Unmanned transport trolley for railway car bodies

Abstract

To provide a railroad vehicle body unmanned carrying truck for safely carrying while supporting front and back of the railroad vehicle body.SOLUTION: A railroad vehicle body unmanned carrying truck 1 comprises a rectangular truck frame 11 formed to be smaller than a maximum width dimension of a railroad vehicle body 3 mounted thereon, a travelling apparatus 12 assembled in the truck frame 11, a mounting stand 31 arranged on the top of the truck frame 11 and on which the railroad vehicle body 3 is mounted, travelling direction detection sensors 41, 42 that detect an obstacle ahead of the travelling direction, a vehicle body detection sensor 43 for detecting an obstacle around the vehicle body of the railroad vehicle body 3 mounted, and a drive controlling apparatus 7 that controls driving of the travelling apparatus 12 in accordance with detection signals of the travelling direction detection sensors 41, 42 and the vehicle body detection sensor 43.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an unmanned transport cart for a railway car body for safely transporting while supporting the front and rear of the railway car body.

Background Art

[0002] In a manufacturing factory or a construction site, an unmanned transport cart for automatically transporting an object to be transported is used. Patent Document 1 below discloses a transport cart equipped with a robot arm. The transport cart is provided with non-contact sensors for detecting obstacles at the front and rear, and the detection area is set to be substantially parallel to the road surface of the traveling path. Also, non-contact sensors for the arm for detecting obstacles to the arm are provided around the transport cart. The sensor for the arm is attached so as to point obliquely upward, and the detection area is set up to the height at which the arm operates. And the sensor for the cart is set so that the obstacle detection distance in the traveling direction is longer than the obstacle detection distance in the same direction of the sensor for the arm. Therefore, the transport cart is driven and controlled so as to stop according to the obstacle detection signal from the sensor for the cart, and the arm stops according to the obstacle detection signal from the sensor for the arm.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, collision avoidance is essential for safe operation of automated guided vehicles (AGVs). Therefore, AGVs are equipped with obstacle avoidance mechanisms, as in the conventional examples mentioned above, and various other technologies using sensors have also been disclosed for AGVs. It is necessary to solve the challenges specific to each case, and this is naturally required when transporting railway vehicles. However, the transport of railway vehicle bodies (hereinafter referred to as "railway car bodies") in railway vehicle maintenance factories has so far involved movement along railway rails as well as the use of equipment such as traversers. While these conventional transport methods are fine, transporting railway car bodies by AGVs in the future will require a configuration for obstacle avoidance using sensors.

[0005] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide an unmanned transport trolley for railway cars that safely transports railway cars while supporting the front and rear of the car body, in order to solve these problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The unmanned transport trolley for railway car bodies according to the present invention comprises a rectangular trolley frame formed smaller than the maximum width dimension of the railway car body to be mounted, a running gear assembled to the trolley frame, a mounting platform disposed on the upper part of the trolley frame for mounting the railway car body, a running direction detection sensor for detecting obstacles in front of the running direction, a car body detection sensor for detecting obstacles around the car body of the mounted railway car body, and a drive control device that controls the driving of the running gear according to the detection signals of the running direction detection sensor and the car body detection sensor. The aforementioned mounting base is provided so as to be able to perform a yawing motion with its left and right ends moving back and forth alternately relative to the trolley frame, and the vehicle body detection sensor is attached to the end of the aforementioned mounting base via a sensor bracket. . [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the above configuration, a railway car body is mounted on a trolley frame with a narrow width via a mounting platform, and transport is performed by controlling the running gear with a drive control device. At that time, obstacles in the direction of travel are detected by a travel direction detection sensor, and the area around the mounted railway car body is detected by a vehicle body detection sensor. Therefore, in narrow places such as doorways, the railway car body can be stopped before contact is made, enabling the safe transport of the railway car body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a railway car body loaded onto two automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for transporting railway car bodies. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view from above of an unmanned transport trolley for railway car bodies. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of an unmanned transport trolley for railway car bodies, shown from below. [Figure 4] This is a plan view showing an unmanned transport trolley for railway car bodies. [Figure 5] This diagram shows the detection area created by multiple detection sensors. [Figure 6] This diagram shows the state of the laser light emitted from the vehicle detection sensor when a railway vehicle passes through an entrance or exit. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram that simply shows the functional configuration of the automated guided vehicle (AGV) control system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] An embodiment of the automated transport trolley for railway car bodies according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an automated transport trolley for railway car bodies will be described that enables the transport of railway car bodies in a railway vehicle maintenance factory where inspections and repairs of railway car bodies are performed. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the state of transport when a railway car body is loaded onto two automated transport trolleys for railway car bodies. In normal operation, the front and rear of this railway car body 3 is mounted on trolleys and runs on railway rails, but the automated transport trolley for railway car bodies (hereinafter simply referred to as "autonomous transport trolley") 1 of this embodiment supports the railway car body 3 at the front and rear in place of such trolleys, and transports the railway car body autonomously within the railway vehicle maintenance factory for inspection or repair.

