor 110 is attached at an upward angle at which light is emitted upward beyond a virtual plane TP parallel to the descending road surface DR. The controller 120 includes: a range-finding unit 121 that calculates a distance from the detection object OB existing ahead of the autonomous travel vehicle body; and an autonomous travel control unit 122 that controls at least one of travel and steering of the autonomous travel vehicle body on the basis of distance information calculated by the range-finding unit 121.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an autonomous vehicle device that autonomously travels while avoiding contact with or collision with objects that exist in the traveling direction. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been autonomous vehicle devices that autonomously travel while avoiding detection targets such as obstacles that exist in the traveling direction by using two-dimensional LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging). For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a forklift as an autonomous vehicle device that is equipped with an obstacle sensor configured with a two-dimensional LiDAR and avoids contact with obstacles when reversing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-34408

[0004] However, in the forklift described in Patent Document 1, it is believed that the obstacle sensor is placed near the road surface and emits laser light in a horizontal direction parallel to the road surface, so there is a problem that obstacles may not be detected when the forklift moves from an inclined road surface to a level road surface.

[0005] For example, as shown in Fig. 12, when an autonomous vehicle device 2 equipped with an obstacle sensor 1 configured with a two-dimensional LiDAR travels down a downward slope road surface DR, when the autonomous vehicle device 2 approaches a horizontal road surface HR, the laser light L emitted from the obstacle sensor 1 is irradiated onto the horizontal road surface HR, away from the person to be detected as the detection object OB. For this reason, the autonomous vehicle device 2 has a problem in that not only is it unable to correctly detect the detection object OB, but the horizontal road surface HR may be mistaken for the detection object OB.

[0006] In the forklift described in the above Patent Document 1, a two-dimensional lidar for three-dimensionally measuring the shape of a pallet placed on a floor surface is installed in an inclined state so as to irradiate a laser beam onto the floor surface (FIG. 8). However, the two-dimensional lidar described in the above Patent Document 1 is activated when measuring the three-dimensional shape of a pallet placed on a horizontal floor surface and inserting the fork into an opening, and is not used when traveling on an inclined road surface, and does not assume at all the traveling scene assumed by the present invention. In addition, in the forklift described in the above Patent Document 1, not only is it not assumed at all that the pallet will be placed in front of an inclined road surface, but even if it was assumed, for example, in the case of a pallet placed on a horizontal road surface beyond an uphill road surface that is an uphill slope, the pallet will be out of the detection range of the two-dimensional lidar just before the forklift reaches the top of the uphill road surface, making it impossible to measure the three-dimensional shape.

[0007] The present invention has been made to address the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide an autonomous vehicle device that can suppress loss of detection of objects to be detected, such as obstacles, when transitioning to a following road surface that curves around an inclined road surface.

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a self-propelled vehicle body that self-propels on a downstream following road surface that extends and bends at an angle range of less than 180° relative to a downward road surface that has a downward slope relative to a horizontal plane, an optical sensor that is arranged forward in the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle body, emits light in a straight line and receives reflected light of this light, a distance measuring unit that calculates the distance to an object in front of the self-propelled vehicle body using the detection signal from the optical sensor, and an autonomous driving control unit that controls at least one of the driving or steering of the self-propelled vehicle body based on the distance information calculated by the distance measuring unit, and the optical sensor is arranged at an upward angle that emits light above a virtual plane parallel to the downward road surface.

[0009] According to the features of the present invention configured in this manner, the autonomous vehicle device is provided with an optical sensor for detecting objects that emits light above a parallel imaginary plane on the downhill road surface, on a self-propelled vehicle body that self-propels along a downhill following road surface that bends at an angle range of less than 180° relative to the horizontal plane and has a downward slope, thereby making it possible to prevent the detection of an object from going undetected when transitioning from the downhill road surface to the downhill following road surface.

[0010] Another feature of the present invention is that in the autonomous vehicle device, the optical sensor is provided at a height position that is half or less of the height of the object.

[0011] According to this, since the optical sensor is disposed at a height position that is less than half the height of the object in the direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle device, the autonomous vehicle device is able to prevent the object from going undetected even when the autonomous vehicle device transitions to a following downward road surface that bends at an angle of less than 180° from a downward road surface that slopes downward with respect to the horizontal plane.

[0012] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is characterized in that it comprises a self-propelled vehicle body that self-propels on an uphill following road surface that extends and bends at an angle range of more than 180° with respect to an uphill road surface that has an upward slope with respect to a horizontal plane, an optical sensor that is arranged facing forward in the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle body, emits light in a straight line and receives reflected light of this light, a distance measuring unit that calculates the distance to an object in front of the self-propelled vehicle body using the detection signal from the optical sensor, and an autonomous driving control unit that controls at least one of the driving or steering of the self-propelled vehicle body based on the distance information calculated by the distance measuring unit, and the optical sensor is arranged at an upward angle so as to emit light below a virtual plane parallel to the uphill road surface.

