Conveyance device and conveyance method

Abstract

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a conveyance device capable of preventing strong stress from acting on a center frame of a cart while also suppressing manufacturing costs. This conveyance device conveys a cart having a front frame, a back frame, a center frame, a front connection fitting and a back connection fitting, and a plurality of casters. The conveyance device comprises: a device drive unit that is provided to a body mechanism, and that drives the conveyance device; a guide mechanism having a center frame groove that can be fitted to the center frame; a guide mechanism drive unit that drives the guide mechanism in the height direction; a sensor group that detects the surrounding conditions of the conveyance device; and a control unit that controls the device drive unit and the guide mechanism drive unit. The control unit controls the device drive unit and the guide mechanism drive unit on the basis of a detection result from the sensor group such that the center frame fits into the center frame groove. When the center frame has been fitted into the center frame groove, the guide mechanism is positioned between the front connection fitting and the back connection fitting.

Description

Conveying device and conveying method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a transport device and a transport method for transporting a cart containing articles.

[0002] Carts for storing items include a front frame, a rear frame facing the front frame, a center frame connecting the front and rear frames, and a plurality of casters attached to the bottom mechanism, and are used in a variety of situations. Recently, in order to save labor, the method of moving carts has evolved from manual to automatic.

[0003] Various techniques for automatically moving a cart have been developed. For example, a technique for moving a cart with a center frame sandwiched between holding arms has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0004] WO 2005 / 105620

[0005] In the structure disclosed in Patent Document 1, in which the center frame is sandwiched between the support arms, strong stress is applied to the support arms when the transport device that transports the cart rotates the cart. To withstand such stress, the support arms must be made stronger, which increases the manufacturing costs of the transport device. Furthermore, the strong stress applied to the portion of the center frame sandwiched between the support arms can cause metal fatigue.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and aims to provide a conveying device and a conveying method that can prevent strong stress from being applied to the center frame of the cart while keeping manufacturing costs down.

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the conveying device disclosed herein is a conveying device for transporting a cart having a front frame, a rear frame facing the front frame, a center frame connecting the front frame and the rear frame, front connecting fittings and rear connecting fittings attached to the center frame so as to protrude in a direction different from the extension direction of the center frame, and a plurality of casters, and is equipped with a main body mechanism that supports the entire conveying device, a device drive unit attached to the main body mechanism and driving the conveying device, a guide mechanism having a center frame groove that can be fitted into the center frame, a guide mechanism drive unit that drives the guide mechanism in the vertical direction, a group of sensors that detect the surrounding conditions of the conveying device, and a control unit that controls the device drive unit and the guide mechanism drive unit, and the control unit controls the device drive unit and the guide mechanism drive unit based on the detection results of the group of sensors so that the center frame fits into the center frame groove, and when the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove, the guide mechanism is positioned between the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting.

[0008] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent strong stress from being applied to the center frame of the cart while keeping manufacturing costs down.

[0009] The objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

[0010] 13 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conveying device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conveying device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a cart according to embodiment 1. FIG. 16 is a plan view showing a state in which a center frame groove and a center frame according to embodiment 1 are fitted together. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along A1-A1 of FIG. 4. FIG. 18 is a side view of FIG. 4. FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the conveying device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 20 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the conveying device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the conveying device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 22 is a diagram for explaining the movement of the conveying device according to embodiment 1. FIG. 23 is a diagram for explaining the allowable angle of elevation between the center frame and the center frame groove according to embodiment 1. FIG. 24 is a plan view showing a state in which a center frame groove and a center frame are fitted together according to embodiment 2. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken along B1-B1 of FIG. 13. FIG. 26 is a side view of FIG. 26. FIG. 27 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the presence or absence of a first guide mechanism and the allowable positional error between the center frame groove and the center frame according to embodiment 2. FIG. 28 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the presence or absence of a first guide mechanism and the allowable positional error between the center frame groove and the center frame according to embodiment 2. 28 is a diagram for explaining the relationship between the presence or absence of a first guide mechanism according to embodiment 2 and the allowable position error between the center frame groove and the center frame. 29 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the first guide mechanism according to embodiment 2. 30 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the first guide mechanism according to modified example 2 of embodiment 2. 31 is a diagram for explaining the installation position of the first guide mechanism according to modified example 3 of embodiment 2. 32 is a plan view showing a state in which the center frame groove and the center frame according to embodiment 3 are fitted together. 33 is a cross-sectional view taken along C1-C1 of FIG. 22. 34 is a side view of FIG. 22. 35 is a side view showing a state in which the center frame groove and the center frame according to modified example 1 of embodiment 3 are fitted together. 36 is a side view showing a state in which the center frame groove and the center frame according to modified example 2 of embodiment 3 are fitted together. 37 is an external view showing a state in which the transport device and the cart according to embodiment 4 are fitted together. 38 is a plan view showing a state in which the center frame groove and the center frame according to embodiment 4 are fitted together. 39 is a cross-sectional view taken along D1-D1 of FIG. 28.FIG. 31 is a side view of FIG. 28. FIG. 32 is a plan view showing an example of a guide mechanism according to embodiment 4. FIG. 33 is a plan view showing an example of a guide mechanism according to modified example 1 of embodiment 4. FIG. 34 is a plan view showing a state in which a center frame groove and a center frame are fitted together according to modified example 2 of embodiment 4. FIG. 35 is a side view of FIG. 33. FIG. 36 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a conveying device according to embodiments 1 to 4. FIG. 37 is a diagram showing an example of a hardware configuration of a conveying device according to embodiments 1 to 4.