[0010] The railway car body 3 undergoes regular inspections at a railway vehicle maintenance factory, which has railway tracks laid and is equipped with facilities such as traversers. Until now, when the railway car body 3 moved within the railway vehicle maintenance factory, a temporary bogie was used instead of the main bogie, and the car body 3 was mounted on it to move along the railway tracks. Therefore, the buildings and facilities surrounding the railway car body 3, such as building entrances, are designed to accommodate the external dimensions of the railway car body 3 as it moves along the railway tracks. To transport the railway car body 3 unmanned within such a factory, a means is needed to allow it to pass through narrow spaces without collision.

[0011] The unmanned transport trolley 1 of this embodiment enables unmanned transport in railway vehicle maintenance factories, as has been done conventionally. Figures 2 to 4 show the unmanned transport trolley 1. In particular, Figure 2 is a perspective view from above, Figure 3 is a perspective view from below, and Figure 4 is a plan view. In this embodiment, the X-axis direction shown in each figure is described as the front-to-back direction of the unmanned transport trolley 1, and also as the front-to-back direction when transporting the railway vehicle body 3.

[0012] The automated guided vehicle (AGV) 1 is constructed from a rectangular chassis frame 11 made of joined square steel pipes, to which four running gears 12 are mounted on the front, rear, left, and right sides. The four running gears 12 have the same structure and are mounted to the chassis frame 11 from below. Each running gear 12 is composed of a pair of wheels 21, 22 that rotate independently of the main body 20 and drive motors 23, 24. The wheels 21, 22 are arranged in parallel with their respective axles located on the same axis, and rotation is transmitted from the drive motors 23, 24, which are positioned on either side of the wheels 21, 22, to the corresponding axles via a reduction gear.

[0013] The running gear 12 consists of drive motors 23 and 24 that function as both running motors and steering motors. In other words, the drive control of the drive motors 23 and 24 ensures that, for example, if the wheels 21 and 22 rotate in the same direction, straight-line travel is performed, and if they rotate in opposite directions, steering is performed. Specifically, when the wheels 21 and 22 rotate in opposite directions, the running gear 12 is rotatably mounted to the trolley frame 11 by a vertical rotation axis, as shown by arrow A in Figure 3, allowing the angle of the wheels 21 and 22 to be changed for steering.

[0014] The automated guided vehicle 1 has its wheels 21 and 22 angles aligned by the control of these four running gears 12, and as shown in Figure 1, it is possible to move the mounted railway car body 3 in a straight line in the longitudinal direction, as well as in lateral movement perpendicular to the X-axis and diagonal movement at a certain angle. Furthermore, the running gears 12 are configured such that the main body 20 of the device can swing in the width direction of the trolley frame 11 perpendicular to the direction of travel, as shown by arrow B in Figure 3, by a horizontal longitudinal axis perpendicular to the vertical rotation axis of the device.

[0015] Furthermore, the driverless transport cart 1 is provided with a traveling swing beam (not shown) with respect to the cart frame 11, and two front or two rear of the four traveling devices 12 are assembled to the traveling swing beam. The traveling swing beam is pivotally supported by a longitudinal axis passing through the center position in the width direction with respect to the cart frame 11 in the front-rear direction, and the traveling devices 12 are respectively assembled to the left and right ends that are displaced vertically as shown by the arrow C in FIG. 2. The driverless transport cart 1 having the traveling device 12 with such a configuration can stably travel in a railway vehicle inspection factory that is uneven and not flat.

[0016] In addition, the driverless transport cart 1 is provided with a mounting table 31 for mounting the railway vehicle body 3, which is a long transport object, on the cart frame 11. The mounting table 31 is configured by overlapping a rectangular table 32 and a base plate 33, and the longitudinal direction is adapted to the width dimension of the cart frame 11, and it is arranged at an intermediate position when the driverless transport cart 1 is viewed in the front-rear direction. The table 32 has both ends of a rectangular iron plate bent at right angles and is assembled so as to cover the base plate 33, and a vehicle body detection sensor 43 is attached to the bent end as will be described later. The mounting table 31 has the base plate 33 pivotally supported by a horizontal axis 35 that is horizontal in the width direction with respect to the cart frame 11, and the table 32 on which the railway vehicle body 3 is directly mounted is assembled to the base plate 33 via a bearing 36 having a rotation center orthogonal to the horizontal axis 35.

