Charging system for unmanned vehicles

Abstract

To provide a charging system of an unmanned traveling object that is capable of removing an oxide film of a terminal used for charging at the time of charging without having a mechanism for removing the oxide film of the terminal used for charging.SOLUTION: A charging system 10 of an unmanned traveling object comprises the unmanned traveling object capable of traveling in all directions and a charging device 12 capable of charging a battery 17 in which the unmanned traveling object includes a terminal 18 for charging and the charging device 12 includes a charging terminal 45. The unmanned traveling object includes a traveling motor 16 that drives a drive wheel and a controller that controls the traveling motor 16. The controller controls the traveling motor 16 such that the terminal 18 for charging is brought into contact with the charging terminal 45. After the terminal 18 for charging is brought into contact with the charging terminal 45, the controller controls the traveling motor 16 such that the unmanned traveling object travels in a direction such that the terminal 18 for charging and the charging terminal 45 are slid in contact with each other. The controller starts charging in a state where the terminal 18 for charging is in contact with the charging terminal 45.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] This invention relates to a charging system for an unmanned vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] As a prior art related to a charging system for an unmanned vehicle, for example, a charging station for a robot disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. The charging station disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a base having an upper surface on which wheels ride, and a power supply terminal connected to a charging terminal of the robot. On the upper surface of the base, a target position is set in the inner region, while a reference entry line connecting a specific position on the entrance side and the target position is set, and it includes an inclined surface having a three-dimensional curved surface shape that gives a gravitational component toward the reference entry line side to the incoming wheels. The power supply terminal is connected to the charging terminal when the wheels reach the target position.

[0003] In the charging station for a robot, a pair of charging terminals project to the left and right of the robot. And in the charging space of the charging unit, a pair of power supply terminals are arranged. The power supply terminal is provided with a mechanism that is pushed obliquely downward along the axis by being pressed by the charging terminal and rotates around the axis. Therefore, after the charging terminal of the robot starts to contact the power supply terminal of the charging station for the robot, until the connection between the two is completed, the charging terminal rotates and slides with respect to the connection surface of the power supply terminal. Thereby, the oxide film and dirt attached to the tip surface of the power supply terminal are scraped off.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the robot charging station disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a mechanism that allows the power supply terminal to move back and forth along an axis and to rotate around that axis. In other words, there is a problem that a mechanism for removing the oxide film from the terminal used for charging must be provided on at least one of the charging terminals of the charging device and the charging terminals of the unmanned vehicle. In particular, the mechanism for making the terminal used for charging move back and forth and rotate cannot be avoided, and the design freedom of the terminal is greatly restricted.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and the object of the present invention is to provide a charging system for an unmanned vehicle that enables the removal of the oxide film on the terminals used for charging during charging, without requiring a mechanism for removing the oxide film on the terminals used for charging. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a charging system for an unmanned vehicle comprising: an unmanned vehicle capable of traveling in all directions using battery power; and a charging device that enables charging of the battery, wherein the unmanned vehicle is equipped with a charging terminal for charging the battery, and the charging device is equipped with a charging terminal that enables charging of the battery through the charging terminal, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises: a plurality of drive wheels; a driving motor that drives the drive wheels; and a controller that controls the driving motor. An optical communication unit for performing optical communication with the charging device, Equipped with, The charging device includes an optical communication unit that can communicate optically with the optical communication unit of the unmanned vehicle when the unmanned vehicle is connected to the charging device. The controller controls the travel motor so that the charging terminals contact the charging terminals, Optical communication between the optical communication unit of the charging device and the optical communication unit of the unmanned vehicle determines whether or not the charging terminal has made contact with the charging terminal. The charging terminal made contact with the charging terminal. If you determine that The unmanned vehicle is characterized by controlling the travel motor so that it displaces the charging terminals in a direction that causes them to slide against each other, and starting charging when the charging terminals are in contact with each other.

