Conveyance system

Abstract

To provide a conveyance system that can more reliably prevent a second carriage other than a specific second carriage from being operated in response to an operation of a remote controller by a worker.MEANS FOR SOLVING THE PROBLEM: A conveyance system of the present invention includes a first carriage, a second carriage, a remote controller, and a control device. The first carriage is capable of conveying the second carriage and an article along a first conveyance path. The first carriage has a signal transmission unit that wirelessly transmits a control signal for a second operation unit input from the remote controller to the second carriage corresponding to the first carriage, when the remote controller and the first carriage are electrically connected via a cable, and when the second carriage receives the control signal from the signal transmission unit, the second control unit controls the second operation unit in response to the control signal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport system. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an article transport system including a first cart and a second cart that transports articles between the first cart and a storage position is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-117405 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] This type of conveying system may be configured so that if any abnormality occurs with the second cart, an operator can test operate the second cart, i.e., perform an inspection, using a wireless communication-capable remote controller while normal conveying operations are stopped.

[0005] In this configuration, when the remote controller is shared by a plurality of second carriages, the worker performs an operation on the remote controller to select a specific second carriage.

[0006] In this case, if the worker mistakenly selects a different second cart, there is a risk that the mistakenly selected second cart will be activated in response to the worker's operation of the remote controller.

[0007] Therefore, one of the objectives of the present invention is to provide a conveying system that can more reliably prevent a second cart other than a specific second cart from being operated in response to an operator's operation of a remote controller. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The conveying system of the present invention includes a first carriage configured to be movable along a first conveying path and having a first actuator and a first control unit that controls the first actuator; a second carriage configured to be movable along a second conveying path intersecting the first conveying path and to be movable between the first carriage and the second conveying path and having a second actuator and a second control unit that controls the second actuator, on which an article can be placed; a remote controller configured to be connectable to the first carriage via a cable and having a manual operation unit, the remote controller inputting a control signal to the first carriage via the cable in response to an operation of the manual operation unit; and a control device that outputs a control signal to the first trolley and the second control unit, wherein the first trolley is configured to be able to transport the second trolley and the item along the first transport path, wherein the first trolley has a signal transmitting unit that wirelessly transmits a control signal for the second operating unit input from the remote controller to the second trolley corresponding to the first trolley when the remote controller and the first trolley are connected via the cable, and the second control unit controls the second operating unit in accordance with the control signal when the second trolley receives the control signal from the signal transmitting unit. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exemplary and schematic plan view of a conveying system according to an embodiment, illustrating a state in which a parent cart (first cart) carries a child cart (second cart) but moves along a first conveying path without carrying any article. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exemplary schematic plan view of a part of the transport system of the embodiment, illustrating a state in which a child cart, without an article loaded thereon, moves from the parent cart to the second transport path. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is an exemplary schematic plan view of a part of the transport system of the embodiment, showing a state in which the child cart, carrying an article, moves from the second transport path onto the parent cart. [Figure 4]FIG. 4 is an exemplary schematic plan view of a part of the transport system of the embodiment, showing a state in which a parent cart moves along a first transport path with an article and a child cart loaded thereon. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is an exemplary schematic side view of a part of the transport system of the embodiment, showing a child cart and a parent cart carrying an article on a first transport path. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is an exemplary schematic side view of a part of the transport system according to the embodiment, showing a child cart on which an article is placed on the second transport path. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an exemplary schematic side view of a portion of the conveyance system of the embodiment, showing a state in which an article is located at a storage position. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an exemplary control block diagram of the transport system according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for switching between an automatic mode and a manual mode in the parent cart of the transport system according to the embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a changeover switch provided in the parent car of the transport system according to the embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control signal wirelessly transmitted from a parent cart to a child cart of the transport system of the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a procedure for switching between the automatic mode and the manual mode in the child cart of the transport system according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is an exemplary schematic front view of a remote controller connected by wire to a parent cart of the transport system according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of a changeover switch provided in the parent car of the transport system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are disclosed below. The configurations of the embodiments shown below, and the actions and results (effects) obtained from the configurations are merely examples. The present invention can be realized with configurations other than those disclosed in the following embodiments. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain at least one of the various effects (including derivative effects) obtained from the following configurations.

[0011] In this specification, ordinal numbers may be given for convenience to distinguish directions, parts, members, components, mechanisms, etc. In addition, ordinal numbers do not indicate priority or order, nor do they specify a number.

[0012] In addition, in this specification, the actuation portion being electrically actuated means that the actuation portion is actuated in response to a control signal, which is an electrical signal, from the control portion.

[0013] In each figure, arrows are drawn indicating directions. The X direction and the Y direction are approximately along the horizontal direction. The Z direction is approximately along the up-down direction and faces vertically upward. The X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are perpendicular to each other.

[0014] In each drawing, the reference numerals (pd, pr, p1 to p3) indicating the positions of the parent cart or the transported object may be added in parentheses to the reference numerals (10, A) of the parent cart or the transported object.

