Fence member opening / closing device

Abstract

To provide a fence member opening / closing device that prevents the risk of contact between a fence member and an obstacle.SOLUTION: A front-side gate opening / closing device 11 includes: a mechanism unit 21 that moves a front-side gate 7a between a lower closed position and a lower open position; an obstacle detection sensor 24 capable of detecting an obstacle existing within a range of a movement trajectory M of the front-side gate 7a; and a control unit 23. When the obstacle detection sensor 24 detects that the obstacle is present within the range of the movement trajectory M, the control unit 23 executes contact avoidance control for avoiding contact between the front-side gate 7a and the obstacle.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fence member opening and closing device for opening and closing a fence member provided on the bed of a freight vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] Fence members (so-called gates) are provided on the loading platform of a cargo vehicle such as a truck to prevent the load from falling. Patent Document 1 discloses a fence member opening and closing device (gate opening and closing mechanism of Patent Document 1) that automatically opens and closes the fence member. The fence member opening and closing device is configured to open and close the fence member by driving a mechanism unit (actuator of Patent Document 1) based on a switch operation by an operator (for example, a truck driver, etc.). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2024-015814 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the fence member is opening or closing, an obstacle such as a person or a forklift may enter the path of the movement. However, if the operator operates the switch to open or close the fence member without noticing the obstacle, the fence member may come into contact with the obstacle during the opening or closing operation. This may result in damage to the fence member or the obstacle.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a fence member opening and closing device that reduces the risk of contact between a fence member and an obstacle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The fence member opening and closing device of the present invention is a fence member opening and closing device that opens and closes a fence member provided on the loading platform of a freight vehicle, and is characterized by comprising: a mechanism that moves the fence member between an open position and a closed position; an obstacle detection sensor that can detect obstacles that exist within the range of the movement trajectory of the fence member that moves between the open position and the closed position; and a control unit that, when the obstacle detection sensor detects the presence of the obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory, executes contact avoidance control to avoid contact between the fence member and the obstacle.

[0007] According to the present invention, when an obstacle enters the range of the movement trajectory of the fence member, the control unit executes contact avoidance control, which reduces the risk that the mechanism unit opens or closes the fence member without the operator realizing that an obstacle has entered the range of the movement trajectory of the fence member, and ultimately reduces the risk of contact between the fence member and the obstacle.

[0008] In the fence member opening and closing device of the present invention, it is preferable that when the obstacle detection sensor detects that an obstacle is present within the range of the movement trajectory, the control unit stops the movement of the fence member by the mechanism unit as the contact avoidance control.

[0009] According to the present invention, when an obstacle enters the range of the movement trajectory of the fence member, the movement of the fence member can be stopped quickly, thereby further reducing the risk of contact between the fence member and the obstacle.

[0010] The fence member opening and closing device of the present invention preferably includes a fence member detection sensor capable of detecting the position of the fence member, and the control unit preferably turns off the obstacle detection sensor when the fence member detection sensor detects that the fence member is located within a range in which the obstacle detection sensor can detect the obstacle.

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the obstacle detection sensor from mistakenly detecting a fence member that is in the process of opening or closing as an obstacle.

[0012] In the fence member opening and closing device of the present invention, the obstacle detection sensor is preferably attached under the body of the freight vehicle.

[0013] Generally, there is sufficient space under the body of a freight vehicle, and by installing an obstacle detection sensor in such a space, interference with other components of the freight vehicle can be reduced.

[0014] In the fence member opening and closing device of the present invention, it is preferable that the obstacle detection sensor is attached to a side mirror of the freight vehicle.

[0015] Generally, there is sufficient space around the side mirrors of freight vehicles, and by installing an obstacle detection sensor in such a space, interference with other components of the freight vehicle can be reduced. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a truck equipped with a gate opening / closing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the gate opening / closing system. [Figure 3] This is a front view of the left side of the truck. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the track. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a gate opening / closing system including a gate opening / closing device according to a first modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a top view of a truck equipped with a gate opening / closing device according to a second modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a front view of the left side of a truck according to a second modified example, as seen from the front. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below. A gate opening / closing system 10 (see FIG. 2) according to this embodiment is mounted on a truck 1 (cargo vehicle of the present invention) having a bed 3 as shown in FIG. 1, for example. The gate opening / closing system 10 can also be mounted on a trailer having a box-shaped bed (more specifically, a bed including gates and wings, which will be described later). The gate opening / closing system 10 can also be mounted on a truck or trailer having a bed that does not include wings.

