Movable body system and movable body storage system

Abstract

To provide a movable body system which can densely store movable bodies without depending on user's work, and to provide a movable body storage system.SOLUTION: According to an embodiment, a movable body system includes a transport wheel, a motor, terminals, a battery, and a control unit. The transport wheel is attached to a main part of the movable body. The motor rotates the transport wheel. The terminals come in contact with contact parts provided along a rail in a state that the transport wheel is set in the rail installed at a storage position of the movable body. The battery is charged by electric power supplied from the contact parts through the terminals. The control unit drives the motor so as to rotate the transport wheel in the rail in a predetermined direction and stops the motor when the movable body reaches a stop position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention relate to a vehicle system and a vehicle storage system. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, various services have been provided using electronic devices mounted on shopping carts (hereinafter simply referred to as carts) operated by users. Carts equipped with electronic devices are equipped with batteries that supply power to the electronic devices. The batteries mounted on the carts need to be charged as needed to use the electronic devices. For this reason, there is a demand for a system that can charge the batteries mounted on carts while they are stored in a designated parking position (cart storage area).

[0003] In addition, cart storage areas for shopping carts and other carts are required to be small in order to ensure sufficient sales floor space within a store. Furthermore, if the carts are stored solely by the user, not only is it burdensome for the user, but it also makes it more likely that the carts will be left unattended without being properly stored. For this reason, there is a demand for a system that can store multiple carts compactly and charge the batteries installed in each cart without increasing the workload of the user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-24705 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a mobile object system and a mobile object storage system that can store mobile objects densely without requiring any work by the user. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an embodiment, the mobile body system includes a transport wheel, a motor, a terminal, a battery, and a control unit. The transport wheel is attached to the body of the mobile body. The motor rotates the transport wheel. The terminal comes into contact with a contact portion provided along the rail when the transport wheel is set on the rail installed in the storage position of the mobile body. The battery is charged by power supplied from the contact portion via the terminal. The control unit drives the motor to rotate the transport wheel within the rail in a predetermined direction, and stops the motor when the mobile body reaches a stop position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a cart as a mobile body on which a mobile body system according to an embodiment is mounted. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a transport mechanism included in the moving body system according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which a cart equipped with a mobile body system according to an embodiment is stored along a charging rail included in a power supply system. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system of the mobile body system according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system of a power supply system in the movable object storage system according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a configuration example of a switch used in the mobile body system according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of a switch used in the mobile system according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a locking portion provided on a charging rail in a moving object storage system according to an embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a locking portion provided on a charging rail in a moving object storage system according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the mobile body system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, a movable object storage system according to an embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a shopping cart (hereinafter also referred to as cart) C as an example of a mobile body equipped with a mobile body system 10 according to the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a transport mechanism 20 attached to the cart C equipped with the mobile body system 10 according to the embodiment. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a mobile body storage system including the mobile body system 10 according to the embodiment and a power supply system 30.

[0009] As shown in Fig. 1, the mobile body system 10 is mounted on the main body 11 of a cart C which is operated by a user and stored in a predetermined storage location (cart storage area). The main body 11 of the cart C is composed of a storage basket 12, a frame 13, wheel sections 141, 142, 151, 152, a handle 16, etc. In addition to the cart main body 11, the mobile body system 10 also includes a battery 17, electronic equipment 18, a transport mechanism 20, and a control unit 51 (see Fig. 4).

[0010] The storage basket 12 of the cart body 11 is a basket for storing products. The storage basket 12 is supported by a frame 13 that forms the cart body 11. The frame 13 is provided with four wheel sections 141, 142, 151, and 152. The four wheel sections 141, 142, 151, and 152 are provided, for example, at the four corners of the lower part of the frame 13.

[0011] Each of the wheel units 141, 142, 151, and 152 is composed of a caster and a wheel. The wheels of each of the wheel units 141, 142, 151, and 152 rotate on the floor surface. The wheels of each of the wheel units 141, 142, 151, and 152 are rotatably attached to the casters. The casters of each of the wheel units 141, 142, 151, and 152 are configured so that the rotation direction of the wheels can be freely rotated. These wheel units 141, 142, 151, and 152 allow the cart body 11 to move by rotating the wheels, which can freely change the direction of movement.

[0012] A handle 16 is provided on one side of the storage basket 12 on the frame 13 of the cart body 11. The handle 16 is held by a user. For example, the user moves the cart body 11 by holding the handle 16.

