Self-travel road surface sign drawing vehicle

Abstract

To provide a self-travel road surface sign drawing device capable of realizing a device drawing, on a road surface, drawing information such as lines / characters / signs / drafts / designs inputted in a computer and, preferably for control of drawing positions upon drawing, accurately drawing even more complicated characters and drafts at desired positions by drawing characters and confirming a normal line and a position of a traveling direction to correct them.SOLUTION: A self-travel road surface sign drawing vehicle 1000 drawing specific characters or any signs on a road surface while self-traveling is provided with: a blower outlet 1810 blowing out air for blower treatment on the road surface; a primer spray outlet 1710 carrying out primer treatment on the blower-treated road surface; a paint material output section attaching paint material for drawing on the primer-treated road surface; and a hardening treatment output section 1510 carrying out hardening treatment of the paint material on the road surface on which the paint material is attached.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a self-propelled road marking character drawing method and a self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, in order to notify drivers of moving vehicles that road conditions are different from normal due to road construction, etc., signs or drawings such as "Slow down," "Watch out for pedestrians jumping out into the road," and "Intersection ahead" are known to be painted on the road to alert the drivers of the vehicles. These signs are designed in various sizes, colors, shapes, etc. to be easily recognized and visible even from moving vehicles.

[0003] The process of installing letters on roads involves multiple workers sequentially performing the following steps: cleaning the road, applying a primer to adhere the letters, applying a molten material to the letters in the correct position, etc. After lettering, heated resin containing glass beads is typically placed on the letters, which hardens and then the work is completed.

[0004] Patent Document 1 below describes an invention aimed at providing a marking construction unit that makes it easy to ensure construction accuracy even when constructing markings at a location that is a large distance from the vehicle in the vehicle width direction. According to this document, the unit includes a bogie 7 that is supported by the vehicle and travels over the road surface R as the vehicle travels over the road surface R, a support 8 that is supported by the bogie 7 and extends outward from the bogie 7 in the vehicle width direction, a paint spray gun 9 that is supported by the support 8 at a position spaced outward from the bogie 7 in the vehicle width direction and that sprays paint supplied through a paint piping from a paint tank mounted on the vehicle toward the road surface R, and a bead spray gun 10 that is supported by the support 8 at a position spaced outward from the bogie 7 in the vehicle width direction and that sprays reflective beads supplied through a bead piping from a bead tank mounted on the vehicle toward the paint sprayed from the paint spray gun 9.

[0005] Furthermore, the following Patent Document 2 discloses an automatic writing device for writing characters on road surfaces, etc., which includes a horizontal frame attached to a moving vehicle such as a truck so that it can rotate horizontally around its tip, a rotation drive device for rotating the horizontal frame horizontally, a device main body attached to the horizontal frame so that it can move in its longitudinal direction, a writing roller attached to the device main body so that it can be raised and lowered, rotated horizontally around a vertical axis, and rotated around the horizontal axis, a movement drive device for moving the device main body in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal frame, a lifting and rotation drive device for raising and lowering and rotating the writing roller, and a control device that operates the drive devices based on pre-stored data to cause the device main body, the horizontal frame, and the writing roller to perform predetermined operations.

[0006] Patent Document 3 also describes a system in which a hanging front guide rod is rotatably installed at the front of a vehicle, leading on a backup line, and piping from a paint tank equipped with a residual amount warning device installed on the loading platform of the vehicle is connected to a primary airless pump, which passes through a sealed boiler and is introduced into an accumulator via a paint filter, which is further connected to a secondary airless pump and introduced into the accumulator, which is then piped to connect to a paint gun, and further piping is provided from the paint gun to the paint tank, and a diesel engine air compressor is installed to drive these pumps, and the above-mentioned diesel A self-propelled road marking line construction vehicle is described, which is characterized by having a diesel engine to rotate the generator, the fuel for the engine and the sealed boiler being the same as that for the vehicle engine, a bead tank with a remaining amount warning device and a bead gun connected by piping, the paint gun and bead gun being installed in an automatic lifting device installed at the rear below the loading platform, with the bead gun positioned behind the paint gun, and both guns being equipped with auto switches linked to the speedometer, and a control panel being installed to electrically control the valves and warning devices of all of these devices. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-085771 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 60-080604 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 56-046006 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The conventional technical ideas disclosed in the above patent documents are merely devices that simply mechanically draw lines, such as straight lines, on roads that are easy to draw mechanically, and are not capable of automatically drawing, for example, graphic designs created by a computer or complex characters, symbols, patterns, etc. on roads.

[0009] Furthermore, lettering work, such as writing characters on road markings, has traditionally been completed through the coordinated work of multiple workers, but lettering work in one location generally takes 30 minutes to an hour, and in recent years, there has been an increasing demand for shorter work times in order to further improve customer satisfaction with transportation infrastructure.In addition, as the number of construction workers is decreasing due to the declining birthrate and population decline, there is a shortage of workers to carry out road marking work, which requires skill, and this trend is becoming more noticeable every year.

