Automatic Conveying System

Abstract

To provide an automatic conveyance system capable of making an autonomous mobile robot, which has a width larger than an interval between legs of a loading space, get under the loading space.SOLUTION: An automatic conveyance system conveys a loading space 10 by making an autonomous mobile robot 20 enter a lower part of the loading space 10. The loading space 10 has a plurality of leg parts on the sides of a bottom surface. At least one of the plurality of leg parts has an U-shaped member 110. The U-shaped member 110 is installed such that two end parts on an opening side of the U-shaped member 110 are arranged in the vertical direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an automated transportation system, and more particularly to transportation by an autonomous mobile robot. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, technologies have been developed for transporting objects using autonomous mobile robots in factories, warehouses, etc. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which an AGV equipped with an external sensor for sensing the surrounding space and acquiring sensor data crawls under a loading platform to transport the loading platform. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-148871 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Generally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a robot is to get under a loading platform to transport the loading platform, it is necessary to use a robot with a width narrower than the distance between the legs of the loading platform.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made against the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide an automatic transport system that can allow an autonomous mobile robot having a width greater than the distance between the legs of a loading platform to sneak into the loading platform. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure for achieving the above-mentioned objective is an automated transport system in which an autonomous mobile robot enters underneath a loading platform to transport the loading platform, the loading platform having a plurality of legs on the sides of its bottom surface, at least one of the plurality of legs having a U-shaped member, and the U-shaped member being installed so that two ends on the opening side of the U-shaped member are aligned vertically. In this automated transport system, the platform is provided with a U-shaped member, so that an autonomous mobile robot with a width greater than the distance between the legs of the platform can slip under the platform, improving the degree of freedom in selecting the robot to be used.

[0007] In the above aspect, the leg portion having the U-shaped member may be provided on each of both sides of the bottom surface. According to this configuration, the autonomous mobile robot can extend beyond the platform on both sides, so that an autonomous mobile robot having a larger width can be allowed to slip under the platform.

[0008] In the above aspect, the two U-shaped members on both sides of the bottom surface may be provided so that their openings face in the same direction. With this configuration, since the openings face the same direction, the autonomous mobile robot can easily slip into the platform compared to a case in which the openings face different directions.

[0009] In the above aspect, the two U-shaped members on both sides of the bottom surface may be provided so that their openings are opposite to each other. With this configuration, the autonomous mobile robot can sneak into the platform from two directions.

[0010] In the above aspect, the leg having the U-shaped member may be provided on one side of the bottom surface, and the leg having a ring-shaped member may be provided on the other side of the bottom surface. According to this configuration, the autonomous mobile robot can extend beyond the platform on both sides, so that an autonomous mobile robot having a larger width can be allowed to slip under the platform.

[0011] In the above aspect, the autonomous mobile robot may have a plate that is inserted into the U-shaped member, and a sensor may be provided on an end of the plate. According to this configuration, the sensor can be positioned outside the loading platform, which makes it possible to prevent blind spots of the sensor due to the loading platform.

[0012] In the above aspect, the autonomous mobile robot may have a first plate inserted into the U-shaped member, and a second plate erected on an end of the first plate. According to this configuration, the sensor can be provided on the second plate, so that the sensor can be provided at a high position and can detect a wide range.

[0013] In the above aspect, the autonomous mobile robot may have a plate that is inserted into the U-shaped member, and wheels of the autonomous mobile robot may be provided below an end of the plate. With this configuration, when the plate of the autonomous mobile robot is inserted into the U-shaped member, the wheels of the autonomous mobile robot can be positioned outside the U-shaped member, making it possible to transport a loading platform using an autonomous mobile robot with large wheel spacing. Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an automatic transport system that can allow an autonomous mobile robot having a width greater than the distance between the legs of a loading platform to slip into the loading platform. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a loading platform according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic system configuration of an autonomous mobile robot according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot has moved under a platform and is coupled to the platform. [Diagram 5] 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the autonomous mobile robot and the platform taken along line VV in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a loading platform according to a second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot has moved under a platform and is coupled to the platform. [Figure 8] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a loading platform according to a third embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot has moved under a platform and is coupled to the platform. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot according to a fifth embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot has moved under a platform and is coupled to the platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. <Embodiment 1> The automated transport system according to this embodiment includes a loading platform 10 and an autonomous mobile robot 20, and transports the loading platform 10 by the autonomous mobile robot 20 entering below the loading platform 10. The loading platform 10 and the autonomous mobile robot 20 will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

