Guide rail vehicle and guide device
The guide rail vehicle stabilizes ground-contacting wheels using hydraulic control and ground-contacting wheels to prevent guide wheels from contacting the guide rail bottom, addressing construction cost and stability issues.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2022023283
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2022-02-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-01-28
- Estimated Expiration
- 2042-02-17
Smart Images
Figure 0007807932000001 
Figure 0007807932000002 
Figure 0007807932000003
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] The present invention relates to a guide rail vehicle and a guide device, and more particularly to a guide rail vehicle and a guide device that can stabilize the rolling of ground-contacting wheels. [Background technology]
[0002] Guide rail vehicles, in which the running track is guided by a guide rail formed as a groove or rail, are known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a guide rail vehicle, in which the running track is guided by having guard wheels (guide wheels) abut horizontally against the side surface (side wall of the guide rail) of a groove-shaped protection track recessed in the road surface or the side surface of a rail-shaped protection track erected on the road surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-306334 A (for example, paragraph 0041, Figures 1 and 2) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] In the conventional technology described above, there is a risk that the guide wheels may come into contact with the bottom surface of the guide rail due to vibrations while the vehicle is running. To prevent this contact, the gap between the bottom surface of the guide rail and the guide wheels can be increased, but this requires the side walls of the guide rail to be formed higher to prevent the guide wheels from running off. This poses a problem of increased construction costs for the guide rail.
[0005] In response to this issue, the applicant came up with a configuration in which ground-contacting wheels that protrude below the guide wheels roll on the bottom surface of the guide rail, thereby restricting contact between the guide wheels and the bottom surface of the guide rail (this configuration was not publicly known at the time of filing this application).With this configuration, the gap between the bottom surface of the guide rail and the guide wheels can be made smaller, allowing the side walls of the guide rail to be formed lower accordingly.However, the bottom surface of the guide rail can sometimes be uneven due to, for example, various devices being buried there, which creates the problem of making it impossible to stabilize the rolling of the ground-contacting wheels.
[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a guide rail vehicle and a guide device that can stabilize the rolling of the wheels that come into contact with the ground. [Means for solving the problem]
[0007] In order to achieve this object, the guide rail vehicle of the present invention comprises a car body, a plurality of running wheels that support the car body and allow the car body to travel, and a guide device that guides the travel of the car body along a guide rail formed on the road surface, the guide device comprising guide wheels that roll on the side walls of the guide rail, ground-contact wheels that are provided outside the guide wheels in the left-right direction and roll on the road surface, a holding member for holding the guide wheel and the ground-contacting wheel; a double-acting hydraulic cylinder configured as drive means for connecting the holding member and the vehicle body; a first oil passage for supplying hydraulic oil to a rod-side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a second oil passage for supplying the hydraulic oil to a head-side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a communication oil passage connecting the second oil passage and the first oil passage; and an on-off valve for opening and closing the communication state of the communication oil passage. Equipped with. The guide rail type vehicle of the present invention comprises a car body, a plurality of running wheels that support the car body and allow the car body to run, and a guide device that guides the running of the car body along a guide rail formed on the road surface, the guide device comprising guide wheels that roll on the side walls of the guide rail, ground-contact wheels that are arranged outboard of the guide wheels in the left-right direction and roll on the road surface, a retaining member that holds the guide wheels and the ground-contact wheels, and a connecting member that connects the retaining member to the car body, and the connecting member displaces the retaining member in the vertical direction of the car body in a direction away from the car body and a direction towards the car body.
[0008] The guide device of the present invention is used for a guide rail type vehicle that includes a car body and a plurality of running wheels that support the car body and allow the car body to travel, and is a guide device that guides the travel of the car body along a guide rail formed on a road surface, and includes guide wheels that roll on side walls of the guide rail, and ground-contact wheels that are provided outboard of the guide wheels in the left-right direction and roll on the road surface, a holding member for holding the guide wheel and the ground-contacting wheel; a double-acting hydraulic cylinder configured as drive means for connecting the holding member and the vehicle body; a first oil passage for supplying hydraulic oil to a rod-side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a second oil passage for supplying the hydraulic oil to a head-side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a communication oil passage connecting the second oil passage and the first oil passage; and an on-off valve for opening and closing the communication state of the communication oil passage. Equipped with. The guide device of the present invention is used in a guide rail type vehicle that has a car body and a plurality of running wheels that support the car body and allow the car body to run, and is a guide device that guides the running of the car body along a guide rail formed on the road surface, and is equipped with guide wheels that roll on the side walls of the guide rail, ground-contact wheels that are arranged outward in the left-right direction from the guide wheels and roll on the road surface, retaining members that hold the guide wheels and the ground-contact wheels, and connecting members that connect the retaining members to the car body, and the connecting members displace the retaining members in the vertical direction of the car body in directions away from the car body and in directions toward the car body. [Effects of the Invention]
[0009] Claim 1 ,2 The guide rail vehicle and claims7, According to the guide device described in No. 8, a ground-contacting wheel is provided that is located laterally outboard of the guide wheels and rolls on the road surface. This allows the ground-contacting wheel to restrict the displacement of the guide wheels toward the bottom surface of the guide rail, thereby preventing the guide wheels from contacting the bottom surface of the guide rail. Furthermore, by rolling the ground-contacting wheel on a road surface that is more stable (less uneven) than the bottom surface of the guide rail, there is an effect of stabilizing the rolling of the ground-contacting wheel. According to the guide rail vehicle of claim 1 and the guide device of claim 7, the guide device comprises a holding member for holding the guide wheels and the ground-contacting wheels, a double-acting hydraulic cylinder configured as a drive means for connecting the holding member and the vehicle body, a first oil passage for supplying hydraulic oil to the rod side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, a second oil passage for supplying hydraulic oil to the head side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder, a communication oil passage connecting the second oil passage and the first oil passage, and an on-off valve for opening and closing the communication state of the communication oil passage. Therefore, by supplying hydraulic oil to the head side chamber with the on-off valve closed, the hydraulic cylinder extends, and the ground-contacting wheels touch the road surface. . When the on-off valve is opened in this state, the rod-side chamber and the head-side chamber are connected via the first oil passage, the second oil passage, and the connecting oil passage. However, because the pressure-receiving area of the rod-side chamber is smaller than that of the head-side chamber due to the cross-sectional area of the piston rod, a force that extends the piston rod can be generated by the internal pressure of the head-side chamber. This constantly generates a force that presses the ground-contacting wheels against the road surface, ensuring that the ground-contacting wheels follow the road surface reliably. This has the effect of more effectively preventing the guide wheels from coming off the side walls of the guide rail. Furthermore, according to the guide rail vehicle described in claim 2 and the guide device described in claim 8, there are provided holding members that hold the guide wheels and ground-contacting wheels, and connecting members that connect the holding members to the car body, and the connecting members displace the holding members in the up-down direction of the car body in directions away from the car body and directions toward the car body, so that even if the road surface is uneven, the ground-contacting wheels can roll to follow the unevenness, thereby having the effect of preventing the guide wheels from coming off the side walls of the guide rail.