[0015] [Conveyor route configuration and transportation of goods] Fig. 1 is a plan view of a transport system 100 according to an embodiment. Figs. 2 to 4 are plan views showing a part of the transport system 100, in which the positions of a parent car 10, a child car 20, and a transported object A are different from those in Fig. 1.

[0016] 1, the transport system 100 includes a first transport path P1 extending in the X direction, a plurality of second transport paths P2 extending in the Y direction, a parent cart 10 movable along the first transport path P1, a child cart 20 movable along the second transport path P2, and a transport device 104. The parent cart 10 is an example of a first cart, and the child cart 20 is an example of a second cart.

[0017] The transport system 100 has a three-dimensional structure in which the configuration shown in Fig. 1 is layered in the Z direction. In other words, the configuration shown in Fig. 1 (excluding the transport device 104) is a one-floor configuration.

[0018] An entrance G for the transported object A on each floor faces the first transport path P1, and the parent cart 10 is configured to be able to stop at a transfer position pd facing the entrance G.

[0019] The conveying device 104 is a mechanism for conveying the object A between a position facing the entrance / exit G on the opposite side of the delivery position pd and a position facing an entrance / exit (not shown) for the object A in the conveying system 100. The conveying device 104 includes, for example, a lifter that conveys the object A in a substantially vertical direction and a conveyor that conveys the object A in a substantially horizontal direction.

[0020] Between the transport device 104 and the parent cart 10 located at the delivery position pd, the transported object A is delivered by a transport mechanism such as a conveyor provided on at least one of the parent cart 10 and the transport device 104. The positions and number of entrances G in the transport system 100 are not limited to the example shown in FIG.

[0021] The transported object A is stored at a third position p3 on the second transport path P2. As an example, a plurality of transported objects A are arranged in series on each second transport path P2 so as to be packed from the side farther from the first transport path P1. The third position p3 may also be referred to as a storage position.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 1, the parent cart 10 is configured to be able to move along the first transport path P1 with the child cart 20 loaded thereon. Also, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the child cart 20 is configured to be able to move between the parent cart 10 and the second transport path P2 with the parent cart 10 stopped at an intermediate position pr facing each second transport path P2, and to transport the transported object A between a position on the parent cart 10 and a third position p3. And, as shown in Fig. 4, the parent cart 10 is configured to be able to move along the first transport path P1 together with the child cart 20 with the transported object A loaded thereon.

[0023] With this configuration, the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20 can transport the transported object A between the third position p3, which is a storage position, and a fourth position p4 on the parent cart 10 facing the entrance / exit G.

[0024] In this embodiment, the transport of the transported object A within one floor is performed by one parent cart 10 and one child cart 20 corresponding to the parent cart 10. That is, one parent cart 10 and one child cart 20 are provided on each floor, and the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20 correspond to each other one-to-one.

[0025] 1, the first transport path P1 has two parallel rails 101 extending in the X direction. The second transport path P2 has two parallel rails 102 extending in the Y direction. The transport system 100 also includes a plurality of pillars 103 extending in the Z direction. The plurality of pillars 103 support the rails 101 and 102. The plurality of rails 101, the plurality of rails 102, and the plurality of pillars 103 form a framework structure.

[0026] [Configuration of transported object, parent cart, and child cart] FIG. 5 is a side view of a portion of a transport system 100 including a parent car 10 and a child car 20. As shown in FIG.

[0027] As shown in Fig. 5, in this embodiment, the transported object A includes a pallet A1 and an object A2 placed on the pallet A1. One object A2 or multiple objects A2 may be placed on the pallet A1. The object A2 may take various forms. The transport system 100 of this embodiment may also be applied to a case where the transported object A does not include the pallet A1. In this case, the transported object A is an example of an object.

[0028] The parent cart 10 has a base 11, a side portion 12, rollers 13, and a support portion 14.

[0029] The base 11 extends at least in the X direction intersecting with the Z direction, and has, for example, a plate-like or frame-like configuration. The base 11 may be formed of one member, or may include a plurality of members. The side portion 12 protrudes in the Z direction and extends in the Y direction at the end of the base 11 in the X direction and the end opposite to the X direction, respectively. The base 11 and the two side portions 12 form a space that is approximately U-shaped when viewed in the Y direction and can accommodate the child cart 20. The space can be referred to as a storage section or a housing section. The roller 13 is supported by the base 11 or the side portion 12 so as to be rotatable around a rotation center extending in the Y direction, and can roll in the X direction or the opposite direction to the X direction on the rail 101 that constitutes the first transport path P1. The parent cart 10 can move along the first transport path P1 by the rolling of the roller 13.

