Coupling device

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a travel control system for a transporting vehicle and a travel control method for a transporting vehicle, with which it is possible to achieve both higher stopping accuracy and improved traveling efficiency. [Solution] A coupling device according to the present disclosure is for coupling a transporting vehicle and an object to be transported, the coupling device comprising: a coupling part that is releasably coupled to a lower frame of the object to be transported; and an ejector for releasing the coupling of the coupling part to the lower frame. The coupling part has: a lower support part that supports a horizontal plate part of the lower frame from below; and a protruding part that protrudes upward from the tip side of the lower support part and engages with a side surface of the horizontal plate part. The ejector has a pair of left and right push-up parts disposed in proximity to the protruding part. The push-up parts release the engagement between the protruding part and the lower frame by moving upward relative to the protruding part to lift the lower frame from below.

Description

Connecting device

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connecting device that connects a transport vehicle and an object to be transported.

[0002] In recent years, in facilities such as manufacturing factories, it has been considered to utilize automated guided vehicles (AGVs) for transporting various articles. When transporting an article by an AGV, it is conceivable to connect (tow) a wheeled object to be transported, such as a cart on which the article is placed, to the AGV. Patent Document 1 discloses a connecting device for connecting an AGV and a cart.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-197917

[0004] The connecting device described in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the claw portion of the connecting device enters the frame of the cart from above and engages with the inner surface of the frame for connection. However, in the structure where the claw portion enters the frame of the cart from above, there is a risk that the claw portion may contact the load inside the cart during connection and disconnection of the cart.

[0005] Therefore, the present disclosure has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a connecting device that connects an object to be transported to a transport vehicle in a new form.

[0006] According to the present disclosure, there is provided a connecting device for connecting a transport vehicle and an object to be transported, comprising: a connecting portion that is releasably connected to the lower frame of the object to be transported; and an ejector for releasing the connection of the connecting portion to the lower frame, wherein the connecting portion has a lower support portion that supports the horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below, and a protrusion that protrudes upward from the tip side of the lower support portion and engages with the side surface of the horizontal plate portion, the ejector has a pair of left and right pushing portions disposed close to the protrusion, and the pushing portion operates to relatively rise with respect to the protrusion and lift the lower frame from below, thereby releasing the engagement between the protrusion and the lower frame.

[0007] [[ID=二十一]] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a connecting device that connects an object to be transported to a transport vehicle in a new form. ]

[0008] This is a perspective view showing an example configuration of the transport vehicle and coupling device according to this embodiment. This is an enlarged side view of the coupling portion in the release position according to this embodiment. This is an enlarged side view of the coupling portion in the gripping position according to this embodiment. This is a side view showing the transport vehicle and coupling device according to this embodiment approaching the object to be transported. This is a schematic enlarged view of the coupling device of Figure 4. This is a side view showing the transport vehicle and coupling device according to this embodiment connected to the object to be transported. This is a side view showing the auxiliary fixing wheel of the coupling device of Figure 6 in a grounded position. This is an enlarged perspective view showing the coupling portion according to this embodiment. This is a perspective view showing an example of the transport vehicle according to this embodiment. This is a bottom view showing an example of the configuration of the operating area according to this embodiment. This is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the transport system according to this embodiment. This is a configuration diagram of the control unit in this embodiment. This is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the transport vehicle according to this embodiment. This is a partially enlarged view showing a modified example of the transport vehicle according to this embodiment. This is a side view for explaining the hinge portion of the coupling device according to this embodiment. This is a side view showing the coupling device according to this embodiment folded with the hinge portion as the pivot point. This is a schematic plan view showing an example of the relationship between the coupling portion, ejector, and lower frame according to this embodiment. This is a plan view showing the case where the lower frame is tilted from the state in Figure 18. This is a schematic plan view showing another example of the relationship between the connecting part, ejector, and lower frame according to this embodiment.

[0009] Preferred embodiments of this disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. In this specification and the drawings, components having substantially the same functional configuration are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.

[0010] The coupling device of this embodiment is used, for example, in manufacturing plants, logistics warehouses, etc., to connect an automated guided vehicle (hereinafter also simply referred to as "transport vehicle") used to transport various manufactured parts, goods, and other items, with the items to be transported (transported objects).

[0011] Figure 1 shows a transport system comprising a transport vehicle 10 and a coupling device 20 attached to the transport vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. The coupling device 20 comprises a transport vehicle-side coupling part 21 that is rotatably coupled to the transport vehicle 10, and a coupling part 22 that releasely grips the lower frame of the object to be transported. The transport vehicle 10 may be an AGV that moves along a guideline, an AMR that autonomously drives regardless of the guideline, or a transport vehicle that combines both and is capable of doing both.

[0012] The transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 is located on the upper part of the transport vehicle 10 and is supported from below by the transport vehicle 10. In this example, the transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 is rotatably coupled around a shaft portion 11 that extends vertically (up and down) and is provided on the upper part of the transport vehicle 10. Here, "rotation" does not necessarily mean a 360° rotation, but also includes displacement within a predetermined range, such as 180° or 90° or less. The transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 may be fixed to the transport vehicle 10 in a way that prevents rotation. The transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 does not displace vertically relative to the transport vehicle 10, but it may be configured to displace vertically. The relative position (angle) of the transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 (relative to the transport vehicle 10) around the shaft portion 11 is controlled by an internal drive device such as a motor or actuator. The transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 is basically installed relative to the transport vehicle 10 such that the coupling portion 22 is located on the rear side of the transport vehicle 10. The transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 may be detachable from the transport vehicle 10.

[0013] Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of the connecting portion 22. As shown in Figure 2, the connecting portion 22 has a lower support portion 23 that supports the horizontal plate portion 511 of the lower frame 51 from below, a projection portion 24 that protrudes upward from the tip of the lower support portion 23 and engages with the side surface 511a of the horizontal plate portion 511, and a displacement portion 25 that is displaced between the release position and the gripping position with the shaft portion 25a as the pivot point. Figure 2 shows the displacement portion 25 in the release position.

[0014] The displacement section 25 includes an upper support section 26 that supports the lower frame 51 from above in the gripping position, and a side support section 27 that supports the lower frame 51 from the front side (transport vehicle 10 side). The upper support section 26 and the side support section 27 are fixed together and substantially integrated, and they displace together between the release position and the gripping position. The upper support section 26 abuts against the upper end (end face) of the vertical plate section 512 of the lower frame 51 in the gripping position, thereby suppressing upward movement of the lower frame 51. The side support section 27 abuts against the outer surface of the vertical plate section 512 in the gripping position, thereby suppressing movement of the lower frame 51 away from the projection section 24. The shaft section 25a in this example is composed of two rotating shafts, and is configured so that the displacement section 25 can displace between the release position and the gripping position while maintaining the state in which the side support section 27 of the displacement section 25 extends in the vertical direction. The configuration of the displacement section 25 is not limited to the illustrated example. It may also be configured to oscillate and displace using a shaft consisting of only one rotation axis, or it may be a structure in which the side support section 27 slides horizontally and the upper support section 26 slides vertically. In the case of this sliding mechanism, guide members such as rails may be provided to guide linear movement.

