JPS6237708A - Branch control method for unmanned carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain plural branches with no malfunction through a single branch point display device by detecting the signal given from said branch point display device set at a branch point of a guide line and then executing a branch program designated on a running program. CONSTITUTION:A guiding device 10 consists of guide lines 11-15 buried under a path and a branch point display device 20 showing a branch point 16 and set within the point 16. While an unmanned carrier 30 contains mark plate detection sensors 81-84 for detection of the device 20. An unmanned carrier 30 travels on a guide line 11 up to the device 20 at the point 16 and detects the signals sent from sensors 82 and 84 respectively. Thus the destination commanded by an operator is decided at a station A and the branch method is selected in response to each destination. When the operator applies a command switch for a destination D, the program of a branching subroutine is executed. Then the branch is given toward the guide line 15. Thus the accurate branch is possible in a prescribed direction.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides an unmanned vehicle branch υJl11 in which an unmanned vehicle that mainly transports luggage, etc., without a driver on board, branches at a branch point.
Focus on the method.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in a factory, for example, when moving a workpiece from one station to a plurality of other stations in a yard, unmanned vehicles have been used to move the workpiece without human intervention.

This unmanned vehicle receives a guidance signal from a guidance wire buried under the ground in the path, and a control device mounted on the unmanned vehicle receives this guidance signal, and controls its steering device to drive. . When the unmanned vehicle reaches a branching point and needs to branch, it branches using the branching control means described below. In other words, there is a spin turn in which the unmanned vehicle rotates around a single point as the axis of rotation to change the direction of travel, a spin turn in which the direction of travel is changed along a smooth circular arc, and a spin turn in which the direction of travel is changed along a guide line that emits a predetermined frequency. The unmanned vehicle was diverted from the path it was currently traveling on by appropriately using turns and the like by changing the frequency.

By the way, the above-mentioned turn to branch is determined by the following means. In front of a branch point on the path, there is a display board indicating each turn, and in the case described above, three types of rectangular mark plates with patterns indicating different turn types written inside are affixed. unmanned car f
The f1lJ IIl device executes a program for going to the destination when the push button switch for the destination is pressed at the start station. This program runs the path until it detects a mark plate indicating a branch control means for branching in the direction of the destination, and when a predetermined mark plate is detected, it executes a branching program for making a predetermined turn. In this way, unmanned vehicles were branched out.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, (1) In order to improve the detection accuracy of each mark plate, there is a limit to how small the pattern written in the mark plate can be. Therefore, each mark plate cannot be made smaller than a predetermined size.

(2) Therefore, due to the reason stated in (1), the need to affix a plurality of mark plates, and the need to affix each mark plate a certain distance apart, a considerable amount of affixing area is required. (3) Furthermore, as the mark plate becomes dirty with use, a discrimination error may occur in which the mark plate is erroneously detected. This is because the same number of mark plates as the types of turns are pasted on the path before the branch point.

Therefore, the present invention aims to solve the above-mentioned problems (1), <2), and (3), and to provide a branching control method for unmanned vehicles that reduces manufacturing costs and improves performance. .

[Means for solving the problem] and [Operation] The branching control method for an unmanned vehicle of the present invention receives a guidance signal from a guidance line installed under the ground of a passageway having at least one branching point. The vehicle then runs while controlling the direction of travel according to the guidance signal.
In the branching control method for an unmanned vehicle, the branching control method for an unmanned vehicle branches in a predetermined direction at the branching point using a branching control means such as a spin turn or a programmed steer turn. a branch point display device, the unmanned vehicle is provided with a branch point detection sensor for detecting the presence of the branch point display device, and when the branch point detection sensor detects the branch point display device, a preset It is characterized by executing a branching program and causing the unmanned vehicle to branch in one predetermined direction.

