Personal mobility for picking work

Abstract

We provide personal mobility devices for picking operations that take into account flexibility in changing specifications after equipment installation and ease of changing settings related to picking. [Solution] A personal mobility device 1 for picking work used in the picking work of goods comprises a mobility body 35 having a place to sit, one or more wheels 10, 20, 30 supporting the mobility body 35, a drive unit that drives at least one drive wheel 30 among the one or more wheels 10, 20, 30, and a support arm 60 whose base end mounting portion 61 is attached to the mobility body 35 and whose tip end supports a storage portion for storing the goods, wherein the support arm 60's mounting portion 61 is detachably attached to the mobility body 35.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to personal mobility for picking operations.

Background Art

[0002] There is a method of using a manual cart as a method for picking articles in a warehouse. For example, refer to Patent Document 1. There is also a method of performing a picking operation fully automatically using an autonomous mobile robot. For example, refer to Patent Document 2.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the method using a manual cart, the operator is likely to get tired. In the method using an automatic robot, a considerable cost is required for introduction, it is not easy to change the settings related to picking, and a considerable cost is also required when changing the specifications after introduction. On the other hand, it is also conceivable that a person riding on an electric mobility holds a basket and performs a picking operation while driving the electric mobility. In this case, while suppressing the cost of equipment introduction, it is also possible to reduce the fatigue of the person performing the work. However, further improvement is expected while considering the flexibility of specification change after equipment introduction and the facilitation of setting change related to picking.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure is a personal mobility device for picking goods, comprising: a mobility body having a seating area; one or more wheels supporting the mobility body; a drive unit for driving at least one of the one or more wheels; and a support arm having a mounting portion at its base end attached to the mobility body and supporting a storage portion for storing the goods at its tip end, wherein the mounting portion of the support arm is detachably attached to the mobility body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0006] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a personal mobility device for picking work according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a side view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a plan view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a plan view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of a personal mobility device for picking work with the storage compartment of this embodiment removed. [Figure 7] This is a side view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of a part of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing the operation of a part of the sliding mechanism of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view of the base end of the support arm of the personal mobility device for picking work in this embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a perspective view of the base end of the support arm of the personal mobility device for picking work in this embodiment. [Figure 12]This is a partial cross-sectional side view of the seat area of ​​the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 14] This is a side view of a part of the support arm of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view of a modified example of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a front view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 17] This is a rear view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 18] This is a left side view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 19] This is a right side view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 20] This is a plan view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Figure 21] This is a bottom view of the personal mobility device for picking work according to this embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0007] A work mobility device (personal mobility device for picking work) 1 according to one embodiment of this disclosure is described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 6, this work mobility 1 has a mobility body 35. The mobility body 35 has a pair of front wheels 10, a pair of rear wheels 20, a pair of intermediate wheels 30, and a body 36 supported by the front wheels 10, rear wheels 20, and intermediate wheels 30. At least one of the front wheels 10, rear wheels 20, and the pair of intermediate wheels 30 is a drive wheel. In this embodiment, the intermediate wheels 30 are drive wheels, but the other wheels 10, 20 may also be drive wheels. In addition, other wheels, drive wheels, rolling members other than wheels, or members having similar functions may be provided.

[0008] In addition, the work mobility 1 has, for example, a seat 40 which is a place to ride attached to the mobility body 35. The work mobility 1 of the present embodiment is for one person to sit and ride on the seat 40. Such a vehicle is also called a personal mobility vehicle. In the following description, the front-rear direction of the vehicle body may be simply described as the front-rear direction, and the width direction of the vehicle body may be simply described as the width direction. Also, the front-rear direction of the vehicle body coincides with the front-rear direction of the mobility body 35 or the body 36, and the width direction of the vehicle body coincides with the width direction of the mobility body 35 or the body 36. Further, the following description basically describes the work mobility 1 placed on a horizontal plane in an unloaded state or a state where a predetermined load is applied. An example of the state where a predetermined load is applied is a state where an object or a person having the allowable weight of the work mobility 1, or an object or a person having a weight of 2 / 3 of the allowable load is placed on the seat 40.

[0009] In the present embodiment, output shafts (not shown) of motors 50 (drive units) shown in FIG. 2 are respectively connected to a pair of intermediate wheels 30, and each intermediate wheel 30 can be driven by each motor 50. In the present embodiment, the output shaft of the motor 50 functions as the axle of the intermediate wheel 30. On the other hand, the driving force of the motor 50 may be configured to be transmitted to the pair of intermediate wheels 30, the pair of rear wheels 20, and / or the pair of front wheels 10 via power transmission members such as belts, gears, shafts, and the axles of the intermediate wheels 30.

[0010] Each of the front wheels 10 and the rear wheels 20 is supported by the body 36. In the present embodiment, the pair of front wheels 10 and the pair of rear wheels 20 are known caster wheels or omnidirectional moving wheels. There may be a case where ordinary wheels are used for the front wheels 10 and the rear wheels 20 and a steering mechanism is provided on the mobility body 35.

