Positioning adjustment mechanism, positioning adjustment system, and charging station

Abstract

A positioning adjustment mechanism for positioning, at a predetermined stop position, a mobile apparatus including a pair of mobile bodies disposed on both sides of a main body to travel on a traveling surface includes a guide rail standing above the traveling surface and a pair of guide pads facing each other across the guide rail in a width direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of the mobile apparatus. The pair of guide pads are disposed at a bottom of the main body and at respective portions of the pair of mobile bodies closer to the main body, the pair of guide pads extending from a front end of the main body closest to the predetermined stop position for at least a part of the main body in the traveling direction. The pair of guide pads face each other across a center position of the main body in the width direction, and a first distance between one of the pair of guide pads and corresponding one of the pair of mobile bodies is smaller than a second distance between one of the pair of guide pads and the center position in the width direction. The guide rail includes a widened portion whose dimension in the width direction gradually increases in the traveling direction to approach a third distance between the pair of guide pads; and a positioning portion having a first end connected to a widest end of the widened portion where the dimension in the width direction is largest, and a second end extending to the predetermined stop position. Both ends of the positioning portion in the width direction extend parallel in the traveling direction.

Description

POSITIONING ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM, POSITIONING ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM, AND CHARGING STATION[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a positioning adjustment mechanism, a positioning adjustment system, and a charging station.[Background Art]

[0002] Currently, autonomous mobile robots (mobile apparatuses) assist manual work or work instead of humans in environments not suitable for humans in various fields and for various purposes.For example, Patent Literature (PTL) 1 discloses an autonomous mobile apparatus including a crawler mobile body to enhance stability in traveling.[Citation List][Patent Literature]

[0003] [PTL 1]Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2021-116061 [Summary of Invention] [Technical Problem]

[0004] PTL 1 does not describe a mechanism for stopping the mobile apparatus more accurately at a target position.[Solution to Problem]

[0005] The present disclosure described herein provides a positioning adjustment mechanism to position, at a predetermined stop position, a mobile apparatus including a pair of mobile bodies disposed on both sides of a main body to travel on a traveling surface. The positioning adjustment mechanism includes a guide rail standing above the traveling surface, and a pair of guide pads facing each other across the guide rail in a width direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of the mobile apparatus. The pair of guide pads are disposed at a bottom of the main body and at respective portions of the pair of mobile bodies closer to the main body. The pair of guide pads extend from a front end of the main body closest to the predetermined stop position for at least a part of the main body in the traveling direction. The pair of guide pads face each other across a center position of the main body in the width direction, and a first distance between one of the pair of guide pads and corresponding one of the pair of mobile bodies is smaller than a second distance between one of the pair of guidepads and the center position in the width direction. The guide rail includes a widened portion whose dimension in the width direction gradually increases in the traveling direction to approach a third distance between the pair of guide pads, and a positioning portion having a first end connected to a widest end of the widened portion where the dimension in the width direction is largest, and a second end opposite the first end, the second end extending to the predetermined stop position, and both ends of the positioning portion in the width direction extend parallel in the traveling direction.The present disclosure described herein provides a positioning adjustment system including the mobile apparatus; and the positioning adjustment mechanism described above.The present disclosure described herein provides a charging station to charge a mobile apparatus including a pair of mobile bodies disposed on both sides of a main body to travel on a traveling surface. The charging station includes a power supply assembly including a power supply to supply power to the mobile apparatus, and the positioning adjustment mechanism described above to position the mobile apparatus at a chargeable position at which the mobile apparatus is supplied with power from the power supply.[Advantageous Effects of Invention]

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the positioning accuracy of the mobile apparatus increases.[Brief Description of Drawings]

[0007] A more complete appreciation of embodiments of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages and features thereof can be readily obtained and understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.[FIG. 1]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a mobile apparatus.[FIG. 2]FIG. 2 is a side view of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 3]FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1.[FIG. 4A]FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram illustrating a pattern of charging task.[FIG. 4B]FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram illustrating a pattern of charging task.[FIG. 4C]FIG. 4C is a schematic diagram illustrating a pattern of charging task.[FIG. 4D]FIG. 4D is a schematic diagram illustrating a pattern of charging task.[FIG. 5]FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a charging station.[FIG. 6A]FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating a pair of guide pads.[FIG. 6B]FIG. 6B is a diagram illustrating the pair of guide pads illustrated in FIG. 6A.[FIG. 7 A]FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating a pair of guide pads.[FIG. 7B]FIG. 7B is a diagram illustrating the pair of guide pads illustrated in FIG. 7A.[FIG. 8A]FIG. 8A is a side view of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 and illustrates a posture of the mobile apparatus traveling forward.[FIG. 8B]FIG. 8B is a side view of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 and illustrates a posture of the mobile apparatus traveling forward.[FIG. 9 A]FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a guide rail without a scooping portion.[FIG. 9B]FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating the function of a scooping portion of a guide rail illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 10A]FIG. 10A is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates the function of a guiding portion of the guide rail.[FIG. 10B]FIG. 10B is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates the function of the guiding portion of the guide rail.[FIG. 11 A]FIG. 11 A is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates the function of a widened portion of the guide rail.[FIG. 11B]FIG. 1 IB is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates the function of the widened portion of the guide rail.[FIG. 12A]FIG. 12A is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates the functions of a positioning portion and a wheel stopper of the guide rail.[FIG. 12B]FIG. 12B is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates the functions of the positioning portion and the wheel stopper of the guide rail.[FIG. 13]FIG. 13 is a side view of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, at a chargeable position of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 14A]FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating a sectional shape of each portion of the guide rail illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 14B]FIG. 14B is a diagram illustrating a sectional shape of each portion of the guide rail illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 14C]FIG. 14C is a diagram illustrating a sectional shape of each portion of the guide rail illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 14D]FIG. 14D is a diagram illustrating a sectional shape of each portion of the guide rail illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 15]FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of a rotary portion of a power supply stand of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 16 A]FIG. 16A is a diagram illustrating the operation of the power supply stand illustrated in FIG.15 when the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is at the chargeable position.[FIG. 16B]FIG. 16B is another diagram illustrating the operation of the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 15 when the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is at the chargeable position.[FIG. 16C]FIG. 16C is another diagram illustrating the operation of the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 15 when the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 is at the chargeable position.[FIG. 17]FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the crawler mobile body illustrated in FIG. 1 and the wheel stopper illustrated in FIG. 5 at the chargeable position. [FIG. 18]FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 entering a charging route in charging control.[FIG. 19A]FIG. 19A is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in a stage in entering a charging route.[FIG. 19B]FIG. 19B is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in entering the charging route.[FIG. 19C]FIG. 19C is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in entering the charging route.[FIG. 19D]FIG. 19D is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in entering the charging route.[FIG. 19E]FIG. 19E is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in entering the charging route.[FIG. 19F]FIG. 19F is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in entering the charging route.[FIG. 20A]FIG. 20A is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates direction control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 at a connection preparing position. [FIG. 20B]FIG. 20B is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates direction control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 at the connection preparing position. [FIG. 21]FIG. 21 is a plan view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5 and illustrates another direction control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 at the connection preparing position.[FIG. 22]FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating an operation in charging at the chargeable position.[FIG. 23A]FIG. 23A is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 during charging.[FIG. 23B]FIG. 23B is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 during charging.[FIG. 24]FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 exiting from the charging route in charging control.[FIG. 25A]FIG. 25A is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in a stage in exiting from a charging route.[FIG. 25B]FIG. 25B is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in exiting from the charging route.[FIG. 25C]FIG. 25C is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in exiting from the charging route.[FIG. 25D]FIG. 25D is a diagram schematically illustrating the control of the mobile apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1 in another stage in exiting from the charging route.[FIG. 26A]FIG. 26A is a perspective view of a charging station according to a modification of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5;[FIG. 26B]FIG. 26B is another perspective view of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 26A.[FIG. 27]FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a charging station according to another modification of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 28]FIG. 28 is a perspective view of a charging station according to yet another modification of the charging station illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 29 A]FIG. 29A is a diagram illustrating an installation position of the charging station according to a modification of that illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 29B]FIG. 29B is a diagram illustrating an installation position of the charging station according to another modification of that illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 30A]FIG. 30A is a diagram illustrating a guiding portion according to a first modification of the guiding portion illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B.[FIG. 30B]FIG. 30B is a diagram illustrating the guiding portion illustrated in FIG. 30A.[FIG. 31]FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a guiding portion according to a second modification of the guiding portion illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B.[FIG. 32A]FIG. 32A is a diagram illustrating a widened portion according to a modification of the widened portion illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 1 IB.[FIG. 32B]FIG. 32B is a diagram illustrating the widened portion illustrated in FIG. 32A.[FIG. 33A]FIG. 33A is a diagram illustrating a power supply stand according to a first modification of the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 33B]FIG. 33B is a diagram illustrating the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 33A.[FIG. 34A]FIG. 34A is a diagram illustrating a power supply stand according to a second modification of the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 34B]FIG. 34B is a diagram illustrating the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 34A.[FIG. 35A]FIG. 35A is a diagram illustrating a power supply stand according to a third modification of the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 5.[FIG. 35B]FIG. 35B is a diagram illustrating the power supply stand illustrated in FIG. 35A.[FIG. 36]FIG. 36 is a perspective view of guide pads according to a modification of the guide pads illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B.[FIG. 37]FIG. 37 is a plan view of a guide rail according to a modification of the guide rail illustrated in FIG. 5.The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views. [Description of Embodiments]

[0008] In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0009] In order to facilitate the understanding of the description, like components are denoted by like reference signs throughout the drawings, and redundant descriptions may be omitted.

[0010] A positioning adjustment system 100 according to the present embodiment is a system forpositioning a mobile apparatus 1 at a predetermined stop position. The positioning adjustment system 100 includes the mobile apparatus 1 and a positioning adjustment mechanism 200 for positioning the mobile apparatus 1 at the predetermined stop position (see FIGS. 1 and 5 to 7B). The details will be described later. The positioning adjustment mechanism 200 includes a guide rail 210, a wheel stopper 220 (see FIGS. 5), and a pair of guide pads 230a and 230b (see FIGS. 5 to 7B). Likewise, the details will be described later. The mobile apparatus 1 including crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b will be described as an example of the mobile apparatus. In the following description, a charging task in which the mobile apparatus 1 is positioned at a chargeable position P4 (illustrated in, for example, FIGS. 13 and 18) of a charging station 300 according to the present embodiment is exemplified as a task including the positioning the mobile apparatus 1.

[0011] Configuration of Mobile ApparatusWith reference to FIGS. 1 to 3, a description is given below of a configuration of the mobile apparatus 1 including the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b. FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of the mobile apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the mobile apparatus 1 illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of one of the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b as viewed from the crawler mobile body 10a. The other crawler mobile body 10b has a similar configuration.

[0012] In the description illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the xl direction, the yl direction, and the zl direction are directions perpendicular to each other. The xl direction and the yl direction are horizontal directions, and the zl direction is the vertical direction. The xl direction is the front-rear direction of the mobile apparatus 1. The direction toward the front side of the mobile apparatus 1 is referred to as a “positive xl direction,”, and the direction toward the rear side of the mobile apparatus 1 is referred to as a “negative xl direction.” The yl direction is the width direction of the mobile apparatus 1. The direction toward the right and the direction toward the left when viewed from the front side of the mobile apparatus 1 are referred to as a “positive yl direction” and a “negative yl direction,” respectively. The direction toward the top and the direction toward the bottom of the mobile apparatus 1 may be referred to as a “positive zl direction” and a “negative zl direction,” respectively. In the following description, the positive side in the zl direction may be referred to as the upper side, and the negative side in the zl direction may be referred to as the lower side for convenience of description. Further, a face and an end on, for example, the positive side in the zl direction may be referred to as a “positive-side face” and a “positive-side end,” respectively.

[0013] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile apparatus 1 includes a main body 50 at the center in the yl direction and a pair of mobile bodies that are disposed on both sides of the main body 50 inthe yl direction and travel on a traveling surface (in contact with the traveling surface). The mobile bodies are crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b. In FIG. 1, one crawler mobile body 10a is on the positive side in the yl direction of the main body 50, and the other crawler mobile body 10b is on the negative side in the yl direction of the main body 50. The mobile apparatus 1 changes the traveling direction by causing a speed difference between the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b. In the following description, the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b may be collectively referred to as the crawler mobile bodies 10. The crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b respectively include in-wheel motors 14a and 14b, which may be collectively referred to as the in-wheel motors 14.

[0014] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mobile apparatus 1 includes the crawler mobile bodies 10 each of which has a triangular shape formed by a drive wheel 13 and two wheels 15a and 15b so that the mobile apparatus 1 travels in a stable posture. The drive wheel 13 includes the inwheel motor 14 therein. The wheels 15a and 15b may be referred to as road wheels. The mobile apparatus 1 including the crawler mobile bodies 10 as described above has high traveling performance and can stably travel on rough ground having unevenness. On the other hand, fine position adjustment is difficult for crawler mobile bodies compared with a mobile apparatus body using wheels other than crawler wheels, and it is difficult to move to a target position with high accuracy. Further, crawler mobile bodies are likely to stop in a tilted posture in the lateral or vertical direction, and the posture at such a stop is not stable.

[0015] The positioning accuracy of such a crawler mobile body is desirably as high as about ± ten and several millimeters in position and about ± several degrees in posture with respect to a target position when the crawler mobile body 10 stops to be charged with power or to be connected or disconnected to or with a conveyed object.

[0016] The configuration of the mobile apparatus 1 will be further described. The crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b are units serving as traveling means of the mobile apparatus 1. The crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b include crawlers using metallic or rubber belts. Compared with a mobile body such as an automobile that travels with tires, the crawler mobile body has a wider contact area with the ground. Accordingly, the travel is more stable even in, for example, an environment with bad footing. While the mobile body that travels with tires requires space to make a turn, the mobile apparatus including the crawler mobile body can perform a so-called spin turn. Accordingly, the mobile apparatus can smoothly turn even in a limited space.

[0017] The main body 50 is a support body that supports the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b to travel and contains a controller that controls the driving of the mobile apparatus 1. The main body 50 further includes a battery 530 to supply electric power for driving the crawler mobilebodies 10a and 10b as described later.

[0018] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1 is a housing having a top face 50A, a bottom face 50B, and a pair of lateral faces 50C and 50D. The top face 50A extends to have the normal direction in the positive zl direction. The bottom face 50B extends to have the normal direction in the negative zl direction. The pair of lateral faces 50C and 50D extend to have the normal directions in the positive yl direction and the negative yl direction, respectively. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the top face 50A of the main body 50 is provided with sensors used for controlling the mobile apparatus 1. Such sensors include a global positioning system (GPS) receivers 51, a two-dimensional (2D) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) 52, a three-dimensional (3D) LiDAR 53, a pan-tilt- zoom (PTZ) camera 54, and a 360-degree camera 55.

[0019] The GPS receivers 51 receive radio waves from an artificial satellite to obtain current position information. The mobile apparatus 1 autonomously travels outdoors based on the position information obtained by the GPS receivers 51. As illustrated in FIG. 1, with the two GPS receivers 51 arranged, for example, in the width direction (yl direction) of the main body 50, information indicating the direction in which the mobile apparatus 1 is facing is obtained in addition to the position information.

[0020] The 2D LiDAR 52 horizontally scans a horizontal plane with light for range finding to obtain range information of the plane. The 2D LiDAR 52 is mounted at the center of the main body 50 in the width direction (yl direction) to obtain range information in a horizontal range of 270 degrees centered on the front direction (positive xl direction) of the main body 50. The mobile apparatus 1 generates a map representing the shape of the surroundings in advance using, for example, the 2D LiDAR 52 and controls the travel to a target position by performing pattern matching between the measurement result of the 2D LiDAR 52 and the map information in the travel. Thus, the mobile apparatus 1 autonomously travels using the 2D LiDAR 52 even in locations such as an indoor space where GPS signals are not received.

