AGV Side Coupling Layout for Stable Carriage Movement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transport facilities face challenges in coupling automated guided vehicles to carriages when there is no space directly below, forward, or rearward of the supporter, leading to difficulties in stable movement due to structural or mechanical obstructions.
Innovation Solution
A transport facility design where the automated guided vehicle is coupled to the carriage at a position outward of the supporter in the width direction, with restricted rotation about the up-down axis, allowing for movement even without direct placement below or beside the supporter, and featuring a configuration that prevents misalignment of travel directions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the automated guided vehicle is disposed directly below the supporter to couple with the carriage, then stable movement is achieved on average, but coupling becomes difficult when structures or mechanisms are present below, forward, or rearward of the supporter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions the coupling position from the vertical dimension (directly below the supporter) to the horizontal dimension (outward in the width direction). This dimensional shift allows the automated guided vehicle to couple with the carriage at locations that avoid vertical obstructions while maintaining stable movement through the restricted rotation mechanism about the up-down axis
2Area of stationary object
If the automated guided vehicle is coupled to one side of the carriage in the width direction, then space utilization is improved and interference with support structures is reduced, but misalignment of travel directions may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the rotational parameter by restricting rotation about the up-down axis between the coupler and the carriage body. This parameter control ensures that even when coupled to one side only, the automated guided vehicle maintains proper travel direction alignment with the carriage, preventing misalignment while enabling flexible positioning outward of the supporter
Data Source
AI summary
An automated guided vehicle has a coupler configured to be coupled to a body of a carriage in such a manner that the coupler is restricted from rotating about an up-down axis relative to the body, and the automated guided vehicle drives a drive wheel with a drive source to move the carriage, while the coupler is coupled to the body at a position outward of a supporter in a width direction, the supporter being configured to support an object to be transported.