[0011] First Embodiment <Configuration> FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of a conveyance device 1 according to a first embodiment.

[0012] The conveying device 1 includes a main body mechanism 2 and a guide mechanism 4. The main body mechanism 2 includes a device drive unit 3, a guide mechanism drive unit 5, a sensor group 6, and a control unit 7.

[0013] The guide mechanism 4 has a center frame groove 25 that can be fitted into a center frame 18 that constitutes a cart, which will be described later (see, for example, FIG. 4).

[0014] The main body mechanism 2 supports the entire conveying device 1. The device drive unit 3 drives the conveying device 1. The guide mechanism drive unit 5 drives the guide mechanism 4 in the vertical direction. The sensor group 6 detects the surrounding conditions of the conveying device 1. The control unit 7 controls the device drive unit 3 and the guide mechanism drive unit 5. Specifically, the control unit 7 controls the device drive unit 3 and the guide mechanism drive unit 5 based on the detection results of the sensor group 6 so that the center frame 18 fits into the center frame groove 25. When the center frame 18 fits into the center frame groove 25, the guide mechanism 4 is positioned between the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24 that make up a cart, which will be described later (see, for example, FIG. 4 ).

[0015] Next, other configurations of the transport device including the transport device 1 shown in Fig. 1 and a cart transported by the transport device will be described. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the transport device 8 according to another configuration. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the cart transported by the transport device 8. Below, the configuration of the cart will be described first, and then the configuration of the transport device 8 will be described.

[0016] <Cart Configuration> As shown in FIG. 3 , the cart includes a front frame 16 , a rear frame 17 , a center frame 18 , casters 19 , caster brakes 20 , a support frame 21 , and a tray 22 .

[0017] The front frame 16 is a frame provided at the front of the cart. The rear frame 17 is a frame provided at the rear of the cart, facing the front frame 16. The center frame 18 is a frame that connects the front frame 16 and the rear frame 17.

[0018] The front connecting fitting 23 is provided on the center frame 18 so as to protrude in a direction different from the extending direction of the center frame 18. When the center frame 18 is fitted into the center frame groove 25, the front connecting fitting 23 is located closer to the front frame 16 than the guide mechanism 4.

[0019] The rear connecting fitting 24 is provided on the center frame 18 so as to protrude in a direction different from the extending direction of the center frame 18. When the center frame 18 is fitted into the center frame groove 25, the rear connecting fitting 24 is located closer to the rear frame 17 than the guide mechanism 4.

[0020] The casters 19 are provided one on each of the left and right ends of the front frame 16, and one on each of the left and right ends of the rear frame 17. The caster brakes 20 are used to lock the casters 19 in place so that they do not move. When the user operates the caster brakes 20, the casters 19 are locked, preventing the cart from moving.

[0021] The support frames 21 are provided vertically on each of the front frame 16 and the rear frame 17. The trays 22 are placed on the support frames 21, and articles can be placed on the trays 22.

[0022] 3, two trays 22 are mounted on the support frame 21, but the number of trays 22 is not limited to this. Also, the center frame 18 may be structured to protrude from both or either of the front frame 16 and the rear frame 17.

[0023] 2, the transport device 8 includes a guide mechanism 4, a main body mechanism 9, casters 13, and drive wheels 14. The casters 13 are provided at the four corners of the main body mechanism 9. The guide mechanism 4 is provided integrally with the main body mechanism 9, and has a center frame groove 25 that can be fitted into the center frame 18 of the cart.

[0024] The main body mechanism 9 includes a device driving unit 3 , a guide mechanism driving unit 5 , a sensor group 6 , a control unit 7 , and a communication unit 12 .

