Towed trolley

Abstract

To provide a towed dolly that can be towed by both a towing vehicle and an unmanned dolly of underneath type.SOLUTION: A towed dolly includes: a dolly body; a connection frame 3 provided on a front side of the dolly body in a towing direction; a connection portion 4 for a towing vehicle, which is provided on the connection frame 3 and connected to the towing vehicle; and a connection mechanism 5 for an unmanned dolly, which is provided on the connection frame 3 and connected to an unmanned dolly of underneath type. The connection mechanism 5 for the unmanned dolly includes: an approximately U-shaped connection pin receiver 51 that freely attachably / detachably connects a connection pin provided on the unmanned dolly so as to free to be raised or lowered, the connection pin receiver being provided on the connection frame 3 so as to project downward and being open rearward in the towing direction; a stopper 52 provided on the connection frame 3 and preventing the connection pin that has entered the connection pin receiver 51 from being separated backward in the towing direction; and a limiting member 53 provided on the stopper 52 and that limits movement of the stopper 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a towable carriage, and more particularly to a towable carriage that can be towed by either a towing vehicle having an engaging means at its rear end in the towing direction, or a submersible automatic guided vehicle having a connecting pin that can be raised and lowered.

[0002] In this specification and claims, the left and right sides are defined as seen from the rear of the towing direction to the front of the towing direction. [Background technology]

[0003] A known towed bogie that is towed by a towing vehicle includes a bogie body, a connecting frame provided on the front side of the bogie body in the towing direction, and a towing vehicle coupling section that is provided on the coupling frame and is connected to the towing vehicle, the coupling frame being provided at a left-right distance in the center of the left-right direction at the front end of the bogie body and consisting of two inclined straight sections that are inclined in directions that approach each other toward the tips, and a substantially U-shaped curved section that opens rearward in the towing direction and connects the tips of both inclined straight sections together, the curved section being the towing vehicle coupling section, and the curved section being designed to be detachably engaged with an engaging means provided on the towing vehicle (see Patent Document 1).

[0004] Also, a towed carriage that is towed by a submersible unmanned guided vehicle is known that comprises a carriage body and a roughly U-shaped connecting pin receiver that is provided on the underside of the carriage body in a downwardly protruding manner and receives a connecting pin that is provided on the unmanned guided vehicle so that it can be raised and lowered freely, and the connecting pin receiver serves as a connecting mechanism for the unmanned guided vehicle that detachably connects the connecting pin that is provided on the unmanned guided vehicle so that it can be raised and lowered freely (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-176826 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5916011 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, the towed carriage described in Patent Document 1 is designed to be towed only by a towing vehicle, and the towed carriage described in Patent Document 2 is designed to be towed only by a submersible automatic guided vehicle.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a towable carriage that can be towed by both a towing vehicle and a submersible automatic guided vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the following aspects. 1) A vehicle body, a connecting frame provided on the front side of the vehicle body in the towing direction, a towing vehicle connecting section provided on the connecting frame and connected to a towing vehicle, and a connecting mechanism for an unmanned guided vehicle provided on the connecting frame and connected to a crawling type unmanned guided vehicle. And, The aforementioned The towing vehicle coupling section is provided at the front end of the coupling frame in the towing direction and comprises a substantially U-shaped curved section that opens rearward in the towing direction, and an engaging means provided on the towing vehicle is adapted to detachably engage with the curved section. And, The aforementioned a connecting mechanism for an automated guided vehicle that detachably connects a connecting pin that is provided to the automated guided vehicle so as to be able to move up and down, and that includes a substantially U-shaped connecting pin receiver that is provided on the connecting frame so as to protrude downward and that opens rearward in the towing direction, a stopper that is provided on the connecting frame and that prevents the connecting pin that has entered the connecting pin receiver from coming off rearward in the towing direction, and a limiting member that is provided on the stopper and that limits the movement of the stopper, The stopper is rotatable about a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction so as to be movable between a first position where one end is located below the upper end of the raised connecting pin of the automatic guided vehicle and a second position where the one end is located at a height equal to or higher than the upper end of the raised connecting pin, the stopper is pushed by the raised connecting pin of the automatic guided vehicle to rotate from the first position to the second position, and also rotates from the second position to the first position by its own weight, and the limiting member prevents the stopper from rotating from the first position to the opposite side from the second position. to do, to be Tow truck.

