Mobile system

Abstract

To provide a moving system capable of performing more precise movement control than before.SOLUTION: The moving system 10 includes a guide rail 20 and a moving body 30. The guide rail 20 includes the first movement restricting portion 23, the second movement restricting portion 24, and the rack 27, and the movable member 30 includes the pinion 35 that is provided on the output shaft 33 of the rotation actuator 32 and engages with the rack 27, the encoder 34 that outputs an angle signal corresponding to the rotation angle of the pinion 35, and the control unit 36 that controls the rotation actuator 32. The control part 36 executes calibration control for storing an angle signal when the movement of the movable body 30 is regulated by the first movement regulating part 23 and an angle signal when the movement of the movable body 30 is regulated by the second movement regulating part 24.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a movement system including a guide rail and a moving body that is movable in both directions along the guide rail. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, various transport systems equipped with a guide rail and a moving body that can move in both directions along the guide rail have been used to transport various transported objects along a predetermined route. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a rail-type transport device (transport system) equipped with a rail body (guide rail) having an interlocking portion consisting of a series of U-shaped notches, and a traveling body (moving body) having a convex interlocking portion fixed to the rotating shaft of a traveling motor. This device is configured so that the interlocking portion of the traveling body interlocks with the interlocking portion of the rail body, and as the traveling motor rotates, the traveling body moves along the rail body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-143758 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In order to perform precise control, such as dividing a route into multiple sections and varying the moving speed of a moving object for each section, the moving object must always be able to correctly recognize its own position. However, to the applicant's knowledge, no mobile system with such a function has existed until now.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a mobile system that allows for more precise control of movement than conventional systems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the movement system of the present invention is a system including a guide rail and a moving body that can move in both directions along the guide rail, wherein the guide rail includes a first end, a second end, a first movement restricting section that restricts movement of the moving body at the first end, a second movement restricting section that restricts movement of the moving body at the second end, and a rack provided between the first end and the second end, and the moving body includes a rotary actuator, a pinion provided on an output shaft of the rotary actuator and engaged with the rack, an encoder that outputs an angle signal corresponding to the rotation angle of the pinion, an external force detection section, and a control section that controls the rotary actuator, and the control section When the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the first end, the output shaft is rotated forward at a first speed to move the moving body toward the first end, and the angle signal when the movement of the moving body is restricted by the first movement restriction unit is stored as a first angle signal; thereafter, when the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the second end, the output shaft is rotated backward at a second speed to move the moving body toward the second end, and the angle signal when the movement of the moving body is restricted by the second movement restriction unit is stored as a second angle signal, thereby performing calibration control.

[0007] The control unit of the above-mentioned moving system may be configured such that, after executing calibration control, when the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the first end, the control unit moves the moving body toward the first end by rotating the output shaft in the forward direction at a speed corresponding to a first distance, which is the distance to the first end calculated from the angle signal and the first angle signal.

[0008] In this case, it is preferable that the control unit is configured to rotate the output shaft in the forward direction at a third speed greater than the first speed when the first distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, and to rotate the output shaft in the forward direction at a speed smaller than the third speed when the first distance is less than the first threshold.

[0009] The control unit of the above-mentioned moving system may be configured such that, after executing calibration control, when the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the second end, the control unit moves the moving body toward the second end by reversing the output shaft at a speed corresponding to a second distance, which is the distance to the second end calculated from the angle signal and the second angle signal.

[0010] In this case, it is preferable that the control unit is configured to reverse the output shaft at a fourth speed greater than the second speed when the second distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold, and to reverse the output shaft at a speed less than the fourth speed when the second distance is less than the second threshold.

[0011] The control unit of the above-described mobile system may be configured to increase or decrease the third speed and the fourth speed according to the magnitude of the external force detected by the external force detection unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a mobile system that allows for more precise control of movement than conventional systems. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view showing an overall image of a moving system according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an end view of the movement system shown in FIG. 1 taken along line XX. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of a mobile system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are diagrams relating to calibration control of a mobile system according to an embodiment, in which (A) is a schematic diagram showing the mobile system before the first calibration is performed, (B) is a schematic diagram showing the mobile system after the first calibration is performed, and (C) is a graph showing the change in angle signal when the first calibration is performed. [Figure 5]10A and 10B are diagrams relating to calibration control of a mobile system according to an embodiment, in which (A) is a schematic diagram showing the mobile system before the second calibration is performed, (B) is a schematic diagram showing the mobile system after the second calibration is performed, and (C) is a graph showing the change in the angle signal when the second calibration is performed. [Figure 6] 1A and 1B are diagrams relating to normal control of a mobile system according to an embodiment, in which (A) is a schematic diagram showing the mobile system before the mobile body starts moving, (B) is a diagram showing the speed profile used when the mobile body moves toward the first end, and (C) is a diagram showing the speed profile used when the mobile body moves toward the second end. [Figure 7] FIG. 10A is a diagram showing a modified example of a velocity profile used when a moving body moves toward a first end, and FIG. 10B is a diagram showing another modified example of a velocity profile used when a moving body moves toward a first end. [Figure 8] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing modified examples of the guide rail; [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another modified example of the guide rail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a mobile system according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0015] [Example] 1 is a plan view of a moving system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The moving system 10 is used to transport various objects, and includes a guide rail 20 and a moving body 30 that is movable in both directions along the guide rail 20. The object may be placed on a platform (not shown) provided on the moving body 30, or may be housed in a basket (not shown) suspended from the moving body 30, or may be directly fixed to the moving body 30 and transported.