[0018] (Track 1 Structure) First, the structure of the truck 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1. In the following description, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction will be defined as shown in Fig. 1. The forward and backward direction of the truck 1 is the front-rear direction, and the width direction of the truck 1 is the left-right direction. The direction perpendicular to both the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is the up-down direction.

[0019] The truck 1 has a cabin 2 provided at the front end of the vehicle and a box-shaped cargo bed 3 provided behind the cabin 2. The cabin 2 has a driver's seat. A cargo compartment A is formed inside the cargo bed 3.

[0020] The cargo bed 3 mainly comprises a floor member 4 that forms the floor, a front wall member 5 that forms the front wall, two rear doors 6 that open on both sides, a plurality of gates 7 (fence members of the present invention), and two wings 8. The floor member 4 is supported by a rectangular frame 4a that is provided around the periphery of the floor member 4. When closed, the rear doors 6 form the rear wall of the cargo bed 3.

[0021] The gates 7 are provided on the left and right sides of the loading platform 3. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , there are four gates 7, two on each side of the right and left sides of the loading platform 3. However, the number of gates 7 is not limited to this. For example, there may be six gates 7, three on each side of the right and left sides of the loading platform 3. The two gates 7 on the right and left sides of the loading platform 3 are arranged side by side in the front and rear. In the following description, when distinguishing between the two gates 7 arranged side by side in the front and rear, the gate 7 arranged at the front will be referred to as the front gate 7a and the gate 7 arranged at the rear will be referred to as the rear gate 7b. The gates 7 form the lower parts of the left and right side walls of the loading platform 3 when in the lower closed position described below.

[0022] Each of the gates 7 is a plate-shaped member extending in the front-rear direction. Each of the gates 7 is attached to the underframe 4a by a hinge (not shown). This allows each of the gates 7 to swing about a rotation axis extending in the front-rear direction. Each of the gates 7 can swing between a lower closed position (closed position of the present invention) in which the luggage compartment A is closed, and a lower open position (open position of the present invention) located further outward from the lower closed position in the luggage compartment A. In the example shown in FIG. 1, of the two gates 7 provided on the left side of the luggage compartment 3, the front gate 7a is in the lower closed position, and the rear gate 7b is in the lower open position.

[0023] A center pillar 9 is provided between the front and rear gates 7a and 7b. The center pillar 9 is configured to be swingable about a rotation axis extending in the front-to-rear direction. The front and rear gates 7a and 7b can be connected to the center pillar 9 using a locking mechanism (not shown). In the example shown in FIG. 1, of the pair of gates 7 provided on the left side of the cargo bed 3, the front gate 7a is connected to the center pillar 9, and the rear gate 7b is disconnected from the center pillar 9, and the rear gate 7b is moved from the lower closed position to the lower open position. In this way, only one of the two gates 7 arranged in a row can be moved. Furthermore, with both gates 7 connected to the center pillar 9, the two gates 7 can also be moved simultaneously from the lower closed position to the lower open position.

[0024] Two wings 8 are provided on the left and right sides of the loading platform 3. Each wing 8 is roughly L-shaped when viewed from the rear. Each wing 8 extends in the front-to-rear direction. The wing 8 provided on the right side of the loading platform 3 forms the right half of the ceiling and the upper part of the right side wall of the loading platform 3 when in the upper closed position described below. The wing 8 provided on the left side of the loading platform 3 forms the left half of the ceiling and the upper part of the left side wall of the loading platform 3 when in the upper closed position described below.

[0025] Each wing 8 is configured to be swingable about a rotation axis extending in the front-to-rear direction near the left-to-right center of the upper end of the luggage compartment A. By swinging, each wing 8 can move between an upper closed position in which the luggage compartment A is closed and an upper open position in which the luggage compartment A is open to the outside. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the wing 8 provided on the right side of the luggage compartment 3 is in the upper closed position, and the wing 8 provided on the left side of the luggage compartment 3 is in the upper open position.