[0025] The device drive unit 3 is a motor that rotates and drives the drive wheels 14 in accordance with instructions from the control unit 7. One drive wheel 14 is provided on each side of the main mechanism 9. A device drive unit 3 may be provided for each drive wheel 14. The drive wheels 14 are not limited to wheels, and may be other forms of movement such as caterpillar tracks. Furthermore, the drive wheels 14 are not limited to a configuration in which a pair of wheels are provided on each side of the main mechanism 9, and may be any configuration, such as multiple pairs of wheels.

[0026] The sensor group 6 includes a lidar 10 and a depth camera 11 .

[0027] The lidar 10 detects obstacles in the space surrounding the transport device 8 and detects its own position for SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) travel. Obstacles in the space surrounding the transport device 8 include each part that constitutes the cart.

[0028] The depth camera 11 captures an image of the area around the transport device 8 to obtain a distance image, and performs image processing on the obtained distance image to determine the distance to obstacles present around the transport device 8. The range of the depth camera 11 is approximately 10 cm. Obstacles present around the transport device 8 include each part that makes up the cart.

[0029] The guide mechanism drive unit 5 is an elevation motor that changes the height of the guide mechanism 4 from the floor surface. The guide mechanism drive unit 5 drives the drive wheels 14 to push them down from the main mechanism 9 or to retract them into the main mechanism 9 in accordance with instructions from the control unit 7.

[0030] When the guide mechanism drive unit 5 drives the drive wheels 14 to push down from the main mechanism 9, the main mechanism 9 is accordingly pushed up from the floor surface to its normal height. At this time, the position of the guide mechanism 4 configured integrally with the main mechanism 9 also rises to its normal height.

[0031] On the other hand, when the guide mechanism drive unit 5 drives the drive wheels 14 to accommodate them in the main mechanism 9, the main mechanism 9 accordingly assumes a low-floor state lower than the normal height state. At this time, the position of the guide mechanism 4 configured integrally with the main mechanism 9 also lowers to assume the low-floor state.

[0032] The control unit 7 controls the entire conveying device 8 including the device drive unit 3 and the guide mechanism drive unit 5 .

[0033] The communication unit 12 communicates with an instruction center 15 provided outside the transport device 8. The instruction center 15 monitors the transport device 8 and instructs the transport device 8 to transport the cart.

[0034] <Fitting of Cart and Guide Mechanism> Fig. 4 is a plan view showing a state in which the center frame 18 of the cart is fitted into the center frame groove 25 of the guide mechanism 4. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along A1-A1 in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a side view of Fig. 4.

[0035] As shown in Figures 4 and 6, when the transport device 8 transports the cart, the guide mechanism 4 is located between the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24. When the transport device 8 moves the cart in the front-to-rear direction, the guide mechanism 4 comes into contact with the front connecting fitting 23 or the rear connecting fitting 24. In the example of Figure 6, the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24 come into contact with the main mechanism 9 in the up-and-down direction, but they do not have to come into contact with the main mechanism 9 in the up-and-down direction. In other words, it is sufficient that the front connecting fitting 23 or the rear connecting fitting 24 comes into contact with and supports the guide mechanism 4 when the transport device 8 moves the cart in the front-to-rear direction.

[0036] 4 and 5, when the transport device 8 transports the cart, the center frame 18 fits into the center frame groove 25. When the transport device 8 turns the cart, the center frame groove 25 comes into contact with the center frame 18. Note that some play, such as a gap of about 1 mm or more on both sides, may be provided between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18.

[0037] <Operation> In the following, the operation of the transport device 8, which waits at a predetermined waiting position Prest inside the building, and detects a cart stopped at point Pa upon receiving an instruction from the instruction center 15, and transports the cart to destination Pb will be described.

[0038] The control unit 7 includes a SoC (System On a Chip) and has a built-in program for causing the entire transport device 8 to travel autonomously.

[0039] FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the transport device 8.

[0040] In step S1, the control unit 7 receives a movement command transmitted from the instruction center 15 via the communication unit 12. The movement command is a command indicating that a cart stopped at point Pa should be transported to destination Pb. The movement command includes position information of the cart (position information of point Pa) and position information of the destination of the cart (position information of destination Pb).

[0041] In step S2, the control unit 7 calculates a route from the standby position Prest of the transport device 8 to point Pa where the cart is located, based on map information inside the building (not shown). Then, the control unit 7 controls the device driving unit 3 to autonomously travel to point Pa while avoiding moving objects or obstacles present around the transport device 8, based on the surrounding conditions detected by the sensor group 6 including the Lidar 10 and the depth camera 11. When the control unit 7 finds a cart near point Pa, it controls the device driving unit 3 to stop the transport device 8. The transport device 8 travels from the standby position Prest to point Pa at a normal height.

