Transporting device and transporting method

Abstract

To provide a carrying device that can facilitate connection to an object to be transported and improve portability.SOLUTION: A carrying device 1 includes: a body 2 including a drive wheel 3; a pair of elongated support parts 6 extending in a predetermined direction from the body 2; a driven wheel 5 installed in each tip of the pair of support parts 6; a connection part 7 installed on an inside in an opposed direction of each of the pair of support parts 6 and connecting a carriage 31 serving as an object to be transported; and an opening / closing device 10 for changing a width of the pair of support parts 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Carts such as basket carts, six-wheel carts, and dollies are often used to transport goods in factories and logistics warehouses. These are used to transport relatively heavy loads, so carrying them manually is a heavy burden. Therefore, they are sometimes transported automatically by transportation devices such as AGVs.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which such a transport device is connected to a carriage by a dedicated connecting member, and the connected carriage is pulled for transport.

[0004] Patent Documents 2 and 3 disclose a configuration of such a transport device in which a support section is placed under the bottom of a carriage and the carriage is lifted and transported by raising the support section. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in the case of transporting a cart by conventional towing, as described in Patent Document 1 and the like, there are problems such as the need to provide a dedicated connecting member for towing on the cart side, and the presence of a towing device between the transport device and the cart, which makes the cart longer overall and reduces maneuverability. Furthermore, with the towing type, the cart cannot be transported while reversing, making it impossible to transport the cart accurately to a desired position. Furthermore, the conventional lifting type transport devices described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 and the like mainly support the center of the width direction of the bottom of the cart, which can make it difficult to accommodate carts of various widths and bottom heights.

[0006] The present invention aims to provide a transport device for transporting an object, such as a cart, that can be easily connected to the object and has improved portability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a conveying device according to one aspect of the present invention is , covered Transporting goods Transportation The device includes a main body having a drive wheel and a drive shaft extending in a predetermined direction from the main body. Ruichi A pair of support parts, and each of the pair of support parts Reni and a driven wheel provided on the inner side of each of the pair of support parts in the opposing direction, which connects the transported object. a pair a connecting portion and the pair of support portions and the pair of connecting portions and an opening / closing device that changes the distance in the opposing direction. The opening and closing device narrows the gap between the pair of support parts in the opposing direction when the width of the transported object is narrower than the width of the transport device, and widens the gap between the pair of support parts in the opposing direction when the width of the transported object is wider than the width of the transport device. The pair of connecting parts have claw-shaped parts that hook onto a frame of the transported object, and are connected to the transported object via the claw-shaped parts when the width of the transported object is narrower than the width of the transport device and when the width of the transported object is wider than the width of the transport device. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In a transporting device for transporting an object to be transported, such as a cart, it is possible to easily connect the device to the object to be transported and to improve portability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a transport device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the carrier device shown in FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the carrier shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a car dolly as an example of a dolly to be transported; [Figure 5] Side view of the carriage transported by the transport device [Figure 6] Plan view of the carriage transport mode by the transport device [Figure 7] A side view showing another mode of transportation of the dolly [Figure 8] A plan view showing an example of a transportation form in the case of a large cart. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example of a transportation form in the case of a narrow cart. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example of a transport mode in the case of a carriage that is larger than the maximum width of a pair of support parts. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing another mode of transporting the cart by the transport device; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. To facilitate understanding of the description, the same components in the drawings will be denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and duplicated descriptions will be omitted.

[0011] 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 support parts 6. The y direction is the arrangement direction of the pair of support parts 6 and the opening and closing direction of the pair of support parts 6. For convenience of explanation, the negative x direction side may be referred to 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.

[0012] The transport device 1 according to this embodiment can hold a cart 31 (see FIG. 5, etc.) such as a cart, a six-wheeled cart, or a dolly, and can transport the cart 31 as a transported object to a desired location by autonomously moving while holding the cart 31. Note that the transported object that the transport device 1 targets includes objects with wheels other than the cart 31.

