Unmanned conveyance system

Abstract

To provide an unmanned conveyance system which can satisfactorily execute the delivery of articles between an unmanned guided vehicle and a facility.SOLUTION: A facility 100 comprises: a transfer device 60 for moving articles between the facility 100 and an unmanned guided vehicle 1; a first actuator 71 for moving the transfer device 60 in a cross direction; a second actuator 72 for moving the transfer device 60 in a longitudinal direction; a first contact member 65 and a second contact member 66 provided at the transfer device 60; and a control device 80. The control device 80 has: a first control part for moving the transfer device 60 forward by driving the first actuator 71 and stopping the first actuator 71 when the first contact member 65 comes into contact with the unmanned guided vehicle 1; and a second control part for moving the transfer device 60 in a longitudinal direction by driving the second actuator 72 and stopping the second actuator 72 when the second contact member 66 comes into contact with the unmanned guided vehicle 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an unmanned conveyance system including equipment and an unmanned carrier that conveys articles between pieces of equipment.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in factories and the like, unmanned carriers that convey articles from one piece of equipment to another piece of equipment have been used. For example, Patent Document 1 describes such equipment and an unmanned carrier. The unmanned carrier travels toward the equipment, stops in front of the equipment, and then conveys articles between the equipment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described unmanned conveyance system, if the position of the unmanned carrier is shifted with respect to the equipment after the unmanned carrier automatically stops in front of the equipment, it is impossible to properly convey articles between the unmanned carrier and the equipment.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an unmanned conveyance system capable of properly conveying articles between an unmanned carrier and equipment.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The unmanned conveyance system disclosed herein includes a facility and an unmanned conveyance vehicle, and is an unmanned conveyance system for performing delivery of articles between the unmanned conveyance vehicle stopped in front of the facility and the facility such that a side surface of the unmanned conveyance vehicle faces a front surface of the facility. The facility is configured to be movable in a front-rear direction and a left-right direction of the facility, and includes a transfer device for moving an article between the facility and the unmanned conveyance vehicle, a first actuator for moving the transfer device in the front-rear direction of the facility, a second actuator for moving the transfer device in the left-right direction of the facility, a first contact member provided on the transfer device and having a first contact surface facing forward in the front-rear direction of the facility, a second contact member provided on the transfer device and having a second contact surface facing leftward or rightward in the left-right direction of the facility, and a control device. The control device includes a first control unit that drives the first actuator to move the transfer device forward in the front-rear direction of the facility and stops the first actuator when the first contact surface contacts the unmanned conveyance vehicle, and a second control unit that drives the second actuator to move the transfer device in the left-right direction of the facility and stops the second actuator when the second contact surface contacts the unmanned conveyance vehicle.

[0007] According to the above unmanned transport system, after the first actuator moves the transfer device in the front-rear direction of the facility, the first contact surface of the first contact member contacts the unmanned transport vehicle, thereby stopping the movement of the transfer device in the front-rear direction of the facility. As a result, in the front-rear direction of the facility, the transfer device is positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the unmanned transport vehicle. Further, after the second actuator moves the transfer device in the left-right direction of the facility, the second contact surface of the second contact member contacts the unmanned transport vehicle, thereby stopping the movement of the transfer device in the left-right direction of the facility. As a result, in the left-right direction of the facility, the transfer device is positioned at a predetermined position with respect to the unmanned transport vehicle. In this way, displacement in the vehicle left-right direction and vehicle front-rear direction of the unmanned transport vehicle with respect to the transfer device is prevented. Therefore, goods can be smoothly transferred between the unmanned transport vehicle and the facility. Further, according to the above unmanned transport system, since the mechanisms for positioning (the first actuator, the second actuator, the first contact member, and the second contact member) are provided in the facility, the configuration of the unmanned transport vehicle can be simplified. The unmanned transport vehicle can be lightened or the cost can be reduced.

[0008] The facility may be provided with an inclination angle detection device that detects the inclination angle of the unmanned transport vehicle in the vehicle left-right direction with respect to the transfer device. The control device may have a transfer prohibition unit that prohibits the transfer of the article by the transfer device when the inclination angle detected by the inclination angle detection device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

[0009] As a result, after confirming that there is no displacement in the vehicle left-right direction of the unmanned transport vehicle with respect to the transfer device, no displacement in the vehicle front-rear direction of the unmanned transport vehicle with respect to the transfer device, and the unmanned transport vehicle is not tilted with respect to the transfer device, the transfer of goods between the unmanned transport vehicle and the facility can be executed. Therefore, the transfer of goods between the unmanned transport vehicle and the facility can be performed well.

