Transport robot and side cover for transport robot

Abstract

To provide a conveyance robot with improved traveling ability, reduced traveling vibration and noise, improved maintainability and cost down by using common components.SOLUTION: A conveyance robot (1) is composed of a conveyance object loading plate (2), a bottom plate (3) and support poles (4a-4d) and comprises a motor or wheels (5, 6) in a space S formed by the support pole (4) arranged between the conveyance object loading plate (2) and the bottom plate (3), and a side cover (8) is fitted so as to enclose the space S and the side cover (8) is composed of an elastic fabric.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport robot used in an assembly line in a factory or the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Traditionally, in factory assembly lines, parts required for each assembly line are transported using transport robots (vehicles) (AGV: Automated Guided Vehicle, which runs along guides). Also, in large-scale distribution centers, it is being considered to use transport robots (autonomous mobile robots) (AMR: Autonomous Mobile Robot, which runs without guides) to run within the distribution center and place and transport cardboard boxes for home delivery to deliver to the pick-up locations of many delivery destinations. These AGVs and AMRs are collectively defined as transport robots. The AGV transport robot travels along a guideway formed by attaching magnetic tape or other guide strips to the floor of a designated area such as a factory or warehouse. The AMR transport robot independently determines its location within a designated area of ​​a distribution center and the path it should take without guide strips, and travels while avoiding obstacles. Then, based on the control settings, it moves along the guideway to a buffer station, which is a station where various parts, etc. are loaded, where it loads cargo (boxes containing parts, etc.), and transports it to a designated unloading station, such as a production line station, where the cargo is unloaded.

[0003] A conventional transport robot, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent No. 3433662, is configured with a transported article loading plate 10a provided on the top of a dolly 10, a front side plate 10b and a rear side plate 10c provided at the front and rear ends, and a right side plate 10d and a left side plate 10e provided at both ends. The transported article loading plate 10a may be equipped with a transfer device (such as a driven roller conveyor or a belt conveyor) for loading and unloading to and from a buffer station or an unloading station. A control box 10f is attached facing rearward to the rear side plate 10c, and a rear partition plate 10g and a front partition plate 10h are provided inside the trolley 10, and the interior of the trolley 10 is divided into three spaces R1, R2, R3 at the front, middle, and rear by the two partition plates 10g, 10h.

[0004] Rotary shafts 11a, 11b are provided at the front-rear intermediate positions of the right side plate 10d and the left side plate 10e so as to penetrate both side plates 10d, 10e and are rotatably supported by bearings 10d1, 10e1 provided on both side plates. A right drive wheel (RW) 12a and a left drive wheel (LW) 12b are fixed to the outer ends of both the rotary shafts 11a, 11b, and pulleys 13a, 13b are fixed to the inner ends of the rotary shafts 11a, 11b.

[0005] A front mounting plate 14a is provided in the left-right center of the space R2 side of the front partition plate 10h, and a right-side DC motor 15a is fixed to the front mounting plate 14a. A rear mounting plate 14b is provided in the left-right center of the space R2 side of the rear partition plate 10g, and a left-side DC motor 15b is fixed to the rear mounting plate 14b. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3433662 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The above-mentioned conventional transport robots have the following problems. In other words, the sides of the body of the transport robot, which consist of front panel 10b, rear panel 10c, and right panel 10d and left panel 10e at both ends, are made of rigid side panels such as metal or resin, so the drive mechanism for the running body becomes larger and heavier, which causes vibrations and noise when running. Furthermore, when performing maintenance on the transport robot, the side panels (side covers) need to be removed, but removing the side panels (side covers) was difficult. Furthermore, when manufacturing transport robots of different heights, it is necessary to design and manufacture side panels (side covers) of each size according to the height of the transport robot, which incurs initial costs for molds, etc., resulting in increased costs. In addition, there was also the problem that it was difficult to clean the side panels if they became dirty with liquid dripping from the cargo.

[0008] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a transport robot with excellent design that improves running ability by reducing the weight of the transport robot, reduces vibration and noise while traveling, improves maintainability, and reduces costs by standardizing parts. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present inventors have achieved the above object by the following means. [1] A transport robot used in a factory assembly line, etc., A carrier plate (2) on which parts or the like are mounted; A bottom plate (3); A support (4) connecting the load plate (2) and the bottom plate (3); The space S is defined by the load plate (2), the bottom plate (3), and the support (4). The space S is surrounded by a base fabric (8a) made of a stretchable material. When pulled up and down, tension is applied, Fixed The recess is between the vertical center of the upper and lower parts. A transport robot comprising a side cover (8) on which a three-dimensional curved surface is formed, and wheels (5) provided on the bottom plate (3). [2] The side cover (8) is The base fabric (8a) Top a long hole (8b) through which an elastic string (H) is passed; A hole (8c) provided below the base fabric (8a); The transport robot according to [1], characterized in that it comprises:

[0010] [3] The transport robot according to [1] or [2], characterized in that the upper part of the side cover (8) is fixed to the upper part of the transported object mounting plate (2) by a fixed pole (20). [4] The upper part of the side cover (8) is a carrier plate (2) The transport robot according to [1] or [2], characterized in that the transport object mounting plate is inserted into a groove (2a) provided in the transport object mounting plate, and a protective member (21) is inserted into and fixed to a frame (2b) of the transport object mounting plate. [5] A transport robot according to any one of [1] to [4], characterized in that the lower part of the side cover (8) is fixed by hooking a hole (8c) provided on the lower part of the side cover (8) onto a hook (3a) provided on the bottom plate (3).

[0011] [6] A transport robot used in a factory assembly line, etc., which comprises a transport object mounting plate (2) on which parts or the like are mounted, a bottom plate (3), and a support (4) connecting the transport object mounting plate (2) and the bottom plate (3), Top and Bottom a side cover for a transport robot, the side cover surrounding a space S formed by the support columns (4) disposed between the load-carrying plate (2) and the bottom plate (3), The side cover is made of a base fabric (8a) made of a stretchable material. When pulled up and down, tension is applied, Fixed The recess is between the vertical center of the upper and lower parts. A side cover for a transport robot, characterized in that a three-dimensional curved surface is formed. [7] The base fabric (8a) Top A long hole (8b) for passing a stretchable string (H) through the base fabric (8a) and a hole (8c) provided below the base fabric (8a). Equipped with 7. The side cover of the transport robot according to claim 6. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the transport robot of the present invention, the weight of the side surface of the body can be reduced, and therefore the weight of the entire transport cart can be reduced accordingly, and traveling vibrations and noise can be reduced. Furthermore, since there is no need to use rigid materials on the sides of the body, the weight of the entire transport robot can be reduced, allowing the motor to be made smaller and energy savings to be achieved. Furthermore, the side covers that make up the sides of the body can be easily removed, improving internal maintenance. Furthermore, because the side cover of the present invention is elastic, it can be used for transport robots of different heights, allowing for standardization of parts. There is no need to prepare body side parts for each transport robot of different heights, which reduces manufacturing costs. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is an explanatory perspective view showing an embodiment of a transport robot according to the present invention; [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram for explaining an embodiment of a side cover of a transport robot according to the present invention; [Diagram 3] 5 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing a process for attaching a side cover of the transport robot of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of a mounting means for a side cover of a transport robot according to the present invention. [Diagram 5] 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the mounting means of the side cover shown in FIG. 4 is mounted. [Figure 6] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing another embodiment of the mounting means for the side cover of the transport robot of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory oblique view showing one embodiment of the transport robot of the present invention, where (a) is a view showing the state with the side cover attached, and (b) is a view showing the state with the side cover removed. FIG. 2 is an explanatory drawing of an embodiment of the side cover of the transport robot of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an explanatory drawing showing the installation process of the side cover. FIG. 4 is an explanatory drawing showing one embodiment of the installation means of the side cover of the transport robot of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing the state in which the installation means of the side cover shown in FIG. 4 has been installed. FIG. 6 is an explanatory drawing showing another embodiment of the installation means of the side cover of the transport robot of the present invention.

[0015] In Figs. 1 to 6, 1 is a transport robot, 2 is a plate for carrying an object to be transported, 3 is a bottom plate, 4 is a support, 5 is a wheel, 6 is a front wheel, and 8 is a side cover. As shown in Figures 1(a) and (b), the transport robot 1 of the present invention is configured to include the transport object mounting plate 2, a bottom plate 3, a support pillar 4 connecting the transport object mounting plate 2 and the bottom plate 3, and the support pillar 4 arranged between the transport object mounting plate 2 and the bottom plate 3, a side cover 8 surrounding a space S, and wheels 5 provided on the bottom plate 3. As shown in Figure 1(b), the transport robot 1 is composed of a transport object loading plate 2, a bottom plate 3, and pillars 4 consisting of front pillars 4a, 4b and rear pillars 4c, 4d. The transport robot 1 is arranged between the transport object loading plate 2 and the bottom plate 3, and is configured to install sensors, wheel drive motors, control systems, etc. within a space S formed by the height maintained by the pillars 4 that support the transport object loading plate 2 and are joined to the bottom plate.