[0009] 2) The towed carriage according to 3) above, wherein the stopper comprises a pair of side plates spaced apart in the left-right direction and having a through hole at the rear in the towing direction through which a horizontal shaft portion provided on the connecting frame extending in the left-right direction is passed, and an inclined plate provided between the side plates and inclined downward toward the front in the towing direction at the first position, one end of the inclined plate being located below the upper end of the raised connecting pin of the automatic guided vehicle at the first position so that the inclined plate is pushed forward in the towing direction by the connecting pin.

[0010] 3) The limiting members are provided on both side plates of the stopper, protrude outward in the left-right direction, and engage with the connecting frame when the stopper is in the first position. 2) The towed vehicle described. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] Above 1)~ 3) According to the towed carriage, the towed carriage can be towed by a towing vehicle using the towing vehicle coupling section, and can be towed by a submerged type unmanned guided vehicle using the unmanned guided vehicle coupling mechanism, so it can be towed by both a towing vehicle and a submerged type unmanned guided vehicle.

[0012] the above 1)According to the towed carriage, a known engaging means provided on the towing vehicle can be engaged with the towing vehicle coupling portion consisting of a curved portion.

[0013] the above 1) According to the towed vehicle, when the towed vehicle is towed by the submersible-type AGV, the raised connecting pin of the AGV moving forward in the towing direction hits the stopper located in the first position and pushes it forward in the towing direction, causing the stopper to rotate to the second position. When the stopper rotates to the second position, the connecting pin passes over the stopper and enters the connecting pin receiver, and the stopper rotates under its own weight and returns to the first position. Then, the limiting member prevents the stopper, which has returned to the first position, from rotating in the direction opposite the second position, so that the connecting pin engages with the stopper, preventing it from coming out of the connecting pin receiver. In this state, the towed vehicle is towed by the submersible-type AGV. Furthermore, even if the AGV suddenly stops, the limiting member functions to prevent the connecting pin from coming out of the connecting pin receiver, preventing the connection between the AGV and the towed vehicle from being released.

[0014] the above 2) According to the towed carriage, the stopper can have a relatively simple structure.

[0015] the above 3) According to the towed vehicle, the structure of the restricting member can be made relatively simple. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B show the overall configuration of a towed vehicle according to the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a front view and FIG. 1B is a bottom view. [Figure 2] 2A and 2B are enlarged views of a portion of the coupling frame of the towed carriage of FIG. 1, where FIG. 2A is a plan view and FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. [Figure 3] 2(b) showing in sequence how the connecting pin of the submersible automatic guided vehicle is connected to the towed carriage of FIG. 1.

[0023] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] In the following description, the terms "front" and "back" are used with reference to the towing direction, with the front side of the towing direction being the front and the opposite side being the rear.

[0019] Fig. 1 shows the overall configuration of the towed vehicle according to the present invention, Fig. 2 shows the configuration of the main part, and Fig. 3 shows how the connecting pin of the underwater automatic guided vehicle is connected to the towed vehicle according to the present invention.

[0020] In Figure 1, the towed vehicle 1 comprises a cage-shaped vehicle body 2, a connecting frame 3 provided on the front side of the vehicle body 2, a towing vehicle coupling section 4 provided on the connecting frame 3 and coupled to a towing vehicle (not shown), and a coupling mechanism 5 for an unmanned guided vehicle provided on the connecting frame 3 and coupled to a crawler-type unmanned guided vehicle 6.

[0021] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the connecting frame 3 comprises inclined straight sections 31 spaced apart in the left-right direction at the front end of the bogie body 2 and inclined toward each other as they approach the front. A generally U-shaped curved section 32, which opens rearward and connects the front ends of the inclined straight sections 31, and two center crosspieces 33, 34, which are spaced apart in the front-rear direction and extend left-right, are provided in the front between the inclined straight sections 31. The inclined straight section 31, the curved section 32, and the two center crosspieces 33, 34 are each made of round rods, and their central axes are located on the same horizontal plane. The curved section 32 serves as the towing vehicle coupling section 4, which is detachably engaged with an engaging means provided on the towing vehicle. The towing vehicle coupling section 4 is also detachably connected to the engaging means 21 provided at the rear end of the bogie body 2, allowing multiple towed bogies 1 to be connected using the towing vehicle coupling section 4 and the engaging means 21. The engaging means is well known, and detailed illustrations and descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0022] The connecting mechanism 5 for the automated guided vehicle includes a generally U-shaped connecting pin receiver 51 that is provided on the connecting frame 3 in a downwardly protruding manner and that opens to the rear and that detachably receives a connecting pin 61 that can be raised and lowered of the automated guided vehicle 6, a stopper 52 that is provided on the connecting frame 3 and prevents the connecting pin 61 that has entered the connecting pin receiver 51 from escaping rearward, a first limiting member 53 that is provided on the stopper 52 and limits the movement of the stopper 52, and a second limiting member 54 that is provided on the connecting pin receiver 51 and limits the movement of the stopper 52.

