Electrically towed vehicle

Abstract

We provide self-propelled trailers. [Solution] When the tractor 2 is connected, the electric energy generated by the generator motor 335 due to the rotation of the wheels 312 is stored in the energy storage device 334. When the tractor 2 is detached, the electric energy stored in the energy storage device 334 is used to drive the generator motor 335, which in turn drives the wheels 312, enabling the trailer to move under its own power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a motorized towed vehicle, and more particularly to a towed vehicle capable of self-propulsion using electric power as a power source.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a towed vehicle, commonly called a trailer, is towed and moved with a towing vehicle, called a tractor, connected to the front of the vehicle. Towed vehicles include vehicles with different configurations depending on their uses, such as box-shaped ones for storing goods inside like containers, ones having a mounting platform for mounting and fixing heavy machinery, etc., and ones equipped with various devices according to other usage purposes. Examples of devices mounted according to usage purposes include a mixing drum device for mounting fresh concrete, a container device in which the loading platform serves as a storage and the side wing side panels open and close, etc.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since a transport vehicle composed of a trailer and a tractor as described above is larger than a vehicle such as a normal truck, it is not maneuverable. For example, when carrying materials into a construction site, there are problems such as the space required to unload the materials in the trailer and the space required to change direction from the unloading location. In addition, the driving operation when connecting and towing a tractor to a trailer requires special skills. For example, when reversing a trailer, a jackknife phenomenon is likely to occur, and special driving operations are required for the driver.

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an electric towed vehicle that is easy to handle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One embodiment of the electric towed vehicle of the present invention, which solves the above problems, is: The main unit and A connecting part provided at the front of the main body, which is detachably connected to a towing vehicle, In the connected state in which the towing vehicle is connected to the aforementioned connection part, a pair of left and right wheels that become driven wheels, A towed vehicle with a distinctive shape, An actuator that converts rotational energy input from a driven wheel into electrical energy, A power storage device that stores the electrical energy converted by the actuator, In the detached state, when the towing vehicle is detached from the connection part, the actuator is characterized by converting the electrical energy output from the power storage device into rotational energy for driving the wheels and outputting it to the wheels.

[0007] With this configuration, when the vehicle is towed by the towing vehicle, the rotation of the driven wheels is input to the actuator. The actuator generates electricity from the input wheel rotation, and the generated electrical energy is stored in the energy storage device. When the towing vehicle is detached from the towed vehicle, the electrical energy stored in the energy storage device during towing is supplied to the actuator, and this supplied electrical energy causes the actuator to output rotational force to the wheels. As a result, the towed vehicle can move on its own without the towing vehicle.

[0008] Furthermore, the main body of the towed vehicle includes a steering wheel for controlling the direction of self-propulsion of the main body, It has an operating device for steering the steering wheel, The steering wheel is in a non-grounded state when connected and in a grounded state when detached. With this configuration, the self-propelled towed vehicle can steer its direction of travel, allowing it to move in any direction while self-propelled. Furthermore, since the towed vehicle is detached, no special steering skills are required, and it allows for tighter steering maneuvers compared to when the towed vehicle is attached.

[0009] The main body of the towed vehicle has electrical equipment that operates using electrical energy, The aforementioned electrical equipment operates based on the electrical energy output from the energy storage device. With this configuration, the electrical energy stored in the energy storage device can be used not only for driving energy but also for the onboard electrical equipment. For example, if an electrical device is a motor, the motor's rotational torque can be used as the driving force for the mechanism. Specifically, it can be used to rotate a concrete mixer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the towed vehicle of the present invention, the towed vehicle can move on its own. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a side view of the towed vehicle with the towing vehicle connected to it. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing the transmission system for driving force. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing the steering system of the steering wheel. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing the power distribution of an energy storage device. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of a mobile device. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the state of loading a trailer onto a large transport ship or similar vessel. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Hereinafter, a fresh concrete transport trailer, which is an embodiment of the towed vehicle of the present invention, will be described in detail based on the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall side view of the fresh concrete transport trailer 3 with the tractor 2, which is a towing vehicle, connected thereto. At the front end of the fresh concrete transport trailer 3, which is the towed vehicle of the present invention, the rear end of the tractor 2, which is the towing vehicle, is detachably connected, and the fresh concrete transport vehicle 1 is formed as a whole.

[0013] The towing vehicle 2 includes a main body chassis 24, drive wheels 23 provided at the rear part of the main body chassis 24, steering wheels 22 provided at the front part, and a driver's seat 21 disposed above the steering wheels 22. At the rear part of the main body chassis 24, a coupler 25 for detachably attaching the fresh concrete transport trailer 3 is provided. Below the driver's seat 21, an engine for generating a driving force for driving the drive wheels 23 and a transmission for adjusting the driving force from the engine and transmitting it to the drive wheels 23 are provided. The driving force output from the transmission is connected by a power transmission shaft to a differential mechanism that distributes the power to the left and right drive wheels 23.