[0013] The configuration of the transporting device 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the transporting device 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 2 is a side view of the transporting device 1 shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the transporting device 1 shown in Fig. 1.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 1, the transport device 1 includes a main body 2, a drive wheel 3, a drive motor 4, a pair of driven wheels 5, a pair of support parts 6, a connecting part 7, a lifting device 8, and a lifting motor 9.

[0015] The drive wheels 3 are, for example, a pair of wheels arranged in the center of the main body 2 in the y direction. The drive wheels 3 are variable in their traveling direction. The drive motors 4 drive the drive wheels 3. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the drive motors 4 are individually installed for each of the pair of drive wheels 3. Note that there may be only one drive wheel 3 and one drive motor 4.

[0016] The pair of support parts 6 are long members extending in the x-direction (rearward) from the main body 2. The pair of support parts 6 are arranged in parallel with each other at a predetermined interval. The pair of support parts 6 are provided behind the drive wheels 3.

[0017] The pair of driven wheels 5 are provided at the respective tips of the pair of support parts 6. That is, the pair of driven wheels 5 are also provided behind the drive wheels 3. The driven wheels 5 are fixed on a horizontal plane (xy plane) and have a rotation axis along the y-axis direction.

[0018] The connecting portions 7 are provided on the inner side of each of the pair of support portions 6 in the opposing direction (y direction), and connect the transport device 1 and the cart 31. The upper surfaces of the connecting portions 7 are positioned so as to protrude higher than the upper surfaces of the support portions 6. That is, the connecting portions 7 have claw-shaped portions 7a that protrude above the upper surfaces of the support portions 6, and connect the cart 31 by hooking the claw-shaped portions 7a onto the frame 33 of the cart 31.

[0019] The lifting device 8 raises and lowers the pair of support parts 6 and the connecting part 7 in the z direction. The lifting motor 9 drives the lifting device 8. The lifting device 8 may have a mechanism in which, for example, the lifting motor 9 rotates a ball screw and raises and lowers the lifting device 8 fixed by fastening to the nut of the ball screw, but the form and mechanism of the lifting device 8 are not limited to this.

[0020] The transport device 1 also includes an opening / closing device 10 and an opening / closing motor 11. The opening / closing device 10 varies the spacing between the corresponding support parts 6 (and the driven wheels 5 provided on the support parts 6). The opening / closing motor 11 drives the opening / closing device 10.

[0021] The opening and closing device 10 shown in Figure 1 can be thought of as a mechanism in which a structural member with a rack gear is attached to a support part 6 that holds a pair of driven wheels 5, or to a lifting device 8 for raising and lowering the support part 6 that holds a pair of driven wheels 5, and opening and closing is achieved by rotating a gear meshed with the rack gear using an opening and closing motor 11, but the form is not limited as long as the mechanism can change the spacing between the pair of driven wheels 5 or the spacing between the support parts 6 that hold the pair of driven wheels 5.

[0022] In this embodiment, when the transporting device 1 moves forward with the main body 2 in front, i.e., moving in the negative x direction, it is considered to be moving forward, and when the transporting device 1 moves forward with the support members 6 in front, i.e., moving in the positive x direction, it is considered to be moving backward. That is, the main body 2 side of the transporting device 1 is the front, and the support members 6 side is the rear. The transporting device 1 may be provided with an automatic recognition device 12 at the rear of the main body 2 (e.g., the middle position in the y direction between the pair of support members 6). This automatic recognition device 12 may include a distance measurement sensor such as a depth camera range sensor. For example, one feature of the carriage 31 is that it is equipped with wheels 34. Therefore, by detecting the wheels 34 and recognizing the position of the carriage 31, automatic coupling control can be performed in which the drive wheels 3 are driven to automatically couple the transporting device 1 to the carriage 31. The automatic coupling control can automatically change the spacing between the pair of support members 6 using the opening / closing device 10 and couple the carriage 31 to the carriage 31 according to the type of carriage 41 to be transported. The method for recognizing the position of the cart 31 may be any method other than the example, as long as it is possible to detect the characteristics of the cart and thereby detect the presence or absence of the cart and its position.

