Conveying device

Abstract

To provide a conveying device which reduces frequency for replacing a wheel.SOLUTION: A conveying device 1 includes: a carriage 11 for conveying a vehicle or the like; and a robot section 12 which tows the carriage 11. The conveyance device further includes: a first wheel group which is provided in a lower section of the carriage 11 and has a plurality of wheels arranged by one shaft; a second wheel group which is provided in the lower section of the carriage and has a plurality of wheels arranged by one shaft; a first rotary shaft 32 which rotatably supports the first wheel group with respect to the carriage 11 by defining a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the wheels arranged in the first wheel group as an axial direction; and a second rotary shaft 34 which rotatably supports the second wheel group with respect to the carriage 11 by defining a direction orthogonal to an axial direction of the wheels arranged in the second wheel group as an axial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, the use of multi-axis transport vehicles that operate without a driver has been promoted. In such multi-axis transport vehicles, wheel groups are arranged at a plurality of locations on the lower part of the vehicle body, and a plurality of wheels are arranged in a state where each wheel group is fixed with a single axle.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a method of preventing uneven wheel loading by making the height of the wheels variable using a suspension or by controlling the height of the wheels using a load sensor.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] For example, in a multi-axis transport vehicle, when performing normal driving, each of the plurality of wheels in each wheel group contacts the ground, and the load is dispersed to each wheel. However, when only one of the plurality of wheels rides up on a step or the like, only the one wheel that has ridden up is in a state of contacting the ground. At this time, an uneven load is generated on the wheel that has ridden up. Thus, when an uneven load is generated on a specific wheel, the wheel wears out, so the frequency of wheel replacement increases, and there is a problem that the cost increases.

[0006] Further, in the method of preventing uneven wheel loading disclosed in Patent Document 1, since the device becomes large-scale, there is a problem that the cost increases.

[0007] This disclosure provides a conveying device that reduces the frequency of wheel replacement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The transport device according to this disclosure comprises a transport trolley for transporting vehicles and the like, and a robot unit for towing the transport trolley, and includes: a first wheel group provided at the lower part of the transport trolley and having a plurality of wheels arranged on a single axle; a second wheel group provided at the lower part of the transport trolley and having a plurality of wheels arranged on a single axle; a first rotation axis that rotatably supports the first wheel group with respect to the transport trolley, with its axial direction being perpendicular to the axial direction of the wheels arranged in the first wheel group; and a second rotation axis that rotatably supports the second wheel group with respect to the transport trolley, with its axial direction being perpendicular to the axial direction of the wheels arranged in the second wheel group. This reduces the load on the wheels when uneven weight distribution is applied to them. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] This disclosure provides a conveying device that reduces the frequency of wheel replacement. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a side view showing an example of the configuration of a conveying device. [Figure 2] This is a top view showing an example of the configuration of the grounding section. [Figure 3] This is a rear view of the contact area showing an example of a situation where one wheel has driven over a step. [Figure 4] This is a rear view of the contact area showing an example of a situation where two wheels are mounted on a step. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] Embodiment 1 Figure 1 is a side view showing an example of the configuration of the transport device 1. The transport device 1 comprises a transport trolley 11 and a robot unit 12 that tows the transport trolley 11.

[0012] The robot unit 12 is located on the front side of the transport device 1. For example, the robot unit 12 is equipped with a power source (not shown), a control unit (not shown), and a plurality of wheels 12a that serve as drive wheels. Here, the configuration of the transport device 1 is described as one in which the robot unit 12 generates a driving force to rotate the wheels 12a, thereby moving forward while towing the transport trolley 11 on a road free of steps or obstacles. That is, the direction of travel of the transport device 1 when moving in a straight line is described as the forward direction, and the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and horizontal is described as the left-right direction.

[0013] The transport trolley 11 is long in the front-to-back direction and has a plate surface that is shorter in the left-to-right direction than in the front-to-back direction. As shown in Figure 1, a ground contact area 21 is provided at the lower part near the rear of the transport trolley 11. The transport trolley 11 is connected to the robot unit 12 at the rear on its front side and is supported on the ground at the lower part near the rear via wheels provided on the ground contact area 21, which will be described later. As a result, the transport trolley 11 moves by being towed by the robot unit 12 in accordance with the driving force generated by the robot unit 12.

