JP3192841B2 - Signal transfer device for unmanned transport system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic guided vehicle luggage transfer system, in which a signal is transmitted and received between the unmanned guided vehicle and a fixed station on which the load is loaded by means of guided radio. Related to the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, it is known that signals are transferred between an automatic guided vehicle and a fixed station such as a ground conveyor in order to carry in / out a load. The transmitted / received signal is a loading enable signal indicating that the automatic guided vehicle may pick up a load, a loading signal in the process of picking up the load, and the like. Conventionally, a photoelectric tube has been mainly used for transmitting and receiving the signal. It is also known to use a reflection-type photoelectric tube as a means for checking whether or not there is luggage at an entry / exit table or the like on the automatic guided vehicle side in order to eliminate the need for wiring such as a power supply line to the entry / exit table or the like. ing.

[0003]

However, since the above-described signal transmission / reception configuration using a photoelectric tube requires a power source, it is difficult to install and install an unmanned transport system.
It was necessary to make arrangements in advance for securing the power supply, preparing the equipment, and the like, and it was not possible to easily increase the number of ground conveyors on site. In addition, when a reflection-type photoelectric tube is used, information on the package may not be accurately detected depending on conditions such as the shape and color of the package.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. In order to exchange signals between an automatic guided vehicle and a fixed station such as a ground conveyor, a power supply line is connected to the fixed station. It is an object of the present invention to provide a signal transfer device for an unmanned transport system, which is unnecessary, requires only simple and low-cost construction work, and can easily cope with an increase in a conveyor at a construction site.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a stationary station on which a load is carried out and carried in by a load transfer roller, and a traveling control of the load by a remote control to receive the load by a load transfer roller. In the signal transfer device for an automatic guided vehicle system for wirelessly transmitting and receiving signals to and from an unmanned carrier to be carried in and out, the fixed side station includes an induction coil and a load to the fixed side station.
The state changes depending on the presence or absence of luggage accompanying unloading and loading.
And an induced voltage generated in the induction coil.
Act as a source of luggage depending on the state of the sensor means
Data on the cargo information after the unloading and loading operations of
A transmission / reception device including a memory to be rewritten ,
The automatic guided vehicle has an induction radio between the induction coil.
A transmitting and receiving coil antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by
Control circuit to send and receive signals to and from coil antennas
Road, and the automatic guided vehicle is mounted on the stationary side station.
When you come to the position facing the
Performs signal transmission / reception operations to the above induction coil.
Operation, an electromagnetic induction voltage is generated in the induction coil.
The transmitting and receiving device on the fixed station side
The memory operates using the conductive pressure as a power supply, and
When there is a luggage, the stored data in the memory is rewritten as a luggage
And the coil antenna on the automatic guided vehicle side from the induction coil
A load presence signal to the automatic guided vehicle
The control circuit is based on signal transmission and reception via the coil antenna.
When receiving the load presence signal, the automatic guided vehicle
If you receive luggage from the fixed station,
Transfer rollers on the fixed station side with respect to the
Signal for operating the
The load transfer roller is driven in response to the above signal .

[0006]

