JP4209406B2 - Track system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a traffic system for a track-type vehicle that travels on a predetermined track by, for example, rubber tire-type traveling wheels.

  Unlike a railway vehicle that travels on rails, a vehicle with a new transportation system that travels by supporting the vehicle body with rubber tires and rotating it usually turns the rubber tires that are traveling wheels along a predetermined track. In order to achieve this, a steering guide wheel is provided, and the vehicle is mechanically steered and traveled by contacting this guide wheel with a guide rail provided along the track.

For example, in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-146204), the amount of protrusion from the vehicle body can be easily achieved by attaching a guide wheel provided at the tip of a guide arm protruding on both sides of the vehicle body to an eccentric shaft. A guide rail vehicle trolley is disclosed which is adjustable and thereby steers the vehicle body.
In Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-104198), a gap is provided between the guide wheel on the rear side in the traveling direction of the vehicle and the guide surface of the track, and the turning motion of the vehicle is allowed within this gap. The structure made to do is disclosed.

However, such a mechanical guide mechanism is excellent in safety and reliability. However, the structure of the carriage in which the wheels and the drive mechanism are installed in the vehicle is complicated, and the mass and running cost are increased. It is necessary to install guide rails having sufficient strength to support the wheels over the entire line with high accuracy, and there is a drawback that the construction cost of the track becomes enormous.
Therefore, in order to eliminate such drawbacks, a vehicle steering system that does not particularly require a guide rail or the like for steering has been proposed (Patent Document 3).

  The steering system disclosed in Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-251544) lays a plurality of ground elements that store and transmit information necessary for driving the vehicle over the entire length of the track on which the vehicle travels. In addition, when the vehicle travels, a control device provided in the vehicle sequentially issues a steering command based on information transmitted from each ground element, and a steering device provided in the vehicle according to the steering command is provided. Since the steering is performed, a guide rail for steering is not required, construction costs and maintenance costs can be reduced, and generated vibrations and noises can be reduced.

  The steering system disclosed in Patent Document 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 24 is a configuration diagram of the steering system, in which FIG. 24A is a side view, FIG. 24B is a front view, and FIG. 25 is a plan view showing a steering device. 24 and 25, a vehicle 03 is a vehicle of a new transportation system, and travels along a track 01. The vehicles 03 are supported by rubber tires 05 attached to a carriage 04 provided through air springs on the front and rear sides, traveled by a drive motor 06 by rotational drive, and steered by an actuator 07.

  The steering system includes a ground unit 02, a transmitter 08, a receiver 09, a control device 010, and a steering device 020, and steers the vehicle 03 by turning the rubber tire 05. The ground elements 02 are non-powered ground elements that are laid along the orbit 01 over the entire length at predetermined intervals along the orbit 01, and each has unique information. Such unique information includes the identification number and position information, trajectory information, and control information of each ground element 02.

The position information (point information) is information related to the position of the ground element 02 such as absolute position coordinates and a distance from the reference point. Further, trajectory information indicating the conditions of the trajectory 01 such as the gradient, curvature, cant, and branching at the point of the ground element 02 is set in the ground element 02 as the unique information as necessary.
The ground unit 02 has no power supply, but is configured to emit a set operation information signal when it is supplied with electric power. The ground unit 02 is configured by an electronic circuit including a ROM that stores driving information, for example.

  The transmitter 08 is a device that supplies power to the ground unit 02 by radio waves, and the receiver 09 is a device that receives operating information emitted from the ground unit 02 that has been supplied with power. The control device 010 is a device that performs predetermined data processing based on the driving information received by the receiver 09 and transmits a speed command and a steering command to the drive motor 06 and the actuator 07.

  The steering device 020 is a device for turning the rubber tire 05 including the actuator 07 that operates according to the steering command, and is connected to the tip of the arm 011 and the arm 011 that are rotatably attached to the carriage 04 by a pin 012 at one end thereof. The electric, hydraulic or pneumatic actuator 07, the connecting rod 059, the levers 056a and 056b for the left and right rubber tires 05, and tie rods 057 for connecting them.

In such a device, when the actuator 07 moves in accordance with the steering command from the control device 010, the arm 011 rotates around the pin 012 accordingly, and the levers 056a and 056b are connected via the connecting rod 059 and the tie rod 05 by the movement. The rubber tire 05 is turned to the left and right.
This steering system performs the steering of the amount of shoe 03 based on the driving information stored in the ground element 02 without using the guide rail or the like. Costs can be greatly reduced, and no guide wheels are used, so these consumable parts are not required, maintenance costs can be reduced, and there is no contact between the guide wheels and guide rails, reducing vibration and noise, etc. Has advantages.