[0013] In this embodiment, the direction in which the storage basket 12 is pushed from the handle 16 held by the user (the direction of arrow a shown in FIG. 3) is defined as the forward direction (positive direction). Furthermore, with the forward direction a as the reference, the wheels of the wheel units 141 and 142 are a pair of front wheels. In the forward direction, the wheel of the wheel unit 141 is the right front wheel, and the wheel of the wheel unit 142 is the left front wheel. Furthermore, the wheels of the wheel units 151 and 152 are a pair of rear wheels. In the forward direction, the wheel of the wheel unit 151 is the right rear wheel, and the wheel of the wheel unit 152 is the left rear wheel.

[0014] The frame 13 is configured to accommodate multiple carts lined up in a row in the forward direction. In the example shown in FIG. 3, the frame 13 of cart Cb is stored so that it overlaps along the frame 13 of the preceding cart Ca. The shape of the lower part of the frame 13 is narrower at the front and wider at the rear in the forward direction so that the front and rear carts can overlap. As a result, the wheel units 141 and 142 serving as front wheels attached to the lower part of the frame 13 have a narrower left-right installation width than the wheel units 151 and 152 serving as rear wheels. In other words, the distance between the wheel units 141 and 142 serving as a pair of front wheels is narrower than the distance between the wheel units 151 and 152 serving as a pair of rear wheels.

[0015] In addition, in the embodiment, the handle 16 side of the storage basket 12 is referred to as the front side, and the opposite side is referred to as the tip side. The front side of the storage basket 12 has an opening / closing surface 12a that can be opened and closed with the lower end as the free end. The front side of the storage basket 12 is also formed smaller than the front side, which serves as the opening / closing surface 12a. As a result, when multiple carts are stored lined up in front of each other, the rear cart pushes up the opening / closing surface 12a of the front cart, so that the storage baskets 12 of the front and rear carts overlap. As a result, multiple carts C are stored in the cart storage area with their cart bodies 11 lined up and overlapping.

[0016] As described above, the multiple carts C are stored in a state where the front and rear carts overlap each other at the storage position. Since the transport tires 22 of each cart C move along the grooves (rails) of the charging rails 31 at the storage position, the overlapping state is determined according to the shapes of the frame 13 and the storage basket 12. Because each cart has the same shape, the front and rear distances between each cart C stored in a stacked manner at the storage position are predetermined distances. For example, once the stopping position of the cart Ca that is stored first at the storage position is determined, the stopping position of the cart Cb that is stored next is also determined.

[0017] The battery 17 and the electronic device 18 are attached to the cart body 11 while being electrically connected by wiring or the like. In addition, a control unit 51, not shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, is attached to the cart body 11 while being electrically connected to the battery 17 and the motor 21 of the transport mechanism 20. The electronic device 18 is electrically connected to the cart body 11 by wiring or the like, and the battery 17 supplies power to the electronic device 18 stored in a secondary battery 52 (see FIG. 4), which is charged by power obtained from the power supply system 30. The electronic device 18 is driven by the power supplied from the battery 17. The electronic device 18 and the battery 17 may be installed anywhere on the cart body 11.

[0018] In the configuration example shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 18 is attached to the handle 16 of the storage basket 12. For example, the electronic device 18 is an information terminal such as a tablet terminal for providing information to the user, or a product reader (scanner) for obtaining information on a product selected by the user. The tablet terminal serving as the electronic device 18 is attached in a position where the display screen can be easily viewed by a user using the cart C. Furthermore, the electronic device 18 may use power from the battery 17 to charge a mobile terminal (e.g., a mobile phone, a smartphone, a digital camera, etc.) carried by the user.

[0019] Next, the transport mechanism 20 will be described. In addition, a transport mechanism 20 as shown in Fig. 2 is attached to the cart body 11. As shown in Fig. 2, the transport mechanism 20 includes a motor 21, transport tires (transport wheels) 22, and a pair of terminals 231, 232. The transport mechanism 20 is attached to the cart body 11 so that the transport tires 22 rotate while in contact with the floor surface. In the cart C of the configuration example shown in Fig. 1, the transport mechanism 20 is provided between wheel unit 141 and wheel unit 142 which include a pair of front wheels.