[0021] The 3D LiDAR 53 obtains the spatial range information in the vertical direction in addition to the horizontal direction. The mobile apparatus 1 performs traveling control which includes monitoring the front direction using the 3D LiDAR 53 and temporarily stopping the travel when the mobile apparatus 1 is likely to contact a person or an object. The mobile apparatus 1 may monitor both the front and the rear directions using the 3D LiDAR 53 to detect obstacles.

[0022] The PTZ camera 54 is an image-capturing device having functions of moving the direction of the lens to the left and right (panning), moving the direction of the lens up and down (tilting),and zooming in and out. The mobile apparatus 1 obtains detailed images of the surroundings such as people and meters using the functions of the PTZ camera 54. For example, the mobile apparatus 1 patrols a factory site while automatically capturing images of the measurement value of a meter set in advance or water leakage in a pipe set in advance by using the PTZ camera 54.

[0023] The 360-degree camera 55 is an image-capturing device that collectively captures an image in a 360-degree range, that is, in all directions of the main body 50. The mobile apparatus 1 obtains images of all directions around the mobile apparatus 1 in the travel by using the 360- degree camera 55.

[0024] The PTZ camera 54 and the 360-degree camera 55 are used to provide the operator with image information of the mobile apparatus 1 when the mobile apparatus 1 is remotely controlled by the operator.The operator performs remote control while viewing the camera image on, for example, a monitor screen and grasping the situation around the mobile apparatus 1 in real-time.

[0025] The mobile apparatus 1 further includes bumpers 56 and 57 extending in the width direction and attached to the front side and the rear side thereof. It is preferable that both ends of the bumpers 56 and 57 in the width direction extend beyond the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b installed on both sides of the main body 50 in the yl direction. The bumpers 56 and 57 have built-in contact sensors 58 and 59 (see FIG. 3), respectively, and detect the contact with an external object such as a person or an obstacle. The mobile apparatus 1 performs traveling control such as temporal stop based on the detection of the contact with an object by the contact sensor 58 or 59 of the bumper 56 or 57.

[0026] The front portion of the main body 50 includes a front face 50E and an inclined face 50F arranged in the zl direction. The front face 50E is disposed to have the normal direction in the positive xl direction and positioned furthest forward in the main body 50. The inclined face 50F is above the front face 50E and disposed to have the normal direction that is obliquely up and forward. In other words, the normal direction matches the positive xl direction and the positive zl direction. The inclined face 50F has a rectangular shape and has the same width as that of the front face 50E. The side at the lower end of the rectangular shape is connected to the upper end of the front face 50E, the side at the upper end is connected to the front end of the top face 50A, and the lateral sides (opposite sides) at both end in the width direction are connected to the lateral faces 50C and 50D, respectively.

[0027] In the present embodiment, the power receiver 60 is installed on the inclined face 50F of the main body 50. The power receiver 60 is a device that receives power supply from a powersupply stand 310 (a power supply assembly, see FIG. 5) of the charging station 300 in the charging task. The power receiver 60 employs a power receiving method of contactless type, such as a method employing a magnetic coil. When the power receiver 60 approaches a power supply 315 (see FIG. 5) of the power supply stand 310 to a predetermined distance, the power receiver 60 automatically supplies power to the battery 530 (see FIG. 3) inside the main body 50.

[0028] The power receiver 60 includes a substantially rectangular parallelepiped casing mounted on the inclined face 50F and has a uniform height as illustrated in FIG. 1. An upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 has the normal direction that is obliquely up and forward similar to that of the inclined face 50F as a normal direction.

[0029] The front face 50E of the main body 50 is provided with an exhaust duct 61 protruding forward from the front face 50E. A front end 61 A of the exhaust duct 61 is further forward of the positive-side end of the power receiver 60 in the xl direction. In other words, the front end 61 A is further forward of the lower end of the upper face 60A. With this configuration, when the mobile apparatus 1 approaches the power supply stand 310, the front end 61 A contacts a part of the power supply stand 310 before the power receiver 60 contacts the power supply stand 310. In the present embodiment, the front end 61 A contacts a contact receiving portion 316 of a rotary portion 312 (illustrated in FIG. 15 and the like). That is, the exhaust duct 61 functions as a contact portion that comes into contact with the power supply stand 310 when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4. The exhaust duct 61 as the contact portion can prevent the power receiver 60 from coming into contact with the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310 at the chargeable position P4.

[0030] The mobile apparatus 1 can also be manually supplied with power. In this case, the battery 530 is charged directly from a dedicated charging facility using a connector disposed, for example, on a rear face 50G of the main body 50.

[0031] The crawler mobile bodies 10 each have the triangular shape formed by the drive wheel 13 and the two wheels 15a and 15b as illustrated in FIG. 2. The triangular crawler mobile bodies 10 have the following advantage. For example, when the front-rear length of the mobile body is limited, the triangular shape can maximize the contact area of the crawler mobile body with the ground within the limited length and increase the stability of traveling. By contrast, in the case of a so-called tank crawler in which the upper side (drive wheel side) is longer than the lower side (idler wheel side), when the front-rear length is limited, the contact area with the ground is small as a whole, making the traveling unstable. As described above, the crawler mobile bodies 10 are effective in increasing the traveling performance of the mobile apparatus 1 that is relatively compact.

[0032] The crawler mobile bodies 10 each include a crawler 11, the drive wheel 13, the in-wheel motor 14, the wheels 15a and 15b, idlers 18a and 18b, a link 19, side plates 20a and 20b, and a tensioner 25.

[0033] The crawler 11 is made of metal or rubber. The crawler 11 is wound around the drive wheel 13 and the wheels 15a and 15b. The crawler 11 drives the wheels 15a and 15b while being driven in the rotation direction of the drive wheel 13, thereby rotating the crawler mobile body 10. The crawler 11 has multiple projections 1 la and 1 lb on an outer face and an inner face thereof. The projections 1 la on the outer face of the crawler 11 are for the crawler 11 to ride over a small obstacle such as a stone on the road surface and stably travel thereon. The projections 1 lb on the inner face of the crawler 11 are for preventing the crawler 11 from coming off the drive wheel 13 or the wheel 15a or 15b.

[0034] The drive wheel 13 transmits a driving force to the crawler 11 to roll the crawler mobile body 10. In the crawler mobile body 10, the in-wheel motor 14 transmits the driving force (rotational force) to the drive wheel 13, and the crawler 11 transmits the driving force to the wheels 15a and 15b.

[0035] The in-wheel motor 14 is built in the drive wheel 13 and transmits the rotational force to the drive wheel 13. The in-wheel motor 14 is driven to rotate about a motor shaft 141 that is the drive shaft. The rotation shaft (the motor shaft 141) of the in- wheel motor 14 serves as the rotation shaft (the drive shaft) of the drive wheel 13, and the drive wheel 13 is rotated by the rotational force of the in-wheel motor 14. The rotational force of the in-wheel motor 14 is transmitted to the crawler 11 as the driving force. Specifically, the in-wheel motor 14 gives the drive wheel 13 a positive rotational force to move the mobile apparatus 1 forward or a negative rotational force to move the mobile apparatus 1 backward.

[0036] Building the in- wheel motor 14 in the drive wheel 13 simplifies the structure of the crawler mobile body 10. Building the in-wheel motor 14 in the drive wheel 13 without a drive chain, a gear, and the like reduces risk such as a failure caused by such a component. In addition, since the in-wheel motor 14 built in the drive wheel 13 generates the driving force in the vicinity of the outer periphery of the crawler mobile body 10, the in-wheel motor 14 generates a large torque.

[0037] The wheels 15a and 15b are rotatably attached to the crawler mobile body 10. The driving force (rotational force) transmitted from the drive wheel 13 via the crawler 11 rotates the wheels 15a and 15b about wheel shafts 151a and 151b serving as rotation shafts, respectively.

[0038] The drive wheel 13 and the wheels 15a and 15b form a triangle in a side view. The crawler 11 is wound around the drive wheel 13 and the wheels 15a and 15b and contacts the ground in a range between the wheels 15a and 15b. In other words, the drive wheel 13 in which the inwheel motor 14 is built does not contact the road surface. As a result, the in-wheel motor 14 does not sink in the water, for example, even when the crawler mobile body 10 travels in a puddle. Accordingly, a waterproof mechanism dedicated to the in-wheel motor 14 is not required.

[0039] The diameter of the drive wheel 13 is different from those of the wheels 15a and 15b. The component layout of mobile bodies is designed considering, for example, size limitations and the traveling performance. Typically, the torque per unit width of a motor tends to decrease as the diameter of the motor decreases. Accordingly, the diameter of the drive wheel incorporating the in- wheel motor needs to be equal to or larger than the diameter of the motor that exhibits the required torque performance. As a result, in the layout of the crawler mobile body 10, the diameter of the drive wheel 13 disposed in an upper portion of the crawler mobile body 10 is made larger than the diameters of the wheels 15a and 15b to satisfy the required traveling performance and the size limitations of the mobile apparatus 1 or the crawler mobile body 10. When the size of the apparatus is limited, increasing the diameters of the road wheels reduces the ground contact area and accordingly degrades the traveling stability. In this regard, adopting the wheels 15a and 15b smaller in diameter than the drive wheel 13 is advantageous.

[0040] The idlers 18a and 18b are auxiliary wheels disposed between the two wheels 15a and 15b and are rotated by the crawler 11. The idlers 18a and 18b rotate about idler wheel shafts 181a and 181b serving as rotation shafts, respectively. The link 19 is a support that supports the idlers 18a and 18b.

[0041] The side plate 20a supports the drive wheel 13, the wheels 15a and 15b, and the idlers 18a and 18b in the crawler mobile body 10. The side plate 20a is disposed on the positive side in the yl direction of the crawler mobile body 10. The side plate 20b having the same or similar shape as that of the side plate 20a is disposed opposite the side plate 20a, i.e., on the negative side in the yl direction of the crawler mobile body 10. The crawler mobile body 10 supports both ends of the drive wheel 13 and the wheels 15a and 15b with the two side plates 20a and 20b. The side plates 20a and 20b support the drive wheel 13 using the motor shaft 141. The side plates 20a and 20b support the wheels 15a and 15b using the wheel shafts 151a and 151b, respectively. The side plates 20a and 20b further support the idlers 18a and 18b via a link shaft 191 of the link 19 that supports the idlers 18a and 18b.

[0042] The tensioner 25 is an elastic member such as a spring and is connected to the motor shaft 141that is the rotation axis of the in- wheel motor 14 and the drive wheel 13. The tensioner 25 biases the drive wheel 13 to press against the inner face of the crawler 11 to apply tension to the crawler 11. The tensioner 25 adjusts the tension applied from the drive wheel 13 to the crawler 11 in traveling. The tensioner 25 keeps a reference tension substantially constant in traveling with reference to, for example, the tension of the crawler mobile body 10 being stationary. In the crawler mobile body 10, the tensioner 25 adjusts the sag of the crawler 11 so that the crawler 11 keeps transmitting a proper driving force. The crawler mobile body 10 prevents the crawler 11 from coming off the wheels by applying the tension to the crawler 11 with the tensioner 25.

[0043] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the crawler mobile body 10 has a substantially symmetrical structure in the traveling direction with respect to the drive wheel 13. Specifically, in the side view in the yl direction as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the crawler mobile body 10 is substantially symmetrical with respect to a vertical line that extends from the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14 and is perpendicular to a vertical straight line that connects the wheel shafts 151a and 151b of the two wheels 15a and 15b.

[0044] For example, a mobile apparatus that travels in a narrow space such as a corridor of an office frequently performs forward and backward movements and spin turns. If the mobile apparatus is asymmetrical in the shape of the crawler; or the arrangement of the drive wheel, the road wheels, and the tensioner in the traveling direction, the driving characteristics may be different between the forward traveling and the backward traveling. As a result, the mobile apparatus may fail to rotate about the center of the mobile apparatus in spin turns. In view of this, the crawler mobile body 10 has the symmetrical structure (or the symmetrical layout) in the traveling direction to increase the stability of traveling of the mobile apparatus 1 and simplify the control of the mobile apparatus 1. Since the crawler mobile body 10 having a symmetrical structure is attachable to either of the right and left sides of the mobile apparatus 1, the number of parts is reduced.

[0045] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the mobile apparatus 1. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile apparatus 1 has the main body 50 that controls the operation of the mobile apparatus 1. The main body 50 includes a radio control receiver 501 (e.g., a circuit), a central processing unit (CPU) 502, a memory 503, a communication interface (I / F) 506, the battery 530, a traveling control motor driver 540, a posture control motor driver 550, and posture control motors 555a and 555b. The radio control receiver 501, the CPU 502, the memory 503, the communication I / F 506, the battery 530, the traveling control motor driver 540, and the posture control motor driver 550 are connected via a system bus 510. The system bus 510 is, for example, an address bus or a data bus for electrically connecting the above-mentioned components and transmitting address signals, data signals, and various typesof control signals.

[0046] The radio control receiver 501 receives operation instruction signals transmitted from a transmitter such as a personal computer (PC) used by an operator operating the mobile apparatus 1.

[0047] The CPU 502 controls the entire operation of the mobile apparatus 1. The CPU 502 is a processor that reads from the memory 503 a program P and various kinds of data used to drive the mobile apparatus 1 and executes processing according to the program P, to implement functions of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0048] The memory 503 stores the program P executed by the CPU 502 and the various kinds of data used to operate the mobile apparatus 1. The program P is prestored in the memory 503.

[0049] Alternatively, the program P may be stored, as a file in a format installable to or executable by the CPU 502 (or a computer), in a computer-readable recording medium such as a compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a flexible disk (FD), a compact disc-recordable (CD-R), or a digital versatile disk (DVD). Alternatively, the program P may be stored in a computer connected to a network, such as the Internet, and downloaded through the network to the mobile apparatus 1. Alternatively, the program P may be provided or distributed through a network such as the Internet. When the program P is provided from outside the mobile apparatus 1, the CPU 502 reads the program P via the communication I / F 506. Instead of being implemented by the operation of the CPU 502 according to the program P, the functions of the mobile apparatus 1 may be implemented by hardware. In other words, the mobile apparatus 1 may include a dedicated application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that has the same calculation and control functions as those executed by the program P.

[0050] The communication I / F 506 is a communication interface for communicating (connecting) with other devices or apparatuses via a communication network. The communication I / F 506 is a communication interface such as a wired or wireless local area network (LAN). The communication I / F 506 may include a communication interface that supports a communication technology such as third Generation (3G), Long Term Evolution (LTE), fourth Generation (4G), fifth Generation (5G), Wireless Fidelity (WLFI), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WIMAX), ZIGBEE, or millimeter wave wireless communication. The mobile apparatus 1 may include a communication circuit to perform short-range wireless communication such as near field communication (NFC) or BLUETOOTH.

[0051] The GPS receiver 51, the 2D LiDAR 52, the 3D LiDAR 53, the PTZ camera 54, the 360-degree camera 55, and the contact sensors 58 and 59, which are mounted on the main body 50 and described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 are connected to communication with the hardware elements in the main body 50 via, for example, the communication I / F 506.

[0052] The battery 530 is a power supply unit that supplies the mobile apparatus 1 with the power to perform operations or processing. Specifically, the battery 530 supplies power to, for example, the in-wheel motors 14a and 14b and the posture control motors 555a and 555b. The battery 530 is electrically connected to the power receiver 60 and is charged by the electric power from the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310 at the charging station 300 via the power receiver 60 in the charging task.

[0053] The traveling control motor driver 540 supplies motor drive signals to the in- wheel motors 14a and 14b to drive the in-wheel motors 14a and 14b.

[0054] The in-wheel motor 14a is disposed inside the drive wheel 13 of the crawler mobile body 10a to transmit a rotational force to the drive wheels 13, and the in-wheel motor 14b is disposed inside the drive wheel 13 of the crawler mobile body 10b to transmit a rotational force to the drive wheel 13. Specifically, each of the in-wheel motor 14a and 14b gives the corresponding drive wheel 13 a positive rotational force to move the mobile apparatus 1 forward or a negative rotational force to move the mobile apparatus 1 backward. Further, the in-wheel motors 14a and 14b rotate one of the drive wheels 13 in the positive direction or the negative direction with the other drive wheel 13 kept stationary to cause the mobile apparatus 1 to make a pivot turn. Further, the in-wheel motors 14a and 14b rotate one of the drive wheels 13 in the positive direction while rotating the other drive wheel 13 in the negative direction to cause the mobile apparatus 1 to make a spin turn.