[0011] In the present embodiment, each intermediate wheel 30 has an axle which is an output shaft of the motor 50 or the like, a hub attached to the axle, and an outer peripheral member provided on the outer peripheral side of the hub and formed of a material having a rubber-like elasticity such as rubber or silicon.

[0012] The seat 40 has a seat surface 41 on which the passenger sits and a backrest 42. In this embodiment, the front of the vehicle is the direction in which the mobility body 35 mainly moves, the direction in which the backrest 42 faces when the seat 40 is in its basic position, or the direction in which the armrest 40A of the seat 40 extends. The basic position is the position in which the seat 40 is positioned when the mobility body 35 is traveling in the direction in which it mainly moves. The lower end of the seat 40 is supported by the seat support portion 37 of the body 36, and the height of the seat 40 relative to the body 36 is adjustable.

[0013] The seat 40 and body 36 are equipped with a control unit (controller) 43, such as a joystick. When a person (user) seated in the seat 40 operates the control unit 43, each motor 50 is driven in accordance with the operation, and the work mobility 1 moves in accordance with the drive of each motor 50. In Figures 1 to 6, the controller support unit 43A to which the control unit 43 is attached is positioned in a first position. When a person riding in the work mobility 1 performs the following tasks, the controller support unit 43A is basically positioned in the first position shown in Figures 1 to 6. When the controller support unit 43A is positioned in the first position, the motors 50 are driven in accordance with the operation of the control unit 43. When the controller support unit 43A moves or swings to the second position shown in Figure 7, the motors 50 are no longer driven in accordance with the operation of the control unit 43, and the work mobility 1 stops moving in accordance with the operation of the control unit 43. In this way, the controller support unit 43A is attached to the body 36 so as to be movable or swingable.

[0014] If each front wheel 10 is an omnidirectional wheel, caster wheel, etc., as in this embodiment, or if the steering mechanism can set the steering angle of each front wheel 10 to approximately 90°, the work mobility 1 is capable of turning. This turning can be described as the rotation of the work mobility 1 around a vertical axis located within the range enclosed by the front wheels 10 and rear wheels 20 or within the range of the body 36. Depending on the conditions, the rotation of the work mobility 1 around a vertical axis at a distance of 20 cm or less from the range of existence may also be referred to as turning.

[0015] It is also possible for the control unit 100 (Figure 2) installed on the work mobility vehicle 1 to automatically drive the work mobility vehicle 1 based on a program, without the rider operating the control unit 43. The control unit 100 includes a processor and a storage device having RAM, ROM, non-volatile memory, etc., and various programs for operating the work mobility vehicle 1 are stored in the storage device.

[0016] The work mobility 1 may be a work mobility with a different body shape. Furthermore, as another form of work mobility, it is possible to configure all the wheels supporting the body 36 as omnidirectional wheels. This makes it possible to move the vehicle in all directions without changing (or while changing) the vehicle's direction, in addition to super-tight turns, further improving work efficiency.

[0017] Furthermore, instead of seats 40, a place for people to stand may be provided for each of the aforementioned work mobility devices. In this case, each of the aforementioned work mobility devices will be for one person to stand. It should be noted that multiple people may ride in each work mobility device, standing and / or sitting.

[0018] As shown in Figure 12, the seat support portion 37 is supported by the body 36, and the seat 40 is rotatably supported by the seat support portion 37 via a rotation support portion 37C around an axis extending in the vertical direction. Also, as shown in Figures 8 and 12, a seat-side engaging member 38 is attached to the seat 40, and a body-side engaging member 36A is fixed to the body 36. The body-side engaging member 36A is a plate with multiple notches 36B, holes, etc., provided at intervals in the circumferential direction, and the seat-side engaging member 38 is a lever that can swing in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, there is a pivot axis at the base end of the seat-side engaging member 38.

[0019] The tip of the seat-side engaging member 38 is normally positioned downward by gravity, a spring or other biasing member, and in this state, the seat-side engaging member 38 and the notch 36B of the body-side engaging member 36A engage around the axis. In this state, the seat 40 does not rotate around the axis relative to the body 36. On the other hand, if the user swings the seat-side engaging member 38 upward, for example, the engagement between the seat-side engaging member 38 and the body-side engaging member 36A is released, and the user can rotate the seat 40 around the axis. In this state, if the seat-side engaging member 38 swings downward, for example, the seat 40 is fixed at any rotational position.

[0020] The body-side engaging member 36A and the seat-side engaging member 38 can be changed to other structures that perform the above functions. Alternatively, the body-side engaging member 36A may be the lever, and the seat-side engaging member 38 may be the plate. Furthermore, a motor for rotating the seat 40 relative to the body 36 around the axis, or a brake for fixing the seat 40 relative to the body 36, may be provided. In these cases as well, the motor, brake, etc., allow the user to rotate the seat 40 around the axis and fix it at any rotational position.