[0010] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a self-propelled road marking character drawing device that can accurately draw even more complex characters and designs in desired positions by realizing a device that draws on the road surface drawing information such as straight lines, characters, symbols, patterns and designs that have been input into a computer, and preferably by checking and correcting the normal and position of the characters in the direction of travel when controlling the drawing position during drawing. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] Since lettering work performed when installing road markings has traditionally required skill, a mobile drawing machine can be used to draw letters, symbols, lines, and figures on road or floor surfaces in order to simplify the lettering work, thereby solving the labor shortage and enabling work to be performed with less experience by switching from a task that previously required multiple skilled workers to a single-operator task.To this end, the machine is a mobile road and floor drawing machine that draws inks such as powdered resin or heated resin on the surface of roads and other surfaces.

[0012] Preferably, the machine is one that draws letters, symbols, lines, etc. on roads or floors based on data stored in a built-in computer, data acquired using motion capture technology, etc., photographs, CAD, coordinate data, or input from a touch panel attached to the machine.

[0013] More preferably, it is a machine that applies molten or powdered resin to the road surface or floor and hardens and fixes it with heat or light. Even more preferably, it uses a monitoring camera to capture the normal to the direction of travel, manages and corrects the trajectory, and uses a sensor installed at the tip to prevent collisions. Still more preferably, it is a device that reads coordinates from a drawing and draws letters, symbols, and lines on the road surface or floor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] This invention realizes a device that draws on the road surface drawing information such as lines, letters, symbols, patterns and designs that have been input into a computer, and preferably proposes a self-propelled road marking character drawing device that can accurately draw even more complex characters and patterns in the desired position by checking and correcting the normal and position of the characters and the direction of travel when controlling the drawing position during drawing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an outline of the configuration of a self-propelled road marking drawing vehicle according to the present invention. [Figure 2]The figures explain examples of characters drawn on the road surface to mark it and their reference points. (a) explains an example in which reference points are set at two corners of the drawn character "slow down" itself, and (b) explains an example in which reference points are set at two corners of a self-propelled road marking drawing vehicle when the drawn character "slow down" is about to be drawn. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an outline of road marking work based on CAD data. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating the work process and working situation of conventional manual drawing of characters on a road. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The work of drawing road warning letters and other symbols to be installed on roads involves first marking out the locations where the letters are to be installed, a process known as lettering, under the guidance of several skilled workers, and then applying a resin containing heated and melted glass beads to create and place the letters on the road surface.

[0017] These tasks require 30 minutes to an hour per location, even when performed under the guidance of an experienced worker. Furthermore, the recent labor shortage caused by the declining birthrate and population has led to a lack of progress in the maintenance and installation of road markings, which are important for traffic safety, and there are concerns that this will have a negative impact on the probability of traffic accidents.

[0018] Furthermore, in the field of self-driving cars, which has been rapidly developing in recent years, image recognition technology is used to read lane markings using on-board cameras, etc., and missing lane markings on the road surface could affect the automatic control of the vehicle.

[0019] The drawing method of the present invention involves drawing and placing letters, pattern designs, etc. on road surfaces using a robot arm (an appropriate robot is selected taking into consideration its operating range, payload capacity, operating speed, etc.) built into a 3D printer or drawing machine. The robot arm is an industrial robot that functions like a human arm and is primarily composed of three parts: a manipulator, a hand, and a controller. The manipulator, consisting of a rotary shaft and links, operates like a human arm to perform actual work, and is capable of rotating in various directions, ensuring the accuracy and efficiency of the work. Furthermore, in order to draw white lines and letters, the manipulator must operate at least within a 2D plane, and is appropriately adjusted and designed taking into consideration its operating range, accuracy, speed, etc.

[0020] The hand unit can not only grasp the product but also rotate, shake, pull, etc. In the present invention, for example, a hand holding a drawing pen or brush, or a discharging hand for spraying paint, etc. An inkjet ink discharging mechanism may be provided on a robot arm mounted on a vehicle.

[0021] The controller is a control unit for controlling the robot arm, and works in cooperation with a control program and various sensors to adjust the movement, position, speed, acceleration, etc. of the robot arm, thereby achieving accurate work. In the present invention, the control program and sensors of the robot arm are appropriately set to accurately draw white lines, letters, and figures. In addition, sensors and vision systems can be used to accurately draw white lines, letters, figures, etc., and any of a variety of sensors, such as an image camera, laser scanner, ultrasonic sensor, optical sensor, or infrared sensor, can be used to detect road surface conditions, road boundary lines, existing white lines, obstacles, guide marks, etc., and correct their positions.

[0022] Robot arms are generally known to be capable of a wide variety of tasks depending on the number of rotation axes, the type of hand, and any appropriate program settings. For example, in welding, they are used to heat and melt metal pieces to join them, ensuring accurate welding and worker safety. In assembly, they are also known to be capable of fastening metal parts and assembling plastic parts, and are known to be able to perform tasks efficiently and safely, even over long periods of time. Furthermore, in painting, they can safely spray paint evenly onto products (airless paint sprayers and air spray guns can also be used). Furthermore, in boxing, they can efficiently pack products without errors, and in inspection processes, robotic arms can automate tasks such as visual inspection of products and sorting of defective products, thereby achieving uniform quality.