[0015] Figure 3 shows the state where the displacement part 25 is in a gripping position and the connecting part 22 is gripping the lower frame 51. In this example, the connecting part 22 sandwiches the lower frame 51 vertically between the lower support part 23 and the upper support part 26 in the gripping position, but this is not an essential configuration. Also, in this example, the lower frame 51 is gripped by sandwiching it in the depth direction between the projection part 24 and the side support part 27. Note that the side support part 27 is not an essential configuration and does not need to be in constant contact with the lower frame 51. In other words, if there is a projection part 24, it is possible to suppress the trolley from detaching horizontally. Also, by sandwiching the lower frame 51 vertically between the lower support part 23 and the upper support part 26, displacement of the lower frame 51 in the depth direction can be suppressed by friction. Also, by sandwiching the lower frame in the depth direction between the projection part 24 and the side support part 27, displacement of the lower frame 51 in the vertical direction can be suppressed by friction.

[0016] As shown in Figure 3, the upper support portion 26 is configured so as not to protrude inward (toward the inside of the trolley) from the inner surface of the vertical plate portion 512. Also, the lower support portion 23 and the projection portion 24 are configured so as not to protrude from the upper surface of the horizontal plate portion 511.

[0017] When the displacement portion 25 is displaced from the release position in Figure 2 to the gripping position in Figure 3, it is displaced in the depth direction toward the projection portion 24 (forward) and in the vertical direction toward the lower support portion 23 (downward). In this example, the shaft portion 25a provided at the base end of the lower support portion 23 and the lower end of the side support portion 27, respectively, and the member connecting them, causes the side support portion 27 to be displaced while maintaining an angle that extends vertically.

[0018] Figure 4 shows the transport vehicle 10 approaching the object to be transported 50 (cage trolley) in order to connect the coupling device 20 installed on the transport vehicle 10 to the object to be transported 50. At this time, the displacement part 25 is in the released position. The transport vehicle 10 approaches the object to be transported 50 so that the tip of the horizontal support part 23 is inserted between the left and right wheels 52 of the object to be transported 50 (and between the ground and the support frame 51). Preferably, the coupling part 22 is connected to the central part of the object to be transported 50 in the left-right direction.

[0019] Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the connecting portion 22. Note that Figure 5 does not show the entire object to be transported, but only the lower frame 51 is schematically illustrated. The lower frame 51 is, for example, a metal member having an L-shaped cross-section, and has a horizontal plate portion 511 extending in the horizontal direction and a vertical plate portion 512 extending in the vertical direction. The lower frame 51 is not limited to this, and may be composed of, for example, a member with a rectangular cross-section.

[0020] Here, the tip side of the horizontal support portion 23 (the side of the projection portion 24) is provided with an inclined guide surface 28 that slopes diagonally downward toward the tip. The tip of the lower support portion 23 has a tapered shape due to the provision of the inclined guide surface 28, and its vertical size (height) gradually decreases. With this configuration, when connecting the connecting portion 22 to the object to be transported 50, the lower support portion 23 can be smoothly inserted under the lower frame 51 and guided to the appropriate connection position.

[0021] The lower support portion 23 is configured to be elastically displaceable vertically by contacting the object to be transported 50 during the process of connecting the object to be transported 50, and a biasing member is provided to return the displaced lower support portion 23 to its original position. The biasing member can be a coil spring, a leaf spring, an actuator, etc., but is not limited to these. In this example, as shown in Figure 5, two coil springs 31 are provided as biasing members. The two coil springs 31 are installed between the upper frame 32 and the lower frame 33 that extend outward from the transport vehicle side coupling portion 21, and are arranged parallel to each other. The upper frame 32 and the lower frame 33 are parallel to each other and support the coupling portion 22. When the lower support portion 23 is displaced downward, the coil springs 31 stretch and a compressive force acts on them, causing the lower support portion 23 to rise towards its original position.

[0022] The height of the lower support portion 23 is set in advance to a height corresponding to the lower frame 51 of the object to be transported 50. As the transport vehicle 10 with the coupling device 20 attached approaches the object to be transported 50, such as a cage trolley, when the lower end of the outer surface of the lower frame 51 comes into contact with the inclined guide surface 28, the lower support portion 23 elastically displaces downward along the inclination of the inclined guide surface 28, and rises to a position where the upper surface of the lower support portion 23 contacts the lower surface of the lower frame 51 when the lower frame 51 overcomes the projection portion 24. Then, when the displacement portion 25 displaces from the release position to the gripping position, the coupling portion 22 grips the lower frame 51, and the object to be transported 50 is connected to the transport vehicle 10 (see Figure 3).

[0023] As shown in Figure 6, with the transport vehicle 10 and the object to be transported 50 connected by the coupling device 20, the transport vehicle can move to any destination, thereby transporting the object to be transported 50 (cage trolley and the articles, luggage, etc. to be transported) to that destination.

[0024] In the example shown in Figure 6, the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 provided on the coupling device 20 are not in contact with the ground, but as shown in Figure 7, the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 may be in contact with the ground. For example, if the two wheels 52 of the transported object 50 located on the coupling device 20 side are fixed wheels, the transported object 50 may be transported while suspended above the ground as shown in Figure 6, and if all the wheels 52 of the transported object 50 are swivel wheels, the transported object may be transported with the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 in contact with the ground as shown in Figure 7. Also, if the two wheels located farther from the coupling device 20 are fixed wheels, the transported object may be transported while suspended above the ground as shown in Figure 6. Furthermore, in the case of a six-wheeled trolley with six wheels, the two central wheels are fixed wheels, and even in this case, the transported object may be transported while suspended above the ground as shown in Figure 6. In other words, depending on the type, number, and position of the wheels of the transported object 50, the option of grounding or not grounding the auxiliary fixed wheels 34 during transport may be selected. Such wheel information and information regarding the grounding or non-grounding conditions of the auxiliary fixed wheel 34 may be stored in a memory unit in advance, or the user may input, control, or store this information at any time. The auxiliary fixed wheel 34 is connected to the transport vehicle side coupling part 21 and is displaced between a grounded state and a non-grounded state by moving up and down with a drive device such as an actuator. The up and down movement may be by swinging around a shaft that extends horizontally as a pivot point, or by sliding up and down along a rail or the like.

[0025] In this example, the auxiliary fixed wheel 34 is provided at the tip of a support arm 35 extending from the transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21. The support arm 35 is located below the upper frame 32, the lower frame 33, and the connecting portion 22. The auxiliary fixed wheel 34 is positioned in front of the connecting portion 22 (away from the transport vehicle 10) and is configured to slide under the transport object 50, but is not limited to this configuration. The auxiliary fixed wheel 34 and the connecting portion 22 are located at the center of the coupling device 20 in the left-right direction and are positioned at the same circumferential position around the transport vehicle 10. When the coupling device 20 rotates relative to the transport vehicle, both the auxiliary fixed wheel 34 and the connecting portion 22 move in the circumferential direction. The support arm 35 extends downward from the transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 and bends forward, but its shape can be changed as appropriate.

[0026] In this embodiment, a sensor 29 is provided to detect whether the lower frame 51 is positioned appropriately relative to the connecting portion 22. The sensor 29 may be positioned adjacent to the lower support portion 23. In that case, it is possible to determine whether the horizontal plate portion 511 of the lower frame 51 is properly supported by the lower support portion 23. That is, if the sensor 29 detects the lower support portion 23, it can be determined that the lower frame 51 is in the appropriate position. It is preferable to provide multiple sensors 29. The sensor 29 may be a physical switch that detects the presence or absence of an object by allowing current to flow when pressed, or it may be an infrared sensor or the like. Note that the sensor 29 is not an essential component, and the connecting portion 22 may operate without the sensor 29. For example, the connecting portion may be displaced from a release position to a gripping position in response to input from the user, or it may be automatically displaced from a release position to a gripping position according to a predetermined program, or the connecting portion may be displaced from a release position to a gripping position when the distance and angle of the transport vehicle to the transport object fall within a predetermined range.