[0030] The support parts 14 protrude from each of the two side parts 12 so as to face each other in the X direction, and extend in the Y direction with a substantially constant width in the X direction and a substantially constant thickness in the Z direction. The support parts 14 function as rails that support the rollers 23 of the child cart 20 so that they can roll in the Y direction and in the opposite direction to the Y direction. The support parts 14 are also configured so that when the parent cart 10 is stopped at the relay position pr (see FIGS. 2 and 3) described above, the support parts 14 are aligned in the Y direction with the rails 102 that form the second transport path P2, and the rollers 23 can move while rolling between the support parts 14 and the rails 102.

[0031] The child cart 20 has a base 21, a support portion 22, and rollers 23.

[0032] The base 21 extends at least in the Y direction intersecting with the Z direction, and has, for example, a plate-like or frame-like configuration. The base 21 may be formed of one member, or may include a plurality of members. The support portion 22 has a placement surface that extends intersecting with the Z direction, and supports the transported object A on the placement surface. The roller 23 is supported by the base 21 so as to be rotatable around a rotation center extending in the X direction, and can roll on the support portion 14 or the rail 102 in the Y direction or in the opposite direction to the Y direction.

[0033] 6 and 7 are side views of a portion of the transport system 100 including the child carriage 20 and the transported object A located on the rail 102, i.e., the second transport path P2.

[0034] 6 and 7, the rail 102 has a rail portion 102a that supports the rollers 23, and a support portion 102b that protrudes from the rail portion 102a in the Z direction and supports the transported object A. Both the rail portion 102a and the support portion 102b extend in the Y direction in the shape shown in FIG.

[0035] 5 to 7, the child cart 20 is configured so that the position of the support part 22 in the Z direction relative to the base 21 is changeable. That is, the child cart 20 has a lifting mechanism (not shown) that moves the support part 22 in the Z direction and the direction opposite to the Z direction relative to the base 21. The lifting mechanism is an example of a second operating part that is electrically operated.

[0036] When the position of the support part 22 relative to the base 21 is low and the height of the child cart 20 is low, the height of the child cart 20 becomes lower than the height of the side part 12 of the parent cart 10 (see FIG. 5) and the height of the support part 102b of the rail 102 (see FIG. 7), and the transported object A is not supported by the child cart 20, but is supported by the side part 12 of the parent cart 10 or the support part 102b of the rail 102. The position of the transported object A supported by the parent cart 10 is defined as a first position p1 (see FIG. 5), and the position of the transported object A supported by the rail 102 is defined as a third position p3 (see FIG. 7).

[0037] On the other hand, when the position of the support part 22 relative to the base 21 is high and the height of the child cart 20 is high, as shown in Fig. 6, the height of the child cart 20 becomes higher than the height of the support part 22, and the transported object A is supported by the support part 22 of the child cart 20. The position of the transported object A supported by the child cart 20 is defined as a second position p2.

[0038] In this manner, in this embodiment, by changing the position of the support portion 22 relative to the base 21 in the Z direction, the carriage and the location supporting the transported object A in the transport system 100 can be changed.

[0039] [Control configuration] FIG. 8 is a control block diagram of the transport system 100. The transport system 100 includes a control device 110 that controls the operation of the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20. During normal operation of the transport system 100, the control device 110 transmits control signals to each of the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20 by wireless communication such as a wireless LAN (local area network) or spatial optical transmission. The parent cart 10 and the child cart 20 operate in response to the control signals received from the control device 110. Note that, although FIG. 8 shows only one parent cart 10 and one child cart 20, the transport system 100 will include multiple parent carts 10 and multiple child carts 20 if it has multiple floors.

[0040] In the wireless communication of control signals within the transport system 100, the control device 110, the multiple parent carts 10, and the multiple child carts 20 are identified by IP addresses. That is, the control device 110, the parent carts 10, and the child carts 20 can transmit control signals including IP addresses individually assigned to each device, thereby transmitting control signals to specific devices and avoiding the control signals being transmitted erroneously to devices other than the specific device.

[0041] The parent cart 10 has a control unit 10a, a driving mechanism 10b, an output unit 10c, a wireless communication unit 10d, a movable mechanism 10e, an operation unit 10f, a wired communication unit 10g, and a connector 10h.

[0042] The control unit 10a controls the operation of the driving mechanism 10b, the output unit 10c, the wireless communication unit 10d, the movable mechanism 10e, the wired communication unit 10g, etc., in response to a control signal received from the control device 110 or a control signal corresponding to an input operation on a remote controller 30 connected to the parent cart 10 by wire. The control unit 10a is a computer (circuit) having a main memory unit such as a central processing unit (CPU), a random access memory (RAM) or a read only memory (ROM), and an auxiliary memory unit such as a solid state drive (SSD), and executes processing according to a predetermined algorithm by operating according to an installed program. The control unit 10a is an example of a first control unit. The driving mechanism 10b, the output unit 10c, the wireless communication unit 10d, the movable mechanism 10e, and the wired communication unit 10g are an example of a first operating unit that operates under the control of the first control unit.