[0023] For example, a robot arm may be controlled using Arduino, or a GUI for the robot arm may be controlled using Python. Conventionally, when a robot arm is used to paint a product, the product to be painted is transported by a conveyor belt or the like to a fixed location where the robot arm works, and the robot arm then paints the product at that location. In contrast, in the present invention, the object to be painted is a road surface that varies in shape, curve, width, length, slope, unevenness, presence or absence of obstacles, boundary conditions, and presence or absence of existing painting. Therefore, it is necessary to detect these surrounding environments, etc., using sensors to perform appropriate road surface painting.

[0024] In this regard, since the technology of autonomous driving is already being established, a self-propelled road marking character drawing device can be realized by utilizing a group of sensors and a control program used for autonomous driving. Specifically, by installing the road marking character drawing device of the present invention in a vehicle utilizing a group of sensors and a control program used for autonomous driving, a system or vehicle that performs road marking character drawing while driving itself can be realized.

[0025] Furthermore, 3D printers are evolving rapidly, and are now able to produce impact-resistant, high-tensile resins and resins with extremely high heat resistance (a deflection temperature under load of 224°C), mechanical strength, water resistance, flame retardancy, chemical resistance, and insulating properties (high electrical properties), which can be powdered and solidified to be used to draw road markings.

[0026] In addition, the robot arm may use motion capture (technology that digitizes the movements of people and objects), which allows the movement trajectory drawn by a skilled worker to be digitized and the robot to perform the same work movements as a skilled worker.

[0027] Data, photos, CAD data, or SIM data stored in advance in the computer built into the drawing machine are selected using a touch panel, etc., and the drawing machine is then set up by moving to the planned position and normal. The machine then starts up and operates in accordance with the specifications of the input data, placing letters, symbols, lines, and diagrams on the road or floor surface. The shape of the resin to be applied is determined by applying molten resin, resin powder, heat-cured or light-cured, or ink, etc., to the road or floor surface. The drawing machine also uses an air blower to remove any debris from the road or floor surface, and then applies a primer while applying the molten or powdered resin to the road surface, etc.

[0028] In this invention, not only can the road surface be mechanically drawn in simple shapes such as straight lines, but also in complex shapes such as straight lines, letters, symbols and diagrams, based on drawing data that has been previously input into a computer, a road surface drawing device mounted on a self-propelled vehicle can draw the road surface in the correct position, range and size using detection data from various sensors mounted on the vehicle.

[0029] Fig. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the general configuration of a self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle 1000 of the present invention. In Fig. 1, the self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle 1000 is equipped with a computer 1120 that processes captured image data and controls the vehicle's driving and drawing device, and an input / output display device 1110 that comprises a touch panel or the like that displays information from the computer 1120 and accepts inputs.

[0030] The self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle 1000 is also equipped with a traveling device 1200, which is a driving source for traveling (an engine or a hybrid of a battery and a motor is also acceptable), and a rotary encoder information output unit 1300. The rotary encoder information output unit 1300 detects the number of rotations of the wheels and provides the computer 1120 with an accurate travel distance.

[0031] The self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle 1000 is configured to be capable of self-propelling on the road surface 1400, and controls the vehicle's position, traveling speed, traveling direction, and traveling distance so that a predetermined drawing can be made at a predetermined position based on position data, distance and interval to surrounding objects, image data, etc. obtained from the group of various sensors 1900, and operates various drawing devices mounted thereon to draw in necessary locations during that time.

[0032] The sensor group 1900 can be equipped with any known sensors, such as a monitor camera 1920, a collision prevention sensor 1910, and GPS, laser sensors, radar sensors, ultrasonic sensors, optical sensors, etc. (not shown), in order to more precisely control the drawing operation, which is performed along with accurate detection of the vehicle's position and driving control, so that it matches the drawing position range determined in advance on the image data.

[0033] 1 may also be equipped with a system for drawing, such as a raw material supply 1620 for storing liquid, powder, or resin raw material pellets, which serve as paint, and an electromagnetic valve 1610 for sending an appropriate amount of the raw material to the drawing machine 1600. The drawing machine 1600 is equipped with various parts and equipment necessary for drawing a specific image on the road surface, such as ink discharge nozzles for discharging paint (ink), heated resin, etc., application rollers, application brushes, actuators for operating them, various motors, heaters, and a metering system. The tip of the robot arm equipped in the drawing machine 1600 may be equipped with an inkjet discharge port, and the position and spacing of the inkjet discharge port relative to the road can be grasped and arbitrarily controlled by a computer 11120 at least during the drawing operation.

[0034] The self-propelled road marking drawing vehicle 1000 is also equipped with a blower device 1800, which blows strong air toward the road surface from a blower outlet 1810 to remove dust and dirt from the road surface where marking is to be performed, and then sprays an appropriate amount of a primer treatment agent for the paint supplied from the primer device 1700 from a primer spray outlet 1710. The primer treatment improves affinity with the paint, facilitating subsequent application and adhesion of the paint to the road surface by the drawing machine 1600, improving durability and stability, and preventing paint peeling. After drawing by the drawing machine 1600, the curing device 1500 applies light, laser light, ultraviolet light, infrared light, hot air, or cold air for curing to the road surface from a curing process output unit 1510.