[0010] Claim 3 According to the guide rail vehicle described in claim 1 Or 2 In addition to the effects of the guide rail vehicle described above, the following effect is achieved. Because the ground-contacting wheels are positioned laterally inward of the running wheels, the ground contact position of the ground-contacting wheels with respect to the road surface can be moved closer to the center of the car body in the lateral direction. This reduces the radius of rotation of the guide wheels around the ground-contacting wheels as their center of rotation, so that if the guide device (car body) tilts and the guide wheels lift up around the ground-contacting wheels as their center of rotation, the amount of lift can be reduced. This has the effect of preventing the guide wheels from running off the side walls of the guide rail.
[0011] Claim 4 According to the guide rail vehicle described in claim 1 Any of the three options In addition to the effects of the guide rail-type vehicle described in 2. above, the present invention provides the following effects. The guide device includes a shaft extending in the left-right direction and an equalizer supported so as to be rotatable about the shaft. A pair of ground-contacting wheels is provided in front of and behind the rotation shaft of the equalizer, so that the pair of ground-contacting wheels can be swung about the rotation shaft of the equalizer. This allows the pair of ground-contacting wheels to roll so as to follow the unevenness of the road surface, even if the road surface is uneven. This has the effect of improving the ability of the ground-contacting wheels to follow the road surface and equalizing (distributing) the load applied to each ground-contacting wheel.
[0012]
[0013]
[0014] According to the guide rail vehicle described in claim 5, 1 In addition to the effects of the guide rail vehicle described above, the present invention provides the following effect. The guide device includes a pressure accumulator disposed in the second oil passage, which is closer to the hydraulic cylinder than the communication oil passage. As a result, by supplying hydraulic oil to the head-side chamber with the on-off valve closed (expanding the hydraulic cylinder to press the ground-contacting wheel against the road surface), the hydraulic oil passing through the second oil passage is accumulated (pressurized) in the accumulator. In this state, if, for example, an uneven road surface exerts a force that pushes the ground-contacting wheel upward, causing the piston rod to shorten, the hydraulic oil in the head-side chamber is further accumulated (pressurized) in the accumulator.
[0015] On the other hand, when the thrust force is alleviated, the hydraulic oil accumulated in the accumulator is supplied to the head-side chamber, causing the piston rod to extend and pressing the road-contacting wheels against the road surface. Therefore, even if the road surface is uneven, the road-contacting wheels can be kept in contact with the road surface while rolling. This has the effect of more effectively preventing the guide wheels from coming off the side walls of the guide rail.
[0016]
[0017] Claim 6 According to the guide rail vehicle described in claim 1 to claim 2, 5 In addition to the effects of the guide rail vehicle described in any one of the above, the present invention provides the following effect: Since a plurality of ground-contacting wheels are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, even if one ground-contacting wheel tries to get stuck in a recess formed in the road surface, the other ground-contacting wheels can contact the road surface to restrict downward displacement of the guide wheel. This has the effect of preventing the guide wheels from coming into contact with the bottom surface of the guide rail. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0018] [Figure 1] 1(a) is a side view of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a partially enlarged front view of the vehicle as viewed in the direction of arrow Ib in FIG. 1(a). [Figure 2] 2(a) is a partially enlarged side view of the vehicle as seen in the direction of arrow IIa in FIG. 1(b), and FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle taken along line IIb-IIb in FIG. 2(a). [Figure 3] 10(a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a guide device follows along a side wall formed of a curved surface, and FIG. 10(b) is a partially enlarged side view of a guide device in a modified example. [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit of a vehicle. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit when a hydraulic cylinder is extended. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit when the internal pressure of the pressure accumulator is used to press the ground-contacting wheels against the road surface. [Figure 7] 7 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit when a force pushing the ground-contacting wheels upward from the state of FIG. 6 acts to contract the hydraulic cylinder. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit when the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder is released. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit when the hydraulic cylinder is contracted with the internal pressure released. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit when the hydraulic cylinder is retracted. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit when the hydraulic cylinder is maintained in a retracted state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, the configuration of a vehicle 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 1(a) is a side view of a vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1(b) is a partially enlarged front view of the vehicle 1 as viewed in the direction of arrow Ib in FIG. 1(a). FIG. 2(a) is a partially enlarged side view of the vehicle 1 as viewed in the direction of arrow IIa in FIG. 1(b), and FIG. 2(b) is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle 1 taken along line IIb-IIb in FIG. 2(a). Note that in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 1 is illustrated schematically to simplify the drawings. In addition, in FIG. 2(a), the road surface 100 is illustrated by a two-dot chain line, and a portion of the connecting member 20 is illustrated in a cutaway view. In addition, arrows UD, LR, and FB in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the up-down direction, left-right direction, and front-rear direction of the vehicle 1 (the guide device 10), respectively. This also applies to FIG. 3, which will be described later.
[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, vehicle 1 is a guide rail vehicle that travels along guide rails 101 provided on a road surface 100 to transport passengers and cargo. Vehicle 1 is equipped with a plurality of running wheels 3 (see Figure 1) that support its car body 2 and allow the car body 2 to travel.
[0021] The vehicle 1 is equipped with a drive unit (not shown) that rolls the running wheels 3, and travels on a road surface 100 by the rolling of the running wheels 3. A guide rail 101 that guides the travel of the vehicle 1 has a bottom surface 101a and side walls 101b that stand upright from the bottom surface 101a, and is formed as a groove with a rectangular cross section recessed into the road surface 100. The travel of the vehicle 1 along the guide rail 101 is guided by a pair of guide devices 10 aligned in the front-to-rear direction.