[0043] The driving mechanism 10b is a mechanism that moves movable parts related to the movement and stopping of the parent cart 10. Specifically, the driving mechanism 10b is a mechanism that moves and stops the parent cart 10 by rotating and stopping the rotation of the rollers 13, and has, for example, a motor, a rotation transmission mechanism, etc.

[0044] The output unit 10c is, for example, an audio output unit such as a speaker or a display output unit such as a lamp or a display, and performs output by audio or display. The parent cart 10 may have a plurality of output units 10c.

[0045] The wireless communication unit 10d transmits and receives control signals and response signals between the control device 110 and the wireless communication unit 20d of the child cart 20 wirelessly.

[0046] The movable mechanism 10e is a mechanism for moving a movable part that is not directly involved in the movement or stopping of the parent cart 10, and includes, for example, a motor for moving a conveyor (not shown) that transports the transported object A between the parent cart 10 and the transport device 104, a rotation transmission mechanism, etc. The parent cart 10 may have multiple movable mechanisms 10e. The parent cart 10 may also have a movable mechanism 10e that includes, for example, an actuator such as a solenoid for moving a stopper (not shown) that limits the movement range of the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20.

[0047] The operation unit 10f is a portion that is manually operated by an operator, and may include, for example, a push switch, a rotary switch, a lever switch, a keyboard, etc. The parent cart 10 may have a plurality of operation units 10f.

[0048] The wired communication unit 10g transmits and receives control signals and response signals by wire to and from the remote controller 30 that is electrically and communicatively connected via the connectors 10h, 41 and the cable 40. The connector 41 is fixed to the cable 40 and configured to be detachable from the connector 10h. The control unit 10a may detect that the connector 10h and the connector 41 are connected and the wired communication unit 10g and the remote controller 30 are electrically connected.

[0049] The child cart 20 has a control unit 20a, a drive mechanism 20b, an output unit 20c, a wireless communication unit 20d, and a movable mechanism 20e.

[0050] The control unit 20a controls the operation of the driving mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, the movable mechanism 20e, etc., in response to a control signal received from the control device 110 or the parent cart 10. The control unit 20a is a computer (circuit) having a CPU, a main memory unit such as a RAM or a ROM, and an auxiliary memory unit such as an SSD, and executes processing according to a predetermined algorithm by operating according to an installed program. The control unit 20a is an example of a second control unit. The driving mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, and the movable mechanism 20e are an example of a second operating unit that operates under the control of the second control unit.

[0051] The driving mechanism 20b is a mechanism that moves a movable part involved in moving and stopping the child cart 20. Specifically, the driving mechanism 20b is a mechanism that moves and stops the child cart 20 by rotating and stopping the rotation of the rollers 23, and has, for example, a motor, a rotation transmission mechanism, etc.

[0052] The output unit 20c is, for example, an audio output unit such as a speaker or a display output unit such as a lamp or a display, and performs output by audio or display. The child cart 20 may have a plurality of output units 20c.

[0053] The wireless communication unit 20d transmits and receives control signals and response signals between the control device 110 and the wireless communication unit 10d of the parent cart 10 wirelessly.

[0054] The movable mechanism 20e is a mechanism for moving a movable part that is not directly involved in the movement or stopping of the child cart 20, and includes, for example, a motor for moving a lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the support part 22 relative to the base 21, a rotation transmission mechanism, and a rotary-linear conversion mechanism. The child cart 20 may have multiple movable mechanisms 20e. The child cart 20 may also have a movable mechanism 20e that includes, for example, an actuator such as a solenoid for moving a stopper (not shown) that limits the movement range of the child cart 20.

[0055] In this embodiment, the control modes of the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20 are set to an automatic mode operated by a control signal from the control device 110, and a manual mode operated by a control signal from the remote controller 30. In the automatic mode, the control unit 10a of the parent cart 10 controls the drive mechanism 10b, the output unit 10c, the wireless communication unit 10d, the movable mechanism 10e, and the wired communication unit 10g in response to a control signal received wirelessly from the control device 110, and the control unit 20a of the child cart 20 controls the drive mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, and the movable mechanism 20e in response to a control signal received wirelessly from the control device 110. On the other hand, in the manual mode, the control unit 10a of the parent cart 10 controls the driving mechanism 10b, the output unit 10c, the wireless communication unit 10d, the movable mechanism 10e, and the wired communication unit 10g in response to a control signal inputted by wire from the remote controller 30, and the control unit 20a of the child cart 20 controls the driving mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, and the movable mechanism 20e in response to a control signal inputted by wire from the remote controller 30 to the parent cart 10 and transferred wirelessly by the parent cart 10. In the automatic mode, normal transportation of the transported object A is performed, and in the manual mode, for example, an operation such as inspection of the parent cart 10 or the child cart 20 is performed. The automatic mode is an example of a first control mode, and the manual mode is an example of a second control mode.