[0026] (Tilt opening and closing system) Next, with further reference to Fig. 2, a description will be given of the gate opening / closing system 10 mounted on the truck 1. The gate opening / closing system 10 shown in Fig. 2 is a system for opening and closing two gates 7 provided on either the left or right side of the loading platform 3. That is, the truck 1 is equipped with another system similar to the gate opening / closing system 10 shown in Fig. 2 in order to open and close the gates 7 provided on the left and right sides of the loading platform 3. Power is supplied to the gate opening / closing system 10 from a power source (not shown) such as a battery.

[0027] The gate opening / closing system 10 includes gate opening / closing devices in a number corresponding to the number of gates 7 to be opened and closed (two in this embodiment). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the gate opening / closing system 10 includes two gate opening / closing devices: a front gate opening / closing device 11 and a rear gate opening / closing device 12. The front gate opening / closing device 11 moves the front gate 7a between a lower closed position and a lower open position. The rear gate opening / closing device 12 moves the rear gate 7b between a lower closed position and a lower open position.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 2, the front gate opening / closing device 11 includes a mechanism 21 and a control unit 23. The mechanism 21 includes an actuator driven by a drive motor 22 (e.g., a DC motor). Note that the drive motor 22 may be a motor other than a DC motor, such as an AC motor or a servo motor. The mechanism 21 includes, in addition to the actuator, a link mechanism (not shown) operated by the actuator. The mechanism 21 is configured to swing the front gate 7a between a lower closed position (the front gate 7a shown by the solid line in FIG. 3) and a lower open position (the front gate 7a shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3) by operating the link mechanism or the like with the actuator (see the solid line arrow in FIG. 3). The control unit 23 controls the driving of the drive motor 22 of the mechanism 21.

[0029] Similar to the front gate opening / closing device 11, the rear gate opening / closing device 12 has a mechanism 31 and a control unit 33. The configuration of the mechanism 31 of the rear gate opening / closing device 12 is similar to that of the mechanism 21 of the front gate opening / closing device 11, so a detailed description will be omitted. The mechanism 31 includes an actuator driven by a drive motor 32, and is configured so that the rear gate 7b can be swung between a lower closed position and a lower open position by operating a link mechanism or the like with the actuator. The control unit 33 controls the drive of the drive motor 32 of the mechanism 31.

[0030] The gate opening / closing system 10 includes a gate operating device 13 for operating the gates 7 (front gate 7a and rear gate 7b). The gate operating device 13 is configured to be able to input a selection instruction to select either the front gate 7a alone, the rear gate 7b alone, or both the front gate 7a and the rear gate 7b as the gate 7 to be operated. The gate operating device 13 is also configured to be able to input an open instruction to move the gate 7 selected as the gate 7 to be operated from the lower closed position toward the lower open position, or a close instruction to move it toward the lower closed position.

[0031] The front gate opening / closing device 11 and the rear gate opening / closing device 12 are arranged below the floor member 4 and underframe 4a of the bed 3. The front gate opening / closing device 11 is arranged near the front gate 7a. The rear gate opening / closing device 12 is arranged near the rear gate 7b. As shown in FIG. 1, the gate operating device 13 is attached to the rear end of the lower part of the bed 3. The front gate opening / closing device 11, the rear gate opening / closing device 12, and the gate operating device 13 are arranged in this order from front to rear.

[0032] The gate opening / closing system 10 further includes a communication line 14 connecting the devices. The communication line 14 includes a communication line 14a connecting the control unit 23 of the front gate opening / closing device 11 and the control unit 33 of the rear gate opening / closing device 12, and a communication line 14b connecting the control unit 33 of the rear gate opening / closing device 12 and the gate operating device 13. The communication line 14 is a communication line that enables transmission of digital signals according to a communication protocol predetermined in the vehicle. The communication line 14 transmits digital signals by serial communication. For example, the communication line 14 is a CAN (Controller Area Network) communication line that performs communication according to the CAN protocol.