[0008] In this invention, when charging the battery of an unmanned vehicle, the vehicle moves so that the charging terminals come into contact with each other. After the charging terminals come into contact with each other, the vehicle moves in a direction that causes the charging terminals to slide against each other, so that the oxide film on the charging terminals and their surfaces can be removed by sliding contact. In other words, the oxide film on the charging terminals can be removed without providing a mechanism for removing the oxide film on the charging terminals. As a result, charging starts with the charging terminals in contact with each other, but the contact resistance between the charging terminals can be reduced during charging.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above-described charging system for an unmanned vehicle, the controller may control the driving motor so that the unmanned vehicle moves back and forth in a direction in which the charging terminals slide against each other, and the charging terminals may be made to come into contact with each other at the sliding contact position. In this case, the reciprocating movement of the unmanned vehicle repeatedly causes friction between the charging terminals, further removing the oxide film on the charging terminals and their surfaces. Then, by bringing the charging terminals into contact with each other at the frictional position, the contact resistance can be reduced, allowing for charging.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above-described charging system for the unmanned vehicle, the charging terminal has a flat contact surface that can contact the charging terminal, and the charging terminal has a flat end surface that can contact the contact surface and is a protruding member that extends laterally. The controller controls the driving motor so that the unmanned vehicle moves back and forth in a direction along the contact surface, while maintaining a state in which the contact surface of the charging terminal and the end face of the charging terminal are always in sliding contact with each other, and brings the charging terminals into contact with each other at the sliding contact position. This configuration is also acceptable. In this case, the flat contact surface of the charging terminal and the flat end face of the charging terminal are in surface contact with each other and slide against each other, making it easier to remove the oxide film across the contact surface and the end face.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above-described charging system for an unmanned vehicle, the charging device may be configured to include a device body that supports the charging terminal so as to be able to move back and forth so as to protrude laterally, and a biasing member that biases the charging terminal in a direction that protrudes from the device body. In this case, when the charging terminals are in sliding contact with each other, the biasing member always presses the charging terminals against each other, making it easier to remove the oxide film on the charging terminals and their surfaces. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a charging system for an unmanned vehicle that enables the removal of the oxide film on the terminals used for charging during charging, without requiring a mechanism for removing the oxide film on the terminals used for charging. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic plan view of a charging system for an automated guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a schematic side view of a charging system for an automated guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram of a charging system for an automated guided vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view showing the charging terminals for an automated guided vehicle (AGV) and the charging terminals for a charging device. [Figure 5] (a) is a side view of the main part showing the state before the charging terminal of the automated guided vehicle comes into contact with the charging terminal of the charging device, (b) is a side view of the main part showing the state after the charging terminal has come into contact with the charging terminal, and (c) is a side view of the main part showing the state after the charging terminal pushes the charging terminal in. [Figure 6] This is a flowchart illustrating the procedure for removing oxide film using the charging system of an automated guided vehicle (AGV). [Figure 7] (a) is a plan view of the main part showing the state in which the charging terminal is in contact with the charging terminal, (b) is a plan view of the main part showing the state in which the charging terminal and the charging terminal are sliding against each other due to travel in one direction, (c) is a plan view of the main part showing the state in which the charging terminal and the charging terminal are sliding against each other due to travel in the other direction, and (d) is a plan view of the main part showing the state in which the charging terminal and the charging terminal are in contact with each other at the position where the oxide film has been removed. [Figure 8](a) is a principal part plan view showing a state where a charging terminal and a charging contact are in sliding contact with each other by rotation in one direction by a charging system of an automated guided vehicle according to another example, and (b) is a principal part plan view showing a state where the charging terminal and the charging contact are in sliding contact with each other by rotation in the other direction.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0014] Hereinafter, a charging system for an unmanned vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The unmanned vehicle is an electric unmanned vehicle that travels electrically. In the present embodiment, a charging system having an automated guided vehicle as an unmanned vehicle capable of carrying a load and a charging device for charging a battery mounted on the automated guided vehicle will be exemplified and described.

[0015] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a charging system 10 for an unmanned vehicle according to the present embodiment (hereinafter simply referred to as "charging system") has an automated guided vehicle as an unmanned vehicle 11 and a charging device 12. The automated guided vehicle 11 can move in all directions and has a function of autonomously traveling while avoiding obstacles. On the upper part of a cylindrical machine base 13 of the automated guided vehicle 11, a loading platform 14 capable of placing a load W is provided. A plurality of drive wheels 15 are provided below the machine base 13.