[0010] The tilt angle detection device may include a first laser displacement meter that measures the distance to the automated guided vehicle, a second laser displacement meter that is disposed to the right in the left-right direction of the facility relative to the first laser displacement meter and measures the distance to the automated guided vehicle, and an arithmetic unit that calculates the tilt angle of the automated guided vehicle in the vehicle's left-right direction based on the distances measured by the first laser displacement meter and the second laser displacement meter.

[0011] Accordingly, it is possible to accurately detect whether the automated guided vehicle is tilted with respect to the transfer device.

[0012] The first contact member may be a rod-shaped member extending forward in the front-rear direction of the facility from the transfer device.

[0013] Accordingly, the first contact member can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0014] The second contact member may be a plate-shaped member extending forward in the front-rear direction of the facility from the transfer device and extending in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction of the facility.

[0015] Accordingly, the second contact member can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0016] The automated guided vehicle may include a tractor having drive wheels and a traveling drive source for driving the drive wheels, a carriage having driven wheels and a placement portion on which the article is placed, and a connecting device for connecting the tractor and the carriage. The carriage may have a first contact surface and a second contact surface that come into contact with the first contact surface and the second contact surface, respectively.

[0017] Accordingly, a vehicle (i.e., a carriage) having a placement portion, a first contact surface that comes into contact with the first contact surface, and a second contact surface that comes into contact with the second contact surface does not require a positioning mechanism and does not require a traveling drive source. It is possible to reduce the weight or cost of the vehicle positioned with respect to the transfer device of the facility.

[0018] The unmanned transport vehicle may include a towing vehicle having drive wheels and a traveling drive source for driving the drive wheels, a carriage having driven wheels and a placement portion on which the article is placed, and a connecting device for connecting the towing vehicle and the carriage. The carriage may have a first contact surface that contacts the first contact surface and a second contact surface that contacts the second contact surface. The inclination angle detection device may be configured to detect the inclination angle in the vehicle left-right direction of the carriage with respect to the transfer device.

[0019] As a result, a vehicle (i.e., a carriage) having a placement portion, a first contact surface that contacts the first contact surface, and a second contact surface that contacts the second contact surface does not require a mechanism for positioning and does not require a drive source for traveling. It is possible to reduce the weight or cost of the vehicle positioned with respect to the transfer device of the facility.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an unmanned transport system capable of satisfactorily transferring articles between an unmanned transport vehicle and a facility.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0022] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The driverless transport system 2 according to the present embodiment is used in a factory and includes a plurality of processing facilities (hereinafter referred to as facilities) 100 and a plurality of driverless transport vehicles 1. The driverless transport vehicle 1 automatically travels from one facility 100 to another facility 100, and articles are automatically transferred between the driverless transport vehicle 1 and the facility 100. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a part of the driverless transport system 2. In FIG. 1, one driverless transport vehicle 1 and one facility 100 are shown. The driverless transport vehicle 1 travels toward the facility 100 and then stops in front of the facility 100. The driverless transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100 so that the side surface of the driverless transport vehicle 1 faces the front of the facility 100.

[0023] In the figure, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D represent the front in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the left in the vehicle lateral direction, the right in the vehicle lateral direction, the upper in the vehicle vertical direction, and the lower in the vehicle vertical direction of the automated guided vehicle 1, respectively. The symbols X1, X2, Y1, and Y2 in the figure represent the front in the longitudinal direction of the facility 100, the rear in the longitudinal direction of the facility 100, the left in the lateral direction of the facility 100, and the right in the lateral direction of the facility 100, respectively. As shown in FIG. 1, when the automated guided vehicle 1 is not tilted with respect to the facility 100, the front and rear in the longitudinal direction of the facility 100 coincide with the right and left in the vehicle lateral direction, respectively, and the right and left in the lateral direction of the facility 100 coincide with the front and rear in the vehicle longitudinal direction, respectively. The upper and lower in the vertical direction of the facility 100 coincide with the upper and lower in the vehicle vertical direction, respectively.

[0024] In the following description, first, the configuration of the automated guided vehicle 1 will be described, and then the configuration of the facility 100 will be described.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a left side view of an automated guided vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a transport vehicle) 1. The transport vehicle 1 includes a tractor 10 and a carriage 20 towed by the tractor 10. The tractor 10 and the carriage 20 are connected by a connecting device 50. In the present embodiment, the transport vehicle 1 is used for transporting product parts and the like from one facility 100 to another facility 100 in a factory.

