Coupling device

Abstract

To provide a travel control system for a conveying vehicle and a travel control method for the conveying vehicle, with which it is possible to achieve both higher stopping accuracy and improved traveling efficiency.SOLUTION: A coupling device according to the present disclosure couples a conveying vehicle and a conveying target object, and comprises: a conveying vehicle-side coupling portion that is rotatably coupled to the conveying vehicle; and a gripping portion that releasably grips a lower frame of the conveying target object. The gripping portion includes: a lower supporting portion that supports a horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below; a projecting portion that projects upward from a tip end side of the lower supporting portion and engages with a side surface of the horizontal plate portion; and a displacement portion that is displaced between a releasing orientation and a gripping orientation, with a shaft portion serving as a fulcrum. The displacement portion has an upper supporting portion that supports the lower frame from above when in the gripping orientation. The gripping portion grips the lower frame by vertically sandwiching the lower frame between the lower supporting portion and the upper supporting portion when in the gripping orientation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connecting device for connecting a carrier vehicle and an object to be transported.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, in facilities such as manufacturing factories, it has been considered to utilize automated guided vehicles for transporting various articles. When transporting articles with an automated guided vehicle, it is conceivable to connect and transport (tow) a wheeled object to be transported, such as a cart on which the articles are placed, to the automated guided vehicle. Patent Document 1 discloses a connecting device for connecting an automated guided vehicle and a cart.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The connecting device described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the claw portion of the connecting device enters inside the frame of the cart and engages with the inner surface of the frame to connect to the cart. However, simply having the claw portion enter inside the cart in the connected state results in unstable connection strength, and there is room for improvement.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a connecting device for connecting an object to be transported to a carrier vehicle in a new form.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a connecting device for connecting a carrier vehicle and an object to be transported, a carrier vehicle side coupling portion rotatably coupled to the carrier vehicle, and A gripping portion that releasably grips the lower frame of the object to be conveyed, The gripping portion includes a lower support portion that supports the horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below, a protruding portion that protrudes upward from the tip side of the lower support portion and engages with the side surface of the horizontal plate portion, and a displacement portion that is displaced about a shaft portion as a fulcrum between a release posture and a gripping posture. The displacement portion has an upper support portion that supports the lower frame from above in the gripping posture. The gripping portion grips the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the vertical direction between the lower support portion and the upper support portion in the gripping posture, and a connecting device is provided.

Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, a connecting device for connecting an object to be conveyed to a transport vehicle in a new form can be provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

[0010] The connecting device of this embodiment is used, for example, in a manufacturing factory, a logistics warehouse, etc. to connect an unmanned carrier (hereinafter, also simply referred to as "carrier") used to transport various manufactured parts, luggage, etc. and a transport object (object to be transported).

[0011] FIG. 1 shows a conveying device including a carrier 10 of the present embodiment and a coupling device 20 attached to the carrier 10. The coupling device 20 includes a carrier-side coupling portion 21 rotatably coupled to the carrier 10 and a gripping portion 22 for releasably gripping the lower frame of the object to be conveyed. The carrier 10 may be an AGV that moves along a guideline, an AMR that autonomously travels regardless of the guideline, or a carrier that can perform both in combination.

[0012] The carrier-side coupling portion 21 is located above the carrier 10 and supported from below by the carrier 10. The carrier-side coupling portion 21 in this example is rotatably coupled about a shaft portion 11 extending in the vertical direction (up and down direction) provided on the upper portion of the carrier 10. Here, "rotation" does not necessarily mean 360° rotation, and includes cases where displacement occurs within a predetermined range, such as 180° or within a range of 90° or less. The carrier-side coupling portion 21 may be fixedly coupled to the carrier 10 in a non-rotatable manner. The carrier-side coupling portion 21 may be configured not to be displaced in the vertical direction with respect to the carrier 10 but to be displaceable. The relative position (angle) of the carrier-side coupling portion 21 about the shaft portion 11 (with respect to the carrier 10) is controlled by a driving device such as an internal motor or actuator. The carrier-side coupling portion 21 is basically installed with respect to the carrier 10 such that the gripping portion 22 is located on the rear side of the carrier 10. The carrier-side coupling portion 21 may be removable with respect to the carrier 10.

[0013] FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the gripping portion 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the gripping portion 22 includes a lower support portion 23 that supports the horizontal plate portion 511 of the lower frame 51 from below, a protrusion portion 24 that protrudes upward from the tip side of the lower support portion 23 and engages with the side surface 511a of the horizontal plate portion 511, and a displacement portion 25 that is displaced about a shaft portion 25a as a fulcrum between a release posture and a gripping posture. FIG. 2 shows the state where the displacement portion 25 is in the release posture.

[0014] The displacement portion 25 has an upper support portion 26 that supports the lower frame 51 from above in the gripping posture, and a side support portion 27 that supports the lower frame 51 from the front side (the side of the transport cart 10). The upper support portion 26 and the side support portion 27 are fixed to each other and are substantially integrated, and are displaced together between the release posture and the gripping posture. The upper support portion 26 suppresses the upward movement of the lower frame 51 by abutting against the upper end portion (end face) of the vertical plate portion 512 of the lower frame 51 in the gripping posture. The side support portion 27 suppresses the movement of the lower frame 51 in the direction away from the protruding portion 24 by abutting against the outer surface of the vertical plate portion 512 in the gripping posture. The shaft portion 25a in this example is composed of two rotating shafts, and the displacement portion 25 is configured to be displaceable between the release posture and the gripping posture while the side support portion 27 of the displacement portion 25 maintains a state of extending in the vertical direction. The configuration of the displacement portion 25 is not limited to the illustrated example, and it may be configured to swing and displace with a shaft portion composed of only one rotating shaft, or a structure in which the side support portion 27 slides in the horizontal direction and the upper support portion 26 slides in the vertical direction may be used. In the case of such a slide mechanism, a guide member such as a rail for guiding the linear movement may be provided.

[0015] FIG. 3 shows a state in which the displacement portion 25 is in the gripping posture and the gripping portion 22 is gripping the lower frame 51. The gripping portion 22 sandwiches the lower frame 51 in the vertical direction between the lower support portion 23 and the upper support portion 26 in the gripping posture. Thereby, the connection strength is stabilized. Further, in this example, the lower frame is sandwiched in the depth direction by the protruding portion 24 and the side support portion 27 to grip the lower frame 51. Note that the side support portion 27 is not an essential configuration, and the side support portion 27 does not always need to be in contact with the lower frame 51. That is, if there is the protruding portion 24, it is possible to suppress the cart from detaching in the horizontal direction. Further, by sandwiching the lower frame 51 in the vertical direction between the lower support portion 23 and the upper support portion 26, the displacement of the lower frame 51 in the depth direction due to friction can also be suppressed.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 3, the upper support portion 26 is configured not to protrude inside (inside the cage cart) from the inner surface of the vertical plate portion 512. Further, the lower support portion 23 and the protrusion portion 24 are configured not to protrude from the upper surface of the horizontal plate portion 511.