[0020] The motor 21 rotates using power supplied from the battery 17. For example, the motor 21 is configured as a DC motor. The motor 21 is covered with a cover, and a motor unit including the motor and the cover is attached to the cart body 11. The motor 21 provides driving force to rotate the transport tires 22. The motor 21 is coupled to the rotation shaft of the transport tires 22 so as to interlock with the rotation shaft, and rotates the transport tires 22 with a predetermined torque. The motor 21 also includes a power generation circuit 211 (see FIG. 4) that converts the rotational energy of the transport tires 22 into electric power.

[0021] The transport tires 22 rotate while in contact with the floor surface. The transport tires 22 are rotated either by the motor 21 or by the movement of the cart body 11 due to operation by the user (external force). The rotary shaft of the transport tires 22 is connected to the motor 21, and the transport tires 22 are rotated by the drive of the motor 21. The transport tires 22 move the cart body 11 forward by being rotated in a predetermined rotation direction (forward direction) by the motor 21. For example, the transport tires 22 on the charging rail 31 move the cart body 11 forward by being rotated in the forward direction by the motor 21, and move to a stopping position on the charging rail 31.

[0022] The transport tires 22 also rotate when the cart body 11 is moved by being pushed by a user. For example, the transport tires 22 are attached to the cart body 11 so as to rotate together with the wheels of the wheel units 141, 142 in contact with the ground when the cart body 11 moves on a flat floor. In other words, the transport tires 22 are configured to rotate when the user pushes the cart body 11 even when the motor 21 is not driven. When the user pushes the cart body 11, the rotation of the transport tires 22 is transmitted to the motor 21 via the rotation shaft. This allows the motor 21 to generate electricity from the energy generated by the rotation of the transport tires 22.

[0023] Furthermore, the transport tires 22 move while rotating on the charging rail 31 shown in FIG. 3 , thereby moving the cart body 11. When the transport tires 22 are on the charging rail 31, one or both of the wheels of the wheel units 141 and 142 do not come into contact with the ground, depending on the height (thickness) of the bottom surface 313 of the charging rail 31. Therefore, when the transport tires 22 are on the charging rail 31, three wheels, namely the transport tires 22, the wheels of the wheel units 151, and the wheels of the wheel units 152, support the cart body 11. When the transport tires 22 are on the charging rail 31, they may be positioned in a position where the wheels of the wheel units 151 and 152 can support the cart body 11. As a result, when the transport tires 22 are rotated by the motor 21 on the charging rail 31, the transport tires 22 function as drive wheels to move the cart body 11.

[0024] Terminals 231, 232 are provided on the rotation axis of transport tire 22. Terminals 231 and 232 are provided so as to abut against the inner surfaces (first surface and second surface) of the groove (rail) formed by charging rail 31, respectively. Terminals 231, 232 contact contact portions 321, 322 provided on the inner surface of charging rail 31. For example, DC power is supplied to terminals 231, 232 from contact portions 321, 322. Terminals 231, 232 are configured to abut against contact portions 321, 322 even when transport tire 22 is moving along charging rail 31. Furthermore, a mechanism may be provided to maintain contact between terminals 231, 232 and contact portions 321, 322 even when transport tire 22 is moving while rotating.

[0025] Next, the charging rail 31 arranged in the cart parking area will be described. The charging rail 31 forms a rail that functions as a groove that guides the running (movement) direction of the rotating transport tire 22. The charging rail 31 forms a groove (rail) along which the transport tire 22 moves, with side walls 311 and 312 that are erected in parallel. The side walls 311 and 312 are installed in parallel with each other with a width that corresponds to the width of the transport tire 22 and the width of a pair of terminals 231, 232 that are provided on the rotation shaft of the transport tire 22.

[0026] A contact portion 322 that comes into contact with a terminal 231 provided on the rotating shaft portion of the transport tire 22 is arranged on a surface (first surface) of the side wall 311 facing the side wall 312. Furthermore, a contact portion 321 that comes into contact with a terminal 232 provided on the rotating shaft portion of the transport tire 22 is arranged on a surface (second surface) of the side wall 312 facing the side wall 311. In other words, the charging rail 31 is configured so that the contact portion 321 comes into contact with the terminal 232, and the contact portion 322 comes into contact with the terminal 231.

[0027] In the configuration example shown in Fig. 3, charging rail 31 has side walls 311 and 312, as well as a bottom surface 313 on which transport tires 22 run. Charging rail 31 shown in Fig. 3 is formed into a concave shape by side walls 321, 312, and bottom surface 313. Transport tires 22, whose movement direction is guided by the grooves formed by side walls 311 and 312, run on bottom surface 313, which has a predetermined thickness.