[0026] The tractor 10 is configured to be capable of autonomous driving. That is, the tractor 10 is configured to automatically drive and automatically turn left and right. The tractor 10 includes a vehicle body 11, left and right front wheels 12, left and right rear wheels 13, and an electric motor 14 as a driving source for traveling. The front wheels 12 and / or the rear wheels 13 are driving wheels driven by the electric motor 14. Further, the tractor 10 includes a control device 15 for controlling the operation. Note that the tractor 10 may be configured such that a person cannot board, but in this embodiment, it is configured such that a person can board. In this embodiment, the tractor 10 includes a seat 16 on which an occupant sits and a steering wheel 17. The tractor 10 is configured to be able to switch between automatic driving by the control device 15 and manual driving in which an occupant sitting on the seat 16 operates the steering wheel 17 or the like. When the automatic driving is performed, the tractor 10 functions as a driverless autonomous vehicle.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carriage 20. Note that the reference numeral 18 represents the rear part of the tractor 10. In FIG. 3, the rear part 18 of the tractor 10 is extracted and illustrated. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the carriage 20 and is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the carriage 20 includes a vehicle body 21, left and right front wheels 22, and left and right rear wheels 23. The front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23 are driven wheels. No driving force is applied to the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23.

[0028] The carriage 20 includes three columns 26 on each of the left and right sides. The three columns 26 are arranged in the front-rear direction. Each column 26 extends in the vertical direction. The carriage 20 includes a ceiling plate 27 supported by the columns 26. The carriage 20 includes two awnings 28 on each of the left and right sides. The two awnings 28 are arranged in the front-rear direction. The front awning 28 is disposed between the front column 26 and the central column 26. The rear awning 28 is disposed between the central column 26 and the rear column 26. Further, the carriage 20 includes a front cover (not shown) bridged over the left and right front columns 26 and a rear cover 25 bridged over the left and right rear columns 26.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the carriage 20 includes a placement portion 24 provided on the vehicle body 21. The placement portion 24 is a portion on which the article to be conveyed is placed. The placement portion 24 is covered by a ceiling plate 27, a front cover, a rear cover 25, a left awning 28, and a right awning 28. When the transport vehicle 1 is running, the article placed on the placement portion 24 is covered by the ceiling plate 27, the front cover, the rear cover 25, and the left and right awnings 28. Therefore, the article being transported is prevented from being exposed to rain and dust. The carriage 20 is provided with a movable awning 28.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 3, a slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the awning 28 is attached to the support column 26. Specifically, a slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the front edge portion of the front awning 28 is attached to the rear portion of the front support column 26. A slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the rear edge portion of the front awning 28 is attached to the front portion of the central support column 26. A slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the front edge portion of the rear awning 28 is attached to the rear portion of the central support column 26. A slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the rear edge portion of the rear awning 28 is attached to the front portion of the rear support column 26.

[0031] In this embodiment, the awning 28 is formed of a sheet-like member having bendable flexibility. Here, the awning 28 is formed of a synthetic resin sheet. However, the material of the awning 28 is not particularly limited. The awning 28 may be formed of other bendable materials.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, sliders 30 are respectively fixed to the upper parts of the left and right shutters 28. The slider 30 is slidably engaged with a guide rail 33 extending in the left - right direction. The slider 30 is configured to move in the left - right direction along the guide rail 33. When the left slider 30 slides to the right, the upper part of the left shutter 28 moves to the right, and the lower part of the left shutter 28 moves upward. Thereby, the left shutter 28 is opened. When the right slider 30 slides to the left, the upper part of the right shutter 28 moves to the left, and the lower part of the right shutter 28 moves upward. Thereby, the right shutter 28 is opened. The slider 30 has a contact surface 34 against which a push rod 102 (see FIG. 1) provided in the facility 100 is pressed. The contact surface 34 faces outward in the vehicle width direction. Note that the outward in the vehicle width direction means the direction away from the vehicle center line. The inward in the vehicle width direction means the direction approaching the vehicle center line.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 1, a weight 35 is fixed to the lower part of the shutter 28. Due to the weight of the weight 35, a downward force is applied to the shutter 28. The shutter 28 is configured to slide from the open position to the closed position by receiving the downward force from the weight 35.

[0034] Above the shutter 28, a side plate 36 connected to the ceiling plate 27 is arranged. A shutter 37 is attached to the side plate 36 by a hinge 38. The shutter 37 rotates inward in the vehicle width direction when it is pushed inward in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the shutter 37 is arranged at a position facing the contact surface 34 of the slider 30. The shutter 37 and the contact surface 34 are located on the same straight line extending in the left - right direction.

[0035] In this embodiment, the carriage 20 is not provided with a driving device such as a motor. As will be described later, the awning 28 is driven from the closed position to the open position by the driving force of the opening / closing actuator 104 provided in the facility 100. Further, the awning 28 moves from the open position to the closed position by the weight of the weight 35. The carriage 20 is not provided with a driving device for driving the awning 28. Also, as described above, the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23 are driven wheels. The carriage 20 is not provided with a driving device for driving the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23.