[0027] As shown in Figure 8, the sensor 29 in this example consists of a pair of sensors 29a and 29b that are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The pair of sensors 29a and 29b are located between a pair of lower support parts 23 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction, and are positioned adjacent to each lower support part 23. Each lower support part 23 may consist of a pair of plate-shaped members that sandwich each sensor 29.

[0028] In this embodiment, an ejector 30 is provided that releases the engagement between the lower frame 51 and the projection 24 by lifting the lower frame 51 of the object to be transported 50 from below. Lifting the lower frame 51 from below means that the lower frame 51 moves relatively upward relative to the projection 24. In other words, the ejector 30 may rise relative to the projection 24, causing the projection 24 to move downward (elastically in this example) relative to the lower frame 51. The ejector 30 in this example is provided with push-up parts (30a, 30b) located outside a pair of lower support parts 23 that are spaced apart in the left-right direction. The left and right pair of push-up parts (30a, 30b) may be located adjacent to each other inside the pair of lower support parts 23. The ejector 30 may consist of a single push-up part. For example, it may be located between the pair of lower support parts 23. When releasing the object to be transported, the ejector 30 is driven (risen) with the coupling part in a released position. Furthermore, after releasing the object to be transported, it lowers and returns to its original position. The ejector remains in a lowered state while the coupling part is in a gripping position. The operation of the ejector 30 is controlled by the control unit based on predetermined information stored in the memory unit. Alternatively, the ejector 30 may operate based on instruction information entered by the user via the input unit.

[0029] The coupling device of this embodiment comprises a coupling portion that is releasably coupled to the lower frame of the object to be transported, and an ejector for releasing the coupling portion from the lower frame. The coupling portion has a lower support portion that supports the horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below, and a projection portion that protrudes upward from the tip of the lower support portion and engages with the side surface of the horizontal plate portion. The ejector has a pair of left and right push-up portions positioned close to the projection portion. The push-up portions move upward relative to the projection portion to lift the lower frame from below, thereby releasing the engagement between the projection portion and the lower frame. With this configuration, the object to be transported can be coupled to the transport vehicle by the projection portion that engages with the lower frame of the object to be transported from below.

[0030] In this embodiment, the pair of left and right push-up portions may each be positioned outside the projection in the width direction when viewed from the center of the connecting portion in the width direction. Here, Figures 18, 19, and 20 are schematic plan views showing the relationship between the connecting portion, the ejector, and the lower frame. For example, as shown in Figure 18, when the central single ejector 30 pushes up the lower frame 51 to release the engagement between the projections 24 and the lower frame 51 from a gripping state in which the two projections 24 are engaged with the lower frame 51, as shown in Figure 19, if the lower frame 51 (i.e., the connected object) is at an angle to the connecting device, the ejector 30 may detach from the lower frame 51, and the engagement of one of the two projections 24 may remain unreleased (i.e., the connection of the connected object cannot be released). In contrast, as shown in Figure 20, since ejectors 30 are provided on the outside of each of the two protrusions 24, even if the lower frame 51 is tilted, the pair of ejectors 30 will reliably contact the lower frame 51, thereby disengaging the two protrusions 24.

[0031] In this embodiment, the connecting portion includes a displacement portion that displaces with the shaft portion as a pivot point between the release position and the gripping position, and the connecting portion may grip the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the depth direction between the side support portion of the displacement portion and the projection portion in the gripping position. This prevents rattling in the depth direction and also suppresses rattling in the vertical direction by frictional force.

[0032] In this embodiment, when the displacement portion is displaced from the release position to the gripping position, it may be displaced toward the projection portion in the depth direction and toward the lower support portion in the vertical direction. However, it is not limited to this, and the displacement portion may be displaced only in the depth direction, or only in the vertical direction.

[0033] In this embodiment, the connecting portion may be configured such that, in the gripping position, the lower frame is sandwiched vertically between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the displacement portion. This increases the strength of the connection.

[0034] In this embodiment, the connecting portion may be located closer to the tip than the projection and may have an inclined guide surface that slopes diagonally downward toward the tip of the lower support portion.

[0035] In this embodiment, the lower support portion may be configured to be elastically displaceable downward by contact with the object to be transported when the object to be transported is connected, and a biasing member may be provided to return the lower support portion, which has been displaced downward, to its original position. This will enable even smoother connection and disconnection.

[0036] In this embodiment, the lower support portion has a left support portion and a right support portion that are spaced apart from each other, and the projection portion may have a left projection portion corresponding to the left support portion and a right projection portion corresponding to the right support portion. This increases the connection strength and improves stability when connected. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the left support portion and the right support portion may be made of two plates (steel plates) that sandwich the sensor 29. The left projection portion and the right projection portion may also be made of two plates (steel plates).

[0037] In this embodiment, sensors for detecting the lower frame may be provided in both the left support and the right support. This allows for detection if either one of the supports becomes detached, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the connection.

[0038] In this embodiment, the tip of the connecting portion may protrude further forward than the tip of the ejector in the depth direction. This makes it less likely for the tip of the ejector to come into contact with the object being connected during connection, thereby improving the reliability and safety of the connection.

[0039] In this embodiment, the tip of the ejector may be positioned near the projection in the depth direction. This can improve the reliability of releasing the connection between the projection and the lower frame.

[0040] In this embodiment, the distance between the lower support portion 23 and the upper support portion 26 in the vertical direction, and the distance between the projection portion 24 and the side support portion 27 in the depth direction can be changed according to the size of the lower frame 51 of the object to be transported 50. For example, the members constituting the upper support portion 26 are detachable from the base member of the displacement portion 25 by fasteners such as bolts. By changing the position (vertical position) of the upper support portion 26, the distance between the lower support portion 23 and the upper support portion 26 in the vertical direction can be changed. Similarly, if the members constituting the projection portion 24 are detachable by fasteners, the distance between the projection portion 24 and the side support portion 27 in the depth direction can be changed by changing the horizontal position of the projection portion 24. This embodiment is not limited to this example, and the positions of the members constituting the lower support portion 23, the side support portion 27, etc., may be changeable. Furthermore, the shapes of the members constituting the lower support portion 23, the upper support portion 26, the projection portion 24, the side support portion 27, etc., may be changed to correspond to the object to be transported 50.

[0041] In this embodiment, connectors for power supply and communication are provided at the coupling portion 21 on the transport vehicle side and the coupling portion on the transport vehicle 10, enabling power supply and signal communication (transmission and reception) between the transport vehicle 10 and the coupling device 20. Specifically, the operation of the coupling portion 22 and auxiliary fixed wheels 34 of the coupling device 20, such as vertical movement, can be controlled by power supply and control signals from the transport vehicle 10. The coupling device 20 itself may be equipped with a control unit, memory unit, communication unit, power supply, etc., as described later, and may be configured to operate without power supply or control signals from the transport vehicle.