[0056] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure for switching between the automatic mode and the manual mode in the parent cart 10. As shown in FIG. 9, the control mode of the parent cart 10 is set to the automatic mode by default (S11). When the operation in the manual mode is instructed (Yes in S12), the control unit 10a switches the control mode to the manual mode and operates according to a control signal from the remote controller 30 (S13). Then, in the manual mode (S13), when the control is for the child cart 20 (Yes in S14), the control unit 10a controls the wireless communication unit 10d to transmit a control signal including an identifier indicating the manual mode to the child cart 20 (S15). When the operation in the manual mode is not instructed in S12 (No in S12), the control unit 10a returns the control mode to the automatic mode (S11). Furthermore, when the control is not for the child carriage 20 in S14 (No in S14), the control section 10a executes control in the manual mode (S13) as control for the parent carriage 10.

[0057] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an operation unit 10f provided on the parent cart 10. The operation unit 10f in FIG. 10 is a switch for switching the control mode, and is configured as a rotary switch as an example. When the operation unit 10f is selected to "automatic" in S12, the control unit 10a determines that the operation in the automatic mode is instructed, that is, the operation in the manual mode is not instructed. When the operation unit 10f is selected to "manual" in S12, the control unit 10a determines that the operation in the manual mode is instructed. Note that "maintenance" is a control mode in which an interlock for safety is released and each part is controlled by the remote controller 30. Note that the operation unit 10f may be configured as a switch other than a rotary switch. The operation unit 10f is an example of a first changeover switch.

[0058] Also, in S12, the control unit 10a can determine that the manual mode has been instructed when, for example, it detects that the wired communication unit 10g and the remote controller 30 are electrically connected. The electrical connection can be determined, for example, by the presence or absence of electricity in a predetermined circuit including a conductor in the remote controller 30, or the presence or absence of transmission of a predetermined wired signal between the wired communication unit 10g and the remote controller 30. In this case, the control unit 10a may determine that the operation in the manual mode has been instructed when, for example, "manual" is selected on the operation unit 10f shown in FIG. 10 and it detects that the wired communication unit 10g and the remote controller 30 are electrically connected. Such a determination can more reliably determine that the operation in the manual mode has been instructed, thereby further improving the accuracy and safety of work such as inspection.

[0059] In S14, the control unit 10a can determine whether the target to be controlled by the remote controller 30 is the parent cart 10 or the child cart 20, for example, according to the selection state on the remote controller 30 or an operation unit provided on the parent cart 10. This will be described later.

[0060] In S15, the control unit 10a of the parent cart 10 controls the wireless communication unit 10d to transmit the control signal input from the remote controller 30 to the wireless communication unit 20d of the child cart 20 corresponding to the parent cart 10. In this case, the control unit 10a controls the wireless communication unit 10d to transmit a control signal to which the IP address of the child cart 20 corresponding to the parent cart 10, i.e., a fixed IP address, is assigned, so that the control signal can be reliably transmitted from the remote controller 30 to the child cart 20 corresponding to the parent cart 10 connected to the remote controller 30 by wire. With this configuration, the worker can confirm the specific parent cart 10 and child cart 20 to be the target of the work in the manual mode, for example, by performing the work of connecting the connector 41 of the cable 40 to the connector 10h of the parent cart 10 corresponding to the child cart 20, or by visually confirming the state in which the remote controller 30 and the parent cart 10 are connected by wire via the cable 40. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to more reliably prevent parent carriages 10 and child carriages 20 other than the specific parent carriage 10 and child carriage 20 from being controlled in manual mode by the remote controller 30.

[0061] Fig. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control signal S transmitted from a parent cart 10 to a corresponding child cart 20. As shown in Fig. 11, the control signal S is configured as a signal including, for example, a plurality of bits (in Fig. 11, as an example, a total of 16 bits from 0 bit to 15 bit).

[0062] Of these, one bit, for example, 0-bit information, may be set as an identifier indicating that the control signal S is a control signal in the manual mode from the remote controller 30. In this case, the identifier may be a numerical value that changes at a predetermined time interval. Specifically, for example, the numerical value of the bit may be set to alternate between "1" and "0" at regular intervals of 100 [ms]. In this case, the control unit 20a of the child cart 20 can recognize that the control signal S is a control signal in the manual mode from the remote controller 30 by monitoring the numerical value of the bit as the identifier.