[0022] The guide device 10 includes a connecting member 20 that is connected to the vehicle body 2, a holding member 30 that is connected to the lower part of the connecting member 20, and guide wheels 40a, 40b and ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b that are held by the holding member 30. The guide wheels 40a, 40b are wheels with axles that face up and down, and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are wheels with axles that face left and right.
[0023] The connecting member 20 has a square cylindrical fixed part 21 that is connected to the underside of the car body 2, and a square cylindrical sliding part 22 is inserted into the inner peripheral side of the fixed part 21. Guide rails 23 are provided between the outer peripheral surface of the sliding part 22 and the inner peripheral surface of the fixed part 21, and a total of six guide rails 23 are provided, one on each the front and back of the sliding part 22 and two on each of the left and right sides of the sliding part 22. These multiple guide rails 23 extend vertically, and the relative displacement of the sliding part 22 with respect to the fixed part 21 (car body 2) is guided vertically by the guide rails 23.
[0024] A double-acting hydraulic cylinder 24 (see FIG. 2(a)) is provided on the inner periphery of the fixed part 21 and the sliding part 22, and the upper end of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is fixed to the vehicle body 2, and the lower end is fixed to the holding member 30. Therefore, the extension and contraction of this hydraulic cylinder 24 allows the holding member 30 to be displaced up and down relative to the vehicle body 2, and this relative displacement is guided by the connecting member 20 (fixed part 21 and sliding part 22).
[0025] The holding member 30 includes a first shaft 31 connected to the lower end of the connecting member 20 (sliding portion 22), and a first holding portion 32 is supported on this first shaft 31. The first holding portion 32 is formed to protrude in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body 2 across the first shaft 31, and a pair of second shafts 33 are disposed at the tip ends of the protrusions (separated in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body 2) (see FIG. 2(b)). A second holding portion 34 is rotatably supported on each of the pair of second shafts 33.
[0026] The second holding portion 34 is a frame formed in an H-shape when viewed from above, and annular bearings 41 for supporting the guide wheels 40a, 40b are fixed to the four corners of the second holding portion 34. The guide wheels 40a, 40b protrude outward in the left-right direction (toward the side wall 101b of the guide rail 101) from the second holding portion 34, and when the vehicle 1 travels (forward or backward), the guide wheels 40a, 40b roll on the side wall 101b of the guide rail 101. This enables the vehicle 1 to travel along the extension direction of the guide rail 101 without steering the running wheels 3.
[0027] Each of the pair of front and rear second retaining portions 34 retains four guide wheels 40a, 40b. If the plurality of guide wheels 40a, 40b (four in this embodiment) along the longitudinal direction of the car body 2 constitute one row, two rows are provided on either side of the center in the lateral direction of the car body 2. Of these guide wheels 40a, 40b, the one located on one side in the lateral direction (upper side in FIG. 2(b)) is the guide wheel 40a, and the one located on the other side (lower side in FIG. 2(b)) is the guide wheel 40b. In this way, by rolling the plurality of guide wheels 40a, 40b on the side walls 101b of the guide rail 101, the vehicle 1 can travel stably along the guide rail 101.
[0028] A pair of brackets 34a protrude on both the left and right sides from the top of the second holding part 34. A fork 34b (see FIG. 2(a)) is fixed to the underside of the tip of the bracket 34a, and the axles 51 of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are rotatably supported by this fork 34b. Of these ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b, the one located on one side in the left-right direction (the upper side in FIG. 2(b)) is the ground-contacting wheel 50a, and the one located on the other side (the lower side in FIG. 2(b)) is the ground-contacting wheel 50b.
[0029] The ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are disposed higher and outboard in the left-right direction than the guide wheels 40a, 40b, and when the vehicle 1 is traveling, the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b roll on the road surface 100. The contact of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b with the road surface 100 restricts displacement of the guide wheels 40a, 40b (retaining members 30) toward the bottom surface 101a of the guide rail 101, thereby preventing the guide wheels 40a, 40b from contacting the bottom surface 101a of the guide rail 101. By rolling the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b on the road surface 100, which is in a more stable state (less uneven) than the bottom surface 101a of the guide rail 101, the rolling of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b can be stabilized.
[0030] Furthermore, since a plurality of ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b (two per guide device 10 in this embodiment) are arranged in the front-to-rear direction, for example, even if a recess is formed in the road surface 100 and the front ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b try to get stuck in the recess, the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b located further rearward can be made to touch the road surface 100. This restricts downward displacement of the holding member 30 (guide wheels 40a, 40b), thereby preventing the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b from getting stuck in a recess formed in the road surface 100 and the guide wheels 40a, 40b from contacting the bottom surface 101a of the guide rail 101.
[0031] Here, the guide device 10 (car body 2) may tilt left or right due to vibrations or the like while the vehicle 1 is traveling. When such tilting occurs, for example, the guide wheel 40a located on one side in the left-right direction (the left side of FIG. 1(b)) lifts up around the contact position A between the ground-contacting wheel 50b located on the other side in the left-right direction (the right side of FIG. 1(b)). In this case, for example, if the contact position A between the ground-contacting wheel 50b and the road surface 100 is farther away from the guide wheel 40a (the contact position A is located to the right of the position shown in FIG. 1(b)), the rotation radius of the guide wheel 40a around the contact position A becomes larger, and the guide wheel 40a is more likely to lift up when the guide device 10 tilts. In other words, the farther the contact position A between the ground-contacting wheel 50b and the road surface 100 is from the guide wheel 40a, the more likely the guide wheel 40a will deviate from the side wall 101b of the guide rail 101 when the guide device 10 tilts.
[0032] In contrast, in this embodiment, the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are arranged more inward in the left-right direction than the running wheels 3, so the ground contact positions of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b with respect to the road surface 100 can be moved closer to the left-right center of the car body 2 (near the guide rail 101). That is, in the case of the ground contact position A of the ground-contacting wheel 50b shown in FIG. 1(b) as an example, the ground contact position A can be moved closer to the guide wheel 40a, so the rotation radius of the guide wheel 40a around the ground contact position A can be reduced. As a result, when the guide device 10 tilts and the guide wheel 40a lifts up around the ground contact position A as its rotation center, the amount of lift can be reduced. Therefore, the guide wheel 40a can be prevented from coming off the side wall 101b of the guide rail 101.