[0021] The body 36 is provided with a front footrest 36D and a rear footrest 36E. Therefore, when the user rotates the seat 40 180° around the axis, the user can place their feet on the rear footrest 36E.

[0022] With the above configuration, the seat 40 can rotate to a first rotation position (position 3 in Figure 3) where the occupant faces forward of the vehicle, and to a second rotation position (position 4 in Figure 4) where the occupant faces sideways to the vehicle, and can be fixed in each position. This configuration helps to improve the efficiency of the picking work performed by the occupant, as described later.

[0023] The work mobility device 1 of this embodiment has a support arm 60. The support arm 60 can take various forms and may also be referred to as a movable support mechanism. As shown in Figure 2, the support arm 60 has a base fixing portion (mounted portion) 61 fixed to the work mobility device 1, a base side portion 62 whose base end is supported by the base fixing portion 61, and a tip side portion 63 whose base end is supported at the tip of the base side portion 62. The base side portion 62 and the tip side portion 63 may each be multi-jointed arms.

[0024] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1 and other figures, the base side portion 62 has a pair of parallel links 62A aligned in the width direction, and the tip side portion 63 also has a pair of parallel links 63A aligned in the width direction. The pivot axis of each parallel link 62A, 63A extends in the width direction. The base side portion 62 is pivotable in the front-rear direction relative to the base fixing portion 61, and the tip side portion 63 is pivotable in the front-rear direction relative to the base side portion 62. With this configuration, the orientation of the tip of the support arm 60 does not change even if the tip side portion 63 and / or the base side portion 62 pivot. This configuration is useful for reliably storing articles in the storage portion BA, as will be described later.

[0025] As shown in Figure 14, a click sensation generating part 66 may be provided at the joint between the tip side of the base end portion 62 and the base end side of the tip end portion 63. For example, the click sensation generating part 66 has a plunger 66A provided on the link member of the parallel link 62A of the base end portion 62, and a plurality of recesses 66B arranged at intervals around the pivot axis of the link member of the parallel link 63A of the tip end portion 63. The plunger 66A has a structure in which a metal ball is ejected by a spring, and the plurality of recesses 66B are arranged along the trajectory of the metal ball according to the movement of the joint. The trajectory is, for example, an arc trajectory centered on one of the pivot axes of the joint. With this configuration, when a seated person swings the tip end portion 63 and the metal ball enters one of the plurality of recesses 66B, the seated person feels the sound and vibration. This configuration leads to effects such as the seated person being able to intuitively recognize the amount of swing of the tip end portion 63. The click-generating portion 66 may be provided at the joint between the base-fixing portion 61 and the base-side portion 62, or at other joints.

[0026] The base fixing portion 61 is a member that is fixed to the body 36 of the mobility main body 35, as shown in Figures 5 and 10. The base fixing portion 61 in Figure 10 may be a member that is long in the vertical direction.

[0027] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2 and other figures, the part of the support arm 60 closer to the tip side 63 is a support portion 70, and the support portion 70 is capable of supporting a storage portion BA for storing articles. The storage portion BA is, for example, a known container, basket, tray, storage box, rack, storage container with drawers, etc., that can place and / or store articles. The articles include, but are not limited to, various parts, various finished products, various goods, etc.

[0028] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the support portion 70 is configured to support the lower part of the housing portion BA. As shown in Figure 6, the support portion 70 in this embodiment has a bottom wall 71, a front wall 72 extending upward from the front end of the bottom wall 71, and a frame 73 extending rearward from the rear end of the bottom wall 71. The bottom wall 71 may be absent, and some or all of the front wall 72 and frame 73 may be absent. The support portion 70 only needs to be able to support the housing portion BA. Note that the tip of the front end portion 63 may be the housing portion BA instead of the support portion 70.

[0029] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, a width-direction swinging member 74 that swings in the width direction is provided on the tip side portion 63 of the support arm 60. In this embodiment, a pair of width-direction swinging members 74 are provided, and as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the pair of width-direction swinging members 74 can restrict the movement of the housing portion BA on the support portion 70 in the width direction. The width-direction swinging member 74 is swingable in the width direction indicated by arrow B in Figure 3, and at least one of the width-direction swinging members 74 is provided with a mounting portion 74A for the reader 120. The reader 120 is a known identifier reader such as a handheld barcode reader that reads identifiers provided on the article. Identifiers include barcodes, QR codes (registered trademarks), IC tags including RFID tags, etc.

[0030] The mounting section 74A contributes to improving the efficiency of identifier reading by the seated person and improving the handling of the reader 120 when moving the work mobility 1. When the reader 120 is a handy code reader, the user can more easily experience the above effects if the reader 120 is detachably attached to the mounting section 74A. Even if the reader 120 is fixed to the mounting section 74A in a non-removable manner, the seated person can still read the identifier by placing the item near the reader 120. For example, by fixing the reader 120 at an angle that allows identifiers passing near the top of the storage section BA to be read, and having the seated person have the reader 120 read the identifier provided on the item when moving the item to the storage section BA during picking work, it becomes possible to improve work efficiency by combining the work of moving the item to the storage section BA and the work of reading the identifier into a single operation. In other words, the passenger does not need to hold a handy code reader while working.