[0055] The posture control motor driver 550 supplies motor drive control signals to the posture control motors 555a and 555b to drive the posture control motors 555a and 555b, respectively. The posture control motors 555a and 555b adjust, for example, the heights of the links 19 according to posture control signals from the posture control motor driver 550, to adjust the heights of the idlers 18a and 18b. Further, the posture control motors 555a and 555b control the posture of the main body 50 to prevent the mobile apparatus 1 from falling.

[0056] Of the hardware elements inside the main body 50 illustrated in FIG. 3, a heavy object such as the battery 530 is preferably disposed at a lower position near the bottom face 50B. This arrangement increases the stability of the posture of the main body 50. The main body 50 is preferably waterproof. This can prevent water from entering the hardware elements inside the main body 50, and the mobile apparatus 1 can be used outdoors even in rainy weather.

[0057] Each of the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b may be provided with an odometry device, and information on the rotation amounts of the mobile bodies 10a and 10b may be output to the hardware elements in the main body 50. In this case, the odometry devices are installed to obtain the rotation amounts of, for example, the motor shafts 141 of the in- wheel motors 14a and 14b of the crawler mobile body 10a and 10b. The hardware elements of the main body 50 that receive the information on the rotation amounts from the odometry devices derive an approximate value of the movement distance of the mobile apparatus 1 based on the rotation amounts of the motor shafts 141.

[0058] The mobile apparatus 1 may travel using the technique of, for example, autonomous traveling or line tracing in addition or in alternative to traveling in accordance with operation instructions received by the radio control receiver 501. Alternatively, the mobile apparatus 1 may receive, with the communication I / F 506, the operation instruction signals transmitted via a communication network so that the mobile apparatus 1 travels in accordance with a remote control by an operator at a remote site. The mobile apparatus 1 may automatically perform operations such as traveling and various other tasks under the control of a host system such as a server, in addition to operations under the manual remote control by the operator. In this case, the mobile apparatus 1 receives the operation instruction signals from the host system via the radio control receiver 501 or the communication I / F 506.

[0059] Regarding the dimensions, the mobile apparatus 1 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is about 1 meter in, for example, the front-rear direction, the lateral direction, and the direction.

[0060] The mobile apparatuses targeted by the positioning adjustment system 100 is not limited to the mobile apparatus 1 having the crawler mobile bodies 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3. That is, the positioning adjustment system 100 is also applicable to other mobile apparatuses not limited to the crawler mobile body 10 in which the tensioner 25 is on the motor shaft 141 of the in-wheel motor 14. Fine-tuning of positioning is also difficult in crawler mobile apparatus having another configuration.

[0061] Autonomous mobile apparatuses need high positioning accuracy relative to the target position to work in poor road conditions and in limited space. In particular, in a mobile apparatus such as the crawler mobile body disclosed in PTE 1 that changes the traveling direction by using a speed difference between a pair of crawler mobile bodies, fine position adjustment is difficult.

[0062] Outline of Charging TaskThe charging task in which the mobile apparatus 1 is positioned at the chargeable position P4 in the charging station 300 is exemplified as a task including the positioning the mobile apparatus 1 with the positioning adjustment system 100.

[0063] FIGS. 4A to 4D are schematic diagrams each illustrating a pattern of the charging task. FIG. 4A illustrates a basic pattern in which the mobile apparatus 1 travels along, for example, a predetermined patrol route. The patrol route is, for example, a route for the task of inspecting multiple objects (such as numerical values of measurement devices) requiring daily inspection or periodic inspection in order in a large outdoor site such as a plant factory.

[0064] In the basic pattern illustrated in FIG. 4A, a charging route is incorporated in the patrol route. The charging route is a route that deviates from the patrol route and for charging the mobile apparatus 1 at the charging station 300. In the basic pattern illustrated in FIG. 4A, the mobile apparatus 1 is controlled to enter the charging route from the patrol route when a predetermined condition is satisfied. The predetermined condition is, for example, that the mobile apparatus 1 has traveled around the patrol route a predetermined number of times or a predetermined time has elapsed. Thus, the mobile apparatus 1 can continue the autonomous traveling by appropriately charging the battery 530 in the main body 50 while autonomously traveling on the patrol route and performing the inspection task.

[0065] As illustrated in FIG. 4B, an emergency such as a sudden shortage of the remaining amount of the battery 530 or reception of an emergency stop command may occur while the mobile apparatus 1 travels on the patrol route. In this case, for example, the mobile apparatus 1 is controlled to switch its travel route from the patrol route to an emergency evacuation route deviating from the patrol route, to move to the charging station 300 immediately. For example, in FIG. 4B, the emergency evacuation route makes the travel distance to the charging station 300 shorter than that in the case where the traveling along the patrol route is continued.

[0066] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 4C, multiple patrol routes may be set, and each of the patrol routes incorporates a charging route to a common charging station. In the pattern illustrated in FIG. 4C, there are two patrol routes, that is, a first patrol route and a second patrol route, which are provided with a common charging route leading to a common charging station. In this case, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 4C, mobile apparatuses 1A and IB are controlled to travel on the first patrol route and the second patrol route, respectively, and to perform charging at the common charging station at different timings.

[0067] In the pattern illustrated in FIG. 4D, the patrol route incorporates multiple charging routes leading to their respective charging stations. In the pattern illustrated in FIG. 4D, a patrol route is provided with two charging stations 300a and 300b. The patrol route includes a first charging route leading to the charging station 300a and a second charging route leading to the other charging station 300b. In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 4D, when the charging task isperformed, the mobile apparatus 1A or IB is controlled to select the closer charging route on the patrol route. For example, when the mobile apparatus 1A is at the upper left position of the patrol route in FIG. 4D, the mobile apparatus 1A is controlled to select the first charging route which is closer than the second charging route on the patrol route and perform charging at the charging station 300a. When the mobile apparatus IB is at the lower right position of the patrol route in FIG. 4D, the mobile apparatus IB is controlled to select the second charging route closer than the first charging route on the patrol route and perform charging at the charging station 300b.

[0068] For the mobile apparatus 1 to smoothly perform charging at the predetermined charging station 300 while autonomously traveling in this way, an issue is how to control the mobile apparatus 1 to accurately move to the predetermined chargeable position P4 in the charging station 300. In view of this, the configuration of the charging station 300 will be described below.

[0069] Configuration of Charging StationFIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the charging station 300 according to the present embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the charging station 300 includes the power supply stand 310, a floor plate 320, a guide rail 210, and the wheel stopper 220.

[0070] In the description with reference to FIG. 5 and the subsequent drawings, the x2 direction, the y2 direction, and the z2 direction are perpendicular to each other. The x2 direction and the y2 direction are horizontal directions, and the z2 direction is a vertical direction. The x2 direction is the direction in which the power supply stand 310 and the guide rail 210 are arranged and matches the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 210. The positive side in the x2 direction is the entrance side of the charging station 300 and the tip end side of the guide rail 210. The tip end side of the guide rail 210 may be also referred to as the near side to the mobile apparatus 1. The negative side in the x2 direction is the far side of charging station 300 from the entrance side. The y2 direction is the width direction of the power supply stand 310 and the guide rail 210. When viewed from the entrance side of the charging station 300 (the positive side in the x2 direction), the positive side in the y2 direction is on the left, and the negative side in the y2 direction is on the right. In the following description, the positive side in the z2 direction may be referred to as the upper side, and the negative side in the z2 direction may be referred to as the lower side for convenience of description.

[0071] The floor plate 320 is installed on an installation surface on which the charging station 300 is installed. The power supply stand 310, the guide rail 210, and the wheel stopper 220 are mounted on and fixed to the upper side of the floor plate 320. The floor plate 320 is used to fix the elements of the charging station 300 to avoid damage to the installation surface.

[0072] In the case of an installation surface made of a material such as asphalt having a relatively high road surface resistance, when the mobile apparatus 1 is guided to the power supply stand 310, the crawler mobile body 10 receives strong resistance from the road surface. Then, the positioning accuracy of the mobile apparatus 1 may be lowered. In this case, it is desirable to provide the installation surface with the floor plate 320 having a lower coefficient of friction with the mobile bodies 10 than the lower coefficient of friction between the installation surface and the mobile bodies 10. Examples of such a floor plate 320 include an aluminum plate having a thickness of about 5 mm, and a plate material in which a non-slip rubber sheet having a thickness of about 5 mm is bonded to the back surface of a stainless-steel plate having a thickness of about 5 mm.

[0073] The power supply stand 310 supplies power to the battery 530 inside the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1 via the power receiver 60 of the mobile apparatus 1. The power supply stand 310 supplies power to the mobile apparatus 1 when the mobile apparatus 1 stops at the chargeable position P4 (see FIGS. 18 and 19A to 19F).

[0074] The guide rail 210 guides the mobile apparatus 1 that has entered the charging station 300 to the chargeable position P4 of the power supply stand 310. The guide rail 210 is axisymmetric with respect to, for example, a line of symmetry SI (see FIGS. 12A and 12B) that passes through the widthwise center of the power supply stand 310 and extends in the x2 direction. When the charging station 300 includes the floor plate 320, the guide rail 210 stands erect on the upper side of the floor plate 320. The term “stands erect” means standing in the direction normal to the upper side of the floor plate 320 (in the z2 direction), that is, a state of standing vertically upward.

[0075] When the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4, the wheel stopper 220 contacts the rear portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10 of the mobile apparatus 1 and restricts the movement of the mobile apparatus 1 in the positive x2 direction (see FIG. 12B). The wheel stopper 220 is a prismatic member extending in the y2 direction at a predetermined position in the x2 direction as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 5. The wheel stopper 220 extends substantially the same length to both sides in the y2 direction from the line of symmetry SI (see FIGS. 12A and 12B) passing through the widthwise center of the power supply stand 310. The wheel stopper 220 extends at least to the range where the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b are positioned when the mobile apparatus 1 is at the chargeable position P4. The height of the wheel stopper 220 is, for example, about the 20 mm.

[0076] Further, the mobile apparatus 1 includes the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b that contact the guide rail 210 and guides the mobile apparatus 1 in the entering direction when the mobileapparatus 1 enters the charging station 300.

[0077] FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams each illustrating an example of the guide pads 230a and 230b. FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the mobile apparatus 1 as viewed from the bottom and illustrates the guide pads 230a and 230b attached to the mobile apparatus 1. FIG. 6B is a perspective view of the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b extracted from FIG. 6A.

[0078] As illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the guide pads 230a and 230b are disposed at the bottom of the mobile apparatus 1 (where the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 is positioned) and at the respective portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b closer to the main body 50. The guide pads 230a and 230b extend from the front end of the main body 50 closest to the stop position (the chargeable position P4) over the entire main body 50 in the traveling direction (the xl direction). The guide pads 230a and 230b are disposed to face each other in the width direction of the mobile apparatus 1 (the yl direction). The distance between the guide pads 230a and 230b is kept at a constant distance dl (a third distance) that matches the width of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1. The guide pads 230a and 230b face each other across a center position CPI (see FIG. 14A) of the main body 50 in the width direction of the main body 50. The guide pads 230a and 230b are on the positive side and the negative side of the center position CPI of the main body 50 in the yl direction, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 14A, in the width direction, a first distance d3 between one of the guide pads 230a and 230b (e.g., the guide pad 230a) and the corresponding one of the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b (e.g., the crawler mobile body 10a for which the guide pad 230a is provided) is smaller than a second distance d4 between one of the guide pads 230a and 230b and the center position CPI of the main body 50. In the following description, the guide pads 230a and 230b may be collectively referred to as the “guide pads 230.” More specifically, the guide pad 230a is disposed in a range of the bottom face 50B beyond the center position CPI of the main body 50 to the positive side in the yl direction and is closer to the crawler mobile body 10a than the center position CPI. Likewise, the guide pad 230b is disposed in a range of the bottom face 50B beyond the center position CPI of the main body 50 to the negative side in the yl direction and is closer to the crawler mobile body 10b than the center position CPI.

[0079] The distance dl between the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b is slightly larger than the maximum width of the guide rail 210. Accordingly, the mobile apparatus 1 can move toward the power supply stand 310 in the charging station 300 with the guide rail 210 inserted between the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b.

[0080] Each of the guide pads 230a and 230b has a substantially planar shape facing the center of the main body 50. The guide pad 230a has a contact face 231a facing the negative side in the y 1 direction, and the other guide pad 230b has a contact face 23 lb facing the positive side in theyl direction.

[0081] As illustrated in FIG. 6A, the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 has a planar shape whose normal direction matches the negative zl direction. The distance from the installation surface to the bottom face 50B is substantially constant over the entire bottom face 50B when the mobile apparatus 1 is stationary. The contact faces 231a and 231b of the guide pads 230a and 230b stand erect to substantially the same height from the bottom face 50B in the negative zl direction over the entire region in the longitudinal direction thereof (the xl direction).

[0082] With this configuration, when the mobile apparatus 1 enters the charging station 300, at least one of the contact faces 231a and 23 lb of the guide pads 230a and 230b contact the guide rail 210 at the same height position from at least one side in the width direction (the yl direction) of the mobile apparatus 1. Thus, the guide pads 230a and 230b face each other across the guide rail 210 in the width direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 and guide the mobile apparatus 1 to the chargeable position P4 while adjusting the widthwise position of the mobile apparatus 1 along the guide rail 210.

[0083] In other words, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7B, the configuration including the guide rail 210 and the wheel stopper 220 in the charging station 300 and the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b in the mobile apparatus 1 can be expressed as the “positioning adjustment mechanism 200 for positioning, at a predetermined stop position (the chargeable position P4 in the charging station 300 in the present embodiment), the mobile apparatus 1 including the main body 50 and the pair of mobile bodies (the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b) that are disposed on both sides of the main body 50 and travel on a traveling surface (in contact with the traveling surface).” Further, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 to 7B, the mobile apparatus 1 and the positioning adjustment mechanism 200 can also be expressed as the “positioning adjustment system 100 that includes the mobile apparatus 1 including the main body 50 and the pair of mobile bodies (the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b) that are disposed on both sides of the main body 50 and travel on a traveling surface; and the positioning adjustment mechanism 200 for positioning the mobile apparatus 1 at the predetermined stop position (the chargeable position P4 in the charging station 300 in the present embodiment).”

[0084] Further, each of the guide pads 230a and 230b includes an angle 232 at the end on the front side of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1. The angle 232 is a flat portion bending from the front end of each of the contact faces 23 la and 23 lb such that the normal direction is inclined to the front side (the xl direction) with respect to corresponding one of the contact faces 231a and 231b. These angles 232 and 232 function as buffers that reduce contact resistance with the guide rail 210 when the mobile apparatus 1 moves forward.

[0085] Each of the guide pads 230a and 230b further includes an angle 233 at the end on the rear side of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1. The angle 233 has a structure similar to that of the angle 232 on the front side. These angles 233 function as buffers that reduce contact resistance with the guide rail 210 when the mobile apparatus 1 moves backward.

[0086] FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams each illustrating another example of the guide pads 230a and 230b. The basic configuration of the guide pads 230a and 230b illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B is similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B. In FIGS. 7A and 7B, each of the guide pads 230a and 230b includes a roller 234 at the end on the front side of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1. The roller 234 has a rotation axis in the zl direction and a circumferential surface facing the xl direction or the yl direction. These rollers 234 and 234 also function as buffers that reduce contact resistance with the guide rail 210 when the mobile apparatus 1 moves forward.

[0087] Each of the guide pads 230a and 230b further includes a roller 235 at the end on the rear side of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1. The roller 235 has a structure similar to that of the roller 234 on the front side. These rollers 235 and 235 function as buffers that reduce contact resistance with the guide rail 210 when the mobile apparatus 1 moves backward.

[0088] The pair of guide pads 230a and 230b may extend for a part of the main body 50 from the front end of the main body 50 in the traveling direction (xl direction). In this case, the guide pads 230a and 230b each include the angle 232 or the roller 234 only at the end at the front end of the main body 50. Although the guide pads 230a and 230b are attached to the main body 50 in the present embodiment, alternatively, the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b may be attached to a position other than the main body 50 as long as the above-described arrangement is achieved. For example, the guide pads 230a and 230b may be individually attached to the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b.