[0033] Furthermore, although the extension and contraction of the hydraulic cylinder 24 will be described in detail later, for example, by extending the hydraulic cylinder 24, the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b can be pressed down onto the road surface 100. This prevents the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b from lifting up from the road surface 100, and allows the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b to roll while always in contact with the road surface 100.
[0034] When the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is released, the sliding of the sliding portion 22 allows free relative displacement (up and down movement) of the holding member 30 with respect to the vehicle body 2. As a result, the weight of the guide wheels 40a, 40b and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b (holding member 30) allows the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b to roll while always in contact with the road surface 100.
[0035] Here, when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is extended as described above and the vehicle is driven with the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b pressed against the road surface 100, the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b can be reliably brought into contact with the road surface 100, but the hydraulic load is constantly acting on the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b, which may cause fatigue. In contrast, when the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is released to keep the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b in contact with the road surface 100 at all times, the hydraulic load is reduced, but there is a concern that the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b may lift off the road surface 100 and run off depending on the condition of the road surface 100 (for example, the inclination of the road surface 100).
[0036] Therefore, it is preferable to release the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24 to bring the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b into contact with the ground in places where it is easy to travel straight (for example, a straight section of the road surface 100), and to extend the hydraulic cylinder 24 to bring the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b into contact with the ground in places where it is not easy to travel straight (for example, a section where the inclination of the road surface 100 changes significantly). By using different ground contact methods depending on the condition of the road surface 100, it is possible to reduce wear and tear on the hydraulic circuit and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b, as well as on the pump 80 (see FIG. 4) that applies hydraulic pressure and the motor 81 (see FIG. 4) that drives the pump 80, thereby reducing the effort required for maintenance.
[0037] In this way, by always keeping the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b in contact with the road surface 100, it is possible to prevent the guide wheels 40a, 40b from lifting up from the bottom surface 101a of the guide rail 101. By preventing the guide wheels 40a, 40b from lifting up, it is possible to always minimize the gap between the bottom surface 101a of the guide rail 101 and the guide wheels 40a, 40b, and to prevent the guide wheels 40a, 40b from coming off the side wall 101b of the guide rail 101. Therefore, the side wall 101b of the guide rail 101 can be formed lower, thereby reducing the construction cost of the guide rail 101.
[0038] Next, a case where the vehicle 1 travels on a curve (the side wall 101b of the guide rail 101 is curved) will be described with reference to Fig. 3(a). Fig. 3(a) is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the guide device 10 follows along the curved side wall 101b.
[0039] As shown in Figure 3(a), the first holding portion 32 of the holding member 30 is journaled to the lower end of the connecting member 20 (see Figure 2(a)) by the first shaft 31, so when the vehicle 1 travels around a curve along the guide rail 101, the guide wheels 40a, 40b come into contact along the side wall 101b, causing the first holding portion 32 to rotate around the first shaft 31. This prevents the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b from skidding on the road surface 100, thereby preventing deterioration of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b due to wear.
[0040] Furthermore, since the second holding portion 34 of the holding member 30 is also journaled to the first holding portion 32 by the second shaft 33, the guide wheels 40a, 40b can more easily follow the curved side wall 101b compared to when, for example, the holding member 30 (the first holding portion 32 and the second holding portion 34) is journaled only by the first shaft 31. Therefore, when the vehicle 1 travels around a curve along the guide rail 101, its travel can be stabilized.
[0041] Next, a modified example of the guide device 10 will be described with reference to Fig. 3(b), but the same parts as those of the above-described guide device 10 will be assigned the same reference numerals and their description will be omitted. Fig. 3(b) is a partially enlarged side view of a guide device 210 in the modified example. Note that Fig. 3(b) describes the ground-contacting wheel 50b on the other left-right side (the lower side of Fig. 3(a)), but it is of course possible to apply a similar configuration to the ground-contacting wheel 50a on one left-right side (the upper side of Fig. 3(a)).
[0042] As shown in FIG. 3(b), a shaft 234b extending in the left-right direction (perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 3(b)) is provided on the fork 34b of the guide device 210, and an equalizer 234c is rotatably supported around this shaft 234b. The equalizer 234c is provided to extend on both the front and rear sides from the shaft 234b, and the axles 51 of the ground-contacting wheels 50b are rotatably supported at the front and rear ends of the equalizer 234c (in this embodiment, at both ends sandwiching the shaft 234b). As a result, the pair of front and rear ground-contacting wheels 50b can be swung up and down (around the shaft 234b) by rotating the equalizer 234c around the shaft 234b. Therefore, even if there are unevenness in the road surface 100, the pair of ground-contacting wheels 50b can roll so as to follow the unevenness. Therefore, it is possible to improve the ability of the ground-contacting wheels 50b to follow the road surface 100, and also to equalize (distribute) the load applied to each ground-contacting wheel 50b.
[0043] Next, the hydraulic circuit of the vehicle 1 (guide device 10) will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic circuit of the vehicle 1.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 4, the hydraulic cylinder 24 is a cylinder including a piston 24c that separates a rod side chamber 24a and a head side chamber 24b, and a piston rod 24d that is connected to the piston 24c and disposed in the rod side chamber 24a, and the piston rod 24d of this hydraulic cylinder 24 is connected to the retaining member 30.
[0045] The hydraulic circuit for supplying hydraulic oil to the hydraulic cylinder 24 includes a tank 60 for storing hydraulic oil, a supply oil passage 61 and a return oil passage 62 connected to the tank 60, a first switching valve 63 connected to the supply oil passage 61 and the return oil passage 62, a first oil passage 64 and a second oil passage 65 connected to the first switching valve 63, operate check valves 66, 76 and flow control valves 67, 77 arranged in the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65, respectively, an internal pressure release circuit 68 arranged on the hydraulic cylinder 24 side of the operate check valves 66, 76 and the flow control valves 67, 77, a communicating oil passage 69 connecting the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65 on the hydraulic cylinder 24 side of the internal pressure release circuit 68, and an accumulator 70 arranged in the second oil passage 65 on the hydraulic cylinder 24 side of the communicating oil passage 69. A pump 80 is disposed in the oil supply passage 61, and the pump 80 is driven by the rotation of a motor 81. Note that the "oil passage" refers to a pipe that connects the various parts of the hydraulic circuit of the vehicle 1.