[0016] The bottom plate 3 is made of a steel material such as sheet metal or a resin material, and has a hook 3a for fixing the side cover 8 on its underside (see FIG. 6). The shape of the bottom plate 3 is not particularly limited, and may be a plate, a cylinder, a rectangular column, or the like, which is similar to the shape of the side cover 8. Bottom The shape may be any shape that can accommodate the mounting. In an embodiment of the present invention, the front columns 4a, 4b and the rear columns 4c, 4d are formed of hollow columns to connect the load plate 2 and the bottom plate 3. The columns, the bottom plate 3 and the load plate 2 must form a rigid body so that the load plate 2 can withstand acceleration and deceleration for transporting the load plate 2 at a predetermined speed while loading a predetermined load, which is the purpose of the transport robot. However, the same rigid material is usually used as the side plates and bolted to the columns, but the weight of these rigid side plates such as metal further increases the total weight of the transport robot, and the motor, wheels, columns and bottom plate must also be reinforced, further increasing the total weight. This time, the side panels, which do not need to be structural or rigid, are made of a light material, making it lighter than transport robot vehicles that use conventional side panels.

[0017] FIG. 2 is an explanatory drawing showing a side cover of the transport robot of the present invention, in which (A) is a schematic drawing showing the entire side cover 8, and (B) is a drawing showing the detailed configuration of the side cover 8. In the present invention, the side cover 8 is made of a stretchable fabric having a stretchability of about 20 to 30%. In this embodiment, a flame-retardant stretch material (for example, a stretch film (manufactured by Kinugawa Kyoto Co., Ltd.) is used, but the present invention is not limited to this. Top is fixed and extended to the underside of the bottom plate 3, Bottom Any material that is stretchable enough to be able to secure the cover to the bottom plate 3 may be used.

[0018] In this manner, the transport robot 1 according to the present invention is configured such that the side surfaces thereof are formed of the base fabric 8a made of a stretchable material, instead of the side walls made of steel or resin. The side cover 8 that constitutes the side surface surrounds the space S. Top and Bottom Since the base fabric 8a is fixed to cover the sides and form the sides of the transport robot 1, the weight of the sides of the transport robot 1 is the weight of the base fabric 8a, which is significantly lighter than steel or resin materials and contributes to reducing the weight of the entire transport robot 1. For example, in this embodiment, in the case of a transport robot designed to transport an object of a certain dimension with a maximum weight of 50 kg, the weight of the side panels can be reduced from 10 kg to 1 kg, and by reviewing the dimensions of the components to achieve this, the weight of the entire robot can be reduced by 15 kg from 150 kg to 135 kg. This allows the capacity of the driving motor installed in space S to be reduced, making the transport robot 1 even lighter.

[0019] The flame-retardant stretch material that is an example of the stretchable fabric that constitutes the side cover 8 is tensioned and fixed when pulled up and down. Top and Bottom A three-dimensional curved surface is formed between them, allowing for the expression of highly aesthetically pleasing sides. In FIG. 2(B), 8a denotes a base fabric constituting the side cover, and 8b denotes a layer on the base fabric 8a. Department 8a is a long hole through which an elastic string, such as a rubber string H, is passed, 8c is a hole provided below the base fabric 8a, and 8d is a bottom plate attachment portion provided at the bottom of the base fabric 8a, and in this embodiment, it is configured in a tag-like shape. The side cover 8 is attached by hooking a hook 3a provided on the bottom plate 3 into a hole 8c provided below the base fabric 8a. Furthermore, by attaching and fixing a bottom plate attachment part 8d to the bottom plate 3 with a screw, button, stapler, or the like, the side cover 8 can be firmly and stably attached to the bottom plate 3. In this embodiment, the side cover 8 is formed into a hollow cylindrical shape by joining both the left and right ends of the base fabric 8a. However, if it is possible to cover the entire side of the transport robot 1 so as to surround the space S, a plurality of rectangular base fabrics 8 may be used as the upper and lower covers. To It may be configured to be fixed.

[0020] The side cover 8 sewn into a cylindrical shape in this embodiment can be attached to the side of the transport robot 1 in accordance with the steps shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic explanatory diagram showing the process of attaching the side cover 8 to the transfer robot of the present invention. TopFIG. 1(B) shows the state where the side cover 8 is attached to the load plate 2 (frame or the like provided on the load plate 2). Top The side cover 8 is attached to the load carrying plate 2. Bottom The state where the side cover 8 is pulled down toward the bottom plate 3 and covered with the bottom plate 3 is shown in (C) of the figure. Bottom The base plate 3 is hooked onto the base plate 3, fixed thereon, and attached to the transport robot 1, forming the side surface. In this way, the transport robot 1 according to the present invention is formed by attaching the extended side covers 8 to its sides, so that it is easy to attach and remove and anyone can do it easily. Moreover, the side covers 8 are washable, so that it is easy to keep them clean and tidy, and it is hygienic and easy to perform maintenance work.