[0017] The bearing 36 is at the center in the width direction of the base plate 32 and is located at the center of the driverless transport cart 1. And a positioning hole 37 into which the center pin on the railway vehicle body 3 side enters is formed at the center. Such a mounting table 31 is configured such that the table 32 and the base plate 33 are integrated and swing about the horizontal axis 35 as shown by the arrow D in FIG. 3, so that a pitching motion in which the front and rear ends alternately move up and down occurs. In addition, the mounting table 31 is configured such that the table 32 rotates with respect to the base plate 33 by the bearing 36 as shown by the arrow E in FIG. 4, so that a yawing motion in which the left and right ends alternately move back and forth occurs.

[0018] By the way, in order to achieve safe transportation for the automated guided vehicle 1, in addition to avoiding contact with and collisions against various facilities and workers moving within the factory, drive control using detection sensors is necessary. However, the automated guided vehicle 1, which has been miniaturized, is transported in a state where it is mounted so as to fit under the railway car body 3. On the other hand, while collision avoidance during transportation is with respect to the railway car body 3, it is not possible to provide detection sensors for this purpose on the railway car body 3. Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately detect the surroundings of the mounted railway car body 3 using the detection sensors attached to the automated guided vehicle 1.

[0019] First, front detection sensors 41 are attached to the front and rear portions of the automated guided vehicle 1. This front detection sensor 41 is an optical sensor that emits laser light, which is the detection wave, at a predetermined angle and receives reflected light (reflected wave) from people, obstacles, etc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as "obstacles") existing in the front. According to the front detection sensor 41, when traveling to the right side of the drawing, a detection area 45 is created in front of it. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the detection areas created by a plurality of detection sensors including the front detection sensor 41. Note that this front detection sensor 41 is not limited to laser light and may perform detection by emitting infrared rays, ultrasonic waves, etc. Also, since the two automated guided vehicles 1 that support the railway car body 3 front and rear are not distinguished as a front vehicle and a rear vehicle, and the direction to be monitored changes depending on the usage situation and traveling direction, front detection sensors 41 are provided on both the front and rear sides.

[0020] Next, the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 1 is equipped with lateral detection sensors 42 on both the left and right sides to detect obstacles to the side. The AGV 1,1 may move the mounted railway car body 3, as shown in Figure 1, in a lateral or oblique direction perpendicular to the X-axis or at a certain angle, and it is necessary to detect obstacles in the direction of travel during such movement. The lateral detection sensors 42 are provided on both AGVs 1, and as shown in Figure 5, a detection area 46 is created on the side of the car body along the entire length of the railway car body 3. The lateral detection sensors 42 are also provided on the opposite side of the car body, as shown in Figure 5, and a detection area 46 is created in the same way. The lateral detection sensors 42 are optical sensors, similar to the forward detection sensors, and receive reflected light (reflected waves) from objects in front by irradiating a wide area with laser light, which is the detection wave. The lateral detection sensors 42 are not limited to laser light, and detection may also be performed by emitting infrared rays or ultrasonic waves.

[0021] Furthermore, since the automated guided vehicle 1 needs to transport the railway car body 3 through narrow spaces, it needs to detect obstacles that the car body will come into contact with. As mentioned above, the entrances and exits of the railway vehicle maintenance factory building and ground facilities are constructed with dimensions close to the building clearance applied to the tracks on which railway vehicles normally run, assuming that the railway car body 3 will run on railway rails. Therefore, the gaps between the railway car body 3 and buildings and facilities that it will pass through are small, making it difficult for the automated guided vehicle 1 to transport the railway car body 3. To address this, the automated guided vehicle 1 is equipped with a vehicle detection sensor 43 on the side of the vehicle to detect obstacles around the vehicle body, so that it can stop before colliding with an obstacle when passing through narrow spaces.