[0033] An instruction inputted through the gate operating device 13 can be inputted to the control unit 23 of the front gate opening / closing device 11 or the control unit 33 of the rear gate opening / closing device 12 via the communication line 14. Furthermore, the control unit 23 of the front gate opening / closing device 11 and the control unit 33 of the rear gate opening / closing device 12 can communicate with each other via the communication line 14a.

[0034] Here, an obstacle such as a person or a forklift may enter the range of the movement trajectory M (see FIG. 3 ) of the gate 7 when it is opened or closed. However, if the operator operates the gate operating device 13 to move the gate 7 without noticing the obstacle entering, the gate 7 may come into contact with the obstacle during the operation. As a result, there is a risk of damage to the gate 7 or the obstacle. In particular, when the gate operating device 13 is attached to the rear side of the lower part of the loading platform 3 as in this embodiment, the operator operating the gate operating device 13 is likely to overlook an obstacle entering the range of the movement trajectory M of the front gate 7a. Therefore, to reduce the risk of contact between the gate 7 (particularly the front gate 7a here) and the obstacle, the front gate opening / closing device 11 is configured as follows. Note that in this embodiment, the front gate opening / closing device 11 corresponds to the fence member opening / closing device of the present invention.

[0035] (More detailed configuration of the front gate opening / closing device 11) As shown in Fig. 2, the front gate opening / closing device 11 includes an obstacle detection sensor 24 and a gate detection sensor 25 (fence member detection sensor of the present invention). Below, the front gate opening / closing device 11 on the left side of the truck 1 will be described. The front gate opening / closing device 11 on the right side of the truck 1 is bilaterally symmetrical to the left front gate opening / closing device 11. Therefore, a description of the right front gate opening / closing device 11 will be omitted.

[0036] The obstacle detection sensor 24 is a sensor capable of detecting obstacles present within the range of the movement trajectory M of the front swing-up door 7a as it moves between the lower open position and the lower closed position. Examples of obstacles include people and forklifts. The obstacle detection sensor 24 is, for example, a radar sensor configured to be able to detect obstacles by emitting microwaves or millimeter waves. The obstacle detection sensor 24 emitting microwaves or millimeter waves can detect obstacles even in bad weather, making it possible to detect obstacles regardless of weather conditions.

[0037] FIG. 4 shows an example of a detectable area R, which is an area in which the obstacle detection sensor 24 can detect an obstacle (see the shaded area in FIG. 4). The detectable area R of the left obstacle detection sensor 24 will be described below. The detectable area R of the right obstacle detection sensor 24 is bilaterally symmetrical to the detectable area R of the left obstacle detection sensor 24. As shown in FIG. 4, the left end in the lateral direction of the detectable area R of the obstacle detection sensor 24 is slightly to the left (outside) of the left end of the front swing-up 7a when the front swing-up 7a is oriented horizontally. Furthermore, the front end in the longitudinal direction of the detectable area R of the obstacle detection sensor 24 is slightly forward of the front end of the front swing-up 7a, and the rear end in the longitudinal direction of the detectable area R of the obstacle detection sensor 24 is slightly rearward of the rear end of the front swing-up 7a.

[0038] However, the detectable area R is not limited to the above-described area. The detectable area R of the obstacle detection sensor 24 may be an area including the entire range of the movement trajectory M of the front-side swing-up 7a, or an area including a portion of the movement trajectory M of the front-side swing-up 7a. For example, the detectable area R may be an area in front of the line L1 and behind the line L2 in the diagonally shaded area in FIG. 4 when viewed from the top-bottom direction. The line L1 is, for example, a line connecting the obstacle detection sensor 24 and the left front corner P of the horizontally oriented front-side swing-up 7a (see FIG. 4). The line L2 is, for example, a line connecting the obstacle detection sensor 24 and the left rear corner Q of the horizontally oriented front-side swing-up 7a (see FIG. 4). However, the lines L1 and L2 are not limited to the above. The line L1 may be a line passing in front of the left front corner P of the horizontally oriented front-side swing-up 7a, and the line L2 may be a line passing behind the left rear corner Q of the horizontally oriented front-side swing-up 7a. In this case, when viewed from the top-bottom direction, the detectable area R is an area including the front left corner P of the horizontally oriented front side gate 7a and the rear left corner Q of the horizontally oriented front side gate 7a.