[0016] The guide rail 20 extends linearly from the source point to the destination point, and includes a first end 21 located at the source point, a second end 22 located at the destination point, a first movement regulating section 23 that regulates the movement of the moving body 30 at the first end 21, and a second movement regulating section 24 that regulates the movement of the moving body 30 at the second end 22.

[0017] The first movement restricting portion 23 restricts further movement of the moving body 30 (carried object) by coming into contact with the moving body 30 itself or the carried object that moves together with the moving body 30. In this embodiment, the first movement restricting portion 23 is provided at the first end portion 21.

[0018] Similarly, the second movement restricting portion 24 restricts further movement of the moving body 30 (carried object) by coming into contact with the moving body 30 itself or the carried object that moves together with the moving body 30. In this embodiment, the second movement restricting portion 24 is provided at the second end portion 22.

[0019] The guide rail 20 further includes a rail portion 25 that protrudes upward, a groove portion 26, and a rack 27 that is fitted into the groove portion 26 (see FIG. 2). These extend over the entire length of the guide rail 20.

[0020] The movable body 30 includes a substrate 31, a cylindrical rotary actuator 32 provided on a first main surface 31a of the substrate 31, a pinion 35 provided on an output shaft 33 of the rotary actuator 32, and a guide roller 38 provided on the first main surface 31 of the substrate 31 so as to be aligned with the rotary actuator 32. The rail portion 25 and rack 27 of the guide rail 20 and the guide roller 38 and pinion 35 of the movable body 30 have a positional relationship such that the rack 27 and pinion 35 mesh with each other when the guide roller 38 is correctly positioned on the rail portion 25.

[0021] The movable body 30 further includes a control unit 36 ​​that controls the rotary actuator 32, an encoder 34 that outputs an angle signal A corresponding to the rotation angle of the output shaft 33 (i.e., the rotation angle of the pinion 35), and an external force detection unit 37 that detects an external force applied to the movable body 30. The control unit 36 ​​is provided on the second main surface 31b of the substrate 31. The encoder 34 is included in the rotary actuator 32. The external force detection unit 37 is included in the control unit 36.

[0022] 3, the encoder 34 outputs an angle signal A to the control unit 36 ​​(external force detection unit 37). The external force detection unit 37 detects at least the presence or absence and direction of an external force based on a change in the angle signal A, and outputs an external force detection signal corresponding to the detection result. The control unit 36 ​​controls the rotation actuator 32 based on the angle signal A and the external force detection signal.

[0023] The control of the rotary actuator 32 by the control unit 36 ​​includes calibration control, which is performed only once when the power is turned on, and normal control, which is performed after the calibration control is completed.

[0024] First, the calibration control will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Here, it is assumed that the moving body 30 is in an intermediate position between the first movement restricting part 23 and the second movement restricting part 24 (see Figure 4(A)) when the power is turned on.

[0025] At time t0 after power-on, the user applies external force F to moving object 30 in a direction toward first movement restriction unit 23, and when this is detected by external force detection unit 37, control unit 36 ​​causes output shaft 33 (pinion 35) of rotation actuator 32 to rotate forward at a first speed, thereby moving moving object 30 toward first movement restriction unit 23. Then, control unit 36 ​​stores angle signal A at time t1 when moving object 30 reaches first movement restriction unit 23 as first angle signal A1 (see FIGS. 1B and 1C).

[0026] Between times t0 and t1, angle signal A changes (decreases in this embodiment) at a slope corresponding to the first speed. When angle signal A stops changing, control unit 36 ​​can determine that moving body 30 has reached first movement restriction unit 23.

