Transport device

Abstract

To enable both of a pallet and a conveyed object such as a carriage to be conveyed with a single conveyance apparatus.SOLUTION: A conveyance apparatus 1 includes: a main body 2 with a driving wheel 3; a pair of forks 6 extending in a prescribed direction from the main body 2 and used for lifting up a pallet 31 as a conveyance object; a driven wheel 5 provided on each front end of the pair of forks 6; a raising / lowering device 8 for raising / lowering the pair of forks 6; a link mechanism 21 for maintaining grounding of the driven wheel 5 by changing a relative distance of the driving wheel 5 to the fork 6 according to raising / lowering of the fork 6 by the raising / lowering device 8; and a connection part 7 which is provided on the inside of each of the pair of forks 6 in the opposite direction and which connects a carriage 41 as a conveyance object. The connection part 7 is provided at such a position as not to interfere with the pallet 31 when the fork 6 loads the pallet 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport device. [Background technology]

[0002] In factories and logistics warehouses, it is common to transport goods using pallets and carts. In addition, there are many cases where pallets and carts are mixed in factories and logistics warehouses. Furthermore, carts come in various forms, such as basket carts and six-wheel carts.

[0003] When automating such transportation processes in factories and logistics warehouses using AGVs, forklift-type AGVs and hand pallet-type AGVs for transporting pallets, and towing-type AGVs for towing carts (see, for example, Patent Document 1) are required. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, introducing different AGVs for each transportation mode increases the number of AGVs and increases the introduction costs. In addition, having multiple types of AGVs increases the costs of maintenance and repair. Furthermore, when different AGVs operate in the same environment, there are operational issues such as the inability to manage the operation of different types of AGVs, which can cause deadlocks.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to enable a single transport device to transport both a pallet and a transported object such as a dolly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a transport device according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a main body having drive wheels, a pair of forks extending in a predetermined direction from the main body for lifting a pallet as an object to be transported, driven wheels provided at the tip of each of the pair of forks, a lifting device for raising and lowering the pair of forks, a moving section that changes the relative distance between the driven wheels and the forks in response to the raising and lowering of the forks by the lifting device to maintain the ground contact of the driven wheels, and connecting sections provided on the inner side of each of the pair of forks in the opposing direction for connecting a transported object having wheels as the object to be transported, wherein the connecting sections are positioned so that they do not interfere with the pallet when the forks are loaded with the pallet. Effect of the Invention

[0007] A single transport device can transport both pallets and trolleys. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conveying device according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the carrier device shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the conveying device shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of a link mechanism; [Diagram 5] Side view of the transport device with the forks raised [Figure 6] Side view showing the operation of the link mechanism when the forks are raised [Figure 7] Side view of the transport device with the forks lowered [Figure 8] A side view showing the operation of the link mechanism when the forks are lowered [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a shape of a pallet to be transported; [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cart as an example of a cart to be transported; [Figure 11] A side view of a pallet being transported by a transport device. [Figure 12]A plan view of a pallet transport mode by a transport device. [Figure 13] A side view of a carriage transported by a carriage device. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a transportation mode of the dolly by the transportation device; [Figure 15] A plan view showing an example of a transportation form in the case of a large cart. [Figure 16] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a transportation form in the case of a narrow cart; [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a side view showing another mode of transportation of the dolly [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a case where the conveying device according to the second embodiment recognizes the position of a pallet; [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is another plan view of the conveying device according to the second embodiment when the conveying device recognizes the position of the pallet; [Figure 20] 1 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the transport device. [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a case where the transport device recognizes the position of the cart to be transported; [Figure 22] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a case where the transport device recognizes the position of the cart to be transported; [Figure 23] 1 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the transport device. [Figure 24] A diagram explaining the operation of the transport device when inserting the forks into the pallet [Diagram 25] A diagram explaining the operation of the transport device when inserting the forks into the pallet [Figure 26] A diagram explaining the operation of the transport device when inserting the forks into the pallet [Figure 27] A diagram explaining the operation of the transport device when inserting the forks into the pallet [Figure 28] An explanatory diagram of a case where the automatic recognition device is used as an obstacle detection means. [Figure 29] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a case where a conveying device according to a third embodiment recognizes the position of a pallet; [Diagram 30] FIG. 13 is another plan view of the conveying device according to the third embodiment when the conveying device recognizes the position of the pallet; [Diagram 31]1 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the transport device. [Diagram 32] A plan view showing a case where the transport device recognizes the position of the cart. [Diagram 33] A plan view showing a case where the transport device recognizes the position of the cart. [Diagram 34] 1 is a flow chart illustrating the operation of the transport device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicated description will be omitted.

[0010] In the following description, the x, y, and z directions are perpendicular to each other. The x and y directions are typically horizontal, and the z direction is typically vertical. The x direction is the longitudinal direction of the pair of forks 6. The y direction is the arrangement direction of the pair of forks 6, and is the opening and closing direction of the pair of forks 6. In the following description, for convenience of explanation, the negative x direction side may be expressed as the front side, the positive x direction side as the rear side, the positive z direction side as the upper side, and the negative z direction side as the lower side.

[0011] [First embodiment] The transport device 1A according to the first embodiment of the present invention can hold a pallet 31 (see FIG. 5) and a cart 41 (see FIG. 6, etc.) such as a cage cart, a six-wheel cart, or a dolly, and can transport the pallet 31 or the cart 41 as a transported object to a desired position by autonomously moving while holding the pallet 31 or the cart 41. Note that the transported object that the transport device 1A targets includes objects having wheels other than the cart 41.

[0012] The configuration of the transporting device 1A will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the transporting device 1A according to this embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view of the transporting device 1A shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the transporting device 1A shown in Fig. 1.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the transport device 1A includes a main body 2, a driving wheel 3, a driving motor 4, a pair of driven wheels 5, a pair of forks 6, a connecting portion 7, a lifting device 8, and a lifting motor 9.

[0014] The driving wheels 3, for example a pair of wheels, are arranged in the center in the y direction of the main body 2. The driving wheels 3 are variable in their traveling direction.

[0015] The drive motor 4 drives the drive wheels 3. The drive motor 4 is individually installed in each of the pair of drive wheels 3, for example, as shown in FIG.