[0022] The vehicle body detection sensor 43 is a two-dimensional laser scanner that irradiates the side of the railway vehicle body 3 from bottom to top with a laser, creating a detection area 47 in the front-rear direction of approximately 180°, as shown in Figure 5. In this detection area 47, multiple laser beams are sequentially irradiated radially from the vehicle body detection sensor 43, and the area to be detected is set to be greater than the distance from the center of the bogie to the top of the end face (radius 8 meters in this embodiment). Then, the detection areas 47 created on both the left and right sides virtually create a detection area 48, indicated by a dashed line, in front of the railway vehicle body 3 to detect obstacles from the side. This detection area 48 is larger than the width and height dimensions of the railway vehicle body 3 when viewed from the front. It should be noted that the vehicle body detection sensor 43 is not limited to laser beams, but may also use infrared or ultrasonic sensors.

[0023] The automated guided vehicle (AGV) 1 is designed to be narrower than the railway car body 3 in order to allow it to pass through building entrances and ground facilities. Therefore, even if the vehicle body detection sensor 43 is attached to the AGV frame 11, proper detection in the detection area 47 is not possible. Moreover, since the AGV 1 mounts the railway car body 3 on a yaw-moving platform 31, the railway car body 3 is tilted relative to the AGV frame 11. Therefore, the vehicle body detection sensor 43 is attached to the end of the table 32 of the platform 31 via a sensor bracket 38 so that its positional relationship with the railway car body 3 remains constant.

[0024] However, if the sensor bracket 38 protrudes from the railway car body 3 in the width direction, the vehicle body detection sensor 43 will collide with it during transport. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6, the irradiation angle θ is set with respect to the vertical line so that the laser beam L emitted from the vehicle body detection sensor 43 is tilted away from the side of the railway car body 3. If this irradiation angle θ is large, the vehicle body detection sensor 43, which is used to allow the railway car body 3 to pass through narrow areas such as the entrance / exit 100 shown in the figure, will react too quickly, which would actually hinder transport. In this embodiment, taking these points into consideration, the irradiation angle θ is set to the smallest possible value that does not interfere with the railway car body 3, for example, 3.5°.

[0025] Next, Figure 7 is a block diagram that simply shows the functional configuration of the automated guided vehicle (AGV) control system. In this AGV control system, information such as travel commands is communicated between the transport management device 5, which is configured using a computer, and the drive control device 7 mounted on the AGV 1, so that the railway car body 3 is transported according to a predetermined route.

[0026] Two automated guided vehicles (AGVs) 1 operate in a coordinated manner, with one acting as the master and the other as the slave. The drive control device 7 has a driving information communication unit 51 for sending and receiving driving information between the transport management device 5 and the AGVs 1. In addition to receiving transport information for transporting the railway car body 3, it is also used to confirm the driving status of each vehicle. Furthermore, the drive control device 7 has a driving information calculation unit 52 for each AGV 1 that calculates driving information such as the speed of travel, direction of movement, and current position coordinates. If the vehicle is the master, its own position coordinates are calculated, and if the vehicle is the slave, its relative position to the master is calculated.

[0027] Furthermore, the drive control device 7 has a drive command unit 53 that creates driving commands for the running device 12. The drive command unit 53 compares its own driving information with that of the other unmanned transport trolley 1, based on transport information including the transport route in the railway vehicle maintenance factory from the transport management device 5, driving information calculated by the driving information calculation unit 52, and driving information obtained via the driving information communication unit 51. In addition, detection signals from the aforementioned forward detection sensor 41, side detection sensor 42, and vehicle body detection sensor 43 are sent to the drive command unit 53 of the unmanned transport trolley 1, and if any of the sensors detect an obstacle, a stop command or deceleration command is created.

[0028] Next, the railway car body 3 is transported within the railway vehicle maintenance factory by being mounted on two unmanned transport trolleys 1, one at the front and one at the rear, and moving along a predetermined transport route. The two unmanned transport trolleys 1 each have drive control applied to the drive motors 23 and 24 of their respective running gears 12, which in turn rotates the wheels 21 and 22, enabling coordinated transport of the railway car body 3. The railway car body 3 moves in a straight line in the X-axis direction as shown in Figure 1, as well as by switching its direction of travel to diagonal or lateral movement.

[0029] Forward detection sensors 41 and side detection sensors 42 detect obstacles in the direction of travel of the railway car body 3. If an obstacle is present, a detection signal is sent to the drive command unit 53, and the drive motors 23 and 24 are stopped. After the obstacle is removed, travel resumes. On the other hand, if equipment is detected at a certain distance, for example, deceleration control is performed on the drive motors 23 and 24, and the direction of travel of the automated guided vehicle 1 is corrected. However, even in this case, if the obstacle cannot be avoided even when approaching to a certain distance, the control switches to stop control. If the automated guided vehicle 1 stops, an abnormality signal is sent from the drive control device 7 to the transport management device 5, and this is reported to the operator.