[0023] Furthermore, the transporting device 1 is preferably equipped with an autonomous driving function that allows it to travel autonomously without operational input from an operator, such as an AGV (automatic guided vehicle). These automatic coupling control function and autonomous driving function enable the transporting device 1 to automatically transport the cart 31 without the assistance of an operator, thereby improving the convenience and versatility of the transporting device 1. The automatic coupling control function and autonomous driving function are implemented by a control device such as a computer installed inside the main body 2 of the transporting device 1. The control device may be installed outside the transporting device 1 and connected to the transporting device 1 so as to be able to communicate with it via wire or wirelessly.

[0024] The form of the dolly 31 transported by the transport device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a car dolly as an example of the dolly 31 to be transported. The dolly 31 includes a base plate 32 parallel to the floor, a base plate frame 33 that holds the base plate 32, and wheels 34 attached to the base plate frame 33. Depending on the type (for example, in the case of a car dolly), the dolly 31 may have a fence 35 attached to the base plate 32. The dolly 31 to be transported in this embodiment is a wheeled dolly commonly used in logistics warehouses and factories. Note that the number of wheels and whether they are swivel wheels or fixed wheels are not important. Examples of the dolly 31 include a car dolly, a six-wheel cart, and a dolly. For example, a car dolly generally has four wheels, but in some cases, two of the four wheels are swivel wheels and the remaining two wheels are fixed wheels, or in other cases, all four wheels are swivel wheels. In addition, a six-wheeled cart generally has six wheels, with the two central wheels being fixed wheels and the remaining four wheels being swivel wheels. As described above, the wheel configuration differs depending on the type of cart, but the transport device 1 of this embodiment is capable of transporting regardless of the wheel configuration of the cart 31. In some cases, such as dollies, the base plate 32 and the base plate frame 33 are made of the same member.

[0025] The manner in which the carriage 31 is transported by the transporting device 1 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. Figure 5 is a side view of the manner in which the carriage 31 is transported by the transporting device 1. Figure 6 is a plan view of the manner in which the carriage 31 is transported by the transporting device 1. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the transporting device 1 engages and transports the carriage 31 in an orientation in which a pair of frames 33 of the carriage 31 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, that is, one frame 33 is disposed on the front side of the transporting device 1 and the other frame 33 is disposed on the rear side of the transporting device.

[0026] When the transporting device 1 transports the cart 31, first, the opening and closing device 10 sets the distance between the pair of supports 6 in the y direction to be wider than the length of the cart 31 in the y direction, as shown in Fig. 6. At this time, the height of the pair of supports 6 in the z direction is lowered by the lifting device 8 so that the upper ends of the claw-shaped parts 7a of the connecting parts 7 are lower than the lower end of the frame of the cart 31.

[0027] Next, the conveying device 1 is moved backward in the direction of the trolley 31 until the connecting portion 7 provided on the support portion 6 is positioned below the base frame 33 of the trolley 31, more specifically, so that the claw-shaped portion 7a of the connecting portion 7 is positioned rearward relative to the front base frame 33 of the trolley 31.

[0028] Next, the pair of support parts 6 are raised by the lifting device 8. As a result, the upper ends of the claw-shaped parts 7a of the connecting part 7 are raised above the lower end of the base frame 33 of the cart 31, and as shown in FIG. 5, the claw-shaped parts 7a and the base frame 33 are positioned opposite each other, and the connecting part 7 is engaged with the base frame 33 of the cart 31. When the transporting device 1 moves forward in this state, the claw-shaped parts 7a come into contact with the base frame 33 and press it forward, so that the cart 31 receives a forward force and moves forward together with the transporting device 1.