[0013] According to the features of the present invention configured in this manner, the autonomous vehicle device is provided with an optical sensor for detecting objects that emits light downwardly from a parallel imaginary plane on the uphill road surface, on a self-propelled vehicle body that self-propels along an uphill road surface that bends at an angle of more than 180° relative to the horizontal plane, thereby making it possible to suppress loss of detection of obstacles when transitioning from the uphill road surface to the uphill road surface.

[0014] Another feature of the present invention is that in the autonomous vehicle device, the optical sensor is provided at a height position that is equal to or greater than half the height of the object.

[0015] According to this, since the optical sensor is disposed at a height position that is more than half the height of the object in the direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle device, the autonomous vehicle device is able to prevent the object from going undetected even when the autonomous vehicle device transitions to an uphill following road surface that bends at an angle of more than 180° from an uphill road surface that has an upward slope relative to the horizontal plane.

[0016] Another feature of the present invention is that the autonomous vehicle apparatus further comprises a sensor mounting member for supporting the optical sensor and mounting it on the autonomous vehicle body.

[0017] According to this, the autonomous vehicle device further includes a sensor mounting member that supports the optical sensor and mounts it on the autonomous vehicle body, so that the optical sensor can be mounted on the autonomous vehicle body in various configurations. For example, the sensor mounting member can be used to mount the optical sensor at a position that protrudes from the autonomous vehicle body, thereby expanding the detection range around the optical sensor.

[0018] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the autonomous vehicle device, the sensor mounting member has a sensor support portion that supports the optical sensor formed on an inclined surface that is bent relative to the vehicle mounting portion that is attached to the autonomous vehicle body.

[0019] According to this, the autonomous vehicle device can easily support the optical sensor in an inclined state, since the sensor support portion of the sensor mounting member that supports the optical sensor is formed on an inclined surface that is bent relative to the vehicle mounting portion that is attached to the self-propelled vehicle body.

[0020] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the autonomous vehicle apparatus, the sensor mounting member is capable of adjusting the mounting angle of the optical sensor.

[0021] According to this, since the sensor mounting member of the autonomous vehicle device is configured to allow the mounting angle of the optical sensor to be adjusted, the mounting angle of the optical sensor, i.e., the direction in which light is emitted, can be freely changed to any desired direction.

[0022] Another feature of the present invention is that the autonomous vehicle device further comprises an inclination sensor that outputs a detection signal corresponding to the inclination angle of the self-propelled vehicle body, a inclination angle calculation unit that calculates the inclination angle based on the detection signal output by the inclination sensor, an angle adjustment mechanism that adjusts the mounting angle of the optical sensor, and an mounting angle control unit that controls the angle adjustment mechanism using the calculated inclination angle to adjust the mounting angle of the optical sensor.

[0023] According to this, the autonomous vehicle device adjusts the mounting angle of the optical sensor according to the inclination angle of the autonomous vehicle body, so that the orientation of the optical sensor can be automatically adjusted according to the inclination angle of the road surface.

[0024] Another feature of the present invention is that, in the autonomous vehicle device, the optical sensor is oriented so as to emit light near a person's waist within a range of 0.5 m or more and 5 m or less in front of the autonomous vehicle body.

[0025] According to this, the autonomous vehicle device has an optical sensor oriented so as to shine light on a person's waist area within a range of 0.5 m or more and 5 m or less in front of the self-propelled vehicle body, thereby effectively preventing missed detection of a person or a detection object of approximately the same height as a person, whether the autonomous vehicle is traveling on a downhill road surface or an uphill road surface. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing a schematic external configuration of an autonomous vehicle device according to the present invention when traveling on a horizontal road surface. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of the autonomous vehicle device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] 2 is a block diagram of a control system for controlling the operation of the autonomous vehicle device shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] 2 is a side view showing a schematic external configuration of an optical sensor and a sensor mounting member in the autonomous vehicle device shown in FIG. 1. [Diagram 5] 2 is a side view showing a state in which the autonomous vehicle device shown in FIG. 1 has moved from a downhill road surface to a following downhill road surface. [Figure 6] 2 is a side view showing a state in which the autonomous vehicle device shown in FIG. 1 has moved from an uphill road surface to a following uphill road surface. [Figure 7] 13 is a side view showing an outline of the external configuration of an optical sensor and a sensor mounting member in an autonomous vehicle device according to a modified example of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a case where an autonomous vehicle device according to another modified example of the present invention travels on a following downward road surface that is a downward slope. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a side view showing a case where an autonomous vehicle device according to another modified example of the present invention travels on a following downward road surface that is an upward slope. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the outline of the external configuration of an optical sensor and a sensor mounting member in an autonomous vehicle device according to another modified example of the present invention. [Figure 11]FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the outline of the external configuration of an optical sensor and a sensor mounting member in an autonomous vehicle device according to another modified example of the present invention. [Figure 12] 1 is a side view showing a state in which a conventional autonomous vehicle device has moved from a downhill road surface to a following downhill road surface; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Hereinafter, an embodiment of an autonomous vehicle device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing the external configuration of an autonomous vehicle device 100 according to the present invention in a state where the autonomous vehicle device 100 is traveling on a horizontal road surface HR. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the configuration of the autonomous vehicle device 100 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control system for controlling the operation of the autonomous vehicle device 100 shown in FIG. 1. Note that each figure referred to in this specification shows a schematic representation, such as exaggerating some components, in order to facilitate understanding of the present invention. For this reason, the dimensions and ratios between the components may differ.

