JPH05189041A - Obstacle detection device for movable working robot - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] The present invention is capable of stably detecting a contact even when a small contact pressure is applied to any part of the detection part from any direction.
An object of the present invention is to provide an obstacle detection device for a mobile work robot that has no blind spot on the front part of the main body. A movable body 5 projecting from the main body 1 from a side portion to a front portion of the main body 1, a support shaft 27 rotatably supporting one end portion of the movable body 5, and the movable body 5 with respect to the support shaft 27. The sliding portion that can move back and forth, the springs 28 and 37 that bias the movable body 5 in the outward rotation direction of the main body and the sliding front direction, the stopper that restricts the moving range of the movable body 5, and the movement of the movable body 5 It has a movement detecting means for detecting and a connecting portion for connecting the left and right movable bodies at the front part of the main body without restraining the movement.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an obstacle detection device for an automated guided vehicle, a mobile work robot such as an automatic floor cleaner, an automatic floor finisher, etc.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various mobile work robots have been developed for carrying out work such as unmanned transportation and automatic floor cleaning by adding a travel drive device, sensors, travel control means and the like to work equipment. A conventional mobile work robot is provided with a so-called bumper that protrudes around the main body to reduce the impact at the time of collision with an obstacle. There is also a bumper unit equipped with an obstacle detection device including a contact switch and a pressure-sensitive element to detect the presence or absence of contact with the obstacle.

Further, among the moving bodies of this type, for example, JP-A-59-121408 and JP-A-62-4941.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2), a wall surface existing in a moving area is detected by a distance measuring sensor including an ultrasonic sensor, an optical sensor, etc. to move along the wall, and a traveling route is determined using this as a guide. There is also.

Particularly in an automatic floor cleaner, such movement along the wall requires not only the determination of the traveling route but also the cleaning along the wall. For example, JP-A-61-1365
As disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 68, some cleaning tools such as a rotating brush are provided so as to protrude from the main body.

[0005]

However, all of the above-mentioned conventional obstacle detection devices for mobile work robots are those in which the bumper collides with an obstacle to detect contact, which is a great way to detect contact. You need pressure,
Since there is a dead part in the contacting part, there is a problem that the contact can be detected only when the collision occurs with a considerably large force. Of course, even with the conventional method, this problem can be ameliorated by increasing the sensitivity and increasing the number of detectors such as contact switches and pressure-sensitive elements. It has been unavoidable that reliability is lowered due to detection of, and price increase by increasing the number.

The present invention is intended to solve the problem of such a conventional structure, and stably detects a contact regardless of which part of the detection portion a small contact pressure is applied from which direction. A first object of the present invention is to provide an obstacle detection device that can be formed and has no blind spot on the front of the main body.

Further, in addition to the first object, it is possible to provide an obstacle detecting device which is highly durable and reliable in which malfunction is not caused by weight inertia by reducing the weight of the device itself and improving detection sensitivity. It has a secondary purpose.

Further, in relation to the second object, a third object is to provide an obstacle detecting device capable of further widening the detection range in the vertical direction.

[0009]

A first means of the present invention for achieving the first object is to rotate a movable body protruding from the main body from a side portion to a front portion of the main body and one end portion of the movable body. A support shaft that movably supports, a sliding portion that allows the movable body to move back and forth with respect to the support shaft, a spring that urges the movable body in the outer rotation direction of the main body and the sliding front direction, and the movable range of the movable body. The mobile work robot has a stopper for restricting the movement of the movable body, a movement detecting means for detecting the movement of the movable body, and a connecting portion for connecting the left and right movable bodies at the front portion of the main body without restraining the movement.

A second means of the present invention for attaining the second object is, in addition to the structure of the first means of the present invention, a protruding portion of a movable body provided from the lower side of a buffer portion provided on the outer periphery of the main body. This is a mobile work robot with the configuration that came out.

A third means of the present invention for achieving the third object is, in addition to the configuration of the second means of the present invention,
The mobile work robot is provided with an upward protrusion that surrounds a buffer portion provided on the outer periphery of the main body, at the protruding portion of the movable body.