[0063] The other bits of the control signal S are assigned to information for operating the drive mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, the movable mechanism 20e, etc. of the child cart 20. Specifically, for example, the first bit to the seventh bit are Information for the drive mechanism 20b to move the child carriage 20 forward (forward if "1", no operation if "0"); Information for the drive mechanism 20b to move the child carriage 20 backward ("1" for backward movement, "0" for no movement); Information for raising the support portion 22 for the lifting mechanism as the movable mechanism 20e ("1" for raising, "0" for no operation); Information for lowering the support portion 22 for the lifting mechanism as the movable mechanism 20e ("1" for lowering, "0" for no operation); Information for restricting the movement of the stopper as the movable mechanism 20e relative to the actuator ("1" for restricting movement, "0" for no operation), Information for releasing the movement restriction of the stopper as the movable mechanism 20e with respect to the actuator ("1" for releasing the movement restriction, "0" for no operation), and Information for canceling the abnormal control state of the control unit 20a of the child cart 20 (abnormal control is canceled when it is "1", no operation is performed when it is "0"); In addition, another bit, for example, the 8th bit, may include Enable information for validating information for operating the drive mechanism 20b and the movable mechanism 20e (information other than the information for releasing the abnormal control state in the above example) (valid when "1" and invalid when "0") By including the enable information, it is possible to suppress inputs due to erroneous operation of the remote controller 30 by the worker and the operation of the child cart 20 due to the inputs, and it is possible to further improve the accuracy and safety of work such as inspection. Note that the above-mentioned information and the allocation of the information to the bits are merely examples, and the information and the allocation are not limited to the above-mentioned examples.

[0064] 12 is a flow chart showing the procedure for switching between automatic and manual modes in the child cart 20. As shown in FIG. 12, the control mode of the child cart 20 is set to the automatic mode by default (S21). When the control unit 20a receives a predetermined control signal (Yes in S22), it switches the control mode to the manual mode and operates according to a control signal from the remote controller 30 (S23). When the control unit 10a does not receive a predetermined control signal (No in S22), it returns the control mode to the automatic mode (S21).

[0065] In S22, the predetermined control signal is, for example, a signal including an identifier indicating that the control signal is a control signal in the manual mode from the remote controller 30 described above. Here, as in the above example, if the identifier is a value that changes at a predetermined time interval, specifically, for example, if the value of the predetermined bit is a value set to alternate between "1" and "0" at a constant interval of 100 [ms], the predetermined control signal is a control signal in which the value of the identifier has been switched. In this case, in S22, if the value of the bit is not switched between "1" and "0" at a constant interval of 100 [ms], the control unit 20a determines that the predetermined control signal has not been received. In this way, if a rule of change is set in advance for the identifier, the control unit 20a cancels the manual mode and changes to the automatic mode if the identifier according to the rule is not included. According to such a setting, for example, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an inconvenient situation in which the control unit 20a of the child cart 20 is maintained in the manual mode and control in the automatic mode cannot be quickly performed after the end of an inspection or other work.

[0066] Moreover, the transmission of the control signal from the parent cart 10 to the child cart 20 is executed at time intervals that allow smooth operation of the drive mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, the movable mechanism 20e, etc. Furthermore, the time intervals for transmitting the control signal and the time intervals for the determination in S22 are set to be, for example, equal to or shorter than the time interval at which the identifiers are replaced as described above.

[0067] Fig. 13 is a front view of the remote controller 30. As shown in Fig. 13, the remote controller 30 has a housing 31, and has a plurality of manual operation units 32 and a plurality of output units 33 provided on a front surface 31a of the housing 31. In the example of Fig. 13, the output unit 33 may also be referred to as a display output unit.

[0068] The output unit 33a is a display output unit such as an LED (light emitting diode) display or LCD (liquid crystal display) that displays numerical values ​​and characters, and the output units 33b and 33c are display output units such as LED lamps that indicate the current status, etc.

[0069] Here, the output unit 33a can display the current position of the parent cart 10. The current position of the parent cart 10 on the first transport path P1 is detected by reading barcodes provided along the first transport path P1 with a barcode reader provided on the parent cart 10. The current position of the parent cart 10 can be detected with high accuracy even in the manual mode.

[0070] On the other hand, the position of the child cart 20 on the second transport path P2 is detected by a detection signal of an encoder provided in the drive mechanism 20b of the child cart 20. In the manual mode, an operator may manually move the child cart 20, and in that case, the current position obtained from the detection signal of the encoder may deviate from the actual current position of the child cart 20. For this reason, the output unit 33a is configured not to display the current position of the child cart 20.

[0071] Furthermore, the output unit 33a can display an error code when the controlled object is the parent carriage 10, an error code when the controlled object is the child carriage 20, and the like.

[0072] The manual operation unit 32 is, for example, a push switch, but may be a switch other than a push switch.

[0073] The manual operation unit 32a is a switch for switching between a control state for controlling the parent cart 10 and a control state for controlling the child cart 20, in other words, a switch for switching between the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20. With this configuration, the remote controller 30 can be used for both the control of the parent cart 10 and the control of the child cart 20. The control state for controlling the parent cart 10 is an example of a first control state in which the control unit 10a controls the drive mechanism 10b, the output unit 10c, the wireless communication unit 10d, the movable mechanism 10e, and the wired communication unit 10g according to a control signal from the remote controller 30. The control state for controlling the child cart 20 is an example of a second control state in which the control unit 20a controls the drive mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, and the movable mechanism 20e according to a control signal from the remote controller 30. The manual operation unit 32a is also an example of a second changeover switch.

