US-12623337-B2 - Automated conveyance system

US12623337B2US 12623337 B2US12623337 B2US 12623337B2US-12623337-B2

Abstract

An automated conveyance system that enables an autonomous mobile robot having a width larger than a distance between the legs of a load carrier to enter under the load carrier is provided. The automated conveyance system is an automated conveyance system for conveying a load carrier by an autonomous mobile robot entering below the load carrier, in which the load carrier includes a plurality of leg parts on sides of a bottom surface thereof, and at least one of the plurality of leg parts includes a U-shaped member, and the U-shaped member is disposed so that two end parts of the U-shaped member on an opening side thereof are arranged in a vertical direction.

Inventors

Yuta ITOZAWA
Kunihiro Iwamoto
Hirotaka KOMURA

Assignees

TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230215
Priority Date: 20220314

Claims (10)

1 . An automated conveyance system comprising: a load carrier; and an autonomous mobile robot configured to convey the load carrier by entering below the load carrier, wherein the load carrier comprises a plurality of leg parts on sides of a bottom thereof, at least one of the plurality of leg parts comprising a U-shaped member and the U-shaped member being disposed with two end parts of the U-shaped member on an opening side thereof arranged in a vertical direction; and the autonomous mobile robot comprises a main body and a plate disposed above the main body; and the autonomous mobile robot is configured to convey the load carrier via contact of the plate with the plurality of leg parts.
2 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one leg part comprising the U-shaped member comprises two leg parts and each leg part of the two leg parts is provided on respective sides of the bottom surface of the load carrier.
3 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 2 , wherein the two U-shaped members of the two leg parts are provided on the respective sides of the bottom surface of the load carrier and open in the same direction.
4 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 3 , wherein the autonomous mobile robot comprises: a plurality of wheels provided below an end part of the plate, and wherein the plate is configured to be inserted into the two U-shaped members.
5 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 2 , wherein the two U-shaped members of the two leg parts are respectively provided on the respective sides of the bottom surface of the load carrier and open in directions opposite to each other.
6 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 1 , wherein the leg part comprising the U-shaped member is provided on one side of the bottom surface of the load carrier and a leg part of the plurality of leg parts comprising a ring-shaped member is provided on the other side of the bottom surface of the load carrier.
7 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is configured to be inserted into the U-shaped member, and a sensor provided at an end part of the plate.
8 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 1 , wherein the autonomous mobile robot comprises: a second plate vertically disposed at an end of the plate, and wherein the plate is configured to be inserted into the U-shaped member.
9 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is configured to move in the vertical direction with respect to the main body.
10 . The automated conveyance system according to claim 1 , wherein the plate is configured to be inserted into the U-shaped member, and the autonomous mobile robot is configured to convey the load carrier via contact of the plate with the U-shaped member.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese patent application No. 2022-039113, filed on Mar. 14, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. BACKGROUND The present disclosure relates to an automated conveyance system, and, in particular, to conveyance performed by an autonomous mobile robot. In recent years, a technology for conveying an object by using an autonomous mobile robot in a factory or a warehouse has been developed. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-148871 discloses a technique in which an AGV including an external sensor for sensing the surrounding space and acquiring sensor data enters under a load carrier and conveys it. SUMMARY In general, as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2019-148871, when a robot enters under a load carrier in order to convey it, it is necessary to use a robot having a width smaller than a distance between the legs of the load carrier. The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described circumstances and an object thereof is to provide an automated conveyance system that enables an autonomous mobile robot having a width larger than a distance between the legs of a load carrier to enter under the load carrier. A first exemplary aspect for achieving the above-described object is an automated conveyance system for conveying a load carrier by an autonomous mobile robot entering below the load carrier, in which the load carrier includes a plurality of leg parts on sides of a bottom surface thereof, and at least one of the plurality of leg parts includes a U-shaped member, and the U-shaped member is disposed so that two end parts of the U-shaped member on an opening side thereof are arranged in a vertical direction. According to this automated conveyance system, since the U-shaped member is provided in the load carrier, it is possible to make the autonomous mobile robot having a width larger than a distance between the legs of the load carrier enter under the load carrier. Therefore, the flexibility in selecting a robot to be used is increased. In the above-described aspect, the leg part comprising the U-shaped member may be provided on each of two of the sides of the bottom surface of the load carrier. By the above structure, since the autonomous mobile robot can protrude from two sides of the load carrier, it is possible to make the autonomous mobile robot having a larger width enter under the load carrier. In the above-described aspect, the two U-shaped members may be respectively provided on the two sides of the bottom surface of the load carrier so that they open in the same direction. By the above structure, since the two U-shaped members are open in the same direction, this autonomous mobile robot can more easily enter under the load carrier than an autonomous mobile robot in which the two U-shaped members are not open in the same direction can. In the above-described aspect, the two U-shaped members may be respectively provided on the two sides of the bottom surface of the load carrier so that they open in directions opposite to each other. By the above structure, the autonomous mobile robot can enter under the load carrier from two directions. In the above-described aspect, the leg part including the U-shaped member may be provided on one side of the bottom surface of the load carrier and the leg part including a ring-shaped member may be provided on the other side of the bottom surface of the load carrier. By the above structure, since the autonomous mobile robot can protrude from two sides of the load carrier, it is possible to make the autonomous mobile robot having a larger width enter under the load carrier. In the above-described aspect, the autonomous mobile robot may include a plate to be inserted into the U-shaped member, and a sensor may be provided in an end part of the plate. By the above structure, the sensor can be positioned outside the load carrier. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a blind spot of the sensor from being generated by the load carrier. In the above-described aspect, the autonomous mobile robot may include a first plate to be inserted into the U-shaped member and a second plate that is vertically disposed at an end of the first plate. By the above structure, the sensor can be provided in the second plate. Therefore, it is possible to provide the sensor at a high position so that a wide area can be detected. In the above-described aspect, the autonomous mobile robot may include a plate to be inserted into the U-shaped member, and wheels of the autonomous mobile robot may be provided below an end part of the plate. By the above structure, when the plate of the autonomous mobile robot is inserted into the U-shaped member, the wheels of the autonomous mobile robot can be positioned outside the U-shaped member. Therefore, it is possible to