[0023] The connecting pin receiver 51 is disposed between the two middle crosspieces 33, 34 between the two inclined straight sections 31 of the connecting frame 3, and is fixed to the two inclined straight sections 31 and the two middle crosspieces 33, 34.

[0024] The stopper 52 is attached to the rear middle sash portion 34 located behind the connecting pin holder 51 so as to be freely rotatable around a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction, and moves between a first position (see solid line in Figure 2(b)) where one end is located below the upper end of the raised connecting pin 61 of the unmanned guided vehicle 6, and a second position (see solid line in Figure 3(a)) where one end is at a height position higher than the upper end of the raised connecting pin 61 of the unmanned guided vehicle 6 and located forward of the first position. The stopper 52 comprises a pair of left and right side plates 521 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction and have a through hole 5211 at their rear portions through which the rear middle crosspiece 34 (a horizontal shaft portion extending in the left-right direction) of the connecting frame 3 is inserted, and an inclined plate 522 that is provided between the both side plates 521 and is inclined downward toward the front in the first position, and in the first position, the front end of the inclined plate 522 is located below the upper end of the raised connecting pin 61 of the automatic guided vehicle 6 and is pushed forward by the connecting pin 61. On the connecting frame 3, a positioning ring 35 that restricts left-right movement of the stopper 52 is fitted around the rear middle crosspiece 34 on the left-right outer sides of the both side plates 521 of the stopper 52.

[0025] The first limiting member 53 is fixed to the upper ends of both side plates 521 of the stopper 52 and has a plate shape with its tip protruding outward in the left-right direction, and is configured to prevent the stopper 52 from rotating from the first position in the direction opposite to the second position (counterclockwise in FIG. 2(b)) by engaging the first limiting member 53 with the inclined linear portion 32 of the connecting frame 3. Note that the first limiting member 53 may be configured to engage with the connecting pin receiver 51 to prevent the stopper 52 from rotating from the first position in the direction opposite to the second position.

[0026] The second limiting member 54 is a plate-like member fixed to the front end of the connecting pin receiver 51 and protruding rearward, and prevents the stopper 52 from excessively rotating in the clockwise direction in Figure 3(a) when the inclined plate 522 of the stopper 52 comes into contact with the second limiting member 54. Note that the second limiting member 54 may also be fixed to the front middle crosspiece 33 of the connecting frame 3 and protrude rearward.

[0027] When the towed dolly 1 having the above-described configuration is towed by a towing vehicle having, for example, an engagement means at its rear end that is configured similarly to the engagement means 21, the engagement means of the towing vehicle and the towing vehicle coupling part 4 are coupled as follows: That is, the towed dolly 1 is parked in a predetermined position with the towing vehicle coupling part 4 facing forward, the towing vehicle is driven backward from in front of the towed dolly 1 toward the towed dolly 1, and the engagement means of the towing vehicle is coupled to the towing vehicle coupling part 4 of the towed dolly 1.