[0017] First, the loading platform 10 will be described. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the loading platform 10 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the loading platform 10 has a placement portion 100. The loading platform 10 has a plurality of legs for supporting the loading platform 10 (placement portion 100) on the sides of the bottom surface of the loading platform 10 (placement portion 100). In the example shown in FIG. 1, the loading platform 10 has two legs, each of which has a U-shaped member 110. That is, in the example shown in FIG. 1, the loading platform 10 has two U-shaped members 110 as legs. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the legs are further configured by wheels 120 below the U-shaped members 110. The placement portion 100 is a portion of the loading platform 10 on which luggage is placed, and in the example shown in the figure, is configured by a horizontally arranged rectangular plate.

[0018] As shown in the figure, two U-shaped members 110 are provided as legs at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the bottom surface on the bottom surface of the loading platform 10, i.e., on the bottom surface of the loading platform 100. Specifically, the U-shaped members 110 (i.e., legs having the U-shaped members 110) are provided on both sides of the bottom surface of the loading platform 10 (on the left and right sides of the loading platform 10 in the figure). The U-shaped members 110 shown in the figure are specifically composed of a first bar 111a and a second bar 111b extending in the horizontal direction, and a pole 112 connecting the first bar 111a and the second bar 111b so that they are aligned in parallel with a gap between them. Each U-shaped member 110 is installed so that the two ends (the end of the first bar 111a and the end of the second bar 111b) on the opening side of the U-shaped member are aligned in the vertical direction. That is, the U-shaped members 110 are installed upright. In this way, each U-shaped member 110 opens in the horizontal direction. In other words, the U-shaped members 110 open toward the horizontal outside of the loading platform 10. In particular, in this embodiment, the two U-shaped members 110 on both sides of the bottom surface of the loading platform 10 are provided so that they open in the same direction. In other words, the ends of the opening sides of the two U-shaped members 110 face in the same direction.

[0019] Here, the arrangement of the U-shaped member 110 in this embodiment will be described in more detail. As shown in the figure, the U-shaped member 110 is provided so as to follow a part of the outer periphery of the bottom surface of the loading platform 10 (one side of the rectangular bottom surface). In other words, the U-shaped member 110 is provided along the depth direction of the loading platform 10. That is, the U-shaped member 110 is provided so as to form the side surface of the loading platform 10. In this embodiment, the first U-shaped member 110 is provided along one side of the loading platform 10, and the second U-shaped member 110 is provided along the other side opposite to this side. In this way, the two U-shaped members 110 are installed side by side in parallel on the bottom surface of the loading platform 10.

[0020] Each U-shaped member 110 is provided with at least one of the wheels 120 of the platform 10. In the example shown in the figure, each U-shaped member 110 is provided with two wheels 120. In this embodiment, the wheels 120 are, for example, casters, and the horizontal direction of the wheels can be freely changed. Therefore, the platform 10 can move in any direction. However, the direction of the wheels 120 does not have to be variable. In this case, the platform 10 moves linearly only in the direction of the direction of the wheels 120. The wheels 120 may be omitted, and instead of the wheels 120, any configuration may be provided for the platform 10 to come into contact with the ground or floor surface. In other words, the platform 10 does not necessarily have to be capable of running. In this case, for example, an autonomous mobile robot 20 described later lifts the platform 10 from below and floats the platform 10 to transport the platform 10.

[0021] The wheels 120 are provided on the lower side of the U-shaped member 110, specifically, on the second bar 111b, which is the lower bar of the two bars constituting the U-shaped member 110. In the configuration shown in the figure, the U-shaped member 110 is provided with two wheels 120. Specifically, the wheels 120 are provided near the end of the opening side of the U-shaped member 110 and near the end on the opposite side (the end corresponding to the folded back part of the U). Note that two wheels 120 do not necessarily have to be provided on all U-shaped members 110. For example, when the loading platform 10 is supported at three points, there may be a U-shaped member 110 that is provided with only one wheel 120.