[0016] The drive wheels 15 are omnidirectional movement wheels. An omnidirectional movement wheel is a wheel that not only rotates integrally with an axle but can also move in the direction of the axis X of the axle, and is, for example, an omniwheel. In the present embodiment, four drive wheels 15 are provided on the machine base 13. When distinguishing the four drive wheels 15, they are denoted as the first drive wheel 15A, the second drive wheel 15B, the third drive wheel 15C, and the fourth drive wheel 15D. The first drive wheel 15A and the second drive wheel 15B are drive wheels on the front side of the machine base 13, and the third drive wheel 15C and the fourth drive wheel 15D are drive wheels on the rear side of the machine base 13.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the automated guided vehicle 11 includes a traveling motor 16 for rotating drive wheels 15. The traveling motor 16 is provided for each drive wheel 15. Therefore, the number of traveling motors 16 is the same as the number of drive wheels 15. When distinguishing the four traveling motors 16, they are denoted as the first traveling motor 16A, the second traveling motor 16B, the third traveling motor 16C, and the fourth traveling motor 16D.

[0018] The machine base 13 is equipped with a battery 17 as a power storage device. The battery 17 is a dischargeable secondary battery, for example, a lithium-ion battery. The battery 17 is connected to each part that requires power, such as the traveling motor 16, by a power wiring (not shown). Therefore, the power of the battery 17 is supplied to each part of the machine base 13 through the power wiring. Also, the power generated during regeneration is stored in the battery 17 through the power wiring. In addition, a battery monitoring circuit (not shown) for monitoring the state of the battery 17 is provided.

[0019] In the present embodiment, a charging terminal 18 for charging the battery 17 is provided at the front part of the machine base 13. The charging terminal 18 includes a positive terminal 19 and a negative terminal 20 as electrode bodies on the traveling body side. The positive terminal 19 and the negative terminal 20 are formed of copper and are disposed in a recess 21 formed at the front part of the machine base 13. As shown in FIG. 4, the charging terminal 18 is fixed to the machine base 13 such that the positive terminal 19 and the negative terminal 20 are vertically aligned with each other. A terminal holder 22 formed of an insulating material is provided around the positive terminal 19 and the negative terminal 20. In the present embodiment, the positive terminal 19 and the negative terminal 20 are conductive metal plates. The positive terminal 19 has a flat contact surface 19A, and the negative terminal 20 has a flat contact surface 20A. The contact surfaces 19A and 20A are surfaces along the vertical direction and can contact the end surfaces 47A and 48A of the charging terminals 45 of the charging device 12 described later.

[0020] The positive terminal 19 and the negative terminal 20 are connected to terminals on the battery 17 via power lines 23 and 24 (see Figure 3). Near the charging terminal 18, there is an optical communication unit 25 for optical communication with the charging device 12. The positive terminal 19 and the negative terminal 20 are located in the recess 21, making them less susceptible to interference from obstacles.

[0021] The machine 13 is equipped with multiple laser rangefinders (LRFs). Laser rangefinder 26 is the first laser rangefinder (hereinafter referred to as "first LRF"). 26 The Laser Rangefinder 27 is the second laser rangefinder (hereinafter referred to as "the second LRF"), and the Laser Rangefinder 27 is the second laser rangefinder (hereinafter referred to as "the second LRF") 27 (This is written as ") 1st LRF 26 and the 2nd LRF 27 This is a distance meter that measures distance by irradiating the surroundings with a laser and receiving the reflected light reflected from the area where the laser hits, and can acquire information about the shape of objects present around the automated guided vehicle 11 as surrounding objects.

[0022] In this embodiment, a two-dimensional laser rangefinder is used that irradiates the laser while changing the irradiation angle in the horizontal direction. 1st LRF 26 It is fixed to the front of the aircraft mount 13, and the 2nd LRF 27 It is fixed to the rear surface of the machine base 13 and can scan the laser horizontally to detect the direction and distance to an object as a point cloud. A certain area (not shown) around the machine base 13 is the first LRF 26 , 2nd LRF 27 This is the region explored by [the search method].