[0016] It should be noted that the number of drive wheels 3 and drive motors 4 may be one each.

[0017] The pair of driven wheels 5 are provided at the respective tips of the pair of forks 6. That is, the pair of driven wheels 5 are also provided behind the driving wheels 3. The driven wheels 5 have a rotation axis along the y-axis direction.

[0018] The pair of forks 6 are long members extending in the x-direction (rearward) from the main body 2. The pair of forks 6 are arranged in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval. The pair of forks 6 are provided behind the drive wheels 3. The pair of forks 6 are used to lift a pallet 31 to be transported.

[0019] The connecting parts 7 are provided on the inner sides of the pair of forks 6 in the opposing direction (y direction) and connect the transport device 1A and the dolly 41. The upper surfaces of the connecting parts 7 are positioned so as to protrude higher than the upper surfaces of the forks 6. That is, the connecting parts 7 have claw-shaped parts 7a that protrude above the upper surfaces of the forks 6, and connect the dolly 41 by hooking the claw-shaped parts 7a onto the base plate frame 43, which is the frame of the dolly 41.

[0020] The lifting device 8 raises and lowers the pair of forks 6 and the connecting portion 7 in the z direction. The lifting motor 9 drives the lifting device 8. The lifting device 8 may have a mechanism in which a ball screw is rotated by the lifting motor 9 to raise and lower the lifting device 8 fixed by fastening to a nut of the ball screw, for example, but the form and mechanism of the lifting device 8 are not limited thereto.

[0021] Further, the rotation shaft of the driven wheel 5 is attached to the fork 6 via a link mechanism 21 (see FIG. 4, etc.) so that the relative position of the driven wheel 5 to the pair of forks 6 that are raised and lowered by the lifting device 8 can be changed. The link mechanism 21 will be described in detail later.

[0022] Moreover, the transport device 1A preferably includes an opening / closing device 10 and an opening / closing motor 11. The opening / closing device 10 changes the distance between the corresponding forks 6 (and the driven wheels 5 provided on the forks 6). The opening / closing motor 11 drives the opening / closing device 10.

[0023] 1, a structural member provided with a rack gear is attached to a fork 6 holding a pair of driven wheels 5, or to a lifting device 8 for lifting the fork 6 holding the pair of driven wheels 5. The opening and closing device 10 may have a mechanism for opening and closing by rotating a gear meshed with the rack gear by an opening and closing motor 11. However, the form of the opening and closing device 10 is not limited as long as it has a mechanism for varying the distance between the pair of driven wheels 5, or the distance between the fork 6 holding the pair of driven wheels 5.

[0024] In this embodiment, when the transport device 1A advances with the main body 2 in front, that is, moving in the negative x direction, it is considered to be moving forward, and when the transport device 1A advances with the pair of forks 6 in front, that is, moving in the positive x direction, it is considered to be moving backward. That is, the main body 2 side of the transport device 1A is the front, and the pair of forks 6 side is the rear. The transport device 1A may be provided with an automatic recognition device 12A that can automatically recognize the transported object near the pair of forks 6 (for example, a middle position in the y direction between the pair of forks 6 at the rear of the main body 2). This automatic recognition device 12A is configured to include, for example, a distance measurement sensor such as a depth camera range sensor. For example, a feature of a pallet 31, which is one of the transport objects, is that an insertion hole 35 (see FIG. 5) is provided on the side facing the forks 6. By detecting the insertion hole 35 by the automatic recognition device 12A, it can be determined that the pallet is a pallet 31. In addition, a feature of a cart 41, which is one of the transport objects, is that wheels 44 are provided. By detecting the wheels 44 by the automatic recognition device 12A, it can be determined that the cart is a cart 41. The method for recognizing the transported object may be any other method as long as it is possible to detect the characteristics of the transported object and thereby identify the transported object.

[0025] The transport device 1A can also perform automatic coupling control, in which the automatic recognition device 12A recognizes the type of the transport object, and the opening / closing device 10 automatically changes the interval between the pair of forks 6 and couples the forks 6 to the transport object with the coupling unit 7 or the forks 6 in accordance with the type of the transport object so as to couple to the transport object at an appropriate position. In the automatic coupling control, when the transport object is a pallet 31, pallet coupling control is performed to automatically couple the forks 6 to the pallet 31 based on the recognition result by the automatic recognition device 12A. On the other hand, in the automatic coupling control, when the transport object is a dolly 41, dolly coupling control (transported object coupling control) is performed to automatically couple the coupling unit 7 to the dolly 41. In other words, in the automatic coupling control, pallet coupling control or dolly coupling control is selectively performed.

[0026] Furthermore, the transport device 1A is preferably provided with an autonomous travel function that allows it to travel autonomously without operational input from an operator, such as an AGV (automatic guided vehicle). These automatic coupling control functions and autonomous travel functions enable the transport device 1A to automatically transport the pallets 31 and the dollies 41 without the assistance of an operator, thereby improving the convenience and versatility of the transport device 1A.

[0027] The automatic coupling control function and the autonomous traveling function are implemented by a control device such as a computer installed inside the main body 2 of the transporting device 1A. The control device may be installed outside the transporting device 1A and connected to the transporting device 1A so as to be able to communicate with each other via wire or wirelessly.

[0028] The transport device 1A may also have a pair of opening / closing wheels 13 provided on the undersides of the pair of forks 6. The pair of opening / closing wheels 13 are installed with their rotation axes parallel to the longitudinal direction (x direction) of the forks 6. The pair of opening / closing wheels 13 touch the floor by lowering the pair of forks 6 using the lifting device 8.

[0029] For example, the diameter and other shapes of the opening / closing wheels 13 are set so that when the forks 6 are lowered until the upper ends of the claw-shaped parts 7a of the coupling parts 7 are lower than the lower end of the base plate frame 43 of the cart 41 when engaging the cart 41, the opening / closing wheels 13 contact the ground and rotate when the pair of forks 6 are moved along the y direction to make the gap between the pair of forks 6 larger than the width of the cart 41 before coupling the cart 41, making it easier to move the forks 6.