[0029] At this time, as shown in Fig. 5, all four wheels 34 of the carriage 31 are in contact with the ground, and the carriage 31 moves using its own wheels 34. With this type of transportation mode, the support part 6 of the transport device 1 does not need to support the weight of the carriage 31, which makes it possible to reduce the weight of the device.

[0030] 5 and 6, when transporting the carriage 31 in this manner, it is preferable that the pair of driven wheels 5 of the transporting device 1 be located near the outside in the y direction of the two rear wheels 34 of the carriage 31. In other words, it is preferable that the support part 6 of the transporting device 1 is formed so that its length in the x direction is approximately equal to the x direction dimension of the carriage 31 to be transported, and that the driven wheels 5 are positioned so that their position in the x direction is approximately the same as that of the two rear wheels 34 of the carriage 31 when the carriage 31 is engaged with the transporting device 1.

[0031] With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 5 , when viewed from the side (y direction), the rear wheels 34 of the carriage 31 and the driven wheels 5 of the transporting device 1 are arranged to overlap, and as shown in FIG. 6 , the driven wheels 5 are arranged side by side on the outside of the wheels 34 in the y direction. By arranging the wheels 34 and the driven wheels 5 in this manner, it becomes possible to determine the movement of the carriage 31 in accordance with the trajectory of the transporting device 1. Even when the transporting device 1 moves backward while coupled to the carriage 31, the carriage 31 can be transported while controlling its attitude. This makes it possible to move backward while turning, as in parking, and to place the carriage 31 at any desired location. Furthermore, since the pair of driven wheels 5 of the transporting device 1 are positioned outside the wheels 34 of the carriage 31, the inner wheel difference is determined by the position of the pair of driven wheels 5 of the transporting device 1, regardless of the size of the carriage 31. Therefore, since the inner wheel difference is known, the carriage 31 can turn without colliding with, for example, walls or other nearby obstacles.

[0032] Fig. 7 is a side view showing another mode of transportation of the dolly 31. When transporting the dolly 31, as shown in Fig. 7, with the coupling part 7 of the transporting device 1 engaged with the base frame 33 of the dolly 31, the support part 6 may be further raised to a height at which the front wheels 34 of the dolly 31 are clear of the ground. By raising the front wheels 34 of the dolly 31 and lifting them off the floor in this way, part of the load of the dolly 31 is borne by the transporting device 1, and the contact force of the drive wheels 3 of the transporting device 1 increases, resulting in stable travel without the drive wheels 3 of the transporting device 1 spinning even when transporting heavy objects.

[0033] 7, the base ends of the pair of support parts 6 on the main body 2 side are raised, but the tip ends on the driven wheel 5 side are not raised. In other words, when the lifting device 8 raises the support parts 6, the base ends are raised, increasing the longitudinal inclination of the support parts 6. However, the raising and lowering operation of the support parts 6 is not limited to this, and for example, the support parts 6 may be raised and lowered while maintaining the horizontality between the base ends and the tip ends.

[0034] The size of the cart 31 varies depending on the type. For example, car carts are generally approximately 600 mm x approximately 800 mm or approximately 800 mm x approximately 1000 mm. Six-wheel carts are approximately 400 mm x approximately 1300 mm. In order to enable the transport device 1 of this embodiment to transport a wide range of carts 31 of different sizes, the opening and closing device 10 can change the distance in the y direction between the pair of support parts 6 to match the size of the cart 31 to be transported.

[0035] Fig. 8 is a plan view showing an example of a transport mode for a large cart 31A. As shown in Fig. 8, when transporting a cart 31A that is wider in the y direction than the cart cart 31 illustrated in Fig. 6, for example, the opening and closing device 10 widens the distance between the pair of support parts 6 from the state in Fig. 6 so that the distance between the support parts 6 is wider than the length of the cart 31A in the y direction. This makes it possible to connect the connecting part 7 of the transport device 1 and the frame 33 of the cart 31A, and even a large cart 31A can be transported.