[0017] When the displacement portion 25 is displaced from the release posture in FIG. 2 to the gripping posture in FIG. 3, it is displaced in the depth direction toward the protrusion portion 24 (forward) and in the vertical direction toward the lower support portion 23 (downward). In this example, the side support portion 27 is displaced while maintaining the angle extending in the vertical direction by the shaft portions 25a provided at the base end portion of the lower support portion 23 and the lower end portion of the side support portion 27, respectively, and a member connecting them.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows a state where the transport vehicle 10 approaches the object to be transported 50 (cage cart) in order to connect the connecting device 20 installed on the transport vehicle 10 to the object to be transported 50. At this time, the displacement portion 25 is in the release posture. The transport vehicle 10 approaches the object to be transported 50 such that the tip of the horizontal support portion 23 is inserted between the left and right wheels 52 of the object to be transported 50 (and between the ground and the support frame 51). The gripping portion 22 is preferably connected to the central portion in the left - right direction of the object to be transported 50.

[0019] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view showing the gripping portion 22. In FIG. 5, the entire object to be transported is not shown, and only the lower frame 51 is schematically illustrated. The lower frame 51 is, for example, a metal member having an L - shaped cross - section, and has a horizontal plate portion 511 extending in the horizontal direction and a vertical plate portion 512 extending in the vertical direction. The lower frame 51 is not limited to this, and may be configured by, for example, a member having a rectangular cross - section.

[0020] Here, on the tip side of the horizontal support portion 23 (the tip side rather than the protrusion portion 24), an inclined guide surface 28 that inclines obliquely downward toward the tip is provided. The tip of the lower support portion 23 has a tapered shape due to the provision of the inclined guide surface 28, and the size (height) in the vertical direction gradually decreases. With such a configuration, when connecting the gripping portion 22 to the object 50 to be conveyed, the lower support portion 23 can be smoothly inserted below the lower frame 51 and guided to an appropriate connection position.

[0021] The lower support portion 23 is configured to be elastically displaceable in the vertical direction by contacting the object 50 to be conveyed during the process of connecting the object 50 to be conveyed, and a biasing member for returning the displaced lower support portion 23 to its original position is provided. The biasing member can be a coil spring, a leaf spring, an actuator, etc., but is not limited thereto. In this example, as shown in FIG. 5, two coil springs 31 are provided as the biasing member. The two coil springs 31 are installed between the upper frame 32 and the lower frame 33 that extend outward from the conveyance vehicle side coupling portion 21, and are arranged parallel to each other. The upper frame 32 and the lower frame 33 are parallel to each other and support the gripping portion 22. When the lower support portion 23 is displaced downward, the coil spring 31 extends and a force in the compression direction acts, so that the lower support portion 23 rises toward its original position.

[0022] The height of the lower support portion 23 is set in advance to a height corresponding to the lower frame 51 of the object 50 to be conveyed. In the process of the conveyance vehicle 10 with the connecting device 20 attached approaching the object 50 to be conveyed such as a cage cart, when the lower end portion of the outer surface of the lower frame 51 contacts the inclined guide surface 28, the lower support portion 23 elastically displaces downward along the inclination of the inclined guide surface 28, and when the lower frame 51 has overcome the protrusion portion 24, it rises to a position where the upper surface of the lower support portion 23 abuts against the lower surface of the lower frame 51. Then, when the displacement portion 25 is displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture, the gripping portion 22 grips the lower frame 51, and the object 50 to be conveyed is connected to the conveyance vehicle 10 (see FIG. 3).

[0023] As shown in FIG. 6, with the carrier 10 and the object to be transported 50 connected by the connecting device 20, the carrier moves to an arbitrary destination, whereby the object to be transported 50 (such as a cage cart and the articles and luggage to be transported) can be transported to the target position.

[0024] In the example of FIG. 6, the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 provided on the connecting device 20 are not in contact with the ground, but as shown in FIG. 7, the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 may be brought into contact with the ground. For example, when two of the wheels 52 of the object to be transported 50 located on the connecting device 20 side are fixed wheels, it is transported in a state floating above the ground as shown in FIG. 6, and when all of the wheels 52 of the object to be transported 50 are free wheels, it may be transported with the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 in contact with the ground as shown in FIG. 7. Also, when two wheels located at a position far from the connecting device 20 are fixed wheels, it may be transported in a state floating above the ground as shown in FIG. 6. Further, in the case of a six-wheel cart having six wheels, if the two central wheels are fixed wheels, even in that case, it may be transported in a state floating above the ground as shown in FIG. 6. That is, depending on the type, number, and position information of the wheels of the object to be transported 50, the grounding or non-grounding of the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 during transportation may be selected. Such wheel information and information regarding the grounding or non-grounding conditions of the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 may be stored in the storage unit in advance, or may be input and controlled or stored by the user at an arbitrary timing. Note that the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 are coupled to the carrier-side coupling portion 21 and are displaced between a grounded state and a non-grounded state by moving up and down by a driving device such as an actuator. The up and down movement may be a swing movement with a shaft portion extending in the horizontal direction as a fulcrum, or may be a sliding movement up and down along a rail or the like.

[0025] In this example, the auxiliary fixing wheel 34 is provided at the tip of a support arm 35 extending from the carrier-side coupling portion 21. The support arm 35 is located below the upper frame 32, the lower frame 33, and the gripping portion 22. The auxiliary fixing wheel 34 is located in front of the gripping portion 22 (in the direction farther from the carrier 10 when viewed), and is configured to dive under the object 50 to be conveyed, but is not limited thereto. The auxiliary fixing wheel 34 and the gripping portion 22 are located at the center in the left-right direction of the connecting device 20 and are arranged at the same circumferential position around the carrier 10. When the connecting device 20 rotates with respect to the carrier, both the auxiliary fixing wheel 34 and the gripping portion 22 move in the circumferential direction. The support arm 35 extends downward from the carrier-side coupling portion 21 and bends and extends forward, but the shape can be changed as appropriate.

[0026] In this embodiment, a sensor 29 for detecting that the lower frame 51 is arranged at an appropriate position with respect to the gripping portion 22 is provided. The sensor 29 may be arranged adjacent to the lower support portion 23. In that case, it is possible to determine whether the horizontal plate portion 511 of the lower frame 51 is properly supported by the lower support portion 23. That is, when the sensor 29 detects the lower support portion 23, it can be determined that the lower frame 51 is in an appropriate position. It is preferable that a plurality of sensors 29 are provided. The sensor 29 may be a physical switch that detects the presence or absence of an object by flowing current when pushed in, or an infrared sensor or the like. Note that the sensor 29 is not an essential component, and the gripping portion 22 may be operated without the sensor 29. For example, the gripping portion may be displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture in response to an input from the user, or may be automatically displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture according to a predetermined program, or when the distance and angle of the carrier with respect to the object to be conveyed are within a predetermined range, the gripping portion may be displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 8, the sensor 29 in this example is composed of a pair of sensors 29a and 29b that are arranged at intervals in the left - right direction. The pair of sensors 29a and 29b are located between a pair of lower support portions 23 that are arranged at intervals in the left - right direction, and are arranged adjacent to each lower support portion 23.

