Connector

Abstract

To provide a coupler, a coupling unit, or a coupling method that allow adjustment of variation in height and position of an automatic conveyance robot and a carriage.SOLUTION: A coupler to be attached to an automatic conveyance robot enters below a carriage to tow the carriage. The coupler has a main body, and a first movable pin and a second movable pin that are provided on the main body and that are respectively extensible and contractable. The first movable pin can be fixed at a predetermined position, and the fixation of the first movable pin is released when the second movable pin contracts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a coupler, a coupling unit, and a coupling method for coupling a cart used in transporting materials at a construction site to an automatic transport robot. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, technological development of automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) has progressed, and automatic guided vehicles have begun to be used in various situations. For example, if automatic guided vehicles are used in warehouses where products are stored, it becomes possible to automatically transport a wide variety of products. This improves work efficiency and reduces costs. As such an automatic guided vehicle, an automatic guided vehicle that enters under a dolly and lifts the dolly to transport it is known (for example, see Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-59460 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, because the automatic guided vehicle needs power to lift the cart, the automatic guided vehicle becomes larger. In particular, many of the materials at construction sites are heavy, and therefore, more power is required to lift the cart loaded with such materials, and the automatic guided vehicle becomes even larger. For this reason, development is underway of a small automatic guided robot with a line tracing function and an automatic following function that can use the casters of the cart to connect with the cart below and pull the cart.

[0005] However, at a construction site, the location of materials changes daily, and the weight of materials loaded on the cart also changes. In addition, when the automatic transport robot and the cart are placed on different levels, the entry height of the automatic transport robot may be affected by the contact surface. Such changes lead to variations in the height of the cart (i.e., the distance from the floor to the loading platform of the cart). For this reason, there has been a demand for a coupler or coupling unit that can adjust the variations in height or position between the automatic transport robot and the cart.

[0006] In view of the above problem, one embodiment of the present invention has an object to provide a coupler, a connection unit, or a connection method that can adjust variations in height and position between an automatic transport robot and a cart. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] A coupler according to one embodiment of the present invention is a coupler that is installed on an automatic transport robot that fits under a cart and pulls the cart, and includes a main body and a first movable pin and a second movable pin that are provided on the main body and are each extendable and retractable, the first movable pin can be fixed at a predetermined position, and when the second movable pin contracts, the first movable pin is released from its fixation.

[0008] The first movable pin includes a first pressing portion including a first fitting groove, a first biasing member that biases the first pressing portion, a first support pillar provided on the main body and inserted into the first fitting groove, and a first arm that is inserted into a through hole of the first support pillar and has a claw portion at an end thereof. The second movable pin includes a second pressing portion including a second fitting groove, a second biasing member that biases the second pressing portion, and a first arm that is provided on the main body and inserted into the second pressing portion. and a second support pillar connected to the second pressing portion, and a second arm inserted into a through hole of the second support pillar and connected to the second pressing portion, the main body includes a swing arm having one end connected to the first arm and the other end connected to the second arm, and the first fitting groove is provided with a claw portion locking groove for locking the claw portion, and when the second pressing portion is pressed down, the second arm descends and the first arm rises via the swing arm, thereby releasing the lock between the claw portion and the claw portion locking groove.

[0009] The first movable pin may further include a first ball portion rotatably supported by the first pressing portion, and the second movable pin may further include a second ball portion rotatably supported by the second pressing portion.

[0010] A connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention is a connection unit including a first coupler installed on an automatic transport robot and a second coupler installed on a cart, wherein the first coupler includes a main body and a first movable pin and a second movable pin, each of which is extendable and retractable, and the second coupler includes a base material and a groove portion provided on the base material to guide the movement of the first movable pin or the second movable pin, and four movable pin engagement grooves within the groove portion to engage the first movable pin or the second movable pin, and the four movable pin engagement grooves are arranged with 90-degree rotational symmetry.

[0011] The groove portion may include a circular first groove portion, a cross-shaped second groove portion intersecting the first groove portion, and a third groove portion having an open end face of the substrate and connected to the first groove portion and the second groove portion, and the four movable pin engagement grooves may be provided at points where the first groove portion and the second groove portion intersect.

[0012] The third groove may have a width that narrows from the end face towards the center of the base material.

