JP5287582B2 - Vehicle positioning device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle positioning device that regulates a vehicle width direction position of a vehicle.

  In recent years, the development of electric vehicles that run using a battery as a driving source has been promoted, and some of the electric vehicles are of the battery exchange type. This battery replacement method is a method in which, for example, the battery is charged in advance at night when power consumption is low, and is replaced with a charged battery when the battery mounted on the electric vehicle is exhausted.

  Here, when the battery is replaced, a technique is known in which the position detection unit detects the position of the battery body storage unit, and based on the detection result, the alignment unit aligns the battery unit and the battery body storage unit. (For example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent No. 3530870

  However, in this conventional battery exchange method, since the relative position of the battery unit is adjusted with respect to the stopped vehicle, there is a problem that this alignment takes time.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a vehicle positioning apparatus that can perform positioning quickly.

Oite the positioning apparatus for a vehicle according to the present invention, a vehicle with a wheel of the vehicle provided movable means to movable grounded vehicle in the vehicle width direction, by applying a load in contact with the wheel There is provided a restricting means for restricting the position in the vehicle width direction, and the restricting means is a cylindrical vertical roller rotatably supported around an axis extending in the up-down direction, The most important feature is that the position of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction is adjusted.

  According to the vehicle positioning apparatus of the present invention, the position of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction is adjusted while the vehicle is traveling, so that it is faster than the conventional alignment method using the position detection means and the alignment means. Positioning can be performed.

1 is a side view showing an entire vehicle positioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view of FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vehicle positioning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state in which the vehicle is mounted on the positioning device of FIG. FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG. 5. It is a perspective view of the partial cross section which shows the state which has controlled the position of the vehicle width direction of the rear wheel with the vertical roller. It is a front view which shows the state which is performing position regulation of the vehicle width direction of a rear wheel with a vertical roller. It is a top view of FIG. It is a front view which shows the vertical roller by the side of a front wheel. It is a front view which shows the state which has controlled the position of the front wheel by the vertical roller in the vehicle width direction. It is a side view which shows the state through which a vehicle theory passes the wheel positioning mechanism for front wheels and rear wheels. It is a perspective view which shows the positioning apparatus provided with the raising / lowering apparatus which moves a battery assembly up and down.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the upper side of the vehicle is indicated by UP, the vehicle traveling direction (front of the vehicle) is indicated by FR, and the vehicle width direction is indicated by WD.

  First, the general outline of the present invention will be described. A vehicle according to the present invention is an electric vehicle (including a fuel cell vehicle, a hybrid vehicle, and the like) on which an electric motor for driving wheels and a battery assembly that integrally includes a plurality of batteries that supply electric power to the electric motor are mounted. It is. The vehicle positioning device is used when, for example, the battery assembly mounted on the vehicle, for example, under the floor, is attached or detached from below. That is, by disposing the vehicle at a predetermined position using the vehicle positioning device, the battery assembly can be removed and attached to the vehicle more smoothly and reliably. In addition, this invention is not limited to the attachment or detachment use of a battery assembly.

  The vehicle positioning device according to the present invention guides a vehicle traveling at a relatively low speed mainly in the vehicle width direction to reach a predetermined position. For the purpose of positioning, the vehicle is positioned toward the predetermined position. There is no drive mechanism for active movement. Therefore, the vehicle positioning device according to the present invention can be configured as a device that is relatively small and lightweight and that consumes relatively little energy.

  FIG. 1 is a side view showing an entire vehicle positioning system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a vehicle positioning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an introduction section 5 into which a vehicle 3 is introduced, and the vehicle 3 is positioned on the front side of the introduction section 5. Positioning section 7 and a derivation section 9 arranged on the front side of positioning section 7. The introduction section 5 is formed as an uphill 11, the positioning section 7 is formed as a flat road 12, and the derivation section 9 is formed as a downhill 15. If the introduction section 5 is an uphill 11, the speed of the vehicle 3 is reduced. There is an advantage that it is easy. Note that both the introduction section 5 and the derivation section 9 may be set on a flat road. In addition, a pair of left and right track members 17 and 17 extend along the vehicle traveling direction (front of the vehicle) from the introduction section 5 to the lead-out section 9. A guide rail 19 (see FIG. 3) extends along the vehicle traveling direction at the edge, and the wheel is prevented from being detached from the track member 17. The positioning section 7 is provided with a vehicle positioning device 25 having a wheel positioning mechanism 21 for a rear wheel and a wheel positioning mechanism 23 for a front wheel.