[0028] In this embodiment, an ejector 30 is provided to release the engagement between the lower frame 51 and the protrusion 24 by lifting the lower frame 51 of the object 50 to be conveyed from below. The ejector 30 in this example is located between a pair of lower support portions 23 arranged at intervals in the left - right direction (between the pair of sensors 29a and 29b). When detaching the object to be conveyed, the ejector 30 is driven (lifted) with the gripping portion in the released posture. Also, after detaching the object to be conveyed, it descends and returns to its original position. While the gripping portion is in the gripping posture, the ejector is always in the lowered state. Such an operation of the ejector 30 is controlled by the control unit based on information predetermined and stored in the storage unit. Alternatively, the ejector 30 may operate based on instruction information input by the user via the input unit.

[0029] In this embodiment, according to the size of the lower frame 51 of the object 50 to be conveyed, the interval between the lower support portion 23 and the upper support portion 26 in the vertical direction, and the interval between the protrusion 24 and the side support portion 27 in the depth direction are configured to be changeable. For example, the member constituting the upper support portion 26 is detachable from the base member of the displacement portion 25 by a fastening tool such as a bolt. By changing the position (vertical position) of the upper support portion 26, the interval between the lower support portion 23 and the upper support portion 26 in the vertical direction can be changed. Similarly, if the member constituting the protrusion 24 is detachable by a fastening tool, by changing the horizontal position of the protrusion 24, the interval between the protrusion 24 and the side support portion 27 in the depth direction can be changed. Not limited to this example, the positions of the members constituting the lower support portion 23, the side support portion 27, etc. may be changeable. Also, the shapes of the members constituting the lower support portion 23, the upper support portion 26, the protrusion 24, the side support portion 27, etc. may be changed so as to correspond to the object 50 to be conveyed.

[0030] In this embodiment, a connector or the like for power supply and communication is provided at the coupling part on the carrier vehicle side 21 and the coupling part of the carrier vehicle 10, and power supply and signal communication (transmission and reception) can be performed between the carrier vehicle 10 and the connecting device 20. Specifically, operations such as the vertical movement of the gripping part 22 and the auxiliary fixing wheel 34 of the connecting device 20 can be controlled by the power supply and control signals from the carrier vehicle 10. Note that a control unit, a storage unit, a communication unit, a power supply, etc., which will be described later, may be provided in the connecting device 20 itself, or it may be configured to operate without power supply and control signals from the carrier vehicle.

[0031] In this embodiment, an imaging unit 36 is provided in the connecting device 20. The imaging unit 36 is located above the gripping unit 20. Further, it is preferable that the mounting position of the imaging unit 36 in the width direction (left - right direction) of the connecting device 20 overlaps with the gripping unit 20 and the auxiliary fixing wheel 34. That is, it is preferable that the imaging direction of the imaging unit 36 coincides with the extending direction of the gripping unit 20, and the center of the imaging unit 36 coincides with the center of the gripping unit 20 in the left - right direction. The imaging unit 36 can be a sensor having an imaging function and a distance measuring function (depth detection function). Specifically, for example, it is composed of a Depth Camera of Intel's RealSense (registered trademark). The control unit can estimate the position of the object to be conveyed 50 and the relative angle (posture) with respect to the connecting device based on the acquired information of the imaging unit 36. The control unit can also detect the presence of an obstacle (the presence or absence of an obstacle), the posture (such as touching the cage cart), the distance (the distance from the imaging unit 36), and the state (whether a person is working, walking, sitting, or fallen) by analyzing the captured image of the imaging unit 36. The control unit may select one from a plurality of options stored in the storage unit in advance by image analysis. Based on such information, for example, when an obstacle (including articles and people) is detected in the traveling direction, the traveling may be stopped. Alternatively, when it is detected that an operator is taking in and out articles in the cage cart, the connecting operation or the releasing operation may be stopped. Conversely, when it is determined that there is no obstacle or the operator is not working (or has finished working), the connecting operation or the releasing operation may be started. Thus, the control unit can control the transport vehicle and the connecting device based on the acquired information from the imaging unit 36. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the imaging unit 36 may be provided at the upper part of the support arm 35 that supports the auxiliary fixing wheel 34. By providing the imaging unit 36 on both the upper and lower sides of the gripping unit 20, in addition to expanding the imaging range, the detection accuracy (the estimation accuracy of the position and posture) of the object to be conveyed and the like can be improved, so that the efficiency and safety of the connecting operation can be enhanced. Note that the imaging unit 36 is not an essential component.

[0032] When connecting the connecting device 20 to the object to be conveyed 50, the control unit of the transport vehicle can approach the connecting device 20 to the object to be conveyed 50 at an appropriate position and angle based on the information from the imaging unit 36 and at least any one of the information of the imaging unit (including cameras and sensors) provided on the transport vehicle itself. For example, the gripping portion 20 of the connecting device 20 is positioned at the center in the left - right direction (center in the width direction) of the object to be conveyed 50, and the transport vehicle 10 is moved so that the object to be conveyed 50 is positioned directly in front of the gripping portion 20.

[0033] Then, when it is determined based on the information from the sensor 29 provided on the gripping portion 20 that the lower frame 51 of the object to be conveyed 50 is disposed at an appropriate position with respect to the gripping portion 20, the displacement portion 25 is displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture. Thereby, the lower frame 51 can be gripped by the gripping portion 20 with high accuracy.

[0034] When the transport vehicle conveys the object to be conveyed 50 to the target position and releases the connection, after displacing the displacement portion 25 from the gripping posture to the release posture, the transport vehicle is run in the direction away from the object to be conveyed 50 (the direction opposite to that at the time of connection) to release the connection. Also in this case, the control unit can appropriately determine whether the lower frame 51 has detached from the gripping portion 20 based on the information from the sensor 29 provided on the gripping portion 20, or determine whether the object to be conveyed 50 has been released from the connection in an appropriate posture based on the information from the imaging unit 36. When releasing the connection, the ejector 30 may be raised after displacing the displacement portion 25 from the gripping posture to the release posture, or it may be detached by moving the transport vehicle without the ejector 30. When there is no ejector, the lower support portion 23 may be moved downward to make it easier to get over the protrusion 24.

[0035] Note that a rotatable plate - shaped turntable may be provided on the upper part of the transport vehicle, and the transport vehicle - side coupling portion 21 may be installed thereon. In that case, the turntable rotates together with the connecting device, and the rotation of the connecting device can be suppressed by suppressing the rotation of the turntable with a disk brake or the like.