[0046] A supply oil passage 61 is connected to one port on the tank 60 side of the first switching valve 63, and a return oil passage 62 is connected to the other port. A first oil passage 64 is connected to one port on the hydraulic cylinder 24 side of the first switching valve 63, and a second oil passage 65 is connected to the other port. The first switching valve 63 is a solenoid valve having a first position 63a, a second position 63b, and a third position 63c for switching the communication state of each of the oil passages.
[0047] The first position 63a connects the supply oil passage 61 to the second oil passage 65 and connects the return oil passage 62 to the first oil passage 64, and the second position 63b connects the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65 to the return oil passage 62. In addition, the third position 63c connects the supply oil passage 61 to the first oil passage 64 and connects the return oil passage 62 to the second oil passage 65.
[0048] The first oil passage 64 is an oil passage that connects the first switching valve 63 and the rod side chamber 24a of the hydraulic cylinder 24, and the second oil passage 65 is an oil passage that connects the first switching valve 63 and the head side chamber 24b of the hydraulic cylinder 24.
[0049] The operate check valves 66, 76 disposed in the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65 are each composed of a check valve 66a, 76a that blocks the return of hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder 24 side to the tank 60 side, and a pilot oil passage 66b, 76b connected to the check valve 66a, 76a. The pilot pressure of the second oil passage 65 is applied to the operate check valve 66 in the first oil passage 64 via the pilot oil passage 66b, while the pilot pressure of the first oil passage 64 is applied to the operate check valve 76 in the second oil passage 65 via the pilot oil passage 76b.
[0050] Flow control valves 67, 77 are disposed closer to the hydraulic cylinder 24 than the operate check valves 66, 76. The flow control valves 67, 77 are composed of check valves 67a, 77a that block the return of hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder 24 side to the tank 60 side, and throttle valves 67b, 77b.
[0051] The internal pressure release circuit 68 includes a third oil passage 68a that connects the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65 on the hydraulic cylinder 24 side of the flow control valves 67, 77, and a pair of check valves 68b, 68c are disposed in the third oil passage 68a. The check valve 68b is a check valve that blocks the flow of hydraulic oil from the first oil passage 64 to the third oil passage 68a, and the check valve 68c is a check valve that blocks the flow of hydraulic oil from the second oil passage 65 to the third oil passage 68a.
[0052] On the hydraulic cylinder 24 side of the third oil passage 68a, the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65 are connected by a fourth oil passage 68d, and a pair of check valves 68e, 68f are arranged in the fourth oil passage 68d. The check valve 68e is a check valve that blocks the outflow of hydraulic oil from the fourth oil passage 68d to the first oil passage 64, and the check valve 68f is a check valve that blocks the outflow of hydraulic oil from the fourth oil passage 68d to the second oil passage 65.
[0053] The third oil passage 68a and the fourth oil passage 68d are connected by a fifth oil passage 68g and a sixth oil passage 68h. One ends (lower ends in FIG. 4) of the fifth oil passage 68g and the sixth oil passage 68h are connected to the third oil passage 68a between the check valve 68b and the check valve 68c, and the other ends of the fifth oil passage 68g and the sixth oil passage 68h are connected to the fourth oil passage 68d between the check valve 68e and the check valve 68f.
[0054] A relief valve 68i is provided in the fifth oil passage 68g, and the relief valve 68i relieves hydraulic oil from the fourth oil passage 68d to the third oil passage 68a when a predetermined pressure is exceeded. A second switching valve 68j is provided in the sixth oil passage 68h, and the second switching valve 68j is configured as an electromagnetic valve that opens and closes the communication state inside the sixth oil passage 68h.
[0055] Additionally, the third oil passage 68a is connected to the return oil passage 62 by a seventh oil passage 68k. Although details will be described later, this seventh oil passage 68k is an oil passage for passing hydraulic oil between the hydraulic cylinder 24 and the tank 60 via the second switching valve 68j in an open state when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is allowed to freely extend and retract.
[0056] The communication oil passage 69 is an oil passage for connecting or blocking communication between the rod side chamber 24a and the head side chamber 24b of the hydraulic cylinder 24, and is provided with an on-off valve 69a for opening and closing the communication state.
[0057] The pressure accumulator 70 is an accumulator for storing a portion of the hydraulic oil supplied to the head-side chamber 24b of the hydraulic cylinder 24. The pressure accumulator 70 is composed of a container 70a in which gas is sealed, and an on-off valve 70b that opens and closes the communication state between the container 70a and the second oil passage 65.
[0058] Next, the extension and contraction operation of the hydraulic cylinder 24 will be described with reference to Figures 5 to 11. First, with reference to Figure 5, a case where the hydraulic cylinder 24 is extended to bring the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b into contact with the road surface 100 will be described. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic circuit when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is extended.
[0059] 5, the arrows indicate the main paths through which hydraulic oil moves, and the dashed lines indicate the main paths through which hydraulic oil movement is blocked. The open states of the on-off valves 69a and 70b are shown in white, and the closed states are shown in black, and the same applies to Figures 6 and onwards.
[0060] As shown in Fig. 5, when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is extended, the pump 80 is driven with the first selector valve 63 switched to the first position 63a. As a result, hydraulic oil is pressure-fed to the head-side chamber 24b of the hydraulic cylinder 24 (through the second oil passage 65) via the first selector valve 63, the operated check valve 76, and the flow control valve 77 (check valve 77a) (path A). At this time, by closing the second selector valve 68j, the second selector valve 68j blocks the return of hydraulic oil to the tank 60 via the second oil passage 65, the fourth oil passage 68d, and the sixth oil passage 68h (path B). In addition, by closing the on-off valve 69a of the communication oil passage 69, the on-off valve 69a blocks the flow of hydraulic oil from the second oil passage 65 to the first oil passage 64 (path C).
[0061] In this case, by opening the on-off valve 70b of the pressure accumulator 70, a portion of the hydraulic oil supplied to the head side chamber 24b of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is also supplied to the container 70a of the pressure accumulator 70 (path D), and a predetermined pressure is accumulated in the pressure accumulator 70.