[0042] In this embodiment, the coupling device 20 is provided with an imaging unit 36. The imaging unit 36 ​​is located above the coupling device 20. It is also preferable that the mounting position of the imaging unit 36 ​​in the width direction (left-right direction) of the coupling device 20 is positioned to overlap with the coupling device 20 and the auxiliary fixing wheel 34. In other words, it is preferable that the imaging direction of the imaging unit 36 ​​coincides with the extending direction of the coupling device 20, and that the center of the imaging unit 36 ​​coincides with the left-right center of the coupling device 20. The imaging unit 36 ​​can be a sensor having imaging and distance measurement functions (depth detection functions). Specifically, it can be configured, for example, with Intel's RealSense® Depth Camera. The control unit can estimate the position of the transported object 50 and its relative angle (attitude) with respect to the coupling device based on the information acquired by the imaging unit 36. The control unit can also detect the presence (presence or absence of an obstacle), posture (e.g., touching the cart), distance (distance from the imaging unit 36), and state (whether a person is working, walking, sitting, or lying down) of an obstacle by analyzing the images captured by the imaging unit 36. The control unit may also select one of several options pre-stored in the memory unit based on the image analysis. Based on this information, for example, if an obstacle (including goods and people) is detected in the direction of travel, the control unit may stop the vehicle from moving. Alternatively, if it is detected that a worker is loading or unloading items from the cart, the coupling or uncoupling operation may be stopped. Conversely, if it is determined that there is no obstacle or that a worker is not working (or has finished working), the coupling or uncoupling operation may be started. In this way, the control unit can control the transport vehicle and coupling device based on the information acquired from the imaging unit 36. The imaging unit 36 ​​may also be provided on the upper part of the support arm 35 that supports the auxiliary fixed wheel 34, as shown in Figure 4. By providing imaging units 36 on both the upper and lower sides of the connecting unit 20, the imaging range is expanded, and the detection accuracy (accuracy of position and orientation estimation) of the transported object can be improved, thereby enhancing the efficiency and safety of the connecting operation. Note that the imaging units 36 are not an essential component.

[0043] When connecting the connecting device 20 to the object to be conveyed 50, the control unit of the transport vehicle can approach the connecting device 20 to the object to be conveyed 50 at an appropriate position and angle based on the information from the imaging unit 36 and at least either of the information from the imaging unit (including cameras and sensors) provided on the transport vehicle itself. For example, the connecting portion 20 of the connecting device 20 is positioned at the center in the left - right direction (center in the width direction) of the object to be conveyed 50, and the transport vehicle 10 is moved so that the object to be conveyed 50 is positioned directly in front of the connecting portion 20.

[0044] And, when it is determined based on the information from the sensor 29 provided on the connecting portion 20 that the lower frame 51 of the object to be conveyed 50 is arranged at an appropriate position with respect to the connecting portion 20, the displacement portion 25 is displaced from the release posture to the gripping posture. Thereby, the lower frame 51 can be gripped by the connecting portion 20 with high accuracy.

[0045] When the transport vehicle conveys the object to be conveyed 50 to the target position and releases the connection, after displacing the displacement portion 25 from the gripping posture to the release posture, the transport vehicle is run in the direction away from the object to be conveyed 50 (the opposite direction to the connection time), thereby the connection can be released. Also in this case, the control unit can appropriately determine whether the lower frame 51 has detached from the connecting portion based on the information from the sensor 29 provided on the connecting portion 20, or can determine whether the object to be conveyed 50 has been released from the connection in an appropriate posture based on the information from the imaging unit 36. When releasing the connection, after displacing the displacement portion 25 from the gripping posture to the release posture, the ejector 30 may be raised, or it may be detached by moving the transport vehicle without the ejector 30. When there is no ejector, the lower support portion 23 may be moved downward to make it easier to get over the protrusion 24.

[0046] In addition, a rotatable plate - shaped turntable may be provided on the upper part of the transport vehicle, and the transport vehicle - side coupling portion 21 may be installed there. In that case, the turntable rotates together with the connecting device, and the rotation of the connecting device can be suppressed by suppressing the rotation of the turntable with a disk brake or the like.

[0047] Furthermore, when the rotation angle of the coupling device relative to the transport vehicle 10 is controlled by a motor, the motor is basically relaxed and rotates freely, but it may be possible to drive the motor and rotate it only when necessary (such as to set it to a predetermined angle for locking, or to adjust the angle of the transported object relative to the transporter) to arbitrarily change the rotation angle (direction) of the coupling device. The motor may be a dedicated motor provided to rotate the coupling device, or it may be a motor that controls the drive wheels of the transport vehicle, etc.

[0048] Here, the object to be conveyed 50 can be, for example, a cage cart, a trolley, a cabinet, a pallet, a conveyor, various other devices, etc., but is not limited thereto. The object to be conveyed 50 has wheels 52 and is towed while being connected to the conveying vehicle 10, so as to move following the conveying vehicle. That is, the object to be conveyed 50 is basically located behind the conveying vehicle 10 (when the traveling direction of the conveying vehicle 10 is taken as the front), but may be located on the traveling direction side of the conveying vehicle 10, for example, when the conveying vehicle 10 reverses. Also, the conveying form may be a traction conveyance in which the conveying vehicle located in the front pulls the object to be conveyed in the rear, or a conveying form in which the conveying vehicle moves while pushing the object to be conveyed located in the front from behind. The wheels 52 are provided in plural (for example, 4, 6, etc.) on the bottom surface such as the cage portion of the cage cart for loading the conveyed object, and may all be composed of free wheels, or may be composed of fixed wheels and free wheels. When the object to be conveyed has fixed wheels and free wheels, the conveying vehicle and the object to be conveyed may be connected so that the conveying vehicle is located on the fixed wheel side, or vice versa. That is, the control unit can also determine the gripping position (direction) of the connecting device with respect to the object to be conveyed based on the information on the wheels of the object to be conveyed (the presence or absence of fixed wheels and their positions). Further, when the heavy object exceeds a predetermined weight (1 kg, 10 kg, 50 kg, 100 kg, etc.), the conveying vehicle may be connected to the side opposite to the fixed wheels. That is, in addition to the wheel information of the object to be conveyed, it is also possible to determine the gripping position (direction) of the connecting device with respect to the object to be conveyed based on the weight information of the object to be conveyed. Such condition information regarding the determination of the gripping position of the connecting device may be stored in the storage unit in advance, or may be stored or updated based on input information from the user. Also, the wheel information and the weight information may be obtained from input information from the user, may be received as information transmitted from the object to be conveyed, or may be estimated from the analysis of the camera image of the conveying vehicle or the communication device and the sensor detection information.

[0049] <Transport Vehicle Configuration> Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an example configuration of the transport vehicle 10. Although the transport vehicle 10 in this example is an unmanned transport vehicle, it can also be applied to various vehicles that can carry people. The arrow 15 in Figure 9 indicates the direction of travel of the transport vehicle. The direction of travel is basically forward of the transport vehicle, but it can also be backward depending on the situation. As shown in Figure 9, the transport vehicle 10 is equipped with a shaft portion 11 for connecting the coupling device 20, an object position detection unit 12 for detecting objects around the transport vehicle, drive wheels 13, and non-drive wheels 14.

[0050] For example, the transport vehicle is equipped with an object position detection unit 12. The object position detection unit 12 is a device that detects the relative distance and angle from the transport vehicle to an object (including the object to be transported, a person, etc.). Examples of the object position detection unit 12 and imaging unit 36 ​​include a laser distance sensor (such as LiDAR (Light detection and ranging)) that measures the distance and direction to an object by irradiating a laser beam and measuring the time it takes for the beam to hit the object and bounce back, a millimeter-wave radar that detects the distance to an object based on a millimeter-wave transmission signal and a received signal that is reflected back from the object, or a camera-type distance sensor that measures the distance to an object by photographing the object with a camera and analyzing the captured image. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the object position detection unit 12 is placed on the upper surface of the transport vehicle in the direction of travel, but it may be placed on the front side in the direction of travel instead. Furthermore, it may be placed not only on the front but also on the rear side or on both the left and right sides in the direction of travel.