[0013] The third groove may be inclined so that its depth becomes shallower from the end face toward the center of the substrate.

[0014] The first connector may further include a protrusion located between the first movable pin and the second movable pin, provided on the main body, and fitted into the first groove.

[0015] The first movable pin may be fixable in a predetermined position, and when the second movable pin retracts, the first movable pin becomes unfixed.

[0016] The first movable pin may include a first pressing portion and a first ball portion rotatably supported by the first pressing portion, and the second movable pin may include a second pressing portion and a second ball portion rotatably supported by the second pressing portion.

[0017] A connecting method according to one embodiment of the present invention is a connecting method for connecting a first coupler, which is installed on an automatic transport robot and includes a first movable pin and a second movable pin, each of which is extendable and retractable, to a second coupler, which is installed on a cart and includes a groove portion and four movable pin engagement grooves in the groove portion, the method comprising the steps of: causing the first movable pin to enter the groove portion without contacting it with a bottom surface of the groove portion; raising the first coupler; contracting the first movable pin while contacting it with the bottom surface of the groove portion; fixing the first movable pin at a predetermined position; moving the first movable pin along the groove portion; contracting the second movable pin while contacting it with the bottom surface of the groove portion; releasing the fixation of the first movable pin; moving the first movable pin and the second movable pin along the groove portion; extending each of the first movable pin and the second movable pin; and engaging the first movable pin and the second movable pin with two of the four movable pin engagement grooves.

[0018] The first coupler further includes a convex portion located between the first movable pin and the second movable pin, and when the first movable pin and the second movable pin are engaged with two of the four movable pin engagement grooves, the convex portion may engage with a portion of the groove portion.

[0019] The first movable pin may include a first pressing portion and a first ball portion rotatably supported by the first pressing portion, and the second movable pin may include a second pressing portion and a second ball portion rotatably supported by the second pressing portion, and the first movable pin and the second movable pin may move along the groove portion while rotating the first ball portion and the second ball portion, respectively.

[0020] The connecting method may further include raising the first connector and pressing the first ball portion and the second ball portion against the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion, respectively, so that the first pressing portion and the second pressing portion contact the bottom surfaces of two of the four movable pin engagement grooves. Effect of the Invention

[0021] A coupler, a connection unit, or a connection method according to one embodiment of the present invention can connect an automatic transport robot and a cart while adjusting for variations in height and position between the automatic transport robot and the cart. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an automatic transport robot and a cart connected by a connection unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Diagram 2] 2A and 2B are schematic side and plan views showing the configuration of a first coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a first movable pin of a first coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 4] 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a second movable pin of a first coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 5] 5A to 5C are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the operation of a first coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 5A and 5B are schematic plan and cross-sectional views showing the configuration of a second coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between a first coupler and a second coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between a first coupler and a second coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between a first coupler and a second coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the connection between a first coupler and a second coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the release of the connection between the first coupler and the second coupler of the connection unit in one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 12] 2A and 2B are schematic side and plan views showing the configuration of a first coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 5A and 5B are schematic side and cross-sectional views showing the configuration of a second coupler of a connection unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Each embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments are merely examples, and those that a person skilled in the art can easily come up with by appropriately modifying the embodiments while maintaining the gist of the invention are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, in order to make the explanation clearer, the drawings may show the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part in a schematic manner compared to the actual embodiment. However, the shapes shown in the drawings are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention.

[0024] In this specification, for convenience of explanation, the terms "above", "upper", "upper part", "below", "lower part", and "lower part" are used to merely explain the vertical relationship of each component. For example, when explaining the positional relationship of components of a structure (e.g., a cart or an automatic transport robot), the surface side on which the structure is installed (e.g., the floor surface side) may be referred to as "lower", "lower part", or "lower part" based on the normal use of the structure.

[0025] In this specification, the letters "first," "second," or "third" attached to each component are convenient labels used to distinguish each component, and have no other meaning unless otherwise specified.

[0026] In this specification and drawings, the same reference numerals are used to collectively represent multiple identical or similar components, and capital or lowercase letters may be added to each of the multiple components to distinguish them from one another. In addition, a hyphen and a natural number may be used to distinguish between multiple parts of one component.

