JPH0375382B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a transport device using a transport train driven by a mounted battery and a battery exchange device.

(Conventional technology and its problems) In a conventional battery-powered transportation train, a self-propelled truck equipped with driving wheels and a motor to drive the wheels is equipped with a battery for powering the motors. . Therefore, when charging the battery while it is mounted on the train, the train cannot be used for transportation during charging. As a method to solve such problems, it is known to replace the discharging battery mounted on the train with a charged battery, but a structure for transferring a heavy battery to and from the battery support part of the train is known. This method not only requires a complicated battery transfer means, but also poses problems such as the need to accurately stop the train at the battery transfer work position.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention proposes a train-based transport device equipped with a battery exchange device capable of solving the conventional problems as described above. consists of a towing truck having drive wheels for traveling and a motor for driving the wheels, and a towed truck connected to the towing truck via a detachable coupler, and the towing truck and the towed truck are connected to the towing truck via a detachable coupler. Both carts are provided with electric wire couplers that are connected and disconnected when the cart is disconnected from the cart, and power is supplied from a battery mounted on the towed cart to the drive motor of the towed cart via the wire couplers, A plurality of work rails that can be selectively connected are provided at the end of a branch route branched from the running route of the transport train, and the towed bogie on the work rail is connected to the tow bogie on the branch route. The present invention is characterized in that it includes a means for transporting the towed cart for moving it in a distance direction and a means for charging a battery mounted on the towed cart on the working rail.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below based on the attached illustrative drawings.
1 is a guide rail provided with guide grooves 1a and 1b facing each other vertically, and is installed at an overhead position by a hanging member 2. 3 is a transport train,
It is composed of a self-propelled towing truck 4 and a towed truck 5. The self-propelled towing trolley 4 has a hanger 8 for supporting a transported object W connected to the lower side of a trolley body 4a suspended from the guide rail 1 by a driving trolley 6 and a driven trolley 7. A control device 9 is built into the truck body 4a.

The drive trolley 6 includes the guide rail 1
A drive wheel 10 that fits into the lower guide groove 1b, vertical shaft rollers 11a and 11b for steady rest that fit into the guide groove 1b before and after this drive wheel 10, and the guide rail 1 directly above the drive wheel 10. Vertical shaft roller 11 for steady rest that fits into the upper guide groove 1a
c, and a back up roller 12a that fits into the guide groove 11c before and after this roller 11c,
12b is pivotally supported, and furthermore, a motor 13 with a brake, which is interlocked with the drive wheel 10, is directly connected.

The driven trolley 7 includes the guide rail 1
A reversing wheel 14 that fits in the lower guide groove 1b, vertical shaft rollers 15a and 15b for steady rest that fit in the guide groove 1b before and after the idle wheel 14, and A vertical shaft roller 15c for steady rest that fits into the upper guide groove 1a of the guide rail 1 is pivotally supported. The lower end portions of both the trolleys 6 and 7 are respectively connected to the center position in the width direction of the trolley body 4a at a position directly below the guide rail 1. In particular, the lower end portion of the drive trolley 6 is connected around the vertical pin 16. The driven trolley 6 is further rotatably connected around a horizontal pin 18 to the horizontal swinging member 17, which is connected so as to be relatively rotatable, and the lower end of the driven trolley 6 is integrally connected to the horizontal swinging member 17.

The towed trolley 5 has a battery 21 stored in the lower side of a trolley body 5a which is suspended from the guide rail 1 at both front and rear ends by floating trolleys 19, 20. The coupling structure with the trolley main body 5a is the same as the structure of the driven trolley 7 and the coupling structure with the trolley main body 4a in the self-propelled towing trolley 4, so a description thereof will be omitted.