[0089] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the guide rail 210 may be divided into four sections arranged in order from the positive side in the x2 direction. In other words, the guide rail 210 includes a scooping portion 211, a guiding portion 212, a widened portion 213, and a positioning portion 214.

[0090] The scooping portion 211 is at the upper corner of the tip of the guiding portion 212 and tapered to decrease in height toward the tip. The scooping portion 211 scoops up the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0091] The guiding portion 212 is connected to the positive-side end of the widened portion 213 in the x2 direction where the width (dimension in the width direction) of the widened portion213 is smallest. The guiding portion 212 is inserted between the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b to guide the mobile apparatus 1 to the widened portion 213. The guiding portion 212 has a constant width such that both ends in the width direction are parallel to the traveling direction (the x2 direction) of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0092] In the widened portion 213, the width of the guide rail 210 gradually increases in the traveling direction (the x2 direction) of the mobile apparatus 1 to be closer to the distance dl (in FIG. 6B) between the guide pads 230a and 230b.

[0093] The positioning portion 214 is on the negative side in the x2 direction of the widened portion213 and is connected to the widened portion 213. Both ends of the positioning portion 214 in the width direction (the y2 direction) are parallel to the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1. One end of the positioning portion 214 is connected to the negative-side end of the widened portion 213 in the x2 direction where the width of the widened portion 213 is largest. The other end of the positioning portion 214 extends to the stop position (the chargeable position P4) of the mobile apparatus 1. In other words, the positioning portion214 has a width d2 (see FIGS. 12A and 12B) that is equal to the largest width of the widened portion 213 at the negative-side end in the x2 direction. The state of “both ends of the positioning portion 214 in the width direction being parallel” is not limited to a state in which lateral faces 214C and 214D (see FIGS. 12A and 12B) at the ends of the positioning portion 214 in the width direction are parallel to each other entirely in the x2 direction in which the lateral faces 214C and 214D extend), but includes a substantially parallel state in which, for example, a part of the lateral faces 214C and 214D is recessed toward the center in the width direction. The same applies to the expression “parallel” regarding the guiding portion 212.

[0094] The width d2 of the positioning portion 214, which is equal to the width at the negative-side end of the widened portion 213 in the x2 direction, is about several millimeters smaller than the distance dl between the guide pads 230a and 230b as illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B. Such dimensions allow almost no clearance between the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 and the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210 when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4. Thus, the positioning accuracy of the mobile apparatus 1 in the width direction at the chargeable position P4 increases.

[0095] The upper faces of the guiding portion 212, the widened portion 213, and the positioning portion 214 are flush with to be horizontal.

[0096] The functions of the parts of the guide rail 210 will be individually described below.

[0097] The function of the scooping portion 211 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 A to 9B.FIGS. 8 A and 8B are side views of the mobile apparatus 1 and illustrate postures of the mobile apparatus 1 traveling forward. FIG. 8A illustrates a posture in deceleration, and FIG. 8B illustrates a posture in acceleration.

[0098] As illustrated in FIGS. 8 A and 8B, in the mobile apparatus 1, the center portion of the crawler mobile body 10 in the front-rear direction (the xl direction) projects downward. This structure is to reduce the ground contact area of the crawler mobile body 10 to reduce the road surface resistance in the spin turn.

[0099] The crawler mobile body 10 tends to tilt in the pitch direction by up to about ±5 degrees depending on the ground contact position due to such a projecting shape. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8 A, when the mobile apparatus 1 moves in the positive xl direction and decelerates, the crawler mobile body 10 tilts forward by about 5 degrees as indicated by arrow A, and the main body 50 to which the crawler mobile body 10 is connected also tilts forward by about 5 degrees. By contrast, for example, as illustrated in FIG. 8B, when the mobile apparatus 1 moves in the positive xl direction and accelerates, the crawler mobile body 10 tilts backward by about 5 degrees as indicated by arrow B, and the main body 50 to which the crawler mobile body 10 is connected also tilts backward by about 5 degrees.

[0100] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 8A, when the mobile apparatus 1 traveling forward decelerates, the main body 50 tilts forward. Then, the position of the front end of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 descends, and the distance to an installation surface G decreases.

[0101] FIGS. 9A and 9B are side views of the mobile apparatus 1 as viewed from the positive y2 direction and illustrate the function of the scooping portion 211 of the guide rail 210. In FIGS. 9A and 9B, the crawler mobile body 10a on the positive side of the main body 50 in the y2 direction is omitted for simplicity. The crawler mobile body 10a is fixed to the lateral face 50C of the main body 50 on the positive side in the y2 direction via a pair of brackets 63 A and 63B as illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B. The brackets 63 A and 63B are disposed at the lower end of the lateral face 50C and on the front end and the rear end of the main body 50, respectively, as illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

[0102] Similarly, the other lateral face 50D of the main body 50 on the negative side in the y2 direction (the back surface of the paper on which FIGS. 9 A and 9B are drawn) is provided with a pair of brackets 63C and 63D. The crawler mobile body 10b is fixed via the brackets 63C and 63D to the lateral face 50D of the main body 50 on the negative side in the y2 direction.

[0103] FIG. 9A illustrates an operation of a guide rail 210Z that does not include a scooping portion at the front end of the guiding portion 212, as a comparative example. As described above, when the mobile apparatus 1 decelerates, a front end 50B1 of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 descends toward the installation surface G due to the structure of the crawler mobile body 10. The height of the guiding portion 212 of the guide rail 210 is preferably as close as possible to the gap between the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1 and the installation surface G to ensure the guiding capability of the guide rail 210. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 9A, when the main body 50 tilts forward in the direction indicated by arrow A, the position of the front end 50B 1 of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 may be lower than the guiding portion 212. In this case, the front portion of the main body 50 may be caught on the front end of the guiding portion 212, preventing the mobile apparatus 1 from traveling in the direction indicated by arrow C to the chargeable position P4.

[0104] To avoid such an inconvenience, the guide rail 210 includes the scooping portion 211 at the front end of the guiding portion 212 as illustrated in FIG. 9B to reduce the height of the front end of the guiding portion 212. Thus, even when the main body 50 tilts forward in the direction indicated by arrow A and the position of the front end 50B 1 of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 descends lower than the guiding portion 212, the front portion of the main body 50 is above the front end of the scooping portion 211. Accordingly, the main body 50 advances in the direction indicated by arrow C along the guide rail 210 while being scooped upward along the scooping portion 211 and reaches the guiding portion 212.

[0105] Although FIG. 9B illustrates the tapered scooping portion 211 at the front end of the guiding portion 212, the scooping portion may have a shape other than the tapered shape. The scooping portion 211 may have any shape that reduces the height of the upper corner of the tip of the guiding portion 212. For example, the scooping portion 211 may have a curved face projecting in the positive z2 direction and the positive x2 direction or may have a curved face recessed in the negative z2 direction and the negative x2 direction.

[0106] FIGS. 10A and 10B are plan views of the charging station 300 and illustrate the function of the guiding portion 212 of the guide rail 210. FIG. 10A illustrates the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 entering the guiding portion 212. FIG. 10B illustrates the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 immediately before passing through the guiding portion 212.

[0107] As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 10A, and 10B, the guiding portion 212 is plate shaped and stands vertically upward (in the positive z2 direction). The guiding portion 212 includes an upper face 212A whose normal direction is the direction in which the guiding portion stands, and lateral faces 212B and 212C whose normal directions are the positive y2 direction and thenegative y2 direction, respectively. The width of the guiding portion 212 is smaller than the height of the guiding portion 212 and is sufficiently smaller than the distance dl between the guide pads 230a and 230b. The guiding portion 212 extends in the x2 direction with the line of symmetry SI positioned at the center in the width direction of the guide rail 210.

[0108] As illustrated in FIG. 10A, when the mobile apparatus 1 enters the guiding portion 212, the mobile apparatus 1 advances in the direction indicated by arrow C. In FIGS. 10A and 10B, the direction indicated by arrow C is oriented in both the negative x2 direction and the positive y2 direction (inclined from the negative x2 direction to the positive y2 direction). That is, the direction indicated by arrow C is inclined to the left when viewed from the entrance of the charging station 300 on the positive side in the x2 direction in which the guide rail 210 extends. Accordingly, the guide pad 230b closer to the crawler mobile body 10b on the negative side in the y2 direction contacts the lateral face 212C of the guiding portion 212 on the negative side in the y2 direction. At this time, the angle 232 at the front end of the guide pad 230b guides the guide pad 230b to be in surface contact with the guide rail 210, thereby alleviating the impact received by the guide rail 210 when the guide pad 230b contacts the guide rail 210 is alleviated.

[0109] When the mobile apparatus 1 continues to move in the direction indicated by arrow C, the front end of the guide pad 230b moves in the negative x2 direction along the lateral face 212C of the guiding portion 212 with which the guide pad 230b is in contact. Accordingly, the movement of the mobile apparatus 1 in the yaw direction is physically and forcibly changed to the direction of the guiding portion 212. As the mobile apparatus 1 advances along the guiding portion 212, the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 is adjusted to the negative x2 direction as indicated by arrow D in FIG. 10B.

[0110] FIGS. 11A and 1 IB are plan views of the charging station 300 and illustrate the function of the widened portion 213 of the guide rail 210. FIG. 11A illustrates the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 entering the widened portion 213. FIG. 11B illustrates the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 immediately before passing through the widened portion 213.

[0111] As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 11A, and 11B, the widened portion 213 includes a vertical portion 213 A that stands vertically upward and a horizontal portion 213B that extends horizontally at the upper end of the vertical portion 213 A. Each of the vertical portion 213 A and the horizontal portion 213B is plate shaped and has a certain thickness. The horizontal portion 213B has a thickness in the vertical direction, and the thickness forms a pair of lateral faces 213C and 213D at the ends of the widened portion 213 in the width direction. The horizontal portion 213B has a substantially isosceles triangular shape that is line symmetrical in thewidth direction with respect to the line of symmetry S 1 when viewed in the vertical direction. The base of the isosceles triangle corresponds to the negative-side end of the horizontal portion 213B in the x2 direction where the width is the largest. The equal two sides of the isosceles triangle correspond to the lateral faces 213C and 213D on both sides of the horizontal portion 213B in the width direction.

[0112] The lateral faces 213C and 213D are inclined such that the distance therebetween increases as the position moves in the negative x2 direction. The apex of the isosceles triangle of the horizontal portion 213B of the widened portion 213, that is, the angle formed by the lateral faces 213C and 213D at the positive-side end in the x2 direction preferably has an angle of about 20 degrees (10 degrees on each side with the line of symmetry SI interposed therebetween).

[0113] As illustrated in FIG. 11A, when the mobile apparatus 1 enters the widened portion 213, the mobile apparatus 1 moves in the direction indicated by arrow DI. In FIGS. 11A and 1 IB, the direction indicated by arrow DI is oriented in both the negative x2 direction and the positive y2 direction. That is, the direction indicated by arrow DI is inclined to the left when viewed from the entrance of the charging station 300 on the positive side in the x2 direction in which the guide rail 210 extends. Accordingly, the guide pad 230b closer to the crawler mobile body 10b on the negative side in the y2 direction contacts the lateral face 213D of the widened portion 213 on the negative side in the y2 direction. At this time, since the angle 232 at the front end of the guide pad 230b is bent to the direction in which the lateral face 213D of the widened portion 213 extends, the angle of contact between the guide pad 230b and the lateral face 213D of the widened portion 213 is reduced. This reduces the contact resistance between the guide pad 230b and the guide rail 210 and facilitates the movement of the guide pad 230b along the lateral face 213D of the widened portion 213.

[0114] When the mobile apparatus 1 continues to move in the direction indicated by arrow DI, the front end of the guide pad 230b moves in the negative x2 direction along the lateral face 213D of the widened portion 213 with which the guide pad 230b is in contact. Thus, as indicated by arrow E in FIG. 11B, the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 is further adjusted toward the negative side in the x2 direction as the mobile apparatus 1 moves along the widened portion 213.

[0115] Depending on the initial state of the mobile apparatus 1, such as the angle of approach to the charging station 300 and the widthwise position of the mobile apparatus 1, the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 may directly contact the widened portion 213 without contacting the guiding portion 212 of the guide rail 210. Even in such a situation, the angle 232 at the front end of the guide pad 230a or the guide pad 230b guides the guide pad230a or the guide pad 230b to come in surface contact with the lateral face 213C or the lateral face 213D of the widened portion 213 of the guide rail 210. Thus, the impact received by the guide rail 210 when the guide pads 230a and 230b contact the guide rail 210 is alleviated.

[0116] As described above with reference to FIGS. 10A to 11B, the angle 232 described with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B and the roller 234 described with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B function as buffers to reduce the contact resistance between the guide pads 230a and 230b and the guide rail 210.

[0117] FIGS. 12A and 12B are plan views of the charging station 300 and illustrate the functions of the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210 and the wheel stopper 220. In FIG. 12A, the mobile apparatus 1 has moved to a position in front of the wheel stopper 220 of the positioning portion 214. In FIG. 12B, the mobile apparatus 1 has reached the chargeable position P4.

[0118] As illustrated in FIGS. 5, 12A, and 12B, the positioning portion 214 includes a vertical portion 214A standing vertically upward and a horizontal portion 214B positioned at the upper end of the vertical portion 214A and extending horizontally. Each of the vertical portion 214A and the horizontal portion 214B is plate shaped and has certain thicknesses. The horizontal portion 214B has a certain thickness in the vertical direction, and this thickness forms the pair of lateral faces 214C and 214D of the positioning portion 214 in the width direction. The horizontal portion 214B has a substantially rectangular shape that is line symmetrical in the width direction with respect to the line of symmetry S 1 when viewed in the vertical direction. The rectangular shape has first opposite sides facing each other in the x2 direction. One of the first opposite sides corresponds to the end of the horizontal portion 214B connected to the negative- side end of the widened portion 213 in the x2 direction, and the other corresponds to the end of the horizontal portion 214B at the chargeable position P4 (illustrated in FIG. 18). Second opposite sides of the rectangular shape facing each other in the y2 direction correspond to the lateral faces 214C and 214D on both sides of the horizontal portion 214B in the width direction. The lateral faces 214C and 214D are positioned such that the distance therebetween is uniform in the x2 direction.

[0119] The wheel stopper 220 extends in the width direction (y2 direction) at a certain position in the x2 direction in which the positioning portions 214 extends. In the x2 direction, the wheel stopper 220 is positioned to contact the rear portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10 when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4 as illustrated in FIG. 12B.

[0120] As described above, the distance between the lateral faces 214C and 214D of the positioning portion 214, that is, the width d2 of the positioning portion 214, and the width of the negative-side end of the widened portion 213 in the x2 direction at which the widened portion 213 is widest are about several millimeters shorter than the distance dl between the guide pads 230a and 230b. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 12A, when the mobile apparatus 1 passes through the widened portion 213 and enters the positioning portion 214, the guide pads 230a and 230b respectively face the lateral faces 214C and 214D of the positioning portion 214. Then, the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 is adjusted to the negative x2 direction facing the power supply stand 310 from the direction indicated by arrow E in which the mobile apparatus 1 is guided by the widened portion 213. Arrow E is also illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 1 IB. Since the lateral faces 214C and 214D extend further in the x2 direction with the uniform distance kept therebetween, the traveling direction is kept in the direction indicated by arrow F even when the mobile apparatus 1 further moves the positioning portion 214 in the negative x2 direction.

[0121] As described above, the horizontal portion 214B of the positioning portion 214 is line symmetrical in the width direction with respect to the line of symmetry S 1 in plan view. Accordingly, the guide pads 230a and 230b, which are respectively further than the lateral faces 214C and 214D from the line of symmetry SI in the y2 direction, are also line symmetrical in the width direction with respect to the line of symmetry SI. With this configuration, the mobile apparatus 1 is positioned in the width direction such that the center position of the mobile apparatus 1 in the width direction is aligned with the center position of the guide rail 210 or the power supply stand 310 in the width direction.

[0122] As illustrated in FIG. 12A, the wheel stopper 220 is in the middle of the positioning portion 214 in the x2 direction in which the positioning portion 214 extends. Accordingly, the mobile apparatus 1 is positioned by the positioning portion 214 before the mobile apparatus 1 climbs over the wheel stopper 220, which applies a load to the motor. It is desirable that the mobile apparatus 1 temporarily stops or decelerates before climbing over the wheel stopper 220.