[0023] The machine unit 13 is equipped with an on-board controller 28. The on-board controller 28 comprises a CPU 29 and a storage unit 30 consisting of RAM and ROM, etc. The on-board controller 28 may also include dedicated hardware, such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), that performs at least some of the various processes. The on-board controller 28 can be configured as a circuit including one or more processors that operate according to a computer program, one or more dedicated hardware circuits such as ASICs, or a combination thereof.

[0024] The memory unit 30 stores program code or commands configured to cause the CPU 29 to execute processing. The memory unit 30 stores various programs for controlling each part of the automated guided vehicle 11. The onboard controller 28 can control the direction of travel and the travel speed of the automated guided vehicle 11, for example, by controlling the travel motor 16.

[0025] The memory unit 30 stores various programs for controlling the machine platform 13, as well as an environmental map of the space in which the machine platform 13 moves. The environmental map is created as the machine platform 13 moves through the space. The technique for simultaneously estimating the self-position of the automated guided vehicle 11 and constructing the environmental map is called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping). The memory unit 30, i.e., the computer-readable medium, includes anything that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer.

[0026] The automated guided vehicle 11 of this embodiment includes an input operation unit 31, a wireless communication unit 32, and a light-emitting unit 33. The input operation unit 31 includes a numeric keypad 34 for inputting data to the automated guided vehicle 11 and a charge execution button 35 for manually charging the automated guided vehicle 11. The charge execution button 35 corresponds to the charge operation unit and is connected to the on-board controller 28. When the battery 17 is ready for charging, charging by the charging device 12 is possible by turning on the charge execution button 35.

[0027] The wireless communication unit 32 enables wireless communication with a portable communication device 36 carried by worker H, who handles the cargo W and monitors the operating status of the automated guided vehicle 11. The portable communication device 36 is, for example, a tablet or a smartphone. Therefore, the portable communication device 36 comprises a CPU (not shown), a storage unit (not shown) consisting of RAM and ROM, etc., and a communication unit (not shown). The portable communication device 36 is equipped with a display 37 capable of displaying information and a built-in speaker (not shown). The display 37 is a touch-operable touch panel. The display 37 and the built-in speaker correspond to the notification elements on the portable communication device 36 side, which have notification functions. The portable communication device 36 is carried by worker H, who manages the automated guided vehicle 11 and also handles the cargo W.

[0028] The automated guided vehicle 11 is equipped with eight light-emitting units 33 on the outer circumference of its base 13. The eight light-emitting units 33 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the upper outer circumference of the base 13 and emit light in eight directions. These light-emitting units 33 are connected to and controlled by an on-board controller 28. In other words, the light-emitting units 33 correspond to the notification bodies on the base 13.

[0029] In this embodiment, the onboard controller 28 performs charging control based on communication with the charging device 12. When the automated guided vehicle 11 is connected to the charging device 12 in a chargeable state, it issues a charging command to the charging device 12 to charge the battery 17. The procedure for controlling the charging of the battery 17 will be described later.

[0030] Next, the charging device 12 will be described. The charging device 12 in this embodiment is installed on the road surface (floor surface). The charging device 12 includes a device body 41, a charging circuit unit 42, a charging side controller 43, a charging arm 44, a charging terminal 45, and an optical communication unit 46.

[0031] The box-shaped device body 41 houses a charging circuit unit 42 and a charging-side controller 43. The charging circuit unit 42 is connected to an external power supply via wiring and is electrically connected to the charging arm 44. The charging-side controller 43 controls the charging circuit unit 42. The charging arm 44 is equipped with charging terminals 45. The charging terminals 45 have a positive terminal 47 and a negative terminal 48 made of copper.