JP 2003-146204 A JP 2003-104198 A JP 2002-251544 A

However, since the steering system disclosed in Patent Document 3 does not use a mechanical steering method using guide wheels, guide rails, or the like, an emergency of environmental disturbance such as wind, rain, snow, etc. occurs when the steering system fails. It is sometimes necessary to ensure safety against vehicle runaway and derailment. In addition, a change in the friction coefficient of the track surface, the number of passengers, tire wear, etc. due to changes in environmental disturbances will cause a shift in the running position of the vehicle on the track, so safe, high speed and efficient driving Therefore, it is necessary to correct such a deviation.
Therefore, in a track-type traffic system that automatically travels on a predetermined track without using a mechanical steering method using guide wheels, guide rails, etc., ensuring safety and The correction of misalignment is an important factor, but a system that achieves these with a simple and light-weight mechanism and enables high-speed and efficient operation is insufficient.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of such a background, and automatically travels on a predetermined track without using a mechanical steering method using guide wheels, guide rails, or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide a track-type traffic system that can achieve simplification of structure and weight reduction in a track-type traffic system, can reliably ensure safety, and enables efficient driving and high-speed driving. .

In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the invention according to claim 1 is a track-type transportation system for a vehicle that travels along a predetermined track, and a steering mechanism that automatically steers the front and rear wheels of the vehicle with an actuator, A protection track that is installed on or in the road surface along the running direction of the track and a lower portion of an axle installed at the front and rear of the vehicle that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction and supports its central portion in a freely rotatable manner. A protection arm that is provided at both front and rear ends of the protection arm and moves in a non-contact manner along the protection track, and the protection wheel is in the same steering direction as the front wheel or the rear wheel while the vehicle is running. An interlocking mechanism that is interlocked with the steering mechanism so as to face the direction of the vehicle, and a track information determining unit that determines a straight line portion, a curved portion, a branching portion, or the like from the vehicle position information. Therefore and control means for controlling the ON and OFF of the automatic steering command to the steering mechanism depending on the determined track information, the vehicle by contact of the protected trajectory of the protection ring when the automatic steering command is OFF This is characterized in that the vehicle is steered .

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the track information determining means determines whether the track is a straight portion, a curved portion, a branch portion, or the like from the own vehicle position information, and automatically applies to the steering mechanism according to the track information. Since the steering command can be controlled on and off , the track sections that require automatic steering are properly controlled, improving the safety and reliability of automatic steering and improving efficient driving and high-speed driving. enable.

  The invention according to claim 2 is the track-based traffic system according to claim 1, wherein when the track information determination unit determines that the track is a normal straight line portion or a curve portion, the track information determination unit follows a predetermined steering pattern. Automatic steering control is performed.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in particular, in the case of a track having a station portion, a straight portion having no branching portion or the like, or a curved portion of the track, the position of the traveling vehicle is not greatly changed. The automatic steering operation can be performed smoothly according to the steering pattern stored in the interior.

  The invention according to claim 3 is the track traffic system according to claim 2, wherein the control means controls the automatic steering when an abnormality occurs in the steering mechanism during the control of the automatic steering. And a fail-safe means for steering the vehicle with the protective wheel when the protective wheel comes into contact with the protective track.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in the steering mechanism during the automatic steering control, the automatic steering control is stopped by the fail-safe means, and the protective wheel comes into contact with the protective track so that the protective wheel Steer the vehicle. As a result, even when a failure occurs in the steering mechanism of the vehicle, the vehicle can be safely protected and passengers can be reliably carried, and safety and reliability can be ensured. Further, since fail safe can be achieved with an extremely simple mechanism, not only simplification and weight reduction of the vehicle but also simplification of ground facilities such as track facilities and reduction of infrastructure costs can be achieved.

Invention of Claim 4 is the track-type traffic system of Claim 1, Comprising: When the said control means judges that it is a station part or a branch part etc. or its front by the said track information judgment means The vehicle is provided with vehicle position correction means for correcting the vehicle position by stopping the steering of the automatic steering and forcibly positioning the protective wheel on the movement track formed by the protection track.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the track information is determined to be in front of the station portion or the branching portion, the steering of the steering mechanism is stopped by the vehicle correction means, and the protective track is formed as a protective track. The vehicle position is corrected by forcibly positioning the vehicle on the moving trajectory. Thus, the vehicle position can be corrected to the reference position on the track or a desired position. For example, it is possible to make corrections according to the distance from the platform of each station, or to correct the position for smooth movement at the branch point.

From invention of claim 5, a track-based transportation system according to claim 1, and a tie rod before Symbol steering mechanism for connecting the left and right wheels, and the actuator for imparting one steering force to the left and right wheels It is comprised, The said interlocking mechanism is comprised from the interlocking rod which connects the said protection arm and one of a right-and-left wheel, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the steering mechanism includes the tie rod that connects the left and right wheels and the actuator that applies a steering force to one of the left and right wheels. A so-called Ackermann link mechanism for acting on the wheel reliably and allowing the vehicle to turn smoothly can be configured. Furthermore, since the interlocking mechanism is composed of an interlocking rod that connects the protective arm and one of the left and right wheels, the interlocking mechanism can be simplified and reduced in weight.