[0031] Furthermore, if the identifier is an IC tag, an RFID reader can be used as the reader 120. In this case, if the reader 120 is mounted on the support arm 60 so that the inside of the storage unit BA is within the reading range of the RFID reader, the identifier of the item can be read simply by the person sitting inside the storage unit BA. Antennas may also be arranged around the storage unit BA, and the reader 120 may read the identifier of the item via the antennas.

[0032] In this embodiment, the support arm 60 has multiple joints, allowing the rider to freely move the tip of the support arm 60 within the range of motion of each joint. In some cases, the support arm 60 may not have a base end portion 62, and the tip end portion 63 may be directly supported by the base end fixing portion 61. Alternatively, the support arm 60 may have other joints.

[0033] As shown in Figure 9, the support portion 70 in this embodiment is supported on the tip side of the support arm 60 via a slide mechanism 75 that is movable in the vehicle width direction. As an example, in this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, a movable rail member 76 is fixed to the front surface of the support portion 70, and a fixed rail member 77 corresponding to the movable rail member 76 is fixed to a member (L-shaped cross-section) 65 supported on the tip side portion 63 of the support arm 60. The movable rail member 76 slides relative to the fixed rail member 77 in the vehicle width direction, and the slide mechanism 75 has these members 76 and 77, and may have bearings, sliders, etc. between the members 76 and 77 as needed. In the slide mechanism 75 of this embodiment, a similar movable rail is fixed to the bottom surface of the support portion 70, and a fixed rail member corresponding to the movable rail is fixed to the member 65 of the support arm 60. Other known rail structures with similar functions may also be used, and other slide structures that support the support portion 70 so as to be movable in the vehicle width direction on the tip side of the support arm 60 may also be used.

[0034] This configuration, in which the housing BA is supported by the support arm 60 so as to be movable in the width direction, has the effect of facilitating work by a seated person. This work includes removing the housing BA from the support arm 70 and placing the housing BA on a mounting unit, for example, located on one side in the width direction of the vehicle body. An example of a mounting unit is a conveying device such as a belt conveyor that moves the housing BA to a predetermined position.

[0035] As shown in Figure 1, the base end of each width-direction swinging member 74 is supported on the tip side of the support arm 60 so as to be able to swing around an axis extending in the vertical direction. Each width-direction swinging member 74 has a release operation part 67 on its tip side, and the release operation part 67 has an operation part 67A such as a release lever.

[0036] On the other hand, the support arm 60 is provided with a restricting member 68 that can restrict the swinging of the base end portion 62 and the tip end portion 63. In this embodiment, the restricting member 68 is a known gas spring with a locking mechanism, and as an example, a gas spring with a locking mechanism from STABILUS can be used. For example, with such a gas spring with a locking mechanism, the lock of the gas spring is released by pressing a button at the end of a wire connected to the gas spring. In one example, when a seated person grips the release operation portion 67, causing the operation portion 67A to swing, the button is pressed, and the restriction on the swinging of the base end portion 62 and the tip end portion 63 is released.

[0037] In one example, one end of the lower gas spring is fixed to the body 36 or the base fixing part 61, and the other end of the lower gas spring is fixed to the middle or tip of the base side part 62. This configuration allows the occupant to move the tip of the support arm 60 only when intended, preventing the housing part BA supported by the support arm 60 from moving unintentionally. This effect contributes to improving the efficiency of the picking work performed by the occupant, as described later. Alternatively, instead of a gas spring with a locking mechanism, plungers, electromagnetic brakes, etc., provided at each joint of the support arm 60 to restrict joint movement may be used as restricting members 68.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, the widthwise swing members 74 positioned in the swing position on the inside in the width direction of the vehicle body restrict the movement of the housing BA on the support portion 70 in the width direction. Furthermore, when performing the aforementioned operation of placing the housing BA on the mounting portion located on one side in the width direction of the vehicle body, the widthwise swing members 74 are positioned in the swing position on the outside in the width direction of the vehicle body. This configuration contributes to improving the efficiency of work performed by a seated person.

[0039] In this embodiment, the control unit 100 locks at least some of the joints of the support arm 60 while the mobility body 35 is moving on the intermediate wheel 30. This movement includes the turning motion of the mobility body 35. In one example, the control unit 100 locks the joint between the base end fixing part 61 and the base end side part 62 by controlling the lower restricting member 68, and locks the joint between the base end side part 62 and the tip side part 63 by controlling the upper restricting member 68. These locks restrict the movement of the joints of the support arm 60. In this case, for example, a motor is provided to press the button on the restricting member 68, and the control unit 100 controls this motor. In another example, a mechanical structure is used in which the button is pressed when the mobility body 35 starts moving. The joints of the support arm 60 may be locked when the mobility body 35 is moving by other structures or methods. This configuration has the effect of reducing or eliminating incidents such as the support arm 60 coming into contact with surrounding structures when the work mobility 1 is moved by the operation of a seated person.