  In this vehicle positioning system 1, the driver advances the vehicle 3 at a relatively low speed while putting the wheels (tires) on the track member 17, so that the rear wheel 27 is moved in the vehicle width direction by the wheel positioning mechanism 21 for the rear wheel. The front wheel 29 is positioned by the front wheel positioning mechanism 23 in the vehicle width direction.

  In the positioning section 7, a pair of track members 17 having an upper surface 17a having a width wider than the width of the wheel (specifically, the tread width of the tire) and extending linearly in parallel with each other are disposed. ing. The distance between the pair of track members 17 and the guide rail 19 can be variably set according to the tread of the vehicle 3. Then, from the lower space between the pair of track members 17, the battery assembly mounted under the vehicle floor can be removed and attached.

  FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a vehicle positioning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state where the vehicle is placed on the positioning device of FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of FIG.

  As described above, the vehicle positioning apparatus according to the present embodiment includes the pair of left and right track members 17, 17, the wheel positioning mechanism 21 for the rear wheel provided on each of the track members 17, and the wheel positioning for the front wheel. A mechanism 23, a wheel intrusion portion 31 provided in the vicinity of the wheel positioning mechanism for the rear wheel, and bridging the left and right track members 17, 17 in the vehicle width direction, and a guide rail provided at an edge of the track member 17 19 and a front wheel rotation preventing mechanism 33 as a steering wheel rotation preventing means provided in the vicinity of the wheel positioning mechanism for the front wheel and preventing rotation of the front wheel 29.

  The wheel positioning mechanism 21 for the rear wheel includes a front and rear roller 35 serving as a movement enabling unit, and a rear wheel vertical roller 37 serving as a rear wheel regulating unit disposed outside the front end of the front and rear roller 35 in the vehicle width direction. With.

  The front and rear rollers 35 are cylindrical members extending along the vehicle traveling direction FR, and are supported rotatably about an axis extending in the vehicle traveling direction FR. The wheels (tires) of the vehicle 3 are placed on the front and rear rollers 35 and the front and rear rollers 35 are rotated so that the vehicle 3 can move in the vehicle width direction.

  The rear wheel vertical roller 37 is a substantially truncated cone-shaped member extending upward, and is supported so as to be rotatable about a shaft extending upward. The rear wheel vertical roller 37 is disposed at a portion of the front end portion of the front and rear rollers 35 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. When a wheel (tire) comes into contact with the side surface of the vertical roller 37, a load is applied from the vertical roller 37 toward the tire, and the position in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle 3 is regulated.

  Further, the vehicle positioning device 25 is provided with a wheel indentation portion 31 for indenting a wheel (rear wheel 27 in the present embodiment), and the driver advances the vehicle 3 to cause the wheel to fall into the wheel indentation portion 31. 4 to 6, the vehicle 3 is positioned in the front-rear direction by causing the rear wheel 27 of the vehicle 3 to stop the vehicle 3 at that position in the wheel intrusion portion 31. .

  For example, the wheel intrusion portion 31 is provided on the upper surface 17a of the track member 17 by providing a pair of parallel beams 39, 39 along the vehicle width direction WD perpendicular to the extending direction of the track member 17 (vehicle traveling direction FR). It can be configured and functions as a so-called wheel stopper that suppresses the wheel from moving forward and backward from the indented position. Of course, when the predetermined work is completed, the driver can perform the operation of moving the vehicle 3 forward or backward so that the wheel can escape forward or backward from the wheel indented portion 31.