[0035] As an example, the curing device 1500 can be configured as a laser cooling device, which can quickly cool the asphalt surface temperature to the standard of 50°C or less, allowing for early lifting of vehicle traffic restrictions. As a result, construction work time can be shortened, and the length of construction work and the amount of work that can be done per day can be increased, making it possible to shorten the number of construction days, and as a result, reducing economic losses.

[0036] Laser cooling is a technique that uses light with a wavelength slightly longer than that of the excited substance being cooled (gas atoms, solid atoms) to absorb light, thereby returning the atomic motion to its ground state and achieving an extremely low temperature. However, since this is a well-known technical concept, only a brief explanation is given below. Laser cooling can reduce the temperature of a group of approximately one billion atoms in a space approximately 1 cm in diameter to approximately 0.0001 K. For example, approximately 80% of the Earth's atmosphere is composed of nitrogen molecules. Room temperature is 300 K in absolute temperature (Kelvin), at which the speed of nitrogen (N2) particles is 279 m / s. If the N2 nitrogen particles are reduced to 0.000001 K, the particle speed will be 1.7 m / s.

[0037] It is important to note that oxygen dissolved in nitrogen may be converted into ozone by gamma rays and react with organic matter in the atmosphere, potentially causing an explosion accompanied by fire. Therefore, when cooling the atmosphere, it is advisable to use chloroprene rubber, a blocking material, as a measure to block gamma rays and other ignition sources.

[0038] In curing based on road surface cooling using laser cooling, laser light is irradiated onto gases and / or alkali metals, and heat exchange occurs in a cooling hopper (in this case, corresponding to the curing process output unit 1510), indirectly lowering the temperature of the asphalt pavement. A typical application is to quickly cool asphalt road paint below the specified temperature for use (50°C). It can also mitigate the heat island effect caused by asphalt temperatures unexpectedly reaching 60°C or higher at night.

[0039] 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating examples of characters to be drawn on the road surface as markings, and their reference points 2100 and 2200, with Fig. 2A illustrating an example in which reference points are set at two corners of the drawn character "slow down" itself, and Fig. 2B illustrating an example in which reference points are set at two corners 2300 and 2400 of the self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle 1000 when the drawn character "slow down" is about to be drawn. Note that while Fig. 2B shows that "slow down" can be seen to be read on the road surface, this only shows the characters to be drawn and their positioning, and conceptually illustrates how the drawing position and drawn characters have been determined in the image data held by the self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle 1000, and that these characters do not yet exist on the actual road surface. In addition to the points shown in Figure 2, any surrounding object such as a utility pole, steel tower, rock, edge of a building, edge of a mountain, or white line may be used as a reference or starting point to accurately grasp and recognize the vehicle's position, its direction, distance from the road edge, drawing length, width, etc.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an overview of road marking work based on CAD data. The diagram illustrates the state in which the self-propelled road marking drawing vehicle 1000 of the present invention draws the "Slow Down" warning sign printed ahead of it on the road surface based on the CAD data. The "Slow Down" characters observed in the CAD data shown in FIG. 3 represent characters that the self-propelled road marking drawing vehicle 1000 will draw as it travels, and therefore are displayed in the CAD data and do not yet exist on the actual road surface. As shown in FIG. 3, an input / output display device 1110, such as a touch panel that displays information from the computer 1120 and accepts input, may indicate the CAD data and the position and range of the "Slow Down" characters to be drawn on the data. Based on this data, the self-propelled road marking drawing vehicle 1000 can draw predetermined characters at predetermined positions while traveling.

[0041] 4 is a diagram illustrating the work process and working conditions for conventional manual drawing of characters on roads. In such manual work, even if a skilled worker performs the work, it takes about 30 minutes to an hour per location, but by using the self-propelled road pavement marking drawing vehicle 1000 of the present invention, it is possible to quickly and precisely draw predetermined characters in predetermined locations without using multiple people or the skills of a skilled worker.

[0042] The system or mechanism for painting road surfaces while the painting vehicle is moving may utilize the system or mechanism of a printer such as a computer. In a printer, paper such as A4 moves and the inkjet unit is in a fixed position, but if the paper is likened to the road surface, then the paper (in this invention, the road surface) is fixed and the inkjet unit (in this invention, the paint discharge nozzle, painting roller, etc.) moves. Although the fixed and moving objects are reversed, they have in common the point that they grasp the relative positions of each other and apply or discharge ink at the appropriate positions.

[0043] However, in the case of a printer, A4 paper and the like is always a certain standard size, with its width and length determined and fixed, and the position at which the paper is set in the paper tray is also fixed, so the distance between the paper surface and the ink nozzle is also constant, and the printer only knows and controls the length of paper feed from the edge of the paper, ejecting and applying the required type and amount of ink to the required ink placement location at the appropriate time according to the paper feed length, thereby feeding the entire paper and completing printing on the entire surface of the A4 paper and the like.