[0028] For example, the bottom surface 313 of the charging rail 31 is formed with a thickness d and is placed on the floor surface. In this case, the transport tire 22 inside the charging rail 31 is on the bottom surface 313 with a thickness d, and is therefore positioned at a height of d from the floor surface. Therefore, when the transport tire 22 is on the bottom surface 313 (when the transport tire 22 is inside the charging rail 31), one or both of the wheels (front wheels) of the wheel units 141, 142 placed near the transport tire 22 will be raised above the floor surface.

[0029] However, charging rail 31 is not limited to a configuration in which the wheels of wheel sections 141, 142 are raised above the floor surface when transport tires 22 travel along the grooves. Charging rail 31 may be configured in any way as long as it can move cart body 11 to a stopping position using transport tires 22 that rotate when driven by motor 21. For this reason, charging rail 31 may be configured without bottom surface 313, or the thickness of bottom surface 313 may be very small.

[0030] Next, the configuration of the control system of the movable body system 10 in the movable body storage system according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system of the movable body system 10 in the movable body storage system according to the embodiment. The mobile system 10 includes a power receiving system that receives power supplied from the power supply system 30. The power receiving system in the mobile system 10 includes a battery 17, an electronic device 18, a motor 21, terminals 231 and 232, and a control unit 51. The battery 17 also includes a secondary battery 52 and a charging circuit 53.

[0031] The control unit 51 controls the operation of each unit. The control unit 51 operates using power supplied from the secondary cell 52 in the battery 17. The control unit 51 is attached to the cart body 11 while being electrically connected to each unit. For example, the control unit 51 may be attached to the cart body 11 as an integral part of the motor 21, or may be mounted on the cart body 11 as an integral part of the battery 17.

[0032] The control unit 51 includes a processor, a memory, and various interfaces. In the control unit 51, the processor executes various processes, such as controlling the operation of each unit, based on programs stored in the memory and data used in the programs. For example, the control unit 51 controls the drive of the motor 21 for moving the cart body 11 using the transport tires 22.

[0033] To control the drive of the motor 21, when the transport tire 22 is set on the charging rail 31, the control unit 51 drives the motor 21 to rotate the transport tire 22 in a predetermined direction. Specifically, when the terminals 231, 232 come into contact with the contact portions 321, 322 of the charging rail 31, the control unit 51 drives the motor 21 to cause the transport tire 22 to travel along the charging rail 31. When the cart body 11 (or the transport tire 22) reaches a predetermined stopping position, the control unit 51 stops the motor 21 to stop the rotation of the transport tire 22.

[0034] The secondary battery 52 of the battery 17 stores power supplied via the charging circuit 53. The secondary battery 52 supplies the stored power to each component. For example, the secondary battery 52 supplies power to the electronic device 18, the motor 21, and the control unit 51. The secondary battery 52 may be built into the electronic device 18. In this case, the charging circuit 53 is connected to an input interface for charging power of the electronic device 18.

[0035] The charging circuit 53 of the battery 17 supplies power for charging to the secondary battery 52. ​​The charging circuit 53 is connected to the terminals 231 and 232. The charging circuit 53 supplies power supplied from the power supply system 30 via the terminals 231 and 232 to the secondary battery 52 as charging power (charging power). For example, when the transport tire 22 is on the charging rail 31, the charging circuit 53 converts the power received via the terminals 231 and 232 into predetermined charging power (predetermined current value and voltage value) and supplies it to the secondary battery 52.

[0036] The charging circuit 53 of the battery 17 is also connected to the power generation circuit 211 of the motor 21. When the power generation circuit 211 of the motor 21 generates power, the charging circuit 53 supplies the power supplied from the power generation circuit 211 of the motor 21 to the secondary battery 52 as power for charging. For example, when a user pushes the cart C and the transport tires 22 rotate, the power generation circuit 211 of the motor 21 converts the energy generated by the rotation of the transport tires 22 into power. The charging circuit 53 receives the power generated by the power generation circuit 211, converts the received power into charging power, and supplies it to the secondary battery 52.

[0037] Next, the configuration of the control system of the power supply system 30 in the movable object storage system according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control system of the power supply system 30 in the movable object storage system according to the embodiment. The control system of power supply system 30 is composed of contact units 321, 322 of charging rail 31, control unit 61, power supply circuit 62, and power supply circuit 63. Power supply system 30 supplies power from contact units 321, 322 to terminals 231, 232 provided on transport tires 22 that travel on charging rail 31.