[0027] The first speed is set to a speed at which the impact when the moving body 30 reaches the first movement restricting part 23 does not damage one or both parts or cause a loud noise, i.e., a relatively low speed.

[0028] At time t2, which is later than time t1, the user applies external force F to moving object 30 in a direction toward second movement restriction unit 24 (see FIG. 5(A)), and when this is detected by external force detection unit 37, control unit 36 ​​reverses output shaft 33 (pinion 35) of rotation actuator 32 at a second speed, thereby moving moving object 30 toward second movement restriction unit 24. Then, control unit 36 ​​stores angle signal A at time t3, when moving object 30 reaches second movement restriction unit 24, as second angle signal A2 (see FIGS. 5(B) and (C)).

[0029] Between times t2 and t3, angle signal A changes (increases in this embodiment) at a slope corresponding to the second speed. When angle signal A stops changing, control unit 36 ​​can determine that moving body 30 has reached second movement restriction unit 24.

[0030] The second speed is set to a relatively low speed, i.e., a speed at which one or both of the moving body 30 will not be damaged or a loud noise will not be generated due to the impact when the moving body 30 reaches the second movement restricting part 24. In this embodiment, the second speed is the same as the first speed.

[0031] In this way, the calibration control can be said to be a control for storing, prior to normal control, the first angle signal A1 corresponding to the position of the moving body 30 when it reaches the first movement restriction section 23 and the second angle signal A2 corresponding to the position of the moving body 30 when it reaches the second movement restriction section 24.

[0032] Next, normal control that is executed after the first angle signal A1 and the second angle signal A2 are stored will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Note that here, normal control when the moving body 30 is in an intermediate position between the first movement restricting unit 23 and the second movement restricting unit 24 (see Fig. 6(A)) will be described.

[0033] When the user applies an external force F to the moving object 30 in a direction toward the first movement restriction unit 23 and this is detected by the external force detection unit 37, the control unit 36 ​​calculates a first distance D1, which is the distance to the first movement restriction unit 23, from the angle signal A (i.e., the angle signal corresponding to the intermediate position of the moving object 30 shown in FIG. 6(A)) output by the encoder 34 and the first angle signal A1. Then, the control unit 36 ​​calculates a speed S corresponding to the first distance D1 using a predetermined speed profile (see FIG. 6(B)), and moves the moving object 30 toward the first movement restriction unit 23 by rotating the output shaft 33 (pinion 35) of the rotation actuator 32 in the forward direction at the speed S.

[0034] More specifically, when the first distance D1 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold Dth1, the control unit 36 ​​causes the output shaft 33 (pinion 35) to rotate in the forward direction at a third speed S1 that is greater than the first speed. Furthermore, when the first distance D1 is less than the first threshold Dth1, the control unit 36 ​​causes the output shaft 33 (pinion 35) to rotate in the forward direction at a speed slower than the third speed S1. The reason for setting the speed slower than the third speed S1 is to prevent the moving body 30 from colliding forcefully with the first movement restricting unit 23.

[0035] On the other hand, when the user applies an external force F to the moving object 30 in a direction toward the second movement restriction unit 24 and this is detected by the external force detection unit 37, the control unit 36 ​​calculates a second distance D2, which is the distance to the second movement restriction unit 24, from the angle signal A (i.e., the angle signal corresponding to the intermediate position of the moving object 30 shown in FIG. 6(A)) output by the encoder 34 and the second angle signal A2. Then, the control unit 36 ​​calculates a speed S corresponding to the second distance D2 using a predetermined speed profile (see FIG. 6(C)), and moves the moving object 30 toward the second movement restriction unit 24 by reversely rotating the output shaft 33 (pinion 35) of the rotation actuator 32 at the speed S.

[0036] More specifically, when the second distance D2 is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold Dth2, the control unit 36 ​​reverses the output shaft 33 (pinion 35) at a fourth speed S2 that is greater than the second speed. Furthermore, when the second distance D2 is less than the second threshold Dth2, the control unit 36 ​​reverses the output shaft 33 (pinion 35) at a speed slower than the fourth speed S2. The reason for using a speed slower than the fourth speed S2 is to prevent the moving body 30 from colliding forcefully with the second movement restricting unit 24.

[0037] In this embodiment, the fourth speed S2 is the same as the third speed S1.

[0038] In this way, the mobile system 10 according to this embodiment can move the mobile body 30 at an appropriate speed according to the current position of the mobile body 30.

[0039] [Variations] Although the embodiment of the mobile system according to the present invention has been described above, the configuration of the mobile system according to the present invention is not limited to this.