[0014] The fresh concrete transport trailer 3 has a loading platform chassis 31, wheels 311 and 312 disposed on the lower side of the rear part of the loading platform chassis 31, a steering wheel 313 disposed on the lower side of the front part, a driving part 33 mounted on the front part of the loading platform chassis 31, and a storage drum 32 disposed behind the driving part 33. At the tip of the loading platform chassis 31, a kingpin 316 protruding downward is disposed. The kingpin 316 as a connecting part is detachably and rotatably connected to a coupler 25 provided at the rear end of the tractor 2.

[0015] Also, in front of the steering wheel 313, outriggers 314 are provided on the lower side of the loading platform chassis 31. By extending the legs of the outriggers 314, the front part of the loading platform chassis 31 is pushed upward, and the outriggers 314 function to support the loading platform chassis 31 during the placing operation. Further, by further extending the legs of the outriggers 314, the kingpin 316 can be removed from the coupler 25. The lifting device of the outriggers 314 includes a hydraulic mechanism 314hm composed of a hydraulic cylinder and a piston connected to the outriggers 314 and a hydraulic pump for supplying hydraulic pressure to the hydraulic cylinder, and a hydraulic motor 314m for supplying driving force to the hydraulic pump.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the drive unit 33 provided at the front part of the loading platform chassis 31 includes an actuator, a shaft 332 that inputs rotational energy to the actuator or transmits the rotational energy output from the actuator to the wheels 312, and a power storage device 334 that stores the electrical energy output from the actuator.

[0017] In this embodiment, a power generation motor 335 is used as the actuator. When the rotation of the wheels 312 is transmitted to the rotor of the power generation motor 335 via the shaft 332, it functions as a generator, and the generated electric power is stored in the power storage device. Also, the power generation motor 335 is driven as a motor by the electric power output from the power storage device, and the driving force of the motor is transmitted to the wheels 312 via the shaft 332.

[0018] A gearbox 336 is interposed between the power transmission shaft 337 of the wheels 312 and the shaft 332, and the rotation is transmitted at a desired rotation ratio. Note that this gearbox 336 may function as a transmission and may be configured to be able to select a plurality of gear ratios. A differential mechanism 338 is interposed between the power transmission shaft 337 and the wheels 312, and the driving force transmitted from the power transmission shaft 337 is distributed to the left and right wheels 312, 312. Note that a differential mechanism 338 may also be interposed for the wheels 311, 311 to transmit the driving force from the power transmission shaft 337.

[0019] Furthermore, when the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 and the tractor 2 are connected, the wheels 311, 311 are in a driven state, and the rotational force of the wheels 311, 311 is transmitted in the order of differential mechanism 338, power transmission shaft 337, gearbox 336, and shaft 332, causing the rotor of the generator motor 335 to rotate. As a result, the generator motor 335 functions as a generator, and the generated electricity is stored in the energy storage device 334. The same applies when the differential mechanism 338 is also used to transmit driving force from the power transmission shaft 337 to the wheels 311, 311.

[0020] When the tractor 2 and the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 are connected by the coupler 25 and the kingpin 316 (connected state), the steering wheel 313 is suspended above the ground and does not touch the ground. Therefore, when the tractor 2 is towing the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3, the steering wheel 313 does not interfere with the movement or turning of the ready-mix concrete transport vehicle 1. When the connection between the coupler 25 and the kingpin 316 is released and the tractor 2 separates from the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 (detached state), the steering wheel 313 touches the ground, and the direction of travel of the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 can be controlled by manipulating the direction of the steering wheel 313.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, the steering angle of the steering wheel 313 is adjusted by a steering mechanism 313sm. The steering mechanism 313sm can be a known mechanism, such as a rack and pinion system or a pole nut system. In these steering mechanisms, a steering motor 313m is used for steering operation, and the steering operation is performed by the rotation of the steering motor 313m. Power from an electrical device, a power storage device 334, is used to drive this steering motor 313m. Such a steering mechanism 313sm and steering motor 313m may be provided on the wheels 311 and 312.

[0022] The storage drum 32 holds ready-mix concrete inside. By rotating the storage drum 32, the ready-mix concrete inside is agitated. The storage drum 32 is rotatably supported on the loading platform chassis 31, with its axis of rotation facing upward toward the rear. Inside the storage drum 32, a blade formed in a helical shape around the axis of rotation is provided along the inner wall. This blade agitates the ready-mix concrete inside the storage drum 32 as the drum rotates, and also sequentially discharges it toward the discharge port at the rear end. A drum rotation motor 331 is connected to the axis of rotation of the storage drum 32. Power from the energy storage device 334 is used to drive the rotation of this drum rotation motor 331.

