JP2001063645A - Wheel type moving body - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide running property similar to a customary one and excellent steerability capable of changing the direction at an acute angle containing pivotal brake turn by forming front and rear idle rollers into hand drum shape having curved circumferential face. SOLUTION: In this wheel type moving body 1, right and left main driving wheels 4 are rotatably fitted to the center fitting part 3 of a main body frame 2. The main driving wheel 4 is respectively provided with a front steering wheel 6 in front of it and a rear steering wheel 7 in rear of it. A front idle roller 210 is between the front steering wheel 6 and it, a rear idle roller 21 is between the rear steering wheel 7 and it, respectively interposed so as not to ground. The idle rollers 20, 21 are respectively formed into hand drum type roller shape and provided with the curved circumferential faces. When the steering angle of the front steering wheel 6 is small and contact with the idle roller 20 is maintained, this functions as a 6 wheel drive vehicle having excellent running property and steerability. When the front and rear steering wheels 6, 7 are largely turned and contact with the idle rollers 20, 21 is released, pivotal brake turn can be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a wheel-type moving body such as an automatic guided vehicle or a wheelchair, and more particularly to a wheel-type moving body capable of moving on uneven terrain having steps or irregularities with high efficiency.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Currently, generally used wheeled moving bodies such as automatic guided vehicles and wheelchairs have excellent running motion characteristics such as high speed, stability and running efficiency when traveling on level ground.
Furthermore, there is an excellent feature that small turns such as comfortable turning are easy. However, this type of wheel-type moving body exhibits excellent characteristics on a substantially flat floor, but has the drawback that if the floor has a certain level of unevenness or unevenness, it cannot run through it. Was.

On the other hand, in order to provide the ability to climb indoor stairs in particular, the construction of a moving body using four or six legs or a hybrid moving body combining a leg mechanism and a wheel mechanism has been devised and studied. I have. However, these leg mechanisms and legs
The hybrid mechanism of the wheels has a problem that the mechanism is complicated and, in general, when traveling on a flat ground, the efficiency and the traveling performance are remarkably inferior to those of the conventional wheel-type moving body.

[0004] A conventional wheel type moving body will be specifically described. FIG. 10 is a side view showing a representative example of a conventional (PWS-type) wheel-type moving body 54 that controls running and steering by main driving wheels 53 on the left and right sides of the vehicle body, which are used in an automatic guided vehicle and the like. It is a bottom view.

In the wheel-type moving body 54 shown in FIG. 10, the weight of the main body and the load is supported by main drive wheels 53 on the left and right sides of the main body and casters 55 on the front and rear sides. The traveling is performed by independently driving the left and right main driving wheels 53 by the corresponding motors 56, respectively. Here, if the left and right main drive wheels 53 are rotated in the same direction at the same speed, they travel straight forward and backward, and if given a speed difference therebetween, they travel on an arc-shaped locus with an appropriate curvature. Further, by rotating the left and right main driving wheels 53 in opposite directions, it is possible to comfortably turn around the midpoint connecting the left and right main driving wheels 53.

The wheel-type moving body 54 having such a structure is used for an automatic guided vehicle or the like. However, when the running surface is not sufficiently flat, the presence of the casters greatly affects the running performance, and Is difficult.

FIG. 11 is a plan view and a side view of a conventional wheel type moving body 57 having another structure for solving the problem. In the configuration of FIG.
Each of the driven wheels 59 has a steering mechanism 58.

That is, by providing an active rotation mechanism having a rotation axis substantially on a vertical line above the contact point of the front and rear driven wheels 59 and actively controlling the direction of the driven wheels 59, the vehicle can be driven at the time of traveling. Control steering. In this configuration, not only the left and right main driving wheels 53 are driven with a speed difference according to the trajectory to be driven, but also the direction of the driven wheels 59 is controlled so as to be an appropriate direction at the same time. Less and more efficient driving is realized.

As shown in FIG. 11, when the front and rear sub wheels 59 are disposed in a position symmetrical with respect to the main driving wheel, the front and rear sub wheels 59 are always controlled to be opposite at the same angle. Good. The wheel-type traveling moving body 57 is provided with a suspension on the driven wheel 59 or the main driving wheel 53,
A relatively good running performance can be obtained even with a certain degree of unevenness on the road surface.