[0027] In this specification, the term "automatic transport robot" refers to a robot that is coupled with a cart and can travel automatically while transporting the cart to a specified location as instructed. Note that the term "robot" includes vehicles.

[0028] In this specification, the term "cart" refers to a vehicle that can be loaded with materials and moved using casters.

[0029] In this specification, "automatic driving" includes not only driving according to instructions based on a program, but also autonomous driving by a control device equipped in the automatic transport robot. Autonomous driving includes not only driving of the automatic transport robot toward a destination along a predetermined route, but also driving while following a target.

[0030] First Embodiment [1. Overview of the configuration of the connecting unit 10] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an automatic transfer robot 20 and a dolly 30 connected by a connection unit 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The connection unit 10 includes a first coupler 100 and a second coupler 200. The first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 are installed on the automatic transfer robot 20 and the dolly 30, respectively. Specifically, the first coupler 100 is installed on the upper part of the automatic transfer robot 20, and the second coupler 200 is installed on the lower part of the platform of the dolly 30. The automatic transfer robot 20 enters below the platform of the dolly 30 and raises the first coupler 100. The raised first coupler 100 is connected to the second coupler 200 and fixed. That is, the automatic transfer robot 20 and the dolly 30 are connected. At this time, the automatic transfer robot 20 does not need to lift the casters of the dolly 30 off the floor surface. The cart 30 connected to the automatic transfer robot 20 can rotate its casters in accordance with the movement of the automatic transfer robot 20, and can move while being towed by the automatic transfer robot 20. In addition, by turning the automatic transfer robot 20 connected to the cart 30, the direction in which the cart 30 is towed can be changed.

[0031] The first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 included in the connection unit 10 are detachably attached to the automatic transfer robot 20 and the cart 30, respectively. Therefore, the connection unit 10 can be applied to any automatic transfer robot 20 and cart 30. It is preferable that the automatic transfer robot 20 includes a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the first coupler 100, but this is not limited thereto. Although details are omitted, the lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the first coupler 100 has a simple configuration, so it can also be attached separately to the automatic transfer robot 20.

[0032] The configurations of the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 will be described in detail below.

[0033] [2. Configuration of the first coupler 100] FIG. 2 is a schematic side view (FIG. 2(A)) and a plan view (FIG. 2(B)) showing the configuration of the first coupler 100 of the connection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the first coupler 100 includes a main body 110, a first movable pin 120, a second movable pin 130, and a convex portion 140. The first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 are provided on the upper part of the main body 110. The convex portion 140 is provided between the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 on the upper part of the main body 110. The height of the convex portion 140 from the main body 110 is lower than the heights of the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 from the main body 110. In addition, in a plan view, the width of the convex portion 140 is smaller than the width of the main body 110, but is not limited to this. However, the width of the protrusion 140 can be determined by the configuration of the second coupler 200. The shape of the protrusion 140 in a plan view is not particularly limited.

[0034] The first movable pin 120 includes a first pressing portion 121, a first support 122, and a first ball portion 123. The second movable pin 130 includes a second pressing portion 131, a second support 132, and a second ball portion 133. The first support 122 and the second support 132 are each provided on the upper portion of the main body 110. The first pressing portion 121 and the second pressing portion 131 are fitted into the first support 122 and the second support 132, respectively. The first ball portion 123 and the second ball portion 133 are supported by the first pressing portion 121 and the second pressing portion 131, respectively, so as to be rotatable. The first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 can extend and retract. More specifically, the first pressing portion 121 and the second pressing portion 131 are pushed up or down, whereby the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 can expand and contract.

[0035] The first coupler 100 is used with the main body 110 attached to the automatic transfer robot 20. The main body 110 has a configuration for interlocking the extension and retraction motion of the first movable pin 120 and the extension and retraction motion of the second movable pin 130, and the details of this configuration will be described later. In addition, the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 have different configurations because they operate differently when connected to the second coupler 200. Here, the configurations of the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 and the details of the interlocking motion of the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 will be described with reference to Figs. 3 to 5.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the first movable pin 120 of the first coupler 100 of the connection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The first pressing portion 121 is provided with a first fitting groove 124, and the first support 122 is fitted into the first fitting groove 124. The first movable pin 120 further includes a first biasing member 125, a claw portion 126, and a plurality of claw portion locking grooves 127. The first biasing member 125 is provided on the first support 122 and biases the first pressing portion 121. The claw portion 126 is provided so as to be retractable from the first support 122. The plurality of claw portion locking grooves 127 are provided on the side surface of the first fitting groove 124, and can lock the claw portion 126 in stages.