[0036] Also, when controlling the rotation angle of the connecting device with respect to the carrier vehicle 10 by a motor, the motor is basically disengaged and rotates freely, but only when necessary (when setting it to a predetermined angle to lock or adjusting the angle of the object to be conveyed with respect to the carrier), the motor may be driven to rotate so that the rotation angle (orientation) of the connecting device can be arbitrarily changed. The motor may be a dedicated motor provided for rotating the connecting device, or a motor for controlling the drive wheels of the carrier vehicle, etc.

[0037] Here, the object to be conveyed 50 can be, for example, a cage cart, a trolley, a cabinet, a pallet, a conveyor, various other devices, etc., but is not limited thereto. The object to be conveyed 50 is provided with wheels 52 and is towed while being connected to the conveying vehicle 10, and thus moves following the conveying vehicle. That is, the object to be conveyed 50 is basically located behind the conveying vehicle 10 (when the traveling direction of the conveying vehicle 10 is taken as the front), but may be located on the traveling direction side of the conveying vehicle 10, for example, when the conveying vehicle 10 reverses. Also, the conveying form may be a towing conveyance in which the conveying vehicle located in the front pulls the object to be conveyed located in the rear, or a conveying form in which the conveying vehicle moves while pushing the object to be conveyed located in the front from the rear. The wheels 52 are provided in a plurality (for example, 4, 6, etc.) on the bottom surface such as the cage portion of the cage cart for loading the conveyed object, and may all be composed of swivel wheels, or may be composed of fixed wheels and swivel wheels. When the object to be conveyed is provided with fixed wheels and swivel wheels, the conveying vehicle and the object to be conveyed may be connected so that the conveying vehicle is located on the fixed wheel side, or vice versa. That is, the control unit can also determine the gripping position (direction) of the connecting device with respect to the object to be conveyed based on the information of the wheels of the object to be conveyed (the presence or absence of fixed wheels and their positions). Further, when the heavy object exceeds a predetermined weight (1 kg, 10 kg, 50 kg, 100 kg, etc.), the conveying vehicle may be connected to the side opposite to the fixed wheel. That is, in addition to the wheel information of the object to be conveyed, it is also possible to determine the gripping position (direction) of the connecting device with respect to the object to be conveyed based on the weight information of the object to be conveyed. Such condition information regarding the determination of the gripping position of the connecting device may be stored in the storage unit in advance, or may be stored or updated based on input information from the user. Also, the wheel information and the weight information may be obtained from input information from the user, or may be received by receiving information transmitted from the object to be conveyed, or may be estimated from the analysis of the camera image of the conveying vehicle or the communication device or the sensor detection information.

[0038] <Configuration of the Conveying Vehicle> FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of the transport vehicle 10. The transport vehicle 10 in this example is an autonomous transport vehicle, but it is also applicable to various vehicles that can be ridden by people. The arrow 15 in FIG. 9 indicates the traveling direction of the transport vehicle. The traveling direction is basically in front of the transport vehicle, but it can also be in the rear depending on the situation. As shown in FIG. 9, the transport vehicle 10 includes a shaft portion 11 for coupling the coupling device 20, an object position detection unit 12 for detecting an object around the transport vehicle, drive wheels 13, and non-drive wheels 14.

[0039] For example, the transport vehicle is equipped with an object position detection unit 12. The object position detection unit 12 is a device that detects the relative distance and angle from the transport vehicle to an object (including the object to be transported, people, etc.). As an example of the object position detection unit 12 and the imaging unit 36, a laser distance sensor (such as LiDAR (Light detection and ranging)) that measures the distance and direction to an object by irradiating laser light and measuring the time until it hits the object and bounces back, a millimeter-wave radar that detects the distance to an object based on the transmitted millimeter-wave signal and the received signal reflected back from the object, or a camera-type distance sensor that measures the distance to an object by photographing the object with a camera and analyzing the photographed image, etc. can be applied. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the object position detection unit 12 is arranged in front of the traveling direction on the upper surface of the transport vehicle. Instead of this, it may be arranged on the front side surface in the traveling direction. Also, it may be arranged not only in the front but also on the rear side surface or both left and right side surfaces in the traveling direction.

[0040] The object position detection unit 12 may be configured to detect an object with respect to 360 degrees around the transport vehicle, but it is configured to be able to detect an object at least with respect to the traveling direction 15 of the transport vehicle. The traveling direction 15 may be in front of or behind the transport vehicle.

[0041] FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing an example of the hardware configuration of the carrier according to the present embodiment. On the bottom surface of the carrier, drive wheels 13 are provided at positions on both the left and right sides with respect to the traveling direction 15 of the carrier, and non-drive wheels 14 are provided at positions before and after each drive wheel 13. The drive wheels 13 are wheels connected to the rotation shaft of the motor and driven, and the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel are individually controlled. The control unit can control the speed of the carrier by controlling the rotation speed of the drive wheels. Further, the control unit can curve and run the carrier, rotate the carrier on the spot to change the direction, stop, or reverse the carrier by individually controlling the rotation speed and rotation direction of each drive wheel. The non-drive wheels 14 are composed of non-driven wheels and are wheels that rotate passively when the carrier moves by the drive wheels 13. The non-drive wheels 14 have, for example, forks for fixing the wheels and the axles, and the forks are composed of rotary casters that are rotatably connected to the bottom member of the carrier. Therefore, the wheel rotation direction of the non-drive wheels 14 changes passively according to the traveling direction and rotation operation of the carrier. In FIG. 10, the hardware configuration of a carrier having two drive wheels and four non-drive wheels at the four corners is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to the hardware configuration, and it is also possible to adopt a configuration of a total of four wheels including two drive wheels and two non-drive wheels, and it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the front wheels are steerable in the four-wheel configuration.

[0042] On the bottom surface of the transport vehicle, a guidance line detection unit 16 for detecting a guidance line is provided. The guidance line detection unit 16 is preferably provided in front of the transport vehicle in the traveling direction rather than the drive wheels 13. Thereby, when traveling at a position where the guidance line is curved, it becomes easier to travel following the guidance line, and when the transport vehicle and the cart being towed move forward, by receiving information from the guidance line quickly, processing such as stopping can be executed quickly. As the guidance line detection unit, a sensor corresponding to the type of guidance method described above is used. When using the electromagnetic induction method as the guidance method, a pickup coil is used. When using the magnetic induction method, a magnetic sensor is used. When using the image recognition method, a camera is used as the sensor of the guidance line detection unit. The guidance line is not limited to the floor surface and may be provided on the side wall surface, ceiling surface, etc. of the building. A sensor (including a camera) of the transport vehicle can be installed at a position where the guidance line can be recognized (the lower surface, side surface, upper surface, etc. of the transport vehicle). Further, the guidance line may be an orbit virtually provided on two-dimensional or three-dimensional map data. The control unit of the transport vehicle may control the traveling of the transport vehicle along a virtual guidance line based on the map information and the orbit information (travel route information) stored in the storage unit in advance and the current self-position information estimated based on information such as a camera and sensors.