[0044] On the other hand, in the present invention, roads and road surfaces are diverse and varied in shape, size, and surrounding environment. Therefore, while the present invention shares the commonality of ejecting the appropriate amount of ink of the required type onto the road surface at the appropriate time in accordance with the movement of the self-propelled vehicle, it is necessary to pre-determine the road width, the location and coordinates of the mark that will serve as the starting point (fulcrum), and the position of the drawn characters and the like relative to the road surface, as image data. It is preferable that the image data be 3D image data for more precise drawing. Furthermore, in the actual drawing process, the vehicle travels at an appropriate speed while grasping not only the travel distance of the self-propelled vehicle, but also the distance and spacing to surrounding obstacles, etc., as well as the coordinates of the marks and objects that will serve as the starting point and fulcrum, and so on, and the drawing proceeds so that the actual drawing layout matches the predetermined layout position in the image data.

[0045] Marks, landmarks, and reference points for the relative positioning of the drawing location can be made from landmarks (multiple landmarks are possible) located in the actual road conditions environment around the road surface, such as trees and rocks on the side of the road, distant steel towers, utility poles, road corners, mountain peaks and edges, the ends of jetties, existing white lines, existing pedestrian crossings, etc. The angle and distance to the landmark can be calculated for the positioning of the marking drawing characters in image data captured by a camera of the road surface conditions environment, and when drawing using an actual self-propelled vehicle, the angle and distance to the actual landmark can be captured from the camera to determine the coordinates and positioning.

[0046] Next, the difference between this invention and product painting on a factory production line, etc., is that in a factory, etc., after the product is moved, delivered, and placed to a predetermined position relative to the robot arm using a conveyor or the like (or after the robot arm is moved to a predetermined position relative to the product and placed in a predetermined position relative to the product), in other words, after the relative position between the robot arm and the product is always constant, the robot arm repeats the same painting operation on the products that are delivered and placed one after another, making it possible to paint a large number of products with the same uniformity.

[0047] On the other hand, in road surface drawing, not only do the road surface conditions and surrounding environment differ for each road, but unlike mass-produced products, the same drawing is not repeatedly performed in the same location, and the drawing content is generally different for each drawing location. For this reason, the surrounding environment of the area to be drawn, the road area, and road surface conditions are captured in advance as image data using a camera, and the placement and drawing positions of characters, symbols, etc. to be drawn on the road surface are confirmed and determined on the image data of a computer such as a personal computer (preferably while checking the screen display). In addition, one or more coordinate origins and coordinate markers can be determined manually or automatically, and the computer can recognize the positional relationship (relative interval, distance, and placement) between the coordinate origins and the drawing location and drawing range on the image data, and based on that data, the computer can drive while drawing, reflecting the actual vehicle driving.

[0048] Here, Patent Document 2 (JP 60-080604 A) states, "Next, the device for automatically writing characters onto road surfaces, etc., of the present invention will be explained using one embodiment shown in Figs. 3 to 9. 1 is a mobile vehicle, such as a well-known truck. 2 is an X-axis drive unit, which is made up of a step motor and gear 27 to move the entire device body (painting unit) supported by support unit 28 in the directions of the arrows U and E in Fig. 5. Support unit 28 moves in the directions of the arrows U and E by rotating the motor forward and backward. 3 is the character written by this device, and 4 is an X-axis arm. In this embodiment, As shown in Figure 5, one side is engraved with a rack (z) that meshes with the gear 27. The X-axis arm 4 can be rotated horizontally around a fulcrum (P) by an appropriate rotation drive device such as a motor in response to a command from an X-axis control device 37. Reference numeral 5 denotes a paint tank, which has a valve 26 and a paint pipe 25 to supply paint from the tank 5 to the roller 24. Reference numeral 6 denotes a generator for powering this device, and in this embodiment, an engine-type generator is used. Reference numeral 7 denotes a processing device, and the X-axis drive unit 2 and print angle drive unit 15 in Figure 5 control the valve 26 and X-axis arm 4. Reference numeral 14 denotes an operating unit. The operation unit (display device with input device) has the function of specifying the characters to be written on the road surface to the processing device 7. Reference numeral 15 denotes a printing angle drive unit, which has gears 16 and 18 for rotating the roller 24 in the direction of the arrow K and K. The printing angle drive unit 15 is, for example, a step motor. Reference numeral 17 denotes a painting arm, which supports the roller 24 and is detachable from the gear 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes a road pressure cylinder, which can apply a constant pressure in the direction of the arrow K and can move up and down in the direction of the arrow K. The painting arm 17 also has gears 16 and 18 for rotating the roller 24 in the direction of the arrow K and K. It can rotate up to 360° in any direction. Reference numeral 20 denotes a vehicle (for example, on casters that can swivel in all directions) that supports a frame 23. Reference numeral 21 denotes an arm support cylinder that supports the X-axis arm 4, and the arm support cylinder 21 is raised and lowered by operating an operating lever (not shown) from the driver's seat 33. Reference numeral 24 denotes a roller, with a coating pipe 25 inserted into the roller, and pipe 25 within roller 24 has a hole 34 as shown in Figure 8. Roller 24 also has a hole 32, and the outer periphery of roller 24 is made of sponge or the like.Reference numeral 30 denotes a roller support, 31 a pipe support, 33 a driver's seat for the mobile vehicle 1, and 35 a memory device that stores control information related to the shape and size of the letters, numbers, kanji characters, kana characters, symbols, curves, and lines to be written, as well as the movements of the X-axis arm 4, print angle drive unit 15, road surface pressing cylinder 19, and valve 26 when writing. The operation of the road surface pressing cylinder 19 is controlled based on information stored in the memory device 35, such as information related to the road surface to be written. Reference numeral 37 denotes an X-axis control device that sends forward and reverse rotation commands to the X-axis drive unit 2 and a rotation command to the X-axis arm 4. Reference numeral 38 denotes a print angle control device that transmits forward and reverse rotation commands received from the processing device 7 to the print angle drive unit 15. Reference numeral 39 denotes a paint control unit that controls the viscosity and flow rate of the paint and transmits pulp opening and closing commands received from the processing device 7 to the valve 26. Reference numeral 40 denotes a Y-axis control section, which transmits the pressure amount command to be applied to the road surface received from the processing device 7 to the road surface pressing cylinder 19. Reference numeral 51 denotes a bead tank that supplies beads to a bead gun 52, and has a valve 53 and a pipe 54 as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

