Automated Transport System

Abstract

To provide an unmanned transport system capable of smoothly delivering articles between an unmanned transport vehicle and equipment. [Solution] The facility 100 includes a transfer device 60 that transfers an article between the facility 100 and an automated guided vehicle 1, a first actuator 71 that moves the transfer device 60 in the forward / backward direction, a second actuator 72 that moves the transfer device 60 in the left / right direction, a first contact member 65 and a second contact member 66 provided on the transfer device 60, and a control device 80. The control device 80 has a first control unit that drives the first actuator 71 to move the transfer device 60 forward and stops the first actuator 71 when the first contact member 65 comes into contact with the automated guided vehicle 1, and a second control unit that drives the second actuator 72 to move the transfer device 60 in the left / right direction and stops the second actuator 72 when the second contact member 66 comes into contact with the automated guided vehicle 1.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an automated guided vehicle system including a facility and an automated guided vehicle that transfers articles between the facility and the facility. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, automated guided vehicles that transport objects from one facility to another have been used in factories and the like. For example, Patent Document 1 describes such a facility and an automated guided vehicle. The automated guided vehicle travels toward the facility, stops in front of the facility, and then transfers the object to and from the facility. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 4-147303 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In an automated guided vehicle system such as that described above, if the position of the automated guided vehicle shifts relative to the equipment after the automated guided vehicle automatically stops in front of the equipment, goods cannot be transferred smoothly between the automated guided vehicle and the equipment.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic guided vehicle system that can smoothly transfer articles between an automatic guided vehicle and equipment. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The automated guided transport system disclosed herein is an automated guided transport system that includes equipment and an automated guided vehicle, and transfers an article between the automated guided vehicle that is stopped in front of the equipment so that the side of the automated guided vehicle faces the front of the equipment and the equipment. The equipment is configured to be movable in the front-rear and left-right directions of the equipment, and includes a transfer device that transfers an article between the equipment and the automated guided vehicle, a first actuator that moves the transfer device in the front-rear direction of the equipment, a second actuator that moves the transfer device in the left-right direction of the equipment, a first contact member that is provided on the transfer device and has a first contact surface facing forward in the front-rear direction of the equipment, a second contact member that is provided on the transfer device and has a second contact surface facing left or right in the left-right direction of the equipment, and a control device. The control device has a first control unit that drives the first actuator to move the transfer device forward in the fore-and-aft direction of the equipment and stops the first actuator when the first contact surface comes into contact with the unmanned guided vehicle, and a second control unit that drives the second actuator to move the transfer device in the left-right direction of the equipment and stops the second actuator when the second contact surface comes into contact with the unmanned guided vehicle.

[0007] According to the above-mentioned unmanned transport system, after the first actuator moves the transfer device in the forward / backward direction of the equipment, the first contact surface of the first contact member comes into contact with the unmanned transport vehicle, thereby stopping the transfer device's movement in the forward / backward direction of the equipment. As a result, the transfer device is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the unmanned transport vehicle with respect to the forward / backward direction of the equipment. Also, after the second actuator moves the transfer device in the left / right direction of the equipment, the second contact surface of the second contact member comes into contact with the unmanned transport vehicle, thereby stopping the transfer device's movement in the left / right direction of the equipment. As a result, the transfer device is positioned at a predetermined position relative to the unmanned transport vehicle with respect to the left / right direction of the equipment. In this way, the positional deviation of the unmanned transport vehicle in the left / right direction of the vehicle and the front / rear direction of the vehicle with respect to the transfer device is prevented. Therefore, the article can be delivered well between the unmanned transport vehicle and the equipment. Also, according to the above-mentioned unmanned transport system, the mechanism for positioning (the first actuator, the second actuator, the first contact member, and the second contact member) is provided in the equipment, so that the configuration of the unmanned transport vehicle can be simplified. The weight and cost of the automated guided vehicle can be reduced.

[0008] The facility may include an inclination angle detection device that detects an inclination angle of the automated guided vehicle in a left-right direction relative to the transfer device. The control device may include a transfer prohibition unit that prohibits the transfer device from transferring the article when the inclination angle detected by the inclination angle detection device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

[0009] This makes it possible to transfer an article between the automated guided vehicle and the equipment after confirming that there is no misalignment of the automated guided vehicle relative to the transfer device in the left-right direction, that there is no misalignment of the automated guided vehicle relative to the transfer device in the front-rear direction, and that the automated guided vehicle is not tilted relative to the transfer device. Therefore, the article can be transferred smoothly between the automated guided vehicle and the equipment.

[0010] The inclination angle detection device may include a first laser displacement meter that measures a distance to the unmanned guided vehicle, a second laser displacement meter that is positioned to the right of the first laser displacement meter in the left-right direction of the equipment and measures the distance to the unmanned guided vehicle, and a calculation device that calculates the inclination angle of the unmanned guided vehicle in the left-right direction of the vehicle based on the distances measured by the first laser displacement meter and the second laser displacement meter.