[0051] The object position detection unit 12 may be configured to detect objects in a 360-degree radius around the transport vehicle, but it is configured to detect objects at least in the direction of travel 15 of the transport vehicle. The direction of travel 15 may be the front or the rear of the transport vehicle.

[0052] Figure 10 is a bottom view showing an example of the hardware configuration of a transport vehicle according to this embodiment. Drive wheels 13 are provided on the bottom surface of the transport vehicle at positions on both the left and right sides with respect to the direction of travel 15 of the transport vehicle, and non-drive wheels 14 are provided in front of and behind each drive wheel 13. The drive wheels 13 are wheels that are driven by being connected to the rotating shaft of a motor, and the right drive wheel and the left drive wheel are controlled individually. The control unit can control the speed of the transport vehicle by controlling the rotation speed of the drive wheels. The control unit can also individually control the rotation speed and direction of each drive wheel, making it possible to make the transport vehicle curve, rotate it in place to change direction, stop it, or move it backward. The non-drive wheels 14 are wheels that are not driven and rotate passively as the transport vehicle moves due to the drive wheels 13. The non-drive wheels 14 have, for example, forks that fix the wheel and axle, and the forks are composed of swivel casters that are connected to the bottom surface member of the transport vehicle. Therefore, the rotation direction of the non-driven wheels 14 changes passively according to the direction of travel and rotational movement of the transport vehicle. Figure 10 illustrates a transport vehicle hardware configuration with two driven wheels and four non-driven wheels at the four corners, but the present invention is not limited to this hardware configuration. It is also possible to adopt a configuration with a total of four wheels, consisting of two driven wheels and two non-driven wheels, and it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the front wheels are steerable in this four-wheel configuration.

[0053] A guide line detection unit 16 for detecting guide lines (guidelines) is provided on the bottom surface of the transport vehicle. Preferably, the guide line detection unit 16 is provided in front of the drive wheels 13 in the direction of travel of the transport vehicle. This makes it easier to follow the guide line when traveling along a curved section of the guide line, and also allows for quick execution of stopping or other processing by receiving information from the guide line as soon as the transport vehicle and the towing trolley move. The guide line detection unit uses a sensor corresponding to the type of guidance method described above. If an electromagnetic guidance method is used, a pickup coil is used; if a magnetic guidance method is used, a magnetic sensor is used; and if an image recognition method is used, a camera is used as the sensor for the guide line detection unit. The guide lines are not limited to the floor surface, but may also be provided on the side walls or ceiling surfaces of a building, etc., and the transport vehicle's sensors (including cameras) can be installed in positions where the guide lines can be recognized (underside, side, top surface of the transport vehicle, etc.). Furthermore, the guide lines may be a track virtually provided on two-dimensional or three-dimensional map data. The control unit of the transport vehicle may control the vehicle's movement in accordance with virtual guidelines, based on map information and trajectory information (movement path information) stored in the memory unit in advance, and current self-position information estimated based on information from cameras, sensors, etc.

[0054] Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of the operating area 130 according to this embodiment. As shown in Figure 11, a guide line 131 is laid within the operating area 130, and when a transport vehicle traveling in autonomous driving mode detects the guide line 131 at a pre-set travel mode switching position 132, the travel control mode is switched from autonomous driving mode to guided driving mode. Conversely, when a transport vehicle traveling on the guide line in guided driving mode enters a pre-set travel mode switching position 132, the travel control mode is switched from guided driving mode to autonomous driving mode. In order to guide the transport vehicle to a position close to shelves or belt conveyors where goods are stored or to the work positions of workers, the track composed of the guide line 131 is laid at positions close to the shelves and work positions via multiple branching points.

[0055] When a transport vehicle 10 is traveling in autonomous mode in an autonomous driving area where no guidance lines are laid, it changes its driving mode to guided driving mode, which follows the guidance lines, provided that it enters the driving mode switching position 132 and detects the guidance lines 131. On the other hand, when a transport vehicle traveling in guided driving mode on the guidance lines enters the driving mode switching position 132, the driving control mode switches from guided driving mode to autonomous driving mode, and the transport vehicle leaves the guidance lines and starts autonomous driving.

[0056] As shown in Figure 11, the guidance line 131 can be a guidance line of various conventional guidance methods, as described later. Specifically, for example, an electromagnetic induction method can be applied, in which a magnetic field generated by passing a weak alternating current through a metal wire installed as a guidance line is detected by a pickup coil on the transport vehicle side; a magnetic induction method can be applied, in which a magnetic tape laid on the floor as a guidance line is read by a magnetic sensor on the transport vehicle side; or an image recognition method can be applied, in which an image of a code (barcode, two-dimensional code, etc.) laid on the floor as a guidance line is captured by a camera on the transport vehicle side and image processing is performed. When the guidance line is composed of multiple two-dimensional codes, the guidance line is composed of multiple two-dimensional codes, each with code information printed on a two-dimensional plane as shown in the two-dimensional code, printed in a line in the direction in which the guidance line is laid. When the guidance line detection unit 16 detects a two-dimensional code, it obtains the position information of the two-dimensional code based on the code information obtained from the two-dimensional code. When the guidance line is composed of magnetic tape, the guidance line detection unit 16 can be configured to have multiple magnetic sensors for detecting the magnetic tape, positioned laterally in the direction of travel of the transport vehicle. Multiple magnetic sensors provided in the guide line detection unit 16 each output a detection signal indicating whether or not they have detected the magnetic tape. This allows the system to determine the location of the magnetic tape within the guide line detection unit 16, for example, by checking whether the magnetic sensor located in the center of the guide line detection unit 16 detects the magnetic tape, or whether the magnetic sensors located at the left and right ends detect the magnetic tape.

[0057] <Configuration of the Transport System> Next, the configuration of the transport system of this embodiment will be described. Figure 12 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of the transport system according to this embodiment. The transport system 1000 includes a plurality of transport vehicles (10a, 10b), a trolley 2000 which is the transported object, a control unit 3000 which can display the status of the transport vehicles or input commands to the transport vehicles, a central control unit 4000 which manages information necessary for the operation of the transport vehicles, an input / output device 5000 which displays information of the central control unit and inputs information to the central control unit, and a communication network 6000 which connects the plurality of transport vehicles (10a, 10b), the control unit 3000 and the central control unit 4000 so that they can communicate with each other.

[0058] Furthermore, the transport system 1000 can also be connected to an external system 7000 via a communication network 6000. When the transport system 1000 is introduced into a manufacturing plant to transport parts necessary for manufacturing from a storage area to the production line, the transport system 1000 acts as an external system 7000 and performs system-to-system coordination with the manufacturing management system. In this case, by obtaining information on the operational progress of manufacturing work from the manufacturing management system, the transport volume and transport route by the transport vehicles can be dynamically adjusted according to the progress of the manufacturing work.

[0059] As another example, if the transport system 1000 is introduced into a logistics warehouse to transport incoming goods from the entrance to the storage area when goods are brought into the warehouse by truck, etc., and transport outgoing goods from the storage area to the exit when goods are shipped from the warehouse, the transport system 1000 will function as an external system 7000 and perform system-to-system integration with the logistics management system. In this case, by obtaining information on incoming goods and outgoing goods from the logistics management system, the transport volume and transport route of the transport vehicles can be changed.