[0022] Next, the autonomous mobile robot 20 will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the autonomous mobile robot 20 according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a schematic system configuration of the autonomous mobile robot 20 according to this embodiment. The autonomous mobile robot 20 is a robot that autonomously moves within a mobile environment such as a house, a facility, a warehouse, a factory, or outdoors. In particular, the autonomous mobile robot 20 transports the loading platform 10 by entering under the loading platform 10 (i.e., getting under the loading platform 10) and moving together with the loading platform 10. In this embodiment, the autonomous mobile robot 20 has a main body 200 and a plate 210. The main body 200 is a housing that houses devices required for the autonomous mobile robot 20. The main body 200 is equipped with, for example, a control unit 250, a drive unit 230, and a wireless communication unit 260, which will be described later, but at least some of these may be equipped outside the main body 200. In the configuration shown in the figure, the shape of the main body 200 is a rectangular parallelepiped, but the shape is not limited to a rectangular parallelepiped and may be any shape. In the configuration shown in the figure, the plate 210 is provided on the main body 200 and has a rectangular shape corresponding to the shape of the platform 10, but the shape is not limited to a rectangle and may be a circle (ellipse) or the like. The plate 210 may be provided integrally with the main body 200. The plate 210 is provided horizontally, and the position of the plate 210 from the ground or floor surface in the autonomous mobile robot 20 corresponds to the position of the gap between the first bar 111a and the second bar 111b of the U-shaped member 110 of the platform 10. In the following description, the gap between the first bar 111a and the second bar 111b of the U-shaped member 110 will be referred to as the gap of the U-shaped member 110.

[0023] The autonomous mobile robot 20 further comprises wheels 220 , a drive unit 230 , a sensor 240 , a control unit 250 that controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 , and a wireless communication unit 260 .

[0024] In this embodiment, the wheels 220 are, for example, Mecanum wheels, but the autonomous mobile robot 20 is not limited to this and may have wheels of any configuration as the wheels 220. In the configuration shown in the figure, the autonomous mobile robot 20 has two wheels 220 on each of the front and rear sides in the figure, but the mounting positions and number of the wheels 220 are not limited to the configuration shown in the figure. The driving unit 230 has an actuator such as a motor, and rotates the wheels 220 in response to a control signal from the control unit 250, thereby enabling the autonomous mobile robot 20 to move in any direction and rotate. This allows the autonomous mobile robot 20 to move to any position. In addition, if the plate 210 can rise and fall, the driving unit 230 may further drive the plate 210 to rise and fall in response to a control signal from the control unit 250.

[0025] The sensor 240 is a sensor that detects environmental information (e.g., distance information, image information, etc., about any object around the autonomous mobile robot 20) that is information about the moving environment of the autonomous mobile robot 20. The sensor 240 is, for example, a LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor, but may be a camera (RGB-D camera, stereo camera), etc. The sensor 240 detects environmental information required for the autonomous mobile robot 20 to move, and outputs the detected environmental information to the control unit 250. The control unit 250 generates a control signal based on information such as the environmental information detected by the sensor 240 and map information of the moving environment, and moves the autonomous mobile robot 20 autonomously. In this embodiment, the sensor 240 is provided at an end of the plate 210. As will be described later, the sensor 240 is preferably provided at an end of the plate 210 so that the view of the sensor 240 is not blocked by the loading platform 10, but may be provided at another position of the autonomous mobile robot 20. In the configuration shown in the figure, the sensor 240 is provided on the side surface of the tip of the plate 210, but it may be provided on the upper or lower surface of the plate.

[0026] The wireless communication unit 260 is a circuit for wireless communication in order to communicate with a server or other robots as necessary, and includes, for example, a wireless transmission / reception circuit and an antenna. Note that, if the autonomous mobile robot 20 does not communicate with other devices, the wireless communication unit 260 may be omitted.

[0027] The control unit 250 is a device that controls the autonomous mobile robot 20, and includes a processor 251, a memory 252, and an interface 253. The processor 251, the memory 252, and the interface 253 are connected to each other via a data bus or the like.

[0028] The interface 253 is an input / output circuit used to communicate with other devices such as the sensor 240, the drive unit 230, and the wireless communication unit 260.

[0029] The memory 252 is configured, for example, by a combination of a volatile memory and a non-volatile memory. The memory 252 is used to store software (computer programs) including one or more instructions executed by the processor 251, data used for various processes of the autonomous mobile robot 20, and the like.

[0030] The processor 251 reads out software (computer programs) from the memory 252 and executes them to perform the processes of the control unit 250, which will be described later.