[0011] This makes it possible to accurately detect whether or not the automatic guided vehicle is tilted relative to the transfer device.

[0012] The first contact member may be a rod-shaped member extending forward from the transfer device in a front-rear direction of the facility.

[0013] This allows the first contact member to be constructed simply and inexpensively.

[0014] The second contact member may be formed of a plate-like member extending forward in a front-rear direction of the facility from the transfer device and extending in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the facility.

[0015] This makes it possible to form the second contact member simply and at low cost.

[0016] The automated guided vehicle may include a towing vehicle having drive wheels and a driving source for driving the drive wheels, a dolly having driven wheels and a placement section on which the article is placed, and a coupling device coupling the towing vehicle and the dolly. The dolly may have a first contacted surface in contact with the first contact surface and a second contacted surface in contact with the second contact surface.

[0017] As a result, the vehicle (i.e., the dolly) having the placement portion, the first contacted surface that contacts the first contact surface, and the second contacted surface that contacts the second contact surface does not require a mechanism for positioning, and does not require a driving source for running. The vehicle that is positioned relative to the equipment transfer device can be made lighter and less expensive.

[0018] The automated guided vehicle may include a towing vehicle having drive wheels and a driving source for driving the drive wheels, a dolly having driven wheels and a placement section on which the article is placed, and a coupling device coupling the towing vehicle and the dolly. The dolly may have a first contacted surface that contacts the first contact surface and a second contacted surface that contacts the second contact surface. The inclination angle detection device may be configured to detect an inclination angle of the dolly in the vehicle left-right direction relative to the transfer device.

[0019] As a result, the vehicle (i.e., the dolly) having the placement portion, the first contacted surface that contacts the first contact surface, and the second contacted surface that contacts the second contact surface does not require a mechanism for positioning, and does not require a driving source for running. The vehicle that is positioned relative to the equipment transfer device can be made lighter and less expensive. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an automatic guided vehicle system capable of smoothly transferring articles between an automatic guided vehicle and equipment. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a plan view of a portion of an automated guided transport system according to an embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a control device. [Figure 7] 13 is a flowchart of a positioning method for the transfer device. [Figure 8] 1 is a plan view of the automated guided vehicle and the equipment when the automated guided vehicle has stopped in front of the equipment. FIG. [Figure 9]1 is a plan view of the automated guided vehicle and the equipment when the automated guided vehicle is stopped at an angle. FIG. [Figure 10] 11 is a plan view of the automatic guided vehicle and the equipment when the first contact member comes into contact with the carriage. FIG. [Figure 11] 13 is a plan view of the automatic guided vehicle and the equipment when the second contact member comes into contact with the carriage. FIG. [Figure 12] 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of a part of a carriage and the equipment when an automated guided vehicle is stopped in front of the equipment. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a part of the bogie and the equipment when the hood is open. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. An automated guided vehicle 2 according to this embodiment is used in a factory and includes a plurality of processing facilities (hereinafter referred to as facilities) 100 and a plurality of automated guided vehicles 1, and the automated guided vehicle 1 automatically travels from one facility 100 to another facility 100, and an article is automatically transferred between the automated guided vehicle 1 and the facility 100. FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a part of the automated guided vehicle 2. FIG. 1 illustrates one automated guided vehicle 1 and one facility 100. After traveling toward the facility 100, the automated guided vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100. The automated guided vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100 so that the side of the automated guided vehicle 1 faces the front of the facility 100.

[0023] The symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the figure respectively represent the front of the automatic guided vehicle 1 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the rear of the automatic guided vehicle 1 in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the left of the vehicle transverse direction, the right of the vehicle transverse direction, the upper of the vehicle vertical direction, and the lower of the vehicle vertical direction. The symbols X1, X2, Y1, and Y2 in the figure respectively represent the front of the automatic guided vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction, the rear of the automatic guided vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction, the left of the automatic guided vehicle 100 in the transverse direction, and the right of the automatic guided vehicle 100 in the transverse direction. When the automatic guided vehicle 1 is not inclined with respect to the equipment 100 as shown in FIG. 1, the front and rear of the automatic guided vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction correspond to the right and left of the vehicle transverse direction, respectively, and the right and left of the equipment 100 in the transverse direction correspond to the front and rear of the automatic guided vehicle 100 in the longitudinal direction. The upper and lower of the equipment 100 in the vertical direction correspond to the upper and lower of the vehicle vertical direction, respectively.

[0024] In the following description, first the configuration of the automatic guided vehicle 1 will be described, and then the configuration of the facility 100 will be described.