[0038] The control unit 61 is connected to the power supply circuit 62 and the power supply circuit 63. The control unit 61 controls the power output from the power supply circuit 62 to the contact units 321 and 322. For example, the control unit 61 stops the supply of power from the power supply circuit 62 to the contact units 321 and 322. The control unit 61 may have a communication unit for communicating with an external device and control the operation of the power supply circuit 62 and the like in response to instructions from the external device.

[0039] The power supply circuit 63 supplies power from an external power supply to the power feeding circuit 62. For example, the power supply circuit 63 is connected to a commercial AC power supply, converts AC power from the AC power supply into DC power, and supplies the DC power to the power feeding circuit 62.

[0040] The power supply circuit 62 is connected to the control unit 61, the power supply circuit 63, and the contact portions 321 and 322. The power supply circuit 62 converts the power supplied from the power supply circuit 63 into predetermined power for power supply. For example, the power supply circuit 62 converts the power supplied from the power supply circuit 63 into DC power of a predetermined value to be used as power for power supply. The power supply circuit 62 outputs the power for power supply to the contact portions 321 and 322.

[0041] Furthermore, the power supply circuit 62 operates based on a control signal from the control unit 61. For example, the power supply circuit 62 may be configured to start or stop outputting power for power supply from the contact units 321 and 322 based on a control signal from the control unit 61. Furthermore, the power supply circuit 62 may be configured to adjust the power for power supply generated based on the power supplied from the power supply circuit 63 based on a control signal from the control unit 61.

[0042] Next, a configuration example for stopping the cart body 11 on which the mobile body system 10 is mounted at a predetermined stopping position will be described. As shown in Fig. 3, charging rails 31 (311, 312, 313) are provided at the storage location (cart parking area) for the carts C to guide the transport tires 22 of each stored cart C. The side walls 311, 312 of the charging rails 31 are guides for guiding each cart C to a predetermined stopping position in the cart parking area. The cart body 11 of each cart C is controlled so that the transport tires 22 are rotated by the motor 21 to travel along the charging rails 31 and stop at a predetermined stopping position.

[0043] When the transport tire 22 is set on the charging rail 31, the control unit 51 drives the motor 21 to rotate the transport tire 22, thereby moving the cart body 11. When the transport tire 22 reaches a predetermined position, the control unit 51 stops driving the motor 21 to stop the rotation of the transport tire. When the transport tire 22 stops at a predetermined position on the charging rail 31, the cart body 11 is controlled to stop at a stop position.

[0044] That is, the control unit 51 controls the motor 21 to stop when it detects that the cart body 11 or the transport tires 22 have reached a predetermined stopping position. Various configurations are possible for the detection means that detects that the cart body 11 or the transport tires 22 have reached a predetermined stopping position. Below, configuration examples of the detection means that detects that the cart body 11 or the transport tires 22 have reached a predetermined stopping position will be described.

[0045] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the switch 71 as a detection means for detecting that the cart body 11 carrying the mobile body system 10 has reached a predetermined stopping position. Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating the state of the switch 71 of each cart body 11 when multiple cart bodies 11 are stored. The switch 71 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is an example of a detection means for detecting that the cart body 11 of the cart C has reached the stopping position.

[0046] The switch 71 is attached to any part of the cart body 11 that is in contact with or close to the front cart body 11 when the front and rear carts are stored overlapping each other (predetermined storage state). The switch 71 provided on the cart C is configured to output an ON signal when the cart C is stored in the predetermined storage state following another cart. In other words, the switch 71 only needs to output an ON signal when the cart C is in the predetermined storage state (for example, a state in which the cart body is connected to the front cart body).

[0047] The switch 71 in the configuration example shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is provided protruding forward from the tip of the motor 21 (here, a motor unit including a motor and a cover) in the transport mechanism 20. The switch 71 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 is an example of a detection means that assumes a structure in which the motor units 21 of the front and rear carts are close to (or in contact with) each other in a predetermined storage state. For example, when cart Ca and cart Cb are in a storage state as shown in FIG. 3, the tip of the motor 21 of cart Cb is close to the rear end of the motor 21 of cart Ca. In this case, the switch 71 provided at the tip of the motor 21 of cart Cb is pushed backward by coming into contact with the motor 21 of cart Ca, and outputs an ON signal to the control unit 51.