[0030] The connecting part 7 is fixed to the pair of forks 6 by fastening or welding, so that when the pair of forks 6 are raised and lowered, the connecting part 7 is also raised and lowered in the same manner. As a result, as described later in FIG. 11, when the transport device 1A and the dolly 41 are connected and the front wheels 44 of the dolly 41 are lifted for transport, it is necessary to raise and lower the connecting part 7. However, since the connecting part 7 is installed on the forks 6, when the forks 6 are raised and lowered by the lifting device 8, the connecting part 7 is also raised and lowered in conjunction with it. Therefore, the connecting part 7 can be raised and lowered without adding a lifting device for raising and lowering the connecting part 7.

[0031] 4 to 8, a link mechanism 21 (moving unit) that changes the relative position in the z direction between the pair of forks 6 and the pair of driven wheels 5 will be described.

[0032] The link mechanism 21 is installed inside the main body 2 and the fork 6, and operates to change the relative height position of the built-in fork 6 and the driven wheel 5 attached to the fork 6. By operating the link mechanism 21, the driven wheel 5 can be kept in contact with the ground at all times, regardless of whether the fork 6 is raised or lowered.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a side view showing a schematic configuration of the link mechanism 21. As shown in FIG. 4, the link mechanism 21 has four link members 22, 23, 24, and 25. One end 22A of the link member 22 is connected to the main body 2, and the other end is connected to the link member 23. One end of the link member 23 is connected to the link member 22, and the other end is connected to the fork 6 and the link member 23. One end of the link member 24 is connected to the link member 23, and the other end is connected to the link member 25. One end of the link member 25 is connected to the link member 24 and the fork 6, and the other end is connected to the driven wheel 5. When the fork 6 is raised and lowered by the lifting device 8, the link members 23 and 25 are rotated around the connection parts 26 and 27 with the fork 6, and the relative positions of the pair of forks 6 and the pair of driven wheels 5 are changed. One end 22A of the link member 22 is connected to the main body 2, so that it is at the same height regardless of the rise and fall of the fork 6. The height positions of the connection parts 26, 27 are changed in response to the elevation and lowering of the fork 6.

[0034] With reference to Figs. 5 and 6, the operation of the link mechanism 21 when the forks 6 rise will be described. Fig. 5 is a side view of the transport device 1A when the forks 6 rise. Fig. 6 is a side view showing the operation of the link mechanism 21 when the forks 6 rise. In Figs. 5 and 6, the height position of the forks 6 rises relatively to the state shown in Fig. 2. When the pair of forks 6 rise as shown in Fig. 5, the connection part 26 of the link member 23 with the forks 6 rises together with the forks 6, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the link member 23 rotates clockwise with respect to the connection part 26 as a reference. Similarly, the connection part 27 of the link member 25 with the forks 6 rises together with the forks 6, so that the link member 25 rotates counterclockwise with respect to the connection part 27 as a reference. As a result, the distance between the forks 6 and the driven wheels 5 changes in a widening direction, and the driven wheels 5 advance downward from the forks 6. As a result, even when the pair of forks 6 are raised, the operation of the link mechanism 21 changes the relative position between the pair of forks 6 and the pair of driven wheels 5, allowing the pair of forks 6 to maintain a parallel state to the floor while keeping the pair of driven wheels 5 in contact with the floor.

[0035] The operation of the link mechanism 21 when the forks 6 are lowered will be described with reference to Figs. 7 and 8. Fig. 7 is a side view of the transport device 1A when the forks 6 are lowered. Fig. 8 is a side view showing the operation of the link mechanism 21 when the forks 6 are lowered. In Figs. 7 and 8, the height position of the forks 6 is lowered relatively to the state shown in Fig. 2. When the pair of forks 6 are lowered as shown in Fig. 7, the connection part 26 of the link member 23 with the forks 6 is lowered together with the forks 6 as shown in Fig. 8, so that the link member 23 is rotated counterclockwise with the connection part 26 as a reference. Similarly, the connection part 27 of the link member 25 with the forks 6 is lowered together with the forks 6, so that the link member 25 is rotated clockwise with the connection part 27 as a reference. As a result, the gap between the forks 6 and the driven wheels 5 is narrowed, and the driven wheels 5 are accommodated in the forks 6. As a result, even when the pair of forks 6 are lowered, the operation of the link mechanism 21 changes the relative position between the pair of forks 6 and the pair of driven wheels 5, allowing the pair of forks 6 to maintain a parallel state to the floor while keeping the pair of driven wheels 5 in contact with the floor.

[0036] In this way, the link mechanism 21 functions as a moving part that changes the relative distance between the driven wheel 5 and the fork 6 in response to the raising and lowering of the fork 6 by the lifting device 8, thereby maintaining the grounding of the driven wheel 5. Note that the configuration of the link mechanism 21 may be different from that described above. Also, an element other than the link mechanism 21 may be used as the moving part as long as it is an element that can maintain the grounding state of the driven wheel 5 regardless of the raising and lowering of the fork 6.

[0037] With reference to Figs. 9 and 10, an object to be transported by the transport device 1A according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing an example of the shape of a pallet 31 to be transported. As shown in Fig. 9, the pallet 31 is composed of a loading platform 32 on which an object is placed, a bottom plate 33 that is in contact with the floor, and girders (pillars) 34 that connect the loading platform 32 and the bottom plate 33. The side of the pallet 31 has gaps between the multiple girders 34 that function as insertion holes 35 into which the forks 6 can be inserted. Depending on the type of the pallet 31, the bottom plate 33 may not exist, or the loading platform 32 or the bottom plate 33 may be hollowed out. Examples of materials for the pallet 31 include wood, plastic, and cardboard.

[0038] Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a cage cart as an example of a cart 41 to be transported. As shown in Fig. 10, the cart 41 includes a base plate 42 parallel to the floor, a base plate frame 43 that holds the base plate 42, and wheels 44 provided on the base plate frame 43.

[0039] Depending on the type (for example, in the case of a cage cart), the cart 41 may have a fence 45 provided on the base plate 42. The cart 41 to be transported in this embodiment is a wheeled cart that is generally used in logistics warehouses and factories. The number of wheels and whether they are swivel wheels or fixed wheels do not matter. Examples of the cart 41 include a cage cart, a six-wheel cart, a dolly, and the like. For example, a cage cart generally has four wheels, but two of the four wheels may be swivel wheels and the remaining two wheels may be fixed wheels, or all four wheels may be swivel wheels. Also, a six-wheel cart generally has six wheels, with the two central wheels being fixed wheels and the remaining four wheels being swivel wheels. The type of wheel configuration differs depending on the type of cart, but the transport device 1A of this embodiment can transport regardless of the type of wheel configuration of the cart 41. Also, like a dolly, there are some in which the base plate 42 and the base plate frame 43 are the same member.