However, the road surface which can be driven by such a conventional wheel-type traveling moving body 57 is limited to a somewhat flat road surface, and a step having a diameter of about 1/2 or more of the diameter of the driven wheel 59 or the radius of the main driving wheel 53 is required. If there is a gap, or if there is a certain degree of unevenness on the road surface, a slip occurs in the main drive wheels 53, and it becomes impossible to travel.

In order to solve this disadvantage, it is conceivable to provide a motor so as to generate a driving force on the front and / or rear driven wheels 59 as well. However, there is a problem in that the structure becomes complicated and the weight increases.

[0012]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and has the same running performance as a conventional wheel-type moving body on a flat running road surface. It is another object of the present invention to realize a wheel-type moving body having excellent steering characteristics capable of changing directions at a steep angle including comfortable rotation.

According to the present invention, it is naturally possible to travel with the degree of unevenness seen on a normal road surface, but further, a complicated mechanism is provided even on a road surface having a large step of about the diameter of a driven wheel or on an uneven ground. The present invention realizes a wheel-type moving body that can move up and down without running, and can be applied to various vehicles such as automatic guided vehicles and wheelchairs.

[0014]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a main body frame, left and right main drive wheels attached to a central portion of the main body frame, and a front of the left and right main drive wheels. And left and right front steering wheels and rear steering wheels that are disposed behind and steered in the traveling direction, the main drive wheel, and the left and right front and rear steering wheels interposed between the left and right front steering wheels and the rear steering wheel, respectively. The front idle roller and the rear idle roller are formed in a drum shape having a curved peripheral surface, and the front steering wheel and the rear steering wheel are connected to the front idle roller. And, in a state in which the rear idle roller is in contact with or not in contact with the curved peripheral surface, the rotational driving force of the main drive wheel is transmitted or transmitted to the front steered wheels and the rear steered wheels. Providing a wheel type moving body, which is a to become configured not.

The left and right independent front and lower elevating mechanisms and the rear and lower elevating mechanisms for raising and lowering the front steered wheels and the rear steered wheels in contact with the front idle rollers and the rear idle rollers, respectively. May be provided.

The front lifting mechanism and the rear lifting mechanism have a base end pivotally attached to a main shaft portion of the main driving wheel or a mounting portion of the main driving wheel, and have front ends and front steering wheels and rear steering wheels at their distal ends. Are mounted so as to steer in the traveling direction, and right and left front link rods and rear link rods having the front idle roller and the rear idle roller mounted substantially in the middle thereof; and the front link rod and the rear link. It is good also as a structure which has a front expansion-contraction mechanism and a rear expansion-contraction mechanism which rotate a rod.

The front idle roller and the rear idle roller are attached to the front link rod and the rear link rod via a front auxiliary link and a rear auxiliary link, and operate the front auxiliary link and the rear auxiliary link. Providing detachment drive means, operated by the detachment drive means, the front idle roller and the rear idle roller contact the main drive wheel and the front idle roller and / or the rear idle roller, In addition, a configuration in which the detaching operation of pulling apart may be possible.

The left front steering wheel and the rear steering wheel are controlled by the corresponding left front and rear steering driving force generating mechanisms at the same angle and in different directions, respectively, or one left steering driving force generating mechanism. The right front steering wheel and the rear steering wheel are controlled by the corresponding right front and rear steering driving force generating mechanisms at the same angle and in different directions, respectively, or one right steering drive It may be configured to be controlled by a force generating mechanism.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a main body frame, left and right main drive wheels attached to a central portion of the main body frame, and a front or rear side of the left and right main drive wheels. A four-wheeled vehicle or a six-wheeled vehicle including left and right front steering wheels or rear steering wheels on which steering in the traveling direction is performed.
A wheel-type moving body that is a wheeled vehicle, comprising: the main drive wheel; and left and right front idle rollers or rear idle rollers interposed between the front steered wheels or the rear steered wheels. Alternatively, the rear idle roller is formed in a drum shape having a curved peripheral surface, and the front steered wheel or the rear steered wheel is in contact with or in contact with the curved peripheral surface of the front idle roller or the rear idle roller. In the absence state, the rotational driving force of the main drive wheel is
A wheel-type moving body characterized in that the front steered wheels or the rear steered wheels are transmitted or not transmitted.

A structure may be provided having an upper body moving mechanism for moving the center of gravity of the wheel type moving body by sliding the upper body back and forth with respect to the main body frame.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of a wheel-type moving body according to the present invention will be described based on embodiments with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view for explaining the overall configuration of an embodiment of a wheel-type moving body according to the present invention, and FIG. 1 (a) is an AA of FIG. 1 (b).
It is the top view seen from. In FIG. 1, a wheel type moving body 1
The left and right main driving wheels 4 are rotatably mounted on the mounting portion 3 of the main driving wheel at the center of the main body frame 2.

