JPH0675631A - Automatic charging device for automated guided vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To make the contact pressure between the current collector and the conductor of the trolley cable constant regardless of the distance between the automated guided vehicle and the automatic charger. [Structure] Screw shaft 15 rotated by a motor 18
The nut member 17 is screwed onto the nut member 17, and the moving member 14 is attached to the nut member 17.
A holder 31 that is movable in the left-right direction and is biased to the right is attached to the moving member 14, the current collector 4 is provided in the holder 31, and the cover 35 fixed to the holder 31 is adjacent to the holder 31. The proximity sensor 33 for detecting is attached to the moving member 14.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic charging apparatus for an automatic guided vehicle used for charging a battery mounted on the automatic guided vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automated guided vehicle travels by using a battery mounted on its own as an energy source, so that the battery must be charged every time the vehicle travels a certain distance. An automatic charger is used to charge the battery.

An outline of the automatic charging device is shown in FIG. In the figure,
Reference numeral 1 is an automated guided vehicle, and 2 is an automatic charging device. The automatic guided vehicle 1 is provided with a trolley cable 3 for charging a battery, and the automatic charging device 2 is provided with a current collector 4 for connecting to the trolley cable 3. As shown in FIG. 4, the trolley cable 3 is configured by mounting a pair of conductors 6 made of a copper plate or the like in the recess of the insulating sheath 5, and the current collector 4 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 7 as shown in FIG. The charging cable 8 is connected and configured.

In order to surely bring the pair of current collectors 4 into contact with the pair of conductors 6, in the conventional automatic charging device, the current collector 4 can be freely moved in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction via a spring, a linear rail, or the like. The degree is secured.

When the automatic guided vehicle 1 arrives at the charging position for charging, the current collector 4 and the like of the automatic charging device 2 are automatically guided by the automatic guided vehicle 1.
It advances toward and stops when the current collector 4 is in close contact with the conductor 6. After that, the battery of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is charged from the automatic charging device 2.

[0006]

However, due to the stop accuracy of the automated guided vehicle 1 and the conditions of the traveling road surface, the automated guided vehicle 1 may be used.
It is difficult to keep the distance L between the automatic charging device 2 and the automatic charging device 2 constant.
Fluctuates, the contact pressure between the current collector 4 and the conductor 6 cannot be made constant. Then, if the contact pressure is small, the problem of improper energization occurs, and if it is large, the automatic charging device 2 or the automatic guided vehicle 1 is damaged. Further, when the automatic guided vehicle 1 is pushed and the position of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is displaced, there is a risk of a short circuit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic charging device for an automatic guided vehicle that solves the above problems.

[0008]

The structure of the present invention for achieving the above object is to provide a moving member provided so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, a driving means linked to the moving member, and a moving member. A holder that is attached to the moving member so as to be movable in the same direction as the moving direction and is biased toward the automatic guided vehicle by the biasing means; and a current collector provided in the holder,
It is characterized by comprising a cover attached to the holder and a detection unit attached to the moving member and detecting the approach of the cover to stop the driving unit.

[0009]

When the current collector is advanced toward the automatic guided vehicle by moving the moving member by the driving means, the movable member moves toward the automatic guided vehicle even after the current collector contacts the conductor of the trolley cable, When the detecting means detects the approach of the cover, the driving means stops and the moving member also stops. At this time, since the biasing means is interposed between the holder and the moving member, the current collector is pressed by the conductor of the trolley cable with a constant biasing force, and a proper contact pressure can always be obtained.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

The construction of the automatic charging apparatus for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 1, the frame 11
A base 12 is attached to the base 12, and as shown in FIG. 2, both ends of a pair of guide rods 13 parallel to each other are supported by the base 12. Then, by inserting the pair of guide rods 13 into guide holes (not shown), the moving member 14 is movably provided along the guide rods 13. Also,
A screw shaft 15 parallel to the guide rods 13 is rotatably provided between the pair of guide rods 13 via a bearing 16, and a nut member 17 attached to the moving member 14 via a bolt (not shown) is attached to the screw shaft 15. It is screwed. In order to drive the screw shaft 15 to rotate, a motor 18 is attached below the base 12 via a bracket 19, and a gear 21 attached to the output shaft 20 of the motor 18 and a gear 22 attached to the screw shaft 15 are provided. It is in mesh.

