JPH0481208B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a control device for an automatic guided vehicle that controls a plurality of trolleys that run vertically and horizontally on a large number of vertical and horizontal tracks laid in both directions.

(Prior art) When moving goods, tracks are laid in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and the goods are placed on carts that can run vertically and horizontally on these tracks, and the goods can be moved to any location, stored, or sorted. If such a trolley could be made into a system that could be remotely controlled as a self-propelled electric vehicle, transportation or conveyance could be made extremely rational.

Applications for which the above system can be effectively utilized include container transportation and automated warehouse systems.

That is, creating mass transportation systems by using containers for transportation is being carried out in the fields of land, sea, and air.

Furthermore, it is well known that an intermodal transport system using containers, which combines the high volume, high speed, and economy of railways with the maneuverability of trucks, is effective for land transport.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) A problem with such a system is the transfer (transfer) of containers when sorting containers between different means of transportation or by destination.

For example, if we consider the case of railways and trucks, when transferring containers that have been transported and accumulated by trucks to railways, in order to improve the transportation efficiency of railways, it is necessary to keep the stopping time extremely short (for example, about 10 minutes). It is desired that containers be transferred according to train formations within the same period. Needless to say, it is desired to make the transfer extremely short, not only in the case between railways and trucks, but also in other cases.

In order to complete the above-mentioned integrated system, it is necessary to call a specific bogie from among the plurality of bogies on the track, and to be able to run this bogie horizontally and vertically on the track, or to stop it.

(Objective of the Invention) The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional circumstances, and provides an automated guided vehicle that can reliably control a plurality of vehicles running vertically and horizontally on a track from the ground side, and that has an extremely simple configuration. The purpose is to provide a control device for

(Structure of the Invention) The gist of the present invention to achieve the above object is to control an automatic guided vehicle that controls a plurality of vehicles that run vertically and horizontally on a large number of vertical tracks and horizontal tracks installed on a vertical axis. The apparatus comprises a vertical electromagnetic induction wire and a horizontal electromagnetic induction wire that are insulated from each other and are laid along the vertical track and the horizontal track, and a ground side is connected to each of the electromagnetic induction wires, one of which is smaller in number. The transmitting unit and the first receiving unit are connected, and the second receiving unit is connected to each of the other electromagnetic induction lines, and each of the units is connected to the central control unit. a loop antenna that is inductively coupled to the ground-side transmitting unit; The invention resides in a control device for an automatic guided vehicle, characterized in that it includes a truck-side transmitting unit that sends a signal to a receiving unit, and a truck control section that controls the truck based on commands from the central control section.

(Function of the Invention) In the above control device, each of the bogies is given a unique vehicle number, and the electromagnetic induction wires intersect to set the address of each bogie and to transmit bidirectional information between the ground and the bogies. It was designed to be done wherever possible.

(Example) Hereinafter, one example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

The embodiment shows the case of transporting containers between railways and trucks.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a freight terminal, and a loading/unloading platform 11 for loading and unloading containers is provided adjacent to a railway track 10 on which freight trains run, and a container yard is located next to the loading/unloading platform 11. 2 is placed.

The container yard 2 includes a train transfer zone 2a, a running zone 2b, and a detention zone 2c adjacent to the loading/unloading platform 11.
and a truck transfer belt 2d are formed extending in the lateral direction (lateral direction in the figure) substantially parallel to the loading/unloading platform 11, respectively. A truck departure and arrival area 2e for transporting containers is provided facing the truck transfer zone 2d.

Horizontal tracks 31 extending in the lateral direction are laid in each of the traveling belts 2b. In addition, a vertical track 32 is laid in the vertical direction (vertical direction in the figure) perpendicular to the loading/unloading platform 11, and the vertical track 32 and the horizontal track 31
As shown in Figure 4, at each intersection with
3 are provided respectively.

On the horizontal track 31 and vertical track 32,
A plurality of carts 4 for container cargo handling, which are electric vehicles, run on a vertical track 3 as shown in FIG.
2. It is designed to be stopped at a fixed point at the center A of the intersection of the horizontal track 31.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a control device 5 that controls a plurality of bogies 4 includes a horizontal track 31, a train transfer zone 2a, a detention zone 2c, and a truck transfer zone 2d.
It has a horizontal loop coil 51 as a horizontal electromagnetic induction wire laid along the vertical track 32, and a vertical loop coil 52 as a vertical electromagnetic induction wire laid along the vertical track 32, respectively.

Twelve horizontal loop coils 51 are installed.

On the other hand, a total of 101 longitudinal loop coils 52 were installed, including a 20-car freight train train configuration, each corresponding to 5 containers in each car, and one longitudinal track exclusively for the container cargo handling bogie. has been done.