The main driving wheels 4 are left and right main driving wheels 4 respectively.
The motor is independently driven on the left and right sides by a main motor 5 provided with a transmission mechanism or the like attached to the main body frame 2 or an engine such as an oil motor or an engine. When the main drive wheel 4 rotates forward, the wheel type moving body 1 moves forward,
It is configured to retreat when reversed.

With respect to the main drive wheel 4, left and right front steered wheels 6 are provided in the front, and left and right rear steered wheels 7 are provided in the rear. These front steered wheels 6 and rear steered wheels 7
Is attached to the front link rod 8 and the rear link rod 9 with respect to the main body frame 2, and can be steered in the traveling direction by a steering driving force generator mechanism (the structure of this mechanism is the same as that of the conventional example). Drive operation.

The base ends of the left and right front link rods 8 and the left and right rear link rods 9 are pivotally mounted coaxially with the main drive wheel 4 or at the mounting portion 3 of the main drive wheel. The front link rod 8 and the rear link rod 9 have a substantially crank shape, and are arranged symmetrically about the main drive wheel 4 in the front-rear direction. FIG.
As shown in (a), the left and right front link rods 8 are disposed inside and outside the main drive wheel 4, an idle roller described later, and the front steering wheel 6, respectively, and are bridged by the front horizontal portion 10. It consists of two link members inside and outside. Similarly, the left and right front link rods 8 and the rear link rod 9 are composed of the left and right main drive wheels 4, idle rollers to be described later, and front and rear steering wheels 6,7.
Inside and outside, and the left and right front horizontal portions 10
And two link members inside and outside which are bridged by the rear horizontal portion 11.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a main part of the structure of the front and rear steering wheels attached to the front ends of the front and rear link rods 8 and 9. 2A shows a side view thereof, FIG. 2B is a plan view, and FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. Since the left and right front and rear steering wheels 6 and 7 have the same structure for attachment to the front and rear link rods 8 and 9, the front link rod 8 of the front steering wheel 6 will be described below.
The structure for mounting the rear steering wheel 7 to the rear link rod 9 will be described mainly in parentheses.

The front link rod 8 (rear link rod 9) includes a front steering driving force generating mechanism 12 (rear steering driving force generating mechanism 1) at a front horizontal portion 10 (rear horizontal portion 11) at the tip thereof.
3) is placed. This forward steering driving force generating mechanism 1
2 (rear steering driving force generating mechanism 13) operates independently for each of the left and right.

The left and right front and rear steering driving force generating mechanisms 12 and 13 form a set to control the left and right front and rear steering wheels 6 and 7 so that the directions are opposite and different in angle.
The right and left front and rear steering driving force generating mechanisms 12 and 13 form a set and perform steering control of the right and left front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 so that the directions are opposite and the angles are different.

The front steering driving force generating mechanism 12 (rear steering driving force generating mechanism 13) performs steering control by rotating the front fork shaft 14 (rear fork shaft 15) about the axis. The front fork shaft 14 (rear fork shaft 15) extends downward from the front steering driving force generating mechanism 12 (rear steering driving force generating mechanism 13), and moves to the front horizontal portion 10 (rear horizontal portion 11).
It is rotatably mounted by a front bearing 16 (rear bearing 17).

The front fork shaft 14 (rear fork shaft 1)
A front fork 18 (rear fork 19) is formed at the lower end of 5). The front fork portion 18 (rear fork portion 19) includes a front steered wheel 6 (rear steered wheel 7).
Is rotatably mounted.

1 and 2, the left and right main drive wheels 4
And a front idle roller 20 between the left and right front steered wheels 6.
Are interposed so that they do not touch the ground. A rear idle roller 21 is interposed between the left and right main driving wheels 4 and the left and right rear steering wheels 7 so as not to touch the ground.

The main drive wheel 4, the front idle roller 20, and the front steered wheel 6 are configured to be able to abut each other with an appropriate force. And the main drive wheel 4 and the front idle roller 2
The zero and the front steered wheels 6 are configured to be able to abut each other with an appropriate force. With such a configuration, when the main drive wheel 4 rotates, the rotational force is transmitted to the front steered wheels 6 and the rear steered wheels 7 via the front idle rollers 20 and the rear idle rollers 21, respectively. As a result, the wheeled vehicle 1 functions as a six-wheel drive vehicle, and the slip of the main drive wheels 4 due to unevenness of the road surface is significantly reduced, thereby improving running performance.