  Specifically, the beam 39 can be configured as an angle member having an L-shaped cross section disposed on the upper surface 17a of the track member 17 in such a posture that the corner portion is upward. In the present embodiment, the beam 39 is installed between the two track members 17, 17. However, it is not essential to install the beam 39, and it is sufficient that the beam 39 is formed at least on the track member. Further, the wheel intrusion portion 31 can also be formed as a recess in which the upper surface 17a of the track member 17 is recessed.

  The guide rail 19 is provided so that wheels are not removed from the upper surface 17a of the track member 17 when the vehicle 3 is traveling.

  The wheel positioning mechanism 23 for the front wheels includes a front and rear roller 41 serving as a movement enabling unit, and a front wheel vertical roller 43 serving as a front wheel regulating unit disposed outside the front end of the front and rear roller 41 in the vehicle width direction. .

  The front and rear rollers 41 are cylindrical members extending in the vehicle traveling direction, like the rear wheels, and are supported so as to be rotatable about an axis extending in the vehicle traveling direction.

  The front wheel vertical roller 43 includes a front wheel rear vertical roller 47 and a front wheel front vertical roller 45, each of which is formed in a substantially truncated cone shape. The front wheel rear vertical roller 47 and the front wheel front vertical roller 45 are both supported so as to be rotatable about an upwardly extending shaft, and extend in the front-rear direction at a portion of the front end portion of the front-rear roller 41 on the outer side in the vehicle width direction. They are arranged side by side.

  Further, a front wheel rotation prevention mechanism 33 as a steering wheel rotation prevention means is disposed outside the front and rear rollers 41 in the vehicle width direction. The front wheel rotation prevention mechanism 33 includes a thin cylindrical guide bar 49 extending in the vehicle traveling direction FR, and a mechanism main body 51 having a driving source such as air that moves the guide bar 49 in the vehicle width direction. ing. The mechanism main body 51 is operated to move the guide bar 49 inward in the vehicle width direction and press against the front wheel 29 (front tire), thereby preventing the front wheel from rotating.

  Next, a procedure for positioning the vehicle in the vehicle width direction using the vehicle positioning device according to the present embodiment will be briefly described.

  In the vehicle positioning device 25 configured as described above, as shown in FIG. 1, when the vehicle 3 passes through the introduction section 5 and enters the positioning section 7, first, the front wheels 29 pass through the wheel positioning mechanism 21 for the rear wheels. At this time, the front wheel 29 is positioned to some extent in the vehicle width direction by the wheel positioning mechanism for the rear wheel.

  And in this embodiment, since arrangement | positioning of the two wheel positioning mechanisms 21 and 23 before and behind is set suitably, as shown in FIG.7,8,9, the rear wheel 27 by the wheel positioning mechanism 21 for rear wheels is shown. Positioning is performed, and the front wheel 29 is positioned by the wheel positioning mechanism 23 for the front wheel as shown in FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the side surface 37a on the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the upper part of the rear wheel vertical roller 37 is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction toward the upper side, and the lower side surface 37b extends in the vertical direction. ing. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, when the front outer corner portion of the rear wheel 27 (the corner portion of the lower end portion on the outer side in the vehicle width direction in the cross-sectional hatching portion of FIG. 7) hits the side surface 37 a of the rear wheel vertical roller 37, A load that presses the rear wheel 27 inward in the vehicle width direction from the side surface 37a toward the rear wheel 27 is applied. Here, when the rear wheel 27 is placed on the front and rear rollers at the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 8 and 9, the rear wheel 27 can move in the vehicle width direction as the front and rear rollers 35 rotate. ing. Accordingly, when the vehicle 3 moves forward as it is, the rear wheel 27 moves inward in the vehicle width direction as indicated by the solid line from the two-dot chain line in FIGS. 7 to 9, thereby restricting the vehicle width direction position of the vehicle 3.