[0049] Next, the operation of the device for automatically writing characters on road surfaces will be explained. The mobile vehicle 1, as shown in Figure 4, travels to the desired location for writing characters. Upon arriving at the desired location, the mobile vehicle 1 is stopped in the correct position. Then, from the driver's seat 33, an operating lever (not shown) is operated to extend the arm support cylinder 21, causing the vehicle 20 to land. Only if there is a significant inclination in the road surface near the location for writing characters is the frame support cylinder 21 operated (extending and retracting in the direction of arrows Y and Y in Figure 4) to eliminate any difference in elevation between the front and rear. After leveling the X-axis frame 4, the roller 24 is replaced depending on the thickness of the characters to be written. The above operations are performed from the driver's seat 33; only the replacement of the roller 24 in the writing unit is performed on the ground. Next, the X-axis drive unit 2 and X-axis arm 4 are operated from the operating unit 14 to determine the starting point for writing characters (this is called "determining the starting point"). The type and size of the characters are then specified using the input device on the operating unit 14. All subsequent operations are performed automatically based on control signals from the processing unit 7. Specifically, the processing device 7 obtains information about the operation of the X-axis arm 4, X-axis driver 2, print angle driver 15, and road pressure cylinder 19 from a storage device 35 (e.g., a storage device that pre-stores the unevenness of the road surface on which characters will be written). Then, it outputs an open command to the valve 26, supplying paint while pressing the roller 24 against the road surface to write characters. To write characters thicker or thinner, the device controls the paint viscosity, writing speed, and roller 24 pressure. At this time, the roller 24 rotates in the direction of arrows T and Z in Figure 5 relative to the direction of travel. The bead gun 52, located behind the direction of travel, operates to drop heavy beads onto the applied paint to finish the writing. When writing the characters is complete, the processing device 7 raises the roller 24 in the direction of arrow Q in Figure 5 using the road pressure cylinder 19 and outputs a close command to the valve 26, completing the writing. To write multiple characters vertically or horizontally, the process can be restarted by determining the starting point. When drawing a long straight line, after aligning the starting point, the valve 26 is opened from the operating unit 14, the roller 24 is brought into contact with the ground, and then the mobile vehicle 1 is made to travel in a straight line.

[0050] The automatic writing device for road surfaces, etc., of the present invention comprises a horizontal frame mounted on a truck or other mobile vehicle so as to be rotatable horizontally about its tip, a device main body mounted on the horizontal frame so as to be movable in its longitudinal direction, a writing roller mounted on the device main body so as to be liftable, rotatable horizontally about a vertical axis, and rotatable about a horizontal axis, a movement drive unit for moving the device main body in the longitudinal direction of the horizontal frame, a lift and rotation drive unit for lifting and rotating the writing roller, and a control unit for operating each drive unit based on pre-stored data to cause the main body and the writing roller to perform predetermined operations, thereby automating the writing of characters and eliminating the risk of traffic accidents. Furthermore, characters can be written quickly and according to specifications, which results in shorter traffic control times and reduced economic losses.

[0051] In the present invention, it is possible to adopt part or all of the configuration of the above-mentioned publicly known document 2, but this document does not disclose any ideas regarding the reading and output of drawing data, the setting and determination of reference points, starting points, and drawing position placement, or methods for doing so, or the driving control of a mobile drawing vehicle, and it is understood that the driving of the vehicle is controlled by a person holding the steering wheel.

[0052] As already mentioned above, in the present invention, the actual road surface conditions together with the surrounding conditions are acquired in advance as image data by a camera or the like, and the image data is preferably displayed on a monitor screen, and drawn characters, etc. are superimposed on the image data to determine the position of the drawing, the drawing range, etc. Note that the road surface is not limited to the road surface, and may be any ground surface such as a parking lot, square, campground, sports field, etc.