22 is the rear end of the self-propelled towing truck 4 (the truck body 4a
This is a coupler attached to the rear end of the towed truck 5 (the front end of the truck body 5a), and is operated by an actuator 24 such as a solenoid to engage and disconnect the coupler 23 attached to the front end of the towed truck 5 (the front end of the truck body 5a). .
25 is the rear end of the self-propelled towing truck 4 (the truck body 4
A female electric wire coupler is attached to the front end of the towed vehicle 5 when the towed vehicle 5 is connected to the self-propelled towing vehicle 4 by the two connectors 22 and 23. It automatically fits and connects with the male electric wire coupler 26 attached to the front end of the truck main body 5a in the traveling direction of the truck.

A battery 21 mounted on the towed cart 5
The electric power is supplied to the motor 13 via the couplers 25 and 26 and the control device 9 of the self-propelled towing truck
is configured to be supplied to

As shown in FIG. 3, the travel route 27 of the transport train 3 branches into a branch route 28 where the transport train 3 enters in a branching state while the battery-equipped towed cart 5 is located at the front end in the running direction. They are connected via a merging route switching means 29.
Reference numerals 30a and 30b are two parallel lateral motion rails (work rails) that are selectively connected to the terminal end of the guide rail 1 in the branch path 28, and are supported by the lateral motion guide rail 31 and connected to the cylinder unit. It is installed on a lateral movement table 33 that can be moved laterally by means of 32.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each lateral movement rail 30a, 30b includes a towed cart feeding means
4 and a power supply coupler 35 for battery charging are provided together. The towed cart sending means 34 is
A pair of push/pull pushers 36a, 36b to which the side arms 20a of the floating trolley 20 in the towed truck 5 fit, a cylinder unit 37 for pushing/pulling driving the pair of push/pull pushers 36a, 36b, and the pusher. Pull pusher 3
When 6a and 36b are in the extended position, the pull pusher 36b, which is pivotally connected to the push pusher 36a by a support shaft 38, is brought into contact with the pusher 36b.
The cam 40 is configured to switch to a non-engaging position via a cam driven roller 39 which is pivotally supported by the cam 40. Moreover, the power supply coupler 3 for battery charging
5 is a pusher 36 for pulling the towed cart 5;
When the vehicle moves backward to the backward limit position in step b, it is automatically fitted and connected to the charging coupler 41 (see FIG. 1) provided at the rear end of the towed truck 5. Reference numeral 42 denotes a stopper for regulating the backward limit position of the towed cart 5.

The transport electric train 3 configured as described above operates the motor 1 of the self-propelled towing truck 4 using electric power supplied from the battery 21 mounted on the towed truck 5.
3 to rotate the drive wheels 10, the self-propelled tow truck 4 suspended from the guide rail 1 is made to travel forward or backward along the guide rail 1, and is supported by the hanger 8. The object W to be transported can be transported. Of course, at this time, the towed truck 5 is towed by the self-propelled towing truck 4 and travels together. Travel control of the transport train 3, such as starting, changing gears, and stopping at a predetermined position, is based on control signals given to the control device 9 of the self-propelled tow truck 4 from the ground side using light beams, magnetic force, radio waves, etc. automatically.

When the voltage of the battery 21 drops below a certain level due to discharge, the transport train 3 is caused to enter the branch route 28 from the running route 27 via the branch/merging route switching means 29 in a backward running state, and the battery 21 is discharged. The towed cart 5 carrying the truck 21 is transferred to the lateral movement rail 30a connected to the guide rail 1 of the branch route 28. And the side arm 2 of the floating trolley 20 of the towed truck 5
When 0a reaches a predetermined position corresponding to the push/pull pushers 36a and 36b at the limit position as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 5, the conveyance train 3 is stopped.

Next, actuator 24 is actuated to connect coupler 2.
2 from the coupler 23, the cylinder unit 37 of the towed cart feeding means 34 is operated to move the push/pull pushers 36a, 36b backward, and the pushers 36a and 36b are switched to the non-engaged position at the extension limit position. The pull pusher 36b returns to the engagement position by the cam 40, engages with the side arm 20a of the idle trolley 20 of the towed truck 5, and reaches the backward limit position where the towed truck 5 comes into contact with the stopper 42. Pull up to. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the towed cart 5 is pulled away from the self-propelled towing cart 4 remaining on the branch path 28, and along with this, both electric wire couplers 25 and 26 are also separated. In addition, since the built-in brake of the motor 13 is activated and the driving wheels 10 cannot rotate, the self-propelled towing truck 4 is dragged by the towed truck 5 and the lateral movement rail 30
It does not move to side a.