[0031] The processor 251 may be, for example, a microprocessor, a microprocessor unit (MPU), a central processing unit (CPU), etc. The processor 251 may include multiple processors. In this way, the control unit 250 is a device that functions as a computer.

[0032] The program includes a set of instructions (or software code) that, when loaded into a computer, causes the computer to perform one or more functions described in the embodiments. The program may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium or a tangible storage medium. By way of example and not limitation, the computer-readable medium or tangible storage medium includes random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray® disk or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassette, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device. The program may be transmitted on a transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium. By way of example and not limitation, the transitory computer-readable medium or communication medium includes electrical, optical, acoustic, or other forms of propagated signals.

[0033] Here, the plate 210 provided on the autonomous mobile robot 20 will be described in detail. The plate 210 has a width longer than the width of the platform 10. In other words, the width of the plate 210 is longer than the distance between the legs of the platform 10 (the distance between the U-shaped member 110 on one side of the platform 10 and the U-shaped member 110 on the opposite side). In addition, in the plate 210, the part protruding outward in the horizontal direction from the main body 200 may also be referred to as a convex part. In addition, the thickness of the plate 210 is thinner than the gap of the U-shaped member 110. Therefore, the plate 210 can be inserted into the gap of the U-shaped member 110. That is, the plate 210 is inserted into the U-shaped member 110 by the autonomous mobile robot 20 moving. In this case, the control unit 250 controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed from the opening side of the U-shaped member 110 in the direction in which the U-shaped member 110 extends. It should be noted that the autonomous mobile robot 20 may be made to slip under the platform 10 by a human moving the platform 10 .

[0034] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot 20 has slipped under the platform 10 and the autonomous mobile robot 20 and the platform 10 are connected. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the autonomous mobile robot 20 and the platform 10 taken along the cutting line VV in FIG. 4. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the end (i.e., the protruding portion) of the plate 210 is inserted into the gap of the U-shaped member 110, and the leading end of the plate 210 in the width direction can protrude outside the platform 10. Thus, according to this embodiment, since the U-shaped member 110 is provided on the platform 10, the autonomous mobile robot 20 having a width larger than the interval between the legs of the platform 10 can slip under the platform 10. This allows the platform 10 to be supported by the large plate 210. In particular, in this embodiment, the U-shaped member 110 is provided on both sides of the platform 10. Therefore, the autonomous mobile robot 20 can extend beyond the platform 10 on both sides, so that an autonomous mobile robot 20 having a larger width can be made to slip under the platform.

[0035] Furthermore, in this embodiment, as described above, the sensor 240 is provided at the end of the plate 210, which is the portion that protrudes horizontally outward from the U-shaped member 110. Therefore, even when the autonomous mobile robot 20 is under the loading platform 10, the field of view of the sensor 240 is prevented from being blocked by the loading platform 10. In other words, the position of the sensor 240 can be made outside the loading platform 10, so that the occurrence of a blind spot of the sensor 240 due to the loading platform 10 can be prevented. Therefore, even when the autonomous mobile robot 20 is under the loading platform 10, the sensor 240 can appropriately acquire information about the surroundings.

[0036] After the autonomous mobile robot 20 crawls under the platform 10, it couples with the platform 10. That is, the relative positions of the autonomous mobile robot 20 and the platform 10 are fixed so that the platform 10 moves with the movement of the autonomous mobile robot 20. This coupling can be performed by any method. For example, the coupling may be performed by mechanically connecting a locking member of the autonomous mobile robot 20 with a locking member of the platform 10, or by the control unit 250 raising the plate 210 to lift the platform 10, or by generating a magnetic force under the control of the control unit 250.

[0037] <Embodiment 2> Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, the two U-shaped members 110 of the loading platform 10 are provided so that their opening directions are the same. In contrast, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the opening directions of the two U-shaped members 110 are different. Below, differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be described, and descriptions of overlapping configurations and functions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0038] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of the platform 11 according to the second embodiment. As described above, the platform 11 is different from the platform 10 according to the first embodiment in that the two U-shaped members 110 are provided so that the opening directions are opposite to each other. FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot 20 has slipped under the platform 11 and the autonomous mobile robot 20 and the platform 11 are connected to each other. As shown in FIG. 7, even in this configuration, the autonomous mobile robot 20, which has a width larger than the distance between the legs of the platform 11, can slip under the platform 11 by inserting the plate 210 into the U-shaped member 110. That is, when the autonomous mobile robot 20 is positioned directly under the platform 11, the tip of the plate 210 can be protruded outside the platform 11.