[0042] Although the case where the control unit 7 calculates the route from the standby position Prest to the point Pa has been described here, the present invention is not limited to this. The instruction center 15 may calculate the route from the standby position Prest to the point Pa and notify the transport device 8 of the calculated route.

[0043] The map information for the inside of the building may be held by the control unit 7, or may be obtained from an external source such as the instruction center 15 as needed.

[0044] In step S3, the control unit 7 formulates a movement plan for moving the transport device 8 under the cart. Then, based on the formulated movement plan and the surrounding conditions detected by the Lidar 10 and the depth camera 11, the control unit 7 controls the device driving unit 3 so that the transport device 8 moves under the cart. Figures 8 and 9 show the transport device 8 moving under the cart. At this time, the transport device 8 moves from the normal height state to the low-floor state before moving under the cart.

[0045] In step S4, the control unit 7 controls the device driving unit 3 based on the position of the cart's center frame 18 detected by the Lidar 10 and the depth camera 11 so that the center frame 18 and the center frame groove 25 of the guide mechanism 4 are aligned in a planar view. Figure 10 shows the state after the transport device 8 has rotated (turned) so that the center frame and the center frame groove 25 of the guide mechanism 4 are aligned in a planar view.

[0046] In step S5, the control unit 7 controls the guide mechanism driving unit 5 so that the conveying device 8 is at the normal height. When the conveying device 8 is at the normal height, the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 fit together.

[0047] In step S6, the control unit 7 calculates a route from point Pa to destination Pb based on map information inside the building (not shown). Then, the control unit 7 controls the device driving unit 3 to autonomously travel to destination Pb while avoiding moving objects or obstacles present around the transport device 8, based on the surrounding conditions detected by the Lidar 10 and the depth camera 11. In this way, the cart is transported from point Pa to destination Pb. Figure 11 shows how the transport device 8 transports the cart.

[0048] Although the case where the control unit 7 calculates the route from the point Pa to the destination Pb has been described here, the present invention is not limited to this. The instruction center 15 may calculate the route from the point Pa to the destination Pb and notify the transport device 8 of the calculated route.

[0049] When the cart arrives at the destination Pb, staff inside the building collects the items placed on the tray 22 of the cart. Thereafter, when the control unit 7 of the conveying device 8 receives a command to return to the standby position Pret from the instruction center 15 via the communication unit 12, it controls the device driving unit 3 to autonomously travel from the destination Pb to the standby position Pret. Alternatively, the movement command received by the control unit 7 from the instruction center 15 in step S1 may include a command to autonomously travel to the standby position Pret after the conveying device 8 arrives at the destination Pb.

[0050] The conveying device 8 may be used, for example, to deliver medicine or food in a hospital, deliver food in a school, deliver food or goods in an office, or transport parts in a manufacturing plant.

[0051] Effect of First Embodiment In the first embodiment, the cart has a front connecting fitting 23 and a rear connecting fitting 24 that are attached to the center frame 18 so as to protrude in a direction different from the extension direction of the center frame 18. In addition, the guide mechanism 4 of the transport device 8 has a center frame groove 25 that can be fitted into the center frame 18. When the center frame 18 is fitted into the center frame groove 25, the guide mechanism 4 is positioned between the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24. With this configuration, strong stress is not applied to the center frame 18 when the transport device 8 transports the cart, so there is no need to strengthen the holding arms, and manufacturing costs can be reduced.

[0052] <First Modification of First Embodiment> In the first embodiment, the case where the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24 are positioned so as to support the guide mechanism 4 in the front-to-rear direction has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. The front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24 may be configured to support the transport device 8 when the cart is transported, and may be configured to support a part of the main body mechanism 9, for example.

[0053] <Second Modification of First Embodiment> When the transport device 8 moves on a flat floor while transporting a cart, the guide mechanism 4 may be structured to tightly fit with the center frame 18, the front connecting fitting 23, and the rear connecting fitting 24. However, when the transport device 8 moves on a floor with a slope while transporting a cart, as shown in FIG. 12 , the elevation angle α between the center frame groove 25 of the guide mechanism 4 and the center frame 18 must be within a pre-designed range. For example, the elevation angle α is allowed within a range where the gradient is greater than −5% and less than +5%. In this way, when the center frame groove 25 is fitted into the center frame 18, a predetermined gap exists between the center frame 18 and the center frame groove 25.

[0054] <Embodiment 2> In embodiment 1, we described a case where the conveying device 8 detects the exact position of each part of the cart, moves the conveying device 8 so that the center frame 18 and the center frame groove 25 of the guide mechanism 4 are aligned in a planar view, and then engages the center frame groove 25 with the center frame 18.

