Unmanned carrier
By incorporating a vertical rotation connection between the towing vehicle and carriage, and utilizing overlapping fixed wheels, the automated guided vehicle achieves enhanced stability when navigating slopes and steps.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2023198357
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-11-22
- Publication Date
- 2025-06-03
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-11-22
AI Technical Summary
Existing automated guided vehicles with connected towing vehicles and carriages struggle to maintain stability when traveling on slopes or crossing steps, leading to potential skidding and instability.
The automated guided vehicle features a towing vehicle and a carriage connected by a device that allows for vertical rotation between the two, ensuring that all wheels maintain contact with the ground, even on uneven surfaces. This configuration includes overlapping rear wheels of the towing vehicle and front wheels of the carriage, which act as fixed wheels during turns, enhancing stability.
This solution enables the automated guided vehicle to travel stably on slopes and across steps by maintaining wheel contact and reducing lateral displacement, thus improving overall stability and load capacity.
Smart Images
Figure 2025084446000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an automated guided vehicle in which a towing vehicle and a carriage are connected.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, in factories and the like, a transport vehicle in which a carriage on which articles are loaded and a towing vehicle for towing the carriage are connected has been used. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a transport vehicle in which a towing vehicle and a carriage are connected and the axial center position of the rear wheels of the towing vehicle coincides with the axial center position of the front wheels of the carriage with respect to the position in the vehicle front-rear direction. Patent Document 1 describes that by making the turning centers of the carriage and the towing vehicle coincide, the carriage and the towing vehicle can be fixed without skidding laterally when the carriage and the towing vehicle turn. By suppressing lateral sliding during turning, the transport vehicle can travel stably.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] By the way, depending on the place where the transport vehicle is used, the transport vehicle may travel on a slope or cross a step. It is preferable that the transport vehicle can travel stably even when starting to climb a slope or crossing a step.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an automated guided vehicle in which a towing vehicle and a carriage are connected and which can travel stably.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] The automated guided vehicle disclosed herein is an automated guided vehicle comprising a towing vehicle, a carriage, and a connecting device that connects the towing vehicle and the carriage. The towing vehicle has a first vehicle body, a first front wheel attached to the first vehicle body, and a first rear wheel attached to the first vehicle body and disposed rearward of the first front wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The carriage has a second vehicle body having a loading platform, a second front wheel attached to the second vehicle body, and a second rear wheel attached to the second vehicle body and disposed rearward of the second front wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction. In a side view of the vehicle, the first rear wheel and the second front wheel at least partially overlap. The connecting device has a first connecting member attached to the first vehicle body, a second connecting member attached to the second vehicle body, and a first connecting shaft that rotatably connects the first connecting member and the second connecting member vertically.
[0007] According to the above automated guided vehicle, since the first rear wheel of the towing vehicle and the second front wheel of the carriage are at least partially overlapped in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the carriage can follow the towing vehicle well. The automated guided vehicle can travel stably. Further, since the towing vehicle and the carriage are partially overlapped in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the dimension of the automated guided vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction can be suppressed while securing the loading capacity. Further, according to the above automated guided vehicle, the towing vehicle and the carriage are rotatably connected to each other vertically by a connecting device. When the automated guided vehicle starts climbing a slope or crossing a step, for example, the carriage and the towing vehicle can rotate vertically with respect to each other, so that the first front wheel and the first rear wheel of the towing vehicle, and the second front wheel and the second rear wheel of the carriage can maintain a state of being in good contact with the road surface. Therefore, the automated guided vehicle can travel stably when starting to climb a slope or the like.
[0008] The position of the axis of the first rear wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the position of the axis of the second front wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction may coincide.
[0009] Thereby, the followability of the carriage with respect to the towing vehicle can be enhanced. The skidding of the carriage can be suppressed, and the traveling of the automated guided vehicle can be further stabilized.
[0010] The first front wheel may be configured to be rotatable left and right with respect to the first vehicle body. The first rear wheel may be configured to be non-rotatable left and right with respect to the first vehicle body. The second front wheel may be configured to be non-rotatable left and right with respect to the second vehicle body. The second rear wheel may be configured to be rotatable left and right with respect to the second vehicle body.