[0021] FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of a mounting means for the side cover, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory drawing showing a state in which the mounting means shown in FIG. 4 is used. In Figures 4 and 5, 20 is a fixed pole made of a magnetic material such as steel or SUS430. In an embodiment of the present invention, the fixed pole 20 is made up of six pole members, namely, pole members 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, and 20f, and each pole member is fixed to each other by a magnet 21 to form the fixed pole 20. 5, the side cover 8 is attached to the transport robot 1 in contact with the load plate 2 of the transport robot 1, and then the side cover 8 is fixed to the transport robot 1 so as to surround the entire side cover 8 with the fixed pole 20. When the side cover 8 is attached with the fixed pole 20, the side cover 8 can be fixed simply by attaching and detaching the fixed pole 20, without forming a groove or frame for attaching the side cover 8 to the load plate 2.

[0022] On the other hand, FIG. 6 is an explanatory view of another embodiment of the mounting means for the side cover. In the figure, 2a denotes a groove provided in the load plate 2, 2b denotes a frame of the load plate, and 21 denotes a protective member made of an elastic material. In another embodiment, the side cover 8 is Topis inserted into a groove 2a formed in the transported object mounting plate 2, and a protective member 21 made of an elastic material and having a U-shaped cross section is attached to the frame 2b of the transported object mounting plate 2, thereby fixing the upper part of the side cover 8 to the entire circumference of the transported object mounting plate 2. By providing grooves 2a and frames 2b in advance on the transported object mounting plate 2, the side cover 8 can be securely attached in a predetermined position, and the structure allows easy attachment and detachment.

[0023] In this way, the side cover 8 according to the present invention has Top With the load plate 2 fixed to the load plate 2, the side cover 8 Bottom The side cover 8 is pulled and a hole 8c provided in the lower part of the side cover 8 is hooked onto a hook 3a provided on the bottom plate 3, whereby the side cover 8 is firmly and stably fixed to the transport robot 1. Therefore, even if the height or width of the transport robot 1 is changed, the elastic side cover 8 expands and contracts to follow the change in shape, making it easier to design the transport robot 1 and reducing the number of parts, thereby achieving significant cost reductions. The method of attaching the side cover 8 to the transported object mounting plate 2 is not limited to the above method, and any means can be used that can securely fix the side cover 8, which is made of stretchable fabric, so as to surround the space S firmly. [Explanation of symbols]

[0024] 1: Transport robot 2: Loading plate 3: Bottom plate 4: Prop 5: Wheels 6: Front wheel 8: Side cover 8a: Base fabric 8b: Long hole 8c: Hole 8d: Bottom plate attachment part 20: Fixed pole H: Elastic string

Claims

1. A transport robot used in a factory assembly line, etc. A carrier plate (2) on which parts or the like are mounted; A bottom plate (3); A support (4) connecting the load plate (2) and the bottom plate (3); The space S is defined by the support columns (4) between the load-carrying plate (2) and the bottom plate (3) and is surrounded by a base fabric (8a) made of a stretchable material. The transport robot is characterized by comprising a side cover (8) that, when pulled vertically, is tensioned and forms a three-dimensional curved surface with a recess between the vertical middle parts of the fixed upper and lower parts, and wheels (5) provided on the bottom plate (3).

2. The side cover (8) is A long hole (8b) for passing an elastic string (H) through an upper portion of the base fabric (8a); A hole (8c) provided below the base fabric (8a); 2. The transport robot according to claim 1, further comprising:

3. 3. The transport robot according to claim 1, wherein an upper portion of the side cover (8) is fixed to an upper portion of the transported object mounting plate (2) by a fixing pole (20).

4. The transport robot according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that an upper portion of the side cover (8) is inserted into a groove (2a) provided in the transport object mounting plate (2), and a protective member (21) is inserted into and fixed to a frame (2b) of the transport object mounting plate.

5. The transport robot according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lower part of the side cover (8) is fixed by hooking a hole (8c) provided on the lower part of the side cover (8) onto a hook (3a) provided on the bottom plate (3).

6. A side cover for a transport robot used in a factory assembly line or the like, the side cover being fixed at an upper and lower part to the transport object mounting plate (2) and the bottom plate (3) and surrounding a space S formed by the support columns (4) arranged between the transport object mounting plate (2) and the bottom plate (3), the side cover comprising: a transport object mounting plate (2) on which parts or the like are mounted, a bottom plate (3), and support columns (4) connecting the transport object mounting plate (2) and the bottom plate (3); The side cover is made of a base fabric (8a) made of a stretchable material. This side cover for a transport robot is characterized in that, when pulled vertically, tension is applied, and a three-dimensional curved surface is formed with a recess between the vertical middle parts of the fixed upper and lower parts.

7. The side cover of a transport robot as described in claim 6, characterized in that it is provided with a long hole (8b) for passing an elastic string (H) through the upper part of the base cloth (8a), and a hole (8c) provided below the base cloth (8a).

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