[0012]

The first means of the present invention is to detect the contact between the movable body provided from the side of the main body and the front portion of the main body so as to project from the main body, and one end of the movable body is slidable. Since it is supported, the presence or absence of contact can be determined regardless of which direction of the movable body the contact force is applied to. Further, by providing a connecting portion for the left and right movable bodies on the front portion of the main body, a blind spot for detection is eliminated.

According to the second means of the present invention, the projecting portion provided on the movable body is configured to protrude from the lower portion of the buffer portion provided on the outer periphery of the main body, so that even if a larger contact force than necessary is applied, The shock-absorbing portion provided on the outer circumference of the main body absorbs the shock, and the shock can be reliably detected. Further, since the movable body can be reduced in weight, the detection sensitivity is improved, and malfunction due to the weight inertia of the movable body itself can be prevented.

According to the third means of the present invention, the protrusion of the movable body is provided with an upward protrusion surrounding the buffer portion provided on the outer periphery of the main body, whereby the range of contact detection can be expanded in the vertical direction. Is.

[0015]

【Example】

(Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, an obstacle detection device for a mobile work robot, which is an embodiment of the first means of the present invention, will be described with reference to FIGS.
It will be explained based on.

A cushioning body 6 made of an elastic material is attached around the two left and right movable bodies 5 projecting from the main body 1 from the side portion to the front portion of the mobile work robot main body (hereinafter referred to as the main body) 1. The movable body 5 has a holding portion 7 on the main body 1.
-Attached via 7 '. The holding part 7
Reference numeral 7'denotes a ball 24, which is a free-rotating ball having a slide plate 23 provided on the upper part of the movable body 5 attached to a bottom plate 1'of the main body 1.
It is supported by a slide bearing 26 having 25.
That is, the movable body 5 is held so as to be movable only in the horizontal direction. One rear end of the movable body 5 is supported by a support shaft 27 provided on the bottom plate 1 ′, and the movable body 5 can freely rotate in the horizontal direction with respect to the main body 1 with the support shaft 27 as a fulcrum, and a guide hole. 36 serves as a sliding portion and can be moved back and forth with respect to the support shaft 27. Reference numeral 28 denotes a spring having one end attached to a fixed shaft 29 of the movable body 5 and the other end attached to a fixed shaft 30 of the bottom plate 1 ′, which is a spring formed of a tension spring, and urges the movable body 5 in an outward rotation direction of the main body 1. .. Further, 37 is a spring attached to a fixed shaft 38 of the movable body 5 and a fixed shaft 39 of the bottom plate 1 ', and urges the movable body 5 in the forward sliding direction. In addition, the fixed shafts 30 and 39 attached to the bottom plate 1 '
Respectively project from the regulation holes 31 and 40 provided in the movable body 5 and also serve as stoppers for regulating the moving range of the movable body 5. Limit switches 32 and 33 are attached to the bottom plate 1 '. The limit switches 32 and 33 are provided with the actuators 34 of the movable bodies 5 as the movable bodies 5 move.
・ 35 contacts and operates. In this way, the limit switches 32 and 33 and the actuators 34 and 35 constitute two sets of movement detecting means for detecting the movement of the movable body 5 on one side. 42 is a connecting plate that connects the left and right movable bodies, and is an elongated hole 43.
have. The fixed shafts 44 and 45 of the left and right movable bodies 5 are
It is possible to freely slide in the elongated hole 43. The connecting plate 42, the long hole 43, and the fixed shafts 44 and 45 are provided on the left and right movable bodies 4
A connecting portion that connects the front portion of the main body 1 without constraining the movement of 4.45 is configured.

The operation of the obstacle detecting device for the mobile work robot constructed as described above will be described with reference to FIG. For example, assume that the buffer 6 comes into contact with an obstacle when the main body 1 moves. Then, the movable body 5 rotates in the direction of the arrow a against the spring 28 with the support shaft 27 as a fulcrum. At the same time, in the direction of arrow b, the guide hole 36 and the support shaft 2
7 slides against the spring 37. At this time, the limit switch 32 or 33 comes into contact with the actuator 34 or 35 to operate, so that the presence or absence of contact can be detected. During this time, the connecting plate 42 is freely moved by the fixed shafts 44 and 45 that slide in the elongated holes 43. When a contact force is applied to the connecting plate 42, the fixed shafts 44, 45
The movement is transmitted to either the left or right movable body 5 via, and similarly the limit switch 32 or 33 comes into contact with the actuator 34 or 35 to operate. As a result, the presence or absence of contact can be detected as in the above. That is, by providing the connecting portion, it is possible to detect the contact even with an obstacle that enters between the left and right movable bodies 5.