[0028] This autonomous vehicle device 100 is a vehicle-type robot that travels autonomously to provide various services such as loading and unloading, towing, cleaning, watering, spraying, collecting information (including measurement), or providing information in commercial facilities such as department stores or shopping centers, public facilities such as hospitals, stations or government offices, parking lots, forests, farms, factories or construction sites, etc. This autonomous vehicle device 100 is equipped with a self-propelled vehicle body 101.

[0029] (Configuration of autonomous vehicle device 100) The self-propelled vehicle body 101 is a vehicle equipped with mechanical, electrical, or electronic components for autonomously traveling while avoiding contact with or collision with a detection object OB present in the traveling direction. Specifically, the self-propelled vehicle body 101 mainly includes a vehicle body frame 102.

[0030] The vehicle body frame 102 is a component that serves as a framework for supporting the vehicle body of the self-propelled vehicle body 101, and is configured by forming a metal such as steel or a resin material such as engineering plastic or fiber-reinforced plastic into a frame shape. In this embodiment, the vehicle body frame 102 is formed into a box shape by attaching a metal plate to the surface of a rectangular parallelepiped frame extending along the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle body 101. This vehicle body frame 102 mainly includes a first front wheel 103, a second front wheel 104, a steering mechanism 106, a first rear wheel 107, a second rear wheel 108, an optical sensor 110, a control device 120, and a battery 124.

[0031] The first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104 are components that respectively constitute the left and right front wheels of the self-propelled vehicle body 101, and are each configured by fitting a non-puncture rubber tire onto the outer periphery of a metal wheel. A first front-wheel drive motor 103a and a second front-wheel drive motor 104a are provided inside each of the first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104, respectively.

[0032] The first front-wheel drive motor 103a and the second front-wheel drive motor 104a are electric motors for driving the first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104 in forward and reverse directions, respectively. That is, the first front-wheel drive motor 103a and the second front-wheel drive motor 104a are so-called in-wheel motors integrally assembled within the first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104, respectively. The operation of the first front-wheel drive motor 103a and the second front-wheel drive motor 104a is controlled by a control device 120, which will be described later.

[0033] The first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104 are connected to each other by an axle 105 extending in the vehicle width direction of the self-propelled vehicle body 101, and are attached to the vehicle body frame 102 via this axle 105. In addition, the first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104 are provided with a steering mechanism 106.

[0034] The steering mechanism 106 is a mechanical device consisting of a link mechanism that changes the orientation of the first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104 in order to change the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle body 101. The steering mechanism 106 is operated by the driving force of a steering drive motor 106a consisting of an electric motor whose operation is controlled by the control device 120.

[0035] The first rear wheel 107 and the second rear wheel 108 are components that respectively constitute the left and right rear wheels of the self-propelled vehicle body 101, and are each composed of a rubber non-puncture tire attached to the outer periphery of a metal wheel. A first rear wheel drive motor 107a and a second rear wheel drive motor 108a are provided inside each of the first rear wheel 107 and the second rear wheel 108, respectively.

[0036] The first rear wheel drive motor 107a and the second rear wheel drive motor 108a are electric motors for driving the first front wheel 103 and the second front wheel 104 in forward or reverse rotation, respectively. That is, the first rear wheel drive motor 107a and the second rear wheel drive motor 108a are so-called in-wheel motors integrally assembled within the first rear wheel 107 and the second rear wheel 108, respectively. The operation of the first rear wheel drive motor 107a and the second rear wheel drive motor 108a is controlled by the control device 120.

[0037] The first rear wheel 107 and the second rear wheel 108 are connected to each other by an axle 109 extending in the vehicle width direction of the self-propelled vehicle body 101 and are attached to the vehicle body frame 102 via this axle 109 .

[0038] The optical sensor 110 is a detector for detecting a detection target OB, such as a person or an object, present in the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle body 101. Specifically, the optical sensor 110 is mainly configured with a light source, a light receiving element, and a rotating mirror, none of which are shown, and the operation of the optical sensor 110 is controlled by the control device 120.

