AUTOMATED GUIDED VEHICLE

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automated guided vehicle (1) having a frame (10) designed to receive a material handling accessory (3). The automated guided vehicle (1) is characterized by at least one displacement element (14) which is designed to be moved in and out in at least one horizontal direction (Y) relative to the frame (10) at least to one side beyond the external dimensions of said frame, wherein the displacement element (14) is further designed to carry the material handling accessory (3) along with it.

Claims

1. Automated guided vehicle having a frame designed to receive a material handling accessory, characterized by at least one displacement element which is designed to be moved in and out in at least one horizontal direction relative to the frame at least to one side beyond the external dimensions of said frame, the displacement element being further designed to carry the material handling accessory along with it.

2. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement element is designed to be moved in and out in at least one horizontal direction relative to the frame on both sides beyond the external dimensions of said frame.

3. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the frame is designed to receive the material handling accessory in the vertical direction at least essentially, preferably completely, onto itself.

4. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement element is arranged in the vertical direction on top of the frame and below the received material handling accessory.

5. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement element is designed to automatically connect to the material handling accessory and to detach itself automatically from the material handling accessory.

6. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement element has at least one gripper element which is designed to grip the material handling accessory.

7. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the displacement element has at least one drive element which is designed to move the gripper element in the horizontal direction relative to the displacement element at least on one side, preferably on both sides.

8. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the drive element is an endless closed drive element which is guided essentially in the horizontal direction around at least one drive and around at least one deflection element.

9. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that the endless closed drive element is a drive belt, a drive chain or a drive band.

10. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that the gripper element has two gripper half-elements which are arranged on the endless closed drive element in order to be opened by the deflection of the endless closed drive element on the drive and/or on the deflection element and closed by the movement between the drive and the deflection element.

11. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 7, characterized in that the gripper element is designed to be moved laterally by the drive element relative to the displacement element.

12. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the displacement element has at least one pair of gripper elements, which are designed to jointly grip the material handling accessory, the two gripper elements being arranged perpendicular to the horizontal direction of outward/inward movement spaced apart from one another.

13. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the displacement element has at least one pair of gripper elements, which are designed to jointly grip the material handling accessory, the two gripper elements being arranged spaced apart from one another in the horizontal direction of the outward/inward movement.

14. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 13, characterized in that the two gripper elements on a common drive element are arranged spaced as far apart from one another as two corresponding grip elements of the material handling accessory are arranged spaced apart from one another in the horizontal direction.

15. The automated guided vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that the frame has at least one roller conveyor, preferably at least one pair of roller conveyors, which is designed to receive the material handling accessory by rolling.

Description

[0056] An embodiment and further advantages of the invention are explained below in connection with the following figures, in which:

[0057] FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic representation of an automated guided vehicle according to the invention;

[0058] FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention laterally next to a workstation with extended displacement element and open gripper elements for a front engagement;

[0059] FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic detailed view of an open gripper element of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention;

[0060] FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic representation of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention with open gripper elements in front engagement;

[0061] FIG. 5 is a perspective schematic detailed view of a closed gripper element of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention;

[0062] FIG. 6 is a perspective schematic representation of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention with moving gripper elements;

[0063] FIG. 7 is a perspective schematic representation of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention with a picked-up material handling accessory;

[0064] FIG. 8 is a perspective schematic representation of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention with retracted displacement element; and

[0065] FIG. 9 is a perspective schematic representation of the automated guided vehicle according to the invention when being removed from the workstation.

[0066] The above figures are viewed in Cartesian coordinates. A longitudinal direction X is shown, which may also be referred to as the depth X or the length X. A transverse direction Y, which may also be referred to as the width Y, extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X. A vertical direction Z, which may also be referred to as the height Z, extends perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction X and the transverse direction Y.

[0067] FIG. 1 shows a perspective schematic illustration of an automated guided vehicle 1 according to the invention, which can be referred to as AGV 1 for short. The AGV 1 has a frame 10, which may also be referred to as a framework 10. The frame 10 is designed to be essentially rectangular and significantly flatter in the vertical direction Z than it is wide in the transverse direction Y and long in the longitudinal direction X. At two opposite corners of the frame 10, a laser scanner is arranged (shown, not labeled) which is used for optical detection of the surroundings.

[0068] Inside or below the frame 10, in addition to a control unit (not shown) and electrical power supply (not shown), a plurality of omnidirectional drives (not shown) are also provided which can move the AGV 1 horizontally on a surface (not shown) in all directions. As a result, the AGV 1 can be moved back and forth in a direction of travel A, which can be viewed as the preferred direction of movement and corresponds to the longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, the AGV 1 can be moved in a positioning direction B, which corresponds to the transverse direction Y, in both directions.

[0069] On the frame 10, two roller conveyors 11 are arranged on top in the vertical direction Z, which run parallel to one another, extend in the transverse direction Y over the entire width of the frame 10 and are arranged on the edge in the longitudinal direction X. A displacement element 14 is arranged centrally in the longitudinal direction X and likewise extends in the transverse direction Y and will be explained in more detail below. In the longitudinal direction X between the roller conveyors 11 and the displacement element 14, the upper side of the frame 10 in each case has a receiver 12 which is formed by a free space. Instead, further roller conveyors 11 can also be arranged in this region.