The reason why two sets of movement detecting means are provided on one side is, of course, to prevent detection omission. However, the contact is detected in two stages according to the magnitude of the contact force, and the main body 1 thereafter.
The behavior of is changed. That is, for example, when the contact force is weak, the moving direction of the main body 1 is slightly corrected, and when the contact force is strong, the main body 1 is temporarily stopped and retracted.

It is also conceivable to simply connect the fixed shafts 44 and 45 with thread, rubber or the like instead of the connecting plate 42 constituting the connecting portion, but in this configuration, the connecting portion can detect contact. Instead, it is a blind spot and, of course, inferior in durability and design.

(Embodiment 2) An embodiment of the second means of the present invention will be described below. The basic configuration of the present embodiment as viewed from the floor and its operation are almost the same as those of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, and the description of common points will be omitted. Here, a configuration in which the protruding portion of the movable body protrudes from below the buffer portion provided on the outer periphery of the main body will be described with reference to FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the outer periphery of the main body as viewed in the horizontal direction in the case of the first embodiment and FIG. 4B in the case of the present embodiment.

The configuration will be described. In FIG. 4B showing the present embodiment, the outer periphery of the bottom plate 1 ′ that constitutes the main body 1 has a skirt shape that hangs down in the direction of the floor surface A. A buffer 6'is attached around the bottom plate 1'of the main body to form a buffer. In this embodiment, the movable body 5
Is held by the bottom plate 1'via the holding portions 7 and 7 ', and a part thereof projects outward from the lower side of the cushioning portion to form a protruding portion 5a. In this way, the outer surface of the protruding portion 5a of the movable body 5 is adjusted so that contact can be detected before the outer surface of the movable body 5 is pushed to the position of the buffer body 6'shown by the broken line.
On the other hand, in the configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, the outer periphery of the bottom plate 1 ′ of the main body does not hang down in the direction of the floor surface A, and the buffer body 6 (hereinafter referred to as the movable body And the cushioning body 6 are collectively referred to as a movable part).

The operation will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b). First, a case where the obstacle B and the main body 1 vigorously collide will be described. In (a), the buffer 6 is attached to the movable body 5, but the impact of the collision is received by the movable portion. Therefore, the movable body 5 receives a force larger than the force required for collision detection and tries to be pushed in by the movement distance or more required for detection. Therefore, the fixed shaft 30/39 and the restriction hole 31.4
0 (not shown) or the like is a heavy load, and becomes a problem in terms of durability and reliability of the device.

The present embodiment shown in this point (b) solves these problems. First, the obstacle B contacts the protrusion of the movable body 5. The movable body 5 is pushed inside the main body 1 by this contact pressure. At the time when the protruding portion of the movable body 5 is pushed to the position of the buffer body 6'shown by the broken line, the contact with the obstacle has already been detected. The impact after this is
It will be received by the buffer 6 '. That is, the movable body 5 does not need to receive an excessive force when detecting the contact with the obstacle B.

Next, a case where the contact between the obstacle B and the main body 1 is light will be described. In (a), the buffer body 6 is attached to the movable body 5, and the movable portion moves integrally. That is, the weight of the entire movable portion is increased and the inertia is increased. For this reason, the movable part becomes difficult to move, and there are problems that it cannot be detected when the contact force is small, it cannot follow movements such as vibration, and the position is relatively displaced with respect to the main body 1 to cause erroneous detection. There is. At this point (b), these problems are solved as described below. That is, the movable body 5 is not attached with a buffer, and the movable body 5 itself can be made smaller and lighter in weight. Therefore, it is possible to solve the above-mentioned problem (a) caused by inertia due to weight increase.

As a method of reducing the weight of the movable part in (a), it is conceivable to remove the buffer 6 attached to the movable body 5, but if the buffer 6 is removed, the shock cannot be absorbed and it is inconvenient. Is.