[0036] The above is the configuration of the transport vehicle 1. Next, the configuration of the facility 100 will be described.

[0037] The facility 100 is configured to transfer articles with the carriage 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the facility 100 includes a transfer device 60 that moves articles between the transport vehicle 1. The transfer device 60 is configured to receive articles from the placement portion 24 of the carriage 20 and to transfer articles to the placement portion 24. The specific configuration of the transfer device 60 is not limited in any way. A well-known transfer device can be used as the transfer device 60. Here, the transfer device 60 includes a support base 61 that supports articles, a rail 62 with which the support base 61 is slidably engaged, and a driving device (not shown) that drives the support base 61 in the front-rear direction of the facility 100.

[0038] The transfer device 60 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the facility 100. In the following description of the facility 100, the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the facility 100 may be simply referred to as the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, respectively. Also, the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the facility 100 may be referred to as the facility front-rear direction and the facility left-right direction, respectively. The configuration that enables the transfer device 60 to move in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is not limited in any way. In the present embodiment, the transfer device 60 is supported by a plurality of wheels 63 (see FIG. 12). When the transfer device 60 receives a force in the front-rear direction, the wheels 63 rotate, and the transfer device 60 moves in the front-rear direction. When the transfer device 60 receives a force in the left-right direction, the wheels 63 rotate, and the transfer device 60 moves in the left-right direction. Although not shown, the facility 100 may include rails extending in the front-rear direction with which the transfer device 60 is slidably engaged. The facility 100 may include rails extending in the left-right direction with which the transfer device 60 is slidably engaged. For example, the facility 100 includes a first support base that supports the transfer device 60, a first rail with which the first support base is slidably engaged, a second support base that supports the first rail, and a second rail with which the second support base is slidably engaged. Either the first rail or the second rail may extend in the front-rear direction, and the other may extend in the left-right direction.

[0039] The facility 100 includes a first actuator 71 that moves the transfer device 60 in the front-rear direction and a second actuator 72 that moves the transfer device 60 in the left-right direction. The first actuator 71 may be any device that applies forward and backward forces to the transfer device 60. The second actuator 72 may be any device that applies leftward and rightward forces to the transfer device 60. The types of the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72 are not particularly limited. For example, the first actuator 71 and / or the second actuator 72 may be an electric motor, an air cylinder, or a hydraulic cylinder. For example, the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72 may be composed of electric motors, and those electric motors and the transfer device 60 may be connected so as to be able to transmit power by a power transmission member such as a transmission belt, a chain, a gear, or a rack and pinion.

[0040] The transfer device 60 is provided with a first contact member 65 having a first contact surface 65a facing forward in the front-rear direction of the equipment. The first contact member 65 is formed by a rod-shaped member extending forward from the transfer device 60 in the front-rear direction of the equipment. Further, the transfer device 60 is provided with a second contact member 66 having a second contact surface 66a facing rightward in the left-right direction of the equipment. The second contact member 66 extends forward from the transfer device 60 in the front-rear direction of the equipment and is formed by a plate-shaped member extending in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the equipment.

[0041] The equipment 100 includes a control device 80. The control device 80 is composed of a microcomputer. The control device 80 controls the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72. By controlling the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72, the control device 80 can adjust the position of the transfer device 60 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction.

[0042] The transfer device 60 is provided with a first laser displacement meter 67A and a second laser displacement meter 67B. The second laser displacement meter 67B is arranged to the right of the first laser displacement meter 67A in the left-right direction of the equipment 100. The first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B are configured to measure the distance to an object in front of the transfer device 60. When the transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the equipment 100, the carriage 20 is arranged in front of the transfer device 60 (see FIG. 1). The first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B measure the distance to the carriage 20. The first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B are communicably connected to the control device 80. The control device 80 is configured to calculate the inclination angle of the carriage 20 in the left-right direction of the vehicle based on the distance measured by the first laser displacement meter 67A and the distance measured by the second laser displacement meter 67B. The control device 80 is an example of a "calculation device". In the present embodiment, the first laser displacement meter 67A, the second laser displacement meter 67B, and the control device 80 constitute an "inclination angle detection device" for detecting the inclination angle of the carriage 20 in the left-right direction of the vehicle with respect to the transfer device 60.