FIG. 3 shows a main drive wheel 4 and front and rear steered wheels 6,
FIG. 3A is a plan view for explaining a relational configuration between the idle roller 7 and front and rear idle rollers 20 and 21; FIG. 3A is a plan view;
(B) is an enlarged view of a main part thereof, and (c) is a plan view in a case where the vehicle turns left as indicated by an arrow during traveling.

By the front and rear steering drive force generating mechanisms 12 and 13, the left and right front steered wheels 6 and the rear steered wheels 7 can be steered in the opposite directions at the same angle in synchronization with each other. In the case of the direction change, the right and left steered wheels 6 and 7 can smoothly change the direction by slightly changing the steering angle with respect to each other.

Then, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), the front and rear steered wheels 6, 7 are controlled such that the front and rear steered wheels 6, 7 are synchronized with each other to have an opposite angle during steering. This enables a smooth direction change. This point is the same as the above-mentioned conventional wheel type moving body.

FIG. 4A is a view showing a modification of the steering force drive generating mechanism. In this modified example, the front steered wheels 6 and the rear steered wheels 7 are respectively provided on the left and right sides by the gear mechanism 2.
3. Crossed pulley belt 22 and motor 2
3 'is a left and right steering force drive generation mechanism.

With respect to each of the left and right sides, the front steering wheel 6 and the rear steering wheel 7 are steered in the opposite direction at the same angle in synchronization with each other by one steering force drive generating mechanism. Further, for each of the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7, the left and right steered wheels can smoothly change directions by slightly changing the steering angle with respect to each other.

The front idle roller 20 and the rear idle roller 21 are each in the shape of a drum roller, and the drum roller has a curved peripheral surface 24 as shown in FIG. Looking at the front idle roller (the same applies to the rear idle roller) 20, (a) in FIG.
Indicates a relationship in the straight traveling direction.

When the front steered wheels 6 are steered at an angle within the steering angle θ corresponding to the width w of the front idle roller 20, as shown in FIG. The contact between the steered wheels 6 and the front idle roller 20 is maintained. As a result, the front steered wheels 6 exert a driving force while exhibiting a steering function of changing the traveling direction of the wheeled vehicle 1, and function as a six-wheel drive vehicle having excellent traveling and steering characteristics.

When it is desired to greatly change the traveling direction (steering direction) by turning the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 greatly,
As shown in (c) of FIG. 3 (b), the front steered wheels 6 may be rotated greatly so as to exceed the range of the angle θ. Then, the front steered wheels 6 are moved to the front idle rollers 20.
Is not in contact with the curved peripheral surface 24, and the driving force is not transmitted from the main drive wheel 4 to the front steered wheels 6, but the front steered wheels 6 can be freely oriented in the horizontal plane.

For example, the front steering wheel 6 is turned to the left largely and the rear steering wheel 7 is turned to the right largely so that the contact with the front and rear idle rollers 20 and 21 is removed. When the driving wheels 4 are stopped and only the right main driving wheel 4 is rotated forward, a comfortable turning can be performed in which the center of the main body of the wheel-type moving body 1 rotates as an axis.

As described above, the control of the speed of the left and right main drive wheels 4 and the control of the directions of the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 are used together to connect the two main drive wheels 6 and 7 including the comfortable turning. It is possible to draw a rotation locus about an arbitrary point on the axle.

By the way, the wheel type moving body 1 according to the present invention
By attaching conventionally known suspensions to the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 as appropriate, even if the road surface has irregularities, if the irregularities are to some extent, six-wheel drive works effectively, and normal traveling can be performed. Can be done. However,
Simply by attaching the suspension, if there is a large step having a height of about the diameter of the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7, this cannot be exceeded.

In order to solve this problem, the wheel type moving body 1 according to the present invention is provided with an elevating mechanism as shown in FIG. That is, in this lifting mechanism, the base ends of the front and rear link rods 8 and 9 are appropriately pivotally attached to the main shaft portion of the main drive wheel 4 or the mounting portion 3 of the main drive wheel, and the front and rear steering wheels 6 and 9 are attached to the front end thereof. Attach 7,
In addition, the front and rear idle rollers are attached almost at an intermediate portion thereof, and the front and rear link rods 8 and 9 are rotatable around the main shaft portion of the main drive wheel by the front and rear extension mechanisms.