[0011] As a result, the first rear wheel of the tractor and the second front wheel of the carriage are so-called fixed wheels that cannot rotate left and right. When the automated guided vehicle turns, the relative positions of the first rear wheel of the tractor and the second front wheel of the carriage do not change. The running of the automated guided vehicle can be further stabilized.
[0012] The second connecting member may include a front connecting member, a rear connecting member attached to the second vehicle body, and a second connecting shaft that connects the front connecting member and the rear connecting member so as to be rotatable up and down. The front connecting member and the first connecting member may be connected by the first connecting shaft so as to be rotatable up and down.
[0013] As a result, the tractor and the carriage can rotate up and down at at least two locations, namely the first connecting shaft and the second connecting shaft. The followability of the carriage with respect to the tractor can be further improved. The running of the automated guided vehicle can be further stabilized.
[0014] The tractor may have a left side surface portion that is located to the left in the vehicle left-right direction with respect to the vehicle center line of the first vehicle body and is located behind the front end of the second vehicle body in the vehicle front-rear direction, and a right side surface portion that is located to the right in the vehicle left-right direction with respect to the vehicle center line of the first vehicle body and is located behind the front end of the second vehicle body in the vehicle front-rear direction. The carriage may have a first opposing surface portion that is located to the left in the vehicle left-right direction of the left side surface portion of the tractor and contacts or faces the left side surface portion with a gap therebetween, and a second opposing surface portion that is located to the right in the vehicle left-right direction of the right side surface portion of the tractor and contacts or faces the right side surface portion with a gap therebetween.
[0015] As a result, the contact between the left side surface of the towing vehicle and the first opposing surface of the carriage, or the contact between the right side surface of the towing vehicle and the second opposing surface of the carriage restricts the displacement of the vehicle in the left-right direction between the towing vehicle and the carriage. Since the left-right displacement of the carriage with respect to the towing vehicle is suppressed, the running of the automated guided vehicle can be made more stable. Further, when an external force in the left-right direction of the vehicle is applied to the carriage when loading an article onto the carriage, a part of the external force is transmitted to the towing vehicle by the contact between the left side surface of the towing vehicle and the first opposing surface of the carriage, or the contact between the right side surface of the towing vehicle and the second opposing surface of the carriage. Since the external force can be supported by both the towing vehicle and the carriage, the carriage can be made more stable when loading the article.
[0016] In plan view of the vehicle, the coupling device may be disposed inside the contour of the second vehicle body.
[0017] The coupling device may be disposed behind the axis of the second front wheel.
[0018] The diameter of the first rear wheel may be larger than the diameter of the second front wheel.
Advantages of the Invention
[0019] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automated guided vehicle in which a towing vehicle and a carriage are connected and capable of stable running.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0020]
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9
Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention
[0021] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a left side view of an automated guided vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a transport vehicle) 1 according to an embodiment. The transport vehicle 1 includes a tractor 10 and a carriage 20 towed by the tractor 10. In the present embodiment, the transport vehicle 1 is used for transporting articles such as product parts in a factory. The transport vehicle 1 transports articles from one processing facility in the factory to another processing facility.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 2, an automatic transport system 2 including the transport vehicle 1 and a processing facility (hereinafter referred to as equipment) 100 for transferring articles with the transport vehicle 1 is provided in the factory. Although not shown, the automatic transport system 2 includes a plurality of transport vehicles 1 and a plurality of equipment 100. The transport vehicle 1 receives an article from one piece of equipment 100 and automatically travels toward another piece of equipment 100. When the transport vehicle 1 reaches a position in front of the equipment 100, it automatically stops. Then, the transport vehicle 1 transfers the article to the equipment 100. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the transport vehicle 1 is stopped at a position in front of the equipment 100. The transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the equipment 100 so that the side surface of the transport vehicle 1 faces the front of the equipment 100.
[0023] In the figure, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D represent the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the left in the lateral direction of the vehicle, the right in the lateral direction of the vehicle, the upper in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the lower in the vertical direction of the vehicle, respectively. The symbols X1, X2, Y1, and Y2 in the figure represent the front in the longitudinal direction of the equipment 100, the rear in the longitudinal direction of the equipment 100, the left in the lateral direction of the equipment 100, and the right in the lateral direction of the equipment 100, respectively. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the front in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the rear in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the left in the lateral direction of the vehicle, the right in the lateral direction of the vehicle, the upper in the vertical direction of the vehicle, and the lower in the vertical direction of the vehicle shall be simply referred to as the front, the rear, the left, the right, the upper, and the lower, respectively.