[0028] Furthermore, when the towed vehicle 1 having the above-described configuration is towed by a submersible automatic guided vehicle 6 having a connecting pin 61 that can be raised and lowered and traveling along a predetermined transport route, the connecting pin 61 of the submersible automatic guided vehicle 6 is connected to the automatic guided vehicle coupling mechanism 5 of the towed vehicle 1 as follows. That is, the towed vehicle 1 is placed at one of the stop stations of the automatic guided vehicle 6 with the connecting frame 3 facing forward. In this state, the automatic guided vehicle 6 with the connecting pin 61 lowered is moved forward to submerge below the towed vehicle 1, and when the connecting pin 61 passes the vehicle body 2, the connecting pin 61 is raised. In this state, when the automatic guided vehicle 6 is moved further forward, the connecting pin 61 comes into contact with the underside of the inclined plate 522 of the stopper 52 that is in the first position (see the chain line in FIG. 2(b)). Thereafter, when the automated guided vehicle 6 is further advanced, the stopper 52 is pushed by the connecting pin 61 and rotates in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow X in FIG. 2(b). When the stopper 52 rotates to the second position (see FIG. 3(a)), the connecting pin 61 passes over the stopper 52 and enters the connecting pin receiver 51, engaging with the front end of the connecting pin receiver 51 (see FIG. 3(b)). Meanwhile, the stopper 52 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3(a) due to its own weight and returns to the first position. The second limiting member 54 acts to prevent the stopper 52 from rotating excessively when rotating from the first position to the second position.

[0029] 3(b) from the first position is prevented by the first limiting member 53, so that the connecting pin 61 engages with the stopper 52 and is prevented from coming out of the connecting pin receiver 51. When the automated guided vehicle 6 moves forward in this state, the towed vehicle 1 is towed by the automated guided vehicle 6. Moreover, even if the automated guided vehicle 6 suddenly stops, the stopper 52 prevents the connecting pin 61 from coming out of the connecting pin receiver 51, so the connection between the automated guided vehicle 6 and the towed vehicle 1 is prevented from being released.

[0030] In the above-described embodiment, the carriage body 2 of the towed carriage 1 is of a cage shape, but this is not limited to this and it may be of a flat shape or other shapes. [Industrial Applicability]

[0031] The towed carriage according to the present invention can be suitably used for towing by both a towing vehicle and a submersible automatic guided vehicle. [Explanation of symbols]

[0032] 1: towed vehicle, 2: vehicle body, 3: connecting frame, 31: inclined straight section, 32: curved section, 4: towing vehicle connection section, 5: automatic guided vehicle connection mechanism, 51: connection pin receiver, 52: stopper, 521: side plate, 522: inclined plate, 53: first limiting member, 6: crawling automatic guided vehicle, 61: connection pin

Claims

1. the vehicle includes a carriage body, a connecting frame provided on the front side of the carriage body in the towing direction, a towing vehicle connecting section provided on the connecting frame and connected to a towing vehicle, and an automatic guided vehicle connecting mechanism provided on the connecting frame and connected to a crawling type automatic guided vehicle, the towing vehicle coupling portion is provided at the front end of the coupling frame in the towing direction and comprises a substantially U-shaped curved portion that opens rearward in the towing direction, and an engaging means provided on the towing vehicle is adapted to detachably engage with the curved portion, the automatic guided vehicle connecting mechanism detachably connects a connecting pin that is provided on the automatic guided vehicle so as to be able to rise and fall, and includes a substantially U-shaped connecting pin receiver that is provided on the connecting frame so as to protrude downward and that opens rearward in the towing direction, a stopper that is provided on the connecting frame and prevents the connecting pin that has entered the connecting pin receiver from coming off rearward in the towing direction, and a limiting member that is provided on the stopper and limits the movement of the stopper, a towed carriage, wherein the stopper is rotatable about a horizontal axis extending in the left-right direction so as to be movable between a first position where one end is located below the upper end of the raised connecting pin of the automated guided vehicle and a second position where the one end is located at a height equal to or higher than the upper end of the raised connecting pin, the stopper is pushed by the raised connecting pin of the automated guided vehicle to rotate from the first position toward the second position, and also rotates from the second position toward the first position due to its own weight, and the limiting member prevents the stopper from rotating from the first position in the direction opposite to the second position.

2. A towed cart as described in claim 1, wherein the stopper comprises a pair of side plates spaced apart in the left-right direction and having a through hole at the rear of the towing direction through which a horizontal shaft portion extending in the left-right direction and provided on the connecting frame is passed, and an inclined plate provided between the side plates and inclined downward toward the front in the towing direction at the first position, one end of the inclined plate being located below the upper end of the raised connecting pin of the automated guided vehicle at the first position so that it is pushed forward in the towing direction by the connecting pin.

3. A towed trolley as described in claim 2, wherein the limiting member is provided on both side plates of the stopper, protrudes outward in the left and right directions, and engages with the connecting frame when the stopper is in the first position.

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