[0025] 2 is a left side view of an automated guided vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a guided vehicle) 1. The guided vehicle 1 includes a towing vehicle 10 and a dolly 20 towed by the towing vehicle 10. The towing vehicle 10 and the dolly 20 are connected by a coupling device 50. In this embodiment, the guided vehicle 1 is used for transporting product parts and the like from one facility 100 to another facility 100 in a factory.

[0026] The towing vehicle 10 is configured to be capable of autonomous driving. That is, the towing vehicle 10 is configured to drive automatically and turn left and right automatically. The towing vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 11, left and right front wheels 12, left and right rear wheels 13, and an electric motor 14 as a driving source for driving. The front wheels 12 and / or rear wheels 13 are driving wheels driven by the electric motor 14. The towing vehicle 10 also includes a control device 15 that controls driving. The towing vehicle 10 may be configured so that a person cannot ride in it, but in this embodiment, it is configured so that a person can ride in it. In this embodiment, the towing vehicle 10 includes a seat 16 on which an occupant sits and a steering wheel 17. The towing vehicle 10 is configured so that it can be switched between automatic driving by the control device 15 and manual driving in which a occupant sitting in the seat 16 operates the steering wheel 17, etc. When automatic driving is performed, the towing vehicle 10 functions as an unmanned automatically driven vehicle.

[0027] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the bogie 20. Reference numeral 18 denotes the rear part of the towing vehicle 10. In FIG. 3, the rear part 18 of the towing vehicle 10 is extracted and illustrated. FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the bogie 20, and a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 3, the bogie 20 includes a vehicle body 21, left and right front wheels 22, and left and right rear wheels 23. The front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23 are driven wheels. No driving force is applied to the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23.

[0028] The dolly 20 has three pillars 26 on each side. The three pillars 26 are lined up in the front-to-rear direction. Each pillar 26 extends in the up-down direction. The dolly 20 has a ceiling panel 27 supported by the pillars 26. The dolly 20 has two hoods 28 on each side. The two hoods 28 are lined up in the front-to-rear direction. The front hood 28 is disposed between the front pillar 26 and the central pillar 26. The rear hood 28 is disposed between the central pillar 26 and the rear pillar 26. The dolly 20 also has a front cover (not shown) suspended between the left and right front pillars 26, and a rear cover 25 suspended between the left and right rear pillars 26.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 4, the dolly 20 has a placement section 24 provided on the vehicle body 21. The placement section 24 is a portion on which the article to be transported is placed. The placement section 24 is covered by a ceiling plate 27, a front cover, a rear cover 25, a left hood 28, and a right hood 28. When the transport vehicle 1 is traveling, the article placed on the placement section 24 is covered by the ceiling plate 27, the front cover, the rear cover 25, and the left and right hoods 28. Therefore, the article being transported is prevented from being exposed to rain or dust. The dolly 20 has a movable hood 28.

[0030] As shown in Fig. 3, a slide rail 32 that slidably supports the hood 28 is attached to the support pillars 26. More specifically, a slide rail 32 that slidably supports the front edge of the front hood 28 is attached to the rear of the front support pillar 26. A slide rail 32 that slidably supports the rear edge of the front hood 28 is attached to the front of the central support pillar 26. A slide rail 32 that slidably supports the front edge of the rear hood 28 is attached to the rear of the central support pillar 26. A slide rail 32 that slidably supports the front edge of the rear hood 28 is attached to the front of the rear support pillar 26.

[0031] In this embodiment, the hood 28 is formed of a flexible sheet-like member that can be bent. Here, the hood 28 is formed of a synthetic resin sheet. However, the material of the hood 28 is not particularly limited. The hood 28 may be formed of other bendable materials.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4, sliders 30 are fixed to the upper parts of the left and right hoods 28. The sliders 30 are slidably engaged with guide rails 33 extending in the left-right direction. The sliders 30 are configured to move in the left-right direction along the guide rails 33. When the left slider 30 slides to the right, the upper part of the left hood 28 moves to the right, and the lower part of the left hood 28 moves upward. This causes the left hood 28 to open. When the right slider 30 slides to the left, the upper part of the right hood 28 moves to the left, and the lower part of the right hood 28 moves upward. This causes the right hood 28 to open. The slider 30 has an abutment surface 34 against which a push rod 102 (see FIG. 1) provided on the equipment 100 is pressed. The abutment surface 34 faces outward in the vehicle width direction. The outward direction in the vehicle width direction refers to a direction away from the vehicle center line. The inward direction in the vehicle width direction refers to the direction approaching the vehicle center line.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 1, a weight 35 is fixed to the lower part of the hood 28. A downward force is applied to the hood 28 by the weight of the weight 35. The hood 28 is configured to slide from the open position to the closed position by receiving the downward force from the weight 35.