[0014] The ground contact portion 21 is a movable part that is rotatably connected to the lower part of the transport trolley 11 at its front and makes contact with the ground at its rear. Figure 2 is an example of a diagram showing the configuration of the ground contact portion 21 from a top view (view A in Figure 1).

[0015] Note that in Figure 2, the transport trolley 11 is omitted to make the configuration of the ground contact section 21 easier to see. Furthermore, in Figure 2, some of the markings on the first bracket 31 are omitted to make an example of the state of the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312, which are mounted on the bracket described later, easier to see.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, the grounding part 21 includes a first bracket 31 where a plurality of wheels are arranged, a first rotating shaft 32 connected to the first bracket 31, a second bracket 33 where a plurality of wheels are arranged, a second rotating shaft 34 connected to the second bracket 33, a third bracket 35 to which the first rotating shaft 32 and the second rotating shaft 34 are connected, a third rotating shaft 36 connected to the third bracket 35, an air spring (not shown), an air spring fixing part 37 to which the air spring is fixed, and an air spring fixing part shaft 38 provided between the air spring fixing part 37 and the carrier cart 11.

[0017] A first wheel group in which a plurality of wheels are arranged on one axis is arranged on the first bracket 31. Here, the first wheel group is assumed to have a first wheel 311 and a second wheel 312. In other words, the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 are driven wheels that rotate around one bracket inner shaft part provided in the left - right direction on the first bracket 31 respectively. Here, the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 are arranged side by side in the left - right direction and rotate about the left - right direction as an axis.

[0018] Note that the axial direction of the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 is changed according to the rotation of the first bracket 31 when the first bracket 31 rotates around the first rotating shaft 32. In this case, typically, the state where the axial direction of the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 is substantially in the left - right direction in top view is maintained.

[0019] The first rotating shaft 32 is a rotating shaft whose one end is connected to the first bracket 31. Here, it is assumed that the rear end of the first rotating shaft 32 is connected to the front end of the first bracket 31 and the center in the left - right direction. That is, by rotating the first rotating shaft 32 around its axis, the first bracket 31 rotates, and thus the first wheel group rotates.

[0020] Specifically, the first rotating shaft 32 is rotatably supported with respect to the transport cart 11 with the axial direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the first wheel group including the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 provided on the first bracket 31. That is, the first rotating shaft 32 is arranged to extend in the front-rear direction in a top view. Also, as will be described later, when the air spring fixing portion 37 operates around the air spring fixing portion shaft 38 and the front side is upward and the rear side is downward, the first rotating shaft 32 is provided to be parallel to this angle.

[0021] As an example, assume that the transport cart 11 is in a horizontal front-rear and left-right plate shape and is at an angle of 30° from the horizontal such that the front side of the air spring fixing portion 37 is upward and the rear side is downward. In this case, the direction in which the shaft extends in the first rotating shaft 32 can be such that the front side is upward, the rear side is downward, and the angle is 30° from the horizontal.

[0022] The second bracket 33 is provided with a second wheel group in which a plurality of wheels are arranged on one axis. Here, the second wheel group is assumed to include a third wheel 331 and a fourth wheel 332. In other words, the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332 are driven wheels that rotate around one bracket inner shaft portion provided in the left-right direction in the second bracket 33, respectively. Here, the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction and rotate about the left-right direction as an axis.

[0023] The second rotating shaft 34 is a rotating shaft having one end connected to the second bracket 33. Here, assume that the rear end portion of the second rotating shaft 34 is connected to the front end portion of the second bracket 33 and the center in the left-right direction. That is, by rotating the second rotating shaft 34 around its axis, the second bracket 33 rotates, and thus the second wheel group rotates.

[0024] The second rotation axis 34 is rotatably supported relative to the transport trolley 11, with its axial direction being perpendicular to the axial direction of the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332 of the second wheel group provided on the second bracket 33. That is, the second rotation axis 34 is arranged to extend in the front-rear direction when viewed from above. Typically, the second rotation axis 34 is also positioned, similar to the first rotation axis 32, such that the angle of the air spring fixing part axis 38 relative to the air spring fixing part 37 is parallel to this angle when the front side is upward and the rear side is downward.

[0025] Here, as shown in Figure 2, the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33 are assumed to be aligned in the front-rear direction. That is, when the transport vehicle is performing normal forward travel, the first wheel 311, the second wheel 312, the third wheel 331, and the fourth wheel 332 are assumed to be aligned in a straight line in the left-right direction.

