Mobile agency

Abstract

To achieve a suspension function while preferably loading an object to be loaded.SOLUTION: A vehicle body 11 of a welding robot 10 includes: a main frame 12 supported by three first wheels 161 arranged in an XY plain; and a subframe 13 supported by one second wheel 162 and connected with the main frame 12 so as to be swingable in a direction crossing the XY plain. As a result, with respect to any curved surface, these four wheels 16 can be grounded preferably by passively swinging the second wheel 162 supporting the subframe 13 while grounding the three first wheels 161 supporting the main frame 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a movement mechanism. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, there has been known a working robot that is remotely controlled by an operator to move over rough ground or the like and perform work such as welding (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this type of work robot, the vehicle body (movement mechanism) on which work tools such as welding equipment are mounted may employ a vehicle body structure called rocker suspension, which allows the robot to travel by touching down on any curved surface.

[0003] The rocker suspension mechanism is a vehicle structure in which the body is divided into left and right halves that can rock against each other (see Figure 3). Unlike elastic suspensions that use springs and dampers, no elastic deformation occurs, and the position and posture of each wheel and body are determined geometrically. When an elastic suspension is used, the suspension is deformed by gravity and inertial forces acting on the vehicle body, which not only changes the position of the work tool mounted on the vehicle body but also causes vibrations in the vehicle body. In this regard, the rocker suspension mechanism suppresses changes in the vehicle body position and vibrations that occur with elastic suspensions, and is therefore suitable for use in work machines that require high precision positioning of work tools, such as welding machines. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2021 / 247275 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, if the vehicle body (frame) is simply divided into two parts and connected to each other so that they can swing, it becomes necessary to divide the loads to fit the frames, which effectively limits the amount and size of the loads that can be loaded. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide a vehicle that can perform suspension functions while suitably mounting an object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The moving mechanism according to the present invention comprises: a first frame supported by three first wheels arranged in a plane; a second frame supported by one second wheel and connected to the first frame so as to be swingable in a direction intersecting the plane; Equipped with 、 the first frame has a larger mounting area than the second frame; The first frame and the second frame are configured as rectangular plates as a whole, The second frame constitutes a corner of the entire first frame and the second frame. The composition was as follows. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to preferably mount an object while exhibiting a suspension function. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a welding vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a perspective view, respectively, of a vehicle body according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are a plan view and a perspective view, respectively, of a vehicle body equipped with a conventional rocker suspension mechanism. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the vehicle body according to the embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a wheel according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0010] [Welding vehicle configuration] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a welding vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. As shown in this figure, a welding vehicle 10 is a welding robot that moves in the direction of arrow α over horizontally placed iron plate materials (steel plates) 20, welding workpieces to be welded, i.e., plate materials 20 together. The welding vehicle 10 is not particularly limited, but for example, is remotely controlled by a worker (operator) to perform welding work. In the following description, the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z directions are set as shown in the drawings. As an example, the XY plane is horizontal, and the Z direction is vertical. The movement direction (α direction) of the welding vehicle 10 is the -Y direction. However, the movement direction of the welding vehicle 10 is not limited to the -Y direction, and may be, for example, the opposite direction (+Y direction).

[0011] The welding vehicle 10 of this embodiment performs V-groove butt welding by arc welding on two plate materials 20. That is, the welding vehicle 10 welds the plate materials 20 together by filling a V-groove 21 formed between the two plate materials (steel plates) 20 with a wire (filler metal: not shown) melted by a torch 34 described below.

[0012] Specifically, the welding vehicle 10 includes a vehicle body 11 and a welding device 30 mounted on the vehicle body 11 .

[0013] The welding device 30 is mounted on a main frame 12 (to be described later) of the vehicle body 11. The welding device 30 includes a torch (welding torch) 34 and a displacement mechanism 35 that supports the torch 34 so that it can be displaced. The torch 34 is a working part (working tool) that performs welding work on the plate materials 20. The torch 34 of this embodiment is configured to perform arc welding by arc discharge. By this arc welding, the plate materials 20 can be easily and firmly welded together.

[0014] The displacement mechanism 35 includes a first movement mechanism 351, a second movement mechanism 352, a third movement mechanism 353, and a rotation mechanism (angle adjustment mechanism) 354. The first moving mechanism 351 is a mechanism that moves the torch 34 relative to the vehicle body 11 in a direction parallel to the direction of the arrow α (Y direction).