[0024] The towing vehicle 10 is configured to be capable of autonomous driving. That is, the towing vehicle 10 is configured to automatically drive and automatically turn left and right. As shown in FIG. 1, the towing vehicle 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 vehicle body 11, the front wheels 12, and the rear wheels 13 are examples of a "first vehicle body", "first front wheels", and "first rear wheels", respectively. The front wheels 12 are drive wheels driven by the electric motor 14. The front wheels 12 are configured to be rotatable left and right with respect to the vehicle body 11. When the towing vehicle 10 turns left or right, the front wheels 12 rotate left or right. The rear wheels 13 are driven wheels that are not given the driving force of the electric motor 14. The rear wheels 13 are configured to be non-rotatable with respect to the vehicle body 11. When the towing vehicle 10 turns left or right, the rear wheels 13 do not rotate left and right. The rear wheels 13 are so-called fixed wheels. In addition, the towing vehicle 10 includes a control device 15 for controlling the operation. Note that the towing vehicle 10 may be configured so that a person cannot board, but in this embodiment, it is configured so that a person can board. In this embodiment, the towing vehicle 10 includes a seat 16 on which an occupant sits and a steering wheel 17. The towing vehicle 10 is configured to be able to switch between autonomous 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 autonomous driving is performed, the towing vehicle 10 functions as a driverless autonomous vehicle.
[0025] Next, the configuration of the carriage 20 will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the carriage 20. Note that 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 in FIG. 1. 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 vehicle body 21, the front wheels 22, and the rear wheels 23 are examples of a "second vehicle body", "second front wheels", and "second rear wheels", respectively. 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. The front wheels 22 are fixed wheels. The front wheels 22 are configured not to rotate with respect to the vehicle body 21. When the carriage 20 turns left or right, the front wheels 22 do not rotate left and right. On the other hand, the rear wheels 23 are configured to be rotatable with respect to the vehicle body 21. When the carriage 20 turns left or right, the rear wheels 23 rotate left or right.
[0026] The carriage 20 includes three support columns 26 on each of the left and right sides. The three support columns 26 are arranged in the front-rear direction. Each support column 26 extends in the vertical direction. The carriage 20 includes a ceiling plate 27 supported by the support 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 support column 26 and the central support column 26. The rear awning 28 is disposed between the central support column 26 and the rear support column 26. Further, the carriage 20 includes a front cover (not shown) bridged over the left and right front support columns 26 and a rear cover 25 bridged over the left and right rear support columns 26.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 4, the carriage 20 includes a placement portion 24 provided on the vehicle body 21. The placement portion 24 is an example of a "loading platform" and is a portion on which an article to be conveyed is placed. The placement portion 24 is covered by the ceiling plate 27, the front cover, the rear cover 25, the left awning 28, and the 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 includes movable awnings 28.
[0028] 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 of the front awning 28 is attached to the rear part of the front support column 26. A slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the rear edge of the front awning 28 is attached to the front part of the central support column 26. A slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the front edge of the rear awning 28 is attached to the rear part of the central support column 26. A slide rail 32 for slidably supporting the rear edge of the rear awning 28 is attached to the front part of the rear support column 26.
[0029] 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.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 4, sliders 30 are fixed to the upper portions of the left and right awnings 28, respectively. 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 awning 28 moves to the right and the lower part of the left awning 28 moves upward. As a result, the left awning 28 is opened. When the right slider 30 slides to the left, the upper part of the right awning 28 moves to the left and the lower part of the right awning 28 moves upward. As a result, the right awning 28 is opened. The slider 30 has a contact surface 34 against which a push rod 102 (see FIG. 2) provided in the facility 100 is pressed. The contact surface 34 faces outward in the vehicle width direction. Here, the outward direction in the vehicle width direction refers to the direction away from the vehicle center line. The inward direction in the vehicle width direction refers to the direction approaching the vehicle center line.
[0031] 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.
[0032] Above the shutter 28, side plates 36 connected to the ceiling plate 27 are arranged. A shutter 37 is attached to the side plates 36 by hinges 38. The shutter 37 rotates inward in the vehicle width direction when 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.