[0053] The self-propelled road surface marking drawing device of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle and can self-drive to a drawing start position on the actual road surface based on image data and drawing position data acquired in advance, and can start drawing operations and driving for that purpose. Therefore, the vehicle can perform road surface drawing while determining the actual drawing location based on the reference points of the actual road environment acquired by a camera actually mounted on the vehicle, from the relationship between the reference points recognized on the image data and the drawing position.

[0054] Furthermore, the self-propelled road pavement marking drawing vehicle of the present invention is able to perform more accurate and precise drawing by appropriately correcting and amending the current vehicle position by matching the current position acquired by the various sensors mounted on the vehicle with the position on the image data.

[0055] Furthermore, while drawing the actual image, the normal to the direction of travel may be acquired by the monitor camera 1920 and used to control the vehicle's travel, and signs on the road and road features may be recognized and used as reference points, coordinate axes, or markers to adjust the direction of travel and position of the vehicle. By combining this with GPS data, more precise control of the vehicle's position becomes possible, and drawing can be performed at a more accurate position and range for the planned location.

[0056] For example, the monitor camera 1920 can detect road lines and obstacles, and based on that information, the vehicle can be controlled to safely and efficiently maintain its direction of travel, and the system may be realized by combining technologies such as image processing and machine learning. Specific control methods may be as follows.

[0057] Step 1: Image processing and feature detection The computer 1120 acquires images from the monitor camera 1920 and uses image processing technology to detect features such as lines and obstacles on the road. From the detected features, the computer 1120 also extracts information such as the distance and angle to the center line of the road and obstacles.

[0058] Step 2: Calculate heading From the detected features, the computer 1120 calculates the normal to the vehicle's direction of travel. For example, the correction angle to the direction of travel can be calculated from the vehicle's position relative to the center line of the road.

[0059] Step 3: Cruise control Based on the calculated correction angle of the direction of travel, the vehicle's steering wheel (i.e., tire direction), accelerator, brake, etc. are controlled. Also, based on the correction angle, the vehicle is controlled to travel safely on the road. For example, if the correction angle is positive, the steering wheel is turned to the right, and if it is negative, the steering wheel is turned to the left. Step 4: Real-time updates

[0060] The control is updated in real time in response to changes in the direction of travel and the surrounding environment, while drawing operations on the road surface. For example, if an obstacle appears ahead or a corner in the road is approaching, the direction of travel, accelerator, and brake control are appropriately adjusted. By combining these steps, the direction of travel of the autonomous vehicle can be controlled while drawing operations on the road surface are performed using information obtained from the monitor camera 1920.

[0061] Furthermore, methods for printing road markings on a road surface using a robotic arm mounted on a vehicle and directly printing required markings on the road include the Mobile Robotic Printer (MRP), the Tiger Stone Paving Machine (a specialized paving machine in which a robotic arm mounted on a vehicle automates paving work, accurately places stones during paving work, and is used to create crosswalks and road markings), and the Roadware 3D printing system (a mobile 3D printing system in which a robotic arm mounted on a vehicle prints concrete directly on the road and is used for road maintenance such as road surface repair and bridge repair). However, these methods require accurate road markings such as white lines, signs, and medians that already exist on the existing road surface, and therefore these methods and systems are based on the assumption that such accurate road markings already exist. For this reason, such known conventional methods are not applicable to the application of the present invention.

[0062] The image data used by the self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle 1000 in the present invention is not limited to image data acquired on the spot by the monitor camera 1920, and 3D map data, which will be described below, may also be used. The 3D map data may be created as follows.

[0063] For example, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology can be used, i.e., LiDAR sensors can be used to measure the height and shape of the ground surface, and this data can be used to create 3D maps. LiDAR uses laser beams to measure the distance to objects and terrain surfaces, allowing for the generation of highly accurate 3D maps. This allows for the use of 3D image data that accurately captures the road surface conditions and their surroundings, including small bumps, slopes, and curves, making it possible to render road surfaces with greater precision and finer resolution.

[0064] In addition, photogrammetry is used to take multiple photographs (such as aerial or satellite photographs) and use specialized software to extract terrain features from those photographs to generate a 3D model. This process accurately determines the position and direction of the camera, and based on that information, the shape of the terrain can be reconstructed from the images.

[0065] Additionally, aerial footage and photographs taken by drones can be used to create 3D models of the terrain, possibly in combination with photogrammetry and LiDAR technology.

[0066] Furthermore, geographic information system (GIS) data may be utilized, and data from the geographic information system may be used to create a 3D model of the height and shape of the terrain. The data regarding the height and shape of the terrain may be collected from aerial photographs, satellite imagery, topographical data, and other survey data.

[0067] LiDAR technology is ideal for creating precise 3D maps, but tends to be somewhat costly. Using drones allows for relatively easy coverage of large areas, but can be subject to weather and airspace restrictions. The process of creating 3D map data using aerial photographs, drone photos, and satellite images is called photogrammetry, and it allows for the restoration of the three-dimensional coordinates of specific points and terrain from aerial photographs.