[0039] In this embodiment, the control unit 250 controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed from the opening side of one U-shaped member 110 in the direction in which this one U-shaped member 110 extends, and after the autonomous mobile robot 20 has proceeded to the bottom of the loading platform 11, controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed toward the other U-shaped member 110. That is, the control unit 250 causes the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed in the direction in which the U-shaped member 110 extends, and then causes the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the U-shaped member 110 extends. In this way, the control unit 250 controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed in an L-shaped manner, thereby allowing both sides of the plate 210 to be inserted into the U-shaped member 110. In this embodiment, such two-stage movement is performed, but according to the platform 10 shown in embodiment 1, the openings of the two U-shaped members 110 are in the same direction, so that both sides of the plate 210 are inserted into the U-shaped members 110 simply by moving the autonomous mobile robot 20 in the direction in which the U-shaped members 110 extend. Therefore, embodiment 1 has the advantage that the autonomous mobile robot 20 can easily slip under the platform 10 compared to a case in which the openings are not in the same direction. In embodiment 2, the autonomous mobile robot 20 may also slip under the platform 11 by a person moving the platform 11.

[0040] In the first embodiment, the two U-shaped members 110 are provided so that the opening direction is the same, so that the autonomous mobile robot 20 can enter the platform 10 in only one direction. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the two U-shaped members 110 on both sides of the bottom surface of the platform 11 are provided so that the opening direction is opposite, so that the autonomous mobile robot 20 can enter the platform 11 from two directions. In addition, since the opening direction of the U-shaped member 110 is opposite, the strength of the U-shaped member 110 against a load applied in the vertical direction can be obtained, compared to the case where the two U-shaped members 110 are oriented in the same direction as in the first embodiment. In other words, deformation of the U-shaped member 110 (deformation such that the opening of the U-shaped member 110 closes) when a force in the vertical direction is applied to the platform can be suppressed.

[0041] <Embodiment 3> Next, the third embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, the loading platform 10 has two U-shaped members 110. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the loading platform 12 has one U-shaped member 110 and one ring-shaped member 130, which is different from the first embodiment. That is, the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that one of the two U-shaped members 110 is replaced with the ring-shaped member 130, but the other aspects are the same as the first embodiment. Thus, the loading platform 12 according to the present embodiment has a leg having a U-shaped member 110 on one side of the bottom surface of the loading platform 12, and a leg having a ring-shaped member 130 on the other side of the bottom surface. Below, the differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be described, and the explanation of the overlapping configurations and functions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0042] FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view of the loading platform 12 according to the third embodiment. As shown in the figure, the bottom surface of the loading platform 12, i.e., the bottom surface of the placement portion 100, is provided with a U-shaped member 110 and a ring-shaped member 130 at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the bottom surface. Specifically, the U-shaped member 110 is provided on one of the two sides of the bottom surface (the left side of the loading platform 12 in the figure), and the ring-shaped member 130 is provided on the other side (the right side of the loading platform 12 in the figure). Thus, in this embodiment, the loading platform 12 has the U-shaped member 110 and the ring-shaped member 130 as legs. Specifically, the ring-shaped member 130 shown in the figure is a rectangular annular member. The ring-shaped member 130 is erected. More specifically, the ring-shaped member 130 is provided so that a plane formed by a closed curve inside the ring-shaped member 130 is parallel to the vertical direction. In this way, the ring-shaped member 130 is provided so that another object can pass through it in the horizontal direction. The vertical length of the space inside the ring-shaped component 130 is approximately the same as the size of the gap of the U-shaped component 110. The position of the space inside the ring-shaped component 130 from the ground or floor surface is approximately the same as the position of the gap of the U-shaped component 110 from the ground or floor surface. The space inside the ring-shaped component 130 spreads in the horizontal direction, and the longitudinal direction of the ring-shaped component 130 coincides with the horizontal direction. The length of the space inside the ring-shaped component 130 in the depth direction is greater than the length of the plate 210 in the depth direction. In the following description, the space inside the ring-shaped component 130 will be referred to as the gap of the ring-shaped component 130.