[0034] A side plate 36 connected to the ceiling plate 27 is disposed above the hood 28. A shutter 37 is attached to the side plate 36 by a hinge 38. The shutter 37 rotates inward in the vehicle width direction when pressed inward in the vehicle width direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the shutter 37 is disposed in a position facing the abutment surface 34 of the slider 30. The shutter 37 and the abutment surface 34 are positioned on the same straight line extending in the left-right direction.

[0035] In this embodiment, the dolly 20 is not provided with a driving device such as a motor. As will be described later, the hood 28 is driven from the closed position to the open position by the driving force of an opening / closing actuator 104 provided in the facility 100. The hood 28 moves from the open position to the closed position by the weight of the weight 35. The dolly 20 is not provided with a driving device that drives the hood 28. As described above, the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23 are driven wheels. The dolly 20 is not provided with a driving device that drives the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23.

[0036] The above is the configuration of the transport vehicle 1. Next, the configuration of the facility 100 will be described.

[0037] The facility 100 is configured to transfer an article to and from the cart 20. As shown in FIG. 5, the facility 100 includes a transfer device 60 that moves an article between the facility 100 and the transport vehicle 1. The transfer device 60 is configured to receive an article from the placement section 24 of the cart 20 and transfer the article to the placement section 24. The specific configuration of the transfer device 60 is not limited in any way. A well-known transfer device can be used as the transfer device 60. Here, the transfer device 60 includes a support table 61 that supports an article, a rail 62 with which the support table 61 is slidably engaged, and a drive device (not shown) that drives the support table 61 in the forward and backward directions of the facility 100.

[0038] The transfer device 60 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the facility 100. In the following description of the facility 100, the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the facility 100 may be simply referred to as the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, respectively. In addition, the front-rear direction and the left-right direction of the facility 100 may be simply referred to as the facility front-rear direction and the facility left-right direction, respectively. The configuration that allows the transfer device 60 to move in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is not limited in any way. In this embodiment, the transfer device 60 is supported by a plurality of wheels 63 (see FIG. 12). When the transfer device 60 receives a force in the front-rear direction, the wheels 63 rotate, and the transfer device 60 moves in the front-rear direction. When the transfer device 60 receives a force in the left-right direction, the wheels 63 rotate, and the transfer device 60 moves in the left-right direction. Although not shown, the facility 100 may include a rail extending in the front-rear direction with which the transfer device 60 is slidably engaged. The facility 100 may include a rail extending in the left-right direction with which the transfer device 60 is slidably engaged. For example, the equipment 100 may include a first support base that supports the transfer device 60, a first rail with which the first support base slidably engages, a second support base that supports the first rail, and a second rail with which the second support base slidably engages, where one of the first rail and the second rail extends in the front-to-back direction and the other extends in the left-to-right direction.

[0039] The facility 100 includes a first actuator 71 that moves the transfer device 60 in the forward and backward directions, and a second actuator 72 that moves the transfer device 60 in the left and right directions. The first actuator 71 may be any actuator that applies a forward and backward force to the transfer device 60. The second actuator 72 may be any actuator that applies a leftward and rightward force to the transfer device 60. The types of the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72 are not particularly limited. For example, the first actuator 71 and / or the second actuator 72 may be an electric motor, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, or the like. For example, the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72 may be electric motors, and the electric motors and the transfer device 60 may be connected to each other so as to be capable of transmitting power by a power transmission member such as a transmission belt, a chain, a gear, or a rack and pinion.

[0040] The transfer device 60 is provided with a first contact member 65 having a first contact surface 65a facing forward in the equipment front-rear direction. The first contact member 65 is formed of a rod-shaped member extending forward from the transfer device 60 in the equipment front-rear direction. The transfer device 60 is also provided with a second contact member 66 having a second contact surface 66a facing right in the equipment left-right direction. The second contact member 66 extends forward from the transfer device 60 in the equipment front-rear direction, and is formed of a plate-shaped member extending in the equipment front-rear direction and the equipment up-down direction.

[0041] The facility 100 is equipped with a control device 80. The control device 80 is made up of a microcomputer. The control device 80 controls a first actuator 71 and a second actuator 72. The control device 80 can adjust the position of the transfer device 60 in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction by controlling the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72.

[0042] The transfer device 60 is provided with a first laser displacement meter 67A and a second laser displacement meter 67B. The second laser displacement meter 67B is disposed to the right of the first laser displacement meter 67A in the left-right direction of the facility 100. The first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B are configured to measure the distance to an object in front of the transfer device 60. When the transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100, the dolly 20 is disposed in front of the transfer device 60 (see FIG. 1). The first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B measure the distance to the dolly 20. The first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B are communicatively connected to the control device 80. The control device 80 is configured to calculate the inclination angle of the dolly 20 in the left-right direction of the vehicle based on the distance measured by the first laser displacement meter 67A and the distance measured by the second laser displacement meter 67B. The control device 80 is an example of a "calculation device." In this embodiment, the first laser displacement meter 67A, the second laser displacement meter 67B, and the control device 80 configure an “inclination angle detection device” that detects the inclination angle of the carriage 20 relative to the transfer device 60 in the left-right direction of the vehicle.