[0043] As a device for opening and closing the awning 28 of the carriage 20, the equipment 100 includes a push rod 102 and an opening / closing actuator 104 that moves the push rod 102 in the front-rear direction of the equipment 100. The opening / closing actuator 104 only needs to be a device that generates a driving force for driving the push rod 102, and the type of the opening / closing actuator 104 is not particularly limited. As the opening / closing actuator 104, for example, an electric motor, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, etc. can be used. The power transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the opening / closing actuator 104 to the push rod 102 is not particularly limited either. The opening / closing actuator 104 may be connected to the push rod 102 via a power transmission member such as a gear, a chain, or a transmission belt. For example, a rack may be provided on the side surface of the push rod 102, and a pinion that meshes with the rack may be connected to the opening / closing actuator 104. A belt may be wound around a pulley connected to the opening / closing actuator 104 and another pulley, and a part of the push rod 102 may be fixed to the belt. The opening / closing actuator 104 is communicably connected to the control device 80. The control device 80 opens and closes the awning 28 by driving the opening / closing actuator 104.

[0044] The CPU (not shown) of the control device 80 functions as the following respective units by executing a computer program. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the control device 80. The control device 80 includes a first control unit 81, a second control unit 82, an inclination angle calculation unit 83, an inclination angle determination unit 84, a transfer prohibition unit 85, and a shutter opening / closing unit 86. The first control unit 81 moves the first contact member 65 forward by driving the first actuator 71, and stops the first actuator 71 when the first contact surface 65a contacts the carriage 20. The second control unit 82 moves the second contact member 66 to the right by driving the second actuator 72, and stops the second actuator 72 when the second contact surface 66a contacts the carriage 20. The inclination angle calculation unit 83 calculates the inclination angle of the carriage 20 in the vehicle left-right direction with respect to the transfer device 60 based on the distance measured by the first laser displacement meter 67A and the distance measured by the second laser displacement meter 67B. The inclination angle determination unit 84 determines whether or not the inclination angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. The transfer prohibition unit 85 prohibits the movement of the article by the transfer device 60 when the inclination angle is equal to or greater than the threshold value. The shutter opening / closing unit 86 opens the shutter 28 by driving the opening / closing actuator 104 prior to the movement of the article by the transfer device 60.

[0045] Next, an example of the operation of the unmanned conveyance system 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 7. As described above, the conveyance vehicle 1 receives an article from one facility 100 and automatically travels toward another facility 100. During the travel of the conveyance vehicle 1, the placement unit 24 is covered by the shutter 28 or the like. Therefore, for example, when the conveyance vehicle 1 travels outdoors, the article placed on the placement unit 24 is prevented from being exposed to rain or wind.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 8, when the transport vehicle 1 reaches a position in front of the facility 100, it automatically stops (step S1). The transport vehicle 1 stops at a position where the side surface of the carriage 20 faces the front of the transfer device 60. Next, it proceeds to step S2, and the inclination angle of the transport vehicle 1 is detected. As shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, the inclination angle of the transport vehicle 1 refers to the left-right inclination angle θ of the carriage 20 with respect to the transfer device 60. The inclination angle θ is equal to the angle formed by a straight line extending forward in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a straight line extending to the right of the facility 100 in a plan view. The first laser displacement meter 67A measures the distance L1 between the first laser displacement meter 67A and the side surface of the carriage 20. The second laser displacement meter 67B measures the distance L2 between the second laser displacement meter 67B and the side surface of the carriage 20. The inclination angle calculation unit 83 of the control device 80 calculates the inclination angle θ based on the distance L1, the distance L2, and the distance H1 between the first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B. Note that tanθ = (L2 - L1) / H1.

[0047] Subsequently, the inclination angle determination unit 84 of the control device 80 determines whether the inclination angle θ is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value (step S3). Note that although the inclination angle θ can take positive or negative values, the inclination angle θ in step S3 means the absolute value of the inclination angle θ.

[0048] If the determination result in step S3 is YES, the carriage 20 is regarded as being substantially inclined with respect to the transfer device 60. When the carriage 20 is substantially inclined, articles cannot be moved well between the transfer device 60 and the carriage 20. The transfer prohibition unit 85 of the control device 80 prohibits the movement of articles between the transfer device 60 and the carriage 20 (step S4). Note that in order to notify that the carriage 20 is substantially inclined, the control device 80 may notify by displaying a message on a screen, outputting sound from a speaker, etc., to an operator or administrator of the factory (step S5). When the carriage 20 is substantially inclined, since articles cannot be moved well between the transfer device 60 and the carriage 20, the process ends.