[0040] The transportation mode of the pallet 31 by the transport device 1A of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 11 and 12. Fig. 11 is a side view of the transportation mode of the pallet 31 by the transport device 1A. Fig. 12 is a plan view of the transportation mode of the pallet 31 by the transport device 1A. When transporting the pallet 31, as with a normal hand lift, a pair of forks 6 are inserted into the insertion holes 35 on the side of the pallet located in front when viewed from the transport device 1A, and the pallet is lifted and transported. Therefore, the pair of forks 6 are located inside the side of the pallet 31. At this time, the pallet 31 is located behind the connecting part 7 (x positive direction side), and is lifted in a state where the pallet 31 and the connecting part 7 do not interfere with each other. In order to prevent the pallet 31 and the connecting part 7 from interfering with each other in this way, for example, it is preferable that the connecting part 7 is located closer to the base part of the fork 6 on the main body 2 side.

[0041] The transportation mode of the dolly 41 by the transporting device 1A of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 13 and Fig. 14. Fig. 13 is a side view of the transportation mode of the dolly 41 by the transporting device 1A. Fig. 14 is a plan view of the transportation mode of the dolly 41 by the transporting device 1A. As shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14, the transporting device 1A has a pair of base plate frames 43 of the dolly 41 arranged along the front-rear direction of the vehicle body. That is, the dolly 41 is engaged and transported in an orientation in which one base plate frame 43 is disposed on the front side of the transporting device 1A and the other base plate frame 43 is disposed on the rear side of the transporting device.

[0042] When the transport device 1A transports the cart 41, first, the opening and closing device 10 sets the distance between the pair of forks 6 in the y direction to be wider than the length of the cart 41 in the y direction, as shown in Fig. 14. At this time, the height of the pair of forks 6 in the z direction is lowered by the lifting device 8 so that the upper end of the claw-shaped part 7a of the connecting part 7 is lower than the lower end of the base plate frame 43 of the cart 41.

[0043] Next, the transport device 1A is moved backwards toward the cart 41 until the connecting portion 7 provided on the fork 6 is positioned under the base plate frame 43 of the cart 41, more specifically, so that the claw-shaped portion 7a of the connecting portion 7 is positioned rearward relative to the front base plate frame 43 of the cart 41. In other words, the fork 6 is inserted into the position where the connecting portion 7 is hooked onto the base plate frame 43 of the cart 41. Note that a detection means for detecting whether the pair of forks 6 has been inserted into an appropriate position, such as a reflective photosensor provided facing upward on the pair of forks 6, may be used.

[0044] Next, the pair of forks 6 are raised by the lifting device 8. As a result, the upper end of the claw-shaped portion 7a of the connecting part 7 is raised above the lower end of the base plate frame 43 of the dolly 41, and the claw-shaped portion 7a and the base plate frame 43 are disposed opposite each other as shown in Fig. 13, and the connecting part 7 is engaged with the base plate frame 43 of the dolly 41. When the transport device 1A moves forward in this state, the claw-shaped portion 7a comes into contact with the base plate frame 43 and presses it forward, so that the dolly 41 receives a forward force and moves forward together with the transport device 1A.

[0045] 13, all four wheels 44 of the dolly 41 are in contact with the ground, and the dolly 41 moves by its own wheels 44. With such a transportation mode, the forks 6 of the transport device 1A do not need to support the weight of the dolly 41, which reduces the weight of the device.

[0046] Furthermore, when the dolly 41 is transported, the pair of forks 6 are positioned outside the wheels 44 of the dolly 41. By transporting the dolly 41 in this positional relationship, the movement of the dolly 41 in the left-right direction (y direction) can be regulated by the pair of forks 6. Because the transport device 1A is positioned outside, the inner wheel difference is determined by the position of the pair of driven wheels 5 of the transport device 1A regardless of the size of the dolly 41. Therefore, since the inner wheel difference is known, it becomes possible to turn without colliding with, for example, a wall or a surrounding obstacle.

[0047] The size of the dolly 41 varies depending on the type. For example, in the case of a cage dolly, those of about 600 mm x about 800 mm or about 800 mm x about 1000 mm are common. In the case of a six-wheel dolly, it is about 400 mm x about 1300 mm. In order to enable a wide range of transport for dollies 41 of different sizes, the transport device 1A of this embodiment can change the distance between the pair of forks 6 depending on the size of the dolly 41 to be transported.

[0048] Fig. 15 is a plan view showing an example of a transport mode in the case of a large dolly 41A. As shown in Fig. 15, when transporting a dolly 41A having a width in the y direction larger than that of the dolly 41 illustrated in Fig. 14, for example, the opening and closing device 10 widens the distance between the pair of forks 6 from the state in Fig. 14, so that the distance between the pair of forks 6 is made wider than the length of the dolly 41A in the y direction. This makes it possible to connect the connecting portion 7 of the transport device 1A and the base plate frame 43 of the dolly 41A, and even a large dolly 41A can be transported.

[0049] Fig. 16 is a plan view showing an example of a transport mode in the case of a narrow dolly 41B. As shown in Fig. 16, when transporting a dolly 41B having a smaller width in the y direction than the dolly 41 illustrated in Fig. 14, for example, a six-wheeled cart, the opening and closing device 10 narrows the distance between the pair of forks 6 compared to the state in Fig. 14, so that the distance between the pair of forks 6 matches the length of the dolly 41B in the y direction. This allows the connecting portion 7 of the transport device 1A to be connected to the base plate frame 43 of the dolly 41B, and even the narrow dolly 41B can be transported.