[0036] Fig. 9 is a plan view showing an example of a transport mode for a narrow bogie 31B. As shown in Fig. 9, when transporting a bogie 31B having a smaller width in the y direction than the car bogie 31 illustrated in Fig. 6, for example, such as a six-wheeled cart, the opening and closing device 10 narrows the distance between the pair of support parts 6 more than in the state shown in Fig. 6, so that the distance between the support parts 6 matches the length of the bogie 31B in the y direction. This allows the connecting part 7 of the transport device 1 and the frame 33 of the bogie 31B to be connected, making it possible to transport even a narrow bogie 31B.

[0037] FIG. 10 is a plan view showing an example of a transport mode in the case of a dolly 31C having a width larger than the maximum width of the pair of support parts 6. As shown in FIG. 10, when the width of the dolly 31C is larger than the maximum opening / closing width of the support parts 6, the pair of support parts 6 are inserted into the lower part of the base plate 32 of the dolly 31C, and the pair of driven wheels 5 are inserted so as to be positioned inside the wheels 34. In this state, the support parts 6 are raised by the lifting device 8, whereby the connecting part 7 engages with the base frame 33 of the dolly 31C, and the transport device 1 and the dolly 31C are connected, allowing for transport. Alternatively, as in the example of FIG. 7, the support parts 6 may be raised to a height at which the front (and rear) wheels 34 of the dolly 31C are clear of the ground.

[0038] Fig. 11 is a plan view showing another mode of transporting the cart 31 by the transporting device 1. As shown in Fig. 11, when the pair of support parts 6 are configured by a pair of arm-shaped structural members, the cart 31 can be transported by narrowing the gap between the pair of support parts 6 using the opening / closing device 10 and gripping the cart 31, without engaging the connecting part 7 provided on the support parts 6 with the base frame 33 of the cart 31 to be transported.

[0039] The effects of the transport device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. The transport device 1 according to this embodiment includes a connecting portion 7 provided on the inner side of each of the pair of support portions 6 in the opposing direction and connecting a carriage 31 serving as a transported object, and an opening / closing device 10 that adjusts the distance between the pair of support portions 6 in the opposing direction. More specifically, the connecting portion 7 has a claw-shaped portion 7a that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the support portion 6, and the carriage 31 is connected by hooking the claw-shaped portion 7a onto the frame 33 of the carriage 31. This configuration enables connection by hooking the claw-shaped portion 7a of the connecting portion 7 onto the frame 33, which is an existing element of the carriage 31. This allows the transport device 1 and the carriage 31 to be connected without providing a special connecting element on the carriage 31 side. Furthermore, the distance between the pair of connecting portions 7 that connect the carriage 31 can be adjusted by the opening / closing device 10, enabling connection and transport of carriages of various widths. As a result, the transport device 1 according to this embodiment can be easily connected to the carriage 31 serving as a transported object and can improve portability.

[0040] The transporting device 1 of this embodiment also includes an elevating device 8 that raises and lowers the pair of support parts 6 and the connecting part 7. With this configuration, the claw-shaped parts 7a of the connecting part 7 can be lowered to a position lower than the frame 33 of the carriage 31 and then advanced rearward (toward the positive x direction), and then the upper ends of the claw-shaped parts 7a can be raised to a position higher than the frame 33, thereby connecting the connecting part 7 and the carriage 31. In this way, by raising and lowering the connecting part 7 with the elevating device 8, the transporting device 1 and the carriage 31 can be smoothly connected without changing their relative positions in the up-and-down direction.