[0062] On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the second oil passage 65 reaches a predetermined value while hydraulic oil is being supplied to the head-side chamber 24b, pilot pressure is applied via the pilot oil passage 66b (path E), and the check valve 66a disposed in the first oil passage 64 opens. Therefore, hydraulic oil pushed out from the rod-side chamber 24a as the hydraulic cylinder 24 extends is returned to the tank 60 via the flow control valve 67 (throttle valve 67b), the operate check valve 66 (check valve 66a), the first switching valve 63 (first position 63a), and the return oil passage 62 (path F). This allows the hydraulic cylinder 24 to extend, and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b come into contact with the road surface 100.
[0063] Next, a case where the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are pressed against the road surface 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a hydraulic circuit where the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are pressed against the road surface 100 by the internal pressure of the pressure accumulator 70.
[0064] 6, when the driving of the pump 80 is stopped and the first switching valve 63 is switched to the second position 63b from the state in FIG. 5, the pressure in the second oil passage 65 on the tank 60 side of the check valve 76a of the second oil passage 65 decreases (the hydraulic oil is returned to the tank 60), so the pilot pressure via the pilot oil passage 66b decreases and the check valve 66a arranged in the first oil passage 64 is closed. Therefore, in both the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65, the return of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder 24 side to the tank 60 side is blocked by the check valves 66a and 76a (path G).
[0065] At this time, because the second switching valve 68j is in a closed state, the return of hydraulic oil from the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65 to the tank 60 via the second switching valve 68j is also blocked (path H). That is, the tank 60 is isolated from the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b by the check valves 66a, 76a of the operate check valves 66, 76, the second switching valve 68j in a closed state, and the like.
[0066] By opening the on-off valve 69a in this shut-off state, the head-side chamber 24b is connected to the rod-side chamber 24a via the second oil passage 65, the connecting oil passage 69, and the first oil passage 64, and the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b are pressurized by the pressure accumulated in the accumulator 70 (the supply of hydraulic oil from the container 70a to the second oil passage 65) (path I). In this case, by disposing the piston rod 24d in the rod-side chamber 24a, the pressure-receiving area of the piston 24c on the rod-side chamber 24a side becomes smaller than that on the head-side chamber 24b side by the cross-sectional area of the piston rod 24d.
[0067] Therefore, the internal pressure of the head-side chamber 24b generates a force that extends the hydraulic cylinder 24, and this extension of the hydraulic cylinder 24 causes a portion of the hydraulic oil in the rod-side chamber 24a to be supplied to the head-side chamber 24b (path J). This constantly generates a force that presses the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b against the road surface 100, so by running the vehicle 1 in this state, the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b can be reliably made to follow the road surface 100. This prevents the guide wheels 40a, 40b from coming off the guide rail 101.
[0068] Next, a case where a force is applied to thrust the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b upward will be described with reference to Fig. 7. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic circuit when a force is applied to thrust the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b upward from the state in Fig. 6, causing the hydraulic cylinder 24 to contract.
[0069] As shown in Fig. 7, when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is contracted due to an upward force caused by unevenness in the road surface 100 pushing the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b against the road surface 100 (see Fig. 6), the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b are isolated from the tank 60 (paths G and H), and hydraulic oil corresponding to the contraction of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is supplied from the head-side chamber 24b to the rod-side chamber 24a (path K). In this case, the volume of the head-side chamber 24b is larger than that of the rod-side chamber 24a by the volume of the piston rod 24d, and therefore a portion of the hydraulic oil supplied from the head-side chamber 24b to the rod-side chamber 24a is accumulated (pressurized) in the container 70a of the accumulator 70 by the difference in volume (path L).
[0070] When this thrust force is alleviated, the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b are pressurized by the pressure accumulated in the pressure accumulator 70 (the supply of hydraulic oil from the container 70a to the second oil passage 65). As a result, similar to the case of FIG. 6, a force that extends the hydraulic cylinder 24 is generated by the internal pressure of the head-side chamber 24b in proportion to the difference in the pressure-receiving areas of the pistons 24c, and the ground-contacting wheels can be pressed against the road surface 100. Therefore, even if the road surface 100 is uneven, the pressure accumulated in the pressure accumulator 70 (container 70a) allows the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b to reliably follow the road surface 100. This prevents the guide wheels 40a, 40b from coming off the guide rail 101.
[0071] Next, a case where the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is released will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic circuit when the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is released, and Figure 9 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic circuit when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is contracted with the internal pressure released.
[0072] As shown in Figure 8, when releasing the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24, the on-off valve 70b is closed and the second switching valve 68j is switched to an open state, thereby connecting the rod side chamber 24a and the head side chamber 24b to the tank 60 via the first oil passage 64, the second oil passage 65, the fourth oil passage 68d, the sixth oil passage 68h, the third oil passage 68a, the seventh oil passage 68k and the return oil passage 62.
[0073] This allows hydraulic oil to flow between the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b and the tank 60, enabling the hydraulic cylinder 24 to freely extend and retract. That is, for example, when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is extended due to an unevenness in the road surface 100 while the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24 is released, hydraulic oil pushed out of the rod-side chamber 24a by the extension is supplied to the head-side chamber 24b via the first oil passage 64, the fourth oil passage 68d, the sixth oil passage 68h, the third oil passage 68a, and the second oil passage 65 (path M). In this case, the volume of the head-side chamber 24b is larger than that of the rod-side chamber 24a by the volume of the piston rod 24d, but hydraulic oil corresponding to the difference in volume is supplied from the tank 60 to the head-side chamber 24b via the return oil passage 62, the seventh oil passage 68k, the third oil passage 68a, and the second oil passage 65 (path N).
[0074] On the other hand, as shown in Fig. 9, when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is contracted (from the state in Fig. 8) with the internal pressure of the hydraulic cylinder 24 released, the hydraulic oil pushed out from the head-side chamber 24b by the contraction is supplied to the rod-side chamber 24a via the second oil passage 65, the fourth oil passage 68d, the sixth oil passage 68h, the third oil passage 68a, and the first oil passage 64 (path O). In this case, the hydraulic oil corresponding to the difference in volume between the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b is returned to the tank 60 via the seventh oil passage 68k and the return oil passage 62 (path P).
[0075] By connecting the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b to the tank 60 in this way, the internal pressure in the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b can be released, allowing the hydraulic cylinder 24 to freely expand and contract. This allows the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b to follow the road surface 100 due to the weight of the retaining member 30 (the guide wheels 40a, 40b and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b). Therefore, for example, when the vehicle 1 is traveling slowly or when the road surface 100 is not particularly uneven, it is preferable to allow the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b to follow the road surface 100 due to the weight of the retaining member 30. This makes it possible to suppress deterioration due to wear of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b compared to when the vehicle 1 is traveling with the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b constantly pressed against the road surface 100.