[0060] In facilities where a transport system is installed, multiple transport vehicles (10a, 10b) are typically in operation. Each transport vehicle is connected to other transport vehicles and components via a communication network 6000 to enable communication. For example, a transport vehicle transmits various detection information and other control information detected by its own detection unit to the control unit 3000, the central control unit 4000, and other transport vehicles 10. Furthermore, transport vehicle 10 is electrically connected to a trolley 2000 or connected to a trolley via short-range communication means, and is configured to receive information from the trolley regarding its connection status and trolley identification information.

[0061] The control unit 3000 has the function of displaying status information for each transport vehicle and the function of inputting commands to a designated transport vehicle. For example, the status information of the transport vehicles displayed on the control unit can include all the information acquired or stored by this system, such as the identification information of each transport vehicle, its position (coordinates, position on the map), speed, direction, travel history, transport history of the transported object (including identification information of the transported object, transport start position, transport end position, transport time, coupling time, uncoupling time, etc.), information on the charge level of the battery mounted on the transport vehicle that powers the transport vehicle, sensor information acquired by the transport vehicle, captured images, identification information of the transported object (transported object) such as the trolley transported by the transport vehicle, information on the coupling device, whether it is in a gripping or uncoupling position, information on the lock of the coupling device (whether it is locked or not), and rotation angle. Commands input to the transport vehicle include, for example, command information regarding the transport vehicle's destination (target location), commands for connecting and disconnecting from the trolley, commands for starting the transport vehicle's journey, commands for stopping the transport vehicle, commands for returning to the charging station, instructions for the objects to be transported by the transport vehicle, connection instructions, disconnection instructions, rotation lock support, lock release instructions, rotation angle instructions, instructions regarding lock conditions (rotation angles at which locking is possible), identification information of the objects to be transported, transport start position, transport end position, transport time, connection time, disconnection time, and other time information.

[0062] Figure 13 shows a configuration diagram of the central control device 4000 in this embodiment. The central control device 4000 includes a status information recording unit 4010 that records status information of multiple transport vehicles operating in the facility area, an operation scenario management unit 4020 that manages operation scenarios of multiple transport vehicles, a map management unit 4030 that generates and updates a map of the work area based on the detection information of transport vehicles, including the detection information of guide lines acquired by the transport vehicle guide line detection unit, an abnormality determination unit 4040 that determines abnormalities in the guide lines and transport vehicles based on the detection information of transport vehicles, and a communication unit 4050 that communicates with an external input / output device 5000 and a communication network 6000.

[0063] The status information of the transport vehicles recorded by the status information recording unit 4010 includes, for example, the location of obstacles detected by multiple transport vehicles in operation, the location of guide lines detected, the history of the transport vehicle's travel position, as well as battery charge level information, identification information of trolleys connected to multiple transport vehicles, the operating mode of multiple transport vehicles (guided driving mode or autonomous driving mode), various detection information detected by the transport vehicle's detection unit 230, and map information of the work area. The operation scenarios managed by the operation scenario management unit 4020 include, for example, information on the destination of each of the multiple transport vehicles, multiple operations to be performed to reach the destination, the order of operations for the multiple operations, and the conditions for switching between operations.

[0064] The map management unit 4030 generates a map containing location information of obstacles and guide lines within the work area based on historical information of obstacle detection locations, guide line detection locations, and the travel position of the transport vehicles detected by the transport vehicles. Furthermore, the map management unit 4030 updates the information of guide lines and work areas registered in the map based on the guide line detection location information accumulated by one or more transport vehicles.

[0065] The abnormality detection unit 4040 determines abnormalities in the guide lines and the transport vehicle based on the location information of the guide lines registered in the map information and the detection information of the transport vehicle, which includes the detected location information of the guide lines detected by the transport vehicle.

[0066] The input / output device 5000 displays information recorded in the status information recording unit 4010 of the central control unit 4000, map information (including map update information), and the results of the abnormality determination unit. It also allows the addition or updating of operation scenarios by inputting operation scenarios managed by the operation scenario management unit 4020. The information input to the input / output device 5000 includes, for example, that the destination of any transport vehicle is work area A in the guidance travel area 110, the operation details for entering the guidance travel area 110 and reaching work area A, and operation switching conditions.

[0067] <Functions of the Transport Vehicle> The functions of the transport vehicle will be explained using Figure 14. Figure 14 is a diagram showing the functional configuration of the transport vehicle according to this embodiment. The transport vehicle 10 includes a coupling device 20, a communication unit 210 that communicates with a trolley 2000 and a communication network 6000 outside the transport vehicle, a recording unit 220 (including a storage unit), a detection unit 230 equipped with various sensors which will be described later, a coupling device for connecting to a trolley, a wheel drive unit 280 that drives the wheels, an input unit 240, a display unit 250, and a control unit 260 that controls the operation of the wheel drive unit 280 and the like.

[0068] The recording unit 220 has the function of recording information received from the outside by the communication unit 210, detection information detected by the detection unit 230, and information generated and output by the control unit. The recording unit 220 can store information such as the destination location, travel route, and travel history of the transport vehicle. The recording unit 220 can store speed information corresponding to the distance to the destination location, calculation formula (program) information for calculating said speed information, etc.

[0069] The detection unit 230 includes an object position detection unit 12, a guidance line detection unit 16, a travel distance detection unit 233, a collision detection unit 234, an attitude detection unit 235, and a charge level detection unit 236. As mentioned above, the object position detection unit 12 is composed of a laser distance sensor (such as LiDAR (Light detection and ranging)) that measures the distance and direction to an object by irradiating a laser beam and measuring the time it takes for the beam to hit the object and bounce back, a millimeter-wave radar that detects the distance to an object based on a millimeter-wave transmission signal and a received signal that is reflected back from the object, or a camera-type distance sensor that measures the distance to an object by photographing the object with a camera and analyzing the captured image. The control unit can estimate the current position and current speed of the transport vehicle based on the information from the detection unit. The detection unit 230 includes a position sensor including GNSS for detecting the current position of the transport vehicle, and a speed sensor for detecting the speed of the transport vehicle.

[0070] As described above, the guidance line detection unit 16 uses a sensor corresponding to the type of guidance method. When using the electromagnetic induction method, a pickup coil is used as the sensor for the guidance line detection unit; when using the magnetic induction method, a magnetic sensor is used; and when using the image recognition method, a camera is used. The guidance line detection unit detects the guidance line and outputs a detection signal when it is positioned directly above the guidance line. In addition, in the case of the image recognition method, which reads the guidance line using a two-dimensional code or barcode with a camera, in addition to the guidance line detection signal, position information is generated based on the information of the detected code, and relative angle information between the guidance line and the transport vehicle can be generated by further processing the image information of the code.

[0071] The mileage detection unit 233 can detect the rotational speed of the non-driven wheels 14 or the driven wheels 13, and measure the mileage and speed of the transport vehicle based on the detected rotational speed information and the diameter (or circumference) information of the non-driven wheels or the driven wheels (in this case, the mileage detection unit 233 can function as a speed sensor). Alternatively, it is also possible to apply a method that uses a millimeter-wave sensor to detect the speed of the transport vehicle by irradiating millimeter waves in any horizontal direction (even a wall or floor) and detecting the reflected wave, and then estimate the mileage by integrating the speed. Furthermore, any method other than those described above for measuring mileage or obtaining speed can be applied.