[0048] That is, when the cart Cb travels on the charging rail 31 by rotating the transport tires 22, the switch 71 of the cart Cb turns on at a predetermined stopping position following the cart Ca. The control unit 51 can detect that the cart Cb has reached the predetermined stopping position by the on signal from the switch 71 of the cart Cb. As a result, when the switch 71 turns on, the control unit 51 stops driving the motor 21, and the cart Cb stops at the predetermined stopping position.

[0049] The cart parking area may be provided with a configuration in which the switch 71 of the leading cart Ca is turned on when the cart Ca reaches a predetermined stopping position. This allows the leading cart Ca to stop when the switch 71 is turned on at the predetermined stopping position. The cart parking area may also be provided with a configuration in which the cart body 11 of the first cart stored is stopped at a predetermined stopping position using a stopper or the like. This allows the leading cart Ca to stop at the predetermined stopping position. Once the stopping position of the leading cart is determined, each cart stored after the leading cart can detect that it has reached the predetermined position using the switch 71 and can stop at the predetermined stopping position.

[0050] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a locking portion 81 for stopping the cart body 11, on which the movable body system 10 according to the embodiment is mounted, at a predetermined stopping position. The locking portion 81 shown in Fig. 8 is a member for stopping the cart main body 11 (transport tires 22) at a predetermined stopping position. The locking portion 81 locks the transport tires 22, which are moved along the charging rail 31 by the drive of the motor 21, at the predetermined stopping position. The locking portion 81 is configured so that the transport tires 22, which are rotated by the driving force of the motor 21, cannot get over the locking portion 81 when the cart C moves in the forward direction a.

[0051] In the configuration example shown in FIG. 8, the locking portion 81 has a stop surface 811, an upper surface 812, and an inclined surface 813. The locking portion 81 stops the movement of the transport tire 22 in the forward direction a by the stop surface 811. In the configuration example shown in FIG. 8, the stop surface 811 of the locking portion 81 is provided so as to be approximately perpendicular to the bottom surface 313. For example, the locking portion 81 is configured so that the transport tire 22 cannot get over it by the driving force of the motor 21 but can get over it by human power (operation by the user). In other words, when the transport tire 22 rotating by the driving force of the motor 21 stops moving in the forward direction a by the stop surface 811 of the locking portion 81, the movement of the cart body 11 also stops.

[0052] Furthermore, when the cart body 11 stopped at the locking portion 81 is manually pulled out in the forward direction a, the transport tires 22 climb over the locking portion 81, and the cart body 11 becomes movable in the forward direction a. In other words, when the cart body 11 is manually pulled out in the forward direction a, the transport tires 22 climb up onto the upper surface 812 of the locking portion 81. Furthermore, when the cart body 11 is pulled out in the forward direction a, the transport tires 22 move while rotating in the forward direction on the inclined surface 813 continuing from the upper surface 812. As a result, the cart body 11 stopped at the locking portion 81 can be manually pulled out in the forward direction a by climbing over the locking portion 81.

[0053] The locking portion 81 may be installed on the charging rail 31 that stores the cart C equipped with the switch 71 so as to determine the stopping position of the first stored cart body 11. In this case, the first stored cart body 11 can be stopped at a predetermined stopping position by the locking portion 81. Furthermore, the cart body 11 stored after the first cart body 11 stopped at a stopping position by the locking portion 81 can be stopped at a predetermined stopping position by the switch 71.

[0054] FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a locking portion 82 provided at the entrance portion of the charging rail 31 on which the transport tire 22 travels. 9 is provided at a position (entrance) where the transport tire 22 is set in the groove formed by the charging rail 31. That is, the transport tire 22 is set in the groove of the charging rail 31 by climbing over the locking portion 82 when the cart body 11 is pushed by human power.

[0055] The locking portion 82 is composed of an inclined surface 823, an upper surface 822, and a stopping surface 821. A user storing the cart C in a cart parking area aligns the transport tires 22 with the grooves in the charging rails 31 and pushes the cart body 11 forward in the direction a. When the cart body 11 is manually pushed forward in the direction a, the transport tires 22 that are on the inclined surface 823 of the locking portion 82 rotate along the inclined surface and reach the upper surface 822. When the cart body 11 is further pushed forward in the direction a, the transport tires 22 move beyond the upper surface 822 and forward of the stopping surface 821, resulting in a state as shown in FIG. 9.