[0032] As shown in Figure 4, the positive terminal 47 and the negative terminal 48 are provided such that a portion of them protrudes from the tip of the charging arm 44 and are supported so as to be able to move back and forth relative to the charging arm 44. The positive terminal 47 and the negative terminal 48 are protruding members that project laterally. As shown in Figures 5(a) to (c), two coil springs 49 acting as biasing members are housed inside the charging arm 44. One coil spring 49 provides a biasing force to the positive terminal 47 in the direction of protruding from the tip of the charging arm 44, and the other coil spring 49 provides a biasing force to the negative terminal 48 in the direction of protruding from the tip of the charging arm 44.

[0033] The flat end face 47A on the protruding side of the positive terminal 47 contacts the contact surface 19A of the positive terminal 19 during charging, and the flat end face 48A on the protruding side of the negative terminal 48 contacts the contact surface 20A of the negative terminal 20 during charging. The end faces 47A and 48A are surfaces aligned in the vertical direction. The area of ​​the end faces 47A and 48A is smaller than the area of ​​the contact surfaces 19A and 20A. The positive terminal 47 is connected to the charging circuit section 42 via the power line 50, and the negative terminal 48 is connected to the charging circuit section 42 via the power line 51 (see Figure 3).

[0034] The charging side controller 43 includes a CPU (not shown) and a storage unit (not shown) consisting of RAM and ROM. The charging side controller 43 controls the charging circuit unit 42 as well as the optical communication unit 46. The charging arm 44 protrudes laterally from the main body 41 of the device. A positive terminal 47 and a negative terminal 48 are exposed from the tip of the charging arm 44. The positive terminal 47 can be connected to the positive terminal 19 of the charging terminal 18 of the automated guided vehicle 11, and the negative terminal 48 can be connected to the negative terminal 20.

[0035] The optical communication unit 46 can communicate optically with the optical communication unit 25 of the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 11 when the AGV 11 is connected to the charging device 12. The onboard controller 28 can check the status of the AGV 11's battery 17 (whether there is an abnormality, etc.) through optical communication via the optical communication units 25 and 46. In other words, the onboard controller 28 corresponds to a detection unit that detects whether the AGV 11 and the charging device 12 are in a rechargeable state and can charge the battery 17.

[0036] Next, the charging control in the charging system 10 of this embodiment will be described. A series of steps (S001 to S007) shown in the flowchart of Figure 6 will be described. When worker H issues a charging command to charge the battery 17 of the automated guided vehicle 11 using a portable communication device 36, the onboard controller 28 receives the charging command (step S001). Upon receiving the charging command, the onboard controller 28 controls the travel motor 16 so that the automated guided vehicle 11 travels toward the charging device 12. As a result, the automated guided vehicle 11 travels toward the charging device 12 (step S002).

[0037] Next, the onboard controller 28 determines whether the charging terminal 18 has made contact with the charging terminal 45 (step S003). If the onboard controller 28 determines that the charging terminal 18 has made contact with the charging terminal 45, it stops the automated guided vehicle 11 (step S004). If it determines that the charging terminal 18 has not made contact with the charging terminal 45, the automated guided vehicle 11 continues to travel. The presence or absence of contact between the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 can be confirmed by communication between the optical communication units 25 and 46.

[0038] After the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 11 stops, the onboard controller 28 causes the AGV 11 to reciprocate as displacement in a direction in which the charging terminals 18 and 45 slide against each other while remaining in contact (step S005). The direction in which the AGV 11 reciprocates is in which the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20) slides against the end surface 47A (end surface 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48), that is, in the direction along the contact surfaces 19A, 20A and the end surfaces 47A, 48A. The reciprocating movement of the AGV 11 is repeated in order to remove the oxide film on the contact surfaces 19A, 20A and the end surfaces 47A, 48A by sliding. In this embodiment, the set distance for the reciprocating movement is preset to a distance at which the contact surface 19A (20A) does not separate from the end surface 47A (48A). In other words, the set distance for the reciprocating movement of the automated guided vehicle 11 is set to a distance that does not exceed the sum of the width dimension of the contact surface 19A (20A) and the width dimension of the end surface 47A (48A), and this distance is stored in the onboard controller 28.