[0050] Fig. 17 is a side view showing another mode of transportation of the dolly 41. As shown in Fig. 17, when transporting the dolly 41, the forks 6 may be raised to a height where the front wheels 44 of the dolly 41 are separated from the ground while the coupling portion 7 of the transporting device 1A is engaged with the base plate frame 43 of the dolly 41. By lifting the front wheels 44 of the dolly 41 and lifting them off the floor, the transporting device 1A receives part of the load of the dolly 41, and the ground contact force of the driving wheels 3 of the transporting device 1A increases. Therefore, even when transporting a heavy object, the driving wheels 3 of the transporting device 1A do not spin freely and the travel is stable.

[0051] As mentioned above, the configurations of the transported objects, such as the pallet 31 and the cart 41, may differ depending on the type, and the dimensions of both the pallet 31 and the cart 41 also differ depending on the type. In order to make it possible to transport objects of different dimensions, an opening and closing device 10 that changes the distance between the pair of forks 6 provided on the transport device 1A of this embodiment can be provided.

[0052] In addition, in order to reduce the load of the pair of forks 6 when opening and closing, the pair of forks 6 are provided with opening and closing wheels 13. The opening and closing wheels 13 are fixed on a horizontal plane in a direction perpendicular to the pair of forks 6, and can have a rotation axis. The opening and closing wheels 13 can be positioned relatively lower than the pair of driven wheels 5 by lowering the height of the pair of forks 6. The opening and closing wheels 13 are configured to contact the floor only during opening and closing operations, and to rise above the floor in other cases. When the opening and closing wheels 13 are in contact with the floor, the opening and closing wheels 13 are positioned relatively lower than the pair of driven wheels 5, and the pair of driven wheels 5 rise above the floor (see FIG. 7). In order to allow the opening and closing wheels 13 to be positioned relatively lower than the pair of driven wheels 5, a mechanism is used in which the relative positions of the pair of forks 6 and the pair of driven wheels 5 are changed by a link mechanism 21.

[0053] The effect of the transport device 1A according to this embodiment will be described. The transport device 1A according to this embodiment includes a main body 2 having a driving wheel 3, a pair of forks 6 extending from the main body 2 in a predetermined direction (x-positive direction) for lifting a pallet 31 as an object to be transported, driven wheels 5 provided at the tip of each of the pair of forks 6, a lifting device 8 for raising and lowering the pair of forks 6, a link mechanism 21 for changing the relative distance between the driven wheels 5 and the forks 6 in response to raising and lowering the forks 6 by the lifting device 8 to keep the driven wheels 5 on the ground, and a connecting portion 7 provided on the inner side of each of the pair of forks 6 in the opposing direction and connecting a dolly 41 as an object to be transported. The connecting portion 7 is provided at a position where it cannot interfere with the pallet 31 when the forks 6 load the pallet 31.

[0054] With this configuration, it is possible to separate the portion of the single fork 6 that comes into contact with the pallet 31 when the pallet 31 is transported from the portion that comes into contact with the dolly 41 when the dolly 41 is transported. Therefore, the transport device 1A can physically separate the connection portion with the pallet 31 and the connection portion with the dolly 41 in the single fork 6. This allows the transport device 1A to transport both the pallet 31 and the dolly 41 with the single fork 6 without changing the connection member.

[0055] Furthermore, in the transport device 1A of this embodiment, when the object to be transported is a pallet 31, pallet connection control is executed to connect the pallet 31 with the forks 6, and when the object to be transported is a cart 41, cart connection control is executed to connect the cart 41 with the connection unit 7. With this configuration, even if the connection method differs depending on the type of object to be transported, it is possible to automatically select a connection control function for each object and connect the objects using a method suitable for the type of object to be transported, thereby improving the versatility of the transport device 1A.

[0056] The transport device 1A of the present embodiment also includes an opening and closing device 10 that changes the distance between the pair of forks 6 in the opposing direction. With this configuration, the opening and closing device 10 can change the distance between the pair of forks 6 that connect the pallet 31 or the cart 41, making it possible to connect and transport pallets 31 and carts 41 of various widths.

[0057] [Second embodiment] A conveying device 1B according to a second embodiment of the present invention is configured such that, instead of the automatic recognition device 12A in the conveying device 1A according to the first embodiment described above, a pair of automatic recognition devices 12B is provided on the wall surfaces in the left-right direction (y direction) of the main body 2.

[0058] The automatic recognition device 12B can be the same as the automatic recognition device 12A, and the automatic recognition device 12B includes, for example, a distance measurement sensor such as a depth camera range sensor.

[0059] An example of the case where the transport device 1B recognizes the position of the pallet 31, which is the object to be transported, in the lateral direction will be described.

[0060] Fig. 18 and Fig. 19 are plan views of the transport device 1B recognizing the position of a pallet 31, which is an object to be transported, Fig. 18 shows a case where the pallet 31 is located on the left side of the transport device 1B, and Fig. 19 shows a case where the pallet 31 is located on the right side of the transport device 1B. As shown in Fig. 18 and Fig. 19, the transport device 1B is provided with a means for acquiring information on the pallet 31 transported by the transport device 1B from an external system such as a WMS (warehouse management system) that has information on the pallet 31, which is an object to be transported. Therefore, it is possible to grasp information on whether the pallet 31 is on the left or right side of the travel path.

[0061] For example, as shown in FIG. 18, when the pallet 31 is on the right side of the main body 2, the position of the pallet 31 is recognized by the automatic recognition device 12B attached to the right side of the main body 2. As shown in FIG. 19, when the pallet 31 is on the left side of the main body 2, the position of the pallet 31 is recognized by the automatic recognition device 12B attached to the left side of the main body 2. The transport device 1B detects three beams 34 provided on the front of the pallet 31 with the automatic recognition device 12B, and calculates the center position of the middle beam 34 of the three beams, thereby recognizing the center of the pallet 31 and identifying its position. The transport device 1B also detects three beams 34 provided on the front of the pallet 31, and calculates the width of the middle beam of the three beams to identify the inner width of the pallet 31, and also identifies the outer width of the pallet 31 from the left and right beams.

[0062] The operation of the transport device 1B acquiring approximate position information of the pallet 31 to be transported, and then detecting the beams 34 of the pallet 31 by the automatic recognition device 12B and recognizing the center of the pallet 31 will be described.

[0063] Fig. 20 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the transport device 1B. As shown in Fig. 20, when the pallet 31 is on the right or left side of the main body 2 (see Figs. 18 and 19), the transport device 1B receives information about the pallet 31 (step S101).