[0056] The stop surface 821 restricts the transport tire 22, which has climbed over the locking portion 82 and set in the groove of the charging rail 31, from moving in the direction opposite to the forward direction a. As a result, the stop surface 821 prevents the transport tire 22, which has climbed over the locking portion 82 and set in the charging rail 31, from moving in the direction opposite to the forward direction a.

[0057] However, the locking portions 82 may be configured so that the transport tires 22 can climb over them by manually pulling out the cart body 11 in the direction opposite to the forward direction a. In this case, even after the cart body 11 has been set inside the charging rail 31, it may be possible to climb over the locking portions 82 and pull out the cart body 11 in the direction opposite to the forward direction a.

[0058] Note that locking portion 82 and locking portion 81 may be installed in combination at positions on charging rail 31 that correspond to the stopping positions of each cart. That is, locking portion 81 and locking portion 82 may be arranged so that transport tire 22 is located between stopping surface 821 and stopping surface 811 when each cart body 11 is at a predetermined stopping position. In this case, the driving force of motor 21 may be adjusted so that transport tire 22 can climb over locking portion 82 (climb inclined surface 823) in forward direction a and stop on stopping surface 811 of locking portion 81. With this configuration, it is possible to stop a cart moving along charging rail 31 at a predetermined stopping position using locking portion 81 and locking portion 82.

[0059] Next, the operation of the mobile body system 10 mounted on the cart body 11 of the cart C as the mobile body according to the embodiment will be described. FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation of the mobile body system 10 according to the embodiment. The control unit 51 monitors whether the transport tire 22, which has a pair of terminals 231, 232 provided on the rotating shaft portion, has been set in the groove (rail) of the charging rail 31 (ACT11). For example, the control unit 51 has a function to detect that the terminals 231, 232 have come into contact with the contact portions 321, 322 of the charging rail 31. The control unit 51 determines that the transport tire 22 has been set on the charging rail 31 when it detects that the terminals 231, 232 have come into contact with the contact portions 321, 322.

[0060] When the control unit 51 detects that the contact units 321, 322 are in contact with the terminals 231, 232 (ACT11, YES), the mobile system 10 starts receiving power from the contact units 321, 322 (ACT12). Here, the power supply system 30 may be configured to output power for power supply from the contact units 321, 322. Alternatively, the power supply system 30 may start power supply when it detects that the terminals 231, 232 are in contact with the contact units 321, 322. When the mobile system 10 starts receiving power, the charging circuit 53 of the battery 17 receives power supplied from the contact units 321, 322. The charging circuit 53 converts the power received from the contact units 321, 322 into charging power and charges the secondary battery 52.

[0061] Furthermore, when the transport tire 22 is set on the charging rail 31, the control unit 51 drives the motor 21 to rotate the transport tire 22 in a predetermined direction (ACT13). When the terminals 231, 232 come into contact with the contact portions 321, 322 of the charging rail 31, the control unit 51 drives the motor 21 to cause the transport tire 22 to travel along the charging rail 31. While rotating the transport tire 22 using the driving force of the motor 21, the control unit 51 monitors whether the cart body 11 (or the transport tire 22) reaches a predetermined stopping position (ACT14).

[0062] For example, if the cart body 11 is provided with a switch 71 as shown in FIG. 7, the control unit 51 determines whether the cart body 11 has reached the stop position based on whether the switch 71 is on. Furthermore, if the charging rail 31 is provided with a locking unit 81 as shown in FIG. 8, the control unit 51 may be configured to detect that the movement of the cart body 11 has stopped due to the locking unit 81. For example, the stop of the movement of the cart body 11 due to the locking unit 81 can be detected by detecting the spinning or slipping of the transport tires 22. The control unit 51 may determine that the cart body 11 has reached the stop position when it detects that the movement of the cart body 11 has stopped due to the locking unit 81.

[0063] When the cart body 11 reaches the stop position, the control unit 51 stops the motor 21 (ACT15). When the rotation of the transport tires 22 by the driving force of the motor 21 is stopped, the cart body 11 stops at the stop position. In this state, the terminals 231, 232 remain in contact with the contact portions 321, 322, so that power continues to be supplied from the power supply system 30. As a result, the mobile body system 10 mounted on the cart body 11 stopped at the stop position can charge the battery 17 with power supplied from the power supply system 30.