[0039] When the sliding contact between the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 is repeated by the reciprocating movement of the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 11, the onboard controller 28 stops the reciprocating movement of the AGV 11 (step S006). At this time, the AGV 11 stops with the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 in contact with each other. When the AGV 11 stops, the onboard controller 28 issues a command to start charging the battery 17, and charging begins (step S007). The series of steps ends when charging of the battery 17 begins.

[0040] Next, the removal of oxide film on the charging terminals 18 and 45 before charging by the charging system 10 of the automated guided vehicle 11 in this embodiment will be described. When it is necessary to charge the battery 17 of the automated guided vehicle 11 while it is autonomously driving, the worker H operates the portable communication device 36 and transmits a command to the automated guided vehicle 11 to drive toward the charging device 12. Upon receiving the command, the automated guided vehicle 11 autonomously drives toward the charging device 12. The location of the charging device 12 is registered in advance on a map stored in the on-board controller 28, and the automated guided vehicle 11 heads toward the charging device 12 based on this registered location information.

[0041] When the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 11 approaches the vicinity of the charging device 12, the AGV 11 moves so that the charging terminal 18 comes into contact with the charging terminal 45 of the charging device 12. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5(a), the AGV 11 approaches the charging device 12 with the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20) facing the end surface 47A (end surface 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48). As shown in Figure 5(b), the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20) comes into contact with the end surface 47A (end surface 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48). Then, as shown in Figure 5(c), the AGV 11 moves further towards the charging device 12, pushes the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48) in, and then stops. The pushed-in positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48) is subjected to the biasing force of the coil spring 49, so even when the automated guided vehicle 11 stops, it remains in contact with the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20).

[0042] Next, as shown in Figure 7(a), the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 11 moves back and forth in a direction along the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20), with the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48) in contact with the end surface 47A (end surface 48A). For example, as shown in Figure 7(b), the AGV 11 moves in one direction, and as shown in Figure 7(c), the AGV 11 moves in the other direction. The AGV moves back and forth in such a way that the charging terminal 18 does not come off the charging terminal 45 and always maintains sliding contact with the charging terminal 45. As a result, the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20) slides against the end surface 47A (end surface 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48), and this sliding contact is repeated. Since the contact surface 19A (20A) and the end surface 47A (48A) slide against each other, the oxide film formed on the contact surface 19A (20A) and the end surface 47A (48A) is removed. The number of reciprocating movements of the automated guided vehicle 11 for sliding contact is only one, but it may be multiple times.

[0043] When the reciprocating movement of the automated guided vehicle 11 for removing the oxide film is completed, as shown in Figure 7(d), the vehicle stops so that the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20) contacts the end face 47A (end face 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48) at the position where the oxide film has been removed. After the automated guided vehicle 11 stops, the onboard controller 28 transmits a command to the charging device 12 to start charging the battery 17. Upon receiving the command from the onboard controller 28, the charging device 12's charging side controller 43 controls the charging circuit section 42 to start charging the battery 17.

[0044] During charging of the battery 17, the oxide film formed on the contact surface 19A (20A) and end surface 47A (48A) is removed, so the contact resistance caused by the oxide film is suppressed, and efficient charging is performed. When charging of the battery 17 is complete, the worker H is notified of the completion of charging, and the worker H operates the portable communication device 36 to send a command to the automated guided vehicle 11 to return to autonomous driving for cargo handling work.

[0045] The charging system 10 for the automated guided vehicle 11 of this embodiment provides the following effects. (1) When charging the battery 17 of the automated guided vehicle 11, the automated guided vehicle 11 travels so that the charging terminal 18 comes into contact with the charging terminal 45 of the charging device 12. After the charging terminal 18 comes into contact with the charging terminal 45, the automated guided vehicle 11 travels in a direction that causes the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 to slide against each other, so that the oxide film on the surfaces of the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 can be removed by sliding contact. In other words, the oxide film on the charging terminals 18 and 45 can be removed without providing a mechanism to remove the oxide film on the charging terminals 18 and 45. As a result, charging starts with the charging terminal 18 in contact with the charging terminal 45, but the contact resistance between the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 can be reduced during charging.