[0043] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration example of an operation area 130 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, a guidance line 131 is laid in the operation area 130. When a transport vehicle traveling in the autonomous driving mode detects the guidance line 131 at a preset driving mode switching position 132, the driving control mode is switched from the autonomous driving mode to the guidance driving mode. Conversely, when a transport vehicle traveling in the guidance driving mode on the guidance line enters a preset driving mode switching position 132, the driving control mode is switched from the guidance driving mode to the autonomous driving mode. In order to guide the transport vehicle to a position close to a shelf where luggage is stored, a belt conveyor, or a worker's working position, the orbit composed of the guidance line 131 is laid at a position close to the shelf and the working position via a plurality of branch points.

[0044] When the carrier vehicle 10 traveling in the autonomous driving mode in an area where no guiding line is laid enters the driving mode switching position 132 and detects the guiding line 131, it changes to the guiding driving mode following the guiding line on the condition that it does so. On the other hand, when a carrier vehicle traveling in the guiding driving mode on the guiding line enters the driving mode switching position 132, the driving control mode switches from the guiding driving mode to the autonomous driving mode, the carrier vehicle leaves the guiding line, and starts autonomous driving.

[0045] As the guiding line 131 shown in FIG. 11, various guiding lines of conventional guiding methods as described below can be applied. Specifically, for example, an electromagnetic induction method in which a magnetic field generated by passing a weak alternating current through a metal wire installed as a guiding line is detected by a pickup coil on the carrier vehicle side, a magnetic induction method in which a magnetic tape laid on the floor surface is read by a magnetic sensor on the carrier vehicle side, or an image recognition method in which an image of a code (barcode, two-dimensional code, etc.) laid on the floor surface is photographed by a camera on the carrier vehicle side and image processing is performed can be applied. When the guiding line is composed of a plurality of two-dimensional codes, the guiding line is printed with a plurality of two-dimensional codes in which code information is printed on a two-dimensional plane as shown by the two-dimensional code, arranged in the laying direction of the guiding line. When the guiding line detection unit 16 detects a two-dimensional code, it acquires the position information of the two-dimensional code based on the code information acquired from the two-dimensional code. When the guiding line is composed of a magnetic tape, the guiding line detection unit 16 can be configured to include a plurality of magnetic sensors for detecting the magnetic tape in the lateral direction along the traveling direction of the carrier vehicle. The plurality of magnetic sensors provided in the guiding line detection unit 16 each output a detection signal indicating whether or not the magnetic tape has been detected. Thereby, it is possible to detect at which position of the guiding line detection unit 16 the magnetic tape is located, depending on whether the magnetic sensor located at the center of the guiding line detection unit 16 detects the magnetic tape, or whether the magnetic sensors located at the left and right ends detect the magnetic tape.

[0046] <Configuration of Conveying System> Next, the configuration of the transportation system of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration diagram of the transportation system according to this embodiment. The transportation system 1000 includes a plurality of transport vehicles (10a, 10b), a cart 2000 that is the object to be transported, a console 3000 capable of displaying the state of the transport vehicle or inputting commands to the transport vehicle, a general control device 4000 that manages information necessary for the operation of the transport vehicle, an input / output device 5000 that displays information of the general control device and inputs information to the general control device, and a communication network 6000 that communicably connects the plurality of transport vehicles (10a, 10b), the console 3000, and the general control device 4000.

[0047] Also, the transportation system 1000 can be connected to an external system 7000 via the communication network 6000. When the transportation system 1000 is introduced into a manufacturing plant to transport parts required for manufacturing from a storage to a manufacturing line, the transportation system 1000 performs system-to-system cooperation with a manufacturing management system as the external system 7000. In this case, if information on the progress status of the manufacturing operation is acquired from the manufacturing management system, the transportation volume and transportation route by the transport vehicle can be dynamically adjusted according to the progress status of the manufacturing operation.

[0048] As another example, when the transportation system 1000 is introduced into a logistics warehouse to transport incoming goods from the entrance to the storage when the goods are brought into the warehouse by a truck or the like, and to transport the goods to be shipped from the storage to the shipping exit when shipping goods from the warehouse, the transportation system 1000 performs system-to-system cooperation with a logistics management system as the external system 7000. In this case, if information on incoming and shipping is acquired from the logistics management system, the transportation volume and transportation route by the transport vehicle can be changed.

[0049] In a facility where a transport system is introduced, generally multiple transport vehicles (10a, 10b) operate. Therefore, each transport vehicle is communicably connected to other transport vehicles and other components via a communication network 6000. For example, the transport vehicle transmits various detection information detected by its own detection unit and other control information to the operator console 3000, the overall control device 4000, and other transport vehicles 10. Also, the transport vehicle 10 is electrically connected or communicably connected by short-range communication means to the carriage 2000, and is configured to be able to receive information regarding the connection state from the carriage and the identification information of the carriage, etc.

[0050] The operator console 3000 has a function of displaying the state information of each transport vehicle and a function of inputting commands to a specified transport vehicle. For example, as the state information of the transport vehicle displayed on the operator console, there are the identification information of each transport vehicle, the position (coordinates, position on the map), speed, direction, travel history, the transport history of the transport object (including time information such as the identification information of the transported transport object, the transport start position, the transport end position, the transport time, the connection time, the disconnection time, etc.), the information on the charge amount of the battery that is mounted on the transport vehicle and serves as the power source of the transport vehicle, the sensor information acquired by the transport vehicle, the captured image, the identification information of the transported object (transport object) such as the carriage transported by the transport vehicle, the information of the connection device, the gripping posture or the release posture, the information regarding the lock of the connection device (whether it is in the locked state or not), the rotation angle, etc. All the information acquired or stored in this system can be displayed. As the commands input to the transport vehicle, for example, there are command information regarding the destination (target position) of the transport vehicle, operation commands for connecting and disconnecting from the carriage, a travel start command for the transport vehicle, a stop command for the transport vehicle, a return command to the charging station, an instruction for the transport object to be transported by the transport vehicle, a connection instruction, a disconnection instruction, a rotation lock support, a lock release instruction, an instruction for the rotation angle, an instruction regarding the lock condition (the rotatable angle for locking), the identification information of the transport object to be transported, and instruction information such as time information including the transport start position, the transport end position, the transport time, the connection time, the disconnection time, etc.