[0123] When the mobile apparatus 1 continues to travel in the direction indicated by arrow F and the crawler mobile body 10 climbs over the wheel stopper 220, the mobile apparatus 1 further travels in the same direction as arrow F and reaches the chargeable position P4 facing the power supply stand 310 as indicated by arrow G in FIG. 12B. At this time, since the width d2 of the positioning portion 214, which is equal to the width of the negative-side end of the widened portion 213 in the x2 direction, is about several millimeters smaller than the distance dl between the guide pads 230a and 230b, almost no clearance is allowed between the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 and the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210. Thus, the positioning accuracy of the mobile apparatus 1 in the width direction at the chargeable position P4 increases.

[0124] It is preferable that the mobile apparatus 1 temporarily stops or decelerates after climbing over the wheel stopper 220, and then moves to the chargeable position P4 at a reduced speed.

[0125] FIG. 13 is a side view of the mobile apparatus 1 reaching the chargeable position P4 of the charging station 300. As illustrated in FIG. 13, when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4, the rear portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10 are in contact with the wheel stopper 220, and the positions of the crawler mobile bodies 10 in the x2 direction are stably maintained.

[0126] FIGS. 14A and 14B are cross-sectional views of the guide rail 210. Specifically, FIGS. 14A and 14B illustrate cross-sectional shapes of the scooping portion 211, the guiding portion 212, the widened portion 213, and the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210 cut along the y2-z2 plane, as viewed from the negative side in the x2 direction.

[0127] FIG. 14A illustrates the sectional shape of the guide rail 210 at the entrance and the positional relationship between the guide rail 210 and the mobile apparatus 1. In the rectangular cross section indicated by hatching in FIG. 14A, a pair of opposite sides in the y2 direction is the pair of lateral faces 212B and 212C of the guiding portion 212, and the upper side of the rectangular cross section is the plane of the scooping portion 211. In FIG. 14A, the broken line represents the height position of the front end of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 when the mobile apparatus 1 tilts forward as illustrated in FIG. 8A. As illustrated in FIG. 14A, the height of the scooping portion 211 is lower than the front end of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 when the mobile apparatus 1 tilts forward, to prevent the scooping portion 211 from colliding with the front end.

[0128] FIG. 14B illustrates the cross-sectional shape of the guiding portion 212 of the guide rail 210 and the positional relationship between the guiding portion 212 and the mobile apparatus 1. As illustrated in FIG. 14B, the cross-sectional shape of the guiding portion 212 is substantially rectangular and long in the height direction. In the rectangular shape, a pair of opposite sides in the y2 direction is the pair of lateral faces 212B and 212C of the guiding portion 212, and the upper side of the rectangular shape is the upper face 212A of the guiding portion 212. As illustrated in FIG. 14B, the height of the guiding portion 212 is determined such that the clearance between the guiding portion 212 and the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1 is about several millimeters.

[0129] FIG. 14C illustrates the cross-sectional shape of the widened portion 213 of the guide rail 210 and the positional relationship between the widened portion 213 and the mobile apparatus 1. As illustrated in FIG. 14C, the widened portion 213 has a T-shaped cross section. In the T- shape, the rectangular portion extending from the floor plate 320 in the z2 direction is thevertical portion 213 A of the widened portion 213, and the rectangular portion extending in the y2 direction at the upper end of the vertical portion 213 A is the horizontal portion 213B of the widened portion 213. In the rectangular shape of the horizontal portion 213B, a pair of opposite sides in the y2 direction is the pair of lateral faces 213C and 213D of the widened portion 213.

[0130] As illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 14C, the lateral faces 213C and 213D of the widened portion 213 are positioned in the y2 direction such that the clearance between the lateral face 213C and the guide pad 230a and the clearance between the lateral face 213D and the guide pad 230b gradually decrease as the position moves in the negative x2 direction. As illustrated in FIG. 14C, the height of the widened portion 213 is determined such that the clearance between the upper face of the horizontal portion 213B and the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1 is about several millimeters. The upper face of the horizontal portion 213B of the widened portion 213 is flush with the upper face 212A of the guiding portion 212.

[0131] FIG. 14D illustrates the cross-sectional shape of the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210 and the positional relationship between the positioning portion 214 and the mobile apparatus 1. As illustrated in FIG. 14D, the cross section of the positioning portion 214 is T- shaped. In the T-shape, the rectangular portion extending from the floor plate 320 in the z2 direction is the vertical portion 214A of the positioning portion 214, and the rectangular portion extending in the y2 direction at the upper end of the vertical portion 214A is the horizontal portion 214B of the positioning portion 214. In the rectangular shape of the horizontal portion 214B, a pair of opposite sides in the y2 direction is the pair of lateral faces 214C and 214D of the positioning portion 214.

[0132] As illustrated in FIG. 14D, the positioning portion 214 is shaped such that the clearance between the lateral face 214C and the guide pad 230a and the clearance between the lateral face 214D and the guide pad 230b are about several millimeters. The height of the positioning portion 214 is determined such that the clearance between the upper face of the horizontal portion 214B and the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1 is about several millimeters. The upper face of the horizontal portion 214B of the positioning portion 214 is flush with the upper face of the horizontal portion 213B of the widened portion 213 and the upper face 212A of the guiding portion 212.

[0133] With the above-described configuration in which the mobile apparatus 1 is guided to the chargeable position P4 along the guide rail 210, the clearances between the guide rail 210 and the guide pads 230a and 230b and the clearance between the guide rail 210 and the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 are reduced to several millimeters at the chargeable position P4.Thus, high accuracy is achieved in the positioning of the mobile apparatus 1 in the width direction and the height direction.

[0134] The configuration of the power supply stand 310 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 15. FIG. 15 is an enlarged perspective view of the rotary portion 312 of the power supply stand 310.

[0135] The power supply stand 310 includes a base 311 vertically standing upward from the floor plate 320, and the rotary portion 312 that is connected to the base 311 and rotates with respect to the base 311 by an external force. The power supply 315 is mounted on the rotary portion 312. The base 311 includes a first beam portion 311 A extending in the y2 direction at its upper end. The rotary portion 312 is connected to the first beam portion 311 A so that the rotation axis of the rotary portion 312 matches the y2 direction in which the first beam portion 311 A extends. The rotary portion 312 is connected to the first beam portion 311 A by, for example, multiple hinges 313 arranged over the entire first beam portion 311 A in the longitudinal direction.

[0136] As illustrated in FIG. 15, the rotary portion 312 is a plate-shaped member having a first flat portion 312A, an inclined portion 312B, a second flat portion 312C, and a projecting portion 312D. The rotary portion 312 is made of, for example, aluminum sheet metal.

[0137] The first flat portion 312A has a substantially rectangular shape having opposite sides extending in the y2 direction and opposite sides extending in the z2 direction when viewed in the x2 direction. The hinges 313 are arranged on the upper side (the positive side in the z2 direction) of the rectangular first flat portion 312A. With this structure, the rotary portion 312 rotates about the upper side of the rectangular first flat portion 312A as the rotation axis. The first flat portion 312A is positioned to have the normal direction in the positive x2 direction.

[0138] The inclined portion 312B is connected to the lower portion of the first flat portion 312A and is positioned to have the normal direction in the oblique downward direction (in the positive x2 direction and the negative z2 direction). The inclined portion 312B has a rectangular shape having the same width as the width of the first flat portion 312A, and the upper end side of the rectangular shape is connected to the lower end of the first flat portion 312A.

[0139] The second flat portion 312C is connected to the lower portion of the inclined portion 312B and is positioned to have the normal direction in the positive x2 direction. Accordingly, the second flat portion 312C is parallel to the first flat portion 312A and is positioned further to the negative side in the x2 direction from the first flat portion 312A by the intervention of the inclined portion 312B therebetween. The second flat portion 312C has a rectangular shapehaving a width smaller than the width of the inclined portion 312B and is positioned in a central portion in the width direction of the inclined portion 312B.

[0140] The projecting portion 312D is connected to the lower portion of the second flat portion 312C. The projection 312D has the same width as the width of the second flat portion 312C. The projecting portion 312D includes a horizontal portion 312D1 projecting from the lower end of the second flat portion 312C in the positive x2 direction, and a vertical portion 312D2 bent downward at a substantially right angle from the positive-side end of the horizontal portion 312D1 in the x2 direction. Accordingly, the vertical portion 312D2 forms a plane having the normal direction in the positive x2 direction. The size of the horizontal portion 312D1 in the x2 direction is determined such that the vertical portion 312D2 is between the first flat portion 312A and the second flat portion 312C in the x2 direction.

[0141] As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 15, the inclined portion 312B is provided with a box-shaped housing 314 at the positive-side face in the x2 direction. The power supply 315 is fixed and housed inside the housing 314. Similarly to the power receiver 60, the power supply 315 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing which is erected at the uniform height from the inclined portion 312B and has a front face 315A having the normal direction in the oblique downward direction same as the inclined portion 312B.

[0142] The projecting portion 312D includes a contact receiving portion 316 projecting further to the positive side in the x2 direction from the positive-side face of the vertical portion 312D2 in the x2 direction. The contact receiving portion 316 receives contact with the mobile apparatus 1 (particularly, the front end 61A of the exhaust duct 61) when the mobile apparatus 1 approaches the chargeable position P4. The contact receiving portion 316 is preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber so as to alleviate the impact on the mobile apparatus 1 at the time of contact.

[0143] As illustrated in FIG. 15, a marker 317 is printed or attached on the positive-side face of the first flat portion 312A in the x2 direction. The marker 317 is used for the 2D LiDAR 52 of the mobile apparatus 1 to detect the position of the power supply stand 310 when the mobile apparatus 1 approaches the power supply stand 310. Accordingly, the marker 317 includes, for example, a barcode including a black base and a retroreflective tape (which easily reflects laser light) arranged thereon. In order to facilitate the detection of the marker 317 by the 2D LiDAR 52, the arrangement of the barcode of the marker 317 preferably has autocorrelation.

[0144] The height position of the marker 317 is preferably aligned with the height position of the 2D LiDAR 52.This allows the 2D LiDAR 52 to easily detect the marker 317.

[0145] The position of the marker 317 is not limited to the first flat portion 312A. Further, multiple markers 317 may be used. For example, when the power supply stand 310 is far from the entrance of the charging station 300, the angular resolution of the 2D LiDAR 52 may be insufficient with the marker 317 having the area of the first flat portion 312 A. In such a case, the marker 317 larger than the first flat portion 312A may be disposed on, for example, the base 311 of the power supply stand 310.

[0146] The marker 317 may be any marker that functions as an indicator of the predetermined stop position (the chargeable position P4) of the mobile apparatus 1 and may be another type of marker such as a 2D barcode, a pattern, or a graphic.

[0147] Alternatively, the 3D LiDAR 53 may be used to perform both the reading the marker 317 and the detection of an obstacle. In this case, the height position of the marker 317 is preferably aligned with the height position of the 3D LiDAR 53. This allows the 3D LiDAR 53 to easily detect the marker 317.

[0148] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the base 311 includes a second beam portion 31 IB extending in the y2 direction, at an intermediate position in the height direction of the base 311 and at the same height as the second flat portion 312C. The second beam portion 31 IB is positioned further to the negative side in the x2 direction than the first beam portion 311 A. The second beam portion 31 IB contacts the positive- side face of the second flat portion 312C of the rotary portion 312 in the x2 direction when the rotary portion 312 extends vertically downward without receiving an external force. The contact between the second beam portion 31 IB and the second flat portion 312C restricts the rotary portion 312 from further rotating in the positive x2 direction from the posture in which the first flat portion 312A and the second flat portion 312C face the positive side in the x2 direction.

[0149] The base 311 further includes a pair of stopping devices 318. The stopping devices 318 are disposed at the same height and at equal distance from the center of the power supply stand 310 in the y2 direction. The stopping devices 318 are each a device to absorb an impact by the contact with the mobile apparatus 1 and includes, for example, a damper mechanism. The damper mechanism that absorbs kinetic energy estimated from the weight and speed of the mobile apparatus 1 is usable. For example, the damper mechanism has a stroke of about 15 mm and includes a built-in spring to be biased to the mobile apparatus 1 when the mobile apparatus 1 comes into contact.

[0150] By contrast, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the mobile apparatus 1 includes a pair of frames 62 disposed on the front side and at positions to contact the pair of stopping devices 318. Asillustrated in FIG. 2, the frames 62 may also be disposed on the rear side of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0151] The power supply stand 310 includes a power supply controller 319 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The power supply controller 319 obtains electricity from, for example, an indoor outlet, supplies the electricity to the power supply 315, and controls the operation of the power supply 315.

[0152] FIGS. 16A to 16C are diagrams each illustrating the operation of the power supply stand 310 when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4. FIGS. 16A to 16C illustrate the transition from when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4 to when the mobile apparatus 1 is positioned in three stages.

[0153] In FIG. 16 A, the mobile apparatus 1 is approaching the chargeable position P4, but the frames 62 of the mobile apparatus 1 have not yet reached the positions to contact the stopping devices 318 of the power supply stand 310. In this state, the distance between the upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 of the mobile apparatus 1 and the front face 315A of the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310 is greater than the chargeable distance, and charging is not performed.

[0154] In the state illustrated in FIG. 16A, in the rotary portion 312 of the power supply stand 310, the positive-side face of the second flat portion 312C in the x2 direction is in contact with the second beam portion 31 IB of the base 311. This prevents the rotary portion 312 from rotating further in the positive x2 direction, and the posture of the rotary portion 312 is kept constant.

[0155] In FIG. 16B, the mobile apparatus 1 is approaching the chargeable position P4, and the frames 62 of the mobile apparatus 1 have reached the positions to contact the stopping devices 318 of the power supply stand 310. In this state, the damper mechanisms of the stopping devices 318 are not yet compressed, and the springs are at the maximum length. At this time, the distance between the upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 of the mobile apparatus 1 and the front face 315A of the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310 is reduced from that in FIG. 16A to the chargeable distance.

[0156] In the state illustrated in FIG. 16B, as in the state illustrated in FIG. 16A, in the rotary portion 312 of the power supply stand 310, the positive-side face of the second flat portion 312C in the x2 direction is in contact with the second beam portion 31 IB of the base 311. This prevents the rotary portion 312 from rotating further in the positive x2 direction, and the posture of the rotary portion 312 is kept constant.

[0157] In FIG. 16C, the mobile apparatus 1 has reached the chargeable position P4.In this state, as indicated by arrow H, the mobile apparatus 1 further moves from the position in FIG. 16B in the negative x2 direction. By this movement, the frames 62 of the mobile apparatus 1 press the stopping devices 318 of the power supply stand 310 in the negative x2 direction, and the damper mechanisms of the stopping devices 318 are compressed to push the springs to the minimum length. At this time, the exhaust duct 61 of the mobile apparatus 1 also presses the contact receiving portion 316 of the power supply stand 310 in the negative x2 direction. Accordingly, the rotary portion 312 of the power supply stand 310 rotates about the axes of the hinges 313 in the direction oriented in both the negative x2 direction and the positive z2 direction as indicated by arrow I, and the second flat portion 312C of the rotary portion 312 is also separated from the second beam portion 31 IB in the negative x2 direction. That is, the rotary portion 312 rotates in the traveling direction to move away from the mobile apparatus 1. That is, the rotary portion 312 rotates in the traveling direction to move away from the mobile apparatus 1. Then, the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310 is moved backward while the power receiver 60 of the mobile apparatus 1 moves forward. Accordingly, the upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 of the mobile apparatus 1 is closer to the front face 315A of the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310 compared to the state in FIG. 16B but does not collide therewith with the chargeable distance maintained.

[0158] In the state illustrated in FIG. 16C, the damper mechanisms of the stopping devices 318 are compressed and the springs are pushed in. Accordingly, as indicated by arrow J, the damper mechanisms of the stopping devices 318 are biased to the positive side in the x2 direction. The biasing force indicated by arrow J is transmitted to the mobile apparatus 1 via the frames 62, and the entire mobile apparatus 1 is pressed toward the positive side in the x2 direction.