[0046] (2) The onboard controller 28 controls the travel motor 16 so that the automated guided vehicle 11 reciprocates in a direction that causes the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 to slide against each other, and brings the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 into contact with each other at the sliding contact position. As a result, the sliding contact between the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 is repeated by the reciprocating movement of the automated guided vehicle 11, so that the oxide film on the sliding contact surfaces of the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 is removed even further. By bringing the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 into contact with each other at the sliding contact position, charging can be performed with reduced contact resistance.

[0047] (3) The charging terminal 18 has a flat contact surface 19A (20A) that can contact the charging terminal 45. The charging terminal 45 has a flat end surface 47A (48A) that can contact the contact surface 19A (20A) and is a protruding member that extends laterally. In this case, the flat contact surface 19A (20A) of the charging terminal 18 and the flat end surface 47A (48A) of the charging terminal 45 are in surface contact with each other and slide against each other, so the oxide film can be easily removed from the sliding contact surfaces, the contact surface 19A (20A) and the end surface 47A (48A).

[0048] (4) The charging device 12 includes a device body 41 that supports the charging terminal 45 so that it can move back and forth so that it protrudes laterally, and a coil spring 49 that biases the charging terminal 45 in a direction that protrudes from the device body 41. As a result, when the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 are in sliding contact, the coil spring 49 always presses the charging terminal 45 against the charging terminal 18, so that the oxide film on the surface of the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 is easily removed.

[0049] (5) The set distance for the reciprocating movement of the automated guided vehicle 11 is set to a distance that does not exceed the sum of the width of the charging terminal 18 and the width of the charging terminal 45, and is stored in the onboard controller 28. The automated guided vehicle 11 can move back and forth while maintaining a state in which the charging terminal 18 is always in sliding contact with the charging terminal 45 without coming off it.

[0050] (Another example) Next, a charging system for an automated guided vehicle (AGV) in a different example will be described. In this example, the machine base is rotated around its center as the pivot point in order to bring the charging terminals into sliding contact with each other.

[0051] As shown in Figures 8(a) and 8(b), the charging system 60 for an automated guided vehicle (AGV) 11 according to another example comprises an AGV 11 and a charging device 12. When the AGV 11 is connected to the charging device 12 for charging the battery 17, it rotates around the center P of the machine base 13 as the center of rotation. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8(a), with the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the AGV 11 in contact with the end face 47A (end face 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48), the AGV 11 rotates in one direction around the center P of the machine base 13 as the center of rotation. Next, as shown in Figure 8(b), the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 11 rotates with the center P of the machine base 13 as the center of rotation, with the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) in contact with the end face 47A (end face 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48). The arrows in Figure 8 indicate the direction in which the AGV 11 rotates. The rotation of the AGV 11 corresponds to a displacement in the direction in which the charging terminal 18 and the charging terminal 45 slide against each other.

[0052] Although the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48) is pressed in by the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20), it is also subject to the biasing force of the coil spring 49, so even when the automated guided vehicle 11 rotates, it comes into contact with the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20). Therefore, when the machine base 13 rotates, the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20) slides against the end surface 47A (end surface 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48) in surface contact. This sliding contact by surface contact is repeated as the machine base 13 rotates. As the contact surface 19A (20A) and the end surface 47A (48A) slide against each other, the oxide film formed on the contact surface 19A (20A) and the end surface 47A (48A) is removed. The number of rotations of the automated guided vehicle 11 for sliding contact is sufficient to be one, but it may be multiple times.

[0053] When the rotation of the automated guided vehicle 11, with the center P of the machine base 13 as the pivot point for removing the oxide film, is completed, it stops at the position where the oxide film has been removed, with the contact surface 19A (contact surface 20A) of the positive terminal 19 (negative terminal 20) in contact with the end surface 47A (end surface 48A) of the positive terminal 47 (negative terminal 48). After the automated guided vehicle 11 stops, the charging side controller 43 controls the charging circuit section 42 to start charging the battery 17. According to the charging system 60 for the automated guided vehicle 11 according to another example, the same effects as in the embodiment are achieved.

[0054] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above (including alternative examples), and various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, it may be modified as follows.