When the towed truck 5 is moved backward to the backward limit position where it contacts the stopper 42 by the pull pusher 36b of the towed truck sending means 34 as described above, the charging coupler 41 of the towed truck 5 is moved as shown in FIG. As such, it is automatically fitted and connected to the charging power supply coupler 35 attached to the lateral movement rail 30a. Therefore, a charging voltage can be applied to the battery 21 mounted on the towed truck 5 through the power supply coupler 35 and the charging coupler 41 to start charging.

On the other hand, the towed truck 5, which is on the other lateral movement rail 30b and whose installed battery 21 has already been charged, is transferred to the self-propelled towed truck 4 waiting on the branch route 28 in the following manner. Can be connected. That is, by moving the lateral movement table 33 laterally by the cylinder unit 32, the lateral movement rail 30b is moved horizontally.
After connecting to the guide rail 1 of the branch route 28 instead of the lateral movement rail 30a, the lateral movement rail 30a
The push/pull pushers 36a and 36b of the towed cart feeding means 34 attached to the cylinder unit 3
7 to move it forward to the limit position. As a result, the towed cart 5 on the lateral movement rail 30b on which the charged battery 21 is mounted is pushed toward the branch route 28 side by the pushing pusher 36a, and the charging power supply coupler 35 moves to the charging coupler 41. At the same time, the wire coupler 26 detaches from the wire coupler 25 on the self-propelled tow truck 4 side.
Connect with mating.

At this time, the coupler 22 on the self-propelled towing truck 4 side may be pushed upward by the coupler 23 on the towed truck 5 side so that the two automatically engage, or the couplers 25 and 26 may It may be configured such that the actuator 24, which has become capable of supplying power through connection, is operated to actively engage the coupler 22, which is waiting at the upward movement and disengagement position, with the coupler 23. In other words, the coupler 22 may be capable of being selectively switched between the upward movement disengagement position and the downward movement connection position by the actuator 24, or may be moved only to the upward movement disengagement position by the actuator 24,
The actuator 24 may be automatically connectable and configured to be switched to the lower movement connecting position by the biasing force of a spring when the power to the actuator 24 is cut off.

When the self-propelled towed truck 4 on the branch route 28 and the towed truck 5 on the lateral movement rail 30b are connected by the couplers 22 and 23 and a new transportation train 3 is assembled, the towed truck 5 Electricity is supplied to the motor 13 from a charged battery 21 mounted on the transport train 3 to move the transport train 3 forward, and it can be returned to the travel route 27 from the branch route 28 via the branch merging route switching means 29. Of course, at this time, the pull pusher 36b is switched to the non-engaging position by the cam 40, so the towed cart 5 can be started from the lateral movement rail 30b without any problem.

Two lateral movement rails 30 in one branch route 28
Although the configuration is such that the rails a and 30b are selectively connected, the number of lateral movement rails may be two or more. Further, a plurality of branch routes 28 can be arranged in parallel from the traveling route 27 of the transportation train 3. Furthermore, although the towed cart feeding means 34 is attached to each lateral movement rail, depending on the structure of the means 34, the means 34 may be installed at a fixed position on the side of the lateral movement rail at a position connecting to the branch path 28. It is also possible to do so. In addition, although the charging coupler 35 is attached to each lateral movement rail, depending on the structure of the coupler 35 and the charging coupler 41 on the towed cart 5 side, the coupler 35 may be fixed to the side of the lateral movement path of the lateral movement rail. It is also possible to set