[0039] The light source is an optical element that emits light consisting of laser light L (e.g., infrared laser light) to be irradiated onto the detection object OB. The light source included in the optical sensor 110 may be a light source that emits laser light other than infrared laser light, such as visible light laser light or ultraviolet laser light, as long as the light is capable of obtaining reflected light from the detection object OB.

[0040] The light receiving element is an optical element that receives light emitted from the light source and reflected by the object to be detected OB, converts the light into an electrical signal, and outputs a detection signal. In this embodiment, the light receiving element outputs the detection signal to the control device 120.

[0041] The rotating mirror is a mechanical device that guides the laser light L emitted from the light source to 360° around the light source in a plan view by rotating the mirror, and also guides the reflected light arriving from 360° around the light source to a light receiving element. Specifically, the rotating mirror is configured with a mirror that reflects the laser light L and an electric motor that continuously rotates the mirror.

[0042] That is, the optical sensor 110 is configured as a so-called "2DLiDAR" that detects the distance, direction, or nature of the object OB present within a 360° area around the optical sensor 110 on a two-dimensional plane centered on the optical sensor 110 based on the return time and wavelength of the laser light L. This "2DLiDAR" is well known, so further explanation will be omitted. This optical sensor 110 is attached to the self-propelled vehicle body 101 via a sensor attachment member 111.

[0043] 4, the sensor mounting member 111 is a component for mounting the optical sensor 110 to the self-propelled vehicle body 101, and is configured by forming a metal material, a resin material, or a wood material into a plate shape. Specifically, the sensor mounting member 111 is configured by a vehicle mounting portion 111a and a sensor support portion 111b.

[0044] The vehicle mounting portion 111a is a portion of the sensor mounting member 111 that is attached to the self-propelled vehicle body 101 and is formed in a flat plate shape. This vehicle mounting portion 111a has two through holes formed therein, and is attached to the self-propelled vehicle body 101 by passing bolts 112 through the two through holes and screwing them into the self-propelled vehicle body 101.

[0045] The sensor support part 111b is a part to which the optical sensor 110 is attached, and is formed in a flat plate shape. In this case, the sensor support part 111b is configured with an inclined surface that makes the optical sensor 110 face upward with respect to a horizontal plane HP. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the sensor support part 111b is configured with an inclined surface that makes the optical sensor 110 emit the laser light L upward from a virtual plane TP that is parallel to a descending road surface DR described later. In this embodiment, the sensor support part 111b is configured with an upward inclined surface that is inclined at an angle of 10° with respect to the vehicle attachment part 111a when the vehicle attachment part 111a is in a horizontal posture. This angle is set so that, assuming that an adult is present about 2000 mm (2 m) ahead of the optical sensor 110 attached to the self-propelled vehicle body 101, the laser light L emitted from the optical sensor 110 passes through a position at a height (about 700 mm to 1000 mm) near the adult's buttocks or waist.

[0046] The optical sensor 110 is attached to the upper surface of the sensor support portion 111b via a bolt (not shown). In this embodiment, the sensor attachment member 111 is attached to the front end of the self-propelled vehicle body 101, at the center in the width direction of the self-propelled vehicle body 101. In this case, the height of the vehicle attachment portion 111a of the sensor attachment member 111 is set to a height equal to or less than half the height of the adult (for example, 1700 mm). In this embodiment, the height of the vehicle attachment portion 111a of the sensor attachment member 111 is attached at a height of about 500 mm from the road surface. As a result, the irradiation area of ​​the light emitted from the optical sensor 110 is a 360° planar area centered on the optical sensor 110, and the planar area is inclined upward by 10° toward the front side of the autonomous vehicle device 100 with respect to the horizontal plane HP.

[0047] The control device 120 is configured by a microcomputer including a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and comprehensively controls the overall operation of the autonomous vehicle device 100. Specifically, the control device 120 executes a driving control program pre-stored in a storage device such as a ROM to control the operation of each of the front wheel first drive motor 103a, the front wheel second drive motor 104a, the steering drive motor 106a, the rear wheel first drive motor 107a, the rear wheel second drive motor 108a, and the optical sensor 110, thereby controlling the driving, stopping, and turning (steering) of the autonomous vehicle device 100.

[0048] In this case, the control device 120 uses the detection signal from the optical sensor 110 to measure the distance to the surrounding detection object OB to create an environmental map, and also controls the operation of the front wheel first drive motor 103a, the front wheel second drive motor 104a, the steering drive motor 106a, the rear wheel first drive motor 107a, the rear wheel second drive motor 108a, and the optical sensor 110 to identify its own position in the environmental map and perform autonomous driving while avoiding contact or collision with the detection object OB. Here, the environmental map is planar map information showing the presence of the detection object OB in the area in which the autonomous vehicle device 100 is scheduled to travel. That is, the autonomous vehicle device 100 is configured to perform autonomous driving by a so-called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) technology.