[0064] The information received here includes the type of pallet 31, the position coordinates of the pallet 31, whether it is on the left or right side of the travel path, and so on.

[0065] Next, based on the position coordinates received in step S101, the robot moves close to the pallet 31 (step S102).

[0066] Next, based on the information on the left and right presence of the pallet 31 relative to the main body 2 received in step S101, data on the surroundings of the transport object is acquired using the automatic recognition device 12B in the corresponding direction (step S103).

[0067] Next, the three beams 34 on the front side of the pallet 31 are detected from the data acquired in step S103 (step S104).

[0068] Next, it is determined whether the detection of the three girders 34 has been performed normally (step S105). The determination is made based on whether the three girders 34 have been determined normally, but even if only two girders 34 are detected, it may be determined to be normal as long as the center position of the pallet 31 and the inner width / outer width of insertion, which will be described later, can be determined.

[0069] If three digits 34 are detected (step S105: Yes), the digit 34 closest to the position coordinates received in step S101 is determined as the central digit 34, and the center position of the pallet 31 is determined from the center position of the central digit 34, and the inner width at the time of insertion is determined from the width of the central digit 34 (step S106).

[0070] Next, the outer width at the time of insertion is determined from the positions and widths of the left and right beams 34 (step S106).

[0071] On the other hand, if the three digits 34 cannot be detected (step S105: No), a position detection abnormality is detected and an alarm light is turned on, an alarm sound is generated, and a notification is sent to a higher-level system such as a server (step S108).

[0072] Next, an example will be described in which the object to be transported is the dolly 41 and the transport device 1B recognizes the position of the dolly 41 in the lateral direction.

[0073] 21 and 22 are plan views of the transport device 1B recognizing the position of the dolly 41 to be transported, where Fig. 21 shows the case where the dolly 41 is located on the left side of the transport device 1B, and Fig. 22 shows the case where the dolly 41 is located on the right side of the transport device 1B. As shown in Figs. 21 and 22, even when the object to be transported is the dolly 41, the transport device 1B has a means for acquiring information on the pallet 31 to be transported by the transport device 1B from an external system that has information on the transported object, such as a WMS (warehouse management system). Therefore, it is possible to grasp information on whether the dolly 41 is on the left or right side of the travel path.

[0074] For example, as shown in FIG. 21, when the pallet 31 is located on the right side of the main body 2, the position of the pallet 31 is recognized by the automatic recognition device 12B attached to the right side of the main body 2.

[0075] As shown in FIG. 22, when it is located on the left side of the main body 2, the position of the pallet 31 is recognized by the automatic recognition device 12B attached to the left side of the main body 2.

[0076] The transport device 1B detects the two wheels 44 provided on the front side of the dolly 41 by the automatic recognition device 12B, and recognizes and specifies the position of the center of the dolly 41 by calculating the position of the midpoint of the line segment connecting the center points of the two wheels 44. The transport device 1B also detects the two wheels 44 provided on the front side of the dolly 41, and specifies the width of the dolly 41 by calculating the length of the inner width of the two wheels 44.

[0077] The operation of the transport device 1B acquiring approximate position information of the dolly 41, and then detecting the wheels 44 of the dolly 41 by the automatic recognition device 12B and recognizing the center of the dolly 41 will be described.

[0078] Fig. 23 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the transporting device 1B. Note that, since S201 to S203 shown in Fig. 23 are similar to S101 to S103 in Fig. 20, the details are omitted.

[0079] From the data acquired in step S203, the two wheels at the front of the dolly 41 are detected (step S204).

[0080] When three or more wheels are detected, the two closest to the position coordinates received in step S201 are regarded as the object to be transported or as the wheels 44 of the dolly 41.

[0081] Next, it is determined whether or not two wheels have been detected (step S205).

[0082] If two wheels are detected (step S205: Yes), the center position of the dolly 41 is determined from the median value of the two wheels, and the inner width at the time of insertion is determined from the space between the two wheels (step S206).

[0083] Next, if two wheels cannot be detected (step S205: No), a position detection abnormality is detected and an alarm light is turned on, an alarm sound is generated, and a notification is sent to a higher-level system such as a server (step S207).

[0084] Next, an example of a case where the transport device 1B performs an inserting operation of the forks 6 after recognizing the position of the pallet 31 to be transported in the lateral direction will be described.

[0085] 24 to 27 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the transport device 1B when inserting the forks 6 into the pallet 31. As shown in Fig. 24, the transport device 1B moves backward in an arc to approach a position where the pair of forks 6 can be inserted into the pallet 31. Note that point A in Fig. 24 is the center of the pair of driven wheels 5 when the transport device 1B recognizes the position of the pallet 31.

[0086] After the transport device 1B recognizes the position of the pallet 31, the transport device 1B calculates the trajectory of an arc such that the center of the pair of forks 6 in the width direction coincides with the center of the pallet 31 in the front width direction.

[0087] Thereafter, the transport device 1B arrives at the starting point of the arc by the center of the pair of driven wheels 5 moving from point A to point B.

[0088] At this time, the transport device 1B may use the opening and closing device 10 (see FIG. 1) to change the width of the pair of forks 6 to a width suitable for inserting the pallet 31. Note that the timing for changing the width of the pair of forks 6 is not limited as long as it is done between the time when the transport device 1B recognizes the position and width of the pallet 31 and the time when it connects to the pallet 31.

[0089] As shown in Figure 27, after moving to the starting point of the arc (point B), the transport device 1B moves backwards so that the pair of forks 6 face toward the pallet 31 while tracing the calculated arc, as shown in Figures 25 to 27, and the transport device 1B is moved so that the center of the pair of driven wheels 5 is positioned at point D.

[0090] The transport device 1B is preferably provided with the automatic recognition device 12B such that the detection surface of the automatic recognition device 12B is located below the pair of forks 6. This allows the transport device 1B to use the automatic recognition device 12B as an obstacle detection means.

[0091] Fig. 28 is an explanatory diagram of a case where the automatic recognition device 12B is used as an obstacle detection means. As shown in Fig. 28, when a pallet 31 is loaded on the pair of forks 6, it is difficult to detect an obstacle behind the main body 2. In this embodiment, the transport device 1B is configured such that the detection surface of the automatic recognition device 12B is below the pair of forks 6, thereby enabling effective detection of an obstacle behind the main body 2 regardless of whether the pallet 31 is loaded or not.