[0043] Also in this embodiment, the legs are further configured with wheels 120. Specifically, the U-shaped member 110 and the ring-shaped member 130 are provided with at least one of the wheels 120 of the platform 12. In the example shown in the figure, the U-shaped member 110 and the ring-shaped member 130 are each provided with two wheels 120. The wheels 120 of the ring-shaped member 130 are provided on the lower side of the ring-shaped member 130, specifically, on the bottom side of the rectangular annular member that constitutes the ring-shaped member 130. Specifically, the wheels 120 are provided near both ends of the bottom side of the ring-shaped member 130.

[0044] The autonomous mobile robot 20 according to this embodiment has the same configuration as the first embodiment, but has the following particular features. The thickness of the plate 210 is thinner than the gaps in the U-shaped component 110 and the gaps in the ring-shaped component 130. Therefore, the plate 210 can be inserted into the gaps in the U-shaped component 110 and the gaps in the ring-shaped component 130. That is, as the autonomous mobile robot 20 moves, the plate 210 is inserted into the U-shaped component 110 and the ring-shaped component 130.

[0045] As described above, in the loading platform 12 according to the present embodiment, legs having a U-shaped member 110 are provided on one side of the bottom surface, and legs having a ring-shaped member 130 are provided on the other side of the bottom surface. Even with this configuration, by inserting the plate 210 into the U-shaped member 110 and the ring-shaped member 130, the autonomous mobile robot 20 having a width larger than the distance between the legs of the loading platform 12 can be made to slip into the loading platform 12. That is, when the autonomous mobile robot 20 is positioned directly below the loading platform 12, the tip of the plate 210 can be made to protrude outside the loading platform 12. In particular, according to the present embodiment, the autonomous mobile robot 20 can protrude from the loading platform 12 on both sides, so that the autonomous mobile robot 20 having a larger width can be made to slip into the loading platform 12.

[0046] In this embodiment, the control unit 250 controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed from the opening side of the U-shaped member 110 in the direction in which the U-shaped member 110 extends, and after the autonomous mobile robot 20 has proceeded to under the platform 12, controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed toward the ring-shaped member 130. That is, the control unit 250 causes the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed in the direction in which the U-shaped member 110 extends, and then causes the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the U-shaped member 110 extends. In this manner, the control unit 250 controls the autonomous mobile robot 20 to proceed in an L-shape, thereby causing the plate 210 to be inserted into the U-shaped member 110 and the ring-shaped member 130. Note that in this embodiment as well, the autonomous mobile robot 20 may be caused to slip under the platform 12 by a person moving the platform 12.

[0047] In this embodiment, one of the two U-shaped members 110 is replaced with a ring-shaped member 130, and therefore, compared to the case where two U-shaped members 110 are used as in embodiment 1, it is possible to obtain strength against a load applied in the vertical direction. In other words, it is possible to suppress deformation of the U-shaped member 110 (deformation such that the opening of the U-shaped member 110 closes) when a force in the vertical direction is applied to the platform.

[0048] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the autonomous mobile robot is different. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot 21 according to the fourth embodiment. The autonomous mobile robot 21 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the autonomous mobile robot 20 according to the first embodiment in that a plate 215 that stands up in the vertical direction is added. Although a loading platform 10 is used for the autonomous mobile robot 21, loading platforms 11 or 12 may also be used. Below, differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be described, and descriptions of overlapping configurations and functions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0049] Plate 215 is erected at an end of plate 210. More specifically, plate 215 is provided perpendicular to plate 210 at an end of plate 210. Sensor 240 is provided on the side of the upper part of plate 215. Note that, in the example shown in FIG. 9, sensors 240 are provided on four side surfaces of plate 215, namely, front, rear, left and right, but sensors 240 may be provided on only some of these side surfaces. Sensor 240 may also be provided at the tip of the upper side of plate 215.

[0050] FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot 21 has slipped under the platform 10 and the autonomous mobile robot 21 and the platform 10 are connected to each other. As shown in FIG. 10, even in this configuration, the plate 210 can be inserted into the U-shaped member 110 to allow the autonomous mobile robot 21, which has a width larger than the distance between the legs of the platform 10, to slip under the platform 10. In addition, when the autonomous mobile robot 21 and the platform 10 are connected to each other, the plate 215 protrudes above the platform 10. Therefore, even when the autonomous mobile robot 21 and the platform 10 are connected to each other, the sensor 240 provided on the plate 215 can detect a wide area. In this way, the autonomous mobile robot 21 has the plate 215 erected at the end of the plate 210, and therefore the sensor 240 can be provided on the plate 215, and thus the sensor 240 can be provided at a high position and a wide area can be detected.