  In addition, when the front wheel 29 is placed on the front and rear rollers 41 at the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 11, the front wheels 29 are movable in the vehicle width direction as the front and rear rollers 41 rotate. When the vehicle 3 moves forward as it is, the front wheel 29 abuts against the front wheel rear vertical roller 47 and the front wheel front vertical roller 45 and moves inward in the vehicle width direction as shown in FIG. The position is restricted. As shown in FIG. 10, the side surfaces 45a, 47a on the inner side in the vehicle width direction at the top of the rear vertical roller 47 for the front wheel and the front vertical roller 45 for the front wheel are inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as they go upward. The lower side surfaces 45b and 47b extend in the vertical direction.

  As described above, after the vehicle 3 is positioned in the vehicle width direction, the vehicle 3 is positioned in the front-rear direction when the rear wheel 27 is inserted into the wheel intrusion portion 31 and the vehicle 3 is stopped. Are positioned both in the vehicle width direction and in the front-rear direction. Specifically, the front wheel 29 is still positioned by the wheel positioning mechanism 23 for the front wheel while the rear wheel 27 is pulled forward from the wheel positioning mechanism for the rear wheel and rides on the beam on the near side of the wheel intrusion 31. Is not completed, and after the positioning of the front wheel 29 is completed or almost at the same time, the rear wheel 27 is inserted into the wheel indented portion 31 and the vehicle 3 is stopped.

  In the vehicle 3, in general, in the case of two-wheel steering, the front wheel 29 is a steering wheel and the rear wheel 27 is a non-steered wheel, and in the case of four-wheel steering, from the steering angle range of the rear wheel 27. The steering angle range of the front wheels 29 is set large. Therefore, there is a high probability that the front wheel 29 will be in a disconnected state (a state rotated from an angle in a straight traveling state) as compared to the rear wheel 27, and positioning with respect to the front wheel 29 may reduce positioning accuracy. is there. Therefore, in this embodiment, first, the rear wheel 27 (non-steered wheel or a wheel having a small steering angle) is positioned, and thereafter (simultaneously or after) the front wheel 29 (steering wheel or a wheel having a large steering angle) is positioned. Thus, a decrease in positioning accuracy of the vehicle 3 in the vehicle width direction is suppressed.

  Further, after the positioning of the vehicle 3 is completed, all the wheels are separated from the positioning mechanisms 21 and 23 in the vehicle width direction, and the state in which the wheels are positioned in the vehicle width direction by the friction between the wheels and the upper surface 17a of the track member 17 is maintained. To be maintained.

  FIG. 12 is a side view showing a state where the vehicle theory passes through the wheel positioning mechanisms for the front wheels and the rear wheels, and FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a positioning device provided with a lifter that moves the battery up and down.

  As shown in FIG. 12, both the front wheel 29 and the rear wheel 27 are in contact with the rear ends of the front and rear rollers 35 and 41 at a point A indicated by a two-dot chain line. At point B indicated by the alternate long and short dash line, both the front wheel 29 and the rear wheel 27 are in contact with the front end portions of the front and rear rollers 35 and 41, and are in contact with the vertical rollers 37, 45 and 47 to regulate the position in the vehicle width direction. Yes. At a point C indicated by a solid line, the rear wheel 27 is inserted into the wheel intrusion 31 to restrict the front / rear position, and the front wheel 29 is grounded to the upper surface 17a of the track member 17 and the front / rear position is restricted (fixed) by frictional force. )

  As shown in FIG. 13, in the modified example of the present invention, the battery assembly can be attached under the floor of the vehicle 3 by the lifting device 55.

  The floor surface 53 is provided with a pair of left and right track members 17 and 17 having the structure described above, and a work space S is recessed downward between the pair of track members 17 and 17. A lifting device 55 is disposed on the bottom surface of the work space S, and a lifting device 57 is attached to the side wall surface. The elevating device 55 includes a lower elevating unit 59 and a top plate unit 61 provided on the elevating unit 59. A battery assembly 63 is placed on the top plate 61, and the battery assembly 63 can be raised or lowered by moving the elevating part 59 up and down. A locking plate 67 is provided on the upper end of the lift device 57 via a rod 65. That is, the lift device 57 is operated to lift the rod 65 upward and press the locking plate 67 against a highly rigid member member provided on the floor of the vehicle 3 so that the position of the vehicle 3 does not move back and forth. The battery assembly 63 can be replaced or the like.