[0039] The obstacle detection sensor 24 is attached under the body of the truck 1. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the obstacle detection sensor 24 is attached under the body of the truck 1 at a position that corresponds approximately to the center of the front gate 7a in the longitudinal direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 4, the obstacle detection sensor 24 is disposed near the left and right side surfaces of the bed 3 of the truck 1 (see FIG. 4). However, the obstacle detection sensor 24 may also be disposed in a position closer to the center in the lateral direction of the bed 3 (i.e., a position closer to the center than the position shown in FIG. 4). The obstacle detection sensor 24 is electrically connected to the control unit 23, and the detection result of the obstacle detection sensor 24 is transmitted to the control unit 23.

[0040] The tilt detection sensor 25 is a sensor capable of detecting the position of the front tilt 7a. The position of the front tilt 7a includes the angle of the front tilt 7a. The tilt detection sensor 25 may be a sensor that detects the position of the front tilt 7a based on the rotational position of the drive motor 22, for example. The rotational position of the drive motor 22 is detected by a magnetic encoder including a magnetic sensor such as a Hall IC that detects the rotational position of a gear (not shown) connected to the drive motor 22. In this case, the position of the front tilt 7a detected by the tilt detection sensor 25 is detected as a relative position with respect to a predetermined reference position. Alternatively, the tilt detection sensor 25 may be a sensor that detects the position of the front tilt 7a based on the rotational position of a shaft connecting an actuator (not shown) of the mechanism unit 21 and a link mechanism (not shown). The rotational position of the shaft connecting the actuator of the mechanism unit 21 and the link mechanism is detected by a potentiometer or the like installed on the shaft. In this case, the position of the front tilt 7a detected by the tilt detection sensor 25 is detected as a relative position or an absolute position (i.e., spatial coordinates) depending on the installed axis. However, the tilt detection sensor 25 is not limited to the two types of sensors described above. The tilt detection sensor 25 may be a position sensor (encoder, etc.) of the drive motor 22 or a combination of multiple types of sensors. The tilt detection sensor 25 is electrically connected to the control unit 23, and the detection result of the tilt detection sensor 25 is transmitted to the control unit 23.

[0041] Next, the control unit 23 will be described. When the obstacle detection sensor 24 detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory M of the front-side tilt-up 7a, the control unit 23 executes contact avoidance control to avoid contact between the front-side tilt-up 7a and the obstacle. Specifically, when the obstacle detection sensor 24 detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory M of the front-side tilt-up 7a, the control unit 23 controls the drive motor 22 of the mechanism unit 21 as contact avoidance control to stop the movement of the front-side tilt-up 7a. The contact avoidance control by the control unit 23 may be executed while the front-side tilt-up 7a is moving, or may be executed before the front-side tilt-up 7a starts to move. When the contact avoidance control is executed before the front-side tilt-up 7a starts to move, the mechanism unit 21 does not drive the front-side tilt-up 7a to move, even if the operator operates the tilt operation device 13 to input an instruction to open the front-side tilt-up 7a.

[0042] Furthermore, when the tilt detection sensor 25 detects that the front tilt 7a is located within the detection range R of the obstacle detection sensor 24, the control unit 23 turns off the obstacle detection sensor 24. For example, when the tilt detection sensor 25 detects that the angle of the front tilt 7a has reached a predetermined angle, the control unit 23 turns off the obstacle detection sensor 24. The predetermined angle is, for example, the angle of the front tilt 7a when the front tilt 7a enters the upper limit of the detection range R of the obstacle detection sensor 24 (including a position near the upper limit in consideration of the sensor performance). Alternatively, the control unit 23 may turn off the obstacle detection sensor 24 when the tilt detection sensor 25 detects that the front tilt 7a is located at a predetermined spatial coordinate position.