According to the above construction, the automatic guided vehicle is mounted on the stationary side stay.
When it comes to the position facing the
From the station to the induction coil on the station side.
By doing so, an electromagnetic induction voltage is generated in the induction coil, and this
The memory operates using the induced voltage as a power source, and
When there is luggage, the stored data is rewritten as
From the conductive coil to the coil antenna on the automatic guided vehicle side.
Sends a presence signal. The control circuit is connected via a coil antenna.
When receiving a signal indicating that there is a load,
The load transfer roller on the station side
Signal for the load transfer roller
And the AGV loads the cargo from the station.
You can receive things. During the signal transfer operation,
Unloading and loading of luggage according to the state of the sensor on the station
The data stored in the memory related to the load information after the loading operation is completed
Rewritten. In this way, the transmitting and receiving device is unmanned
Induction coil at fixed station from antenna of carrier
The induced voltage generated in the induction coil by the transmission operation to the
Power station, so the fixed station
Wiring becomes unnecessary.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 schematically shows a state in which a guide line and a transmission line are buried on a floor in a factory. A cutting groove is provided on the floor in the factory, and a guide line 1 for steering the automatic guided vehicle 3 and a transmission line 2 for transmitting a traveling control signal to the automatic guided vehicle 3 are provided together in this groove. Buried in The transmission line 2 is provided in parallel with the guide line 1 so as to reciprocate as if it were two lines. The guide line 1 and the transmission line 2 are connected to a ground control panel 4 that transmits a signal for controlling the traveling of the automatic guided vehicle 3.
The operator remotely controls the automatic guided vehicle 3 by the ground control panel 4.
The traveling of the vehicle is controlled, and the operation of receiving, carrying in and out of the luggage is performed. In addition, in the vicinity of each point of the guide line 1 and the transmission line 2,
A ground conveyor (station on the fixed side) 5 on which the load is loaded and placed is provided. When the automatic guided vehicle 3 receives a load placed on the ground conveyor 5, first, the ground control panel 4 controls the automatic guided vehicle 3 to come to the front of the ground conveyor 5 and stop. Signals are exchanged between the conveyor 5 and the automatic guided vehicle 3 to receive the package.

FIG. 2 schematically shows a state where the automatic guided vehicle 3 comes to a position facing the ground conveyor 5. The automatic guided vehicle 3 has a transmitting / receiving coil antenna 6 for communicating with the ground conveyor 5 and a control circuit 7 therefor. Loads 8 are carried on the ground conveyor 5. Ground conveyor 5
Are provided with an induction coil 9 for communicating with the transmission / reception coil antenna 6 of the automatic guided vehicle 3 and a transmission / reception device 10 capable of inputting and storing information on the package 8 such as the presence or absence of the package 8. ing. An unmanned guided vehicle 3 travels along the guide line 1 and a ground conveyor 5 on which loads 8 are loaded.
When the automatic guided vehicle 3 comes to a position opposite to the above, the automatic guided vehicle 3 stops, and signals are transmitted and received between the transmitting / receiving coil antenna 6 and the induction coil 9 by induction radio.

FIG. 3 shows an internal configuration of the transmission / reception apparatus 10 and a configuration for transmitting and receiving the signal. The transmission / reception device 10 includes a memory 11 in which information on the package 8 is stored, and a switch capable of externally rewriting the information stored in the memory 11 in units of bits according to the presence or absence of the package 8 or arbitrarily. 12. The contact state of the switch 12 is switched according to the status of the load after the loading / unloading operation of the load is completed, whereby the data stored in the memory 11 is rewritten. With the signal transmission / reception operation between the transmitting / receiving coil antenna 6 and the induction coil 9, an induction voltage is generated in the induction coil 9, and the memory 11 operates using the induction voltage as a power source and is stored in the memory 11. The transmitted information is transmitted to the transmission / reception coil antenna 6 of the automatic guided vehicle 3 via the induction coil 9.