[0159] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the crawler mobile body 10 at the chargeable position P4 and the wheel stopper 220. FIG. 17 is an enlarged view of the rear portion of the crawler mobile body 10 and the wheel stopper 220. FIG. 17 also illustrates arrow J indicating the biasing force in FIG. 16C.

[0160] As illustrated in FIG. 17, when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4, the wheel stopper 220 contacts the rear portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10, thereby restricting the movement of the crawler mobile bodies 10 in the positive x2 direction. In this state, when the biasing force indicated by arrow J generated by the damper mechanism of the stopping device 318 is applied to the mobile apparatus 1 in the positive x2 direction as described above, the crawler mobile body 10 is further pressed against the wheel stopper 220. Since the crawler mobile body 10 is strongly brought into contact with the wheel stopper 220, the shake of the mobile apparatus 1 in the front-rear direction is reduced, and the positioningaccuracy in the front-rear direction at the chargeable position P4 is increased.

[0161] FIG. 17 illustrates the state where the projections 1 la on the outer side of the crawler 11 are in contact with the wheel stopper 220, but the contact portion between the crawler 11 and the wheel stopper 220 is not limited thereto. For example, a recess 11c between two projections 1 la of the crawler 11, that is, the outer face of the crawler 11 may contact the wheel stopper 220.

[0162] Charging ControlA description is given below of the charging control executed by the controller of the mobile apparatus 1 in the charging task with reference to FIGS. 18 to 25D. In the charging task, for example, the traveling control motor driver 540, the memory 503 into which the program P is loaded, and the CPU 502 among the elements in the main body 50 illustrated in FIG. 3 function as the controller.

[0163] Initially, the definition of requirements for the operation of the mobile apparatus 1 to connect to the charging station 300 will be described. An example definition of requirements is presented below.(1) The mobile apparatus 1 autonomously travels from a charging route entrance Pl (in FIG. 18) to the charging station 300.(2) The mobile apparatus 1 does not detect an obstacle until the mobile apparatus 1 leaves the charging station 300.(3) The mobile apparatus 1 performs an input and output operation of the power receiver 60 to enable the power receiver 60 to start charging.(4) The mobile apparatus 1 stops at the chargeable position P4.(5) The mobile apparatus 1 starts charging after reaching the chargeable position P4.(6) The mobile apparatus 1 monitors whether the mobile apparatus 1 stays at the chargeable position P4 and adjusts the position until the charging completes.(7) The mobile apparatus 1 detects the end of charging.(8) The mobile apparatus 1 performs the VO operation of the power receiver 60 and ends the charging.(9) The mobile apparatus 1 moves backward from the charging station 300 to the charging route entrance Pl.

[0164] The process of charging control described below satisfies the above definition of requirements.

[0165] FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of the mobile apparatus 1 entering a charging route in the charging control. In FIG. 18, the charging station 300 is installedindoors in consideration of operation stability in, for example, rainy weather. Accordingly, when the mobile apparatus 1 approaches the charging station 300, the mobile apparatus 1 may fail to detect its own position using the GPS receiver 51. In the building in which the charging station 300 is installed, the charging station 300 is installed separately from a robot exclusion zone.

[0166] As illustrated in FIG. 18, the mobile apparatus 1 traveling on the patrol route described in FIGS. 4A to 4D controls the position and direction of the mobile apparatus 1 using, for example, the information received by the GPS receiver 51.

[0167] When the mobile apparatus 1 traveling on the patrol route arrives at the charging route entrance Pl (initial position), the control mode is switched to a charging task mode in which the GPS receiver 51 is not used. The mobile apparatus 1 grasps the position of the charging route entrance Pl by using, for example, map information obtained in advance and determines that the mobile apparatus 1 has arrived at the charging route entrance Pl by using, for example, the information received by the GPS receiver 51.

[0168] When the control mode is switched to the charging task mode, the mobile apparatus 1 controls the position and the direction of the mobile apparatus 1 using, for example, the information received by the 2D LiDAR 52. At the charging route entrance Pl, the mobile apparatus 1 detects the direction and the distance to the power supply stand 310 of the charging station 300 and changes the direction to the direction of the power supply stand 310.

[0169] The mobile apparatus 1 then enters a connection preparing position P2 at the entrance of the charging station 300. At the connection preparing position P2, the mobile apparatus 1 performs the final adjustment of the position and angle thereof using the information received by 2D LiDAR 52. The mobile apparatus 1 then travels toward the power supply stand 310, enters the guide rail 210 to be fine-tuned in the direction and the widthwise position, and decelerates or temporarily stops at a wheel stopper position P3 in front of the wheel stopper 220.

[0170] It is preferable that the floor surface of the connection preparing position P2 has a low coefficient of friction with the mobile bodies 10, similar to the floor plate 320 described with reference to, for example, FIG. 5. This allows the mobile apparatus 1 to easily turn at the connection preparing position P2 and to easily adjust the facing angle of the mobile apparatus 1 with respect to the guide rail 210.

[0171] Then, the mobile apparatus 1 climbs over the wheel stopper 220 and reaches the chargeable position P4 (stop position) to face the power supply stand 310. At this time, the mobileapparatus 1 is chargeable.

[0172] It is preferable that the distance from the charging route entrance Pl to the connection preparing position P2 is equal to or greater than 2 m, the distance from the connection preparing position P2 to the wheel stopper position P3 is about 1.5 m, and the distance from the wheel stopper position P3 to the chargeable position P4 is about 0.6 m. The distance from the wheel stopper position P3 to the chargeable position P4 is substantially the same as the size of the mobile apparatus 1 in the front-rear direction and is changed as appropriate according to the size of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0173] FIGS. 19A to 19F are schematic diagrams each illustrating control in a stage in entering the charging route. For example, the traveling control motor driver 540 and the CPU 502 as the controller perform the control by executing the program P read from the memory 503.

[0174] In a first stage illustrated in FIG. 19A, the mobile apparatus 1 searches for the position of the charging station 300 using the 2D LiDAR 52 at the charging route entrance Pl. More specifically, the marker 317 installed in the power supply stand 310 described with reference to FIG. 15 is detected by the 2D LiDAR 52, and the position of the marker 317 is recognized as the position of the chargeable position P4. In the charging task, obstacle detection different from that in normal traveling may be performed using the 3D LiDAR 53. In this detection, the mobile apparatus 1 stops, for example, when the marker 317 once recognized is not recognized after the charging route entrance PL Such a situation is caused by, for example, a person standing on the route to the chargeable position P4.

[0175] In the second stage illustrated in FIG. 19B, the mobile apparatus 1 moves from the charging route entrance Pl to the connection preparing position P2. The mobile apparatus 1 performs autonomous traveling by target tracking to a target position (for example, the marker 317) in the section to the connection preparing position P2.

[0176] In the third stage illustrated in FIG. 19C, the mobile apparatus 1 detects the position and the angle (direction) of the marker 317 using the 2D LiDAR 52 at the connection preparing position P2. After the position and angle of the marker 317 are detected, the mobile apparatus 1 performs a spin turn to adjust the angle as appropriate.

[0177] The direction control of the mobile apparatus 1 at the connection preparing position P2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 20A to 21.

[0178] FIGS. 20A and 20B are each a plan view of the charging station 300 and illustrate the direction control at the connection preparing position P2. With reference to FIG. 20A, adescription is given of a situation where the guide rail 210 is out of a space K between the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 when the mobile apparatus 1 approaches the tip (the scooping portion 211 and the guiding portion 212) of the guide rail 210. If the mobile apparatus 1 continues to move forward in this situation, the guide rail 210 does not enter the space K between the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b, and the direction of the mobile apparatus 1 needs to be guided so that the guide rail 210 enters the space K.

[0179] Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 20B at the connection preparing position P2 where the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the tip of the guide rail 210, the mobile apparatus 1 performs a spin turn as indicated by arrow L to adjust the direction of the mobile apparatus 1 to the range where the guide rail 210 enters the space K between the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b. The turning amount of the mobile apparatus 1 at this time is set, for example, based on the direction of the marker 317 detected by the 2D LiDAR 52.

[0180] FIG. 21 is a plan view of the charging station 300 and illustrates another direction control at the connection preparing position P2. The building in which the charging station 300 is installed is, for example, a garage. When the building is a garage, the detection of the target position of the power supply stand 310 and the detection of the current position of the mobile apparatus 1 may be difficult because it is expected that objects such as pillars, cars, bicycles, and lockers are located in the building in addition to the charging station 300. As a countermeasure, for example, one or more landmarks 330 such as a pole having a characteristic cross-sectional shape such as a star shape may be additionally installed near the entrance of the charging station 300 as illustrated in FIG. 21. In this configuration, recognizing the shape of the landmark 330 the 2D LiDAR 52 can increase the information used for the target position detection of the power supply stand 310 and the current position detection of the mobile apparatus 1, and detection accuracy increases.

[0181] In the fourth stage illustrated in FIG. 19D, the mobile apparatus 1 travels straight at a low speed toward the marker 317. At this time, the mobile apparatus 1 enters the guide rail 210 and travels while the position in the width direction and the traveling direction are fine-tuned by the guide rail 210. In the fourth stage, the mobile apparatus 1 may perform odometry traveling toward the marker 317.

[0182] In the fifth stage illustrated in FIG. 19E, the mobile apparatus 1 moves forward while measuring the distance between the marker 317 and the mobile apparatus 1 using the 2D LiDAR 52, and temporarily stops or decelerates at the wheel stopper position P3 in front of the wheel stopper 220 based on the information on the distance to the marker 317.

[0183] In the sixth stage illustrated in FIG. 19F, the mobile apparatus 1 travels straight at a low speedfrom the wheel stopper position P3 toward the chargeable position P4. At this time, the mobile apparatus 1 travels forward while measuring the distance between the marker 317 and the mobile apparatus 1 using the 2D LiDAR 52. When determining that the distance between the mobile apparatus 1 and the marker 317 is equal to or less than a threshold value based on the distance information, the mobile apparatus 1 determines that the mobile apparatus 1 has reached the chargeable position P4 and stops (sets the motor free). In the fourth stage, the power receiver 60 is activated and transitions to a chargeable state.

[0184] In the sixth stage, in addition to performing the stop control at the chargeable position P4 based on the distance to the markers 317, the controller (e.g., the traveling control motor driver 540 and the CPU 502) may further perform the control of stopping the mobile apparatus 1 in response to detecting an increase of the load of the in-wheel motor 14 (a driving source). As described with reference to FIG. 16C, when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4, the frames 62 of the mobile apparatus 1 press the stopping devices 318 of the power supply stand 310 in the negative x2 direction, and the damper mechanisms of the stopping devices 318 are compressed. Although the in- wheel motor 14 is driven at this time, the forward movement of the mobile apparatus 1 is prevented. Thus, the load of the in-wheel motor 14 increases. Accordingly, in the additional control, the mobile apparatus 1 stops the in- wheel motor 14 in response to detecting an increase in the load of the in-wheel motor 14 (the driving source) when the mobile apparatus 1 presses the damper mechanisms of the stopping devices 318 of the power supply stand 310. This control prevents the mobile apparatus 1 from moving further beyond the chargeable position P4.

[0185] Additionally, the mobile apparatus 1 may be physically prevented from advancing to the chargeable position P4 by, for example, an obstacle on the traveling route to the chargeable position P4. With the above-described additional control, when the motor load increases to a threshold value or greater, the motor is stopped even if the mobile apparatus 1 has not reached the chargeable position P4. This can reduce the load applied to the in-wheel motor 14 more than necessary and can prevent damage to the in-wheel motor 14.

[0186] In the sixth stage, the mobile apparatus 1 may perform odometry traveling from the wheel stopper position P3 toward the chargeable position P4. In the sixth stage, when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4, the mobile apparatus 1 may perform stopping control such as holding the in-wheel motor 14 stationary with a speed command of 0 or using an excitation brake instead of stopping the in-wheel motor 14 of the mobile apparatus 1 with the motor set free.

[0187] FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation in charging at the chargeable position P4. As illustrated in FIG. 22, the mobile apparatus 1 is maintained at the chargeableposition P4 in charging. At this time, the mobile apparatus 1 monitors and corrects the frontrear position of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0188] FIGS. 23 A and 23B are schematic diagrams each illustrating control in charging. In charging, the state illustrated in FIG. 23A is maintained. In this state, charging is first started. In charging, detection of the distance to the marker 317 using the 2D LiDAR 52 is continued, and whether the mobile apparatus 1 is maintained at the chargeable position P4 is monitored.

[0189] When the deviation of the mobile apparatus 1 from the chargeable position P4 is detected in charging, the mobile apparatus 1 temporarily stops charging. Then, the mobile apparatus 1 travels straight at a low speed (odometry traveling) and returns to the chargeable position P4. An example of the deviation from the chargeable position P4 in charging is described. Since the crawler mobile bodies 10 are in the state of motor free during the charging, a large external force such as an earthquake causes the crawler mobile bodies 10 to climb over the wheel stopper 220 and to be deviated to the positive side in the x2 direction.

[0190] The mobile apparatus 1 resumes charging after returning to the chargeable position P4.

[0191] When the mobile apparatus 1 fails to be maintained at the chargeable position P4 for some reason, the mobile apparatus 1 moves backward to the wheel stopper position P3 beyond the wheel stopper 220 and thus retreats to the outside the wheel stopper 220 as illustrated in FIG. 23B. In this case, the mobile apparatus 1 ends the charging mode and reports the situation to the operator or the person who manages the mobile apparatus 1.

[0192] FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram illustrating the operation of exiting from the charging route in the charging control. As illustrated in FIG. 24, after the charging is completed, the mobile apparatus 1 retreats from the chargeable position P4 and returns to the connection preparing position P2. The mobile apparatus 1 changes the direction by 180 degrees at the connection preparing position P2, and the positive side in the x2 direction is the front. The mobile apparatus 1 then turns on the obstacle detection function of the 3D LiDAR 53 and moves forward to the charging route entrance Pl where the GPS receiver 51 receives GPS signals.

[0193] When the mobile apparatus 1 arrives at the charging route entrance Pl, the mobile apparatus 1 returns to the normal patrol route. In the patrol route, the mobile apparatus 1 controls the position and direction of the mobile apparatus 1 using, for example, the information received by the GPS receiver 51.

[0194] FIGS. 25 A to 25D are schematic diagrams each illustrating the control of a stage in exiting from the charging route.

[0195] In the first stage illustrated in FIG. 25A, the mobile apparatus 1 ends the charging when the charge remaining in the battery 530 in the main body 50 reaches equal to or greater than a certain amount and stops the operation of the power receiver 60.

[0196] In the second stage illustrated in FIG. 25B, the mobile apparatus 1 ends the charging mode and receives a patrol start command from, for example, a host device. The patrol start command is a command for traveling on a predetermined patrol route and performing, for example, an inspection task. The patrol start command may be received periodically. The mobile apparatus 1 is set not to respond to the patrol start command, for example, in the charging mode but is set to respond to the command after the charging mode ends.

[0197] In the second stage, the mobile apparatus 1 first moves straight at a low speed (odometry traveling) backward to the connection preparing position P2 in response to the patrol start command. At this time, the mobile apparatus 1 moves backward to the connection preparing position P2 while measuring the distance to the marker 317 using the 2D LiDAR 52.

[0198] In the third stage illustrated in FIG. 25C, the mobile apparatus 1 changes the direction by 180 degrees at the connection preparing position P2. Further, the obstacle detection function of the 3D LiDAR 53 is turned on.

[0199] In the fourth stage illustrated in FIG. 25D, the mobile apparatus 1 moves straight (odometry traveling) to the charging route entrance Pl where GPS signals are receivable.

[0200] A description is given of modifications.FIGS. 26A and 26B are diagrams illustrating a charging station 300A and a charging station 300B according to the modifications of the charging station 300, respectively. As in the charging station 300A illustrated in FIG. 26A, weights such as ballast 340 may be disposed on the floor plate 320 on both sides of the guide rail 210 in the width direction.