  Below, the effect by this embodiment is demonstrated.

(1) As the movement enabling means, cylindrical front and rear rollers 35 and 41 rotatably supported around an axis extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle are used. In addition, since the tread surfaces of the rear wheel 27 and the front wheel 29 are grounded, alignment in the vehicle width direction can be performed quickly and easily.

(2) Since the cylindrical front roller 43 for the front wheel and the vertical roller 37 for the rear wheel that are rotatably supported around the shaft extending in the vertical direction are used as the restricting means, the structure is simple. Alignment can be performed while the vehicle is running.

(3) Since the side surfaces 37a, 45a, 47a on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the front wheel vertical rollers 45, 47 and the rear wheel vertical roller 37 are inclined outward in the vehicle width direction toward the upper side, the wheels are the vertical rollers. Even when riding on the side surfaces of 37, 45, 47, the position in the vehicle width direction is easily corrected.

(4) The positional relationship in the vehicle traveling direction between the front and rear rollers 35 and 41, the rear wheel vertical rollers 37 and the front wheel vertical rollers 45 and 47 is such that the wheels 27 and 29 are placed on the front and rear rollers 35 and 41, respectively. In this state, the wheels 27 and 29 are in contact with the rear wheel vertical roller 37 and the front wheel vertical rollers 45 and 47. In this way, when a load is applied to the wheel from the vertical rollers 37, 45, 47, the wheel easily moves in the vehicle width direction, so that the vehicle can be positioned more quickly.

(5) Since the vehicle position is fixed by grounding the wheels 27 and 29 after the vehicle passes through the front and rear rollers 35 and 41, the position in the vehicle width direction is determined by the restricting means and the movement enabling means. The vehicle front-rear position can be fixed in a fixed state.

(6) A front wheel rotation prevention mechanism 33 which is a steering wheel rotation prevention means for pressing the front wheel 29 on the steering wheel side of the vehicle inward in the vehicle width direction to the vehicle traveling side with respect to the front and rear rollers 35 and 41 and preventing rotation. Is arranged. For this reason, it is possible to reliably prevent the steering wheel from rotating with the vehicle width direction position and the vehicle front-rear position determined.

25 Positioning devices 35, 41 Front and rear rollers (movable means)
37 Vertical rollers for rear wheels (regulation means)
45 Front vertical roller for front wheels (regulator)
47 Rear vertical roller for front wheels (regulator)
33 Front wheel rotation prevention mechanism (steering wheel restricting means)

Claims (6)

A vehicle positioning device that adjusts the position of the vehicle in the vehicle width direction while advancing the vehicle,
A movement enabling means for allowing the vehicle wheel to be grounded so that the vehicle can move in the vehicle width direction; Prepared ,
The vehicle positioning device according to claim 1, wherein the restricting means is a cylindrical vertical roller rotatably supported about an axis extending in the vertical direction .   The movement enabling means is a cylindrical front / rear roller rotatably supported around an axis extending in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and is configured to ground the wheel on the side surface of the front / rear roller. The vehicle positioning device according to claim 1. The vehicle positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein a side surface on the inner side in the vehicle width direction of the vertical roller has a portion that is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction as it goes upward. The positional relationship in the vehicle advancing direction between the movement enabling means and the regulating means is a position where the wheel contacts the regulating means when the wheel is placed on the movement enabling means. The vehicle positioning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . 5. The vehicle positioning device according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle position is fixed by grounding a wheel after the vehicle has passed through the movement enabling means. The steering wheel rotation blocking means for blocking the rotation by pressing the wheel on the steering wheel side of the vehicle inward in the vehicle width direction is disposed closer to the vehicle traveling side than the movement enabling means . positioning apparatus for a vehicle according to any one of 5.

Images