[0055] The second embodiment is characterized by the provision of a guide mechanism (first guide mechanism 26, described below) to allow for positional errors in the left-right direction of the center frame 18 relative to the center frame groove 25. The rest of the configuration and operation of the transport device 8 and cart are the same as those in the first embodiment, so detailed description will be omitted here.

[0056] Fig. 13 is a plan view showing a state in which the center frame groove 25 according to the second embodiment is fitted into the center frame 18. Fig. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along B1-B1 in Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a side view of Fig. 13.

[0057] 13 and 14 , a pair of first guide mechanisms 26 are provided at the front-rear end portions of the center frame groove 25. Specifically, the first guide mechanisms 26 are inclined toward the inside of the center frame groove 25 and are provided on opposite surfaces of the center frame groove 25. The width of the center frame groove 25 according to the second embodiment is wider than the width of the center frame groove according to the first embodiment by the width of the first guide mechanisms 26.

[0058] Here, the relationship between the presence or absence of the first guide mechanism 26 and the allowable positional error between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 in the state shown in FIG. 10 after the operation of step S4 in FIG. 7 has been performed will be described.

[0059] FIG. 16 illustrates the relationship between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 when the first guide mechanism 26 is not provided. The width of the center frame groove 25 is slightly wider than the width of the center frame 18. If the difference (gap) between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 is D1, the allowable position error between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 is D1 / 2. For example, if D1 = 2 mm, the allowable position error is 1 mm, i.e., an error of 1 mm on each side is permitted. If such positional accuracy cannot be achieved using the sensor group 6 including the lidar 10 and the depth camera 11, D1 must be increased. In this case, when the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 are engaged, the gap between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 becomes wider, causing rattle and instability when the transport device 8 transports the cart.

[0060] 17 is a diagram showing the relationship between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 when the first guide mechanism 26 is provided on the inner wall of the center frame groove 25. If the width of the first guide mechanism 26 is d1 and the difference (gap) between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 is D2, the allowable position error between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 is "D2 / 2 + d1." For example, if d1 = 5 mm and D2 = 2 mm, the allowable position error is 6 mm. In this way, by providing the first guide mechanism 26, the allowable position error can be made much larger than if the first guide mechanism 26 were not provided.

[0061] As shown in FIG. 18, it is desirable that the angle θ of the slope of the first guide mechanism 26 be 45 degrees or more so as to prevent large friction when the center frame 18 and the first guide mechanism 26 come into contact with each other.

[0062] 19 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the first guide mechanism 26. As shown in Fig. 19, when the guide mechanism 4 rises, the center frame 18 comes into contact with the slope of the first guide mechanism 26 and is guided into the center frame groove 25. Then, the deviation between the central axis of the center frame 18 and the central axis of the center frame groove 25 gradually decreases, and the center frame 18 fits into the center frame groove 25.

[0063] Effect of Second Embodiment In the second embodiment, a pair of first guide mechanisms 26 are provided at the front and rear ends of the center frame groove 25. This increases the allowable position error between the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 before the guide mechanism 4 is raised, making it possible to fit the center frame 18 into the center frame groove 25 without using a high-performance sensor. In other words, a transport device that is less expensive than the first embodiment can be realized.

[0064] <First Modification of Second Embodiment> In order to prevent the center frame 18 from being worn due to contact between the center frame 18 and the first guide mechanism 26, the first guide mechanism 26 may be made of a material that is softer than the center frame 18. This makes it possible to replace the first guide mechanism 26 even if it is worn.

[0065] <Second Modification of Second Embodiment> The slope of the first guide mechanism 26 is not limited to a straight line, but may be an arc shape whose angle with respect to the horizontal gradually decreases downward, as shown in Fig. 20. By using such a shape, when the guide mechanism 4 rises and the first guide mechanism 26 comes into contact with the center frame 18, the center frame 18 can be smoothly guided into the center frame groove 25.

[0066] The first guide mechanism 26 may have two pairs as shown in FIG. 13, or may have three or more pairs.

[0067] The first guide mechanism 26 may be shaped to cover the entire inner wall of the center frame groove 25. The first guide mechanism 26 may be configured integrally with the guide mechanism 4.

[0068] <Third Modification of Second Embodiment> In the second embodiment, the first guide mechanism 26 is provided on the inner wall of the center frame groove 25, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0069] 21 , the first guide mechanism 26 may be provided above the guide mechanism 4. Specifically, the first guide mechanism 26 is provided outside the center frame groove 25 and along the center frame groove 25.

[0070] <Fourth Modification of Second Embodiment> A plurality of first guide mechanisms 26 with different widths may be prepared to accommodate a plurality of types of carts with different widths of center frame 18. These first guide mechanisms 26 are removable. With this configuration, it is possible to select an appropriate first guide mechanism 26 for the center frame 18.