[0201] In the case where the floor plate 320 is an aluminum plate provided with rubber on the lower side, the entire floor plate 320 is relatively lightweight. Accordingly, the charging station 300 may move together with the floor plate 320 due to for example, the mobile apparatus 1 colliding with the guide rail 210. To avoid this inconvenience, the floor plate 320 may be held by the ballast 340 as in the charging station 300A illustrated in FIG. 26. In FIG. 26A, eight 10-kilogram tanks are prepared as the ballast 340, and four tanks are arranged in series in the x2 direction on each side in the width direction of the guide rail 210. Thus, the load of the ballast 340 is applied uniformly over the entire floor plate 320, and the displacement of the floor plate 320 is suitably prevented.

[0202] Alternatively, the floor plate 320 is not necessarily used as in the charging station 300B illustrated in FIG. 26B. For example, when the installation surface G of the charging station 300B allows an anchor to be driven thereinto, the charging station 300B may have a minimum configuration in which the power supply stand 310, the guide rail 210, and the wheel stopper 220 are directly installed on the installation surface G. When the charging station 300B is applied, the installation surface G desirably is a low-friction surface, like a painted garage floor.

[0203] FIG. 27 is a diagram illustrating a charging station 300J according to another modification of the charging station 300. As in the charging station 300J illustrated in FIG. 27, the wheel stopper 220 may be omitted. In the above-described embodiment, the wheel stopper 220 extends in the y2 direction at the predetermined position in the x2 direction predetermined position in the x2 direction as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 5. When the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4, the wheel stopper 220 contacts the rear portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10 of the mobile apparatus 1, thereby restricting the movement of the mobile apparatus 1 in the positive x2 direction.

[0204] The advantage of the wheel stopper 220 is that, when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4, the rear portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10 contact the wheel stopper 220, and thus the posture of the mobile apparatus 1 at the chargeable position P4 is stabilized. As a result, as described with reference to FIGS. 16A to 16C and the like, the upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 of the mobile apparatus 1 easily faces the front face 315A of the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310, and the gap between the upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 and the front face 315A of the power supply 315 is easily controlled. Such gap control is desired because the center portions of the crawler mobile bodies 10 in the front-rear direction (the xl direction) according to the above embodiment project downward as illustrated in FIG. 2 and the like. More specifically, the idlers 18a and 18b disposed between the two wheels 15a and 15b project beyond the wheels 15a and 15b to the negative side in the zl direction.In the mobile apparatus 1 having such crawler mobile bodies 10, the tilt of the mobile apparatus 1 to the front or the rear increases in traveling as described above with reference to FIGS. 8 A and 8B and the like.

[0205] Accordingly, when the mobile apparatus 1 includes crawler mobile bodies in which the amount of projection of the idlers 18a and 18b beyond the wheels 15a and 15b to the negative side in the zl direction is small compared with, for example, the crawler mobile bodies 10 according to the above-described embodiment, the tilt of the mobile apparatus 1 in the frontrear direction is reduced. In this case, the necessity of controlling the tilt of the mobileapparatus 1 in the front-rear direction at the chargeable position P4 and the necessity of controlling the gap between the upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 and the front face 315A of the power supply 315 are smaller compared with the above-described embodiment. Accordingly, even in the charging station 300J illustrated in FIG. 27 that does not include the wheel stopper 220, the upper face 60A of the power receiver 60 of the mobile apparatus 1 faces the front face 315A of the power supply 315 of the power supply stand 310 when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4.

[0206] In the configuration without the wheel stopper 220, the mobile apparatus 1 preferably performs stopping control such as holding the in-wheel motor 14 stationary with the speed command of 0 or using an excitation brake when the mobile apparatus 1 reaches the chargeable position P4. This allows the mobile apparatus 1 to be more reliably positioned at the chargeable position P4.

[0207] Further, the scooping portion 211 may be omitted as in a guide rail 210J illustrated in FIG. 27. The guide rail 210 according to the above-described embodiment includes the scooping portion 211 that is disposed at the upper corner of the tip of the guiding portion 212 and tapered to decrease in height toward the tip. The scooping portion 211 scoops up the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0208] As described above with reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B and the like, the scooping portion 211 has the following advantage. When the mobile apparatus 1 enters the guide rail 210, the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1 is scooped up along the scooping portion 211 to enter the guiding portion 212 even if the main body 50 tilts forward and the height position of the front end 50B1 of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 is lower than the guiding portion 212.

[0209] As described above, when the mobile apparatus 1 includes crawler mobile bodies in which the amount of projection of the idlers 18a and 18b beyond the wheels 15a and 15b to the negative side in the zl direction is small compared with, for example, the crawler mobile bodies 10 according to the above-described embodiment, the tilt of the mobile apparatus 1 in the frontrear direction is reduced. In this case, when the mobile apparatus 1 enters the guide rail 210, it is unlikely that the height position of the front end 50B 1 of the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 is lower than the guiding portion 212. Accordingly, even if the scooping portion 211 is omitted as in the guide rail 210J of the charging station 300J illustrated in FIG. 27, the mobile apparatus 1 enters the guiding portion 212 of the guide rail 210J.

[0210] FIG. 28 is a diagram illustrating a charging station 300K according to yet another modification of the charging station 300. As illustrated in FIG. 28, the charging station 300K includes a floor plate 320K having a width in the y2 direction reduced to about the samewidth of the power supply stand 310. This configuration reduces the overall size of the charging station 300K.

[0211] The charging station 300 may be assembled from multiple parts. For example, the power supply stand 310, the floor plate 320, the guide rail 210, and the wheel stopper 220 are made separate parts and assembled into the integrated charging station 300. This configuration increases the portability of the charging station 300.

[0212] FIGS. 29A and 29B are diagrams each illustrating other installation positions of the charging station 300. In the above-described embodiment, the charging station 300 is installed far from the entrance of the building as described with reference to, for example, FIG. 18, but the installation position is not limited thereto. For example, the charging station 300 may be installed near the entrance of a building as illustrated in FIG. 29A. A specific example of such an installation position is, in the case of a garage having an entrance open to a road, near the entrance. In the case of FIG. 29A, since the tip of the guide rail 210 is near the entrance of the building, the wide robot exclusion zone can be wider.

[0213] Alternatively, as in a charging station 300D illustrated in FIG. 29B, while the power supply stand 310 is located far side of the entrance as in the above-described embodiment, a guide rail 210A includes a guiding portion 212a extended longer than the guiding portion 212 according to the above-described embodiment so that the tip of the guide rail 210A is near the entrance of the building. Even in the case of FIG. 29B, since the tip of the guide rail 210A is near the entrance of the building, the mobile apparatus is safely guided by the guide rail 210A.

[0214] FIGS. 30A and 30B are diagrams each illustrating a guiding portion 212b of a guide rail 210B according to a modification of the guide rail 210. As in a charging station 300E illustrated in FIG. 30A, the power supply stand 310 may be located far from the entrance of the building and farther than the robot exclusion zone from the entrance. In this case, the route of the mobile apparatus 1 from the entrance of the building to the power supply stand 310 is substantially L-shaped in which the mobile apparatus 1 first travels in the y2 direction and then changes its direction to the x2 direction. In other words, at the connection preparing position P2 at the entrance of the building, the mobile apparatus 1 does not visually recognize the power supply stand 310 and accordingly does not detect the marker 317 on the power supply stand 310.

[0215] In the charging station 300E illustrated in FIG. 30A, the guiding portion 212b of the guide rail 210B is extended longer than the guiding portion 212 according to the above-described embodiment and includes linear portions 212bl and 212b3 and a curved portion 212b2. Thelinear portions 212b3 are connected to the curved portion 212b2. In the guiding portion 212b illustrated in FIG. 30A, the linear portion 212bl, the curved portion 212b2, and the linear portion 212b3 are connected into one guiding portion 212b in this order from the connection preparing position P2 at the building entrance.

[0216] As illustrated in FIG. 30B, the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 are arranged at the constant distance dl from each other. Accordingly, even if the guiding direction changes in the curved portion 212b of the guiding portion 212b, the curved portion 212b2 is accommodated between the guide pads 230a and 230b, and thus the traveling direction is changed along the curved portion 212b2.

[0217] In the charging station 300E illustrated in FIG. 30A, since the marker 317 on the power supply stand 310 is not detectable at the connection preparing position P2 at the entrance of the building as described above, the travel control to the position indicated by the marker 317 using the 2D LiDAR 52 cannot be performed. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 30A, another marker 350 is placed on the travel route. The marker 350 is installed, for example, on the far side of the curved portion 212b2 so as to be visible from the connection preparing position P2 at the entrance of the building.

[0218] FIG. 31 is a diagram illustrating a guiding portion 212c of a guide rail 210C according to another modification of the guide rail 210. The layout of the charging station 300F illustrated in FIG. 31 is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 30A. In the charging station 300F illustrated in FIG. 31, the guiding portion 212c of the guide rail 210C is extended longer than the guiding portion 212 according to the above-described embodiment and includes multiple linear portions 212cl and 212c2 extending in different directions and spaced apart from each other. In the guiding portion 212c illustrated in FIG. 31, the linear portion 212cl extends in the y2 direction from the connection preparing position P2 at the building entrance, and the linear portion 212c2 extends in the x2 direction on the far side of the linear portion 212cl, which are spaced apart from each other in the boundary area therebetween.

[0219] The charging station 300F illustrated in FIG. 31 is also provided with the marker 350 different from the marker 317 on the power supply stand 310. The marker 350 is installed, for example, on the far side of the boundary area between the linear portions 212cl and 212c2 so as to be visible from the connection preparing position P2 at the entrance of the building.

[0220] In the charging station 300F in FIG. 31, the mobile apparatus 1 first controls the travel to the position of the marker 350 using the 2D LiDAR 52, travels in the negative y2 direction along the linear portion 212cl of the guiding portion 212c, and travels to the boundary area between the two linear portions 212cl and 212c2. In the boundary area, the marker 317 on the powersupply stand 310 is detectable by the 2D LiDAR 52. The mobile apparatus 1 detects the direction of the marker 317 using the 2D LiDAR 52 and turns to the negative side in the x2 direction toward the marker 317. Then, the mobile apparatus 1 controls the travel to the position of the marker 102 using the 2D LiDAR 52, travels in the negative x2 direction along the linear portion 212c2 of the guiding portion 212c, and reaches the power supply stand 310.

[0221] With reference to FIGS. 32 A and 32B, a guide rail 210D including a widened portion 213d according to another modification of the guide rail 210 is described. FIG. 32A illustrates the shapes of the guide rail 210 and the widened portion 213 according to the above-described embodiment described with reference to FIG. 5 and the like.

[0222] In the guide rail 210D illustrated in FIG. 32B, the length of the widened portion 213d in the x2 direction is increased as compared with that of the widened portion 213 according to the above-described embodiment. As illustrated in FIGS. 32A and 32B, the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 are arranged at the constant distance dl from each other. As illustrated in FIG. 32B, even if the size of the widened portion 213d in the x2 direction is increased and the shape is changed, the widened portion 213d fits between the guide pads 230a and 230b without changing the structure of the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1. Accordingly, mobile apparatus 1 moves along the widened portion 213d.

[0223] FIG. 33 is a diagram illustrating a power supply-receiving mechanism according to a modification of that illustrated in FIG. 5. A mobile apparatus 1G illustrated in FIG. 33A includes a contactless power receiver 60G on the bottom face 50B of the main body 50.

[0224] In this case, a charging station 300G illustrated in FIG. 33B includes a contactless power supply 315G on the upper face of the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210. The contactless power supply 315G is disposed at a position directly facing the contactless power receiver 60G on the mobile apparatus 1G when the mobile apparatus 1G reaches the chargeable position P4 and contacts the stopping devices 318. In other words, the contactless power supply 315G is disposed at a position overlapping the contactless power receiver 60G when viewed in the z2 direction.

[0225] In the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 33A and 33B, the parts have such dimensions that a clearance of about several millimeters is kept between the upper face of the guide rail 210 and the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus 1G as described above. Accordingly, the contactless power receiver 60G and the contactless power supply 315G are located at appropriate chargeable distance from each other by simply positioning the mobile apparatus 1G at the chargeable position P4. Then, charging can be reliably performed.

[0226] FIGS. 34A and 34B are diagrams each illustrating a power supply-receiving mechanism according to another modification of that illustrated in FIG. 5. A mobile apparatus 1H illustrated in FIG. 34A includes a positive electrode plate 60H1 and a negative electrode plate 60H2 of a contact-type power receiver on the bottom face 50B of the main body 50. The positive electrode plate 60H1 and the negative electrode plate 60H2 have substantially the same rectangular shape with, for example, the xl direction as the longitudinal direction, and are arranged at a predetermined interval in the yl direction.

[0227] In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 34B, a charging station 300H is provided with a contacttype power supply including a positive electrode plate 315H1 and a negative electrode plate 315H2 disposed on the upper face of the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210. The positive electrode plate 315H1 and the negative electrode plate 315H2 are positioned to directly face the positive electrode plate 60H1 and the negative electrode plate 60H2 of the contact-type power receiver of the mobile apparatus 1G, respectively, when the mobile apparatus 1G reaches the chargeable position P4 and contacts the pair of stopping devices 318. In other words, when viewed in the z2 direction, the positive electrode plate 315H1 overlaps the positive electrode plate 60H1, and the negative electrode plate 315H2 overlaps the negative electrode plate 60H2. The positive electrode plate 315H1 and the negative electrode plate 315H2 of the charging station 300H are preferably formed of, for example, flat springs, so as to reliably contact the positive electrode plate 60H1 and the negative electrode plate 60H2 of the mobile apparatus 1H, respectively.

[0228] FIGS. 35A and 35B are diagrams each illustrating a power supply-receiving mechanism according to yet another modification of that illustrated in FIG. 5. A mobile apparatus II illustrated in FIG. 35A uses the guide pads 230a and 230b as a positive electrode plate 6011 and a negative electrode plate 6012 of a contact-type power receiver, respectively. In this case, the guide pads 230a and 230b are made of metal.

[0229] In this case, as illustrated in FIG. 35B, a charging station 3001 is provided with a contact-type power supply including a positive electrode plate 31511 and a negative electrode plate 31512 disposed on the lateral faces 214C and 214D of the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210, respectively. The positive electrode plate 31511 and the negative electrode plate 31512 are positioned to directly face the positive electrode plate 6011 and the negative electrode plate 6012 of the contact-type power receiver of the mobile apparatus II, respectively, when the mobile apparatus 1G reaches the chargeable position P4 and contacts the pair of stopping devices 318. In other words, the positive electrode plate 31511 and the negative electrode plate 31512 are positioned to directly face the guide pads 230a and 230b, respectively. The positive electrode plate 31511 and the negative electrode plate 31512 of the charging station 3001 are preferably formed of, for example, flat springs, so as to reliably contact the positiveelectrode plate 6011 and the negative electrode plate 6012 of the mobile apparatus II, respectively.

[0230] Instead of using the entire guide pad 230a and the entire guide pad 230b as the positive electrode plate 6011 and the negative electrode plate 6012 of the contact-type power receiver, respectively, a part of the guide pad 230a and a part of the guide pad 230b may be used as the positive electrode plate 6011 and the negative electrode plate 6012, respectively.

[0231] FIG. 36 is a perspective view of guide pads according to a modification of the guide pads 230a and 230b. In a mobile apparatus IL illustrated in FIG. 36, the crawler mobile body 10a is fixed to the lateral face 50C of the main body 50 on the positive side in yl the direction via the brackets 63A and 63B (see FIGS. 9A and 9B), similarly to the mobile apparatus 1 according to the above-described embodiment. The bracket 63A (a first connector) is disposed between the main body 50 and the crawler mobile body 10a and at the front end portion (on the positive side in the xl direction) of the lateral face 50C along the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 (the xl direction). By contrast, the bracket 63B (a second connector) is disposed between the main body 50 and the crawler mobile body 10a and at the rear end portion (on the negative side in the xl direction) of the lateral face 50C along the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 (the xl direction).

[0232] The other crawler mobile body 10b, which is not illustrated in FIG. 36, is fixed to the lateral face 50D of the main body 50 on the negative side in the yl direction via the brackets 63C and 63D (see FIGS. 9A and 9B). The bracket 63C (a third connector) is disposed between the main body 50 and the crawler mobile body 10b and at the front end portion (on the positive side in the xl direction) of the lateral face 50D along the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 (the xl direction). By contrast, the bracket 63D (a fourth connector) is between the main body 50 and the crawler mobile body 10b and at the rear end portion (on the negative side in the xl direction) of the lateral face 50C along the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 (the xl direction).