[0040] For example, the speed profile used by the control unit 36 ​​when moving the moving object 30 toward the first movement restriction unit 23 may be configured so that the speed S changes according to the magnitude F1 of the external force F applied by the user, as shown in Fig. 7(A), or may be configured so that the speed S changes in a stepwise manner when the first distance D1 is less than the first threshold Dth1, as shown in Fig. 7(B). The same applies to the speed profile used by the control unit 36 ​​when moving the moving object 30 toward the second movement restriction unit 24.

[0041] Furthermore, the movement system according to the present invention may be provided with a guide rail 20' that snakes in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 8, instead of the straight guide rail 20.

[0042] 9, the guide rail 20 (20') may include a first movement restricting portion 23' separated from the first end 21 and a second movement restricting portion 24' separated from the second end 22.

[0043] Furthermore, the external force detection unit 37 may detect that an external force F has been applied to the moving body 30 based on the torque generated in the output shaft 33 (pinion 35) of the rotary actuator 32.

[0044] Furthermore, the external force detection unit 37 may be independent of the control unit 36. Similarly, the encoder 34 may be independent of the rotary actuator 32.

[0045] Furthermore, the moving body 30 may include two or more rotary actuators 32 and may include two or more guide rollers 38.

[0046] The first speed and the second speed may be different speeds, and the third speed and the fourth speed may also be different speeds.

[0047] The moving system according to the present invention can also be used for purposes other than transporting objects. For example, the moving system according to the present invention can be used as an actuator for a sliding door that opens and closes with a light touch by a user. In this case, by setting the third speed and the fourth speed to different speeds, it is possible to realize a sliding door that opens quickly and closes slowly. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 10. Mobile Systems 20 Guide rail 21 First end 22 Second end 23 First Movement Control Section 24 Second Movement Control Section 25 Rail section 26 Groove 27 racks 30 Mobile 31 PCB 32 Rotary Actuator 33 Output shaft 34 Encoder 35 Pinion 36 Control Unit 37 External force detection unit 38 Guide roller

Claims

1. A movement system including a guide rail and a moving body that can move in both directions along the guide rail, the guide rail includes a first end, a second end, a first movement restricting portion that restricts movement of the movable body at the first end, a second movement restricting portion that restricts movement of the movable body at the second end, and a rack provided between the first end and the second end, the movable body includes a rotary actuator, a pinion provided on an output shaft of the rotary actuator and engaging with the rack, an encoder that outputs an angle signal corresponding to a rotation angle of the pinion, an external force detection unit, and a control unit that controls the rotary actuator; The control unit performs calibration control such that, when the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the first end, the output shaft is rotated in a forward direction at a first speed to move the moving body toward the first end, and the angle signal when the movement of the moving body is restricted by the first movement restriction unit is stored as a first angle signal, and thereafter, when the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the second end, the output shaft is rotated in a reverse direction at a second speed to move the moving body toward the second end, and the angle signal when the movement of the moving body is restricted by the second movement restriction unit is stored as a second angle signal. A mobile system characterized by:

2. When the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the first end after the calibration control is executed, the control unit moves the moving body toward the first end by rotating the output shaft in the normal direction at a speed corresponding to a first distance, which is a distance to the first end calculated from the angle signal and the first angle signal.

2. The mobile system according to claim 1.

3. In control when an external force is applied to the moving body in a direction toward the first end after the calibration control is executed, the control unit causes the output shaft to rotate in the forward direction at a third speed greater than the first speed when the first distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold, and causes the output shaft to rotate in the forward direction at a speed smaller than the third speed when the first distance is less than the first threshold.

3. The mobile system according to claim 2.

4. When the external force detection unit detects that an external force has been applied to the moving body in a direction toward the second end after the calibration control is executed, the control unit moves the moving body toward the second end by reversing the rotation of the output shaft at a speed corresponding to a second distance, which is a distance to the second end calculated from the angle signal and the second angle signal.

4. The mobile system according to claim 3.

5. In control when an external force is applied to the moving body in a direction toward the second end after the calibration control is executed, the control unit reverses the output shaft at a fourth speed greater than the second speed when the second distance is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold, and reverses the output shaft at a speed smaller than the fourth speed when the second distance is less than the second threshold.

5. The mobile system according to claim 4.

6. The control unit increases or decreases the third speed and the fourth speed depending on the magnitude of the external force detected by the external force detection unit.

6. The mobile system according to claim 5.

7. The third speed and the fourth speed are different speeds.

6. The mobile system according to claim 5.

8. The external force detection unit detects that the external force has been applied to the moving body based on a change in the angle signal or a torque generated in the output shaft. A mobile system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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