In addition, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 1, charging collectors 43a and 43b are provided on the battery-mounted towed truck 5, and charging power supply lines that slide into contact with the collectors 43a and 43b are installed on the lateral movement rails 30a and 30b. By doing so, charging voltage can be applied to the battery 21 through the current collectors 43a and 43b. Further, in the above embodiment, the hanger 8 for supporting the transported object W is connected to the self-propelled towing cart 4, but the structure is such that the towed trolley supporting the transported object W is towed by the self-propelled towing cart 4. You may do so. In this case, the object support cart is configured to be connected between the self-propelled towing cart 4 and the towed cart 5 equipped with a battery. Further, in the above embodiment, a suspended monorail type train 3 is used, but the support and guide type of the train is not limited to this. Of course, the support type of the transported object is not limited to the hanging type.

Further, in the embodiment, the lateral movement rails 30a and 30b are used as working rails, but rails installed radially around the turntable, ie, rotating rails, etc. may also be used.

(Operations and Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the electric vehicle transport device equipped with the battery exchange device of the present invention, it is only necessary to prepare a plurality of towed carts equipped with batteries for one self-propelled towing cart. When the voltage of the installed battery drops below a certain level due to discharge, a work rail (in the embodiment, the lateral movement rail 30a, 30b), and in this state, the connection between both carts is released, and the towed cart is separated from the self-propelled towing cart by the towed cart sending means attached to the work rail, and the mounted battery is charged. After connecting another work rail that supports the towed truck whose battery has been fully charged to the branch route, the towed vehicle transporting means transfers the towed vehicle whose battery has been charged to the towed vehicle waiting on the branch route side. The self-propelled towing truck can be moved to the side of the mobile towing truck, and the two trucks can be connected by a coupler, so that the self-propelled towing truck can continue to be used for conveyance work.

That is, according to the configuration of the present invention, the battery can be replaced extremely easily and quickly, and the operating efficiency of the train is improved compared to the case where the train has to stand by until the battery is charged. I can do it. In addition, the overall cost can be significantly reduced compared to a transport system in which a plurality of transport trains equipped with batteries are prepared and the entire train is replaced when the batteries are charged.

In addition, since the battery is replaced with the towed bogie, there is no need for complicated and expensive battery transfer means, unlike when replacing a single battery, and there is no need to precisely stop the train in a fixed position. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a side view, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal front view, Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view showing the battery exchange device part, Fig. 4 is a side view showing details of the part, and Fig. 5 is an essential part of the part. FIG. 1... Guide rail, 3... Transport train, 4... Self-propelled towing trolley, 5... Towed trolley, 6... Drive trolley,
7... Driven trolley, 8... Hanger, 9... Control device, 10... Driving wheel, 14... Idle wheel, 19, 2
0...Idle trolley, 21...Battery, 22,2
3...Coupler, 24...Actuator for coupler operation, 25...Female electric wire coupler, 26...Male electric wire coupler, 27...Train running route, 28...Branch route, 29...Route switching means for branching and merging, 30
a, 30b... Lateral movement rail, 32, 37... Cylinder unit, 33... Lateral movement base, 34... Towed trolley feeding means, 35... Power supply coupler for battery charging, 36a, 36b... Push/pull pusher, 40
...Cam for switching pusher posture for pulling, 41...
Charging coupler, 42...stopper, 43a,
43b...Electronic collector for charging.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The transportation train is composed of a towing truck having drive wheels for traveling and a motor for driving the wheels, and a towed truck connected to the towing truck via a detachable coupler, and An electric wire coupler is provided on each of both carts, which connects and disconnects when the cart and the towed cart are disconnected from each other, and power is supplied from a battery mounted on the towed cart to the drive motor of the towed cart via the wire coupler. a plurality of work rails that can be selectively connected to the ends of a branch route branched from the traveling route of the transport train, and a towed trolley on the work rails is towed on the branch route. An electric vehicle type conveyance device equipped with a battery exchange device comprising a towed cart transporting means for moving the towed cart in a distance direction relative to the cart, and a charging means for a battery mounted on the towed cart on the work rail.