[0068] Specifically, aerial photographs are first taken from the sky using airplanes, drones, or satellites. Obtaining photographs from multiple angles and positions allows for a more accurate 3D model to be obtained. Next, the aerial photographs are processed using specialized software to extract terrain features and textures from the images, providing information such as the position, angle, and size of objects and terrain in the photographs.

[0069] The photogrammetry process then uses the extracted feature points and the correspondence between images to calculate the 3D coordinates of terrain and objects. This allows for a three-dimensional representation of terrain from aerial photographs. Furthermore, in the 3D model generation process, the results of photogrammetry can be used to create a 3D model of the terrain. This model includes the height and shape of the terrain, and applying textures obtained from the aerial photographs makes it possible to obtain a realistic appearance. Therefore, the above-mentioned 3D map data can be used as image data for road surface drawing.

[0070] By specifying the drawing position, size, and range on the 3D map data and setting and inputting them into the computer 1120 via the input / output display device 1110, etc., the self-propelled road pavement marking drawing vehicle 1000 can determine its own position based on GPS data and data obtained from the sensor group 1900, and can trace and draw accurately and precisely so that the drawing direction, drawing content, drawing position, size, range, etc. are as previously set.

[0071] The above-mentioned configurations, structures, various methods, etc. described in this embodiment are merely specific examples given for the convenience of explanation, and are not limited to the contents of this description. It is possible to change, arrange, add, delete, or modify the configurations, materials, raw materials, processes, methods, structures, work procedures, etc. as appropriate within the scope of what is obvious to a person skilled in the art and within the technical concept of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0072] The present invention can be widely deployed and applied to cases where letters, warning signs, and various designs are drawn on a road surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1000··Self-propelled road surface marking drawing vehicle, 1110··Input / output display device, 1120··Computer, 1200··Traveling device, 1300··Rotary encoder information output unit, 1400··Road surface, 1500··Hardening device, 1510··Hardening process output unit, 1600··Drawing machine, 1610··Solenoid valve, 1620··Raw material supply, 1700··Primer device, 1800··Blower device, 1900··Various sensor groups.

Claims

1. A vehicle that draws predetermined characters or arbitrary markings on the road surface while automatically traveling, A blower outlet that blows out air to blow the road surface; A primer spray nozzle for primer-treating the blower-treated road surface; a paint output unit that applies a paint for drawing to the primer-treated road surface; a hardening treatment output unit that performs hardening treatment on the road surface to which the paint is applied. A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

2. 2. The self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 1, Furthermore, it is equipped with a rotary encoder information output unit that measures the distance traveled while drawing. A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

3. 3. The self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, a monitor camera that captures image data of the road surface surroundings to be drawn in advance and / or monitors the surroundings of the vehicle during drawing; Collision prevention sensors detect obstacles around the vehicle, and are also equipped A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

4. 4. The self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 3, a raw material tank containing raw materials for the drawing paint; and an electromagnetic valve that outputs the raw material contained in the raw material tank to the drawing machine equipped with the paint output unit at the appropriate time and in the appropriate amount. A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

5. 5. The self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 4, Further, a computer having CAD data of the road surface to be drawn or image data of the surrounding environment of the road surface acquired in advance is provided, The drawing is driven autonomously by instructions from the computer so that the drawing shape, position, size, and range determined on the data of the computer are realized. A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

6. 6. The self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 5, The hardening treatment output unit radiates heat or light onto the road surface to harden the molten resin or powder resin applied to the road surface. A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

7. 6. The self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 5, The monitor camera acquires and recognizes a normal line positioned ahead in the traveling direction, and the computer controls the traveling direction based on the normal line. A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

8. 3. The self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, a monitor camera for monitoring the periphery of the vehicle during drawing; It also has collision prevention sensors that detect obstacles around the vehicle. A computer having previously acquired 3D map data of the road surface to be rendered and the surrounding environment of the road surface, The drawing is driven autonomously by instructions from the computer so that the drawing shape, position, size, and range determined on the data of the computer are realized. A self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle characterized by the above.

9. 8. The road surface drawing method using a self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 7, To realize the drawing shape, position, size, and range that have been input in advance for the image data, CAD data, or coordinate data held by the computer, Based on the detection data input from at least the monitor camera and the collision prevention sensor, and a step of driving the vehicle unmanned while drawing a predetermined image on the road surface. A road surface drawing method characterized by:

10. The road surface drawing method according to claim 9, The monitor camera obtains a normal to the traveling direction of the vehicle while drawing on the road surface, and performs driving control of the vehicle based on the obtained data of the normal. A road surface drawing method characterized by:

11. 9. The road surface drawing method using a self-propelled road marking character drawing vehicle according to claim 8, To realize the drawing shape, position, size, and range that are input in advance for the 3D map data stored in the computer, Based on the detection data input from at least the monitor camera and the collision prevention sensor, and a step of driving the vehicle unmanned while drawing a predetermined image on the road surface. A road surface drawing method characterized by:

12. The road surface drawing method according to claim 11, The monitor camera obtains a normal to the traveling direction of the vehicle while drawing on the road surface, and performs driving control of the vehicle based on the obtained data of the normal. A road surface drawing method characterized by:

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