[0041] Furthermore, in the transporting device 1 of this embodiment, when the dolly 31 is coupled, it is preferable that the pair of support parts 6 be arranged on the outer sides of the dolly 31 in the width direction (y direction). With this configuration, as described with reference to Fig. 6, the support parts 6 are arranged on both outer sides of the dolly 31 in the width direction, and a positional relationship can be established in which the dolly 31 is sandwiched between them. As a result, when the transporting device 1 tows the dolly 31, even in a situation in which the dolly 31 is likely to shift left and right relative to the transporting device 1, for example, when turning right or left, the support parts 6 can restrict and suppress the shift in the width direction of the dolly 31, and the dolly 31 can be guided to an appropriate path.

[0042] Here, the differences between Patent Documents 1 to 3 and this embodiment will be further explained.

[0043] First, we will compare it with a conventional towing-type transport device described in Patent Document 1 and elsewhere. When transporting a cart by conventional towing, as in Patent Document 1, a towing coupling member must be attached to the cart. However, in factories and logistics warehouses where this is used, there are tens, or even hundreds, of carts used to transport cargo. It is difficult to attach a towing coupling member, such as a towing rod, to each of these carts.

[0044] In contrast, in this embodiment, a coupling device for coupling the transporting device 1 and the dolly 31 is provided only on the transporting device 1. For example, the transporting device 1 is moved so that the coupling portion 7 of the coupling device is positioned below the base plate frame 33 that holds the base plate 32 of the dolly 31, and the fork (support portion 6) is raised by the lifting device 8 of the coupling device. This raises the coupling portion 7 to the height of the base plate frame portion 33 of the dolly 31, and the coupling portion 7 of the coupling device with the dolly 31 is coupled to the base plate frame 33 of the dolly 31. In other words, the transporting device 1 and the dolly 31 can be coupled by engaging the coupling portion 7 of the coupling device with the dolly using the above method with the base plate frame 33 provided on the dolly 31, without attaching a towing jig to the dolly 31 side. Furthermore, as in this embodiment, when the coupling device is equipped with a pair of arm-shaped structural members (support parts 6) that hold the driven wheels 5 of the transport device 1, and an opening / closing device 10 that changes the distance between the pair of support parts 6, the pair of support parts 6 can grip the sides of the trolley 31 from the outside in the y direction, allowing the trolley 31 to move forward, backward, and turn while regulating its forward, backward, and left-right movement.

[0045] Furthermore, in the case of transporting a cart by towing as in Patent Document 1, a driving wheel and a driven wheel are provided on the transporting device, and a coupling device such as a towing rod for towing is provided at the rear of the transporting device, and the cart is coupled and towed by this. However, with this configuration, the total length of the transporting device, coupling device, and cart is long, making it difficult to turn in a small radius and in narrow passageways.

[0046] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, when the transporting device 1 and the carriage 31 are coupled together, the driving wheels 3 of the transporting device 1 are located in front of the carriage 31, but the driven wheels 5 of the transporting device 1 are preferably located near the outer side in the y direction of the carriage wheels 34 on the rear side (x positive direction side). With this configuration, the overall length is shorter than with conventional traction systems, making it easier to travel and turn in narrow passages.

[0047] Furthermore, in the case of transporting a carriage by towing, as in Patent Document 1, a rotatable link member connects the carriage and the carriage. In this case, since the carriage is located in front of the carriage in the direction of travel and the carriage is located behind the carriage, it is possible for the carriage to be transported while towing the carriage. However, since the carriage is located in front of the carriage in the direction of travel and the carriage is located behind the carriage, it is impossible for the carriage to transport while pushing the carriage, as the angle between the carriage and the carriage cannot be controlled by the rotary link connecting the carriage and the carriage. As a result, the carriage cannot move backward while connected to the carriage, and it is also impossible to move backward while turning, as in parking a carriage, to place the carriage at an arbitrary location. Therefore, the carriage must be detached and placed on the transportation route, and the carriage placed on the transportation route must be manually placed at an arbitrary location. In other words, automatic transportation, including placement at an arbitrary location, is not possible.