[0076] Next, a case where the hydraulic cylinder 24 is retracted will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic circuit when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is retracted, and Figure 11 is a schematic diagram showing the hydraulic circuit when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is maintained in a retracted state.
[0077] 10, when the hydraulic cylinder 24 is retracted, the pump 80 is driven with the first selector valve 63 switched to the third position 63c. As a result, hydraulic oil is pressure-fed to the rod-side chamber 24a of the hydraulic cylinder 24 (through the first oil passage 64) via the first selector valve 63, the operate check valve 66, and the flow control valve 67 (check valve 67a) (path Q). At this time, by closing the second selector valve 68j, the second selector valve 68j blocks the return of hydraulic oil to the tank 60 through the first oil passage 64, the fourth oil passage 68d, and the sixth oil passage 68h (path R). Furthermore, by closing the on-off valve 69a of the communication oil passage 69, the on-off valve 69a blocks the flow of hydraulic oil from the first oil passage 64 to the second oil passage 65 (path S). As a result, the hydraulic oil pressure-fed to the first oil passage 64 is supplied to the rod-side chamber 24 a of the hydraulic cylinder 24 .
[0078] On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the first oil passage 64 reaches a predetermined value while hydraulic oil is being supplied to the rod-side chamber 24a, pilot pressure is applied via the pilot oil passage 76b (path T), and the check valve 76a disposed in the second oil passage 65 opens. Therefore, hydraulic oil pushed out from the head-side chamber 24b as the hydraulic cylinder 24 contracts is returned to the tank 60 via the flow control valve 77 (throttle valve 77b), the operate check valve 76 (check valve 76a), the first switching valve 63 (third position 63c), and the return oil passage 62 (path U). This allows the hydraulic cylinder 24 to contract, and the guide wheels 40a, 40b and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b can be stored on the vehicle body 2 (see FIG. 1) side.
[0079] 11, when the driving of the pump 80 is stopped and the first switching valve 63 is switched to the second position 63b from the state in which the hydraulic cylinder 24 is retracted (see FIG. 10), the pressure in the first oil passage 64 on the tank 60 side relative to the check valve 66a drops (the hydraulic oil is returned to the tank 60), causing the pilot pressure via the pilot oil passage 76b to drop and closing the check valve 76a in the second oil passage 65. Therefore, in both the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65, the return of the hydraulic oil from the hydraulic cylinder 24 side to the tank 60 side is blocked by the check valves 66a and 76a (path V).
[0080] At this time, because the second switching valve 68j is in a closed state, return of hydraulic oil from the first oil passage 64 and the second oil passage 65 to the tank 60 via the second switching valve 68j is also blocked (path W). That is, the tank 60 is isolated from the rod-side chamber 24a and the head-side chamber 24b by the check valves 66a, 76a of the operated check valves 66, 76, the second switching valve 68j in a closed state, and the like. This allows the hydraulic cylinder 24 to be maintained in a contracted state, making it easy to perform maintenance on the guide wheels 40a, 40b and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b, for example.
[0081] As described above, the vehicle 1 of this embodiment is configured to be able to select between running with the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b pressed against the road surface 100, and running with the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b following the road surface 100 due to the weight of the retaining member 30. Therefore, by making such a selection depending on the condition of the guide rail 101 (presence or absence of curves or unevenness), it is possible to both stably guide the vehicle 1 along the guide rail 101 and suppress deterioration of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b due to wear.
[0082] The present invention has been described above based on the above embodiment, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and it can be easily inferred that various modifications and improvements are possible within the scope of the present invention.
[0083] In the above embodiment, the vehicle 1 is described as a means of transportation for transporting passengers and cargo, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the vehicle 1 may be configured as a large transport vehicle or an unmanned transport vehicle that transports heavy cargo such as large steel materials or finished products within the premises of a factory or the like. In other words, the guide device 10 may be applied to such a transport vehicle or an unmanned transport vehicle.
[0084] In the above embodiment, the guide rail 101 is configured as a groove recessed into the road surface 100, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the technical concept of the vehicle 1 (guide device 10) in the above embodiment can be adopted for a rail-shaped guide rail that extends on the road surface, or a guide rail that has side walls at the left and right ends of the road surface. In either form of guide rail, by providing ground-contact wheels that contact the road surface, it is possible to prevent the guide wheels from contacting the bottom surface of the guide rail (road surface). In the case of a rail-shaped guide rail, the side surface of the rail corresponds to the "side wall" in claim 1.
[0085] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which eight guide wheels 40a, 40b and four ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are provided in one guide device 10, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and the numbers of guide wheels 40a, 40b and ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b can be set appropriately. Also, for example, a configuration in which a plurality of guide wheels 40a, 40b and ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are provided in a row along the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body 2 may be used.
[0086] In the above embodiment, a case has been described in which the axles 51 of the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are fixed to the holding member 30 so that they cannot swing, but this is not necessarily limited to this, and for example, the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b may be supported relative to the holding member 30 by a suspension (shock absorber).
[0087] In the above embodiment, as an example of the relative displacement of the holding member 30 with respect to the vehicle body 2, up and down movement by the connecting member 20 including the fixed portion 21 and the sliding portion 22 (telescopic mechanism) having a rectangular cylindrical shape was exemplified, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the fixed portion 21 and the sliding portion 22 may have other shapes, such as a cylindrical or hexagonal cylindrical shape, instead of a rectangular cylindrical shape, as long as the sliding portion 22 is at least configured to be displaceable relative to the fixed portion 21. Furthermore, the holding member 30 may be moved up and down by a swing arm, or may be configured to be supported by a suspension with respect to the vehicle body 2 (moving the holding member 30 up and down by a shock absorber). In other words, as long as the holding member 30 (the guide wheels 40a, 40b and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b) can be displaced up and down relative to the vehicle body 2, the configuration is not limited to the above embodiment.
[0088] In the above embodiment, a hydraulic cylinder 24 is given as an example of a driving means, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the connecting member 20 may be extended and retracted using an electric actuator, an air cylinder, or a ball screw type cylinder, or a configuration may be adopted in which the driving source is omitted (the holding member 30 is simply supported so that it can slide freely up and down).