[0051] <Embodiment 5> Next, a fifth embodiment will be described. This embodiment also differs from the first embodiment in that the configuration of the autonomous mobile robot is different. FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of an autonomous mobile robot 22 according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 12 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the autonomous mobile robot 22 has slipped under the platform 10 and is connected to the platform 10. The autonomous mobile robot 22 according to the fifth embodiment differs from the autonomous mobile robot 20 according to the first embodiment in that the position at which the wheels 220 are provided is different. Below, the differences from the above-mentioned embodiments will be described, and explanations of overlapping configurations and functions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0052] In this embodiment, the wheels 220 of the autonomous mobile robot 22 are provided below the end of the plate 210. Specifically, the wheels 120 are provided below the end that will protrude horizontally outward from the U-shaped member 110 when connected to the platform 10. In the example shown in the figure, more specifically, the wheels 220 are provided on the wheel connection member 225 that is provided below the end of the plate 210 and extends downward. In the configuration shown in the figure, the autonomous mobile robot 22 is provided with two wheels 220 on each of the front and rear faces in the figure, but the mounting positions and number of the wheels 220 are not limited to the configuration shown in the figure. As shown in the figure, a space (a space between the wheel connection member 225 and the main body 200) for inserting the second bar 111b of the U-shaped member 110 is provided inside the wheel 220 provided at the end of the plate 210. As shown in FIG. 12, even with this configuration, the plate 210 can be inserted into the U-shaped member 110 to allow the autonomous mobile robot 22, which has a width larger than the distance between the legs of the platform 10, to slip into the platform 10. Furthermore, according to the configuration of this embodiment, when the plate 210 of the autonomous mobile robot 22 is inserted into the U-shaped member 110, the position of the wheels 220 of the autonomous mobile robot 22 can be made outside the U-shaped member 110. Therefore, the platform can be transported using an autonomous mobile robot 22 with a large distance between the wheels 220. In other words, the distance between the wheels 220 of the autonomous mobile robot 22 can be made longer, and therefore the support polygon can be made larger. Therefore, the stability of the autonomous mobile robot 22 can be improved. In other words, the occurrence of the autonomous mobile robot 22 tipping over can be suppressed.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, in the above-described example, the autonomous mobile robot 20 can extend beyond both sides of the platform. However, the autonomous mobile robot 20 does not necessarily have to extend beyond both sides of the platform. In this case, the U-shaped member 110 may be used on only one side of the platform. In other words, the platform only needs to have the U-shaped member 110 on at least one side of the bottom surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 10 Cargo Bed 11 Cargo Bed 12 Cargo Bed 20 Autonomous Mobile Robot 21 Autonomous Mobile Robot 22 Autonomous Mobile Robot 100 Placement section 110 U-shaped member 111a 1st bar 111b Second Bar 112 Paul 120 wheels 130 Ring-shaped component 200 Main unit 210 Plate 215 Plate 225 Wheel connection member 220 wheels 230 Drive unit 240 Sensors 250 Control section 251 processor 252 memory 253 Interface 260 Wireless Communication Department

Claims

1. An automated transport system for transporting a loading platform by an autonomous mobile robot entering under the loading platform, The carrier has a plurality of legs on the sides of the bottom surface, At least one of the legs includes a U-shaped member; The U-shaped member is installed such that two ends on an opening side of the U-shaped member are aligned in a vertical direction, The autonomous mobile robot has a plate that is inserted into the U-shaped member. Automated transport system.

2. The legs having the U-shaped members are provided on both sides of the bottom surface. The automated transport system of claim 1 .

3. The two U-shaped members on both sides of the bottom surface are provided so that their openings face in the same direction.

3. The automated transport system of claim 2.

4. The two U-shaped members on both sides of the bottom surface are provided so that their opening directions are opposite to each other.

3. The automated transport system of claim 2.

5. The leg having the U-shaped member is provided on one side of the bottom surface, and the leg having the ring-shaped member is provided on the other side of the bottom surface. The automated transport system of claim 1 .

6. A sensor is provided at an end of the plate.

6. An automated transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The autonomous mobile robot has another plate standing on the end of the plate.

7. An automated transport system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The wheels of the autonomous mobile robot are provided below the end of the plate.

4. The automated transport system of claim 3.

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