[0092] The transport device 1B may be provided with a plurality of automatic recognition devices 12B. When detecting an obstacle from below the pair of forks 6, a blind spot of the pair of driven wheels 5 is likely to be created. In this embodiment, the transport device 1B is provided with a plurality of automatic recognition devices 12B, so that a blind spot of one automatic recognition device 12B can be compensated for by the other automatic recognition devices 12B.

[0093] In this way, even if the object is recognized in the lateral direction of the transport device 1B, the transport device 1B can accurately insert the forks 6 into the underside of the object and transport it.

[0094] [Third embodiment] A conveying device 1C according to a third embodiment of the present invention is configured such that, in place of the automatic recognition device 12A in the conveying device 1A according to the first embodiment described above, an automatic recognition device 12C is provided on the wall surface on the rear side (x-positive direction side) of the main body 2.

[0095] The automatic recognition device 12C may be installed at any position on the rear side of the main body 2 where its function is not hindered, and may be installed at the same position as the automatic recognition device 12A or at a different position.

[0096] The automatic recognition device 12C can be the same as the automatic recognition device 12A, and the automatic recognition device 12C includes, for example, a distance measurement sensor such as a depth camera range sensor.

[0097] An example of a case where the transport device 1C recognizes the position of the pallet 31, which is an object to be transported, in a direction other than the lateral direction will be described.

[0098] Figures 29 and 30 are plan views of the transport device 1C recognizing the position of a pallet 31, which is an object to be transported, with Figure 29 showing a case where the pallet 31 is located on the left side of the transport device 1C, and Figure 33 showing a case where the pallet 31 is located on the right side of the transport device 1C. As shown in Figures 29 and 30, the transport device 1C is provided with a means for acquiring information on the pallet 31 transported by the transport device 1C from an external system such as a WMS (warehouse management system) that has information on the pallet 31, which is an object to be transported. Therefore, it is possible to grasp information on whether the pallet 31 is on the left or right side of the travel path.

[0099] For example, as shown in Figures 29 and 30, when the automatic recognition device 12C is attached to the rear of the main body 2, the position of the pallet 31 can be recognized regardless of whether the pallet 31 is on the left or right side of the main body 2. The transport device 1C detects three beams 34 provided on the front of the pallet 31 with the automatic recognition device 12C, and calculates the center position of the middle beam 34 of the three, thereby recognizing the center of the pallet 31 and identifying its position. The transport device 1C also detects three beams 34 provided on the front of the pallet 31, and calculates the width of the middle beam 34 of the three, thereby identifying the inner width of the pallet 31, and identifying the outer width of the pallet 31 from the left and right beams 34.

[0100] If the detection range of the automatic recognition device 12C is less than 180°, or if 180° or more is a blind spot for the main body 2 or the pair of forks 6, the conveying device 1C moves forward until the three girders 34 of the pallet 31 are within the detection range and performs position detection.

[0101] If the detection range of the automatic recognition device 12C is 180° or more and there is no blind spot, the transport device 1C can detect the pallet 31 without moving forward. That is, the transport device 1C can operate in the same way as when the pallet 31 is on the right or left side of the main body 2 (see Figures 18 and 19).

[0102] The operation of the transport device 1C acquiring approximate position information of the pallet 31 to be transported, and then detecting the beams 34 of the pallet 31 by the automatic recognition device 12C and recognizing the center of the pallet 31 will be described.

[0103] Fig. 31 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the transport device 1C. As shown in Fig. 31, when the pallet 31 is on the right or left side of the main body 2 (see Figs. 29 and 30), the transport device 1C arrives near the position where the pallet 31 is placed (step S301).

[0104] Next, the transport device 1C advances, for example, by about 1 m, and moves to a position where the three beams 34 of the pallet 31 are within the detection range (step S302).

[0105] Next, similarly to step S101, the transport device 1C receives information about the pallet 31 (step S303).

[0106] The information received here includes the type of pallet 31, the position coordinates of the pallet 31, whether it is on the left or right side of the travel path, and so on.

[0107] Next, based on the left and right presence information received in step S203, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is approaching the pallet 31 (step S304).

[0108] The transport device 1C repeats step S304 until it approaches the pallet 31.

[0109] Next, similar to step S103, the transport device 1C acquires data on the surroundings of the object to be transported using the automatic recognition device 12C located in the corresponding direction based on the left and right presence information of the pallet 31 relative to the main body 2 received in step S303 (step S305).

[0110] Next, similarly to step S104, the three beams 34 on the front side of the pallet 31 are detected from the data acquired in step S305 (step S306).

[0111] Next, it is determined whether or not the detection of the three digits 34 has been performed normally (step S307). Since step S207 is similar to step S105 described above, details thereof will be omitted.

[0112] If the detection of the three digits 34 is successful (step S307: Yes), similar to step S106 above, the digit 34 closest to the position coordinates received in step S203 is determined as the central digit 34, and the center position of the pallet 31 is determined from the center position of the central digit 34, and the inner width at the time of insertion is determined from the width of the central digit 34 (step S308).

[0113] Next, similarly to step S106 above, the outer width at the time of insertion is determined from the positions and widths of the left and right beams 34 (step S309).

[0114] On the other hand, if the detection of the three digits 34 is not performed normally (step S307: No), similarly to step S108 above, a position detection abnormality is reported by turning on an alarm light, sounding an alarm, and reporting to a higher-level system such as a server (step S310).

[0115] Next, an example will be described in which the object to be transported is the dolly 41 and the transport device 1C recognizes the position of the dolly 41 in a direction other than the lateral direction.

[0116] 32 and 33 are plan views of the transport device 1C recognizing the position of the dolly 41, which is the object to be transported, and FIG. 32 shows the case where the dolly 41 is located on the left side of the transport device 1C, and FIG. 33 shows the case where the dolly 41 is located on the right side of the transport device 1C. As shown in FIG. 32 and FIG. 33, even when the object to be transported is the dolly 41, the transport device 1C, like the transport device 1B, is provided with a means for acquiring information on the dolly 41 transported by the transport device 1C from an external system that has information on the transported object, such as a WMS. Therefore, it is possible to grasp information on whether the dolly 41 is on the left or right side of the travel path.