[0030] Next, when passing through narrow areas such as the entrance 100 of the factory building, as shown in Figure 6, the vehicle body detection sensor 43 detects the side of the railway vehicle body 3. As a result, if the unmanned transport vehicle 1 has drifted to one side, or if the shutter has been partially lowered, the vehicle body detection sensor 43 detects that the side or ceiling of the railway vehicle body 3 is in a state of collision. A detection signal is sent from the vehicle body detection sensor 43 to the drive command unit 53, and stop control is performed on the drive motors 23 and 24. When the unmanned transport vehicle 1 stops, an abnormality signal is sent from the drive control device 7 to the transport management device 5, and this is reported to the operator.

[0031] Therefore, according to the unmanned transport trolley 1 of this embodiment, a long railway car body 3 can be transported even in railway vehicle maintenance factories with uneven surfaces. Although the gaps between the railway car body 3 and buildings and equipment in existing railway vehicle maintenance factories are small, safe transport is possible thanks to the forward detection sensor 41, the side detection sensor 42, and the car body detection sensor 43. In particular, the car body detection sensor 43 detects the area around the railway car body 3 and can detect obstacles from the side within the detection area 48, so the railway car body 3 can pass safely even in narrow spaces.

[0032] Although the automated guided vehicle (AGV) 1 is equipped with a railway car body 3 that is wider than the width of the AGV's frame 11 in the width direction of the railway car body, the AGV can appropriately detect the area around the railway car body 3 by attaching the vehicle body detection sensor 43 via the sensor bracket 38 and setting the illumination angle θ so that it is tilted away from the side of the railway car body 3. Furthermore, since the AGV 1 is equipped with a mounting platform 31 that performs both pitching and yawing movements, attaching the vehicle body detection sensor 43 to the end of the table 32 that performs the yawing movement enables stable transport of the railway car body 3 and appropriate detection.

[0033] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible without departing from its spirit. In the above embodiment, the forward detection sensor 41, the side detection sensor 42, and the vehicle body detection sensor 43 were described using two-dimensional sensors as an example, but three-dimensional sensors may also be mounted facing forward and to the sides. Furthermore, since the irradiation angle θ of the vehicle body detection sensor 43 needs to be adjusted according to the width of the railway vehicle body 3 on which it is mounted and the factory equipment, it is desirable that the sensor bracket 38 be equipped with an angle adjustment mechanism. [Explanation of symbols]

[0034] 1... Unmanned transport trolley for railway car bodies 3... Railway car body 5... Transport management device 7... Drive control device 11... Trolley frame 12... Running gear 20... Device body 21,22... Wheels 23,24 Drive motor... 31... Mounting platform 32... Table 33... Base plate 38... Sensor bracket 41... Forward detection sensor 42... Side detection sensor 43... Detection sensor for car body

Claims

1. A rectangular bogie frame formed smaller than the maximum width dimension of the railway car body to which it is mounted, The running gear mounted on the aforementioned bogie frame, A mounting platform is provided on the upper part of the bogie frame and is mounted on the railway car body, A driving direction detection sensor that detects obstacles ahead in the direction of travel, A vehicle body detection sensor for detecting obstacles around the vehicle body of the aforementioned railway vehicle body, The system includes a drive control device that controls the drive of the running gear according to the detection signals of the driving direction detection sensor and the vehicle body detection sensor, The mounting platform is provided so as to be able to perform a yawing motion with respect to the trolley frame, with its left and right ends moving back and forth alternately. The aforementioned vehicle body detection sensor is attached to the end of the mounting base described above via a sensor bracket in an unmanned transport trolley for railway vehicles.

2. The automated guided vehicle for a railway car body according to claim 1, wherein the detection sensor for the vehicle body is configured such that a laser beam emitted from below upward along the side of the railway car body is tilted away from the side of the railway car body, and the laser beam is emitted within a range of a predetermined angle in the front-rear direction as the detection area.

3. The unmanned transport trolley for a railway vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the traveling device comprises a plurality of wheels that are pivotably mounted on the front, rear, left and right sides of the trolley frame and that can be rotated independently.

4. The mounting platform comprises a base plate whose front and rear ends swing up and down about a horizontal axis extending in the width direction of the trolley frame, and a table on which the railway car body is mounted, whose left and right ends move back and forth about a vertical axis in the width direction centered on the base plate and perpendicular to the horizontal axis, and the vehicle body detection sensors are provided at the left and right ends of the table, respectively. This is an unmanned transport trolley for a railway car body according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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