[0043] Furthermore, the control unit 23 may turn off the obstacle detection sensor 24 when the tilt detection sensor 25 detects that the angle of the front tilt 7a, which has started moving from the lower closed position, has reached a second predetermined angle. The second predetermined angle is, for example, an angle of the front tilt 7a that is approximately parallel to the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the control unit 23 may turn off the obstacle detection sensor 24 when a predetermined time has elapsed since the tilt detection sensor 25 detected that the front tilt 7a has reached a second predetermined spatial coordinate position (hereinafter, for convenience, referred to as the second spatial coordinate position). The second spatial coordinate position is, for example, a position on the movement trajectory M of the front tilt 7a where the obstacle detection sensor 24 starts detection. In other words, the second spatial coordinate position is a position when the front tilt 7a enters the upper limit of the detectable region R of the obstacle detection sensor 24. The predetermined time is, for example, the time from when the front tilt 7a reaches the second spatial coordinate position until it becomes horizontal. When the front swing arm 7a starts moving toward the lower open position, it is highly unlikely that an obstacle will enter the range of the movement trajectory M from the time it becomes substantially horizontal until it reaches the lower open position. Therefore, by performing the control as described above, the risk of malfunction of the obstacle detection sensor 24 can be reduced.

[0044] Furthermore, the control unit 23 may turn off the obstacle detection sensor 24 when the tilt detection sensor 25 detects that the front tilt 7a is located at a predetermined spatial coordinate position (e.g., a second spatial coordinate position) and then detects that the angle of the front tilt 7a is at a predetermined angle (e.g., a second predetermined angle).

[0045] (effect) As described above, the front-side gate opening / closing device 11 of this embodiment includes the mechanism 21 that moves the front-side gate 7a between the lower closed position and the lower open position, the obstacle detection sensor 24 that can detect an obstacle present within the range of the movement trajectory M of the front-side gate 7a, and the control unit 23. When the obstacle detection sensor 24 detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory M, the control unit 23 executes contact avoidance control to avoid contact between the front-side gate 7a and the obstacle. Accordingly, when an obstacle enters the range of the movement trajectory M of the front-side gate 7a, the control unit 23 executes contact avoidance control. This reduces the risk that the operator will open or close the front-side gate 7a using the mechanism 21 without realizing that an obstacle has entered the range of the movement trajectory M of the front-side gate 7a, thereby reducing the risk of the front-side gate 7a coming into contact with the obstacle.

[0046] Furthermore, in the front-side gate opening / closing device 11 of this embodiment, when the obstacle detection sensor 24 detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement locus M, the control unit 23 performs contact avoidance control by stopping the movement of the front-side gate 7a by the mechanism unit 21. This makes it possible to quickly stop the movement of the front-side gate 7a when an obstacle enters the range of the movement locus M of the front-side gate 7a. This further reduces the risk of contact between the front-side gate 7a and the obstacle.

[0047] Furthermore, in the front gate opening / closing device 11 of this embodiment, the obstacle detection sensor 24 is attached under the body of the truck 1. Generally, there is sufficient space under the body of the truck 1, and by installing the obstacle detection sensor 24 in such a space, interference with other components of the truck 1 can be suppressed.

[0048] Furthermore, the front gate opening / closing device 11 of this embodiment includes a gate detection sensor 25 that can detect the position of the front gate 7a. When the gate detection sensor 25 detects that the front gate 7a is located within the detectable area R of the obstacle detection sensor 24, the control unit 23 turns off the obstacle detection sensor 24. This prevents the obstacle detection sensor 24 from mistakenly detecting the front gate 7a as an obstacle while it is opening or closing.

[0049] (Variation) The following describes modifications of the above embodiment, but the same reference numerals are used to designate components having the same configuration as the above embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

[0050] (First Modification) In the above embodiment, when the obstacle detection sensor 24 detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory M, the control unit 23 stops the movement of the front gate 7a by the mechanism unit 21 as contact avoidance control. However, the contact avoidance control executed by the control unit 23 is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 5 , a front gate opening / closing device 111 according to a first modified example has an alarm unit 26 that can notify the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory M. The targets of the alarm unit 26 include not only the operator operating the gate operating device 13 but also obstacles (particularly, people and cargo handling vehicles such as forklifts around the truck 1). The alarm unit 26 is, for example, an alarm that emits sound. However, the alarm unit 26 is not limited to this. The alarm unit 26 may be, for example, a lamp that turns on an illumination light or a monitor that can display information. The location where the alarm unit 26 is disposed is not particularly limited. However, when the notification unit 26 is a lamp or a monitor, it is preferable that the notification unit 26 is placed in a position where it can be seen by the operator operating the tilt operation device 13 and by people around the truck 1.