[0037] 3(A) and 3(B), in first movable pin 120, first pressing portion 121 is pushed up by the biasing force of first biasing member 125. In addition, in first movable pin 120, first pressing portion 121 biased by first biasing member 125 can be fixed in position by engaging claw portion 126 with claw portion engaging groove 127.

[0038] FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the second movable pin 130 of the first coupler 100 of the connection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The second pressing portion 131 is provided with a second fitting groove 134, and the second support column 132 is fitted into the second fitting groove 134. The second movable pin 130 further includes a second biasing member 135 and a second lifting arm 138. The second biasing member 135 is provided on the second support column 132 and biases the second pressing portion 131. The second lifting arm 138 is connected to the second pressing portion 131 in the second fitting groove 134.

[0039] 4(A) and 4(B), in the second movable pin 130, the second pressing portion 131 is pressed up by the biasing force of the second biasing member 135. In the second movable pin 130, the second pressing portion 131 connected to the second lifting arm 138 is pressed up or down by the vertical movement of the second lifting arm 138. However, unlike the first movable pin 120, the second movable pin 130 cannot fix the second pressing portion 131 at a predetermined position.

[0040] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the first coupler 100 of the connection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, FIG. 5 shows the interlocking operation of the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 included in the first coupler 100. The main body 110 includes a swing arm 111, a first shaft 112, a second shaft 113, and a third shaft 114. The swing arm 111 is rotatably supported by the first shaft 112. The second shaft 113 is provided at one end of the swing arm 111 and connects the swing arm 111 to a first lift arm 128 that can move up and down within the through hole of the first support 122. That is, the swing arm 111 and the first lift arm 128 are rotatably connected by the second shaft 113. Note that a claw portion 126 is connected to the end of the first lift arm 128. Further, the third shaft 114 is provided at the other end of the swing arm 111, and connects the swing arm 111 to a second lifting arm 138 that is movable up and down within the through hole of the second support pillar 132. That is, the swing arm 111 and the second lifting arm 138 are rotatably connected by the third shaft 114. Note that in FIG. 5, the first support pillar 122 and the second support pillar 132 are shown in a see-through view.

[0041] As described above, the first movable pin 120 can fix the first pressing portion 121 at a predetermined position. The first pressing portion 121 is released from the fixed state in conjunction with the operation of the second movable pin. When the second pressing portion 131 is pressed down, the second lifting arm 138 is lowered. The swing arm 111 is swung by the lowering of the second lifting arm 138, and raises the first lifting arm 128. As the first lifting arm rises, the claw portion 126 leaves the claw portion engaging groove 127, and the engagement between the claw portion 126 and the claw portion engaging groove 127 is released. As a result, the first pressing portion 121 is urged by the first urging member 125 and pushed up. That is, the first pressing portion 121 is released from the fixed state.

[0042] In the above, the method of fixing the first pressing portion 121 by engaging the claw portion 126 with the claw portion engaging groove 127 has been described, but the first pressing portion 121 can also be fixed using, for example, an electromagnet.

[0043] [3. Configuration of the second coupler 200] Fig. 6 is a schematic plan view and a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the second coupler 200 of the connection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Fig. 6(A) is a plan view of the surface to be connected to the first coupler 100. Fig. 6(B) and Fig. 6(C) show cross-sectional views of the second coupler 200 taken along the lines A-A' and B-B' shown in Fig. 6(A).