[0043] The facility 100 includes a push rod 102 and an opening / closing actuator 104 that moves the push rod 102 in the front-rear direction of the facility 100 as devices for opening and closing the hood 28 of the dolly 20. The opening / closing actuator 104 is not particularly limited as long as it is a device that generates a driving force for driving the push rod 102. For example, an electric motor, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, etc. can be used as the opening / closing actuator 104. The power transmission mechanism that transmits the driving force of the opening / closing actuator 104 to the push rod 102 is also not particularly limited. The opening / closing actuator 104 may be connected to the push rod 102 via a power transmission member such as a gear, a chain, or a transmission belt. For example, a rack may be provided on the side of the push rod 102, and a pinion that meshes with the rack may be connected to the opening / closing actuator 104. A belt may be wound around a pulley connected to the opening / closing actuator 104 and another pulley, and a part of the push rod 102 may be fixed to the belt. The opening / closing actuator 104 is communicably connected to the control device 80. The control device 80 drives the opening / closing actuator 104 to open and close the top 28.

[0044] The CPU (not shown) of the control device 80 executes a computer program to function as each of the following units. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the control device 80. The control device 80 has a first control unit 81, a second control unit 82, a tilt angle calculation unit 83, a tilt angle determination unit 84, a transfer prohibition unit 85, and a hood opening / closing unit 86. The first control unit 81 drives the first actuator 71 to move the first contact member 65 forward, and stops the first actuator 71 when the first contact surface 65a contacts the dolly 20. The second control unit 82 drives the second actuator 72 to move the second contact member 66 to the right, and stops the second actuator 72 when the second contact surface 66a contacts the dolly 20. The tilt angle calculation unit 83 calculates the tilt angle of the dolly 20 in the vehicle left-right direction relative to the transfer device 60 based on the distance measured by the first laser displacement meter 67A and the distance measured by the second laser displacement meter 67B. The inclination angle determination unit 84 determines whether the inclination angle is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. When the inclination angle is equal to or greater than the threshold, the transfer prohibition unit 85 prohibits the transfer device 60 from moving the article. The hood opening / closing unit 86 opens the hood 28 by driving the opening / closing actuator 104 before the transfer device 60 moves the article.

[0045] Next, an example of the operation of the automated guided vehicle system 2 will be described with reference to the flowchart of Fig. 7. As described above, the guided vehicle 1 receives an article from one facility 100 and automatically travels toward another facility 100. While the guided vehicle 1 is traveling, the placement unit 24 is covered by a hood 28 or the like. Therefore, for example, when the guided vehicle 1 travels outdoors, the article placed on the placement unit 24 is prevented from being exposed to rain and wind.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 8, when the transport vehicle 1 reaches a position in front of the equipment 100, it automatically stops (step S1). The transport vehicle 1 stops at a position where the side of the dolly 20 faces the front of the transfer device 60. Next, the process proceeds to step S2, where the inclination angle of the transport vehicle 1 is detected. As shown in FIG. 9, in this embodiment, the inclination angle of the transport vehicle 1 is the inclination angle θ of the dolly 20 in the left-right direction relative to the transfer device 60. The inclination angle θ is equal to the angle between a straight line extending forward in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and a straight line extending to the right of the equipment 100 in a plan view. The first laser displacement meter 67A measures the distance L1 between the first laser displacement meter 67A and the side of the dolly 20. The second laser displacement meter 67B measures the distance L2 between the second laser displacement meter 67B and the side of the dolly 20. The tilt angle calculation unit 83 of the control device 80 calculates the tilt angle θ based on the distance L1, the distance L2, and the distance H1 between the first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B, where tan θ=(L2-L1) / H1.

[0047] Next, the inclination angle determination unit 84 of the control device 80 determines whether the inclination angle θ is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value (step S3). Note that although the inclination angle θ can be a positive or negative value, the inclination angle θ in step S3 refers to the absolute value of the inclination angle θ.

[0048] If the determination result in step S3 is YES, the dolly 20 is deemed to be substantially tilted with respect to the transfer device 60. If the dolly 20 is substantially tilted, the article cannot be moved satisfactorily between the transfer device 60 and the dolly 20. The transfer prohibition unit 85 of the control device 80 prohibits the movement of the article between the transfer device 60 and the dolly 20 (step S4). In order to inform the worker or manager of the factory that the dolly 20 is substantially tilted, the control device 80 may notify the worker or manager by displaying a message on the screen or outputting a sound from the speaker (step S5). If the dolly 20 is substantially tilted, the process is terminated because the article cannot be moved satisfactorily between the transfer device 60 and the dolly 20.