[0051] FIG. 13 shows a configuration diagram of the overall control device 4000 in the present embodiment. The overall control device 4000 includes a state information recording unit 4010 that records the state information of a plurality of carrier vehicles operating in a facility area, an operation scenario management unit 4020 that manages the operation scenarios of the plurality of carrier vehicles, a map management unit 4030 that generates and updates a map of the work area based on the detection information of the carrier vehicles including the detection information of the guide line obtained by the guide line detection unit of the carrier vehicle, an abnormality determination unit 4040 that determines abnormalities of the guide line and the carrier vehicle based on the detection information of the carrier vehicle, and a communication unit 4050 that communicates with an external input / output device 5000 and a communication network 6000.

[0052] The state information of the carrier vehicle recorded by the state information recording unit 4010 is, for example, the obstacle detection position detected by a plurality of carrier vehicles in operation, the guide line detection position, the history information of the traveling position of the carrier vehicle, and further, the information on the battery charge amount, the identification information of the carriage connected to the plurality of carrier vehicles, the operation modes of the plurality of carrier vehicles (guide traveling mode or autonomous traveling mode), various detection information detected by the detection unit 230 of the carrier vehicle, the map information of the work area, and the like. The operation scenario managed by the operation scenario management unit 4020 includes, for example, the destination information of each of the plurality of carrier vehicles, the plurality of operation contents to be executed until reaching the destination, the operation order of the plurality of operations, and the switching conditions of the plurality of operations.

[0053] The map management unit 4030 generates a map including the position information of obstacles and guide lines in the work area based on the obstacle detection position, the guide line detection position, and the history information of the traveling position of the carrier vehicle detected by the carrier vehicle. Further, the map management unit 4030 updates the information on the guide lines and the work area registered in the map based on the information on the detected positions of the guide lines accumulated by one or a plurality of carrier vehicles.

[0054] The abnormality determination unit 4040 determines abnormalities of the guide line and the carrier vehicle based on the position information of the guide line registered in the map information and the detection information of the carrier vehicle including the detected position information of the guide line detected by the carrier vehicle.

[0055] The input / output device 5000 displays information recorded in the state information recording unit 4010 of the overall control device 4000, map information (including map update information), and the determination results by the abnormality determination unit, etc., and can newly add or update an operation scenario by inputting the operation scenario managed by the operation scenario management unit 4020. The information input to the input / output device 5000 includes, for example, that the destination of an arbitrary carrier is the work area A in the guidance travel area 110, the operation content for entering the guidance travel area 110 and reaching the work area A, operation switching conditions, and the like.

[0056] <Function of the carrier> The functions of the carrier will be described with reference to FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the functional configuration diagram of the carrier according to the present embodiment. The carrier 10 includes a communication unit 210 that communicates with the coupling device 20, a carriage 2000 outside the carrier, and the communication network 6000, a recording unit 220 (including a storage unit), a detection unit 230 provided with various sensors described later, a coupling device for coupling with the carriage, a wheel drive unit 280 for driving the wheels, an input unit 240, a display unit 250, and a control unit 260 that controls operations such as the wheel drive unit 280.

[0057] The recording unit 220 has a function of recording information received from the outside by the communication unit 210, detection information detected by the detection unit 230, and information generated and output by the control unit. The recording unit 220 can store information such as the target position, movement route, and movement history of the carrier. The recording unit 220 can store speed information according to the distance to the target position, calculation formula (program) information for calculating the speed information, and the like.

[0058] The detection unit 230 includes an object position detection unit 12, a guidance line detection unit 16, a travel distance detection unit 233, a collision detection unit 234, an attitude detection unit 235, and a charge amount detection unit 236. As described above, the object position detection unit 12 measures the distance and direction to an object by measuring the time it takes for laser light to irradiate the object and bounce back, such as a laser distance sensor (LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), etc.), a millimeter-wave radar that detects the distance to an object based on the transmitted signal of millimeter waves and the received signal reflected back from the object, or a camera-type distance sensor that measures the distance to an object by photographing the object with a camera and analyzing the photographed image. The control unit can estimate the current position and current speed information of the carrier vehicle based on the information of the detection unit. The detection unit 230 includes a position sensor including GNSS or the like that detects the current position of the carrier vehicle, and a speed sensor that detects the speed of the carrier vehicle.

[0059] As described above, the guidance line detection unit 16 uses a sensor according to the type of guidance method. When using the electromagnetic induction method as the guidance method, a pickup coil is used. When using the magnetic induction method, a magnetic sensor is used. When using the image recognition method, a camera is used as the sensor of the guidance line detection unit. The guidance line detection unit detects the guidance line when it is located directly above the guidance line and outputs a detection signal. Also, in the case of the image recognition method of reading a guidance line using a two-dimensional code or a barcode by a camera, in addition to the detection signal of the guidance line, position information can be generated based on the information of the detected code, and further, relative angle information between the guidance line and the carrier vehicle can be generated by performing the image information of the code.

[0060] The travel distance detection unit 233 can detect the rotational speed of the non-driven wheel 14 or the driven wheel 13, and measure the travel distance and travel speed of the carrier vehicle based on the detection information of the rotational speed and the information on the diameter (or circumferential length) of the non-driven wheel or the driven wheel. (In this case, the travel distance detection unit 233 can function as a speed sensor.) Also, as an alternative means, it is possible to apply a means for detecting the travel speed of the carrier vehicle by using a millimeter-wave sensor that irradiates millimeter waves in an arbitrary direction in the horizontal direction (which may be a wall surface or a floor surface) and detecting the reflected waves, and estimating the travel distance by integrating the travel speed. Moreover, it is possible to apply any method for measuring the travel distance or obtaining the travel speed other than the methods described above.

[0061] The collision detection unit 234 has a function of detecting that the carrier vehicle has collided with an object or a person. Specifically, it is possible to detect acceleration by a gyro sensor or the like, and determine that a collision has occurred when a sudden change in acceleration is detected. As an alternative means, it is also possible to apply a means for providing a physical switch together with a bumper in front of the traveling direction of the carrier vehicle and determining that a collision has occurred when the physical switch is pressed. Moreover, a collision detection method other than the above can be applied. When the collision detection unit 234 detects a collision, the carrier vehicle is stopped, and at least one of the collision occurrence information and the collision occurrence position information is recorded in the recording unit, and the information is notified to the overall control device 4000 and the control unit 3000. The attitude detection unit 235 detects the direction (attitude) of the own vehicle based on a magnetic compass, information on the rotational speeds of the left and right driven wheels, or wheel steering information.

[0062] The charge detection unit 236 detects the charge level of the battery, which is the power source of the transport vehicle. When the charge level detected by the charge detection unit 236 falls below a predetermined value, it is determined that charging is necessary, and the detection information indicating a decrease in the charge level is recorded in the recording unit, and the information is notified to the overall control device 4000 and the operator 3000. Further, when it is detected that the charge level is below the predetermined value, in addition to the above processing, the vehicle may automatically move to a charging spot for charging. The predetermined value for the charge detection unit 236 to determine that charging is required may be a value preset based on at least either the distance to the destination set for the transport vehicle or the weight of the transported object connected to the transport vehicle.