[0033] In this embodiment, the carriage 20 is not provided with a driving device. As will be described later, the shutter 28 is driven from the closed position to the open position by the driving force of an actuator 104 provided in the facility 100. Also, the shutter 28 moves from the open position to the closed position due to the weight of the weight 35. The carriage 20 is not provided with a driving device for driving the shutter 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.
[0034] As shown in Fig. 4, the rear portion 18 of the tractor 10 has a left side surface portion 18L and a right side surface portion 18R. The left side surface portion 18L is located to the left of the vehicle center line of the vehicle body 11, and the right side surface portion 18R is located to the right of the vehicle center line of the vehicle body 11. As shown in Fig. 1, the left side surface portion 18L and the right side surface portion 18R are located behind the front end of the vehicle body 21 of the bogie 20. As shown in Fig. 4, the bogie 20 has a first opposing surface portion 42L and a second opposing surface portion 42R. The first opposing surface portion 42L is located to the left of the left side surface portion 18L of the tractor 10 and faces the left side surface portion 18L with a gap therebetween. The second opposing surface portion 42R is located to the right of the right side surface portion 18R of the tractor 10 and faces the right side surface portion 18R with a gap therebetween. Note that the first opposing surface portion 42L may be in contact with the left side surface portion 18L. The second opposing surface portion 42R may be in contact with the right side surface portion 18R. The first opposing surface portion 42L and the second opposing surface portion 42R regulate the lateral displacement between the tractor 10 and the bogie 20.
[0035] As shown in Fig. 1, the tractor 10 and the bogie 20 are connected by a connecting device 50. Fig. 5 is a side view of the connecting device 50. The connecting device 50 has a first connecting member 51 attached to the rear portion 18 of the vehicle body 11 of the tractor 10, a second connecting member 52 attached to the vehicle body 21 of the bogie 20, and a first connecting shaft 51b that rotatably connects the first connecting member 51 and the second connecting member 52 vertically. The tractor 10 and the bogie 20 may be connected to be rotatable left and right with respect to each other, but in this embodiment, they are connected to be non-rotatable left and right. Since the tractor 10 and the bogie 20 are connected by the connecting device 50, the bogie 20 travels as the tractor 10 travels. That is, the bogie 20 is towed by the tractor 10.
[0036] The second connecting member 52 has a front connecting member 52a, a rear connecting member 52c attached to the vehicle body 21 of the bogie 20, and a second connecting shaft 52b that rotatably connects the front connecting member 52a and the rear connecting member 52c vertically. The tractor 10 and the bogie 20 are rotatable vertically with respect to each other at two locations, namely, the first connecting shaft 51b and the second connecting shaft 52b.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 1, the coupling device 50 is disposed behind the axis 22c of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20. The coupling device 50 is disposed behind the rear end of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20. Further, the coupling device 50 is disposed behind the rear end of the rear wheel 13 of the towing vehicle 10. The coupling device 50 is disposed above the axis 22c of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20. The coupling device 50 is disposed above the upper end of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20. The coupling device 50 is disposed below the upper end of the rear wheel 13 of the towing vehicle 10.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 2, in a plan view of the vehicle, the coupling device 50 is disposed inside the contour of the vehicle body 21 of the carriage 20. In FIG. 2, the coupling device 50 is schematically illustrated by a quadrangle.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 1, in a side view of the vehicle, the rear wheel 13 of the towing vehicle 10 and the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20 at least partially overlap. The diameter of the rear wheel 13 of the towing vehicle 10 is larger than the diameter of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20. The position in the front-rear direction of the axis 13c of the rear wheel 13 and the position in the front-rear direction of the axis 22c of the front wheel 22 may be different, but they coincide in the present embodiment.
[0040] The facility 100 is configured to transfer articles with the carriage 20. The facility 100 includes a transfer device (not shown) that receives articles from the placement portion 24 of the carriage 20 and delivers articles to the placement portion 24. As the transfer device of the facility 100, a well-known transfer device can be used. Since the transfer device is well-known, its description is omitted.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 2, the facility 100 includes a push rod 102 and an actuator 104 that moves the push rod 102 in the front-rear direction of the facility 100 as a device for opening the cover 28 of the carriage 20. The actuator 104 only needs to be a device that generates a driving force for driving the push rod 102, and the type of the actuator 104 is not particularly limited. For example, an electric motor, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, etc. can be used as the actuator 104. The power transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the actuator 104 to the push rod 102 is not particularly limited either. The 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 actuator 104. A belt may be wound around a pulley connected to the actuator 104 and another pulley, and a part of the push rod 102 may be fixed to the belt.