[0049] If the determination result in step S3 is NO, the carriage 20 is not substantially inclined with respect to the transfer device 60, and therefore the transfer device 60 is positioned with respect to the carriage 20 in steps S6 to S11. In step S6, the first control unit 81 of the control device 80 drives the first actuator 71 to move the transfer device 60 forward in the longitudinal direction of the equipment. As shown in FIG. 10, when the transfer device 60 moves forward in the longitudinal direction of the equipment, the first contact surface 65a of the first contact member 65 eventually comes into contact with the side surface 29S (see FIG. 3) of the carriage 20. The side surface 29S is an example of the "first contacted surface." The first control unit 81 determines whether the first contact surface 65a has come into contact with the side surface 29S of the carriage 20 (step S7), and if it has come into contact, stops the first actuator 71 and stops the forward movement of the transfer device 60 in the longitudinal direction of the equipment (step S8). The method of determining whether the first contact surface 65a has contacted the side surface 29S of the cart 20 is not particularly limited, and any known technology can be used. For example, the load of the first actuator 71 may be detected, and when the load reaches or exceeds a predetermined value, it may be determined that the first contact surface 65a has contacted. Alternatively, a sensor for detecting contact may be provided on the first contact surface 65a, and the determination may be made based on the detection result of the sensor. Through steps S6 to S8, the position of the transfer device 60 in the equipment front-rear direction relative to the cart 20 is set to a predetermined regular position.

[0050] Next, in step S9, the second control unit 82 of the control device 80 drives the second actuator 72 to move the transfer device 60 to the right in the horizontal direction of the equipment. As shown in FIG. 11, when the transfer device 60 moves to the right in the horizontal direction of the equipment, the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 eventually comes into contact with the rear surface 29B (see FIG. 3) of the dolly 20. The rear surface 29B is an example of a "second contacted surface." The second control unit 82 determines whether the second contact surface 66a has come into contact with the rear surface 29B of the dolly 20 (step S10), and if there is contact, stops the second actuator 72 and stops the movement of the transfer device 60 to the right in the horizontal direction of the equipment (step S11). The method of determining whether the second contact surface 66a has come into contact with the rear surface 29B of the dolly 20 is not particularly limited, and any well-known technology, including the above-mentioned example, can be used. By steps S9 to S11, the position of the transfer device 60 in the left-right direction of the facility with respect to the dolly 20 is set to a predetermined regular position.

[0051] In this manner, the transfer device 60 is positioned relative to the dolly 20. This prevents the transfer device 60 from being displaced in the equipment front-rear direction and equipment left-right direction relative to the dolly 20. In other words, the transfer device 60 is prevented from being displaced in the vehicle front-rear direction and vehicle left-right direction relative to the dolly 20.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 12, after the transfer device 60 is positioned, the hood opening / closing section 86 of the control device 80 drives the opening / closing actuator 104, so that the pushing rod 102 moves forward in the longitudinal direction of the equipment. The pushing rod 102 pushes the shutter 37 of the dolly 20 to the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle. As a result, the shutter 37 opens, and the pushing rod 102 moves toward the slider 30. As shown in FIG. 13, when the opening / closing actuator 104 further moves the pushing rod 102, the pushing rod 102 eventually comes into contact with the contact surface 34 of the slider 30 and pushes the slider 30 to the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle (see arrow A1). As a result, the upper part of the hood 28 moves to the right in the left-right direction of the vehicle along the slide rail 32, and the lower part of the hood 28 moves upward in the vertical direction of the vehicle along the slide rail 32 (see arrow A2). This opens the side of the placement section 24 of the dolly 20.

[0053] When the side of the placement section 24 is opened, the transfer device 60 pulls the pallet 39 into the equipment 100. Note that the configuration of the transfer device 60 is not shown in Figures 12 and 13. The item 40 placed on the pallet 39 is carried from the cart 20 into the equipment 100 (see arrow A3). The item 40 carried into the equipment 100 is processed by the equipment 100.

[0054] The processed article 40 is loaded from the equipment 100 onto the placement section 24 of the cart 20 by the transfer device 60. After the article 40 is loaded onto the cart 20, the opening / closing actuator 104 moves the pushing rod 102 rearward in the fore-and-aft direction of the equipment. As described above, the weight 35 is fixed to the hood 28. Therefore, when the pushing rod 102 moves rearward in the fore-and-aft direction of the equipment, the hood 28 moves from the open position to the closed position due to the weight of the weight 35. As a result, the side of the placement section 24 is closed by the hood 28.

[0055] Thereafter, the carrier 1 travels toward another facility 100. The above is an example of the operation of the automated carrier system 2. Next, various effects brought about by this embodiment will be described.

