JP5337614B2 - Package delivery method by autonomous mobile device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a package delivery method by an autonomous mobile device.

  Conventionally, by using an autonomous mobile device that moves autonomously while recognizing its own position without human intervention, such as production sites and sample laboratories, in order to promote automation, labor saving, dust-free, etc. Parts, specimens and the like are transported to a predetermined place and placed on a work table, or received from a work table and transported to another work table. In order to automatically and reliably deliver the load between the autonomous mobile device and the work table, it is necessary to align and fix the autonomous mobile device and the work table at the time of delivery. Therefore, the autonomous mobile device is provided with a transport table that can rotate and translate in a horizontal plane, and aligns the transport table by the reaction force from the work table when it comes into contact with the carry-in port or the carry-out port on the work table. A package delivery method is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-206344 A

  However, in the package delivery method by the autonomous mobile device as shown in Patent Document 1 described above, the work platform is not moved by the reaction force from the transfer table so that the work platform is not moved by the autonomous mobile device. It is necessary to be fixed with respect to the floor surface which is the traveling surface. However, if the work table is fixed to the floor with an anchor or the like, there is a problem that the work table cannot be easily changed when the work table needs to be frequently changed in accordance with the change in work contents.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described problem, and provides a method for delivering a package by an autonomous mobile device that can reliably deliver a package even if the work table is not always fixed to a floor surface or the like with a simple configuration. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is directed to a package delivery method by an autonomous mobile device that delivers or receives a package between an autonomous mobile device that transports the package and a work table. While recognizing its own position, it moves to a predetermined baggage delivery position near the workbench, recognizes the position of the workbench, and applies force to the workbench in a state of approaching the baggage delivery position near the workbench. The work table is fixed so as not to move by applying the load, and then the package is delivered to or received from the work table.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the method for delivering a load by the autonomous mobile device according to the first aspect, the autonomous mobile device has a mechanism for fixing the work table, and the fixing is performed using the mechanism. Is.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the method for delivering a load by the autonomous mobile device according to the first or second aspect, the autonomous mobile device performs the fixing by riding on a part of the work table.

  According to the invention of claim 1, since the autonomous mobile device exerts its own force on the work table to fix the work table, the delivery of the baggage is ensured even if the work table is not always fixed to the floor surface by an anchor or the like. Can be realized. Therefore, it is possible to easily change the work table layout.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the autonomous mobile device is provided with a fixing mechanism, it is not necessary to specially work on the work table, and it is possible to deliver and deliver a package to a commercially available desk or the like.

  According to invention of Claim 3, it is not necessary to provide a special mechanism in an autonomous mobile apparatus, an apparatus becomes simple and cost does not start. In addition, since it is only necessary to provide a riding portion on the work table, the work table can be easily repositioned as compared to the case where the work table is fixed to the floor surface or the like with an anchor or the like.

(A)-(d) is a side view explaining the delivery method of the luggage | load by the autonomous mobile apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention in time series. The flowchart which shows the procedure of the delivery method. (A) (b) is a top view which shows the example of arrangement | positioning of the worktable which applies the delivery method. (A)-(d) is a side view explaining the delivery method of the package by the autonomous mobile device concerning a 2nd embodiment in time series.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, a package delivery method by an autonomous mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1, 2 and 3 show a first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the autonomous mobile device 1 moves to a predetermined delivery position near the work table while recognizing its own position, and recognizes the position of the work table 2. The work table 2 is fixed so as not to move by exerting a force on the work table 2 in a state of approaching a predetermined position, and thereafter, the package 3 is delivered to or received from the work table 2. The autonomous mobile device 1 detects a table fixing mechanism 4 for fixing the work table 2, a pair of left and right drive wheels 11 and front and rear auxiliary wheels 11a, obstacles, etc. And a sensor 12 for detecting the surrounding environment, a transfer device 13 provided on the upper part of the main body, a control unit (not shown), and other various devices. The control unit controls the driving wheel 11 so as to move to the destination, and controls the table fixing mechanism 4 and the transfer device 13 in order to deliver and deliver the luggage. The various devices are, for example, devices having a general configuration necessary for autonomous movement and mission execution, such as a drive source such as a battery, a drive device, an information input / output device, and a communication device. The work table 2 is a table provided with a horizontal load placement surface 21 having a predetermined height and strength, and an existing desk or the like can be used as the work table 2.