[0049] When the determination result in step S3 is NO, since the carriage 20 is not substantially tilted with respect to the transfer device 60, the positioning of the transfer device 60 with respect to the carriage 20 is performed by steps S6 to S11. In step S6, the first control unit 81 of the control device 80 drives the first actuator 71 to move the transfer device 60 forward in the front-rear direction of the equipment. As shown in FIG. 10, when the transfer device 60 moves forward in the front-rear direction of the equipment, eventually the first contact surface 65a of the first contact member 65 contacts the side surface 29S (see FIG. 3) of the carriage 20. Note that the side surface 29S is an example of the "first surface to be contacted". The first control unit 81 determines whether or not the first contact surface 65a has contacted the side surface 29S of the carriage 20 (step S7), and if it has contacted, stops the first actuator 71 and stops the forward movement of the transfer device 60 in the front-rear direction of the equipment (step S8). Note that the method for determining whether or not the first contact surface 65a has contacted the side surface 29S of the carriage 20 is not particularly limited, and well-known techniques can be used. For example, the load of the first actuator 71 may be detected, and it may be determined that the first contact surface 65a has contacted when the load becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Alternatively, a sensor for detecting contact with the first contact surface 65a may be provided, and the determination may be made based on the detection result of the sensor. By steps S6 to S8, the position of the transfer device 60 with respect to the carriage 20 in the front-rear direction of the equipment is set to a predetermined normal position.

[0050] Subsequently, in step S9, the second control unit 82 of the control device 80 drives the second actuator 72 to move the transfer device 60 to the right in the equipment left - right direction. As shown in FIG. 11, when the transfer device 60 moves to the right in the equipment left - right direction, eventually the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 comes into contact with the rear surface 29B (see FIG. 3) of the carriage 20. Note that the rear surface 29B is an example of the "second surface to be contacted". The second control unit 82 determines whether the second contact surface 66a has come into contact with the rear surface 29B of the carriage 20 (step S10). If contact is made, the second actuator 72 is stopped, and the movement of the transfer device 60 to the right in the equipment left - right direction is stopped (step S11). Note that the method for determining whether the second contact surface 66a has come into contact with the rear surface 29B of the carriage 20 is not particularly limited, and well - known techniques can be used, including the aforementioned example. By steps S9 to S11, the position of the transfer device 60 in the equipment left - right direction with respect to the carriage 20 is set to a predetermined normal position.

[0051] As described above, the positioning of the transfer device 60 with respect to the carriage 20 is performed. Thereby, displacement in the equipment front - rear direction and the equipment left - right direction of the transfer device 60 with respect to the carriage 20 is prevented. In other words, displacement in the vehicle front - rear direction and the vehicle left - right direction of the carriage 20 with respect to the transfer device 60 is prevented.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 12, after the positioning of the transfer device 60 is performed, the shutter opening - closing unit 86 of the control device 80 drives the opening - closing actuator 104, causing the pushing rod 102 to move forward in the equipment front - rear direction. The pushing rod 102 pushes the shutter 37 of the carriage 20 to the right in the vehicle left - right direction. As a result, the shutter 37 opens, and the pushing rod 102 moves toward the slider 30. As shown in FIG. 13, when the opening - closing actuator 104 further moves the pushing rod 102, eventually the pushing rod 102 abuts against the contact surface 34 of the slider 30 and pushes the slider 30 to the right in the vehicle left - right direction (see arrow A1). As a result, the upper part of the shutter 28 moves to the right in the vehicle left - right direction along the slide rail 32, and the lower part of the shutter 28 moves upward in the vehicle up - down direction along the slide rail 32 (see arrow A2). Thereby, the side of the placement portion 24 of the carriage 20 is opened.

[0053] When the side of the placement unit 24 is opened, the transfer device 60 draws the pallet 39 into the facility 100. Note that in FIGS. 12 and 13, the illustration of the configuration of the transfer device 60 is omitted. The article 40 placed on the pallet 39 is carried into the facility 100 from the carriage 20 (see arrow A3). The article 40 carried into the facility 100 is processed by the facility 100.

[0054] The processed article 40 is loaded from the facility 100 into the placement unit 24 of the carriage 20 by the transfer device 60. After the article 40 is loaded onto the carriage 20, the opening / closing actuator 104 moves the push rod 102 rearward in the front-rear direction of the facility. As described above, the weight 35 is fixed to the shutter 28. Therefore, when the push rod 102 moves rearward in the front-rear direction of the facility, the shutter 28 moves from the open position to the closed position due to the weight of the weight 35. Thereby, the side of the placement unit 24 is closed by the shutter 28.

[0055] Thereafter, the transport vehicle 1 travels toward another facility 100. The above is an example of the operation of the unmanned transport system 2. Next, various effects brought about by the present embodiment will be described.