[0117] For example, as shown in Figs. 32 and 33, when an automatic recognition device 12C is attached to the rear of the main body 2, the position of the cart 41 can be recognized regardless of whether it is on the left or right side.

[0118] Like the transporting device 1B, the transporting device 1C uses the automatic recognition device 12C to detect the two wheels 44 provided on the front side of the dolly 41 and calculate the position of the midpoint of the line segment connecting the center points of the two wheels 44, thereby recognizing the center of the dolly 41 and identifying its position. The transporting device 1C also detects the two wheels 44 provided on the front side of the dolly 41 and identifies the width of the dolly 41 by calculating the length of the inner width of the two wheels 44.

[0119] If the detection range of the automatic recognition device 12C is less than 180°, or if a detection range of 180° or more is in a blind spot of the main body 2 or the pair of forks 6, the two wheels 44 move forward until they are within the detection range, and then position detection is performed.

[0120] If the transporting device 1C has a detection range of 180° or more and has no blind spots, it can detect the dolly 41 without moving forward. That is, the transporting device 1C can operate in the same way as when the dolly 41 is on the right or left side of the main body 2 (see Figs. 21 and 22).

[0121] The operation of the transport device 1C acquiring approximate position information of the dolly 41, and then detecting the wheels 44 of the dolly 41 by the automatic recognition device 12C and recognizing the center of the dolly 41 will be described.

[0122] Fig. 34 is a flow chart for explaining the operation of the transporting device 1C. As shown in Fig. 34, the transporting device 1C arrives near the position where the dolly 41 is placed (step S401), similarly to step S301 shown in Fig. 31.

[0123] Next, the transport device 1C moves forward, for example, by about 1 m to a position where the two wheels 44 are within the detection range (step S402).

[0124] Next, similarly to step S303 shown in FIG. 31, the transport device 1C receives information about the pallet 31 (step S403).

[0125] Next, similar to step S304 shown in Fig. 31, it is determined whether or not the transport device 1C is approaching the pallet 31 based on the left and right presence information received in step S403 (step S404), and similar to step S304 shown in Fig. 31, the transport device 1C repeats this in step S404 until it approaches the pallet 31. Note that steps S403 and S404 are similar to steps S303 and S304 in Fig. 31, and therefore details will be omitted.

[0126] Next, similarly to step S305, the transport device 1C acquires data on the surroundings of the transport object using the automatic recognition device 12C in the corresponding direction based on the left and right presence information of the main body 2 of the pallet 31 received in step S403 (step S405). Note that step S405 is similar to step S305 in FIG. 31, so details are omitted.

[0127] Next, the transporting device 1C detects the two wheels 44 on the front side of the dolly 41 from the data acquired in step S405 (step S306).

[0128] Here, if three or more wheels 44 are detected, the two wheels 44 closest to the position coordinates received in step S403 are regarded as the wheels 44 of the dolly 41.

[0129] Next, the transporting device 1C determines whether or not the detection of the two wheels 44 has been performed normally (step S407). Since step S407 is similar to step S307 described above, details thereof will be omitted.

[0130] If the detection of the two wheels 44 is performed normally (step S407: Yes), the center position of the cart 41 is determined from the median value of the two wheels, and the inner width at the time of insertion is determined from the distance between the two wheels 44 (step S408).

[0131] On the other hand, if the detection of the two wheels 44 is not performed normally (step S407: No), similarly to step S310 above, a position detection abnormality is detected and a warning light is turned on, a warning sound is sounded, and a report is sent to a higher-level system such as a server (step S409).

[0132] In this way, even if the object is recognized in a direction other than the lateral direction of the transport device 1C, the transport device 1C can accurately insert the forks 6 under the bottom surface of the object and transport it.

[0133] The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Any design modifications made by a person skilled in the art to these specific examples are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. The elements and their arrangements, conditions, shapes, etc. of each of the above-mentioned specific examples are not limited to those exemplified and can be changed as appropriate. The combination of each of the elements of each of the above-mentioned specific examples can be changed as appropriate as long as no technical contradiction occurs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0134] 1A, 1B, 1C Transporter 2 Main unit 3 Driving wheels 5 Driven wheels 6. Fork 7 Connecting part 7a Claw-shaped part 8 Lifting device 10 Switchgear 12A, 12B, 12C automatic recognition device 21 Link mechanism (moving part) 31 Palette 41 Cart (carried object) 43 Base plate frame (frame) [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0135] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 6578063

Claims

1. A body having a drive wheel; A pair of forks extending in a predetermined direction from the main body for lifting a pallet as an object to be transported; A driven wheel provided at each end of the pair of forks; A lifting device that lifts and lowers the pair of forks; a moving unit that changes a relative distance between the driven wheel and the fork in response to raising and lowering of the fork by the lifting device to maintain the ground contact of the driven wheel; A coupling portion is provided on the inner side of each of the pair of forks in the opposing direction, and couples a wheeled object to be transported; An automatic recognition device that can automatically recognize transported items, Equipped with The connecting portion is provided at a position where the forks do not interfere with the pallet when loading the pallet, When the object to be transported is the pallet, a pallet connection control is executed to connect the pallet by the fork, and when the object to be transported is the transported object, a transported object connection control is executed to connect the transported object by the connection unit; A conveying device that executes the pallet connection control or the transported object connection control based on a recognition result by the automatic recognition device.

2. The automatic recognition device is provided in a pair on the left and right wall surfaces of the main body, which is the arrangement direction of the pair of forks.

2. The transport device of claim 1.

3. The automatic recognition device is installed so that a detection surface of the automatic recognition device is below the pair of forks.

2. The transport device of claim 1.

4. The automatic recognition device is provided on a wall surface on the rear side of the main body.

2. The transport device of claim 1.

5. an opening and closing device for changing the distance between the pair of forks in the opposing direction; A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. An automatic coupling control is performed to automatically change the interval between the pair of forks by the opening and closing device and to couple the vehicle to the coupling portion or the forks according to the type of the vehicle.

6. The transport device of claim 5.

7. With autonomous driving function, A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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