[0040] The control unit 100 may also control the restricting member 68 so that the joint is not locked when the motor 50 is in a first driving state, but the joint is locked when the motor 50 is in a second driving state. The first driving state is, for example, when the motor 50 is stopped, when the motor 50 is rotating at a predetermined rotational speed or less, or when a pair of motors are rotating in the same direction at a predetermined rotational speed or less. The second driving state is, for example, when the motor 50 is rotating at a speed exceeding the predetermined rotational speed, when a pair of motors are rotating in different directions, or when a pair of motors are rotating at different speeds. In this case, for example, when the work mobility 1 is moving slowly forward, the person seated can move the position of the support part 70 at the tip of the support arm 60, but when the work mobility 1 is performing a pivoting motion, the person seated cannot move the position of the support part 70 at the tip of the support arm 60. This configuration can lead to an improvement in the work efficiency of the person seated.

[0041] As shown in Figure 10, the base fixing portion 61 that pivotably supports the base side portion 62 is a metal member, and the base fixing portion 61 has, for example, a U-shaped cross-section. In this embodiment, the base fixing portion 61 is provided with a mounting hole 61A, and a fixing hole H is provided in the body 36 at a position corresponding to the mounting hole 61A. The fixing hole H is, for example, a female screw hole. In addition, a fixing component 69, for example, as shown in Figure 10, is used to fix the base fixing portion 61 to the body 36. An example of a fixing component 69 is a bolt with a lever shown in Figure 10. A bolt with a lever is a bolt with a lever attached to the base end for applying rotational force to the bolt. The lever may be pivotably attached to the bolt.

[0042] The body 36 has a vertical engagement portion 36C. The fixing component 69 is inserted through the mounting hole 61A and screwed into the fixing hole H, and the fixing component 69 restricts the movement of the base fixing portion 61 relative to the body 36, at least in the vehicle longitudinal direction. With this movement restriction in place, the vertical engagement portion 36C is positioned above a part of the base fixing portion 61. In this embodiment, the vertical engagement portion 36C is positioned above the rear of the center of the base fixing portion 61 in the vehicle longitudinal direction. The vertical engagement portion 36C allows the base fixing portion 61 to move relative to the body 36 in the vehicle longitudinal direction (a predetermined direction) when the movement restriction by the fixing component 69 is not in place. Furthermore, the vertical engagement portion 36C engages from above with the base fixing portion 61 positioned at the location where the movement restriction by the fixing component 69 is in place. This engagement from above restricts the forward rotation of the base fixing portion 61 relative to the body 36 (rotation in the direction of arrow A in Figure 2) even when the base fixing portion 61 is not fixed by the fixing component 69. For example, this restriction is performed so that the rotation is 3° or less. Therefore, even if the base fixing portion 61 tries to tilt in the front-rear direction due to the weight of the support arm 60, inertia, etc., when the fixing component 69 is slightly loose, that tilt is restricted by the vertical engagement portion 36C.

[0043] Furthermore, the vertical engagement portion 36C allows the base end fixing portion 61 to move in the longitudinal direction (predetermined direction) relative to the body 36 when the movement is not restricted by the fixing component 69. Therefore, the support arm 60 is removed from the body 36 by the removal of the fixing component 69 and the user moving the base end fixing portion 61 in the longitudinal direction (predetermined direction) of the vehicle.

[0044] With this configuration, when an event such as an earthquake occurs that requires the seated person to evacuate, the seated person or those around them can remove the fixing part 69 and move the base fixing part 61 in the longitudinal direction (predetermined direction) of the vehicle body, thereby detaching the support arm 60 from the body 36 and making it easier for the seated person to get off the work mobility 1. Furthermore, with this configuration, the user can remove the support arm 60 when replacing it with another support arm. The same effect can be achieved even if the predetermined direction is other than the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.

[0045] Furthermore, a posture-responsive structure or posture-responsive control may be employed that allows the support arm 60 to be removed only when it is in a predetermined removal posture. In this posture-responsive control, for example, when the control unit 100 detects that the support arm 60 is in a predetermined removal posture, the control unit 100 controls a solenoid (not shown) in response to the detection, and the solenoid changes the movement of the base end fixing part 61 in the vehicle body longitudinal direction (predetermined direction) from an impossible state to an possible state. For example, in a solenoid fixed to the body 36, when there is no excitation, a spring engages a protruding member (shaft) with the base end fixing part 61 in the predetermined direction. Also, when the solenoid is excited, the engagement between the protruding member and the base end fixing part 61 in the predetermined direction is released. Known sensors may be used to detect the posture of the support arm 60. As sensors, encoders that detect the angles of each joint of the support arm 60, vision sensors used for image recognition of the posture of the support arm 60, etc., may be used. A predetermined removal position is one in which the distance between any part of the tip of the support arm 60 and the floor surface is less than or equal to a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance is 10 cm or less, 20 cm or less, etc.