[0233] In the modification illustrated in FIG. 36, the brackets 63A to 63D respectively include lower end portions 64A to 64D extending below the bottom face 50B of the main body 50. The lower end portions 64A to 64D are integral with the brackets 63A to 63D, respectively. In this configuration, as illustrated in FIG. 36, the lower end portions 64A and 64C are arranged at the same position in the xl direction in the front end portion of the main body 50 and face each other at a certain interval in the yl direction. Similarly, the lower end portion 64B and the lower end portion 64D are arranged at the same position in the xl direction in the rear end portion of the main body 50 and face each other with a certain interval in the yl direction.

[0234] In the modification illustrated in FIG. 36, the lower end portions 64A and 64C function as a first pair of guide pads, and the lower end portions 64B and 64D function as a second pair of guide pads or another pair of guide pads.In other words, the mobile apparatus IL illustrated in FIG. 36 includes two pairs of guide pads.

[0235] The first pair of guide pads (the lower end portions 64A and 64C of the brackets 63A and 63C) are disposed at the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 and at respective portions of the mobile bodies 10a and 10b closer to the main body 50. The first pair of guide pads extend from the front end of the main body 50 closest to the stop position (the chargeable position P4) for a part of the main body 50 in the traveling direction. The second pair of guide pads (the lower end portions 64B and 64D of the brackets 63B and 63D) are disposed at the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 and at respective portions of the mobile bodies 10a and 10b closer to the main body 50. The first pair of guide pads extend from the rear end of the main body 50 farthest from the stop position (the chargeable position P4) for a part of the main body 50 in the traveling direction.

[0236] The first pair of guide pads (the lower end portions 64A and 64C) and the second pair of guide pads (the lower end portions 64B and 64D) exhibit functions similar to those of the pair of guide pads 230a and 230b according to the above-described embodiment.

[0237] In the above-described configuration in which the lower end portions 64A to 64D serving as the guide pads are integral with the brackets 63A to 63D that connect the crawler mobile bodies 10a and 10b with the main body 50, the number of holes for attaching parts to the main body 50 can be smaller. This is advantageous in the waterproofness and strength of the main body 50 of the mobile apparatus IL. Further, since the guide pads are not separate components, the number of components can be reduced, and the number of steps and cost in manufacturing the mobile apparatus IL can be reduced.

[0238] As in the modification illustrated in FIG. 36 and the above-described embodiment (see FIGS. 6A to 7B), in the positioning adjustment mechanism 200, the mobile apparatus 1 or IL includes at least a pair of guide pads facing each other across the guide rail 210 in the width direction orthogonal to the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 or IL, and other structures thereof are not limited.

[0239] In the configuration including only one pair of guide pads 230a and 230b as in the abovedescribed embodiment, one pair of guide pads 230a and 230b correspond to “the first pair of guide pads disposed at the bottom face 50B of the main body 50 and at respective portions of the mobile bodies 10a and 10b closer to the main body 50, and extending from the front endof the main body 50 closest to the stop position (the chargeable position P4) for a part of the main body 50 in the traveling direction”.

[0240] FIG. 37 is a plan view of a charging station 300M including a guide rail according to a modification of the guide rail 210. The charging station 300M illustrated in FIG. 37 includes a guide rail 210M. The guide rail 210M includes multiple rollers 215 on both sides of the widened portion 213 and the positioning portion 214. Each of the rollers 215 partially projects outward from either lateral face of the widened portion 213 or the positioning portion 214 in the width direction (y2 direction), and rotates in the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus 1 (x2 direction). In FIG. 37, the circumferential surface of each roller 215 is illustrated as a circle, and the rotation axis is illustrated as a point at the center of the circle. In FIG. 37, a part of the circumferential surface of each roller 215 projects from either lateral face of the guide rail 210M in the width direction.

[0241] In FIG. 37, the rollers 215 on both lateral faces of the widened portion 213 and the positioning portion 214 in the width direction are in pairs to be arranged at the same positions in the x2 direction. It is preferable that the distance between the adjacent pairs of rollers 215 is substantially constant.

[0242] In the guide rail 210M provided with the rollers 215 on the lateral faces as illustrated in FIG. 37, the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 contacts the rollers 215 to rotate the rollers 215 in the traveling direction when the mobile apparatus 1 moves along the guide rail 210M. This configuration can reduce the resistance received by the mobile apparatus 1 from the widened portion 213 and the positioning portion 214 of the guide rail 210M when the mobile apparatus 1 moves along the guide rail 210M. Thus, the mobile apparatus 1 is more smoothly guided to the chargeable position P4.

[0243] The widthwise position in the y2 direction of the mobile apparatus 1 traveling to the chargeable position P4 is determined by the width of the guide rail 210 and the distance dl between the guide pads 230a and 230b of the mobile apparatus 1 (see FIGS. 6A to 7B). The positional deviation of the mobile apparatus 1 reduces charging efficiency. The wear of the guide pads 230a and 230b, or the wear of the guide rail 210 may reduce charging efficiency. The rollers 215 on the lateral faces of the guide rail as in the guide rail 210M illustrated in FIG. 37 reduce the wear of the guide pads 230a and 230b and the guide rail 210M and are effective to prevent, for example, the decrease in charging efficiency.

[0244] The embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. Those skilled in the art may add design modifications to these specific examples, and suchmodified configurations having the features of the present disclosure are within the scope of the present disclosure. The elements in the specific examples described above, as well as the arrangement, conditions, and shapes of those elements are not limited to those described or illustrated, but can be changed as appropriate. The elements in the specific examples described above can be appropriately combined as long as there is no technical contradiction.

[0245] In the above-described embodiments, the positioning adjustment mechanism 200 (the guide rail 210, the wheel stopper 220, and the guide pads 230a and 230b) is applied to the charging station 300. However, the purposes of use of the positioning adjustment mechanism 200 are not limited to the charging station 300. In a task of positioning the mobile apparatus 1 at a predetermined stop position such as the above-described chargeable position P4, the user of the positioning adjustment mechanism 200 increases the positioning accuracy of the mobile apparatus 1.

[0246] In the above-described embodiments, the charging station 300 is installed indoors where GPS signals are not received, and the mobile apparatus 1 detects the positions and directions of the markers 317 and 350 using the 2D LiDAR 52 mounted on the mobile apparatus 1 and travels to the chargeable position P4 based on the detected information obtained by the 2D LiDAR 52. However, the 2D LiDAR 52 is an example of a detector that detects the positions and directions of the markers 317 and 350 in an environment in which GPS signals are not received, and detectors other than the 2D LiDAR 52 may be used.For example, the detection result of the 3D LiDAR 53 described with reference to FIG. 1 or the captured image captured by an image-capturing device such as the PTZ camera 54 or the 360-degree camera 55 may be used to detect the positions and the directions of the markers 317 and 350.

[0247] The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present invention. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements and / or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and / or substituted for each other within the scope of the present invention.

[0248] The present invention can be implemented in any convenient form, for example using dedicated hardware, or a mixture of dedicated hardware and software. The present invention may be implemented as computer software implemented by one or more networked processing apparatuses. The processing apparatuses include any suitably programmed apparatuses such as a general purpose computer, a personal digital assistant, a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) or third-generation (3G)-compliant mobile telephone, and so on. Since the present invention can be implemented as software, each and every aspect of thepresent invention thus encompasses computer software implementable on a programmable device. The computer software can be provided to the programmable device using any conventional carrier medium (carrier means). The carrier medium includes a transient carrier medium such as an electrical, optical, microwave, acoustic or radio frequency signal carrying the computer code. An example of such a transient medium is a Transmission Control Protocol / Intemet Protocol (TCP / IP) signal carrying computer code over an IP network, such as the Internet. The carrier medium may also include a storage medium for storing processor readable code such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, a compact disc read-only memory (CD- ROM), a magnetic tape device, or a solid state memory device.

[0249] The functionality of the elements disclosed herein may be implemented using circuitry or processing circuitry which includes general purpose processors, special purpose processors, integrated circuits, application- specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and / or combinations thereof which are configured or programmed, using one or more programs stored in one or more memories, to perform the disclosed functionality. Processors are considered processing circuitry or circuitry as they include transistors and other circuitry therein. In the disclosure, the circuitry, units, or means are hardware that carry out or are programmed to perform the recited functionality. The hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein which is programmed or configured to carry out the recited functionality.There is a memory that stores a computer program which includes computer instructions. These computer instructions provide the logic and routines that enable the hardware (e.g., processing circuitry or circuitry) to perform the method disclosed herein. This computer program can be implemented in known formats as a computer-readable storage medium, a computer program product, a memory device, a record medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD, and / or the memory of an FPGA or ASIC.

[0250] This patent application is based on and claims priority to Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2023-211285, filed on December 14, 2003, and 2024-144225, filed on August 26, 2024, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. [Reference Signs List]

[0251] 1, 1A, IB, IL: Mobile apparatus10, 10a, 10b: Crawler mobile body (mobile body)14: In- wheel motor50: Main body50B: Bottom face52: 2D LiDAR (detector)60: Power receiver63A to 63D: Bracket (first to fourth connectors) 64A, 64C: Lower end (first pair of guide pads) 64B, 64D: Lower end (second pair of guide pads) 100: Positioning adjustment system 200: Positioning adjustment mechanism 210, 210A to 210D, 210J, 210M: Guide rail 211: Scooping portion212: Guiding portion212b 1 , 212b3 : Linear portion212b2: Curved portion212cl, 212c2: Linear portion 213: Widened portion 214: Positioning portion 215: Roller220: Wheel stopper230a, 230b: Guide pads (first pair of guide pads) 232, 233: Angle (buffer)234, 235: Roller (buffer)300, 300A to 300K, 300M: Charging station312: Rotary portion315: Power supply316: Contact receiving portion317: Marker (indicator)320, 320K: Floor plate540: Traveling control motor driver (controller) Pl: Charging route entrance (initial position) P4: Chargeable position (stop position)

Claims

[CLAIMS]

1. A positioning adjustment mechanism for positioning, at a predetermined stop position, a mobile apparatus including a pair of mobile bodies disposed on both sides of a main body to travel on a traveling surface, the positioning adjustment mechanism comprising: a guide rail standing above the traveling surface; a pair of guide pads facing each other across the guide rail in a width direction orthogonal to a traveling direction of the mobile apparatus, the pair of guide pads being disposed at a bottom of the main body and at respective portions of the pair of mobile bodies closer to the main body, the pair of guide pads extending from a front end of the main body closest to the predetermined stop position for at least a part of the main body in the traveling direction, wherein the pair of guide pads face each other across a center position of the main body in the width direction, and a first distance between one of the pair of guide pads and corresponding one of the pair of mobile bodies is smaller than a second distance between one of the pair of guide pads and the center position in the width direction, and wherein the guide rail includes: a widened portion whose dimension in the width direction gradually increases in the traveling direction to approach a third distance between the pair of guide pads; and a positioning portion having a first end connected to a widest end of the widened portion where the dimension in the width direction is largest, and a second end opposite the first end, the second end extending to the predetermined stop position, wherein both ends of the positioning portion in the width direction extend parallel in the traveling direction.

2. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail further includes a guiding portion having an end connected to a narrowest end of the widened portion opposite to the widest end, and widthwise ends extending parallel in the traveling direction, and wherein the guiding portion is inserted between the pair of guide pads to guide the mobile apparatus to the widened portion.

3. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the guide rail further includes a scooping portion at an upper comer of a tip of the guiding portion, and wherein the scooping portion decreases in height toward the tip and scoops up the bottom of the main body of the mobile apparatus.

4. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising a wheel stopper to contact a rear end of the pair of mobile bodies when the mobile apparatus reaches the predetermined stop position.

5. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the pair of guide pads includes a buffer at a front end of the main body to reduce contact resistance with the guide rail.

6. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the pair of guide pads extends from the front end of the main body over the entire main body in the traveling direction and further includes another buffer at a rear end of the main body.

7. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the guiding portion of the guide rail includes a linear portion and a curved portion, and wherein the linear portion is connected to the curved portion.

8. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the guiding portion of the guide rail includes multiple linear portions extending in different directions, and wherein the multiple linear portions are spaced apart from each other.

9. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the mobile apparatus causes a speed difference between the pair of mobile bodies to change the traveling direction.

10. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 9, wherein the pair of mobile bodies include crawler mobile bodies.

11. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising another pair of guide pads facing each other across the guide rail in the width direction, wherein said another pair of guide pads face each other across the center position of the main body in the width direction, and a first distance between one of said another pair of guide pads and corresponding one of the pair of mobile bodies is smaller than a second distance between one of said another pair of guide pads and the center position in the width direction, and wherein said another pair of guide pads are disposed at the bottom of the main body and at the respective portions of the pair of mobile bodies closer to the main body, andwherein said another pair of pair of guide pads extend from a rear end of the main body farthest from the predetermined stop position for at least a part of the main body in the traveling direction.

12. The positioning adjustment mechanism of claim 11, wherein the mobile apparatus includes: a first connector and a second connector disposed between the main body and one of the pair of mobile bodies to connect the one of the pair of mobile bodies to the main body, the first connector being disposed at the front end of the main body in the traveling direction, the second connector being disposed at the rear end of the main body in the traveling direction; and a third connector and a fourth connector disposed between the main body and the other of the pair of mobile bodies to connect the other of the pair of mobile bodies to the main body, the third connector being disposed at the front end of the main body in the traveling direction, the fourth connector being disposed at the rear end of the main body in the traveling direction, wherein the pair of guide pads respectively extend from the first connector and the third connector below the bottom of the main body, and wherein said another pair of guide pads respectively extend from the second connector and the fourth connector below the bottom of the main body.

13. The positioning adjustment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the guide rail further includes multiple rollers on both sides of the widened portion and the positioning portion in the width direction such that each of the multiple rollers partially projects from the widened portion or the positioning portion in the width direction, and wherein the multiple rollers rotate in the traveling direction.

14. A positioning adjustment system comprising: the mobile apparatus; and the positioning adjustment mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 13 to position the mobile apparatus at the predetermined stop position.

15. The positioning adjustment system according to claim 14, wherein the mobile apparatus includes a detector to detect a distance and a direction to an indicator of the predetermined stop position; and a controller configured to control an operation of the mobile apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to: move, using a GPS signal, the mobile apparatus to an initial position of stop control in which the mobile apparatus is stopped at the predetermined stop position; andmove the mobile apparatus to the predetermined stop position based on a result of detection of the indicator obtained by the detector.

16. The positioning adjustment system according to claim 15, wherein the mobile apparatus further includes a driving source to drive the pair of mobile bodies, and wherein the controller is configured to stop the mobile apparatus in response to detecting an increase in a load of the drive source.

17. A charging station for charging a mobile apparatus including a pair of mobile bodies disposed on both sides of a main body to travel on a traveling surface, the charging station comprising: a power supply assembly including a power supply to supply power to the mobile apparatus; and the positioning adjustment mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 13 to position the mobile apparatus at a chargeable position at which the mobile apparatus is supplied with power from the power supply.

18. The charging station according to claim 17, wherein the mobile apparatus further includes a power receiver disposed on a front side of the mobile apparatus to receive power from the power supply, wherein the power supply supplies power by a contactless method and includes a rotary portion on which the power supply is mounted, wherein the rotary portion rotates in the traveling direction of the mobile apparatus and includes a contact receiving portion to contact the mobile apparatus before the power receiver of the mobile apparatus contacts the power supply and to be pushed in the traveling direction by the mobile apparatus reaching the chargeable position, wherein the contact receiving portion pushed in the traveling direction rotates the rotary portion in the traveling direction and in a direction away from the mobile apparatus, to maintain a distance between the power supply and the power receiver at a chargeable distance at which the power receiver receives power from the power supply.

19. The charging station according to claim 17, wherein the positioning adjustment mechanism includes a floor plate installed on an installation surface, and the power supply assembly and the guide rail are mounted on the floor plate, and wherein the floor plate includes a plate material having a lower coefficient of friction than the installation surface.

20. The charging station according to claim 19,wherein the floor plate has a dimension in the width direction that is substantially equal to a dimension of the power supply assembly in the width direction.

Images