  The autonomous mobile device 1 is instructed about the destination where the work table 2 is located and the contents of delivery / receipt (delivery or receipt) there, and uses the information from the sensor 12 to avoid collision with an obstacle. However, self-position estimation (dead reckoning) obtained from the rotational speed of the drive wheel 11 and correction of self-position estimation error performed using information from the sensor 12 and map information stored in the control unit are performed. While moving to the position of the work table 2.

  The table fixing mechanism 4 is composed of first and second arms 41 and 42, first and second joints 41a and 41b, and a driving mechanism (not shown). It is a joint arm mechanism. One end of the first arm 41 is pivotally supported on the autonomous mobile device 1 by a first joint 41a corresponding to a shoulder joint, and one end of the second arm 42 is pivotally supported by a second joint 41b on the other end. Has been. The table fixing mechanism 4 is driven by a drive mechanism, and can take two states: a retracted state in which the arms 41 and 42 are folded as shown in FIG. 1A and an operating state as shown in FIG. . The table fixing mechanism 4 presses the load placing surface 21 of the work table 2 from above to below by the power transmitted from the drive mechanism to the second arm 42 in the operation state where the arms 41 and 42 are deployed forward. Thereby, the work table 2 is fixed to the floor surface, and the relative position between the work table 2 and the autonomous mobile device 1 is fixed. The base fixing mechanism 4 may be provided on both the left and right sides of the autonomous mobile device 1, or may be provided only on one side.

  The transfer device 13 has a mechanism that moves forward from the main body of the autonomous mobile device 1 and a mechanism that moves the load 3 back and forth between the upper surface of the transfer device 13 and the load placement surface 21 of the work table 2. It is equipped with. As the latter mechanism, for example, an engagement portion that engages with the load 3 and a drive unit that moves the engagement portion back and forth, and a mechanism that pushes and pulls the load 3 by these can be used.

  Next, the procedure for delivering the luggage 3 to the work table 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. The autonomous mobile device 1 carries the load 3 and moves toward the work table 2 (S1), and when it reaches the vicinity of the work table 2 as shown in FIG. 1A (S2), FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the work table fixing mechanism 4 is operated to apply a force to the work table 2 to fix the work table (S3). Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1C, the transfer device 13 is moved forward and docked with the work table 2 (S4). In this state, the upper surface of the transfer device 13 and the load placement surface 21 of the work table 2 are in contact with the same plane. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1D, the autonomous mobile device 1 drives the transfer device 13 to horizontally move the load 3 to the work table 2 side and deliver the load (S5). Thereafter, the autonomous mobile device 1 pulls back the transfer device 13 to release docking, stores the table fixing mechanism 4 to release the work table 2 and releases it from the work table (S6). When the package 3 is received from the work table 2, the same procedure as that for the delivery may be performed. That is, docking may be performed in the same manner as in the delivery, and the docking may be released after the luggage 3 is drawn from the work table 2 to the transfer device 13.

  Here, the arrangement of the work table 2 to which the above-described package delivery method is applied will be described. FIG. 3A shows a cell for cell production in which two workers perform production work such as component assembly in a work area surrounded by a plurality of work tables 2. The luggage 3 is a container placed on the work table 2 for storing parts and processed products assembled with the parts. The autonomous mobile device 1 approaches each work table 2 from the outside of the cell and transfers the transported baggage 3 to the work table 2 or receives the baggage 3 from the work table 2 for other work tables. Transport. A cell configured by arranging such work tables 2 is accompanied by a change in the product type of the cell production target every time a new production type comes out, and a change in the personnel assignment of the worker, etc. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, the arrangement of the work table 2 is changed. Such an arrangement change is frequently performed according to the type in daily production, corresponding to the production of other types. According to the package delivery method of this embodiment, even if the work table 2 is light and easy to move with a slight external force, there is no need to fix the work table 2 to the floor surface by an anchor or the like. The table is light and easy to change the layout, and it is not necessary to fix anchors or release anchors.