[0056] According to this embodiment, after the carrier vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100, the first actuator 71 moves the transfer device 60 forward in the front-rear direction of the facility. Then, when the first contact surface 65a of the first contact member 65 contacts the side surface 29S of the carriage 20, the movement of the transfer device 60 in the front-rear direction of the facility stops. As a result, in the front-rear direction of the facility, the transfer device 60 is positioned at a predetermined normal position with respect to the carriage 20. Further, after the second actuator 72 moves the transfer device 60 to the right in the left-right direction of the facility, when the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 contacts the rear surface 29B of the carriage 20, the movement of the transfer device 60 in the left-right direction of the facility stops. As a result, in the left-right direction of the facility, the transfer device 60 is positioned at a predetermined normal position with respect to the carriage 20. In this way, misalignment in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the facility between the transfer device 60 and the carriage 20 is prevented. In other words, misalignment in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction of the vehicle between the transfer device 60 and the carriage 20 is prevented. Therefore, goods can be transferred well between the carrier vehicle 1 and the facility 100. Further, according to this embodiment, since the mechanism for positioning (that is, the first actuator 71, the second actuator 72, the first contact member 65, and the second contact member 66) is provided in the facility 100, it is not necessary to provide such a mechanism in the carrier vehicle 1. The configuration of the carrier vehicle 1 can be simplified, so that the carrier vehicle 1 can be lightened or the cost can be reduced.

[0057] According to this embodiment, after the carrier vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100, the inclination angle θ (see FIG. 9) of the carriage 20 in the left-right direction of the vehicle is detected. When the inclination angle θ is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the transfer of goods by the transfer device 60 is prohibited. That is, when the inclination of the carriage 20 with respect to the transfer device 60 is large, the transfer of goods is prohibited. According to this embodiment, after confirming that there is no misalignment in the left-right direction of the vehicle of the carriage 20 with respect to the transfer device 60, no misalignment in the front-rear direction of the vehicle of the carriage 20 with respect to the transfer device 60, and that the carriage 20 is not inclined with respect to the transfer device 60, the transfer of goods between the carrier vehicle 1 and the facility 100 can be executed. Therefore, the transfer of goods between the carrier vehicle 1 and the facility 100 can be performed well.

[0058] In this embodiment, the inclination angle detection device includes a first laser displacement meter 67A, a second laser displacement meter 67B, and a control device 80 (calculation device) that calculates the inclination angle of the carriage 20 based on the detection results of the first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B. The detection angle of the carriage 20 can be accurately detected.

[0059] The shape of the first contact member 65 is not particularly limited, but the first contact member 65 according to this embodiment is composed of a rod-shaped member that extends forward in the front-rear direction of the equipment from the transfer device 60. The first contact member 65 can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0060] The shape of the second contact member 66 is not particularly limited, but the second contact member 66 according to this embodiment is composed of a plate-shaped member that extends forward in the front-rear direction of the equipment from the transfer device 60 and extends in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the equipment. The second contact member 66 can be configured simply and inexpensively.

[0061] The transport vehicle 1 according to this embodiment includes a towing vehicle 10, a carriage 20 having a placement portion 24, and a connecting device 50 that connects the towing vehicle 10 and the carriage 20 (see FIG. 2). The transport vehicle 1 includes two vehicles, namely, the towing vehicle 10 and the carriage 20. The carriage 20 has a side surface 29S that contacts the first contact surface 65a of the first contact member 65 and a rear surface 29B that contacts the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 (see FIG. 3). The carriage 20 is a vehicle that is positioned with respect to the transfer device 60. According to this embodiment, the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23 of the carriage 20 are driven wheels, and the carriage 20 is not provided with a driving source for traveling. In addition, the carriage 20 does not require a mechanism for positioning with respect to the transfer device 60. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the vehicle positioned with respect to the transfer device 60 can be lightened or the cost can be reduced.

[0062] As described above, an embodiment of the present invention has been described, but the above embodiment is merely an example. Various other embodiments are possible.

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the second contact member 66 is disposed behind the carriage 20 that has stopped in front of the facility 100, and the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 faces rightward in the left-right direction of the facility (see FIG. 8). The second contact surface to be contacted with the second contact surface 66a is the rear surface 29B of the carriage 20. However, the second contact member 66 may be disposed in front of the carriage 20 that has stopped in front of the facility 100, the second contact surface 66a may face leftward in the left-right direction of the facility, and the second contact surface to be contacted with the second contact surface 66a may be the front surface of the carriage 20.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, the second contact surface 29B is formed at the rear end of the carriage 20, but the position of the second contact surface 29B in the vehicle front-rear direction is not particularly limited.

[0065] The type of the inclination angle detection device for detecting the inclination angle of the transport vehicle 1 with respect to the transfer device 60 in the vehicle left-right direction is not particularly limited. The inclination angle detection device may include a sensor other than the laser displacement meter.