[0044] As shown in FIG. 6(A), the second connector 200 includes a base material 210, a first groove 220, a second groove 230, a third groove 240, and four movable pin locking grooves 250. The first groove 220 has a circular shape. The second groove 230 has a cross shape. The center of the circular first groove 220 and the center of the cross-shaped second groove 230 coincide with each other, and the first groove 220 and the second groove 230 intersect at four points. In addition, four movable pin locking grooves 250 are provided at the four intersecting points. In other words, the four movable pin locking grooves are provided with 90-degree rotational symmetry. In addition, the movable pin locking grooves 250 are provided in the first groove 220 or the second groove 230. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6(B) and FIG. 6(C), the depth of the movable pin locking groove 250 (distance from the surface of the base material 210) is deeper than the depth of the first groove portion 220 or the second groove portion 230. Although details will be described later, when the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 are connected, the movable pin locking groove 250 can lock the first movable pin 120 or the second movable pin 130 of the first coupler. Therefore, the depth of the movable pin locking groove 250 is equal to or greater than the height of the first movable pin 120 or the second movable pin. It is preferable that the depth of the second groove portion 230 is approximately equal to the height of the protrusion 140 of the first coupler 100. When the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 are connected, the second groove portion 230 and the convex portion 140 come into contact, and the load of the bogie 30 is also transmitted to the convex portion 140, so that the load of the bogie 30 can be distributed.

[0045] The width of the first groove 220 is equal to or greater than the diameter of each of the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin. As a result, when the first coupler 100 is rotated by the rotation of the automatic transfer robot 20, the first groove 220 serves as a guide for the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130. That is, the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 can rotate along the first groove 220. The width of the second groove 230 is equal to or greater than the diameter of each of the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 and the width of the convex portion 140. As a result, the second groove 230 serves as a guide for the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130, and the convex portion 140 can be fitted into the second groove 230.

[0046] The third groove 240 has an opening on the end face of the base material 210 and is provided at the end of the base material 210. The third groove 240 narrows from the end of the base material 210 toward the center, and is connected to the first groove 220 and the second groove 230. The third groove 240 is inclined so that the depth becomes shallower from the end of the base material 210 toward the center. When the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 are connected, the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 enter from the third groove 240. Although there is variation in the positions of the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 that enter, the third groove 240 has the above-mentioned configuration, so that the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 can be entered while adjusting their positions.

[0047] [4. Method of connecting the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200] 7 to 10 are schematic diagrams illustrating the connection between the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 of the connection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] The first coupler 100 is installed on the automatic transfer robot 20 so that the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 are in the forward direction (front) and backward direction (rear) of the automatic transfer robot 20, respectively. At this time, the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 of the first coupler 100 are urged by the first urging member 125 and the second urging member 135, respectively, and are extended. The first coupler 100 is also installed on the automatic transfer robot 20 so that the first movable pin 120 enters the second groove portion 230, but has a height that does not contact the bottom surface of the second groove portion 230. Here, the position of the lower surface of the main body 110 at a height where the first movable pin 120 extends and does not contact the bottom surfaces of the first groove portion 220 and the second groove portion 230 is described as the first position. Furthermore, even when the first coupler 100 is rotated by the rotation of the automatic transport robot 20, it is preferable that the position of the underside of the main body 110 maintains the first position and that the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 do not come into contact with the first groove portion 220.

[0049] The automatic transfer robot 20 enters below the cart 30 to couple with the cart 30. At the first position, the first movable pin 120 of the first coupler 100 enters from the third groove 240 of the second coupler 200 and moves along the second groove 230 (see FIG. 7). At the first position, the first movable pin 120 passes through the first movable pin locking groove 250-1 without being locked therein.

[0050] The automatic transfer robot 20 stops at a predetermined position (a position where the first movable pin 120 is in the second groove portion 230) and raises the main body 110 of the first coupler 100. In the first movable pin 120, the first ball portion 123 comes into contact with the bottom surface of the second groove portion 230, and the first biasing member 125 contracts, and the first pressing portion 121 is pressed down (see FIG. 8). Also, the claw portion 126 of the first pressing portion 121 is locked by the claw portion locking groove 127. That is, the position of the first movable pin 120 is fixed. Here, the position of the bottom surface of the main body 110 to which the first movable pin 120 is fixed is defined as the second position.