[0056] According to this embodiment, after the transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the equipment 100, the first actuator 71 moves the transfer device 60 forward in the equipment front-rear direction, and then the first contact surface 65a of the first contact member 65 comes into contact with the side surface 29S of the dolly 20, thereby stopping the movement of the transfer device 60 in the equipment front-rear direction. As a result, the transfer device 60 is positioned at a predetermined regular position with respect to the dolly 20 in the equipment front-rear direction. In addition, after the second actuator 72 moves the transfer device 60 to the right in the equipment left-right direction, the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 comes into contact with the rear surface 29B of the dolly 20, thereby stopping the movement of the transfer device 60 in the equipment left-right direction. As a result, the transfer device 60 is positioned at a predetermined regular position with respect to the dolly 20 in the equipment left-right direction. In this way, positional deviations in the equipment front-rear direction and the equipment left-right direction are prevented between the transfer device 60 and the dolly 20. In other words, misalignment between the transfer device 60 and the cart 20 in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction of the vehicle is prevented. Therefore, articles can be smoothly transferred between the transport vehicle 1 and the equipment 100. Also, according to this embodiment, since the positioning mechanisms (i.e., the first actuator 71, the second actuator 72, the first contact member 65, and the second contact member 66) are provided in the equipment 100, there is no need to provide such mechanisms in the transport vehicle 1. Since the configuration of the transport vehicle 1 can be simplified, the weight and cost of the transport vehicle 1 can be reduced.

[0057] According to this embodiment, after the transport vehicle 1 stops in front of the facility 100, the inclination angle θ (see FIG. 9) of the dolly 20 in the vehicle left-right direction is detected, and if the inclination angle θ is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the transfer of the article by the transfer device 60 is prohibited. That is, if the inclination of the dolly 20 relative to the transfer device 60 is large, the transfer of the article is prohibited. According to this embodiment, after confirming that there is no positional deviation of the dolly 20 relative to the transfer device 60 in the vehicle left-right direction, that there is no positional deviation of the dolly 20 relative to the transfer device 60 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and that the dolly 20 is not inclined relative to the transfer device 60, the delivery of the article between the transport vehicle 1 and the facility 100 can be performed. Therefore, the delivery of the article between the transport vehicle 1 and the facility 100 can be performed smoothly.

[0058] In this embodiment, the inclination angle detection device includes a first laser displacement meter 67A, a second laser displacement meter 67B, and a control device 80 (calculation device) that calculates the inclination angle of the dolly 20 based on the detection results of the first laser displacement meter 67A and the second laser displacement meter 67B. The detection angle of the dolly 20 can be detected with high accuracy.

[0059] Although the shape of the first contact member 65 is not particularly limited, the first contact member 65 according to this embodiment is made of a rod-shaped member extending forward in the equipment front-rear direction from the transfer device 60. The first contact member 65 can be constructed simply and inexpensively.

[0060] Although the shape of the second contact member 66 is not particularly limited, the second contact member 66 according to this embodiment is made of a plate-like member that extends forward in the equipment front-rear direction from the transfer device 60 and extends in the equipment front-rear direction and in the equipment up-down direction. The second contact member 66 can be constructed simply and inexpensively.

[0061] The transport vehicle 1 according to this embodiment includes a towing vehicle 10, a dolly 20 having a placement portion 24, and a coupling device 50 that couples the towing vehicle 10 and the dolly 20 (see FIG. 2). The transport vehicle 1 includes two vehicles, the towing vehicle 10 and the dolly 20. The dolly 20 has a side surface 29S that is in contact with the first contact surface 65a of the first contact member 65, and a rear surface 29B that is in contact with the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 (see FIG. 3). The dolly 20 is a vehicle that is positioned relative to the transfer device 60. According to this embodiment, the front wheels 22 and the rear wheels 23 of the dolly 20 are driven wheels, and the dolly 20 is not provided with a driving source for traveling. In addition, the dolly 20 does not require a mechanism for positioning relative to the transfer device 60. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the vehicle that is positioned relative to the transfer device 60 can be made lighter or less expensive.

[0062] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the embodiment is merely an example, and various other embodiments are possible.

[0063] In the embodiment described above, the second contact member 66 is disposed behind the cart 20 stopped in front of the equipment 100, and the second contact surface 66a of the second contact member 66 faces to the right in the left-right direction of the equipment (see FIG. 8). The second contacted surface that comes into contact with the second contact surface 66a is the rear surface 29B of the cart 20. However, the second contact member 66 may be disposed in front of the cart 20 stopped in front of the equipment 100, the second contact surface 66a faces to the left in the left-right direction of the equipment, and the second contacted surface that comes into contact with the second contact surface 66a is the front surface of the cart 20.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the second contacted surface 29B is formed at the rear end of the bogie 20, but the position of the second contacted surface 29B in the vehicle front-rear direction is not particularly limited.

[0065] There is no particular limitation on the type of inclination angle detection device that detects the inclination angle in the vehicle left-right direction of the transport vehicle 1 relative to the transfer device 60. The inclination angle detection device may include a sensor other than a laser displacement meter.