The telescopic mechanism is attached between the left and right front attachment members 25 'and rear attachment member 26' of the main body frame 2 and the left and right front link rods 8 and the left and right rear link rods 9, respectively. Left and right front air cylinders 25 and left and right rear air cylinders 26,
By the expansion and contraction of the air cylinders 25 and 26 before and after this,
The left and right front link rods 8 and the left and right rear link rods 9 are rotatable around the axis of the left and right main drive wheels 4 or the pivotal connection of the main drive wheels to the mounting portion 3, respectively. 6 and 7 can be moved up and down.

That is, the front and rear steering wheels 6, 7 are actively activated by the expansion and contraction of the front and rear air cylinders 25, 26, as shown in FIG.
From the normal state shown in (b) (this is called a neutral posture), the front and rear steered wheels 6, 7 are respectively raised (swung up),
Then, the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 can be pressed down against a road surface or a floor surface. By providing an elevating mechanism having such a configuration and function, it is possible to overcome a large step as described later.

FIG. 4B is a view showing a modification of the left and right main driving wheel mounting portions 3 of the wheel type moving body 1 according to the present invention. The left and right main driving wheel mounting portions 3 are suspended independently of the left and right by a suspension spring 3 ′ (usually a leaf spring or the like is also used) with respect to the main body frame 2 so as to be vertically movable. Is adopted, the left and right main driving wheels 4 can move up and down independently of each other, and can run smoothly in response to the difference between the left and right unevenness states.

When such a step shaft mechanism is employed, the front air cylinder 8 (rear air cylinder 9) is mounted between the front link rod 8 (rear link rod 9) and the mounting portion 3 of the main drive wheel. Can be In addition, if such a configuration in which the mounting portions 3 of the left and right main drive wheels independently move up and down is configured to further positively increase the stroke of the up and down movement,
This is effective for overcoming uneven portions where the state of the step differs depending on the left and right.

Further, the wheel-type moving body 1 according to the present invention comprises:
An upper body moving device 28 for moving the upper body 27 is provided. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the upper body moving device 28,
5A is a bottom view, FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of a main part thereof, and FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC of FIG. here,
The upper body portion 27 of the wheel-type moving body 1 serves as a weight body for moving the center of gravity when the wheel-type moving body 1 gets over a step, and a dedicated weight body may be provided. However, it may be shared by a carrier, a passenger seat, a mounting portion of an attached device, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper body moving device 28
A left and right parallel guide rod 29 fixed to the front and rear ends of the main body frame 2 and extending in the front and rear direction, a front slide 32 and a rear slide slidably attached to the guide rod 29 via front and rear linear bearings 30 and 31. It has a slide 33. The upper body 27 is placed and fixed on the front and rear slides 32 and 33. The front and rear slides 32 and 33 are guided by the guide rod 29 by the reciprocating linear motion mechanism 34 and move back and forth.

The reciprocating linear motion mechanism 34 has a single degree of freedom such as a mechanism using a belt and a pulley, a mechanism using a ball screw used for moving a table of a machine tool, an air cylinder and a hydraulic cylinder, and a rack and a pinion. Any configuration may be used as long as it is a linear motion mechanism.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a reciprocating linear motion mechanism 34 using a toothed belt 35 is employed. Horizontal horizontal plate 3 at the center of frame body 2 in the front-rear direction
A pair of left and right support plates 37 is vertically provided from the horizontal plate 36. A drive pulley 38 and two front and rear idle pulleys 39 and 40 are pivotally mounted between the left and right supports 37.

On the other hand, support plates 41 and 42 are suspended from the front and rear slides 32 and 33, respectively. Idle pulleys 43 and 44 are pivotally attached to the support plates 41 and 42, respectively. One end 45 of the toothed belt 35 is fixed to the front of the support plate 37, and the other end 46 is fixed to the rear of the support plate 37. And the toothed belt 35 slides forward and backward 32,
33, idle pulleys 39 and 40, idle pulley 4
It is stretched between 3, 44 and the drive pulley 38.

The drive pulley 38 is driven by an auxiliary electric motor 47 attached to the frame main body 2. When the toothed belt 35 is driven in one direction and pulled by the auxiliary motor 47 or the drive pulley 38, the front and rear slides 32 and 33 are guided by the guide rod 29 and slide in either of the front and rear directions. By this, slide 3
The upper body part 27 attached to 2 and 33 and serving as a weight moves in the front-back direction.