[0048] In contrast, in this embodiment, the driven wheels 5 of the transporting device 1 are preferably disposed near the outer sides of the bogie wheels 34 on the rear side (x positive direction side), and more preferably disposed so that the rotation axes of the driven wheels 5 and the bogie wheels 34 are coaxial, making it possible to determine the movement of the bogie 31 in accordance with the trajectory of the transporting device 1. As a result, even when the transporting device 1 moves backward while connected to the bogie 31, it is possible to transport the bogie 31 while controlling its attitude, and to move backward while turning like parking in a garage, and to perform an operation such as placing the bogie 31 at an arbitrary point. This makes it possible to automate the transporting process from connecting the bogie 31 to transporting it and automatically placing it at an arbitrary point. Furthermore, when the coupling device is composed of a pair of arm-shaped structural members (support parts 6) that hold the driven wheels 5 of the transport device 1, the pair of support parts 6 are positioned near the outside of both sides of the trolley 31, so even if the trolley 31 moves left and right, such as when the transport device 1 turns, the forks (support parts 6) located on the outside of both sides of the trolley 31 physically restrict the left and right movement of the trolley 31 and can control the posture of the trolley 31.

[0049] Next, we will compare it with a conventional lifting-type transport device described in Patent Document 2 and elsewhere. The lifting type is a method of connecting by crawling under the cart and lifting the cart with a lifting device. The conventional lifting type cannot transport carts unless they are large enough for the transport cart to crawl under. For example, a commonly used six-wheeled cart is narrow in the short direction and has wheels in the center in the long direction, so it is impossible to crawl under it and transport it. It is also not compatible with dollies and other vehicles with low bottom plates.

[0050] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, by providing an opening / closing device 10 to change the width of the pair of support parts 6, or by providing a lifting device to change the height of the pair of support parts 6 or the connecting part 7, it becomes possible to connect to a wide range of sizes of carts 31 and transport these carts 31. Furthermore, as in this embodiment, when the connecting device is equipped with a pair of arm-shaped structural members (support parts 6) that hold the driven wheels 5 of the transport device 1 and an opening / closing device 10 that changes the distance between the pair of support parts 6, by gripping the side surfaces of the cart 31 from the outside in the y direction with the pair of support parts 6, the cart 31 can move forward, backward, and turn while regulating its forward / backward and left / right movement.

[0051] Another lifting type method is to lift the cart and transport it by gripping the pole of the cart with a U-attachment, as in Patent Document 3. However, this method cannot accommodate a wide range of carts, as some carts do not have a pole, or the pole shape or width varies.

[0052] In contrast to this, in this embodiment, as described above, the width of the pair of support parts 6 and connecting parts 7 of the coupling device can be varied by providing the opening and closing device 10, or the height of the support parts 6 and connecting parts 7 can be varied by providing the lifting device 8, so that it is possible to couple to a wide range of sizes of carts 31 and transport these carts 31. Furthermore, when the coupling device is equipped with a pair of arm-shaped structural members (support parts 6) that hold the driven wheels 5 of the transport device 1 and the opening and closing device 10 that varies the distance between the pair of support parts 6, by gripping the side surfaces of the cart 31 from the outside in the y direction with the pair of support parts 6, it is also possible to move the cart 31 forward, backward, and turn while restricting its forward, backward, and left and right movement.

[0053] Furthermore, the transport device described in Patent Document 3 is an electric cart invented to reduce the burden on workers when transporting goods, and when connecting this electric cart to a cart to be transported, the worker must hook the hook onto the pole and push down the handle of the toggle clamp. Similarly, when disconnecting the cart, the worker must operate the handle of the toggle clamp and release the hook hooked onto the pole.