[0015] A second moving mechanism 352 is connected to the first moving mechanism 351. The second moving mechanism 352 is a mechanism that moves the torch 34 relative to the vehicle body 11 in a direction (X direction) perpendicular to the direction of the arrow α. A third movement mechanism 353 is connected to the second movement mechanism 352. The third movement mechanism 353 is a mechanism that moves the torch 34 relative to the car body 11 in the vertical direction (Z direction).

[0016] A rotation mechanism 354 is connected to the third movement mechanism 353. The rotation mechanism 354 is connected to the torch 34 via a connecting portion 355. The rotation mechanism 354 is a mechanism that rotates the torch 34 around a horizontal axis relative to the vehicle body 11. The displacement mechanism 35 configured in this way makes it possible to appropriately change the position and attitude of the torch 34 relative to the joint between the plate materials 20, making it possible to easily perform welding.

[0017] 2(a) and 2(b) are a plan view and a perspective view of the vehicle body 11. FIG. As shown in these figures, the vehicle body 11 is an example of a moving mechanism according to the present invention, and has a main frame (first frame) 12, a sub-frame (second frame) 13, and four wheels 16 that support these frames.

[0018] The main frame 12 has a larger mounting area (area on which an article can be mounted) than the sub-frame 13, and is equipped with the welding device 30. The main frame 12 is a flat plate orthogonal to the Z direction, and is formed into a substantially rectangular plate shape with one corner cut out. More specifically, the main frame 12 has four sides along the X direction and the Y direction in plan view, and is formed so that the end on the positive X direction side and the positive Y direction side is cut out. The main frame 12 is supported by three first wheels 161 of the four wheels 16. The three first wheels 161 are arranged in three parts of the main frame 12 where the corners (ends) are not cut out. In other words, the first wheels 161 are arranged in three parts of the main frame 12: a part on the negative side in the X direction and on both sides in the Y direction, and a part on the positive side in the X direction and on the negative side in the Y direction, and these three first wheels 161 are arranged in the same plane (in the XY plane in this embodiment).

[0019] The sub-frame 13 is formed in a rectangular plate shape corresponding to the cut-out corner of the main frame 12 and is arranged at the corner, and together with the main frame 12 forms a large rectangular plate shape. The subframe 13 is supported by one second wheel 162 of the four wheels 16 .

[0020] The main frame 12 and the sub-frame 13 are connected by two hinges 14 arranged side by side in the X direction. Each hinge 14 has a rotation axis 14a along the X direction. In other words, the sub-frame 13 is connected to the main frame 12 so as to be swingable in a direction perpendicular to the XY plane (i.e., the Z direction). This allows the three first wheels 161 supporting the main frame 12 to be grounded on any curved surface, while the second wheels 162 supporting the sub-frame 13 can be passively swung to be grounded on the surface.

[0021] Each wheel 16 (wheel body) is formed in a spherical shape (spherical shell shape) and is rotatably supported by a rotation support part 17 provided at the X-direction end of the main frame 12 or the sub-frame 13. A drive part 18 that rotates and drives each wheel 16 is fixed to the outside of each rotation support part 17 (see FIGS. 1 and 5; not shown in FIGS. 2 to 4). The drive part 18 is formed, for example, by a gear motor (geared motor) and is connected to the wheel 16. The drive part 18 is operated to rotate the wheel 16. This rotation allows the welding vehicle 10 to travel on, for example, the upper surface (front surface) of a plate material 20 as a travel surface.

[0022] Each wheel 16 also has a built-in electromagnet 19 (magnetic force generating means). The electromagnet 19 is configured so that its magnetic pole direction (direction of attraction force generation) can be changed independently of the rotation of the wheel 16 (outer shell) for movement. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 , the electromagnet 19 is fixed via a holder 192 to a magnet drive shaft 191 disposed along the central axis Ax of the wheel 16. The magnet drive shaft 191 is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the wheel 16, and is connected to a magnet drive motor 193 on the outside of the wheel 16. On the opposite side of the wheel 16 from the magnet drive motor 193, a drive unit 18 is connected to the wheel 16 so as to rotate the wheel 16 around the central axis Ax. With this configuration, the attractive force of the electromagnet 19 can be applied in a direction independent of the rotation of the wheel 16. That is, such electromagnet 19 generates a magnetic force (attraction force) in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface of the wheel 16, thereby providing traction for running. Furthermore, the wheel 16 can be attracted to a metal wall surface and run on the wall surface. Note that the magnetic force generating means built into each wheel 16 is not limited to an electromagnet as long as the magnetic pole direction can be changed, and may be, for example, a permanent magnet.