Receiving the guidance signal involves receiving a signal from a guidance wire buried under the ground in a passageway with one branch point. Traveling is performed by controlling the steering device in accordance with this guidance signal. Further, the branching at the branching point of the passage is performed by means such as a spin turn or a programmed steer turn.

The guide wire for emitting the guidance signal, the receiving equipment for receiving the guidance signal, the method for transmitting the guidance signal, the control yfJ device for controlling the steering device by the guidance signal, the steering device,
Furthermore, for branching means such as a spin turn for branching, conventional IA arrangements and methods can be used as they are.

The branch point display device that is a feature of the present invention is a device that outputs a single signal indicating a branch point. Here, a branch point is not only a point in the strict sense that is mathematically defined as an intersection between two straight lines, but also a region having a certain area.

It is desirable that the display means of this branch point display device be capable of simple detection without malfunction, and that does not require any particular manufacturing cost.

As this branch point display device, for example, a device such as a rectangular or circular colored board, a light emitting diode, an ultrasonic transmitter, etc. can be used.

When the vehicle is unmanned, this branch point display device is detected, and a branch program (for example, a program for executing a spin turn) preset on the travel program is executed to branch into a predetermined direction.

In other words, does the present invention only indicate that the branch point display device provided at the branch point is visible at the branch point of the path? J device/.

Using the signal from this branch point display device as a start signal, proceed to branch 1 specified on the driving program.
This is a method that causes an unmanned vehicle to diverge in a predetermined direction by executing -1 gram once.

[Example] The branching control method for an unmanned vehicle according to the present invention will be explained in detail below based on a specific example. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a transportation system in a factory using the control method. This transportation system is composed of a guided wave [10 shown in FIG. 1 and an unmanned vehicle 30 shown in FIG. 2.

The guide device 10 includes guide wires 11 to 1 buried under the passage.
5 and is arranged within a branching point 16 surrounded by a dashed-dotted line frame,
It is comprised of a branch point display device, ie, a mark plate 20, which indicates a branch point. In addition, at the predetermined positions of these guide wires,
There are five stations 1△ to E for loading and unloading cargo.

The unmanned vehicle 30 has a vehicle body 31, as shown in the top plan view of each 1A position arranged at the lower part of the vehicle body in FIG.
11 wheels 33.35 rotatably held on this vehicle body 31
, a drive wheel 36 , 37 whose rotating shaft is freely held in the vehicle body 31 so that the direction of travel can be controlled, a DC motor 41 , 43 that drives this drive wheel, and a controller that controls the DC motors 41 , 43 . and four mark plate detection sensors 8 that detect the mark plate 20 described above.
It consists of 1 to ¥84.

This control system includes a microcomputer 51, a drive controller 61 that controls the drive wheels 36, 37, a steering controller 63 that determines the direction of travel, and a guidance detection sensor 65 that detects guidance signals.
67, and rotation angle sensors 71 and 73 that detect the rotation angle of the drive wheels 36 and 37.

The microcomputer 51 includes a CPU 53, an input/output interface 55, a ROM 57 for storing running programs and branch programs, and each pr! It is composed of a RAM 59 that stores setting conditions. A detailed block diagram of the above-mentioned control system is shown in FIG.

Below, the process of the unmanned vehicle 30 branching off at the branching point 16 will be explained by the CPU.
53 will be explained according to the flowchart of FIG. 4. At station A, when the operator presses the destination command button on the control device and turns on the start switch, the CPU 53 starts execution from step 100.

Step 100 is a step in which it is determined whether the unmanned vehicle 1130 has traveled to the mark plate 20 at the branch point 15 or not. When signals from two of the mark plate detection sensors 81 to 84 on opposite sides (for example, 82 and 84) are detected in step 100, the process moves to step 102. Steps 102 to 106 determine the destination commanded by the operator at station Δ, and specifically, station B
In this step, it is determined whether the snap switches for the destination commands E to E are turned on, and a branching method corresponding to each destination is selected. For example, if the operator turns on the command switch to go to station D, the process jumps to step 130 in step 104. Step 13
0, the flowchart is omitted, but a subroutine program is executed in which branches occur due to frequency switching, and branches in the direction of the guide line 15 under the conditions shown in FIG. The program then stops.