The wheel-type moving body 1 having the above configuration
The operation of will be described below. When the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 of the wheel-type moving body 1 are in a neutral posture (the state shown in FIG. 1B) with respect to the main drive wheels 4, the left and right main drive wheels 4 are respectively driven by the left and right prime movers. The drive wheel 4 is driven, and the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 are driven to run by the front and rear idle rollers 20 and 21 by the driving force. Thus, the left and right main drive wheels 4 and the left and right front and rear steered wheels 6, 7 are driven, all six wheels are driven, and the wheeled vehicle 1 travels as six-wheel drive.

Since the driving force is transmitted to the main drive wheel 4 and the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 via the drum-shaped idle rollers 20 and 21, even if the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 are steered. If the steering angle is within the range of θ in FIG.
The driving force of the main drive wheel 4 is transmitted to the front and rear steered wheels without deviating from the curved peripheral surface 14 of the idle roller, and the wheel-type moving body 1 is driven while turning left or right.

However, the front and rear steered wheels 6, 7 have θ
Large angle steering exceeding the idle roller 20,
When the state of contact with the curved peripheral surface 24 of the 21 is released, the driving force of the main drive wheel 4 is not transmitted to the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7. In this case, while the front steered wheels 6 are steered to the left at a large angle, for example, and the rear steered wheels 7 are steered to the right,
When the left main drive wheel 4 is stopped and the right main drive wheel 4 is driven to rotate forward, the wheel-type moving body 1 can comfortably rotate at that location without moving forward. As a result, it is possible to make a turn in an extremely narrow and limited space.

In this case, without stopping the left main driving wheel 4, the left main motor 5 is operated at a low speed, the right main motor 5 is rotated forward, and the left front steering wheel 6 is shifted to the right. When the rear steering wheel 7 is steered to the rear, the wheeled vehicle 1 can turn to the left at a large angle while traveling forward.

When the wheel-type moving body 1 runs on a flat ground, it is apparent that the wheel-type moving body 1 has almost the same performance as the conventional wheel-type moving body. However, when traveling on flat ground, the vehicle is driven by all of the left and right main drive wheels 4 and the left and right front and rear steering wheels 6 and 7 via the front and rear idle rollers 20 and 21, so that the traveling stability is excellent. , The front and rear idle rollers 20,
There is a possibility that a slight decrease in energy efficiency may occur due to the use of the fuel cell 21.

In order to avoid this, an idle roller attaching / detaching mechanism is provided as an option, and when traveling on flat ground, the idle rollers 20 and 21 and / or the main driving wheel 4 and / or the front and rear steering wheels 6 and 7 are connected. Is disengaged so that no driving force is applied to the idle rollers 20 and 21, no driving force is generated between the front and rear steered wheels, but the transmission loss due to the idle rollers 20 and 21 is eliminated. The decline can be prevented.

As an example of such an idle roller attaching / detaching mechanism, as shown in FIG. 6, instead of directly pivoting the front and rear idle rollers 20 and 21 to the front and rear link rods 8 and 9 as in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. In addition, the base end of the front auxiliary link 48 (rear auxiliary link 49) is pivotally connected to the front link rod 8 (rear link rod 9), and the front idle roller 20 (rear idle roller 21) is Main drive wheel 4
6A and / or the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 can be brought into contact with each other as shown in FIG. 6A or removed as shown in FIG. 6B.

Next, the operation in which the wheel-type moving body 1 rises on the step D having a width approximately equal to the diameter of the steered wheels will be described. (1) First, the wheel-type moving body 1 is driven by six wheels in a neutral posture, travels on a flat surface, approaches the step D, and the front steered wheels 6 contact the vertical surface 51 of the step D (FIG. a)).

(2) Then, when the auxiliary motor 47 of the upper body moving device is operated to rotate the drive pulley 38 in the counterclockwise direction, the front-rear slide 3 is driven by the toothed belt 35.
2 and 33 are guided by the guide rod 29 and slide rearward. As a result, the upper body portion 27 mounted and attached to the front and rear slides 32 and 33 moves rearward, and shifts the center of gravity of the wheel-type moving body 1 rearward (FIG. 7B).

(3) Here, the main drive wheel 4 is rotated forward and the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7 are driven via the front and rear idle rollers 20 and 21.
To the front air cylinder 2
5 is operated to swing the front steered wheel 6 upward. When the front steered wheels 6 rise to the upper surface 52 of the step D,
The forward drive torque of the main drive wheel 4 and the rear steering wheel 7 causes the main drive wheel 4 to move forward until it hits the vertical surface 51 of the step (FIG. 8).
(A)).