[0089] In the above embodiment, the case where the first holding portion 32 is connected to the connecting member 20 via the first shaft 31 and the pair of second holding portions 34 are connected to the first holding portion 32 via the second shaft 33 has been described, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, it is of course possible to omit the first shaft 31 or increase or decrease the number of second shafts 33 in accordance with the number and arrangement of the guide wheels 40a, 40b.
[0090] In the above embodiment, the second holding portion 34 rotates relative to the first holding portion 32 around the second shaft 33. However, for example, a stopper may be provided to limit the range of rotation of the second holding portion 34 relative to the first holding portion 32. In this case, for example, a through hole (groove) formed with a predetermined length around the axis of the second shaft 33 may be provided in the first holding portion 32 (second holding portion 34), and a protrusion that fits into the through hole (groove) may be provided in the second holding portion 34 (first holding portion 32). This makes it possible to prevent the second holding portion 34 from rotating excessively relative to the first holding portion 32 when the guide wheels 40a, 40b and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b are stored on the vehicle body 2 side.
[0091] In the above embodiment, the hydraulic cylinder 24 is configured as a double-acting hydraulic cylinder, but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, the hydraulic cylinder 24 may be configured as a single-acting hydraulic cylinder. In this case, the guide wheels 40a, 40b and the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b can be stored on the vehicle body 2 side by supplying hydraulic oil only to the rod-side chamber 24a of the hydraulic cylinder 24. Furthermore, by releasing the internal pressure of the rod-side chamber 24a from this state (connecting the rod-side chamber 24a to the tank 60), the weight of the holding member 30 can cause the ground-contacting wheels 50a, 50b to follow the road surface 100.
[0092] In the above embodiment, the equalizer 234c is provided to extend in the front-rear direction from the shaft 234b, and the ground-contacting wheels 50b are journaled at the front and rear portions of the equalizer 234c (the shaft 234b and the axles 51 are at approximately the same height), but this is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a configuration is also possible in which the equalizer 234c is provided to extend forward and downward and rearward from the shaft 234b, and the ground-contacting wheels 50b are journaled at the front and rear portions of the equalizer 234c (the shaft 234b and the axles 51 are at different heights). In other words, as long as a pair of ground-contacting wheels 50b provided forward and rearward of the shaft 234b are rotatably supported by the equalizer 234c, the shape of the equalizer 234c and the arrangement of the axles 51 of the ground-contacting wheels 50b (the positions of the ground-contacting wheels 50b in the front-rear direction and the up-down direction) can be set appropriately. [Explanation of symbols]
[0093] 1 vehicle (guide rail vehicle) 2. Body 3 Running wheels 10 Guide device 20 Connecting member 24 hydraulic cylinders 24a Rod Concubine 24b Head Concubine 30 Retaining member 234b axis 234c equalizer 40a, 40b Guide wheels 50a,50b ground wheel 64 No. 1 oil road 65 2nd oilway 69 Communication oil passage 69a On-off valve 70 Pressure Accumulator 101 Guide rail 101b side wall
Claims
1. The vehicle comprises a car body, a plurality of running wheels that support the car body and allow the car body to travel, and a guide device that guides the car body along a guide rail formed on a road surface, a guide rail type vehicle, characterized in that the guide device comprises: a guide wheel that rolls on the side wall of the guide rail; a ground-contacting wheel that is located laterally outboard of the guide wheel and rolls on the road surface; a holding member that holds the guide wheel and the ground-contacting wheel; a double-acting hydraulic cylinder that serves as a drive means that connects the holding member and the vehicle body; a first oil passage that supplies hydraulic oil to the rod side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a second oil passage that supplies the hydraulic oil to the head side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a communicating oil passage that connects the second oil passage and the first oil passage; and an on-off valve that opens and closes the communication state of the communicating oil passage.
2. A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body; a plurality of running wheels that support the vehicle body and allow the vehicle body to travel; and a guide device that guides the vehicle body along a guide rail formed on the road surface; the guide device includes guide wheels that roll on the side walls of the guide rail, ground-contacting wheels that are provided laterally outboard of the guide wheels and roll on the road surface, a holding member that holds the guide wheels and the ground-contacting wheels, and a connecting member that connects the holding member to the car body, The guide rail vehicle, wherein the connecting member displaces the holding member in a direction away from the car body and a direction toward the car body in the up-down direction of the car body.
3. 3. The guide rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the ground-contacting wheels are arranged laterally inward of the running wheels.
4. the guide device includes a shaft extending in the left-right direction and an equalizer supported so as to be rotatable about the shaft; 4. A guide rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a pair of said ground-contacting wheels provided on the front and rear sides of said shaft are supported by said equalizer.
5. 2. The guide rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the guide device includes a pressure accumulator disposed in the second oil passage closer to the hydraulic cylinder than the communication oil passage.
6. 6. A guide rail vehicle according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the ground-contacting wheels are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body.
7. A guide device used in a guide rail vehicle that includes a car body and a plurality of running wheels that support the car body and allow the car body to travel, the guide device guiding the travel of the car body along a guide rail formed on a road surface, a guide device comprising: a guide wheel that rolls on the side wall of the guide rail; a ground-contacting wheel that is located laterally outboard of the guide wheel and rolls on the road surface; a holding member that holds the guide wheel and the ground-contacting wheel; a double-acting hydraulic cylinder that serves as a drive means that connects the holding member and the car body; a first oil passage that supplies hydraulic oil to the rod side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a second oil passage that supplies the hydraulic oil to the head side chamber of the hydraulic cylinder; a communicating oil passage that connects the second oil passage and the first oil passage; and an on-off valve that opens and closes the communication state of the communicating oil passage.
8. A guide device used in a guide rail vehicle having a car body and a plurality of running wheels that support the car body and allow the car body to travel, the guide device guiding the travel of the car body along a guide rail formed on the road surface, a guide wheel that rolls on a side wall of the guide rail; a ground-contact wheel that is provided laterally outward of the guide wheel and rolls on the road surface; a holding member that holds the guide wheel and the ground-contact wheel; and a connecting member that connects the holding member to the car body, The guide device, wherein the connecting member displaces the holding member in a direction away from the vehicle body and a direction toward the vehicle body in the up-down direction of the vehicle body.
Citation Information
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