[0042] The above is the configuration of the automatic conveyance system 2. Next, an example of the operation of the automatic conveyance system 2 will be described. 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 portion 24 is covered by the cover 28 or the like. Therefore, for example, when the conveyance vehicle 1 travels outdoors, the article placed on the placement portion 24 is prevented from being exposed to rain or wind.
[0043] In the carrier vehicle 1 according to the present embodiment, the tractor 10 and the bogie 20 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable vertically. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, when the carrier vehicle 1 starts climbing a slope, the tractor 10 can rotate vertically with respect to the bogie 20. Also, as shown in FIG. 7, when the carrier vehicle 1 starts descending a slope, the tractor 10 can rotate vertically with respect to the bogie 20. The tractor 10 and the bogie 20 are connected such that the rear wheel 13 of the tractor 10 and the front wheel 22 of the bogie 20 overlap in a side view. However, the tractor 10 can take a posture inclined from the horizontal plane along the slope, and the bogie 20 can maintain a relatively horizontal posture. When starting to climb and descend the slope, the front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13 of the tractor 10 and the front wheels 22 and rear wheels 23 of the bogie 20 can maintain a well-grounded state. Therefore, the carrier vehicle 1 can travel stably even when traveling on a road surface with a slope.
[0044] Although illustration is omitted, since the tractor 10 and the bogie 20 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable vertically, when the tractor 10 or the bogie 20 crosses a step, the tractor 10 and the bogie 20 can rotate vertically with respect to each other. The carrier vehicle 1 can travel stably even when traveling on a road surface with a step.
[0045] When the carrier vehicle 1 reaches a position in front of the facility 100, it automatically stops (see FIG. 2). FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a part of the bogie 20 and the facility 100 when the carrier vehicle 1 stops at a position in front of the facility 100. As shown in FIG. 8, when the carrier vehicle 1 stops at a position in front of the facility 100, the awning 28 is closed, and the side of the placement portion 24 is covered by the awning 28. Note that reference numeral 39 represents a pallet, and reference numeral 40 represents an article placed on the pallet 39.
[0046] As shown in Fig. 9, after the transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100, the actuator 104 of the facility 100 moves the push rod 102 forward in the front-rear direction of the facility 100. When the transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100, the front in the front-rear direction of the facility 100 coincides with the right side in the left-right direction of the vehicle of the transport vehicle 1. The push rod 102 pushes the shutter 37 of the carriage 20 to the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle. As a result, the shutter 37 opens, and the push rod 102 moves toward the slider 30. When the actuator 104 further moves the push rod 102, the push rod 102 eventually abuts against the contact surface 34 of the slider 30 and pushes the slider 30 to the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle (see arrow A1). As a result, the upper part of the awning 28 moves to the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle along the slide rail 32, and the lower part of the awning 28 moves upward in the up-down direction of the vehicle along the slide rail 32 (see arrow A2). Thereby, the side of the placement part 24 is opened.
[0047] When the side of the placement part 24 is opened, the facility 100 draws the pallet 39 placed on the placement part 24 into the facility 100. As a result, 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.
[0048] The processed article 40 is loaded from the facility 100 onto the carriage 20 by the facility 100. After the article 40 is loaded onto the carriage 20, the actuator 104 moves the push rod 102 backward in the front-rear direction of the facility 100. As described above, a weight 35 is fixed to the awning 28. Therefore, when the push rod 102 moves backward in the front-rear direction of the facility 100, the awning 28 moves from the open position to the closed position due to the gravity of the weight 35. Thereby, the side of the placement part 24 is closed by the awning 28.
[0049] Thereafter, the transport vehicle 1 travels toward another facility 100. The above is an example of the operation of the automatic transport system 2. Next, various effects brought about by the present embodiment will be described.