[0074] The output section 33c indicates whether the object to be controlled by the remote controller 30 is the parent cart 10 or the child cart 20. The worker can recognize the object to be controlled by the remote controller 30 based on the output state of the output section 33c.

[0075] The manual operation units 32b, 32c1, 32c2, 32c3, and 32d can be shared by the parent cart 10 and the child cart 20. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of manual operation units 32, and to configure the remote controller 30 more compactly. The manual operation units 32b, 32c1, 32c2, 32c3, and 32d are examples of operation units.

[0076] Specifically, the remote controller 30 can output a control signal to instruct the parent cart 10 or child cart 20 selected by the operation of the manual operation unit 32a to move forward or backward in response to an operation of selecting, for example, "forward" or "reverse" on the manual operation unit 32b. In this case, the forward movement F and reverse movement B directions of the parent cart 10 and child cart 20 may be determined in advance, as shown in Fig. 1.

[0077] In addition, the remote controller 30 can output a control signal to the movable mechanism 10e, 20e corresponding to the movable part such as the lifting mechanism or stopper of the parent cart 10 or the child cart 20 selected by the operation of the manual operation unit 32a in response to, for example, the operation of selecting "up" or "down" on the manual operation unit 32c1, or the operation of selecting "up" or "down" on the manual operation unit 32c2, instructing the parent cart 10 or the child cart 20 to rise or fall. If the parent cart 10 or the child cart 20 has multiple parts that rise and fall, the remote controller 30 may have multiple manual operation units 32c1, 32c2 as shown in FIG. 13, or may have a manual operation unit 32c3 that switches the operation target. The remote controller 30 may also have a manual operation unit 32d that selects another operation.

[0078] Furthermore, the remote controller 30 has a manual operation unit 32e that outputs enable information. When the manual operation unit 32e is pressed to a predetermined position, the remote controller 30 can output a control signal including the enable information. In this embodiment, when the manual operation unit 32e is not pressed, and when the manual operation unit 32e is pressed deeply beyond the predetermined position, the remote controller 30 does not include the enable information in the control signal output to the parent cart 10. In this way, by setting a predetermined operation on the manual operation unit 32e as a condition for outputting the control signal, the intention of the operator to control the operation can be more reliably reflected. In addition, when the manual operation unit 32e is pressed beyond the predetermined position, there is a risk that the manual operation unit 32e is unintentionally pressed in the case where the operator falls, for example. In this regard, according to the above configuration, it is possible to suppress the output of a control signal based on an erroneous operation by the operator in an unstable posture. That is, according to the manual operation unit 32e of this embodiment, the accuracy and safety of work such as inspection can be further improved.

[0079] Fig. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the operation unit 10f. As shown in Fig. 14, the operation unit 10f provided on the parent cart 10 may switch between a control state for controlling the parent cart 10 (first control state) and a control state for controlling the child cart 20 (second control state). With this configuration, the operator can recognize the target to be controlled by the remote controller 30 based on the rotational position of the operation unit 10f.

[0080] As described above, in this embodiment, the parent cart 10 (first cart) has a wireless communication unit 10d (signal transmission unit) that wirelessly transmits control signals for the drive mechanism 20b, the output unit 20c, the wireless communication unit 20d, the movable mechanism 20e, etc. (second operation unit) input to the remote controller 30 to the child cart 20 (second cart) corresponding to the parent cart 10 when the remote controller 30 and the parent cart 10 are electrically connected via the cable 40, and when the child cart 20 receives a control signal from the wireless communication unit 10d, the control unit 20a (second control unit) controls the second operation unit in response to the control signal. This allows the worker to confirm the specific parent cart 10 and child cart 20 to be the target of the operation in the manual mode, for example, by performing the operation of connecting the cable 40 to the parent cart 10 corresponding to the child cart 20, or by visually confirming the state in which the remote controller 30 and the parent cart 10 corresponding to the child cart 20 are wired connected via the cable 40. Therefore, with such a configuration, for example, it is possible to more reliably prevent the remote controller 30 from controlling parent carts 10 and child carts 20 other than the specific parent carts 10 and child carts 20.

[0081] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control signal transmitted by the wireless communication unit 10d to the child cart 20 includes an identifier that can identify that the control signal is a control signal from the remote controller 30. With this configuration, for example, there is an effect that the control unit 20a of the child cart 20 can recognize that the child cart 20 is in a state to be controlled in the manual mode based on the control signal received by wireless communication, without requiring manual operation of the child cart 20.

[0082] In this embodiment, the identifier is a numerical value that changes at a predetermined time interval. With this configuration, for example, the control unit 20a of the child cart 20 can recognize whether the mode is automatic or manual by setting a relatively simple signal. In addition, for example, when the numerical value stops changing at a predetermined time interval, the control unit 20a recognizes that the manual mode has ended and transitions to the automatic mode, thereby obtaining an effect that the control in the next automatic mode can be quickly resumed.