[0023] A hopper 321 is provided above the rear discharge port of the storage drum 32, and is used when pouring ready-mix concrete into the storage drum 32, or when pouring constituent materials such as cement, gravel, and water into the drum. Below the discharge port, a hopper-shaped scoop 322 is provided to initially receive the discharged ready-mix concrete. Below the scoop 322, a trough-shaped chute 323 is provided. The scoop 322 initially receives the discharged ready-mix concrete and guides it to the upper end of the chute 323. The chute 323 is supported by a support shaft 325 that is pivotally supported vertically by a shaft support 326. The lower end of the support shaft 325 is connected to a drive unit 324 provided on the loading platform chassis 31. The drive unit 324 has a drive motor 327, and the output shaft of the drive motor 327 is connected to the support shaft 325.

[0024] The chute 323 swings due to the rotational drive of the support shaft 325. The upper end of the support shaft 325 is connected to the upper end of the chute 323, which receives the discharged ready-mix concrete. The rotation of the support shaft 325 changes the direction of the lower end discharge port of the chute 323 within a range of approximately 180 degrees. The chute 323 is set to be inclined from the upper end to the lower end, and the ready-mix concrete supplied to the upper end flows through the chute 323 to the lower end and is discharged from the lower end to the desired location. Normally, the ready-mix concrete is poured from the lower end of the chute 323 into the hopper of the concrete pump truck. The drive power for the drive motor 327 of the drive unit 324 is supplied from the energy storage device 334.

[0025] A camera 35 is positioned above the chute 323. The camera 35, which is an imaging device, uses a wide-angle lens so that it can acquire images of the entire range within which the chute 323 swings. As a result, by checking the images taken by the camera 35, the status of the chute 323 can be understood in video or still images at any position during the swing. This allows for remote adjustment of the swing direction (discharge direction) of the chute 323 while viewing the images acquired by the camera 35. The power to drive the camera 35 is supplied from the energy storage device 334.

[0026] A water tank 34 is provided between the drive unit 33 and the storage drum 32. The water in this water tank 34 is used to wash the chute 323 and scoop 322 after all the ready-mix concrete has been discharged. This washing can also be performed remotely while viewing images acquired by the camera 35. In addition, the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 is equipped with a temperature sensor to detect the temperature of the ready-mix concrete in the storage drum 32, a weight sensor to detect the weight of the ready-mix concrete in the storage drum 32, and a coupling sensor to detect whether or not the kingpin 316 and the coupler 25 are connected. The power to drive these sensors and cameras is also supplied from the energy storage device 334.

[0027] As shown in Figure 4, the power stored in the energy storage device 334 is first supplied to the generator motor 335 that provides driving force to the wheels 312, then to the steering motor 313m to operate the steering wheels 313, then to the drive motor 327 for swinging the chute 323, then to the hydraulic motor 314m for raising and lowering the outriggers 314, then to the drum rotation motor 331 that rotates the storage drum 32, and finally to be used as power to drive various sensors and cameras. The power supplied to these motors and sensors is converted to an appropriate voltage using transformers or the like as needed before being supplied.

[0028] The motors and other electrical equipment described above are operated via an operating device, which consists of a portable terminal 5 and a control unit 6 located on the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3. The portable terminal 5 and the control unit 6 are connected wirelessly by a communication device, and the operation information input on the portable terminal 5 is supplied to the control unit 6 via wireless communication and executed by the control unit 6.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, the portable terminal 5 is configured such that, for example, a display touch screen constitutes a display unit 516 and an input unit, and a variable resistor unit allows input of the control amount. These display touch screen and variable resistor unit etc. constitute the outrigger control unit 511, storage drum control unit 512, generator motor control unit 513, steering control unit 514, and chute control unit 515. The outrigger control unit 511 controls the raising and lowering of the outrigger 314.

[0030] The storage drum operating unit 512 controls the rotation of the storage drum 32. The generator motor operating unit 513 switches between power generation mode and non-power generation mode when the tractor 2 and the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 are connected, and switches the generator motor 335 to motor mode when they are not connected. The steering operating unit 514 controls the steering of the steering wheels 313 and adjusts the travel speed when the tractor 2 and the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 are not connected. The chute operating unit 515 controls the direction of the chute 323.