[0071] Third Embodiment In the second embodiment, the case where the first guide mechanism 26 is provided to allow for positional errors in detection of the center frame 18 relative to the center frame groove 25 in the left-right direction has been described.

[0072] The third embodiment is characterized by the provision of a guide mechanism (a second guide mechanism 27, described below) to allow for positional errors in the detection of the front and rear connecting fittings 23, 24 in the front-to-rear direction relative to the guide mechanism 4. The rest of the configuration and operation of the transport device 8 and cart are the same as in the second embodiment, so detailed description will be omitted here.

[0073] Fig. 22 is a plan view showing a state in which the center frame groove 25 according to the third embodiment is fitted into the center frame 18. Fig. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along C1-C1 in Fig. 22. Fig. 24 is a side view of Fig. 22.

[0074] 22 to 24 , second guide mechanisms 27 are provided at two locations, one on the left and one on the right, at the upper front end of the guide mechanism 4, and at two locations, one on the left and one on the right, at the upper rear end of the guide mechanism 4. If there is an error between the guide mechanism 4 and the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24, when the guide mechanism 4 is raised, the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24 will first come into contact with the second guide mechanism 27, and then, as the guide mechanism 4 is raised, the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24 will be guided by the second guide mechanism 27, until the guide mechanism 4 is finally positioned between the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24.

[0075] If the detection accuracy of the left-right position of the cart is high, it is not necessary to provide the first guide mechanism 26. The second guide mechanism 27 may be configured integrally with the guide mechanism 4.

[0076] Effect of Embodiment 3 In Embodiment 3, second guide mechanisms 27 are provided at both the upper front and upper rear ends in the longitudinal direction of the center frame groove 25. This increases the allowable positional error between the guide mechanism 4 and the front connecting fitting 23 and rear connecting fitting 24 before the guide mechanism 4 is raised, so that the guide mechanism 4 can be positioned between the front connecting fitting 23 and rear connecting fitting 24 without using a high-performance sensor. In other words, a transport device that is less expensive than that of Embodiment 1 can be realized.

[0077] <First Modification of Third Embodiment> As shown in FIG. 25, the second guide mechanism 27 may be provided at each of the front and rear sides of the guide mechanism 4 in the front-rear direction.

[0078] The second guide mechanism 27 may be configured integrally with the guide mechanism 4 .

[0079] <Second Modification of Third Embodiment> As shown in FIG. 26, the second guide mechanism 27 may be provided on each of the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24.

[0080] The second guide mechanism 27 may be configured integrally with each of the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24.

[0081] It is also possible to use a configuration in which the configuration shown in Fig. 26 is combined with the configurations shown in Fig. 22 to 24. It is also possible to use a configuration in which the configuration shown in Fig. 26 is combined with the configuration shown in Fig. 25.

[0082] <Embodiment 4> In embodiments 1 to 3, the cart has been described as having the front connecting fitting 23 and the rear connecting fitting 24 attached to the center frame 18 so as to protrude in a direction different from the extension direction of the center frame 18.

[0083] In the fourth embodiment, the cart has front and rear connecting fittings 28 and 29 with wedge-shaped structures (see, for example, Figures 27 and 28), and the guide mechanism 4 has front and rear notches 30 and 31 (see, for example, Figure 31). The rest of the configuration and operation of the transport device 8 and cart are the same as in the second embodiment, so detailed description will be omitted here.

[0084] Fig. 27 is an external view showing a state in which the transport device and cart according to embodiment 4 are fitted together. Fig. 28 is a plan view showing a state in which the center frame groove 25 and the center frame 18 are fitted together. Fig. 29 is a cross-sectional view taken along D1-D1 in Fig. 28. Fig. 30 is a side view of Fig. 28. The transport device shown in Fig. 27 is a simplified version of an actual transport device.

[0085] 27 and 28 , the front connecting fitting 28 has a wedge-shaped structure with the base of the triangular prism fixed to the front frame 16. Specifically, the front connecting fitting 28 has a wedge-shaped structure in which the width of its one end on the rear frame side in plan view is narrower than the width of its other end on the front frame 16 side, and the other end overlaps the center frame 18 in plan view.

[0086] The rear connecting fitting 29 has a wedge-shaped structure in which the base of the triangular prism is fixed to the rear frame 17. Specifically, the rear connecting fitting 29 has a wedge-shaped structure in which the width of one end on the front frame 16 side is narrower than the width of one end on the rear frame 17 side in a plan view, and the other end overlaps the center frame 18 in a plan view.

[0087] Figure 31 is a plan view showing an example of the guide mechanism 4. As shown in Figure 31, the guide mechanism 4 has a front notch 30 that can be fitted with the front connecting fitting 28, and a rear notch 31 that can be fitted with the rear connecting fitting 29.