[0026] The third bracket 35 is connected to the other end of the first rotating shaft 32 and the other end of the second rotating shaft 34. More specifically, the rear end of the third bracket 35 is connected to the front end of the first rotating shaft 32 and the front end of the second rotating shaft 34.

[0027] The third rotating shaft 36 is a rotating shaft with one end connected to the third bracket 35. Here, the rear end of the third rotating shaft 36 is connected to the front end of the third bracket 35. The front end of the third rotating shaft 36 is connected to the rear end of the air spring fixing part 37.

[0028] Here, the axial direction of the third rotation axis 36 is parallel to the axial directions of the first rotation axis 32 and the second rotation axis 34, respectively.

[0029] In other words, the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33 perform a first stage of rotation, causing the multiple wheels mounted on their respective brackets to rotate around the axes of the first and second rotation axes 32 and 34, respectively. Meanwhile, the third bracket 35 performs a second stage of rotation, causing the first and second brackets 31 and 33 to rotate together.

[0030] In other words, with respect to the wheels provided on the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33, the third bracket 35 can perform rotation at a higher level, while the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33 can perform rotation at a lower level closer to the individual wheels.

[0031] The air spring fixing part 37 is a container-shaped structure that can house the air spring. Typically, the lower surface of the air spring is fixed to the air spring fixing part 37, and the upper surface of the air spring is fixed to the lower surface of the transport trolley 11.

[0032] In this context, an air spring is a spring device that utilizes the elasticity of compressed air. Specifically, the air spring can adjust the distance between the lower surface of the transport trolley 11 and the rear end of the contact portion 21 in the vertical direction, depending on the amount of air enclosed within it.

[0033] In other words, the vertical positions of the first wheel 311, the second wheel 312, the third wheel 331, and the fourth wheel 332 can be adjusted by the amount of air sealed in the air spring.

[0034] The air spring fixing shaft 38 is a shaft provided between the air spring fixing part 37 and the lower surface of the transport trolley 11, with the axis in the left-right direction. The front end of the air spring fixing part 37 is connected to the air spring fixing shaft 38. Therefore, the air spring fixing part 37 rotates around the air spring fixing shaft 38 in accordance with the amount of air sealed in the air spring.

[0035] As a result, the angle of the contact point 21 relative to the transport trolley 11 is changed according to the amount of air sealed in the air spring.

[0036] Next, we will explain the case where there is a step in the road and the transport device 1 rides up onto the step. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the contact state of each wheel provided on the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33 from a rear view of the contact portion 21 (viewpoint B in Figure 1).

[0037] In Figure 3, the first wheel 311 mounted on the first bracket 31 is shown to have climbed onto the step, while the other wheels are not.

[0038] In this case, the first bracket 31 can be rotated around the first rotation axis 32 to adjust the position and angle of the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312. That is, in the conveying device 1, the first wheel 311 can be grounded with the step raised, while the second wheel 312 can be grounded without the step raised.

[0039] On the other hand, the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332, which are positioned far from the step, remain in contact with the ground, with the second bracket 33 hardly rotating around the second rotation axis 34.

[0040] As a result, each wheel is in contact with the ground, and the floating mechanism allows the wheels that are not on the step to be brought into contact with the ground, thereby suppressing uneven wear on the wheels that have gone over the step.

[0041] Although it has been explained that the position and angle of the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 are adjusted by the rotation of the first bracket 31, the position and angle of the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 can also be adjusted by both the rotation of the third bracket 35 and the rotation of the first bracket 31.

[0042] In this case, the position and angle of the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332 may be affected by the rotation of the third bracket 35. In this case, the position and angle of the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332 can be adjusted by the rotation of the second bracket 33.

[0043] For example, Figure 4 shows another example of the ground contact state of each wheel provided on the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33, viewed from the rear of the ground contact portion 21. In Figure 4, the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 provided on the first bracket 31 are mounted on the step, while the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332 provided on the second bracket 33 are not mounted on the step.

[0044] In this case, the position and angle of the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 can be adjusted by the rotation of the third bracket 35 around the third rotation axis 36. In this case, the angle of the first bracket 31 around the first rotation axis 32 and the angle of the second bracket 33 around the second rotation axis 34 can be adjusted simultaneously.

[0045] As a result, in the transport device 1, the first wheel 311 and the second wheel 312 can be grounded while riding on the step, while the third wheel 331 and the fourth wheel 332 can be grounded without riding on the step.