[0050] The carrier vehicle 1 according to this embodiment includes a towing vehicle 10 and a bogie 20. In a side view of the vehicle, the rear wheels 13 of the towing vehicle 10 and the front wheels 22 of the bogie 20 at least partially overlap (see FIG. 1). The bogie 20 has good followability with respect to the towing vehicle 10, and the bogie 20 is less likely to skid sideways during turning. Also, although the rear wheels 13 of the towing vehicle 10 and the front wheels 22 of the bogie 20 overlap in a side view, the towing vehicle 10 and the bogie 20 are connected to each other by a connecting device 50 so as to be rotatable vertically. When the carrier vehicle 1 starts climbing a slope, starts descending a slope, crosses a step, etc., the bogie 20 can rotate vertically with respect to the towing vehicle 10. Therefore, the front wheels 12 and rear wheels 13 of the towing vehicle 10, and the front wheels 22 and rear wheels 23 of the bogie 20 can maintain a well-grounded state. Therefore, according to the carrier vehicle 1, more stable running is possible.
[0051] Also, in a side view of the vehicle, since the towing vehicle 10 and the bogie 20 partially overlap, the dimensions of the carrier vehicle 1 in the front-rear direction can be suppressed while securing the loading capacity.
[0052] According to this embodiment, in the vehicle front-rear direction, the position of the axis 13c of the rear wheels 13 of the towing vehicle 10 and the position of the axis 22c of the front wheels 22 of the bogie 20 coincide (see FIG. 1). Thereby, the followability of the bogie 20 with respect to the towing vehicle 10 can be further enhanced. The side slip of the bogie 20 can be suppressed, and the running of the carrier vehicle 1 can be further stabilized.
[0053] According to this embodiment, the rear wheels 13 of the towing vehicle 10 and the front wheels 22 of the bogie 20 are fixed wheels. When the carrier vehicle 1 turns, the relative positions of the rear wheels 13 of the towing vehicle 10 and the front wheels 22 of the bogie 20 do not change. The running of the carrier vehicle 1 can be further stabilized.
[0054] According to this embodiment, the coupling device 50 includes a first coupling member 51 attached to the vehicle body 11 of the tractor 10, a second coupling member 52 attached to the vehicle body 21 of the carriage 20, and a first coupling shaft 51b that rotatably couples the first coupling member 51 and the second coupling member 52 vertically (see FIG. 5). The second coupling member 52 includes a front coupling member 52a, a rear coupling member 52c attached to the vehicle body 21, and a second coupling shaft 52b that rotatably couples the front coupling member 52a and the rear coupling member 52c vertically. The tractor 10 and the carriage 20 are rotatable vertically at two locations, namely the first coupling shaft 51b and the second coupling shaft 52b. Thereby, when on a slope or a step, etc., the running of the transport vehicle 1 can be made more stable.
[0055] As shown in FIG. 4, the tractor 10 has a left side surface portion 18L and a right side surface portion 18R, and the carriage 20 has a first opposing surface portion 42L opposing the left side surface portion 18L and a second opposing surface portion 42R opposing the right side surface portion 18R. When the left side surface portion 18L contacts the first opposing surface portion 42L, or when the right side surface portion 18R contacts the second opposing surface portion 42R, the lateral displacement between the tractor 10 and the carriage 20 is restricted. Since the lateral displacement of the carriage 20 with respect to the tractor 10 is restricted, the running of the transport vehicle 1 can be made more stable.
[0056] Also, when moving the article 40 between the carriage 20 and the facility 100, or when opening the awning 28 with the push rod 102, etc., an external force in the vehicle left-right direction may be applied to the carriage 20. By the contact between the left side surface portion 18L of the tractor 10 and the first opposing surface portion 42L of the carriage 20, or by the contact between the right side surface portion 18R of the tractor 10 and the second opposing surface portion 42R of the carriage 20, a part of the external force is transmitted to the tractor 10. Since the external force in the vehicle left-right direction applied to the carriage 20 can be supported by both the tractor 10 and the carriage 20, the carriage 20 can be made more stable during the transfer of articles, etc.
[0057] The above describes one embodiment of the present invention, but the above embodiment is merely an example. Various other embodiments are possible.
[0058] In the above embodiment, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the position of the axis 13c of the rear wheel 13 of the tractor 10 and the position of the axis 22c of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20 coincide, but they do not necessarily have to coincide.
[0059] The rear wheel 13 of the tractor 10 and the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20 are not limited to fixed wheels. The rear wheel 13 of the tractor 10 may be configured to be rotatable left and right with respect to the vehicle body 11, and the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20 may be configured to be rotatable left and right with respect to the vehicle body 21.