[0088] Effect of Fourth Embodiment In the fourth embodiment, the cart has a front connecting fitting 28 and a rear connecting fitting 29 with a wedge-shaped structure, and the guide mechanism 4 has a front notch 30 and a rear notch 31. This allows the front connecting fitting 28 and the front notch 30, and the rear connecting fitting 29 and the rear notch 31, to fit tightly together, thereby improving the efficiency of power transmission when the transport device 8 turns the cart and reducing rattling during turning. Furthermore, the front connecting fitting 28 and the rear connecting fitting 29 are supported by the front frame 16 and the rear frame 17, respectively, making it easy to fix and position them relative to the center frame 18.

[0089] <First Modification of Fourth Embodiment> In the fourth embodiment, the case where the first guide mechanism 26 is provided in the center frame groove 25 has been described (see, for example, Figures 28 and 31), but the present invention is not limited to this. As shown in Figure 32, a dual-purpose guide mechanism 32 may be provided in each of the front cutout 30 and the rear cutout 31 of the guide mechanism 4. Two dual-purpose guide mechanisms 32 are provided in the front cutout 30, and two dual-purpose guide mechanisms 32 are provided in the rear cutout 31.

[0090] The combined guide mechanism 32 has an inward slope in both the front cutout 30 and the rear cutout 31, and has the function of guiding the cart in the front-to-rear and left-to-right directions. In other words, the combined guide mechanism 32 has the function of both the first guide mechanism 26 and the second guide mechanism 27. Specifically, when the center frame 18 is fitted into the center frame groove 25, the combined guide mechanism 32 guides the center frame 18 into the center frame groove 25, guides the front connecting fitting 28 to the front cutout 30, and guides the rear connecting fitting 29 to the rear cutout 31.

[0091] This makes it possible to allow for positional errors in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions between the guide mechanism 4 and the front and rear connecting fittings 28 and 29 before the guide mechanism 4 is raised.

[0092] In FIG. 32, a first guide mechanism 26 may be further provided in the center frame groove 25.

[0093] 33 and 34, the front connecting fitting 28 may be provided with a dual-purpose guide mechanism 32 at a portion thereof that comes into contact with the front notch 30 (see FIG. 31, for example) of the guide mechanism 4. Furthermore, the rear connecting fitting 29 may be provided with a dual-purpose guide mechanism 32 at a portion thereof that comes into contact with the rear notch 31 (see FIG. 31, for example) of the guide mechanism 4. The function of the dual-purpose guide mechanism 32 shown in FIGS. 33 and 34 is the same as the function of the dual-purpose guide mechanism 32 shown in FIG. 32 described in the first modification.

[0094] This makes it possible to allow for positional errors in the front-to-back and left-to-right directions between the guide mechanism 4 and the front and rear connecting fittings 28 and 29 before the guide mechanism 4 is raised.

[0095] 33 and 34, the center frame groove 25 may further be provided with a first guide mechanism 26.

[0096] 2 are realized by a processing circuit. That is, the conveyance device 8 includes a processing circuit for controlling the device driving unit 3 and the guide mechanism driving unit 5 so that the center frame 18 fits into the center frame groove 25 based on the detection results of the sensor group 6, and for communicating with an instruction center 15 provided outside the conveyance device 8. The processing circuit may be dedicated hardware, or may be a processor (also referred to as a CPU, central processing unit, processing unit, arithmetic unit, microprocessor, microcomputer, or DSP (Digital Signal Processor)) that executes a program stored in a memory.

[0097] When the processing circuit is dedicated hardware, the processing circuit 33 may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof, as shown in Fig. 35. The functions of the control unit 7 and the communication unit 12 may be realized by the processing circuit 33 respectively, or all of the functions may be realized by a single processing circuit 33.

[0098] When the processing circuit 33 is the processor 34 shown in FIG. 36 , the functions of the control unit 7 and the communication unit 12 are realized by software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is written as a program and stored in the memory 35. The processor 34 realizes each function by reading and executing the program recorded in the memory 35. That is, the conveying device 8 includes the memory 35 for storing a program that ultimately executes the steps of controlling the device drive unit 3 and the guide mechanism drive unit 5 so that the center frame 18 fits into the center frame groove 25 based on the detection results of the sensor group 6, and communicating with the instruction center 15 provided outside the conveying device 8. It can also be said that these programs cause a computer to execute the procedures or methods of the control unit 7 and the communication unit 12. Here, the memory may be, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc), or any storage medium that will be used in the future.

[0099] It should be noted that some of the functions of the control unit 7 and the communication unit 12 may be realized by dedicated hardware, and other functions may be realized by software or firmware.