[0072] The collision detection unit 234 has the function of detecting when the transport vehicle collides with an object or a person. Specifically, it can detect acceleration using a gyro sensor or the like, and determine that a collision has occurred when a sudden change in acceleration is detected. As an alternative, it is also possible to apply a means in which a physical switch is installed along with the bumper in the forward direction of travel of the transport vehicle, and a collision is determined to have occurred when the physical switch is pressed. In addition, collision detection methods other than those described above can be applied. When the collision detection unit 234 detects a collision, it stops the transport vehicle, records at least one of the collision occurrence information and the collision occurrence location information in the recording unit, and notifies the integrated control unit 4000 and the control unit 3000 of this information. The attitude detection unit 235 detects the orientation (attitude) of the vehicle based on a magnetic compass, information on the rotation speed of the left and right drive wheels, or steering information of the wheels.

[0073] The charge level detection unit 236 detects the charge level of the battery, which is the power source for the transport vehicle. If the charge level detected by the charge level detection unit 236 falls below a predetermined value, it determines that charging is necessary, records the detection information of the decrease in charge level in the recording unit, and notifies the integrated control unit 4000 and the control unit 3000 of this information. Furthermore, if it is detected that the charge level is below a predetermined value, in addition to the above process, the vehicle may be automatically moved to a charging spot to perform charging. The predetermined value used by the charge level detection unit 236 to determine that charging is necessary may be a value set in advance based on at least one of the distance to the destination set for the transport vehicle and the weight of the transported object attached to the transport vehicle.

[0074] The input unit 240 consists of a physical switch or touch panel mounted on the transport vehicle, allowing the user to directly input operation commands and the like to the transport vehicle. The display unit 250 consists of, for example, an LCD panel mounted on the transport vehicle, and can display status information of the transport vehicle (various detection information from the detection unit 230, type of driving mode, currently running operation scenario, etc.).

[0075] The control unit 260 includes an operation determination unit 261, a mode switching unit 262, a coupling control unit 263, a display control unit 264, a position estimation unit 265, and a driving control unit 266. The operation determination unit 261 determines the operation of the transport vehicle based on the operation scenario of the transport vehicle obtained from the operation scenario management unit 4020.

[0076] The mode switching unit 262 switches the transport vehicle's driving mode between guided driving mode and autonomous driving mode based on predetermined conditions such as the operation scenario, or commands entered in the input unit 240. The coupling control unit 263 controls the operation of the coupling device based on predetermined conditions such as the operation scenario, or commands entered in the input unit 240, to control coupling / uncoupling with transported items such as trolleys. The display control unit 264 controls the input IF of the input unit 240 and the display unit 250.

[0077] The position estimation unit 265 can estimate the position of the vehicle at a predetermined time, including its current position, within the entire driving area, based on the distance traveled detected by the distance traveled detection unit 233, the vehicle's orientation detected by the attitude detection unit 235, and the map information of the entire area recorded in the recording unit 220. Alternatively, it is also possible to estimate the vehicle's position within the entire driving area based on the distance and direction information from the vehicle to an object measured by the object position detection unit 12, and the map information of the entire area recorded in the recording unit 220. Or, if the vehicle is traveling on a guidance line composed of two-dimensional codes, it is also possible to estimate the vehicle's position within the entire driving area based on the identification information of the two-dimensional codes and the map information mentioned above. The position estimation unit 265 can also acquire position information using GNSS or the like installed on the transport vehicle.

[0078] The position estimation unit 265 can estimate the location of an object based on the estimated vehicle position information and the distance information from the vehicle to the object detected by the object position detection unit 12. It also estimates the installation position of the guide line based on the vehicle position information when the guide line detection unit 16 detects the guide line.

[0079] The travel control unit 266 controls the movement of the transport vehicle based on at least one of the determination information from the operation determination unit 261 and the mode switching unit 262. The travel control unit 266 can control the forward, reverse, stop, turn, and movement speed and turning speed of the transport vehicle. Specifically, it controls the right wheel drive unit 281 and the left wheel drive unit 282 of the wheel drive unit 280 individually. The right wheel drive unit 281 and the left wheel drive unit 282 are composed of motors, for example, and by individually controlling the rotation speed and rotation direction of each drive wheel, it becomes possible to make the transport vehicle curve at an arbitrary trajectory radius or rotate the transport vehicle to change its direction.

[0080] The system may include an angle estimation process that estimates the angle of the transport vehicle relative to the direction of extension of the guideline based on information from sensors installed on the transport vehicle, a relative position estimation process that estimates the relative position of the guideline and the transport vehicle in a direction perpendicular to the direction of extension of the guideline based on information from sensors installed on the transport vehicle, and control the orientation of the transport vehicle based on the angle and relative position of the transport vehicle. For example, in the case of an image recognition method that reads a guideline using a two-dimensional code or barcode with a camera, in addition to the detection signal of the guidance line, position information may be generated based on the information of the detected code, and then relative angle information between the guidance line and the transport vehicle may be generated by processing the image information of the code.

[0081] While preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described in detail above with reference to the attached drawings, the technical scope of the present disclosure is not limited to such examples. It is clear to any person with ordinary skill in the art of the present disclosure that various modifications or alterations may be conceived within the scope of the technical idea set forth in the claims, and these will naturally also fall within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0082] The devices described herein may be implemented as single devices, or they may be implemented as a group of devices (e.g., cloud servers) that are partially or entirely connected via a network. For example, the control unit 260 and recording unit 220 of the transport vehicle may be implemented as different servers connected to each other via a network. Furthermore, although the transport system described herein describes an example in which the control unit 3000, the overall control unit 4000, and the input / output device 5000 are each composed of separate hardware connected via a network, some or all of the functions of the control unit 3000, the overall control unit 4000, and the input / output device 5000 may be implemented in the transport vehicle 10.

[0083] The series of processes performed by the apparatus described herein may be implemented using software, hardware, or a combination of software and hardware. Computer programs for implementing each function of the control unit 260 according to this embodiment can be created and implemented on a PC or the like. Furthermore, a computer-readable recording medium containing such a computer program can also be provided. Examples of recording media include magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, and flash memory. Alternatively, the computer program may be distributed without using a recording medium, for example, via a network.

[0084] Furthermore, the processes described using flowcharts in this specification do not necessarily have to be executed in the order shown. Some processing steps may be executed in parallel. Additional processing steps may be adopted, and some processing steps may be omitted.

[0085] Furthermore, the effects described herein are merely descriptive or illustrative and not limiting. In other words, the technology relating to this disclosure may produce other effects that will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description herein, in addition to or in lieu of the effects described herein.

[0086] Another embodiment is shown in Figure 15. In this embodiment, the upper support portion 26 that supports the lower frame 51 from above in the gripping position is not horizontal but inclined at an angle, and also serves as a side support portion 27 that supports the lower frame 51 from the front side (transport vehicle 10 side). In other words, the displacement portion 25 is provided with inclined surfaces that function as both the upper support portion 26 and the side support portion 27. Furthermore, the lower support portion 23 is not horizontal but is inclined at an angle upward toward the projection portion 24. Because the lower support portion 23 is inclined at an angle upward toward the projection portion 24, the projection portion 24 can be reliably engaged even if the lower frame 51 is not horizontal but at an angle as shown by the dashed line (for example, if it is distorted).

[0087] As shown in Figure 16, the coupling device 20 is configured to swing up and down with a hinge portion 37 extending horizontally (left-right direction of the coupling device) as the pivot point. The hinge portion 37 is located between the transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 and the coupling portion 22 (and in this example, the auxiliary fixed wheel 34 and support arm 35), and the angle of the coupling portion 22, etc. relative to the transport vehicle-side coupling portion 21 can be changed. This allows the coupling portion 22 to swing with the hinge portion 37 as the pivot point when, for example, the ground on which the transport vehicle travels and the ground on which the wheels of the transported object make contact are not parallel (one is a slope and the other is a horizontal surface), enabling stable ground contact of both the wheels of the transport vehicle and the transported object.