According to this embodiment, the transport system includes the guidance device 10 and
The guided wave Wi10 is composed of an unmanned vehicle 30, and a guided wave Wi10.
The unmanned vehicle 30 consists of a branch point display device, that is, a mark plate 20, which is disposed within a branch point 15 surrounded by a one-dot chain line frame and indicates the branch point. An i, IJIII device using a microcomputer 53 that controls the DC motor 41 and 43, which has a DC motor induction detection sensor and a rotation angle sensor that drive the wheels, and four mark plate detection units that detect the mark plate 20 described above. Since the branch point is indicated by a single mark plate, the space required for pasting the mark plate can be reduced, saving space. Also, errors in mark plate detection are eliminated, and the branch point can be indicated by a single mark plate. Branching can be performed reliably using a predetermined branching means.

Note that depending on the positional relationship between the station and the passage, that is, in the case where the loading and unloading direction of cargo is restricted as shown in FIG. 6, the branching method shown in FIG. 7 may be used.

When changing the branching method shown in FIG. 5 to the branching method shown in FIG. 8, the microcomputer shown in the block diagram shown in FIG. 3 is equipped with a rewritable EPROM and a keyboard for inputting data. This allows data to be easily changed even when on-site setting conditions change, improving the functionality of the unmanned vehicle branching control method.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, a guidance signal is received from a guidance wire buried under the ground of a passage having at least one branch point, and the traveling direction is i-controlled in accordance with the guidance signal, and the In a branching control method for an unmanned vehicle in which an unmanned vehicle branches in a predetermined direction at a branching point using a branching control means such as a spin turn or a programmed steer turn, the branching point includes a branching point indicating that the branching point is a branching point. a display device is provided, and the unmanned vehicle is provided with a branch point detection sensor that detects the presence of the branch point display device, and when the branch point detection sensor detects the branch point display device, a preset branch point is detected. By executing the program and making the unmanned vehicle branch in one predetermined direction, multiple branches can be made with one branch point display device, and there will be no false detection of branch points, allowing the unmanned vehicle to branch without GJ operation. I can do things.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the arrangement position of a guide Ha in a conveyance system using a branching control method for an unmanned vehicle according to a specific embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a layout diagram showing the positional relationship structure of each device installed in the unmanned vehicle used in the above. FIG. 3 is a detailed block diagram of the control system used in the same embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a program executed by the CPU used in the same embodiment. FIG. 5 shows the data of the setting conditions of the branching method used in the same example, and the sixth
FIG. 7 shows an example of setting a branching method corresponding to a station. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of changing the setting conditions of FIG. 5 used in the same embodiment. 10... Guidance device 11 to 15... Induced S wire 2
0... Branch point display's, mark plate to place) 30.
...Unmanned vehicle 31...Vehicle body 33.35...Wheels 35.37...Drive wheels 41.43...DC motor 61...Drive controller 63...Steering controller 65.67... Induction detection sensor 71.73...Rotation angle sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) Receive a guidance signal from a guidance wire buried under the ground of a passage having at least one branch point, control the traveling direction according to the guidance signal, and travel in a predetermined direction at the branch point, In a branching control method for an unmanned vehicle in which the unmanned vehicle branches using a branching control means such as a spin turn or a programmed steer turn, the branching point is provided with a branching point display device indicating that it is a branching point; , a branch point detection sensor for detecting the presence of the branch point display device is provided, and when the branch point detection sensor detects the branch point display device, a preset branch program is executed and the branch point is turned in a predetermined direction. A branching control method for an unmanned vehicle, characterized by branching the unmanned vehicle. (2) The method for controlling branching of an unmanned vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the detection of the display device detects a mark plate attached near the passage.