[0049] In this case, the distance measuring unit 121 is a part of the control device 120 that performs a process of measuring the distance to the surrounding detection object OB using the detection signal from the optical sensor 110. In this embodiment, the distance measuring unit 121 performs distance measuring processing only within a range of 210° forward of the autonomous vehicle device 100 centered on the optical sensor 110 and within a range of a radius of 10 m centered on the optical sensor 110, among the detection signals output from the optical sensor 110. In other words, the detection region SE in which the distance measuring unit 121 detects the detection object OB is a fan-shaped region in a plan view within a range of 210° forward of the autonomous vehicle device 100 centered on the optical sensor 110 and within a range of a radius of 10 m centered on the optical sensor 110.

[0050] This is because it is difficult to correctly detect the detection object OB present around the autonomous vehicle device 100 on the rear side of the autonomous vehicle device 100 centered on the optical sensor 110 due to the autonomous vehicle device 100 itself or various items carried by or attached to the autonomous vehicle device 100. Note that the detection area SE may naturally be a range other than 210° on the front side of the autonomous vehicle device 100 centered on the optical sensor 110, or a range other than a radius of 10 m centered on the optical sensor 110. In addition, the environmental map may be a map created separately externally and stored in the control device 120.

[0051] In the control device 120, an autonomous driving control unit 122 is a portion that controls the operation of the first front wheel drive motor 103a, the second front wheel drive motor 104a, the steering drive motor 106a, the first rear wheel drive motor 107a, the second rear wheel drive motor 108a, and the optical sensor 110 based on the distance to the detection object OB. The operation of this control device 120 is controlled by a handheld controller 123.

[0052] The hand-held controller 123 is a device for the user of the autonomous vehicle device 100 to give operation instructions to the control device 120, and includes an operator (not shown) for the user to perform input operations, a display device (not shown) that displays the operation status of the control device 120, and a transmitting / receiving unit (not shown) that performs wireless communication with the control device 120. It should be noted that the hand-held controller 123 may of course be electrically connected to the control device 120 by wire instead of or in addition to wireless communication.

[0053] The battery 124 is a power supply device for supplying power to the first front wheel drive motor 103a, the second front wheel drive motor 104a, the steering drive motor 106a, the first rear wheel drive motor 107a, the second rear wheel drive motor 108a, the optical sensor 110, and the control device 120, as well as various electrical devices provided in the autonomous vehicle device 100. The battery 124 may be a secondary battery such as a nickel-metal hydride battery or a lithium-ion battery, or may be a primary battery that is configured to generate electricity, such as a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell, a chemical battery, or a metal-air battery. In this embodiment, the battery 124 is configured as a secondary battery, and receives and stores power from an external power source (not shown, for example, a household 100V power source or a 200V power source). The battery 124 is connected to each device that requires power via an inverter (not shown).

[0054] (Operation of autonomous vehicle device 100) Next, a description will be given of the operation of the autonomous vehicle device 100 configured as described above. As described above, the autonomous vehicle device 100 autonomously travels to provide various services indoors or outdoors.

[0055] First, the operator sets an environmental map in the control device 120 of the autonomous vehicle device 100. Specifically, the operator sets the control device 120 to an environmental map creation mode by operating the hand controller 123, and then drives the autonomous vehicle device 100 by manually operating the hand controller 123. In this case, the operator directly steers the autonomous vehicle device 100 by manual operation to drive the autonomous vehicle device 100 within a range required for creating the environmental map. This allows the control device 120 to create an environmental map (not shown) that indicates the presence status of the detected object OB in the area in which the autonomous vehicle device 100 is driven, based on the detection signal output by the optical sensor 110.

[0056] During travel to create this environmental map, control device 120 determines that detection area SE by optical sensor 110 is an area that is centered on optical sensor 110 and inclined upward by 10° with respect to the horizontal road surface HR toward the front side of autonomous vehicle device 100. Therefore, control device 120 prevents detection object OB, such as a wall or a person, from escaping from detection area SE when autonomous vehicle device 100 approaches a horizontal following downward road surface DAR from a downwardly inclined downward road surface DR with respect to a horizontal plane HP (not shown in FIG. 5).

[0057] In addition, in the case where the detection area SE is parallel to the downhill road surface DR as in the conventional case, as shown in the figure, when the autonomous vehicle device 100 approaches the horizontal downhill following road surface DAR from the downhill road surface DR, the control device 120 may erroneously detect the downhill following road surface DAR as the detection object OB because a detection object OB such as a wall or a person falls outside the detection area SE. In other words, the control device 120 creates an environmental map with an incorrect shape. In addition, when creating the environmental map, it is preferable that there is no person as the detection object OB in the environment in which the autonomous vehicle device 100 is traveling.