(3) After the main drive wheel 4 comes into contact with the vertical surface 51 of the step D, the forward air cylinder 25 is applied with forward torque applied to the main drive wheel 4 and the front and rear steered wheels 6 and 7. Is operated to push down the front steered wheels 6 to push the wheel-type moving body 1 slightly while pressing the steered wheels 6 on the upper surface of the step, so that the front and rear steered wheels 6, 7 move forward by the forward torque. The main drive wheel 4 is lifted along the vertical surface 51 of the step D and pressed against the vertical surface 51, and the forward drive torque allows the main drive wheel 4 to climb the step D (FIG. 8B). .

(4) In this state, when the main drive wheel 4 reaches the upper surface 52 of the step D, the rear steering wheel 7 moves forward by the forward torque of the six wheels until it hits the vertical surface 51 of the step D.
Then, the drive pulley 38 of the upper body moving device 28 is rotated clockwise, contrary to the above, to move the upper body 27 forward and move the center of gravity forward (see FIG. 8B).

Then, while applying forward torque to the main drive wheels 4 and the front steered wheels 6, the rear air cylinder 26 is operated to swing the rear steered wheels 7 to the neutral position (FIG. 9).
(A)). Further, when the rear steering wheel 7 reaches the upper surface 52 of the step D by advancing to the main drive wheel 4 and the front steering wheel 6 by the forward torque, the wheel-type moving body 1 can climb up the step D (FIG. 9B). )).

When the vehicle descends the step D, similarly, the rotation of the main drive wheel 4 and the front and rear steering wheels 6 and 7 and the swinging of the front and rear steering wheels 6 and 7 by the front and rear air cylinders 25 and 26 are performed. The step can be stably descended by operating the three members, that is, pressing down and moving the center of gravity of the upper body portion 27 forward and backward as appropriate.

Although the wheel-type moving body according to the present invention has been described in the embodiment of the wheel-type moving body driven by six wheels, the main driving wheel in the wheel-type moving body according to the present invention is connected to the main driving wheel via the idle roller. The configuration in which the left and right steering wheels are steered by driving the vehicle by arranging the drum-shaped steering wheels does not necessarily have to have the steering wheels on both the front and rear sides of the six-wheeled vehicle, and may be one of the front and rear wheels. Even if it is not a six-wheeled vehicle, for example, in a four-wheeled vehicle, it is sufficient if the main drive wheel and either the front steered wheel or the rear steered wheel are configured to be transmitted through the hourglass roller. Further, from the viewpoint of power transmission, even a six-wheeled vehicle does not necessarily have to have both front and rear idle rollers, and may have any of the front and rear idle rollers.

In order to move up and down the step, the rear steered wheels are not necessarily required. The front steered wheels and the main drive wheels, which can be swung up and down by an air cylinder, are provided via idle rollers, and the upper body is moved. A configuration in which the center of gravity can be moved back and forth by the device may be used. With such a configuration, three rotations of the main drive wheel 4 and the front steered wheels 6, swinging and pushing down of the front steered wheels 6 by the front air cylinder 25, and moving the center of gravity of the upper body portion 27 forward and backward are appropriately combined. By performing the operation, the step can be stably moved up and down.

The wheel-type moving body according to the present invention has been described based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various embodiments can be considered within the scope of the claims. Needless to say,

[0071]

As described above, the wheel-type moving body according to the present invention can exhibit sufficient traveling performance on a flat ground, equivalent to a conventional wheel-type moving body, and has a sharp angle. Excellent steering performance including direction change and turning movement in place can be exhibited.

The wheel-type moving body according to the present invention comprises:
Even if there is a step, it can be stably moved up and down, and can run stably even on uneven terrain with unevenness.