FIG. 4 shows an operation in which the automatic guided vehicle 3 receives the package 8 from the ground conveyor 5. As an example in which the switch 12 is provided outside the transmission / reception device 10, a limit switch 13 is provided on a non-movable portion of the ground conveyor 5. The limit switch 13 is a switch that is turned on when a load 8 is loaded thereon. When the limit switch 13 is turned on, the automatic guided vehicle 3 comes to a position facing the ground conveyor 5 and is guided by a signal transfer operation. When the memory 11 operates by the induced voltage generated in the coil 9, the state of the limit switch 13 is detected, and the data stored in the memory 11 is “loaded”.
Is rewritten as As a result, a load presence signal is transmitted from the induction coil 9, and the transmission / reception coil antenna 6 of the automatic guided vehicle 3 receives the signal. When the automatic guided vehicle 3 is permitted to receive the package 8, a signal for operating the load transfer roller 14 of the ground conveyor 5 is transmitted from the transmitting / receiving coil antenna 6 of the automatic guided vehicle 3 to the induction coil 9 of the ground conveyor 5. At the same time, the load transfer roller 15 of the automatic guided vehicle 3 is driven. Further, the memory 11 receives this signal and outputs a control signal (FIG. 3), so that the load transfer roller 14 of the ground conveyor 5 can be used.
Drive. As a result, the load 8 loaded on the ground conveyor 5 is transferred in the direction of arrow A, that is, toward the automatic guided vehicle 3. When the loading transfer is completed, a loading completion signal is transmitted from the transmitting / receiving coil antenna 6 to the induction coil 9, and the loading operation ends.

As described above, the automatic guided vehicle 3 is guided by the induction radio.
A signal can be sent and received between the ground conveyor 5 and a loading operation can be performed, so that the power supply wiring for signal transmission / reception to the ground conveyor 5 unlike the case where a conventional photoelectric tube is used is eliminated. . Therefore, the wiring work of the power supply is not required, so that it is possible to easily add the ground conveyor 5 and change the layout of the ground conveyor 5 in the factory.

[0012]

As described above, according to the present invention, the fixed side switch is provided.
The transceiver of the station is fixed from the automatic guided vehicle antenna.
Guidance by transmission operation to induction coil of fixed station
Since the induction voltage generated in the coil operates as a power supply,
There is no need for power wiring for signal transfer to the fixed station. Therefore, it is possible to easily cope with an increase in the number of fixed stations and a change in layout at the construction site of the system. Each time a signal is exchanged, the stay
Loading and unloading of luggage according to the state of sensor means
The data stored in the memory related to the
As a result, correct load information can be transmitted to the automatic guided vehicle in real time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an unmanned transport system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a signal transfer device for an unmanned transport system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a coil antenna of an automatic guided vehicle, an induction coil of a fixed station, and a transmission / reception device in the above device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an automatic guided vehicle and a load carrying-in / out portion of a fixed station in the system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 automatic guided vehicle 5 ground conveyor (station on fixed side) 6 coil antenna for transmission / reception 8 luggage 9 induction coil 10 transmission / reception device 11 memory 12 switch

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G05D 1/00-1/12

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] And 1. A stationary station luggage by load transfer roller is carried out, carrying, radio a signal to and from the AGV for unloading-loading by load transfer roller receive a travel controlled該荷thereof by remote control In the signal transfer device for an automatic transfer system that performs transfer, the fixed side station includes an induction coil and the fixed side.
Depending on the presence or absence of luggage accompanying loading / unloading to / from the station
Sensor means that changes the state
The sensor means operates by using the generated induced voltage as a power supply.
According to the status of the cargo
A transceiver device is provided that includes a memory that is rewritten is stored data related to the above AGV, induction between the induction coil radio
A transmitting and receiving coil antenna for transmitting and receiving signals by
Control circuit to send and receive signals to and from coil antennas
Road, where the automatic guided vehicle faces the fixed station.
When it comes to the installation, the induction coil from the coil antenna
Signal transmission / reception operation with respect to
An electromagnetic induction voltage is generated in the induction coil, and the transmitting / receiving device on the fixed station side transmits
The memory operates using the pressure as a power source and loads
When there is, the stored data in the memory is rewritten
The coil antenna on the automatic guided vehicle side from the induction coil
And the control circuit on the automatic guided vehicle side transmits the coil antenna to the coil antenna.
When the above-mentioned loading signal is received by signal transfer via
The automatic guided vehicle receives the package from the fixed station.
When taking it, the fixed side
Signal to operate the load transfer roller on the
And, said transmitting and receiving apparatus of the load transfer roller receives the signal
A signal transfer device for an unmanned transport system, which is driven .