[0058] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7, the control device 120 prevents the detection object OB, such as a wall or a person, from escaping from the detection area SE even when the autonomous vehicle device 100 approaches a horizontal uphill road surface UAR from an uphill road surface UR that is an upward incline with respect to a horizontal plane HP (not shown in FIG. 6). However, the control device 120 may miss detection when the height of the detection object OB, such as a wall or a person, is lower than the detection area SE. However, during autonomous driving described later, the control device 120 can detect the detection object OB at the stage when the autonomous vehicle device 100 reaches the uphill road surface UAR, so that the autonomous vehicle device 100 can avoid contact or collision with the detection object OB. As described above, the operator can also set the control device 120 by loading an environmental map created separately.

[0059] Next, when the operator has created the environmental map in the control device 120, the operator causes the autonomous vehicle device 100 to travel autonomously. Specifically, the operator sets the control device 120 to an autonomous travel mode by operating the handheld controller 123, and then causes the autonomous vehicle device 100 to travel autonomously by manually operating the handheld controller 123. In this case, the operator inputs a destination on the environmental map to the control device 120. As a result, the control device 120 identifies the current position on the environmental map based on the detection signal output from the optical sensor 110, and then determines a travel route toward the destination and starts traveling.

[0060] In the autonomous driving of the autonomous vehicle device 100, the control device 120 prevents a detection object OB, such as a wall or a person, from escaping from the detection area SE when the autonomous vehicle device 100 approaches the horizontal descending following road surface DAR from the descending road surface DR, as in the case of creating the environmental map described above (see FIG. 5). When the control device 120 detects the presence of a detection object OB within a predetermined distance range in the detection area SE, it performs at least one of stopping, decelerating, or turning (steering) the self-propelled vehicle body 101 to avoid contact or collision with the detection object OB.

[0061] Furthermore, the control device 120 prevents the detection object OB, such as a wall or a person, from escaping from the detection area SE even when the autonomous vehicle device 100 approaches the horizontal, upward following road surface UAR from the upward road surface UR (see FIG. 6). In this case, as shown in the figure, the control device 120 may miss detection if the height of the detection object OB, such as a wall or a person, is lower than the detection area SE. However, since the control device 120 can detect the detection object OB at the stage when the autonomous vehicle device 100 reaches the upward following road surface UAR, it is possible to prevent the autonomous vehicle device 100 from contacting or colliding with the detection object OB.

[0062] According to the features of the present invention configured in this manner, the autonomous vehicle device 100 is provided with an optical sensor 110 for detecting objects that emits light upward on the downhill road surface DR above a virtual plane TP parallel to the downhill road surface DR, on the autonomous vehicle body 101 that self-propels on the downhill following road surface DAR that extends and bends at an angle range of less than 180° relative to the downhill road surface DR that has a downward slope relative to the horizontal plane HP. Therefore, it is possible to suppress loss of detection of the detection object OB when transitioning from the downhill road surface DR to the downhill following road surface DAR or when transitioning from the uphill road surface UR to the uphill following road surface UAR.

[0063] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. In each of the modifications shown below, the same components as those in the above-described embodiments are denoted by corresponding reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0064] For example, in the above embodiment, the optical sensor 110 is configured to be provided at a height equal to or less than half the height of an adult (e.g., 1700 mm) 2000 mm (2 m) away. This allows the autonomous vehicle device 100 to effectively detect a person as the detection object OB in an upwardly mounted state in which the optical sensor 110 emits light above the imaginary plane TP. That is, the autonomous vehicle device 100 sets a person as the main detection object OB with which contact or collision is to be avoided.

[0065] However, it is natural that the autonomous vehicle device 100 can adopt an object other than a human as the main detection object OB with which contact or collision is to be avoided. Also, the optical sensor 110 can be provided at a height position that is half or more of the height of the main detection object OB even when the optical sensor 110 is attached facing upward. Also, the control device 120 can be configured to detect the detection object OB that exists at a distance less than 2000 mm or more than 2000 mm, for example, in a range of 500 mm (0.5 m) or more and 5000 mm (5 m) or less.