The horizontal loop coil 51 and the vertical loop coil 52 are insulated from each other.

Of the two loop coils 51 and 52, the horizontal loop coil 51, which is the smaller in number, is connected to the ground side transmitting unit 6 and the first receiving unit 7 via a matching transformer 51a and a duplexer 53.

On the other hand, the 101 vertical loop coils 52 have
Only the second receiving units 8 are connected via matching transformers 52a.

The ground side transmitting unit 6 and the first and second receiving units 7, 8 are connected to a central control section 50.

The truck 4 also includes a vertical loop coil 5.
2 and a lateral loop coil 51, a bogie-side receiving unit 42 and a bogie-side transmitting unit 43 connected to the loop antenna 41, and a central control unit connected to both units 42, 43. A truck control section 40 that controls the truck 4 based on commands from the truck 50 is provided.

As shown in Fig. 1, the ground side transmitting unit 6
comprises a first modulator 61, a second modulator 62, a local oscillator 63, a bandpass filter 64, and a power amplifier 65, and transmits various command signals from the central control unit 50 to the first modulator 61. The modulated command signal is output on a carrier wave of frequency fA.

The first receiving unit 7 includes a bandpass filter 71,
It has a first demodulator 72, a local oscillator 73, a level detector 74, and a second demodulator 75, and the trolley 4
The second demodulator 75 demodulates the carrier wave of frequency fB sent from the second demodulator 75 and outputs the modulated information signal on the carrier wave to the central control unit 50.

Like the first receiving unit 7, the second receiving unit 8 includes a bandpass filter 81, a first demodulator 82, a local oscillator 83, a level detector 84, and a second demodulator 85. The second demodulator 85 demodulates the carrier wave of frequency fB sent from the second demodulator 85 and outputs the modulated information signal on the carrier wave to the central control unit 50.

As shown in FIG. 3, a lateral loop coil 51
A loop antenna 41 common to the longitudinal loop coil 52 is connected to a bogie-side receiving unit 42 and a bogie-side transmitting unit 43 via a duplexer 44.

Like the first and second receiving units 7 and 8, the bogie side receiving unit 42 includes a bandpass filter 42a, a first demodulator 42b, a local oscillator 42c, a level detector 42d, and a second demodulator 42c. ,
The carrier wave of frequency fA sent from the central control unit 50 side is demodulated, and the command signal modulated on the carrier wave is further demodulated by the second demodulator 42c and output to the bogie control unit 40.

Similarly to the ground side transmitting unit 6, the bogie side transmitting unit 43 includes a first modulator 43a and a second modulator 43a.
3b, a local oscillator 43e, a bandpass filter 43c, and a power amplifier 43d.
The first modulator 43a modulates various information signals from 0 and outputs the modulated information signals on a carrier wave of frequency fB.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5a, the loop antenna 41 is installed at the center of the truck 4 and has a square shape. In addition, the horizontal loop coil 51
and the interval between the longitudinal loop coils 52 is
The dimensions are determined by dividing the actual braking distance Z of the bogie 4 to the left and right from the center A of the intersection where the vehicle stops.

Note that each truck 4 has a unique vehicle number. Then, the trolley control section 40 and the central control section 50
The system scans and exchanges control signals from the horizontal loop coil 51 and the vertical loop coil 52 at predetermined time intervals, and when there are control signals from both coils, the vehicle number is confirmed and
It is set up to send and receive information.

This can be done by making the signal format specific or by relating it to time.

In the control device 5 having the above configuration, automatic operation control of the bogie 4 is led by ground operation, basic operation commands are transmitted from the ground side, and the bogie control unit 40 is sequence-controlled by this operation command, When one operation is completed, information on the completion of the operation is transmitted to the ground side. Further, the address of the truck is set at the point where the vertical loop coil 52 and the horizontal loop coil 51 intersect.

First, when calling a specific bogie 4, a signal indicating the vehicle number of the bogie 4 to be called (vehicle number signal) is transmitted from the central control unit 50 to each above-ground transmitting unit connected to each horizontal loop coil 51. 6 in sequence. Each ground side transmitting unit 6
From there, the modulated car number signal is sent to each horizontal loop coil 51 via a duplexer 53 and a matching transformer 51a, and the bogie 4 is called.

When conditions are established for the bogie control unit 40 and the central control unit 50 to exchange information via the horizontal loop coil 51 and the longitudinal loop coil 52, the loop antenna 41 of the bogie 4 to be called transmits the car number signal vertically. Directional loop coil 52 and lateral loop coil 51
(If the bogie is running, the car number signal is received when the loop antenna 41 crosses the intersection.) The car number signal is sent to the bogie control unit 40 via the bogie side receiving unit 42. sent to. In this way, a call command is sent from the ground side to the trolley 4 side.