[0070] The previously mentioned displacement element 14 is movably connected in the transverse direction Y to a displacement element guide 13 by means of rails (not shown). The displacement element guide 13 itself is fixedly arranged on the upper side of the frame 10 and extends in the transverse direction Y as far as the corresponding outer edge of the frame 10. Compared to the displacement element guide 13, the displacement element 14 can be moved to both sides in the transverse direction Y by means of an electric drive (not shown), so that the displacement element 14 can protrude in the transverse direction Y over the corresponding outer lateral edge of the frame 10 as the external dimensions of said frame; see, for example FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 7. In this way, the displacement element 14 can be moved out and in on both sides relative to the frame 10 in the transverse direction Y.

[0071] The displacement element 14 has a plurality of gripper elements 18, each of which has two gripper half-elements 18a. The displacement element 14 can therefore also be referred to as a gripper slide 14 or as a gripping table 14, and the displacement element guide 13 can also be referred to as a gripper guide 13. The gripper half-elements 18a are each formed essentially in the shape of a semicircle and each have a recess oriented towards one another. The two recesses in the gripper half-elements 18a together form a recess in the gripper element 18; see, for example, FIGS. 3 and 5. The two respective gripper half-elements 18a can be unfolded opposite one another and the gripper element 18 can thereby be opened; see, for example, FIGS. 2 to 4. The gripper element 18 can be closed by folding the two gripper elements 18a; see, for example, FIGS. 1 and 5 to 9.

[0072] The gripper elements 18 are each arranged in pairs on an endless closed drive element 17, which can be a drive belt 17, a drive chain 17 or a drive band 17. In the embodiment under consideration, two drive chains 17 can be used which run parallel to one another essentially in the transverse direction Y over the entire extent of the displacement element 14. The drive chains 17 are each guided around two deflection elements 16 in the form of deflection rollers 16, which are each provided with teeth or the like for engaging the chain elements of the drive chains 17. Both drive chains 17 can each be driven by means of a drive 15 in the form of a drive roller 15 and are also provided with teeth or the like. The drive rollers 15 are arranged approximately centrally in the transverse direction Y and set back from the lateral edge of the displacement element 14 in the longitudinal direction X, so that the two drive chains 17 have a slightly triangular course. The two drive rollers 15 can be driven synchronously via a common gear unit (not shown) by means of a common electric drive (not shown), so that the gripper elements 18 of the two drive chains 17 can be moved in the same direction of movement E and positioned identically.

[0073] The total of four deflection rollers 16 are arranged at the four corners of the displacement element 14, so that the two drive chains 17 run in the transverse direction Y over almost the entire extent of the displacement element 14 in the transverse direction Y along the edge. The four deflection rollers 16 and the two drive rollers 15 are each aligned in the vertical direction Z, i.e. the axes of rotation of the deflection rollers 16 and drive rollers 15 coincide with the vertical direction Z. In the vertical direction Z from above, the deflection rollers 16, the drive rollers 15 and the drive chains 17 are covered by a cover (not shown) which is fixedly connected to the displacement element 14. In this way, these elements 15-17 can be protected from soiling, damage, etc. Likewise, people can be protected from these movable elements 15-17.

[0074] Thus, the gripper elements 18 can, depending on their positioning by the movement of the corresponding drive chain 17, be positioned partially to completely outstandingly within the external dimensions of the displacement element 14 and thus below the cover or outside the external dimensions of the displacement element 14 and thus beyond the external dimensions of the displacement element 14; see, for example, FIGS. 7 to 9. With appropriate positioning, one gripper element 18 of each drive chain 17 can also be arranged inside and the other gripper element 18 outside the external dimensions of the displacement element 14; see, for example, FIGS. 1 to 6.

[0075] By means of a gripper element 18 of each drive chain 17, a material handling accessory 3 located at a workstation 2, which can also be referred to as a loading aid 3 or load carrier 3, can be gripped and by moving the gripper element 18 in a direction of movement E in the vertical direction Z can be pulled over the displacement element 14. When this movement is completed, the other gripper element 18 can likewise grip the load carrier 3 and thereby improve the hold of the load carrier 3. If the load carrier 3 is completely picked up on the displacement element 14, the displacement element 14 can be completely retracted over the frame 10 with one movement in a retraction direction D in order to pick up and transport the load carrier 3 within the external dimensions of the frame 10; see, for example FIGS. 8 and 9. All movements of the load carrier 3 relative to the frame 10 can be supported by its roller conveyors 11 as soon as the load carrier 3 comes into contact with its frame 30 or framework 30 with the outermost roller of the roller conveyors 11 facing said frame.

[0076] In this way, a load carrier 3 can be transported by the AGV 1 according to the invention to a workstation 2 and automatically transferred to this workstation 2 by performing the steps described above in reverse order. As described above, a load carrier 3 can also be picked up from a workstation 2 by means of an AGV 1 according to the invention. The load carriers 3 can in each case be empty or have parts, depending on the application.