[0063] The input unit 240 is composed of a physical switch, a touch panel, etc. mounted on the transport vehicle, and the user can directly input operation commands, etc. to the transport vehicle. The display unit 250 is composed of, for example, a liquid crystal panel mounted on the transport vehicle, and can display the state information of the transport vehicle (various detection information by the detection unit 230, the type of driving mode, the operation scenario currently being executed, etc.).

[0064] The control unit 260 includes an operation determination unit 261, a mode switching unit 262, a connection control unit 263, a display control unit 264, a position estimation unit 265, and a travel control unit 266. The operation determination unit 261 determines the operation of the transport vehicle based on the operation scenario of the self-transport vehicle acquired from the operation scenario management unit 4020.

[0065] The mode switching unit 262 switches the driving mode of the transport vehicle between the guided driving mode and the autonomous driving mode based on conditions predetermined by the operation scenario or the like, or a command input by the input unit 240. The connection control unit 263 controls the operation of the connection device based on conditions predetermined by the operation scenario or the like, or a command input by the input unit 240, and controls the connection / disconnection with the transported object such as a cart. The display control unit 264 controls the input IF of the input unit 240 and the display unit 250 described above.

[0066] The position estimation unit 265 can estimate the position at a predetermined time including the current position of the vehicle in the entire driving area based on the driving distance detected by the driving distance detection unit 233, the information on the direction of the host vehicle detected by the attitude detection unit 235, and the map information of the entire area recorded in the recording unit 220. Alternatively, it is also possible to estimate the position of the vehicle in the entire driving area based on the information on the distance and direction from the vehicle to the object measured by the object position detection unit 12 and the map information of the entire area recorded in the recording unit 220. Or, when the vehicle is traveling on a guiding line composed of two-dimensional codes, it is also possible to estimate the position of the vehicle in the entire driving area based on the identification information of the two-dimensional codes and the above map information. The position estimation unit 265 can also acquire position information by means of GNSS or the like provided on the carrier vehicle.

[0067] Based on the estimated vehicle position information and the distance information from the vehicle to the object detected by the object position detection unit 12, the position estimation unit 265 can estimate the position where the object exists. Also, based on the vehicle position information when the guiding line is detected by the guiding line detection unit 16, the installation position of the guiding line is estimated.

[0068] The travel control unit 266 controls the travel of the carrier vehicle based on at least any one of the determination information by the operation determination unit 261 and the mode switching unit 262. The travel control unit 266 can control the forward movement, backward movement, stop, turning, and moving speed and turning speed of the carrier vehicle. Specifically, the right wheel drive unit 281 and the left wheel drive unit 282 of the wheel drive unit 280 are controlled individually. The right wheel drive unit 281 and the left wheel drive unit 282 are composed of, for example, motors, and by individually controlling the rotation speed and rotation direction of each drive wheel, it is possible to make the carrier vehicle travel along a curve with an arbitrary trajectory radius or rotate the carrier vehicle to change its direction.

[0069] Based on the information from the sensors provided on the transport vehicle, an angle estimation process for estimating the angle of the transport vehicle with respect to the extending direction of the guideline, and based on the information from the sensors provided on the transport vehicle, a relative position estimation process for estimating the relative position between the guideline and the transport vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the extending direction of the guideline may be performed, and the orientation of the transport vehicle may be controlled based on the angle and relative position of the transport vehicle. For example, in the case of an image recognition method that reads a guideline using a two-dimensional code or bar code with a camera, in addition to the detection signal of the guiding line, position information may be generated based on the information of the detected code, and further, relative angle information between the guiding line and the transport vehicle may be generated by performing the image information of the code.

[0070] As described above, the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, but the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is obvious that those having ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure can conceive of various modification examples or correction examples within the scope of the technical idea described in the claims, and it is naturally understood that these also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0071] The device described in this specification may be realized as a single device, or may be realized by a plurality of devices (for example, a cloud server) partially or entirely connected by a network. For example, the control unit 260 and the recording unit 220 of the transport vehicle may be realized by different servers connected to each other by a network. Also, in the transport system described in this specification, an example in which the operator 3000, the overall control device 4000, and the input / output device 5000 are each composed of separate hardware connected via a network has been described, but part or all of the functions of the operator 3000, the overall control device 4000, and the input / output device 5000 may be mounted on the transport vehicle 10.

[0072] The series of processes by the apparatus described in this specification may be realized using any of software, hardware, and combinations of software and hardware. It is possible to create a computer program for realizing each function of the control unit 260 according to this embodiment and install it on a PC or the like. Also, a computer-readable recording medium storing such a computer program can be provided. The recording medium is, for example, a magnetic disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a flash memory, or the like. Also, the above computer program may be distributed via a network, for example, without using a recording medium.

[0073] Also, the processes described in this specification using flowcharts do not necessarily have to be executed in the order shown in the figures. Some processing steps may be executed in parallel. Also, additional processing steps may be adopted, and some processing steps may be omitted.

[0074] Also, the effects described in this specification are merely illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. That is, the technology according to the present disclosure may exhibit other effects that are apparent to those skilled in the art from the description in this specification, together with or instead of the above effects.

[0075] Another embodiment is shown in FIG. 15. In this embodiment, the upper support portion 26 that supports the lower frame 51 from above in the gripping posture is not horizontal but inclined obliquely, and also serves as a side support portion 27 that supports the lower frame 51 from the front side (the side of the transport cart 10). That is, the displacement portion 25 is provided with an inclined surface that functions as the upper support portion 26 and the side support portion 27. Also, the lower support portion 23 is not horizontal but inclined obliquely upward toward the protrusion portion 24.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 16, the connecting device 20 is configured to be able to swing up and down about a hinge portion 37 extending in the horizontal direction (the left - right direction of the connecting device) as a fulcrum. The hinge portion 37 is located between the carrier - side coupling portion 21 and the gripping portion 22 (and the auxiliary fixing wheel 34 and the support arm 35 in this example), and the angle of the gripping portion 22 and the like with respect to the carrier - side coupling portion 21 can be changed. Thereby, for example, when the ground on which the carrier travels and the ground on which the wheels of the object to be conveyed contact are not parallel (one is a slope and the other is a horizontal plane, etc.), the gripping portion 22 swings about the hinge portion 37 as a fulcrum, and the wheels of both the carrier and the object to be conveyed can be stably grounded.

[0077] The hinge portion 37 may be provided with a locking mechanism for suppressing swinging. For example, when conveying an object to be conveyed that exceeds a predetermined weight (such as 1 kg, 10 kg, 50 kg, 100 kg, etc.), the swinging of the gripping portion 22 may be suppressed by the locking mechanism. That is, based on the weight of the object to be conveyed, the control unit may determine whether or not to lock the hinge portion 37. According to this, an object to be conveyed with a large weight can be stably conveyed.