The bogie control unit 40 that has received the car number signal transmits its own car number signal to the horizontal loop coil 51 via the bogie side transmission unit 43 and the loop antenna 41.
and the longitudinal loop coil 52, and the car number signal is input from the first receiving unit 7 and the second receiving unit 8 to the central control section 50. Thereby, the central control unit 5 informs that the trolley 4 to be called has received the calling command and the address of the trolley 4.
0 recognizes.

Next, the central control unit 50 sends an operation command to the called trolley 4 from the horizontal loop coil 51.

The trolley control unit 40 that has received this operation command performs deceleration, stop, etc. according to the contents of the operation command, for example.
Each operation such as direction change is performed by sequence control, and when one operation is completed, information on the end of the operation is sent to the horizontal and vertical loop coils 51 and 5.
2 Send to both.

Next, as an example of the operation, the stopping operation of the trolley 4 will be explained.

As shown in FIG. 5a, the stop operation command to stop the truck 4 running on the horizontal track 31 in the right direction in the figure is executed when the loop antenna 41 intersects the horizontal loop coil 51. When the vehicle crosses the coil 52 (in the state shown in FIG. 5a), the trolley control section 40 and the central control section 50 exchange information via the horizontal loop coil 51 and the vertical loop coil 52. It will be received when the conditions are met.
However, due to the delay in scan transmission between the ground and the bogie 4 and the response delay of the bogie control unit 40,
The trolley 4 advances by a delay amount a1 from the receiving position shown in FIG. 5a to the position shown in FIG.
Delay amount a from the position shown in figure b to the position shown in figure 5 c
Go forward by 2.

Braking of the truck 4 is started from the position shown in FIG. 5c,
The bogie 4 stops at the position shown in FIG. 5 d (the position where the material point B of the bogie 4 coincides with the center A of the intersection), which is an actual braking distance Z of the bogie 4 from the position shown in FIG. 5 c.

Therefore, the total braking distance of the bogie 4 is the delay amount a
1 and a delay amount a2.

The traveling distance of the bogie due to the delay in scan transmission between the ground and the bogie 4, the response delay of the bogie control unit 40, and the mechanical delay of the bogie control unit 40 can be easily reduced by changing the size of the loop antenna 41. It can be corrected.

Note that the loop shape of the loop antenna 41 is not limited to a square.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the control device for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably control a plurality of vehicles running vertically and horizontally on a track from the ground side, and to Since the transmitting and receiving units were connected to each of the electromagnetic induction wires with a smaller number, and only the receiving unit was connected to each of the other electromagnetic induction wires, a transmitter unit was connected to each of the electromagnetic induction wires with a larger number of them. It is not necessary and the configuration is extremely simple.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 5 show one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 is a connection diagram between the loop coil installed in a container yard and the ground side control system, and Figure 2 is a diagram of the overall control system. Block diagram, Figure 3 is a block diagram of the bogie side control system, Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the part in Figure 1,
FIGS. 5a to 5d are explanatory diagrams of the operation. 4... Bogie, 5... Control device, 6... Ground side transmitting unit, 7... First receiving unit, 8... Second receiving unit, 31... Horizontal track, 32... Vertical track, 40... Bogie control section, 41... Loop antenna , 42...Dolly side receiving unit, 43...Dolly side transmitting unit, 50...
central control unit, 51...horizontal loop coil (horizontal electromagnetic induction wire), 52...vertical loop coil (vertical electromagnetic induction wire);

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A control device for an automatic guided vehicle that controls a plurality of trolleys that run vertically and horizontally on a large number of vertical tracks and horizontal tracks laid on a vertical axis, and which controls vertical electromagnetic guide lines and horizontal tracks along the vertical tracks and horizontal tracks. The electromagnetic induction wires are laid insulated from each other, and the ground-side transmitting unit and the first receiving unit are connected to one of the electromagnetic induction wires, which is the smaller number of the two electromagnetic induction wires, and
A second receiving unit is connected to each of the other electromagnetic induction wires, and each of the units is connected to a central control unit.Furthermore, each of the trolleys has a loop antenna that is inductively coupled to both of the electromagnetic induction wires, and a loop antenna that is inductively coupled to the one of the electromagnetic induction wires. a bogie-side receiving unit that receives a signal from the ground-side transmitting unit via an electromagnetic guide line; a bogie-side transmitting unit that sends a signal to the first and second receiving units via both electromagnetic guide lines; A control device for an unmanned guided vehicle, comprising: a truck control section that controls the truck based on instructions from the central control section.