[0077] In any case, according to the invention active cooperation of the workstation 2 is not necessary for this, so that corresponding active means such as drives, grippers and the like are not required by the workstation 2 and can be spared. In particular, a workstation 2 which was previously supplied with load carriers 3 by a person does not have to be changed in order to transfer this task to an AGV 1 according to the invention. Only passive means such as roller conveyors 21 can be helpful on the workstation 2 end; however, these can also be used when the workstation 2 is manually supplied with load carriers 3 and thus are already present.

[0078] As a method, an AGV 1 according to the invention can thus automatically travel to a workstation 2 in a direction of travel A, which, because of the omnidirectional drives, can be directed both back and forth in the longitudinal direction X and come to a stop aligned parallel to its roller conveyors 21. The AGV 1 can then approach the workstation 2 in one of the two positioning directions B in the transverse direction Y, so that the distance can be reduced enough to be able to grasp and pick up a load carrier 3 picked up by the workstation 2 according to the invention, cf., for example FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0079] In this position of the AGV 1, the displacement element 14 is now extended in the transverse direction Y in an extension direction C towards the load carrier 3. The two drive chains 17 have previously been driven and positioned in one of the two directions of movement E in such a way that in each case one gripper element 18 is positioned on the deflection roller 16 facing the workstation 2 in such a way that a gripper half-element 18a is sufficiently folded away in the longitudinal direction X from the associated other gripper half-element 18a to open the gripper element 18; see, for example, FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0080] If the displacement element 14 with the two open gripper elements 18 facing the workstation 2 is now extended further in the extension direction C of the transverse direction Y to the workstation 2 (see, for example, FIG. 2), two grip elements 30a of the frame 30 of the load carrier 3 go into the corresponding recess that is formed in each case by two open gripper half-elements 18a; see FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0081] The two drive chains 17 can now be moved in the direction of movement E in such a way that the previously described gripper element 18 moves laterally along the outside of the displacement element 14 towards the AGV 1. As a result, the particular grip element 30a of the load carrier 3, which can also be referred to as the vertical part 30a of the frame 30 or as the support element 30a of the frame 30, is in each case grasped from behind by a gripper half-element 18a and moved towards the frame 10 by its movement. The corresponding gripper element 18 closes as soon as the gripper element 18 has been moved beyond the deflection roller 16, whereby the corresponding grip element 30a of the load carrier 3 is enclosed on both sides by the gripper half-elements 18a of a gripper element 18; see, for example FIG. 5. The movement of the load carrier 3 is passively supported by the roller conveyors 21 of the frame 20 or framework 20 of the workstation 2.

[0082] In this constellation, in the course of the movement of the two drive chains 17 in the direction of movement E, the load carrier 3 is pulled towards the AGV 1 and, as soon as the distance in the transverse direction Y between the AGV 1 and the workstation 2 has been covered, its frame 10 also comes into contact with the roller conveyors 11 of the AGV 1, which from now on can passively support the further movement of the load carrier 3 towards the AGV 1 or onto the AGV 1.

[0083] The movement of the two drive chains 17 in the direction of movement E of the load carriers 3 towards the AGV 1 is continued until the further gripper element 18 has also come into engagement with the respective further grip element 30a of the load carrier 3. In this state, the load carrier 3 is completely received onto the displacement element 14 and is held approximately at the four corners of the displacement element 14; see FIG. 7. The displacement element 14 is then retracted in the direction of entry D towards the AGV 1, so that the displacement element 14 including the load carrier 3 that has been picked up is located within the external dimensions of the AGV 1 or its frame 10; see, for example, FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0084] The automatically loaded AGV 1 can now be moved away from the workstation 2 in the opposite positioning direction B in the transverse direction Y in order to get free from it; see FIG. 9. The AGV 1 can then move away from the workstation 2 in one of the two directions of travel A in order to transport the load carrier 3 to a destination. There, the picked-up load carrier 3 can be automatically deposited again in a manner analogous to the previously described manner. This can be done in the transverse direction Y on both sides.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS (PART OF THE DESCRIPTION)

[0085] A directions of travel of the automated guided vehicle 1 [0086] B positioning directions of the automated guided vehicle 1 [0087] C outward movement direction of the displacement element 14 [0088] D inward movement direction of the displacement element 14 [0089] E movement directions of the drive belts 17 or gripper elements 18 [0090] X longitudinal direction; depth; length [0091] Y transverse direction; width [0092] Z vertical direction; height [0093] 1 automated guided vehicle; AGV [0094] 10 frame; framework [0095] 11 roller conveyors [0096] 12 receivers [0097] 13 displacement element guide; gripper guide [0098] 14 displacement element; gripper slide; gripping table [0099] 15 drives; drive rollers [0100] 16 deflection elements; deflection rollers [0101] 17 (endless closed) drive elements; drive belts; drive chains; drive bands [0102] 18 gripper element [0103] 18a gripper half-elements [0104] 2 workstation [0105] 20 frame; framework [0106] 21 roller conveyors [0107] 3 material handling accessory; loading aid; load carrier [0108] 30 frame; framework [0109] 30a grip element, vertical part or support element of the frame 30