[0046] In this way, the conveying device 1 can be configured in two stages, with the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33 as the first stage and the third bracket 35 as the second stage. As a result, the conveying device 1 can suppress the wheels from becoming airborne in various situations where uneven loads may occur on the wheels, such as when the wheels ride up onto an obstacle on the road, and maintain a state in which multiple wheels are in contact with the ground.

[0047] Therefore, the conveying device 1 can reduce uneven wear on the wheels and decrease the frequency of needing to replace the wheels, thereby reducing costs.

[0048] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. In other words, the above description has been omitted and simplified as appropriate for the sake of clarity, and those skilled in the art can easily change, add, and modify each element of the embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0049] For example, in the above description, the conveying device 1 was described as having two wheels on each bracket, but the number of wheels is not limited to two, and the number of wheels provided on each bracket can be changed.

[0050] Furthermore, although the conveying device 1 was described above as having a two-stage configuration with the first bracket 31 and the second bracket 33 as the first stage and the third bracket 35 as the second stage, when using a larger number of wheels, a larger number of brackets can be provided, and the number of stages of the rotating shaft can be configured as a multi-stage configuration such as a three-stage or four-stage configuration.

[0051] Furthermore, although Figure 1 shows that one ground contact point 21 is provided for one transport trolley 11, it is also possible to configure the system to provide multiple ground contact points 21 for one transport trolley 11. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1. Conveying device 11 Transport cart 12 Robotics Club 12a wheels 21 Grounding part 31 First bracket 32 First axis of rotation 33 Second bracket 34 Second axis of rotation 35 Third bracket 36 Third axis of rotation 37 Air spring fixing part 38 Air spring fixing shaft 311 The First Wheel 312 The Second Wheel 331 The Third Wheel 332 The Fourth Wheel

Claims

1. A transport device comprising a transport trolley for transporting vehicles and the like, and a robot unit for towing the transport trolley, A first wheel group is provided at the lower part of the transport trolley, with multiple wheels arranged on a single axle, A second group of wheels is provided at the lower part of the transport trolley, with multiple wheels arranged on a single axle, A first rotation axis that rotatably supports the first wheel group relative to the transport trolley, with the axis direction being perpendicular to the axial direction of the wheels arranged in the first wheel group, The system comprises a second rotating shaft that rotatably supports the second wheel group relative to the transport trolley, with the axial direction being perpendicular to the axial direction of the wheels arranged in the second wheel group, The aforementioned first group of wheels is It has a first wheel, a second wheel, and a first bracket on which an internal shaft portion of the bracket supporting the first wheel and the second wheel is provided. The second group of wheels is, It has a third wheel, a fourth wheel, and a second bracket on which an inner shaft portion of the bracket supporting the third wheel and the fourth wheel is provided. One end of the first rotating shaft is connected to the first bracket, One end of the second rotating shaft is connected to the second bracket, The first bracket rotates the first group of wheels around the axis in accordance with the rotation of the first rotation axis. The second bracket rotates the second group of wheels around its axis in accordance with the rotation of the second rotation axis. A third bracket to which the other end of the first rotating shaft and the other end of the second rotating shaft are connected, The system comprises a third rotation axis which is arranged parallel to the first and second rotation axes in its axial direction and which rotatably supports the third bracket, The third bracket can change the position of the first bracket and the position of the second bracket by rotating it around the axis of the third rotation shaft. An air spring that adjusts the position of each of the aforementioned wheels, The system comprises the transport trolley and an air spring fixing part disposed between the transport trolley and the third bracket, and on which the air spring is provided. The aforementioned air spring fixing part is, It is rotatably positioned at the front end relative to the transport trolley, and rotates according to the degree to which air is inserted into the air spring, At the rear end, the other end of the third rotation shaft is connected in a manner that allows it to rotate around the axis. Conveying device.

2. The transport trolley has a plate surface that is long in the front-to-back direction, which is parallel to the direction of travel when traveling in a straight line, and has a width in the left-to-right direction that is shorter than the front-to-back direction. The axial directions of the multiple wheels provided in the first wheel group, the axial directions of the multiple wheels provided in the second wheel group, and the axial direction when the front end of the air spring fixing part rotates relative to the transport trolley are, in each case, the left-right direction. The axial directions of the first rotation axis, the second rotation axis, and the third rotation axis are the front-to-back directions when viewed from above. The conveying device according to claim 1.

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