[0060] In the above embodiment, two connecting shafts are provided to connect the tractor 10 and the carriage 20 so as to be rotatable up and down with respect to each other. However, the number of connecting shafts for connecting the tractor 10 and the carriage 20 so as to be rotatable up and down with respect to each other may be one. For example, the second connecting shaft 52b of the second connecting member 52 may be omitted, and the front connecting member 52a and the rear connecting member 52c may be fixed non-rotatably. Also, the number of connecting shafts for connecting the tractor 10 and the carriage 20 so as to be rotatable up and down with respect to each other may be three or more.
[0061] In the above embodiment, the connecting device 50 is disposed behind the axis 22c of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20, but part or all of the connecting device 50 may be disposed in front of the axis 22c of the front wheel 22.
[0062] In the above embodiment, the diameter of the rear wheel 13 of the tractor 10 is larger than the diameter of the front wheel 22 of the carriage 20, but the diameter of the rear wheel 13 may be equal to the diameter of the front wheel 22 or smaller than the diameter of the front wheel 22.
[0063] In the above embodiment, the carriage 20 is provided with a movable awning 28, but the awning 28 is not necessarily required. The front cover, rear cover 25, and ceiling plate 27 of the carriage 20 are also not necessarily required.
Explanation of Reference Numerals
[0064] 1 Automated Guided Vehicle 10 Tractor 11 Vehicle Body (First Vehicle Body) 12 Front Wheel (First Front Wheel) 13 Rear wheel (first rear wheel) 18L Left side face 18R Right side face 20 Trolley 21 Vehicle body (second vehicle body) 22 Front wheel (second front wheel) 23 Rear wheel (second rear wheel) 24 Placing part (loading platform) 42L First opposing face 42R Second opposing face 50 Connecting device 51 First connecting member 51b First connecting shaft 52 Second connecting member 52a Front connecting member 52b Second connecting shaft 52c Rear connecting member
Claims
1. An automated guided vehicle comprising a tractor, a carriage, and a connecting device for connecting the tractor and the carriage, wherein: the tractor has a first vehicle body, a first front wheel attached to the first vehicle body, and a first rear wheel attached to the first vehicle body and disposed rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the first front wheel; the carriage has a second vehicle body having a loading platform, a second front wheel attached to the second vehicle body, and a second rear wheel attached to the second vehicle body and disposed rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the second front wheel; in a side view of the vehicle, the first rear wheel and the second front wheel at least partially overlap; the connecting device includes a first connecting member attached to the first vehicle body, a second connecting member attached to the second vehicle body, and a first connecting shaft that rotatably connects the first connecting member and the second connecting member vertically.
2. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a position of an axis of the first rear wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction coincides with a position of an axis of the second front wheel in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
3. the first front wheel is configured to be rotatable left and right with respect to the first vehicle body; the first rear wheel is configured to be non-rotatable left and right with respect to the first vehicle body; the second front wheel is configured to be non-rotatable left and right with respect to the second vehicle body; the second rear wheel is configured to be rotatable left and right with respect to the second vehicle body.
4. the second connecting member includes a front connecting member, a rear connecting member attached to the second vehicle body, and a second connecting shaft that rotatably connects the front connecting member and the rear connecting member vertically; the front connecting member and the first connecting member are rotatably connected vertically by the first connecting shaft.
5. the tractor has: a left side surface portion located to the left in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle center line of the first vehicle body and rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the front end of the second vehicle body; a right side surface portion located to the right in the vehicle width direction relative to the vehicle center line of the first vehicle body and rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction relative to the front end of the second vehicle body; the carriage has: a first opposing surface portion located to the left in the vehicle width direction of the left side surface portion of the tractor and in contact with or facing the left side surface portion with a gap therebetween; The driverless transport vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a second opposing surface portion that is located on the right side in the vehicle left-right direction of the right side surface portion of the tractor and that contacts the right side surface portion or faces it with a gap therebetween.
6. The driverless transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein in a plan view of the vehicle, the connecting device is disposed inside the contour of the second vehicle body.
7. The driverless transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting device is disposed behind the axis of the second front wheel.
8. The driverless transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the first rear wheel is larger than the diameter of the second front wheel.
Citation Information
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