[0046] In the aforementioned posture-adjustable structure, for example, as shown in Figure 11, a predetermined-direction engaging portion 36G is provided on the tip side or in the middle of the vertical engaging portion 36C, and the predetermined-direction engaging portion 36G can engage with a part (projection) 61B of the base end fixing portion 61 in the vehicle body longitudinal direction (predetermined direction). Furthermore, when the base end fixing portion 61 is not fixed by the fixing part 69, the predetermined-direction engaging portion 36G engages with a part 61B in the vehicle body longitudinal direction (predetermined direction) when the rotation of the base end fixing portion 61 relative to the body 36 in the direction of arrow A in Figure 2 reaches a predetermined angle (for example, 2° or more), and does not engage with a part 61B when the rotation is less than the predetermined angle. The posture of the support arm 60 in which such engagement does not occur is the removal posture.

[0047] In this embodiment, the center of gravity of the support arm 60 is often positioned in front of the vehicle body, relative to the center of the base fixing portion 61 in the vehicle body's longitudinal direction. Therefore, a seated person or someone nearby can, for example, bring the tip of the support arm 60 into contact with the floor surface in front of the vehicle body, thereby reducing the rotation to less than a predetermined angle, and then remove the fixing part 69 and move the base fixing portion 61 in the vehicle body's longitudinal direction (predetermined direction), thereby removing the support arm 60 from the body 36.

[0048] Alternatively, instead of the vertical engagement portion 36C, a vertical engagement portion 36F can be provided on a part of the side surface of the body 36, as shown in Figure 11. At least a part of the vertical engagement portion 36F is positioned above a part of the base end fixing portion 61 while the movement of the base end fixing portion 61 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body is restricted by the fixing component 69. The vertical engagement portion 36F also allows the base end fixing portion 61 to move relative to the body 36 in the longitudinal direction (a predetermined direction) when the movement restriction by the fixing component 69 is not applied. Furthermore, the vertical engagement portion 36F engages with the base end fixing portion 61 positioned at the location where the movement restriction by the fixing component 69 is applied, from above. As a result, the vertical engagement portion 36F also provides the same effect as the vertical engagement portion 36C. It is also possible to provide a rail as a vertical engagement portion on the side surface of the body 36. In this case, a member (movable rail) on the side surface of the base end fixing portion 61 facing the side surface engages with the rail so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, a portion of the rail engages with the member from above. The vertical engagement portion may be in other configurations.

[0049] In the attitude-responsive structure or attitude-responsive control, the base end fixing portion 61 of the support arm 60 becomes detachable from the mobility body 35 when it is in a detachable position that allows it to be removed from the mobility body 35. This structure can reduce or eliminate incidents such as the support arm 60 falling in an unintended direction after being removed from the body 36, and this effect is useful for improving safety, etc.

[0050] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12 and other figures, the seat 40 can be raised and lowered by a lifting device 44. In this embodiment, the lifting device 44 is an electric cylinder, but other devices such as an air cylinder that can raise and lower the seat 40 may also be used.

[0051] As shown in Figure 5, in this embodiment, the housing BA is pivotably attached to the support arm 60 using a known hinge structure (rocking mechanism) 65C or the like. In this embodiment, the member 65 is supported by a known hinge structure 65C so as to be able to pivot upward around an axis 65A (Figure 2) extending in the width direction of the vehicle body on the front end side 63. Alternatively, the bottom wall 71, front wall 72, etc. of the support 70 may be similarly pivotable relative to the front end side 63. In this case, the movable rail member 76 and the fixed rail member 77 may not be provided.

[0052] With this configuration, for example, when the seat 40 rises and the occupant's legs come into contact with the storage section BA, support section 70, etc. from below, the storage section BA, support section 70, etc., swing upward around the axis 65A. This configuration can prevent or reduce injuries to the occupant, and this effect is useful for improving the occupant's sense of security and safety.

[0053] As shown in Figure 2, the support arm 60 can also be configured to have a solenoid 64 and a switch (release operation part) 65B that energizes the solenoid 64. In Figure 2, the solenoid 64 is fixed to the member 65, and a spring inside the solenoid 64 biases the protruding member (shaft) 64A to protrude, and the amount of protrusion of the protruding member 64A from the solenoid 64 is reduced when energized. Also, when the energized part is not energized, the protruding member 64A is inserted into the hole 63B of the upper end member of the tip side part 63. The switch 65B is mounted on the lower side of the member 65, the lower side of the support part 70, etc., in a manner that it is pushed upward.