[0066] In the above embodiment, the optical sensor 110 is attached in an upward orientation so as to emit light above the imaginary plane TP parallel to the downhill road surface DR. However, the optical sensor 110 can also be attached in a downward orientation so as to emit light below the imaginary plane TP parallel to the uphill road surface UR, as shown in FIG. 7. In this case, the optical sensor 110 can be provided at a height position less than half the height of the main detection object OB, but providing the optical sensor 110 at a height position more than half the height of the main detection object OB can more effectively prevent the detection object OB from being missed when the autonomous vehicle device 100 approaches the horizontal downhill following road surface DAR from the downhill road surface DR.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the descending following road surface DAR and the ascending following road surface UAR are assumed to be horizontal. However, the descending following road surface DAR may be a descending slope DAR1 or an ascending slope DAR2 that bends and extends at an angle range of less than 180° with respect to the descending road surface DR, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, respectively. Similarly, the ascending following road surface UAR may be an ascending slope or a descending slope that bends and extends at an angle range of more than 180° with respect to the ascending road surface UR, like the descending following road surface DAR.

[0068] In the above embodiment, the optical sensor 110 is configured to radiate laser light L by rotating (scanning) it. However, the optical sensor 110 can also radiate light by swinging it in a fan shape around the optical sensor 110. The optical sensor 110 can also be configured as a line sensor in which multiple light-emitting units are arranged in a straight line or an arc.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the optical sensor 110 is attached to the self-propelled vehicle body 101 via the sensor attachment member 111. However, the optical sensor 110 can be attached directly to the self-propelled vehicle body 101 without using the sensor attachment member 111. In this case, the attachment position of the optical sensor 110 on the self-propelled vehicle body 101 is preferably formed on the inclined surface.

[0070] In the above embodiment, the sensor mounting member 111 is formed by bending and connecting the plate-shaped sensor support portion 111b to the plate-shaped vehicle mounting portion 111a. As a result, the optical sensor 110 is provided at a position that protrudes forward from the front end portion of the self-propelled vehicle body 101. However, the sensor mounting member 111 can also be formed of a structure other than a bent plate-shaped body, for example, a block body having an inclined surface.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the sensor mounting member 111 fixedly mounts the optical sensor 110 to the self-propelled vehicle body 101 at one unvariable mounting angle. However, the sensor mounting member 111 can also mount the optical sensor 110 at a variable mounting angle. For example, the sensor mounting member 113 shown in Fig. 10 can be configured mainly to include a support 113a, a sensor support portion 113b, and an adjustment screw 113c.

[0072] Here, the support pillar 113a is formed to extend like a pillar relative to the self-propelled vehicle body 101. The sensor support portion 113b is formed to extend like an arm, with one end supporting the optical sensor 110 and the other end attached to the side surface of the support pillar 113a via an adjustment screw 113c. The adjustment screw 113c penetrates the sensor support portion 113b and is screw-fitted into the support pillar 113a. The sensor mounting member 113 thus configured can rotate the sensor support portion 113b around the adjustment screw 113c by loosening the adjustment screw 113c, so that the optical sensor 110 can be adjusted to a desired angle and fixed.

[0073] In addition, the sensor mounting member 114 shown in FIG. 11 supports the sensor support portion 113b with an electric motor 115 provided in the support column 113a instead of the adjustment screw 113c, so that the optical sensor 110 can be fixed at a desired angle by operating the hand controller 123.

[0074] In this case, the autonomous vehicle device 100 is equipped with an inclination sensor 130 that detects the inclination of the self-propelled vehicle body 101, and the control device 120 is equipped with an angle control unit 131 that controls the rotation of the electric motor 115 based on the detection signal from the inclination sensor 130, so that the inclination angle of the optical sensor 110 can be automatically adjusted according to the inclination of the self-propelled vehicle body 101 (see Figure 3).

[0075] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the autonomous vehicle device 100 is configured with one optical sensor 110 provided at the front end of the autonomous vehicle body 101. However, the autonomous vehicle device 100 can also be configured with two or more optical sensors 110 provided at the autonomous vehicle body 101. For example, the autonomous vehicle device 100 can be configured with optical sensors 110 provided at the rear end of the autonomous vehicle body 101 in addition to the front end, thereby enabling the autonomous vehicle device 100 to avoid obstacles when reversing.

[0076] Furthermore, the autonomous vehicle device 100 can be provided with a plurality of optical sensors 110 attached at different inclination angles to the front end of the self-propelled vehicle body 101, and can select and use the most suitable optical sensor 110 from the plurality of optical sensors 110 according to the inclination angle of the road surface based on the detection signal from the inclination sensor 130. The optical sensor 110 can also be provided in a portion of the self-propelled vehicle body 101 other than the end such as the front end, for example, in a portion inside the end of the self-propelled vehicle body 101.

[0077] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the autonomous vehicle device 100 exerts the detection function of the detected object OB when autonomously moving to a destination on an environmental map. However, the autonomous vehicle device 100 may also exert the detection function of the detected object OB when an operator directly operates the autonomous vehicle device using the hand controller 123, regardless of the presence or absence of an environmental map. Furthermore, the autonomous vehicle device 100 may exert the detection function of the detected object OB in order to travel following a person, an animal, or another autonomous vehicle device other than the autonomous vehicle.