[0088] The hinge portion 37 may be provided with a locking mechanism to suppress swinging. For example, when transporting an object exceeding a predetermined weight (1 kg, 10 kg, 50 kg, 100 kg, etc.), the locking mechanism may be used to suppress the swinging of the connecting portion 22. In other words, the control unit may determine whether or not to lock the hinge portion 37 based on the weight of the object being transported. This allows for the stable transport of heavy objects.

[0089] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 17, by pivoting (folding) the connecting part 22 etc. around the hinge part 37 and positioning the connecting part 22 etc. above the transport vehicle side connecting part 21, the transport vehicle and coupling device can be stored compactly. Also, for safety reasons, the hinge part 37 may be locked in the folded state shown in Figure 17. This prevents accidents such as the coupling device 20 unintentionally opening and coming into contact with an operator.

[0090] In this embodiment, a rotation state detection unit is provided to detect the rotation angle of the coupling device relative to the transport vehicle. The rotation state detection unit may be composed of, for example, an encoder that converts rotational displacement into an electrical signal for detection, or it may be composed of other sensors (such as an angle sensor). By providing the rotation state detection unit, the position and orientation of the transport object relative to the transport vehicle can be detected.

[0091] Furthermore, based on the information from the rotation state detection unit, the direction of backward movement during reverse movement can be estimated. Specifically, when reversing, the vehicle moves in the direction of the fixed wheels of the coupling device or the fixed wheels of the object being transported, so the direction of movement during reverse movement can be estimated from the angle information of the rotation state detection unit. Based on this information about the direction of movement, the control unit of the transport vehicle controls the drive unit in real time to correct the direction of movement, allowing it to safely reverse towards the target position. In addition, by estimating the position of the object being transported, it is possible to travel while preventing collisions with obstacles during forward or reverse movement. In other words, by estimating the movement path of the transport vehicle and the position and orientation of the object being transported relative to the transporter, the movement path of the object being transported can be estimated, so the presence or absence of obstacles on the planned movement path of the object being transported can be estimated, and if there are obstacles, the vehicle can stop moving or avoid them.

[0092] The following configurations also fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. (Item 1) A coupling device for connecting a transport vehicle and an object to be transported, comprising: a coupling portion that is releasably connected to the lower frame of the object to be transported; and an ejector for releasing the coupling portion from the lower frame, wherein the coupling portion has a lower support portion that supports the horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below, and a projection portion that protrudes upward from the tip of the lower support portion and engages with the side surface of the horizontal plate portion; the ejector has a pair of left and right push-up portions positioned close to the projection portion, and the push-up portions release the engagement between the projection portion and the lower frame by rising relative to the projection portion and lifting the lower frame from below. (Item 2) The coupling device according to Item 1, wherein the pair of left and right push-up portions are each located outside the projection portion in the width direction when viewed from the center of the coupling portion in the width direction. (Item 3) The coupling device according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the coupling portion comprises a displacement portion that displaces with the shaft portion as a pivot point between a release position and a gripping position, and the coupling portion grips the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the depth direction between the side support portion of the displacement portion and the projection portion in the gripping position. (Item 4) The coupling device according to Item 3, wherein when the displacement portion displaces from the release position to the gripping position, it displaces toward the projection portion in the depth direction and toward the lower support portion in the vertical direction. (Item 5) The coupling device according to Item 3, wherein in the gripping position, the coupling portion sandwiches the lower frame in the vertical direction between the upper support portion of the displacement portion and the lower support portion. (Item 6) The coupling device according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the coupling portion is located on the tip side of the projection portion and has an inclined guide surface that inclins diagonally downward toward the tip side of the lower support portion. (Item 7) The coupling device according to Item 1 or 2, wherein the lower support portion is configured to be elastically displaceable downward by contact with the object to be transported when the object to be transported is coupled, and a biasing member is provided to return the lower support portion that has been displaced downward to its original position.(Item 8) The coupling device according to item 1 or 2, wherein the lower support portion has a left support portion and a right support portion that are spaced apart from each other, and the projection portion has a left projection portion corresponding to the left support portion and a right projection portion corresponding to the right support portion. (Item 9) The coupling device according to item 8, wherein the left support portion and the right support portion are each provided with sensors for detecting the lower frame. (Item 10) The coupling device according to item 1 or 2, wherein in the depth direction, the tip of the coupling portion protrudes forward more than the tip of the ejector. (Item 11) The coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the depth direction, the tip of the ejector is located near the projection portion.

[0093] 10: Transport vehicle, 20: Coupling device, 22: Coupling section, 23: Lower support section, 24: Protrusion section, 25: Displacement section, 50: Object to be transported, 51: Lower frame of the object to be transported, 130 Operating area, 131 Guidance line, 132 Driving mode switching position, 210 Communication section, 220 Recording section, 230 Detection section, 240 Input section, 250 Display section, 260 Control section, 280 Wheel drive section, 2000 Trolley, 2010 Coupling receiver section, 3000 Control unit, 4000 Integrated control unit, 5000 Input / output device, 6000 Communication network, 7000 External system

Claims

1. A coupling device for connecting a transport vehicle and an object to be transported, comprising: a coupling portion that is releasably connected to the lower frame of the object to be transported; and an ejector for releasing the coupling portion from the lower frame, wherein the coupling portion has a lower support portion that supports the horizontal plate portion of the lower frame from below, and a projection portion that protrudes upward from the tip of the lower support portion and engages with the side surface of the horizontal plate portion; the ejector has a pair of left and right push-up portions positioned close to the projection portion, and the push-up portions move to rise relative to the projection portion and lift the lower frame from below, thereby releasing the engagement between the projection portion and the lower frame.

2. The coupling device according to claim 1, wherein the pair of left and right push-up portions are each located outside the width direction of the projection portion when viewed from the width direction center of the coupling portion.

3. The coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coupling portion comprises a displacement portion that is displaced with the shaft portion as a pivot point between a release position and a gripping position, and the coupling portion grips the lower frame by sandwiching the lower frame in the depth direction between the side support portion of the displacement portion and the projection portion in the gripping position.

4. The coupling device according to claim 3, wherein when the displacement portion is displaced from the release position to the gripping position, it is displaced in the depth direction toward the projection portion and in the vertical direction toward the lower support portion.

5. The connecting device according to claim 3, wherein the connecting portion, in the gripping position, sandwiches the lower frame vertically between the upper support portion and the lower support portion of the displacement portion.

6. The connecting portion is located closer to the tip than the projection and has an inclined guide surface that slopes diagonally downward toward the tip of the lower support portion, according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower support portion is configured to be elastically displaceable downward by contact with the object to be transported when the object to be transported is coupled, and a biasing member is provided to return the lower support portion that has been displaced downward to its original position.

8. The coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the lower support portion has a left support portion and a right support portion that are spaced apart from each other, and the projection portion has a left projection portion corresponding to the left support portion and a right projection portion corresponding to the right support portion.

9. The coupling device according to claim 8, wherein the left support portion and the right support portion are each provided with sensors for detecting the lower frame.

10. The coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, in the depth direction, the tip of the coupling portion protrudes forward more than the tip of the ejector.

11. The coupling device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the depth direction, the tip of the ejector is located near the projection.

Images