[0055] ○ In the above embodiments (including alternative examples), the charging system is provided with a portable communication device, but it is not limited to this. The charging system may, for example, be a charging system that does not include a portable communication device. In this case, the operator can recognize that the vehicle is not charged by receiving a notification from a notification device installed on the unmanned vehicle, and can drive the unmanned vehicle toward the charging device for charging by operating an input operation unit installed on the unmanned vehicle. ○ In the above embodiments (including alternative examples), the charging terminals of the charging device are biased by a biasing member, but this is not limited to this. For example, in the example of the embodiment, a biasing member is not necessarily required if the charging terminals can make surface contact when sliding contact occurs. In the alternative example, it is desirable to require a biasing member. Furthermore, the biasing member may be provided to bias not only the charging terminals but also the charging terminals. ○ In the above embodiments (including alternative examples), the charging terminals of the charging device are provided on a charging arm that protrudes laterally from the main body of the device, and the terminals for charging the unmanned vehicle are provided in a recess in the main body of the vehicle; however, this is not limited to this configuration. The terminals for charging the unmanned vehicle may protrude laterally from the main body of the vehicle, similar to the charging arm, and the charging terminals of the charging device may not protrude laterally from the main body of the device. ○ In the above embodiments (including alternative examples), an unmanned transport vehicle was used as an example to explain the unmanned vehicle, but it is not limited to this. The unmanned vehicle may be, for example, an autonomous security robot, or any electric unmanned vehicle equipped with a rechargeable battery. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0056] 10, 60 charging system 11. Automated Guided Vehicle (Autonomous Mobile Vehicle) 12 Charging device 13 machines 15 (15A, 15B, 15C, 15D) Drive wheels 16 (16A, 16B, 16C, 16D) Driving Motors 17 Batteries 18 Charging terminals 19 Positive terminal 19A Contact surface 20 Negative terminal 20A contact surface 28. In-vehicle controller 36. Portable communication devices 45 Charging terminal 47 Positive terminal 47A End face 48 Negative terminal 48A End face 49. Coil spring (biasing member) W load X-axis

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle that can travel in all directions using battery power, It includes a charging device that enables charging of the aforementioned battery, The aforementioned unmanned vehicle is equipped with charging terminals for charging the battery, The charging device is a charging system for an unmanned vehicle that includes a charging terminal that allows the battery to be charged through the charging terminal, The aforementioned unmanned vehicle is Multiple drive wheels, A drive motor that drives the aforementioned drive wheels, A controller that controls the aforementioned drive motor, It comprises an optical communication unit for performing optical communication with the charging device, The charging device includes an optical communication unit that can communicate optically with the optical communication unit of the unmanned vehicle when the unmanned vehicle is connected to the charging device. The aforementioned controller, The drive motor is controlled so that the charging terminals make contact with the charging terminals. Optical communication between the optical communication unit of the charging device and the optical communication unit of the unmanned vehicle determines whether or not the charging terminal has made contact with the charging terminal. When it is determined that the charging terminal has come into contact with the charging terminal, the driving motor is controlled so that the unmanned vehicle is displaced in a direction that causes the charging terminal and the charging terminal to slide against each other. A charging system for an unmanned vehicle, characterized in that charging is started when the charging terminal is in contact with the charging terminal.

2. The controller controls the travel motor so that the unmanned vehicle reciprocates in a direction in which the charging terminals slide against each other. The charging system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the charging terminals are brought into contact with each other at a sliding contact position.

3. The charging terminal has a flat contact surface that can contact the charging terminal, The charging terminal has a flat end face that can contact the contact surface and is a protruding member that extends laterally. The controller controls the travel motor so that the unmanned vehicle moves back and forth in a direction along the contact surface, while maintaining a state in which the contact surface of the charging terminal and the end face of the charging terminal are always in sliding contact with each other. The charging system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the charging terminals are brought into contact with each other at a sliding contact position.

4. The charging device is A device body that supports the charging terminal so that it can move back and forth so as to protrude laterally, A charging system for an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a biasing member that biases the charging terminal in a direction protruding from the main body of the device.

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