[0054] In this configuration, the solenoid 64 and hole 63B are a swing-restricting mechanism that restricts the swinging of the member 65, support part 70, and housing part BA around the axis 65A. The switch 65B and solenoid 64 are a restriction release mechanism that releases the swing restriction. In this configuration, unnecessary vertical movement of the housing part BA due to inertial forces, vibrations, etc. acting during the movement of the work mobility 1 is prevented or reduced, and this effect is useful for improving work efficiency, etc. On the other hand, in this configuration, for example, when the seat 40 rises and the occupant's legs hit the housing part BA, support part 70, etc. from below, the occupant's legs push the switch 65B upward, allowing the housing part BA, support part 70, etc. to swing upward around the axis 65A. This effect is useful for improving the occupant's sense of security and safety.

[0055] Furthermore, if the seat 40 is raised above a predetermined height, it is possible to set the travel speed of the mobility unit 35 (the rotation speed of the motor 50) to below a predetermined speed (for example, changing the maximum speed from 6 km / h to 4 km / h) or to stop the mobility unit. This reduces the risk of the mobility unit 35 tipping over due to high-speed travel, high-speed turns, etc., in an unstable state with a high center of gravity, and also reduces the risk of damage due to stress concentration at the seat mounting area.

[0056] As shown in Figure 15, the work mobility 1 may have a foot support 45 that rises together with the seat 40 by a lifting device 44. This configuration contributes to stabilizing the posture of the occupant when the seat 40 is raised. The foot support 45 in Figure 15 has a frame 45A that extends forward from the seat support 37. The base end of the frame 45A is fixed to the seat support 37, and the foot support 45 has a vertical frame 45B that extends downward from the tip of the frame 45A. The foot support 45 also has a footrest portion 45C that extends at least forward from the lower end of the vertical frame 45B, on which the occupant can rest their feet. When the foot support 45 is formed from a combination of the above frames (rod-shaped members), it does not get in the way when the occupant places their feet on the front footrest 36D.

[0057] In the example shown in Figure 15, the foot support 45 is fixed to the seat support 37. Therefore, as shown in Figure 12 and other figures, the seat support 37 does not rotate when the seat 40 rotates. This configuration prevents the foot support 45, for example, the footrest portion 45C, from becoming a protruding member in the width direction of the mobility body 35 when the seat 40 rotates. Specifically, for example, when the mobility body 35 moves with the seat 40 rotated 90°, the phenomenon of the footrest portion 45C unintentionally hitting surrounding objects is prevented.

[0058] Furthermore, the foot support 45 may rotate together with the seat 40. In this case, even when the seat 40 is rotated, the occupant can still rest their feet on the foot support 45, which contributes to stabilizing the occupant's posture. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the front footrest 36D rises together with the seat 40. In this case, the front footrest 36D functions as the foot support 45.

[0059] As shown in Figure 13, a vehicle width light illuminator 110 may be provided on one (front) or the other (rear) running surface in the longitudinal direction of the work mobility 1's body, illuminating a light that serves as a marker for the vehicle width of the mobility body 35. The vehicle width light illuminator 110 uses a spherical lens or the like to make the light from an LED approximately parallel, and irradiates this parallel light onto the illumination position IP (hatched area in Figures 3 and 13) corresponding to the vehicle width of the mobility body 35. For this purpose, in this embodiment, vehicle width light illuminators 110 are provided on the left and right sides of the body 36 so that light is irradiated onto the front and rear running surfaces of the outer surface of the intermediate wheel 30. This configuration has the effect of making it easier for the person seated to determine whether the work mobility 1 can enter a narrow passage.

[0060] Furthermore, the support arm 60 is provided so as to extend at least upward from the lower range of the mobility body 35, and the tip of the support arm 60 is movable in the longitudinal direction and / or vertical direction of the vehicle body. In this case, the base end of the support arm 60 is attached to the lower range, and the support arm 60 as a whole is capable of supporting the accommodation BA for the passenger in a manner that extends at least vertically from its base end to its tip end. The lower range is the lower 1 / 3, preferably the lower 1 / 4, and more preferably the lower 1 / 5 of the vertical dimension of the mobility body 35.

[0061] The configuration in which the support arm 60 extends at least upward from the lower range of the mobility body 35 contributes to improving workability when a seated person stands on, for example, the front footrest 36D of the electric mobility device to perform tasks.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each joint is provided with a regulating member 68, which is a gas spring. Instead of gas springs, dampers (not shown), air cylinders (not shown), hydraulic cylinders (not shown), etc., may be used. In this case, the tip of the support arm 60 is moved by the rider, and after the rider's hands leave the support arm 60, the tip of the support arm 60 stops at that position. When the tip of the support arm 60 is positioned in this way, the rider can easily perform the picking work of items.

[0063] The work mobility device 1 of this embodiment is used in any location, such as inside a building like a warehouse, or in a predetermined area where part is located outside the building and part is located inside the building.

[0064] Regarding the work mobility 1 to which this technology is applied, it is possible to apply the above configuration not only to mobility operated by a passenger but also to mobility in which some or all of the driving operations are automated. In this case, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the work mobility 1 automatically drives by detecting line picking markers (reflective material, chips, etc.) installed along the movement path of the work mobility 1, as in a general-purpose AGV (automated guided vehicle), or a configuration in which it automatically drives using an electronic map and self-position detection. For example, in picking work, the process of moving the work mobility 1 to the next process (collection, assembly, etc.) after the picking work is completed can be automated. This will improve efficiency.