[0066] The first contact member 65 is not limited to a rod-shaped member. The first contact member 65 may be, for example, a hemispherical protrusion. The second contact member 66 is not limited to a plate shape. The second contact member 66 may be, for example, a rod-shaped member.

[0067] In the above-described embodiment, the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72 are separate bodies, but a single actuator may be connected to the transfer device 60 via a power transmission mechanism capable of switching the power transmission direction. In this case, the above single actuator will serve as both the first actuator and the second actuator. The first actuator and the second actuator may be the same actuator.

[0068] The transport vehicle 1 does not necessarily include two connected vehicles, that is, the tractor 10 and the carriage 20. The transport vehicle 1 may be a single vehicle having a driving source for traveling and a mounting portion. The driving source for traveling of the transport vehicle 1 is not limited to the electric motor 14. The driving source for traveling may be an internal combustion engine.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the cart 20 is provided with the movable awning 28, but the awning 28 is not necessarily required. The front cover, rear cover 25, and ceiling plate 27 of the cart 20 are also not necessarily required.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0070] 1 Automated guided vehicle 2 Automated guided system 10 Tractor 14 Electric motor (driving source for traveling) 20 Cart 24 Mounting portion 29B Rear surface of the cart (second contact surface) 29S Side surface of the cart (first contact surface) 50 Connecting device 60 Transfer device 65 First contact member 65a First contact surface 66 Second contact member 66a Second contact surface 67A First laser displacement meter 67B Second laser displacement meter 71 First actuator 72 Second actuator 80 Control device 81 First control unit 82 Second control unit 85 Transfer prohibition unit 100 Facility

Claims

1. An unmanned conveyance system that includes a facility and an unmanned carrier vehicle, and performs delivery of an article between the unmanned carrier vehicle stopped in front of the facility and the facility such that a side surface of the unmanned carrier vehicle faces a front surface of the facility, wherein the facility is configured to be movable in a front-rear direction and a left-right direction of the facility, and includes a transfer device that moves an article between the facility and the unmanned carrier vehicle, a first actuator that moves the transfer device in the front-rear direction of the facility, a second actuator that moves the transfer device in the left-right direction of the facility, a first contact member provided on the transfer device and having a first contact surface facing forward in the front-rear direction of the facility, a second contact member provided on the transfer device and having a second contact surface facing leftward or rightward in the left-right direction of the facility, a control device having a first control unit that drives the first actuator to move the transfer device forward in the front-rear direction of the facility and stops the first actuator when the first contact surface contacts the unmanned carrier vehicle, and a second control unit that drives the second actuator to move the transfer device in the left-right direction of the facility and stops the second actuator when the second contact surface contacts the unmanned carrier vehicle, The unmanned conveyance system comprising the above.

2. The facility includes an inclination angle detection device that detects an inclination angle of the unmanned carrier vehicle in a vehicle left-right direction with respect to the transfer device, and the control device has a transfer prohibition unit that prohibits transfer of the article by the transfer device when the inclination angle detected by the inclination angle detection device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value. The unmanned conveyance system according to claim 1.

3. The inclination angle detection device includes a first laser displacement meter that measures a distance to the unmanned carrier vehicle, a second laser displacement meter that is disposed to the right in the left-right direction of the facility with respect to the first laser displacement meter and measures a distance to the unmanned carrier vehicle, and an arithmetic device that calculates an inclination angle of the unmanned carrier vehicle in the vehicle left-right direction based on the distances measured by the first laser displacement meter and the second laser displacement meter. The unmanned conveyance system according to claim 2.

4. The first contact member is composed of a rod-shaped member that extends forward in the front-rear direction of the facility from the transfer device. The unmanned conveyance system according to claim 1.

5. The unmanned transport system according to claim 1, wherein the second contact member extends forward in the front-rear direction of the facility from the transfer device and is formed of a plate-like member extending in the front-rear direction and the vertical direction of the facility.

6. The unmanned transport vehicle includes a tractor having drive wheels and a traveling drive source for driving the drive wheels, a carriage having driven wheels and a placement portion on which the article is placed, and a connecting device for connecting the tractor and the carriage, The unmanned transport system according to claim 1, wherein the carriage has a first contact surface that contacts the first contact surface and a second contact surface that contacts the second contact surface.

7. The unmanned transport vehicle includes a tractor having drive wheels and a traveling drive source for driving the drive wheels, a carriage having driven wheels and a placement portion on which the article is placed, and a connecting device for connecting the tractor and the carriage, The carriage has a first contact surface that contacts the first contact surface and a second contact surface that contacts the second contact surface, The inclination angle detection device is configured to detect the inclination angle of the carriage in the left-right direction of the vehicle with respect to the transfer device. The unmanned transport system according to claim 2.

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