[0023] [Technical effect of this embodiment] As described above, according to this embodiment, the subframe 13 supported by one second wheel 162 is connected to the mainframe 12 supported by three first wheels 161 arranged in the XY plane so as to be swingable in the Z direction perpendicular to the XY plane. This allows the three first wheels 161 supporting the main frame 12 to be placed in contact with any curved surface, while the second wheels 162 supporting the subframe 13 are passively swung, allowing these four wheels 16 to be placed in contact with the surface in an appropriate manner. 3(a) and 3(b), the vehicle body structure is such that the frame is simply divided into two parts and connected by a connecting shaft so that each part is supported by two wheels, and while the two frames can swing relative to each other around the connecting shaft to bring all four wheels into contact with the ground, the mounted items must also be divided according to the frames, which effectively limits the amount and size of the mounted items. In this regard, in this embodiment, the main frame 12 is supported by three wheels 16, and the sub-frame 13 is supported by one wheel 16, so a larger mounting area can be secured on the main frame 12 compared to the above-mentioned conventional vehicle body structure. Therefore, the load can be mounted in an appropriate manner, and the suspension function (the function of keeping the wheels 16 in contact with the ground) can be performed in an appropriate manner.

[0024] [others] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the mounting area may be further increased by providing an auxiliary top plate 15, which has a larger mounting area than the main frame 12, on the main frame 12. This auxiliary top plate 15 is supported on the main frame 12 by a plurality of supports 151 erected on the main frame 12, at a height that does not interfere with the swing range of the subframe 13. This allows the mounting area to be increased without interfering with the swing of the subframe 13.

[0025] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the subframe 13 is connected to the main frame 12 by the hinge 14 so as to be swingable (rotatable). However, the subframe 13 only needs to be connected to the main frame 12 so as to be swingable (movable) in a direction intersecting the plane on which the three first wheels 161 are arranged (the XY plane in the above embodiment). For example, the subframe 13 may be connected to the main frame 12 via a linear guide that is movable along the Z direction.

[0026] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the arrangement and number of the main frame 12 and the sub-frames 13. For example, multiple sub-frames 13 may be individually connected to the main frame 12, or multiple sub-frames 13 may be connected in series (in a centipede shape) to the main frame 12. This allows for increased traction by the amount of the second wheels 162 of the additional sub-frames 13.

[0027] Furthermore, the arrangement of the three first wheels 161 supporting the main frame 12 is not particularly limited as long as they are arranged in a plane (planar). The arrangement (position) of the one second wheel 162 relative to the three first wheels 161 is also not particularly limited. The number of first wheels 161 supporting the main frame 12 may be at least three, and may be four or more. The number of second wheels 162 supporting the sub-frame 13 is not particularly limited either.

[0028] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the spherical wheels 16 are attached to the ground (wall surface) by magnetic force, but the shape of the wheels 16 and the type of adhesive force are not particularly limited. For example, the shape and structure of the wheels 16 may be barrel-shaped or may be a general rubber tire, or the wheels 16 may be attached to a surface by adhesive force on the surface. Furthermore, the wheels 16 may be any type that can move the vehicle body 11 by touching the ground, and do not need to have adhesive force.

[0029] In the above embodiment, the vehicle body 11 is equipped with the welding device 30. However, the work tool equipped on the moving mechanism according to the present invention is not limited to welding-related tools such as welding torches, and may be, for example, a paint spray gun, a polishing grinder, a gas / air plasma cutting torch, inspection equipment / sensors such as a camera, a general-purpose robot arm, or the like. In addition, the details shown in the above embodiment can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 10 Welding Vehicle 11 Body 12 Main Frame (1st Frame) 13 Subframe (2nd frame) 14 hinges 14a Rotating shaft 15 Auxiliary top plate (auxiliary mounting member) 151 Support part 16 wheels 161 1st wheel 162 2nd wheel 19 Electromagnet (means for generating magnetic force) 30 Welding equipment

Claims

1. a first frame supported by three first wheels arranged in a plane; a second frame supported by one second wheel and connected to the first frame so as to be swingable in a direction intersecting the plane; Equipped with the first frame has a larger mounting area than the second frame; The first frame and the second frame are configured as rectangular plates as a whole, the second frame constitutes a corner of the entire first frame and the entire second frame; Moving mechanism.

2. the first frame and the second frame are connected by a hinge having a rotation axis along the plane; The movement mechanism according to claim 1 .

3. an auxiliary mounting member supported on the first frame and having a larger mounting area than the first frame; The movement mechanism according to claim 1 or 2.

4. Each of the first wheel and the second wheel is formed in a spherical shape. The movement mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. Each of the first wheel and the second wheel has built-in magnetic force generating means capable of changing the magnetic pole direction. The movement mechanism according to claim 4 .

Images