[0064] When stopping the movement of the cart body 11 at the locking portion 81, the control unit 51 may drive the motor 21 for a predetermined time without detecting that the cart body 11 has reached the stop position. For example, a drive time (predetermined time) of the motor 21 is set that is sufficient for the transport tires 22, rotated by the driving force of the motor 21, to move the cart body 11 to the stop position. By driving the motor 21 for such a drive time, the transport tires 22 can be made to travel to the locking portion 81, and the cart body 11 can be stopped at the stop position by the locking portion 81.

[0065] As described above, the mobile body system according to the embodiment includes a transport tire attached to a cart body and a motor for rotating the transport tire. The mobile body system further includes a terminal that contacts a contact portion provided along a rail when the transport tire is set on the rail installed in the cart parking area. The mobile body system receives power from the contact portion via the terminal, and moves the mobile body to a stopping position using the transport tire rotated by the motor.

[0066] As a result, the mobile system according to the embodiment allows multiple carts to be stored compactly in a designated storage area where batteries can be charged without manual intervention. Furthermore, since multiple carts can be stored closely together in the designated storage area, the area required for the cart parking area can be minimized. As a result, in stores that use carts, it is possible to increase the product display area and widen the aisles within the store, which is expected to improve service to customers.

[0067] In addition, in the mobile body system according to the embodiment, a pair of terminals is provided on the rotation shaft of the transport tire provided on the cart body, so that when the transport tire is inside the rail, the pair of terminals can always be in contact with the first contact portion and the second contact portion provided on the inner wall of the rail.

[0068] The mobile body system according to the embodiment also includes a switch that detects when the cart body reaches a predetermined stopping position, allowing the mobile body system to detect that the cart body has reached the stopping position through the switch and to efficiently control the drive of the motor that moves the cart body.

[0069] Furthermore, the mobile body system according to the embodiment includes a power generation circuit that supplies the battery with power generated by the rotation of the carrying tires of the motor. This allows the mobile body system to charge the battery with power generated by the rotation of the carrying tires as the cart body moves, even when the cart is not on the rails. As a result, when a user uses the cart for shopping or other purposes, the battery can be charged, reducing consumption of power stored in the battery.

[0070] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] C (Ca, Cb)...Shopping cart (cart, mobile object), 10...Mobile object system, 11...Cart body, 13...Frame, 141, 142, 151, 152...Wheel section, 16...Handle, 17...Battery, 18...Electronic device, 20...Transport mechanism, 21...Motor (motor unit), 211...Power generation circuit, 22...Transport tire (transport wheel), 231, 232...Terminal, 30...Power supply system, 31...Charging rail, 311, 312...Side wall, 313...Bottom, 321, 322...Contact section, 51...Control section, 52...Secondary battery 52...Charging circuit, 61...Control section, 62...Power supply circuit, 63...Power supply circuit, 71...Switch, 81...Latching section.

Claims

1. A transport wheel attached to the main body of the moving body; a motor that rotates the transport wheels; a terminal that contacts a contact portion provided along the rail when the conveying wheel is set on the rail installed at the storage position of the movable body; a battery that is charged by power supplied from the contact portion via the terminal; a control unit that drives the motor to rotate the transport wheels located within the rail in a predetermined direction and stops the motor when the moving body reaches a stop position; A mobile system having:

2. the terminals are a pair of terminals provided on a rotation shaft portion of the conveying wheel, a first terminal of the pair of terminals abutting against a first contact portion provided on a first surface of the rail, and a second terminal of the pair of terminals abutting against a second contact portion provided on a second surface of the rail; The mobile system of claim 1 .

3. a switch for detecting that the moving body has reached the stop position; the control unit stops the motor when the switch detects that the main body of the moving object has reached the stop position. The mobile system of claim 1 .

4. the motor has a power generation circuit that supplies the battery with electric power generated by rotation of the conveying wheels; The mobile system of claim 1 .

5. A mobile object storage system including a mobile object system and a power supply system, The power supply system includes: a rail provided in a storage location for the moving object; a contact portion for outputting power provided along the rail; a power supply circuit that supplies power output from the contact portion, The mobile system includes: a conveying wheel attached to the main body of the moving body and rotating along the rail; a motor that rotates the transport wheels; a terminal that comes into contact with the contact portion when the conveying wheel is set on the rail; a battery that is charged by power supplied from the contact portion via the terminal; a control unit that drives the motor so as to rotate the transport wheels in the rail in a predetermined direction, and stops the motor when the moving body reaches a stop position, Mobile storage system.

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