[0051] The automatic transfer robot 20 starts to advance. The first movable pin 120 advances along the second groove portion 230 and stops at a position where it overlaps with the second movable pin locking groove 250-2. Since the first movable pin 120 is provided with the first ball portion 123, the first ball portion 123 rotates to reduce friction when the first movable pin 120 moves. In addition, when the first movable pin 120 moves, the second groove portion 230 serves as a guide. As the first movable pin 120 moves, the second movable pin 130 enters from the third groove portion 240. The second movable pin 130 advances along the inclined bottom surface of the third groove portion 240, and the second pressing portion 131 is pressed down. At this time, in the first movable pin 120, the claw portion 126 leaves the claw portion locking groove 127, so that the fixation of the first movable pin 120 is released. Therefore, when the first movable pin 120 overlaps with the second movable pin locking groove 250-2, the first pressing portion 121 is pushed up by the biasing force of the first biasing member 125 (see FIG. 9). That is, the first movable pin 120 is locked by the second movable pin locking groove 250-2. Also, when the second movable pin 130 overlaps with the first movable pin locking groove 250-1, the second pressing portion 131 is pushed up by the biasing force of the second biasing member 135. That is, the second movable pin 130 is locked by the first movable pin locking groove 250-1. This fixes the position of the first coupler 100 with respect to the second coupler 200.

[0052] The automatic transfer robot 20 raises the main body 110 so that the first pressing portion 121 and the second pressing portion 131 come into contact with the second movable pin locking groove 250-2 and the first movable pin locking groove 250-1, respectively (see FIG. 10). Here, the position of the lower surface of the main body 110 is defined as the third position. In the third position, the first ball portion 123 and the second ball portion 133 are pressed into the first pressing portion 121 and the second pressing portion 131, respectively. Also, in the third position, the convex portion 140 comes into contact with the bottom surface of the second groove portion 230. In this manner, the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 are coupled together.

[0053] When the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 are coupled together, the load of the dolly 30 is supported by the first movable pin 120, the second movable pin 130, and the protruding portion 140. Therefore, the load of the dolly 30 can be dispersed. When the dolly 30 is transported by the automatic transport robot 20, the main body 110 may be rotated 90 degrees. By rotating the main body 110 90 degrees, the load of the dolly 30 can be received by the side of the protruding portion 140. In other words, by increasing the area of ​​the protruding portion 140, the area that receives the load can be dispersed.

[0054] [5. Method for releasing the connection between the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the release of the connection between the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 of the connection unit 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0055] When the automatic transfer robot 20 reaches a predetermined destination, it releases the connection with the cart 30. The automatic transfer robot 20 lowers the main body 110 of the first coupler 100 to the first position (see FIG. 11). This releases the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 from the second movable pin locking groove 250-2 and the first movable pin locking groove 250-1, respectively.

[0056] Next, the automatic transfer robot 20 retreats and exits from under the dolly 30. At this time, the first movable pin 120 advances along the second groove portion 230 and passes through the first movable pin locking groove 250-1. In this manner, the connection between the first coupler 100 and the second coupler 200 is released.

[0057] According to the connection unit 10 of this embodiment, when the automatic transfer robot 20 enters the cart 30, the first movable pin 120 and the second movable pin 130 of the first coupler 100 can adjust the variation in height between the automatic transfer robot 20 and the cart 30 (i.e., the variation in the distance between the automatic transfer robot 20 and the cart 30). In addition, the first movable pin 120 moves while being guided by the second groove portion 230 of the second coupler 200, so that the variation in the connection position can be adjusted.

[0058] <Second embodiment> A connection unit 10A that is different from the connection unit 10 will be described with reference to Figures 12 and 13. When the configuration of the connection unit 10A is the same as the configuration of the connection unit 10, the description thereof may be omitted.

[0059] [1. Configuration of the first coupler 100A] FIG. 12 is a schematic side view (FIG. 12(A)) and a plan view (FIG. 12(B)) showing the configuration of the first coupler 100A of the connection unit 10A according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 12, the first coupler 100A includes a main body 110, a first movable pin 120A, a second movable pin 130A, and a protrusion 140. The first movable pin 120A includes a first pressing portion 121A, a first support 122, and a plurality of first ball portions 123A. The second movable pin 130 includes a second pressing portion 131A, a second support 132, and a plurality of second ball portions 133A. Each of the plurality of first ball portions 123A is rotatably supported by the first pressing portion 121A. Similarly, each of the plurality of second ball portions 133A is rotatably supported by the second pressing portion 131A.