[0083] In this embodiment, the parent cart 10 has an operation unit 10f (first changeover switch) that manually switches between an automatic mode (first control mode) and a manual mode (second control mode). With this configuration, for example, it is possible to obtain an effect that the transfer system 100 can more reliably switch between the automatic mode and the manual mode.

[0084] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the remote controller 30 has a manual operation unit 32a (second changeover switch) that manually switches between a control state (first control state) in which the parent cart 10 is controlled and a control state (second control state) in which the child cart 20 is controlled. With this configuration, for example, it is possible to obtain an effect that the control target by the remote controller 30 can be more reliably switched. It is also possible to obtain an effect that the remote controller 30 can be shared between control of the parent cart 10 in manual mode and control of the child cart 20 in manual mode.

[0085] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the remote controller 30 has manual operation units 32b, 32c1, 32c2, 32c3, and 32d (operation units) that are shared between the operation of inputting a control signal for the parent cart 10 and the operation of inputting a control signal for the child cart 20. With this configuration, for example, an effect is obtained in that the remote controller 30 can be configured more compactly.

[0086] Although the embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated above, the above embodiment is merely an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiment can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. In addition, each configuration, shape, and other specifications (structure, type, direction, model, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be appropriately changed and implemented.

[0087] For example, the present invention can also be applied to a conveying system in which second conveying paths are provided on both sides of a first conveying path in the width direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0088] 10…Main cart (first cart) 10a...Control unit (first control unit) 10b...Drive mechanism (first operating part) 10c...Output part (first operating part) 10d...Wireless communication section (first operating section) 10e...Movable mechanism (first operating part) 10f…Operation section (first changeover switch) 10g...Wired communication section (first operating section) 10h…Connector 11...Bass 12...Side 13. Laura 14...Support part 20…Sub bogie (second bogie) 20a...Control unit (second control unit) 20b...Drive mechanism (second operating part) 20c...Output part (second operating part) 20d...Wireless communication section (second operating section) 20e...Movable mechanism (second operating part) 21...Bass 22...Support part 23…Laura 30…Remote controller 31…Housing 31a...Front 32...Manual operation section 32a... Manual operation unit (second changeover switch) 32b, 32c1, 32c2, 32c3, 32d...Manual operation section (operation section) 32e…Manual operation section 33,33a~33c...Output section 40…Cable 41…Connector 100...Transportation system 101...Rail (first rail) 102...Rail (second rail) 102a…Rail section 102b...Support part 103…Pillar 104...Transportation device 110...Control device A...Object to be transported (article) A1…Palette A2…Goods B...Backward F...Forward G…Entrance / exit p1…first position p2…Second position p3…third position p4…Fourth position pd…Delivery position pr…Relay location P1: First conveying path P2: Second transport path S…Control signal X…direction Y...Direction Z…direction

Claims

1. A first carriage configured to be movable along a first conveying path and having a first actuator and a first control unit that controls the first actuator; a second carriage on which an article can be placed, the second carriage being movable along a second conveying path intersecting the first conveying path and movable between the first carriage and the second conveying path, the second carriage having a second actuator and a second controller for controlling the second actuator; a remote controller that is configured to be connectable to the first cart via a cable, has a manual operation unit, and inputs a control signal corresponding to an operation of the manual operation unit to the first cart via the cable; a control device that wirelessly outputs control signals to the first control unit and the second control unit; Equipped with A conveying system configured so that the first carriage can convey the second carriage and the article along the first conveying path, the first cart has a signal transmitting unit that wirelessly transmits a control signal of the second actuation unit input from the remote controller to the second cart corresponding to the first cart when the remote controller and the first cart are connected via the cable, The second control unit controls the second actuation unit in response to the control signal when the second carriage receives the control signal from the signal transmission unit.

2. The transport system according to claim 1 , wherein the control signal transmitted by the signal transmitting unit to the second carriage includes an identifier by which the control signal can be identified as a control signal from the remote controller.

3. The transport system according to claim 2 , wherein the identifier is a numerical value that changes at predetermined time intervals.

4. The conveying system of claim 1, wherein the first cart has a first changeover switch that can be manually switched between a first control mode in which the first control unit controls the first operating unit in accordance with the control signal from the control device, and a second control mode in which the first control unit controls the first operating unit in accordance with the control signal from the remote controller or the second control unit of the second cart corresponding to the first cart controls the second operating unit in accordance with the control signal from the remote controller.

5. The conveying system according to claim 1, wherein the remote controller has a second changeover switch that manually switches between a first control state in which the first control unit controls the first operating unit in accordance with the control signal from the remote controller and a second control state in which the second control unit of the second cart corresponding to the first cart controls the second operating unit in accordance with the control signal from the remote controller.

6. The conveying system according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the manual operation unit includes an operation unit that is shared for an operation of inputting the control signal for the first carriage and an operation of inputting the control signal for the second carriage.

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