[0078] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 17, if the gripping portion 22 and the like are swung (bent) about the hinge portion 37 as a fulcrum and the gripping portion 22 and the like are arranged above the carrier - side coupling portion 21, the carrier and the connecting device can be stored compactly. Also, for safety, the hinge portion 37 may be locked in the folded state of FIG. 17. According to this, accidents such as the connecting device 20 being opened unintentionally and contacting an operator can be prevented.

[0079] In this embodiment, a rotation state detection unit for detecting the rotation angle of the connecting device with respect to the carrier is provided. The rotation state detection unit may be configured by, for example, an encoder that converts the displacement of rotation into an electric signal and detects it, or may be configured by other sensors (such as an angle sensor). By providing the rotation state detection unit, the position and orientation of the object to be conveyed with respect to the carrier can be detected.

[0080] In addition, based on the information of the rotation state detection unit, the backward traveling direction when moving backward can be estimated. Specifically, when moving backward, since it travels in the direction of the fixed wheel of the connecting device or the fixed wheel of the object to be conveyed, the traveling direction when moving backward can be estimated from the angle information of the rotation state detection unit. The control unit of the transport vehicle can safely move backward toward the target position by controlling the drive unit in real time based on the information of the traveling direction and correcting the traveling direction. Further, by estimating the position of the object to be conveyed, it is possible to travel while preventing collision with an obstacle during traveling such as forward or backward movement. That is, since the movement path of the object to be conveyed can be estimated from the movement path of the transport vehicle and the position and orientation information of the object to be conveyed with respect to the transporter, it is possible to estimate the presence or absence of an obstacle on the planned movement path of the object to be conveyed, and if there is an obstacle, the movement can be stopped or the vehicle can avoid it and continue traveling.

[0081] Note that the following configurations also belong to the technical scope of the present disclosure. (Item 1) A connecting device for connecting a transport vehicle and an object to be conveyed, a transport vehicle side coupling portion rotatably coupled to the transport vehicle, and a gripping portion that releasably grips the lower frame of the object to be conveyed. The gripping portion has a lower support portion that supports the horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below, a protrusion portion that protrudes upward from the tip side of the lower support portion and engages with the side surface of the horizontal plate portion, and a displacement portion that is displaced about a shaft portion as a fulcrum between a release posture and a gripping posture. The displacement portion has an upper support portion that supports the lower frame from above in the gripping posture. The gripping portion grips the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the vertical direction between the lower support portion and the upper support portion in the gripping posture. (Item 2) When the displacement portion is displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture, in the depth direction, it is displaced in the direction toward the protrusion portion, and in the vertical direction, it is displaced in the direction toward the lower support portion. The connecting device according to Item 1. (Item 3) The connecting device according to item 1 or 2, wherein an inclined guide surface that inclines obliquely downward toward the tip is provided on the tip side of the protrusion. (Item 4) The lower support portion is configured to be elastically displaceable downward by contact with the object to be conveyed during connection of the object to be conveyed, and a biasing member for returning the downward-displaced lower support portion to its original position is provided. The connecting device according to item 1 or 2. (Item 5) The connecting device according to item 1 or 2, wherein a sensor for detecting that the lower frame is disposed at an appropriate position with respect to the gripping portion is provided. (Item 6) The connecting device according to item 5, wherein the sensor is composed of a pair of sensors that are adjacent to the lower support portion and spaced apart in the left-right direction. (Item 7) The connecting device according to item 1 or 2, further comprising an ejector that disengages the lower frame from the protrusion by lifting the lower frame of the object to be conveyed from below. (Item 8) The connecting device according to item 7, wherein the ejector is located between a pair of the lower support portions that are spaced apart in the left-right direction. (Item 9) The connecting device according to item 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the lower support portion and the upper support portion in the vertical direction, and the distance between the protrusion and the side support portion in the depth direction are configured to be changeable according to the size of the lower frame of the object to be conveyed. (Item 10) The displacement portion has a side support portion that supports the lower frame from the front side, The connecting device according to item 1 or 2, wherein the gripping portion grips the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the vertical direction between the lower support portion and the upper support portion and sandwiching the lower frame in the depth direction between the protrusion and the side support portion in the gripping posture.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0082] 10: Carrier, 20: Connecting device, 22: Gripping part, 23: Lower support part, 24: Protrusion part, 25: Displacement part, 50: Object to be conveyed, 51: Lower frame of the object to be conveyed, 130 Operating area, 131 Guidance line, 132 Travel mode switching position, 210 Communication part, 220 Recording part, 230 Detection part, 240 Input part, 250 Display part, 260 Control part, 280 Wheel drive part, 2000 Cart, 2010 Connecting receiving part, 3000 Control machine, 4000 Overall control device, 5000 Input / output device, 6000 Communication network, 7000 External system

Claims

1. A connecting device for connecting a transport vehicle and an object to be transported, comprising: a transport vehicle side coupling portion rotatably coupled to the transport vehicle; and a gripping portion for releasably gripping the lower frame of the object to be transported. The gripping portion has: a lower support portion that supports the horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below; a protrusion that protrudes upward from the tip side of the lower support portion and engages with the side surface of the horizontal plate portion; and a displacement portion that is displaced about a shaft portion as a fulcrum between a release posture and a gripping posture. The displacement portion has an upper support portion that supports the lower frame from above in the gripping posture. The connecting device, wherein the gripping portion grips the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the vertical direction between the lower support portion and the upper support portion in the gripping posture.

2. The connecting device according to claim 1, wherein when the displacement portion is displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture, the displacement portion is displaced in a direction toward the protrusion in the depth direction and in a direction toward the lower support portion in the vertical direction.

3. The connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an inclined guide surface that is inclined obliquely downward toward the tip is provided on the tip side of the protrusion.

4. The connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower support portion is configured to be elastically displaceable downward by contact with the object to be transported during connection of the object to be transported, and a biasing member for returning the downwardly displaced lower support portion to its original position is provided.

5. The connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a sensor for detecting that the lower frame of the object to be transported is disposed at an appropriate position with respect to the gripping portion.

6. The connecting device according to claim 5, wherein the sensor is composed of a pair of sensors that are adjacent to the lower support portion and spaced apart in the left-right direction.

7. The connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an ejector for releasing the engagement between the lower frame and the protrusion by lifting the lower frame of the object to be transported from below.

8. The connecting device according to claim 7, wherein the ejector is located between a pair of the lower support portions spaced apart in the left-right direction.

9. The connecting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the distance between the lower support portion and the upper support portion in the vertical direction and the distance between the protrusion and the side support portion in the depth direction are configured to be changeable according to the size of the lower frame of the object to be transported.

10. The displacement portion has a side surface support portion that supports the lower frame from the front side. The gripping portion grips the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the vertical direction between the lower support portion and the upper support portion and sandwiching the lower frame in the depth direction between the protrusion portion and the side surface support portion in the gripping posture, for the connecting device according to claim 1 or 2.

Images