[0060] [2. Configuration of the second coupler 200A] Fig. 13 is a schematic side view and a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the second coupler 200A of the connection unit 10A according to one embodiment of the present invention. Specifically, Fig. 13(A) is a plan view of the surface that is connected to the first coupler 100A. Fig. 13(B) shows a cross-sectional view of the second coupler 200A cut along the line CC' shown in Fig. 13(A).

[0061] As shown in FIG. 13(A), the second coupler 200A includes a base material 210, a first groove portion 220, a second groove portion 230, a third groove portion 240, and a movable pin locking groove 250A. A plurality of semispherical recesses 251A are provided on the bottom surface of the movable pin locking groove 250A. The plurality of recesses 251A correspond to the plurality of first ball portions 123A or the plurality of second ball portions 133A. That is, when the first coupler 100A and the second coupler 200A are connected to each other, the plurality of first ball portions 123A and the plurality of second ball portions 133A each fit into the plurality of recesses 251A.

[0062] According to the connection unit 10A of this embodiment, when the first coupler 100A and the second coupler 200A are connected, each of the multiple first ball portions 123A and the multiple second ball portions 133A engage with the multiple recesses 251A, thereby firmly fixing the first coupler 100A to the second coupler 200A.

[0063] The above-described embodiments of the present invention may be combined as appropriate as long as they are not mutually inconsistent. Furthermore, those in which a person skilled in the art appropriately adds or removes components or modifies designs, or adds or omits steps or modifies conditions based on the embodiments, are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they include the gist of the present invention.

[0064] Even if there are other effects and advantages different from those brought about by the above-mentioned embodiments, those which are clear from the description in this specification or which can be easily predicted by a person skilled in the art are naturally understood to be brought about by the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0065] 10, 10A: coupling unit, 20: automatic transfer robot, 30: cart, 100, 100A: first coupler, 110: main body, 111: swing arm, 112: first shaft, 113: second shaft, 114: third shaft, 120, 120A: first movable pin, 121, 121A: first pressing portion, 122: first support, 123, 123A: first ball portion, 124: first fitting groove, 125: first biasing member, 126: claw portion, 127: claw portion engagement groove, 128: first lifting arm, 130, 130A: second movable pin, 131, 131A: second pressing portion, 132: second support, 133, 133A: second ball portion, 134: second fitting groove, 135: second biasing member, 138: second lifting arm, 140: convex portion, 200, 200A: second connector, 210: base material, 220: first groove portion, 230: second groove portion, 240: third groove portion, 250: movable pin locking groove, 250-1: first movable pin locking groove, 250-2: second movable pin locking groove, 250A: movable pin locking groove, 251A: recessed portion

Claims

1. A coupler that is installed on an automatic transport robot that enters under a cart and pulls the cart, The coupler includes: The main body, a first movable pin and a second movable pin, each of which is extendable and retractable, provided on the main body; The first movable pin is fixable at a predetermined position; When the second movable pin contracts, the first movable pin moves along a direction in which the second movable pin contracts, and the fixation of the first movable pin is released.

2. A coupler that is installed on an automatic transport robot that enters under a cart and pulls the cart, The coupler includes: The main body, a first movable pin and a second movable pin, each of which is extendable and retractable, provided on the main body; The first movable pin is fixable at a predetermined position; When the second movable pin contracts, the fixation of the first movable pin is released, The first movable pin is a first pressing portion including a first fitting groove; a first biasing member that biases the first pressing portion; a first support provided on the main body and inserted into the first fitting groove; a first arm that is inserted into the through hole of the first support and has a claw portion at an end thereof; The second movable pin is a second pressing portion including a second fitting groove; A second biasing member that biases the second pressing portion; a second support provided on the main body and inserted into the second pressing portion; a second arm that is inserted into the through hole of the second support and connected to the second pressing portion, the main body includes a swing arm having one end to which the first arm is connected and the other end to which the second arm is connected; The first fitting groove is provided with a claw portion locking groove for locking the claw portion, 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein when the second pressing portion is pressed down, the second arm is lowered and the first arm is raised via the swing arm, thereby releasing the engagement between the claw portion and the claw portion engagement groove.

3. the first movable pin further includes a first ball portion rotatably supported by the first pressing portion, The coupler according to claim 2 , wherein the second movable pin further includes a second ball portion rotatably supported by the second pressing portion.

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