(Embodiment 3) Next, an embodiment of the third means of the present invention will be described. The configuration of this embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment.
This is almost the same as the above, and only the differences will be described below with reference to FIG. Projection 5a of bottom plate 1'constituting the main body 1
The upper projection 5 formed so as to surround the buffer portion 6 '.
b is provided. The movable body 5 is adjusted so that contact can be detected before the protrusion 5b hits the buffer portion 6'shown by the broken line.

The operation of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG.
It will be explained based on. When the obstacle B and the protrusion 5b of the movable body 5 come into contact with each other, the movable body 5 receives the pressure of the obstacle B and is pushed inward of the main body 1. At the time when the protrusion 5b of the movable body 5 is pushed in until it comes into contact with the buffer 6 ', the contact with the obstacle B has already been detected. At the same time, the movable body 5 does not move further inward. The above operation is the same as in the second embodiment. In this embodiment, by providing the movable body 5 with the projection 5b, the range in which the contact can be detected in the vertical direction (vertical direction) is widened. For example, as shown in FIG. 5A, the contact can be detected even when the obstacle B exists at a certain distance from the floor surface A.

The intervals of the projections 5b are not limited, but if the projections 5b are too sparse, the effect of expanding the detection range will be weakened.
Will be heavier. Further, the shape of the protrusion 5b and the attachment method may be arbitrary.

[0029]

As described above, according to the first means of the present invention, there is provided a movable body having a shape projecting from the side portion to the front portion of the body and having one end slidably supported. Therefore, it is possible to determine the presence or absence of contact regardless of which direction the contact force is applied to which part of the movable body, and it is possible to eliminate the blind spot by providing the connecting portion of the left and right movable bodies in the front part of the main body. It is possible to realize an obstacle detection device for a mobile work robot.

According to the second means of the present invention, in particular,
By making the protruding part of the movable body project from the lower part of the buffer provided on the outer circumference of the main body, the movable body can be made lighter, the detection sensitivity is improved, and malfunctions due to the weight inertia of the movable body itself can be prevented. It is possible to realize an obstacle detection device for a work robot.

Further, according to the third means of the present invention, in particular, by providing the protrusion of the movable body with an upward protrusion surrounding the buffer portion provided on the outer periphery of the main body, the range of contact detection is vertical. It is possible to realize an obstacle detection device for a mobile work robot that can be expanded in any direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a mobile work robot that is an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a holding portion of an obstacle detection device showing an embodiment of the first means of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial bottom view for explaining the operation showing the same operation.

FIG. 4 (a) is a vertical cross-sectional view around the outer periphery of the main body of the obstacle detection device in the first means. (B) A vertical cross-sectional view near the outer periphery of the main body of the obstacle detection device in the second means.

FIG. 5 (a) is a vertical cross-sectional view of the outer periphery of the main body of the obstacle detection device in the third means, and (b) is a front view of the outer periphery of the main body of the obstacle detection device in the third means.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main body 1'Bottom plate of main body 5 Movable body 6.8 Buffer body 6'Buffer section 7/7 'Holding section 23 Slide plate 24/25 Ball 26 Slide bearing 27 Support shaft 28/37 Spring 29/30/38/44 / 45 Fixed shaft 31/40 Restriction hole 32/33 Limit switch 34/35 Operator 36 Guide hole 42 Connecting plate 43 Oblong hole

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Osamu Eguchi 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Hirofumi Inui, 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A movable body protruding from the main body from a side portion to a front portion of the main body, a support shaft for rotatably supporting one end portion of the movable body, and a slide for allowing the movable body to move back and forth with respect to the support shaft. Section, a spring for urging the movable body in the outward rotation direction of the main body and a sliding front direction, a stopper for restricting the movable range of the movable body, a movement detection means for detecting the movement of the movable body, and the left and right movable bodies. An obstacle detection device for a mobile work robot, which has a connecting portion that connects the front end of the main body without restraining the movement. 2. The obstacle detection device for a mobile work robot according to claim 1, wherein the projecting portion of the movable body is protruded from below a buffer portion provided on the outer periphery of the main body. 3. The obstacle detection device for a mobile work robot according to claim 2, wherein the protrusion of the movable body is provided with an upward protrusion surrounding a buffer provided on the outer periphery of the main body.