[0078] In the above embodiment, the self-propelled vehicle 101 is configured as an in-wheel motor type four-wheel drive. However, the self-propelled vehicle 101 may be configured as an in-wheel motor type two-wheel drive, or may be configured to distribute the driving force of one or two motors to two or four drive wheels. In addition, the self-propelled vehicle 101 may use a prime mover other than an electric motor, for example, a reciprocating engine, as long as it can move on its own. [Explanation of symbols]

[0079] OB: object to be detected; HR: horizontal road surface; HP: horizontal plane; TP: virtual plane; DR: downward road surface; DAR: downward following road surface; DAR1: downward slope; DAR2: upward slope; UR: upward road surface; UAR: upward following road surface; L: laser light; SE: detection area; 1...obstacle sensor, 2...autonomous vehicle device, 100...Autonomous vehicle device, 101...self-propelled vehicle body, 102...vehicle frame, 103...first front wheel, 103a...front wheel first drive motor, 104...second front wheel, 104a...front wheel second drive motor, 105...axle, 106...steering mechanism, 106a...steering drive motor, 107...first rear wheel, 107a...rear wheel first drive motor, 108...second rear wheel, 108a...rear wheel second drive motor, 109...axle, 110...optical sensor, 111...sensor mounting member, 111a...vehicle mounting portion, 111b...sensor support portion, 112...bolt, 113...sensor mounting member, 113a...support, 113b...sensor support portion, 113c...adjustment screw, 114...sensor mounting member, 115...electric motor, 120: control device, 121: distance measurement unit, 122: autonomous driving control unit, 123: hand controller, 124: battery, 130...tilt sensor, 131...angle control unit.

Claims

1. a vehicle body that travels on a descending road surface that is bent at an angle of less than 180° with respect to a descending road surface that is inclined downward with respect to a horizontal plane; an optical sensor that is provided facing forward in the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle body, emits light linearly, and receives reflected light of the light; a distance measuring unit that calculates a distance to an object present in front of the self-propelled vehicle body using a detection signal by the optical sensor; an autonomous driving control unit that controls at least one of driving and steering of the autonomous vehicle body based on the distance information calculated by the distance measuring unit; The optical sensor includes: An autonomous vehicle device, characterized in that the light is emitted at an upward angle above an imaginary plane parallel to the downhill road surface.

2. 2. The autonomous vehicle device according to claim 1, The optical sensor includes: An autonomous vehicle device, characterized in that it is disposed at a height position that is less than half the height of the object.

3. a self-propelled vehicle body that self-propels on an uphill following road surface that is bent at an angle of more than 180° with respect to an uphill road surface that is inclined upward with respect to a horizontal plane; an optical sensor that is provided facing forward in the traveling direction of the self-propelled vehicle body, emits light linearly, and receives reflected light of the light; a distance measuring unit that calculates a distance to an object present in front of the self-propelled vehicle body using a detection signal by the optical sensor; an autonomous driving control unit that controls at least one of driving and steering of the autonomous vehicle body based on the distance information calculated by the distance measuring unit; The optical sensor includes: An autonomous vehicle device, characterized in that the light is emitted at an upward angle below an imaginary plane parallel to the uphill road surface.

4. 4. The autonomous vehicle device according to claim 3, The optical sensor includes: An autonomous vehicle device, characterized in that it is installed at a height position that is more than half the height of the object.

5. The autonomous vehicle device according to claim 1 or 3, further comprising: An autonomous vehicle apparatus comprising: a sensor mounting member that supports the optical sensor and mounts it on the autonomous vehicle body.

6. 6. The autonomous vehicle device according to claim 5, The sensor mounting member includes: an autonomous vehicle apparatus, characterized in that a sensor support portion for supporting the optical sensor is formed on an inclined surface that is bent with respect to a vehicle mounting portion that is attached to the autonomous vehicle body;

7. 6. The autonomous vehicle device according to claim 5, The sensor mounting member includes: An autonomous vehicle device, characterized in that the mounting angle of the optical sensor is adjustable.

8. The autonomous vehicle device according to claim 1 or 3, further comprising: an inclination sensor that outputs a detection signal corresponding to the inclination angle of the self-propelled vehicle body; a tilt angle calculation unit that calculates the tilt angle based on the detection signal output by the tilt sensor; an angle adjustment mechanism for adjusting an attachment angle of the optical sensor; An autonomous vehicle device comprising: a mounting angle control unit that uses the calculated tilt angle to control the angle adjustment mechanism to adjust the mounting angle of the optical sensor.

9. The autonomous vehicle device according to claim 1 or 3, The optical sensor includes: An autonomous vehicle device characterized in that the light is oriented so as to be irradiated near a person's waist within a range of 0.5 m or more and 5 m or less in front of the self-propelled vehicle body.

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