[0066] The first contact member 65 is not limited to a rod-shaped member. The first contact member 65 may be, for example, a hemispherical protrusion. The second contact member 66 is not limited to a plate-shaped member. The second contact member 66 may be, for example, a rod-shaped member.

[0067] In the above embodiment, the first actuator 71 and the second actuator 72 are separate bodies, but a single actuator may be connected to the transfer device 60 via a power transmission mechanism capable of switching the power transmission direction. In this case, the single actuator serves as both the first actuator and the second actuator. The first actuator and the second actuator may be the same actuator.

[0068] The transport vehicle 1 does not have to include two connected vehicles, i.e., the towing vehicle 10 and the dolly 20. The transport vehicle 1 may be a single vehicle having a driving source for traveling and a platform. The driving source for traveling of the transport vehicle 1 is not limited to the electric motor 14. The driving source for traveling may be an internal combustion engine.

[0069] In the above embodiment, the dolly 20 is provided with the movable hood 28, but the hood 28 is not necessarily required. The front cover, the rear cover 25, and the ceiling panel 27 of the dolly 20 are also not necessarily required. [Explanation of symbols]

[0070] 1. Automated guided vehicle 2. Automated guided transport system 10 Towing vehicle 14 Electric motor (driving source) 20 Carts 24 Placement section 29B Rear surface of trolley (second contact surface) 29S Side of the trolley (first contact surface) 50 Coupling device 60 Transfer equipment 65 First contact member 65a 1st contact surface 66 Second contact member 66a 2nd contact surface 67A No. 1 Laser Displacement Meter 67B Second Laser Displacement Meter 71 First Actuator 72 Second Actuator 80 Control device 81 First Control Section 82 Second Control Section 85 Transfer Prohibited Section 100 equipment

Claims

1. An automated guided vehicle system including a facility and an automated guided vehicle, the automated guided vehicle being stopped in front of the facility so that a side of the automated guided vehicle faces a front of the facility, and an article being transferred between the facility and the automated guided vehicle, The facility includes: A transfer device configured to be movable in a front-rear direction and a left-right direction of the facility and to transfer an article between the facility and the automatic guided vehicle; A first actuator that moves the transfer device in a front-rear direction of the facility; A second actuator that moves the transfer device in the left-right direction of the facility; A first contact member provided to the transfer device and having a first contact surface facing forward in a front-to-rear direction of the equipment; A second contact member provided to the transfer device and having a second contact surface facing left or right in the left-right direction of the equipment; a control device including: a first control unit that drives the first actuator to move the transfer device forward in a front-rear direction of the facility and stops the first actuator when the first contact surface comes into contact with the unmanned guided vehicle; and a second control unit that drives the second actuator to move the transfer device in a left-right direction of the facility and stops the second actuator when the second contact surface comes into contact with the unmanned guided vehicle; An unmanned transport system equipped with

2. The facility includes an inclination angle detection device that detects an inclination angle of the automatic guided vehicle in a left-right direction relative to the transfer device, 2. The unmanned transport system according to claim 1, wherein the control device has a transfer prohibition unit that prohibits the transfer device from transferring the article when the inclination angle detected by the inclination angle detection device is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value.

3. 3. The automated guided vehicle system according to claim 2, wherein the inclination angle detection device includes a first laser displacement meter that measures a distance to the automated guided vehicle, a second laser displacement meter that is positioned to the right of the first laser displacement meter in the left-right direction of the equipment and measures the distance to the automated guided vehicle, and a calculation device that calculates a inclination angle of the automated guided vehicle in the left-right direction of the vehicle based on the distances measured by the first laser displacement meter and the second laser displacement meter.

4. 2. The automated guided transport system according to claim 1, wherein the first contact member is a rod-shaped member extending forward from the transfer device in a front-rear direction of the facility.

5. 2. The automated guided transport system according to claim 1, wherein the second contact member is made of a plate-like member extending forward in a front-rear direction of the facility from the transfer device and extending in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction of the facility.

6. The automated guided vehicle is A towing vehicle having drive wheels and a drive source for driving the drive wheels; A cart having a driven wheel and a placement portion on which the article is placed; A coupling device that couples the towing vehicle and the dolly, The automated guided vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the carriage has a first contacted surface that contacts the first contact surface, and a second contacted surface that contacts the second contact surface.

7. The automated guided vehicle is A towing vehicle having drive wheels and a drive source for driving the drive wheels; A cart having a driven wheel and a placement portion on which the article is placed; A coupling device that couples the towing vehicle and the dolly, The carriage has a first contacted surface that contacts the first contact surface and a second contacted surface that contacts the second contact surface, The automated guided vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein the inclination angle detection device is configured to detect an inclination angle of the carriage in a left-right direction of the vehicle relative to the transfer device.

Images