[0065] The support arm 60 comprises a base end portion 62 extending at least in the front-rear direction of the mobility body 35, and a tip end portion 63 extending at least upward from the tip side of the base end portion 62. In this configuration, the support arm 60, particularly the tip end portion 63, is located mainly in front of the seated person. This configuration has the effect of increasing the working space around the accommodation BA, and the effect of miniaturizing the work mobility 1, including the support arm 60, in the vertical direction. In Figure 2, etc., the base end portion 62 extends diagonally forward and upward from its base end to its tip. Therefore, the base end portion 62 extends at least forward of the mobility body 35 from its base end to its tip. Also, in Figure 2, etc., the tip end portion 63 extends diagonally backward and upward from its base end to its tip. The tip end portion 63 may also extend diagonally forward and upward from its base end to its tip. In these cases, the tip portion 63 extends at least upward from its base towards the tip.

[0066] Figures 16-21 show the front, rear, right side, left side, top, and bottom views of the personal mobility device 1 for picking work. The lines showing the irregularities, holes, bolts, and other fasteners on the mobility device body 35 in the bottom view are parts that are not visible or are difficult to see when the personal mobility device 1 for picking work is placed on the floor. Therefore, the lines showing the irregularities on the bottom surface of the mobility device body 35 in the bottom view cannot be said to represent parts that are visually distinctive. Also, the lines appearing on the curved parts of the seat 40, controller support 43A, armrest 40A, and body 36 in the front, rear, right side, left side, and top views, which are mainly for representing curved shapes, cannot be said to represent parts that are visually distinctive. Furthermore, the multiple link members and multiple holes provided in the frame that make up the support arm 60 shown in each figure are not visually distinctive parts. Furthermore, the straight lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body from the center of the width direction of the seat 40 shown in each figure are mainly lines that represent the curved shapes of the central position of the seat surface 41 and the backrest 42, and cannot be said to be lines that represent any distinctive external features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1: Work mobility (personal mobility for picking work) 35: Mobility unit 36: Body 36A: Body-side engaging member 36B: Notch 36C: Vertical engagement part 36D: Footrest 36D: Front footrest 36E: Rear footrest 36F: Vertical engagement part 36G: Predetermined direction engagement part 37: Seat support section 38: Seat-side engaging member 40: Seats 45: Foot support 50: Motor 60: Support arm 61: Proximal end fixed part (fixed part) 61A: Mounting hole 62: Base side 63: Tip side 63B: Hole 64: Solenoid 64A: Protruding member 65B: Switch 65C: Hinge structure 66: Click sensation generation part 67: Release operation section 68: Regulating member 69: Fixing parts 70: Support part 74: Width-direction oscillating member 74A: Mounting part 75: Sliding mechanism 100: Control Unit 110: Vehicle width light illumination area 120: Leader BA: Containment Unit IP:Irradiation position

Claims

1. A personal mobility device for picking work used in the picking of goods, The mobility vehicle itself, which has a place to sit, One or more wheels supporting the mobility body, A drive unit that drives at least one of the one or more wheels, The base end of the mounting portion is attached to the mobility body, and the tip end of the support arm supports a storage portion for accommodating the article, The support arm is detachably attached to the mobility body at the mounting portion. Personal mobility device for picking work.

2. The support arm extends at least upward from the lower part of the mobility body, and the tip of the support arm is movable at least in the longitudinal direction and / or vertical direction of the vehicle body. The personal mobility device for picking work as described in claim 1.

3. The support arm is configured to be in a predetermined detachment position that allows it to be removed from the mobility body. The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mounting portion can be removed from the mobility body when the support arm is in the predetermined removal position.

4. The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage section is supported by the support arm via a sliding mechanism that is movable in the width direction of the vehicle body.

5. The housing section is attached to the support arm via a swing mechanism, The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rocking mechanism allows the housing to rock at least upward when a user sitting on the seating area comes into contact with the housing or a support that supports the housing from below.

6. The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 2, wherein the support arm has a click sensation generating part that generates a click sensation at at least at one location when the tip side moves in the longitudinal direction and / or the vertical direction of the vehicle body.

7. The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 1, wherein the riding area is rotatable to a first rotation position in which the user riding on the riding area faces forward, and a second rotation position in which the user riding on the riding area faces sideways.

8. The support arm has one or more joints, The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a restricting member that restricts the movement of at least some of the joints when the mobility device is moving on one or more of the wheels.

9. The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 8, wherein the restricting member restricts the movement based on the driving state of the drive unit.

10. The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the storage section or the support section supporting the storage section is equipped with a mounting section for a reader that reads an identifier provided on the article.

11. The personal mobility device for picking work according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a vehicle width light emitting section at the front or rear of the mobility device body that emits light as a marker for the vehicle width of the mobility device body.

Images