[0100] Thus, the processing circuitry can implement each of the above-described functions through hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0101] Within the scope of the present disclosure, the embodiments can be freely combined, modified, or omitted as appropriate.

[0102] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, the above description is illustrative in all respects and is not restrictive. It is understood that countless variations not illustrated can be envisioned.

[0103] 1 Conveying device, 2 Main mechanism, 3 Device drive unit, 4 Guide mechanism, 5 Guide mechanism drive unit, 6 Sensor group, 7 Control unit, 8 Conveying device, 9 Main mechanism, 10 Lidar, 11 Depth camera, 12 Communication unit, 13 Caster, 14 Drive wheel, 15 Indication center, 16 Front frame, 17 Rear frame, 18 Center frame, 19 Caster, 20 Caster brake, 21 Support frame, 22 Tray, 23 Front connecting fitting, 24 Rear connecting fitting, 25 Center frame groove, 26 First guide mechanism, 27 Second guide mechanism, 28 Front connecting fitting, 29 Rear connecting fitting, 30 Front cutout, 31 Rear cutout, 32 Dual-purpose guide mechanism, 33 Processing circuit, 34 Processor, 35 Memory.

Claims

1. A transport device for transporting a cart having a front frame, a rear frame opposing the front frame, a center frame connecting the front frame and the rear frame, front connecting fittings and rear connecting fittings provided on the center frame so as to protrude in a direction different from an extending direction of the center frame, and a plurality of casters, a main body mechanism for supporting the entire conveying device; a device driving section provided in the main body mechanism and configured to drive the conveying device; a guide mechanism having a center frame groove that can be fitted into the center frame; a guide mechanism driving unit that drives the guide mechanism in a height direction; A group of sensors for detecting the surrounding conditions of the conveying device; A control unit that controls the device drive unit and the guide mechanism drive unit; Equipped with the control unit controls the device driving unit and the guide mechanism driving unit based on a detection result of the group of sensors so that the center frame fits into the center frame groove; When the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove, the guide mechanism is located between the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting, When the center frame groove is fitted into the center frame, a predetermined gap exists between the center frame and the center frame groove, When the cart is transported, at least one of the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting contacts the guide mechanism.

2. the front connecting metal fitting has a wedge-shaped structure in which a width of the other end on the rear frame side is narrower than a width of one end on the front frame side in a plan view, and the other end overlaps with the center frame in a plan view, the rear connecting metal fitting has a wedge-shaped structure in which a width of one end thereof on the front frame side is narrower than a width of one end thereof on the rear frame side in a plan view, and the other end thereof overlaps with the center frame in a plan view, The transport device according to claim 1 , wherein the guide mechanism has a notch that fits into each of the other ends of the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting.

3. 2. The transport device according to claim 1, wherein the guide mechanism includes a first guide mechanism that guides the center frame into the center frame groove when the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove.

4. 4. The conveying device according to claim 3, wherein the first guide mechanism is a pair of mechanisms having a slope provided on opposing surfaces of the center frame groove, or a pair of mechanisms having a slope provided outside the center frame groove and along the center frame groove.

5. 2. The transport device according to claim 1, wherein the guide mechanism has a second guide mechanism that guides the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting so that the guide mechanism is positioned between the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting when the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove.

6. 2. The transport device according to claim 1, wherein each of the front connecting fittings and the rear connecting fittings has a second guide mechanism that guides the front connecting fittings and the rear connecting fittings so that the guide mechanism is positioned between the front connecting fittings and the rear connecting fittings when the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove.

7. The guide mechanism has a dual-purpose guide mechanism in the notch portion, 3. The transport device according to claim 2, wherein the dual-purpose guide mechanism guides the center frame into the center frame groove when the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove, and guides each of the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting to the notch.

8. 3. The transport device according to claim 2, wherein each of the front connecting fittings and the rear connecting fittings has a dual-purpose guide mechanism that guides the center frame into the center frame groove when the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove and that guides each of the front connecting fittings and the rear connecting fittings to the cutout portion.

9. A method for transporting a cart using a transport device, the cart having a front frame, a rear frame opposing the front frame, a center frame connecting the front frame and the rear frame, front connecting fittings and rear connecting fittings provided on the center frame so as to protrude in a direction different from an extending direction of the center frame, and a plurality of casters, the method comprising: the center frame is fitted into a center frame groove of a guide mechanism of the transport device based on a detection result of a sensor group of the transport device; When the center frame is fitted into the center frame groove, the guide mechanism is located between the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting, When the center frame groove is fitted into the center frame, a predetermined gap exists between the center frame and the center frame groove, When the cart is transported, at least one of the front connecting fitting and the rear connecting fitting contacts the guide mechanism.