[0051] Then, when the obstacle detection sensor 24 detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory M, the control unit 23 performs contact avoidance control and causes the notification unit 26 to notify the fact that an obstacle exists within the range of the movement trajectory M. This allows the operator and obstacles (particularly people and forklifts around the truck 1) to easily recognize that an obstacle exists within the range of the movement trajectory M of the front side gate 7a.

[0052] However, the contact avoidance control executed by the control unit 23 is not limited to the control of stopping the movement of the front side tilt 7a by the mechanism unit 21 or the control of causing the notification unit 26 to notify that an obstacle exists within the range of the movement trajectory M. The contact avoidance control may be any control for avoiding contact between the front side tilt 7a and an obstacle.

[0053] (Second Modification) In addition to the obstacle detection sensor 24 of the above embodiment, another obstacle detection sensor may be provided. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, a front gate opening / closing device 211 according to a second modified example has a first obstacle detection sensor 124 attached to the underside of the body of the truck 1 and a second obstacle detection sensor 27 attached to a side mirror 80 of the truck 1. The side mirror 80 is a mirror attached to the cabin 2 and is used to check the rear of the body of the truck 1 from the driver's seat.

[0054] The front tilt 7a, driven by the mechanism unit 21, is configured to be movable from the lower closed position to the lower open position via an intermediate position (front tilt 7a indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 7) that is an intermediate position between the lower closed position and the lower open position. The intermediate position is, for example, a position when the front tilt 7a is horizontal. However, the intermediate position is not limited to this position. The movement trajectory M of the front tilt 7a includes a first movement trajectory M1 from the lower closed position to the intermediate position and a second movement trajectory M2 from the intermediate position to the lower open position (see FIG. 7). The first obstacle detection sensor 124 is a sensor capable of detecting obstacles present within the range of the first movement trajectory M1. The second obstacle detection sensor 27 is a sensor capable of detecting obstacles present within the range of the second movement trajectory M2.

[0055] When attempting to detect obstacles within the range of movement trajectory M using only one obstacle detection sensor, a blind spot may occur in the detection area of ​​the obstacle detection sensor depending on the position of the front swing-up 7a. In the configuration of the second modified example, by using the first obstacle detection sensor 124 and the second obstacle detection sensor 27, it is possible to detect all obstacles within the range of movement trajectory M.

[0056] In the second modification, the area in which the first obstacle detection sensor 124 can detect obstacles and the area in which the second obstacle detection sensor 27 can detect obstacles may overlap partially or completely. For example, the first obstacle detection sensor 124 may be capable of detecting obstacles within the entire range of the first movement trajectory M1 and a portion of the second movement trajectory M2, and the second obstacle detection sensor 27 may be capable of detecting obstacles within a portion of the first movement trajectory M1 and the entire range of the second movement trajectory M2. Furthermore, when the operator operates the tilt control device 13, the first movement trajectory M1 is closer to the operator than the second movement trajectory M2, making it less likely to be in a blind spot and easier to detect the approach of an obstacle. In this case, the second obstacle detection sensor 27 alone may be able to detect obstacles within the range of the second movement trajectory M2 or a portion of the first movement trajectory M1. The advantages of attaching the second obstacle detection sensor 27 to the side mirror 80 include the following. Generally, there is sufficient space around the side mirrors 80 of the truck 1, and by installing the second obstacle detection sensor 27 in such a space, interference with other components of the truck 1 can be suppressed.