Further, in the basic configuration of the wheel type moving body according to the present invention, the front and rear steered wheels are disposed before and after the main drive wheels via idle rollers, and the front and rear steered wheels are moved up and down with respect to the main drive wheels. Because it is a very simple structure that makes it possible,
It can be applied to a very wide range of applications such as robot vehicles, automatic guided vehicles, wheelchairs, agricultural machines, construction machines, leisure vehicles, and the like at low cost in severe rough terrain conditions as well as ordinary traveling road environments.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an entire embodiment of a wheel-type moving body according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a main part of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relational configuration between a main drive wheel 4, front and rear steering wheels, and front and rear idle rollers.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a modified example of the front and rear steering mechanisms and a modified example of the mounting portion of the main drive wheel, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an upper body moving device of the wheel-type moving body of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a detachable mechanism that is optionally attached to the wheel-type moving body.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an operation of climbing a step by the wheel-type moving body in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an operation of climbing a step by the wheel-type moving body in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an operation of climbing a step by the wheel-type moving body in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a conventional wheel-type moving body.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another conventional wheel-type moving body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wheel type moving body 2 Main body frame 3 Main drive wheel attachment part 4 Main drive wheel 5 Main motor 6 Front steering wheel 7 Rear steering wheel 8 Front link rod 9 Rear link rod 20 Front idle roller 21 Rear idle roller 24 Curved peripheral surface Reference Signs List 25 front air cylinder 26 rear air cylinder 27 upper body 29 guide rod 32 front slide 33 rear slide 35 toothed belt 38 drive pulley 47 auxiliary motor 51 vertical surface of step 52 upper surface of step D step

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A main body frame, left and right main drive wheels attached to a central portion of the main body frame, and left and right front wheels disposed in front and rear of the left and right main drive wheels for steering in a traveling direction. A steering wheel and a rear steering wheel, the main drive wheel, and left and right front idle rollers and a rear idle roller respectively interposed between the left and right front steering wheels and the rear steering wheel; The roller and the rear idle roller are formed in a drum shape having a curved peripheral surface, and the front steering wheel and the rear steering wheel abut or abut on the curved peripheral surface of the front idle roller and the rear idle roller. Wheel type, wherein the rotational driving force of the main drive wheel is transmitted or not transmitted to the front steered wheels and the rear steered wheels in a state where the main drive wheels are not driven. Moving object. 2. The front and rear independent left and right lifting mechanisms for raising and lowering the front steered wheels and the rear steered wheels in contact with the front idle roller and the rear idle roller, and pressing the same downward. The wheel-type moving body according to claim 1, further comprising a lifting mechanism. 3. The front elevating mechanism and the rear elevating mechanism have a base end pivotally attached to a main shaft portion of the main drive wheel or a mounting portion of the main drive wheel, and a front end portion of the front steerable wheel and a rear end thereof. Right and left front link rods and rear link rods, in which the steered wheels are mounted so as to steer in the traveling direction, and the front idle roller and the rear idle roller are mounted at an intermediate portion thereof, the front link rod and the rear. The wheel-type moving body according to claim 2, further comprising a front extension mechanism and a rear extension mechanism that rotate the link rod. 4. The front idle roller and the rear idle roller are attached to the front link rod and the rear link rod via a front auxiliary link and a rear auxiliary link, respectively. Operable detachable drive means, which are operated by the detachable drive means to cause the front idle roller and the rear idle roller to contact the main drive wheel and / or the front idle roller and / or the rear idle roller. 4. The wheel-type moving body according to claim 3, wherein a detachable operation of contacting and detaching is possible. 5. The left front steering wheel and the rear steering wheel are controlled by the corresponding left front and rear steering driving force generating mechanisms at the same angle and in different directions, respectively, or one left steering drive is provided. The right front steering wheel and the rear steering wheel are controlled by the corresponding right front and rear steering driving force generation mechanisms at the same angle and in different directions, respectively, or are controlled by a single right steering wheel. 5. The wheel-type moving body according to claim 1, wherein the wheel-type moving body is configured to be controlled by a steering driving force generating mechanism. 6. A main body frame, left and right main drive wheels attached to a central portion of the main body frame, and left and right front wheels disposed in front of or behind the left and right main drive wheels for steering in a traveling direction. In a wheeled vehicle that is a four-wheeled vehicle or a six-wheeled vehicle including a steered wheel or a rear steered wheel, a left and right front idle interposed between the main drive wheel and the front steered wheel or the rear steered wheel. A roller or a rear idle roller, wherein the front idle roller or the rear idle roller is formed in a drum shape having a curved peripheral surface, and the front steering wheel or the rear steering wheel is the front idle roller or the rear. When the idle roller is in contact with or not in contact with the curved peripheral surface, the rotational driving force of the main drive wheel is transmitted or not transmitted to the front steering wheel or the rear steering wheel. Wheel type moving body, which is a to become configured. 7. An upper body moving mechanism for moving the upper body relative to the main body frame to move the center of gravity of the wheel-type moving body. The wheel-type moving body according to 5 or 6.