  According to the present embodiment, the autonomous mobile device 1 is provided with the table fixing mechanism 4 for fixing the work table itself, and the mechanism 2 exerts a force on the work table 2 by itself to fix the work table 2. Even if it is not always fixed to the floor or the like by an anchor or the like, the delivery of the luggage 3 can be reliably realized. Accordingly, the arrangement of the work table 2 can be easily changed. Moreover, it is not necessary to carry out special work on the work table 2, and the luggage 3 can be delivered to a commercially available desk or the like.

(Second Embodiment)
FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. Unlike the above-described first embodiment, this embodiment exerts a force on the work table 2 by riding on a part of the work table 2 without providing the autonomous mobile device 1 with a mechanism for fixing the work table. The work table 2 is fixed so as not to move. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4A, the plate-like bottom plate 5 extending from the work table 2 along the floor surface is fixed to the work table 2 by the fixing unit 50. As shown in FIG. 4B, the autonomous mobile device 1 can fix the relative position with the work table 2 by riding on the bottom plate 5. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), the transfer device 13 is moved forward and docked with the work table 2, and the transfer device 13 is driven as shown in FIG. 3 can be moved horizontally to the work table 2 side to deliver packages. When the package 3 is received from the work table 2, the same procedure as that for the delivery may be performed. That is, docking may be performed in the same manner as in the delivery, and the docking may be released after the luggage 3 is drawn from the work table 2 to the transfer device 13. By doing in this way, it can prevent that the work table 2 moves during delivery work.

  According to this embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a special mechanism in the autonomous mobile device 1, the device is simplified, and the cost is not increased. Further, since it is only necessary to provide a riding portion on the work table 2, it is not necessary to fix the work table to a floor surface or the like with an anchor or the like, and the arrangement of the work table 2 can be easily changed.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described configuration, and various modifications can be made. For example, the configurations of the above-described embodiments can be combined with each other. Further, the table fixing mechanism 4 in the first embodiment is not limited to the one that presses the load placing surface 21, and includes a pressing receiving member at an arbitrary position of the work table 2, and the pressing member is pressed from above. May be. Moreover, it is good also as a structure which does not hold down a receiving member but pulls downward with the base fixing mechanism 4. FIG. Further, as a mechanism for fixing the work table 2, unlike the table fixing mechanism 4 of the two-joint arm mechanism, a part of the work table 2 may be pressed by a pressing member that moves up and down like a fork of a forklift. It is desirable to store the presser member in the device while the autonomous mobile device 1 is moving. Further, as a mechanism for fixing the work table 2, the work table 2 may be sandwiched and fixed from the left and right. In this case, it is desirable that the left and right mechanisms are provided with pressure sensors and the like so that the work table 2 does not move left and right while the work table 2 is fixed.

1 Autonomous mobile device 2 Work table 3 Luggage 4 Mechanism

Claims (3)

In a delivery method for delivering or receiving packages between an autonomous mobile device that transports packages and a workbench,
The autonomous mobile device is
Recognizing the position of the work table and fixing the work table so as not to move by exerting a force on the work table in a state of approaching a predetermined position,
Thereafter, the package is delivered to or received from the workbench.
A package delivery method using an autonomous mobile device.   The method of claim 1, wherein the autonomous mobile device includes a mechanism for fixing the work table, and the fixing is performed using the mechanism.   The method for delivering a load by the autonomous mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the fixing is performed by the autonomous mobile device riding on a part of the work table.

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