[0031] These operation information is transmitted to the control unit 6 via the communication unit 52, and video information and image information captured by the camera 35, weight information, temperature information, coupling information, etc. detected by the sensor are received from the control unit 6 via the communication unit 52. The display unit 516 displays video and images captured by the camera 35, weight, temperature, coupling status (connected or disconnected) between the tractor 2 and the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3, etc., detected by the sensor. The operator can operate the direction of the chute 323 while viewing the image from the camera 35 displayed on the display unit 516.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6, the control unit 6 includes a trailer-side communication unit 62, an outrigger control unit 611, a storage drum control unit 612, a generator motor control unit 613, a steering control unit 614, a chute control unit 615, a sensor unit 63, and a camera 35. The trailer-side communication unit 62 receives various operation information supplied from the mobile terminal 5 and transmits video information, image information, weight information, temperature information, coupling information, etc., acquired by the sensor unit 63 and camera 35 to the mobile terminal 5.

[0033] The outrigger control unit 611 controls the raising and lowering of the outriggers by controlling the hydraulic motor 314m based on the received operation information. The storage drum control unit 612 controls the rotation of the storage drum 32 by controlling the drum rotation motor 331m based on the received operation information. The generator motor control unit 613 controls the switching between the generator motor's power generation mode and motor drive mode by controlling the generator motor 335 based on the received operation information. It also maintains the power generation mode when the vehicle is connected and the motor drive mode when it is disconnected, based on the output from the coupling detection sensor 633. The steering control unit 614 controls the steering direction by controlling the drive direction of the steering motor 313m based on the received operation information and controls the travel speed by controlling the motor drive output of the generator motor 335. The chute control unit 615 controls the orientation of the chute 323 by controlling the drive direction of the drive motor 327 based on the received operation information.

[0034] In the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 configured as described above, when the tractor 2 is connected and the trailer is being towed, the wheels 312 are in a driven state, and the rotation of the wheels 312 is supplied to the generator motor 335. The electricity generated by the generator motor 335 through this rotational drive is stored in the energy storage device 334. The electricity stored in this energy storage device 334 can rotate the storage drum 32 during transport. In addition, when the trailer is detached, the electricity stored in the energy storage device 334 is used to make the generator motor 335 function as a motor, and this driving force enables independent travel. Furthermore, by steering the steering wheels 313, tighter turning is possible than when the tractor 2 is connected.

[0035] For example, when concrete pouring work is performed inside a tunnel, the limited space at the work site makes it difficult to turn around with tractor 2 still attached. In such cases, by uncoupling tractor 2 and reversing the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 independently, it becomes possible to easily return from the work site inside the tunnel.

[0036] In addition to the ready-mix concrete transport trailer 3 described above, an embodiment of a van-type trailer 4 having a cargo storage space, as shown in Figure 7, will be described. The van-type trailer 4 has a cargo bed 41 that is box-shaped, formed by a front panel, rear door, wing side panels, etc. This trailer 4 has wheels 42, 42 positioned on the lower rear side of the cargo bed chassis, a steering wheel 43 positioned on the lower front side, and a kingpin 45 that protrudes downward at the front of the cargo bed chassis. The configuration of the tractor 2 is as described above, and the same reference numerals are used, and the explanation is omitted.

[0037] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the state when trailer 4 is loaded onto a large transport ship. When trailers 4 are arranged side by side, the loading space can be effectively utilized by detaching the tractor 2. In addition, since trailer 4 can be moved independently, it is easy to adjust the position of trailer 4 within the loading space after detaching the tractor 2. The electricity stored in the energy storage device can be used, for example, to power motors that drive the liftgate or tailgate lifter, or to power motors that open and close the wing side panels. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0038] 1. Ready-mix concrete transport vehicle 2. Towing vehicle 3. Ready-mix concrete transport trailer (towed vehicle) 311, 312 wheels 313 Steering wheel 316 Kingpin 32 storage drums 33 Drive unit 335 Generator motor (actuator) 334 Energy storage device 4 trailers

Claims

1. The main unit and A connecting part provided at the front of the main body, which is detachably connected to a towing vehicle, In the connected state in which the towing vehicle is connected to the aforementioned connection part, a pair of left and right wheels that become driven wheels, A towed vehicle with a distinctive shape, An actuator that converts rotational energy input from a driven wheel into electrical energy, A power storage device that stores the electrical energy converted by the actuator, In the detached state, when the towing vehicle is detached from the connection part, the actuator converts the electrical energy output from the power storage device into rotational energy for driving the wheels and outputs it to the wheels, characterized in that the towed vehicle.

2. The main body includes a steering wheel for controlling the direction of self-propulsion of the main body, It has an operating device for steering the steering wheel, The towed vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel is in a non-grounded state when connected and in a grounded state when detached.

3. The aforementioned main body has an electrical device that operates using electrical energy, The towed vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electrical equipment operates based on the electrical energy output from the energy storage device.

4. The towed vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the electrical equipment is a motor.

5. The towed vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the motor supplies driving force to the rotating shaft of the concrete mixer.

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