[0054] In contrast, in this embodiment, when the transporting device 1 is configured to have an automatic coupling control function and an automatic driving control function (autonomous driving function), the cart 31 can be automatically transported without the assistance of an operator. Furthermore, by arranging the driven wheels 5 of the transporting device 1 near the outer side in the y direction of the cart wheels 34 on the rear side (x-positive side) when the cart 31 is coupled to the transporting device 1, it is possible to determine the movement of the cart 31 according to the trajectory of the transporting device 1. Therefore, even when the transporting device 1 moves backward while coupled to the cart 31, the attitude of the cart 31 can be controlled while transporting, and the cart 31 can be moved backward while turning like when parking in a garage, and the cart 31 can be placed at any location. This makes it possible to automate the transporting process, from connecting the cart 31 to transporting it and automatically placing it at any location.

[0055] The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Design modifications to these specific examples made by a person skilled in the art as appropriate are also included within the scope of the present disclosure as long as they comprise the features of the present disclosure. The elements of the above-described specific examples, as well as their arrangement, conditions, shape, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. The elements of the above-described specific examples can be combined in various ways as appropriate, as long as no technical contradictions arise. [Explanation of symbols]

[0056] 1. Transport equipment 2 Main unit 3 drive wheels 5 driven wheels 6 Support part 7 Connecting part 7a Claw-shaped part 8 Lifting device 10 Switchgear 31 Cart (carried object) 33 frames [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0057] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6578063 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5304723 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-034633

Claims

1. A conveying device for conveying an object to be conveyed, a body having drive wheels; a pair of support portions extending in a predetermined direction from the main body; a driven wheel provided on each of the pair of support portions; a pair of connecting portions provided on inner sides of the pair of support portions in a facing direction, the connecting portions connecting the transported objects; an opening and closing device that changes the distance between the pair of support portions and the pair of connecting portions in the opposing direction; Equipped with The opening and closing device is When the width of the transported object is narrower than the width of the transport device, the distance between the pair of support parts in the opposing direction is narrowed, When the width of the transported object is wider than the width of the transport device, the distance between the pair of support parts in the opposing direction is increased. The pair of connecting portions have claw-shaped portions that hook onto a frame of the transported object, and are connected to the transported object via the claw-shaped portions when the width of the transported object is narrower than the width of the transport device, and when the width of the transported object is wider than the width of the transport device. Transporting device.

2. a lifting device that lifts and lowers the pair of support parts and the connecting part; 10. The transport device of claim 1.

3. an automatic coupling control is performed in which the opening and closing device automatically changes the spacing between the pair of support parts and automatically couples the pair of coupling parts to the transported object according to the type of the transported object to be transported; 3. A conveying device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. It has autonomous driving capabilities, A conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. a body having drive wheels; a pair of support portions extending in a predetermined direction from the main body; a driven wheel provided on each of the pair of support portions; a pair of connecting portions provided on the inner sides of the pair of support portions in the opposing direction, the connecting portions connecting a wheeled object to the pair of support portions; an opening and closing device that changes the distance between the pair of support portions and the pair of connecting portions in the opposing direction; A method for transporting the object by a transport device comprising: a step in which the opening and closing device changes the interval between the pair of support parts in accordance with the transported object to be transported; a step of connecting the pair of connecting portions to the transported object; driving the drive wheels in a state in which the pair of connecting portions are connected to the transported object, thereby transporting the transported object integrally with the main body; Including, In the step of changing the interval between the pair of support parts, the opening and closing device When the width of the transported object is narrower than the width of the transport device, the distance between the pair of support parts in the opposing direction is narrowed, When the width of the transported object is wider than the width of the transport device, the distance between the pair of support parts in the opposing direction is increased. the pair of connecting portions each have a claw-shaped portion that hooks onto a frame of the transported object, In the step of connecting the pair of connecting portions to the transported object, the pair of connecting portions connect to the transported object via the claw-shaped portions when the width of the transported object is narrower than the width of the transport device and when the width of the transported object is wider than the width of the transport device. Transportation method.

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