The moving member 14 is provided with the current collector 4 while being biased in the same direction as the moving direction of the moving member 14.
As shown in the figure, the moving member 14 is formed with projecting portions 14a and 14b that project to the right in the figure, and the projecting portions 14a and 14b are both parallel to the screw shaft 15 and have a pair of left and right guide holes (not shown). ) Is formed. Then, the pair of guide rods 30 integrally attached to the holder 31 are inserted into the pair of guide holes. Each holder 31 and protrusion 14
A spring 32 is provided between a and 14b as a biasing means surrounding the guide pin 30. Then, in order to adjust the urging force (spring constant) of the holder 31 by the spring 32, an adjustment plate 40 that can increase or decrease the number of attachments is provided. A current collector 4 is attached to each holder 31 via a support shaft 7,
A cover 35 that surrounds the holder 31 is attached to the holder 31.

Next, the current collector 4 will be described. The current collector 4 is rotatably attached to the support shaft 7 via a vertical shaft 41. Since the support shaft 7 has a part having a cylindrical shape, the current collector 4 is rotatable around the support shaft 7. Between the projecting portions 14a and 14b of the moving member 14, the current collector 4 is in contact with the conductor of the trolley cable and a certain contact pressure is generated as a detecting means for detecting that the cover 35 approaches. The proximity switch 33 is attached to the moving member 14 via the attachment plate 34.

In addition, a photoelectric switch 37 is provided inside the frame 11 via a bracket 36. The photoelectric switch 37 is provided to detect that the automatic guided vehicle has reached the charging position for charging. In the frame body 11,
An opening 38 for allowing the current collector 4 and the like to pass therethrough and an opening 39 for allowing the photoelectric switch 37 to function are formed.

Next, the operation of the automatic charging device for the automatic guided vehicle will be described. If the automated guided vehicle requires battery charging, the automated guided vehicle is stopped at a predetermined charging position.
When the photoelectric switch 37 detects that the automatic guided vehicle has reached the charging position, the motor 18 operates and the output shaft 2 of the motor 18
The rotation of 0 is transmitted to the screw shaft 15 via the gears 21 and 22. Then, the moving member 14 moves to the right in FIG. 1 together with the nut material 17, whereby the current collector 4 comes into contact with the conductor 6 of the trolley cable 3 of the automatic guided vehicle 1 shown in FIG.
When the spring 32 is compressed to some extent, the proximity sensor 33 detects the approach of the cover 35 and stops the rotation of the output shaft 20 of the motor 18. At this time, the battery of the automatic guided vehicle 1 is charged from a power source (not shown) through the cable 8, the current collector 4, and the conductor 6.

When there are a plurality of automatic guided vehicles, there is some variation in the laid size of the trolley cable 3, but the variation can be absorbed by the presence of the spring 32 and the proximity sensor 33. That is, the current collector 4 and the conductor of the trolley cable are always properly connected, and an interphase short circuit is prevented. To change the contact pressure between the current collector 4 and the conductor 6 by changing the spring constant of the spring 32, the number of adjusting plates 40 is increased or decreased, the position of the proximity sensor 33 is changed, or the spring 32 itself is replaced. be able to.

The detecting means is not limited to the proximity sensor, but may be any means capable of detecting the degree of compression of the spring.

[0018]

As can be seen from the above description, according to the automatic charging apparatus for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention, the biasing means for biasing the holder, the cover attached to the holder, and the detecting means for detecting the approach of the cover are provided. Therefore, the current collector is always pressed against the conductor of the trolley cable with a constant pressure, and the current collector and the conductor are properly connected. Therefore, it is not necessary to strictly set the distance between the automatic guided vehicle and the automatic guided vehicle,
The installation work of the guide wire for the automatic guided vehicle does not require high precision and the work is easy.

Further, since the contact pressure between the current collector and the conductor is always appropriate, there is no problem of destruction due to insufficient mechanical strength or the displacement of the automatic guided vehicle due to pressing, and the contact pressure is used as the driving means. If there is an output commensurate with the above, then more than necessary is unnecessary.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of an automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a right side view showing an embodiment of an automatic charging device for an automatic guided vehicle according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a conventional automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a trolley cable according to a conventional automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a current collector according to a conventional automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 ... Current collector 7 ... Support shaft 14 ... Moving member 18 ... Motor 30 ... Guide pin 31 ... Holder 32 ... Spring 33 ... Proximity sensor 35 ... Cover

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A moving member provided so as to be movable in the horizontal direction, a driving means linked to the moving member, and a biasing means attached to the moving member so as to be movable in the same direction as the moving direction of the moving member. A holder that is urged toward the automated guided vehicle by the controller, a current collector that is provided to the holder, a cover that is attached to the holder, and a detection unit that is attached to the moving member and that detects the approach of the cover and stops the driving unit. An automatic charging device for an automated guided vehicle, characterized by being configured with.