[0057] In the second modified example, the second obstacle detection sensor 27 does not have to be attached to the side mirror 80. For example, the second obstacle detection sensor 27 may be attached to the roof (upper surface) of the cabin 2 of the truck 1. Specifically, the second obstacle detection sensor 27 may be attached to the roof of the cabin 2 via an attachment member (not shown). Alternatively, a sensor installation space (not shown) into which the second obstacle detection sensor 27 can be fitted may be formed on the roof of the cabin 2. In this case, the second obstacle detection sensor 27 is fitted into the sensor installation space. Furthermore, the second obstacle detection sensor 27 may be installed on a side surface of the cabin 2 (including a door formed on the side surface of the cabin 2 or a frame of the cabin 2) or on a front surface of the front wall member 5 (a surface exposed to the outside air). In this case, similar to the above, the second obstacle detection sensor 27 may be attached to the side surface of the cabin 2 or the front surface of the front wall member 5 via an attachment member (not shown), or may be fitted into a sensor installation space (not shown) formed on the side surface of the cabin 2 or the front wall member 5.

[0058] (Other variations) In the above embodiment, the first modified example, and the second modified example, an obstacle detection sensor is provided in the front-side gate opening / closing device. However, the rear-side gate opening / closing device 12 may also have an obstacle detection sensor. In this case, the obstacle detection sensor is a sensor capable of detecting an obstacle present within the range of the movement trajectory of the rear-side gate 7b. Then, when the obstacle detection sensor detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory of the rear-side gate 7b, the control unit 33 executes contact avoidance control to avoid contact between the rear-side gate 7b and the obstacle. In this case, the rear-side gate opening / closing device 12 corresponds to the fence member opening / closing device of the present invention. Furthermore, an obstacle detection sensor may be provided in each of the front-side gate opening / closing device 11 and the rear-side gate opening / closing device 12.

[0059] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the first modified example, and the second modified example, the rear side gate opening / closing device 12 may have a gate detection sensor 25, or each of the front side gate opening / closing device 11 and the rear side gate opening / closing device 12 may have a gate detection sensor 25. Furthermore, the fence member opening / closing device of the present invention does not have to have a gate detection sensor 25.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the obstacle detection sensors 24 (including the first obstacle detection sensor 124, the second obstacle detection sensor 27, etc.) are configured to emit microwaves or millimeter waves. However, the obstacle detection sensors 24 are not limited to this. The obstacle detection sensors 24 may be, for example, LiDAR (Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging) sensors, infrared sensors (pyroelectric sensors, etc.), fisheye cameras, omnidirectional cameras, etc.

[0061] In the above embodiment, the obstacle detection sensor 24 is attached under the body of the truck 1. However, the location where the obstacle detection sensor 24 is disposed is not limited to this. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 track 3 Cargo bed 7. Aori 7a Front tilt 11 Front gate opening / closing device (fence member opening / closing device) 21 Mechanism 23 Control Unit 24 Obstacle detection sensor 25 Tilt detection sensor 26. Information Department M Movement trajectory R Detectable area

Claims

1. A fence member opening and closing device that opens and closes a fence member provided on a cargo bed of a freight vehicle, a mechanism for moving the fence member between an open position and a closed position; an obstacle detection sensor capable of detecting an obstacle present within a range of a movement trajectory of the fence member that moves between the open position and the closed position; a control unit that, when the obstacle detection sensor detects the presence of the obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory, executes contact avoidance control to avoid contact between the fence member and the obstacle; A fence member opening and closing device comprising:

2. The fence member opening and closing device described in claim 1, characterized in that when the obstacle detection sensor detects the presence of an obstacle within the range of the movement trajectory, the control unit stops the movement of the fence member by the mechanism unit as the contact avoidance control.

3. A fence member detection sensor capable of detecting the position of the fence member is provided, The fence member opening and closing device described in claim 1, characterized in that the control unit turns off the obstacle detection sensor when the fence member detection sensor detects that the fence member is located within a range in which the obstacle detection sensor can detect the obstacle.

4. 4. The fence member opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection sensor is attached to an underbody of the freight vehicle.

5. 4. The fence member opening and closing device according to claim 1, wherein the obstacle detection sensor is attached to a side mirror of the freight vehicle.

Images