The invention described in claim 6, a track-based transportation system according to claim 1, before Symbol steering mechanism, the left and right side tie rod for connecting the protective arm and the left and right wheels, respectively, the protective arm It is comprised from the said actuator to rotate.

  According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the steering mechanism is composed of the left and right side tie rods that connect the protection arm and the left and right wheels, respectively, and the actuator that rotates the protection arm. By eliminating the need for tie rods for connection, and also having the function of the interlocking mechanism in the side tie rods, further simplification and weight reduction of the steering mechanism and the interlocking mechanism can be achieved. Furthermore, since the actuator directly operates the protective arm, control delay and control error can be reduced, and more accurate control can be performed.

  A seventh aspect of the present invention is the track-based traffic system according to the sixth aspect, wherein the actuator is incorporated in a rotation support shaft portion of the protection arm.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, since the actuator is incorporated in the rotation support shaft portion of the protective arm, the device itself can be configured compactly, and the weight can be reduced and the steering accuracy can be improved. Can be improved.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the track-type traffic system according to claim 6, wherein the center of rotation of the protection arm is located at the center on the center axis of the left and right wheels, and from the center axis in plan view. The vertical distance H from the left and right side tie rods to the connection point with the protection arm is set longer than the vertical distance H ′ from the central axis to the connection point on the wheel side of the left and right side tie rods (H> H ′). It is characterized by doing.

  According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the rotation center of the protection arm is positioned at the center on the central axis of the left and right wheels, and the vertical axis from the central axis to the connection point between the side tie rod and the protection arm in plan view. By setting the distance H to be longer than the vertical distance H ′ from the central axis to the connection point between the side tie rod and the wheel side (H> H ′), a so-called Ackermann type steering mechanism is established, and the left and right wheels are steered. The angle is set appropriately and the turning function is secured.

  The invention according to claim 9 is the track-type traffic system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the protective track is made of U-shaped steel, and the protective wheels are formed on both side walls inside the U-shaped steel. It is arranged in a non-contact state, and two guard wheels are arranged in parallel on the left and right at each of the front and rear end portions of the protection arm.

  According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, since two protective wheels are arranged side by side in the U-shaped steel in a non-contact state on the side wall, the side on which the protective wheel contacts the side wall is determined and progressed. Since the rotation is always in the same direction if the direction is determined, the durability of the protective wheel can be improved.

  A tenth aspect of the present invention is the track-type traffic system according to the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the protective track is made of U-shaped steel, and the protective wheels are formed on both side walls inside the U-shaped steel. The protective wheels are arranged in a non-contact state, and two protective wheels are arranged on the left and right sides of the protective arm so as to be displaced in the front-rear direction.

  According to the invention described in claim 10, since the two protective wheels are arranged back and forth in the U-shaped steel in a non-contact state in the U-shaped steel in the non-contact state, and if the protective track width is constant, Since the diameter of the protective wheel disposed inside can be increased, the durability of the protective wheel can be further improved.

  The invention according to claim 11 is the track-type traffic system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the protection track is made of I-shaped steel, and the protection wheel and the protection are sandwiched between the I-shaped steel. Arms are arranged, the left and right protection arms are connected by a protection arm connecting rod, and the left and right protection arms operate in parallel.

  According to the invention described in claim 11, since the protective track uses I-type steel, the structure of the protective rail is simplified, the curved portion is easily bent, and the track is easily laid. Moreover, since the laying width of the protective rail can be narrowed, it is possible to lay it off the track center.

  A twelfth aspect of the present invention is the track-type traffic system according to the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the protective track is made of I-shaped steel, and protective wheels are arranged on the front and rear sides of the I-shaped steel. The front and rear protective wheels are connected by a protective wheel connecting rod, and the protective wheel connecting rods arranged at the front and rear are connected by the protective arm.

  According to the twelfth aspect of the present invention, since there is only one protective arm, the protective arm structure is simplified and the weight can be reduced.

  According to the present invention, in a track-type traffic system that automatically steers and travels on a predetermined track without using a mechanical steering method such as a guide wheel or a guide rail, the structure is simplified. It is possible to provide a track-type traffic system that can achieve weight reduction, reliably ensure safety, and enable efficient driving and high-speed driving.

  Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in this embodiment are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless otherwise specified, but are merely illustrative examples. Not too much.

  In the drawings to be referred to, FIG. 1 is an explanatory plan view showing a first embodiment of a track traffic system according to the present invention. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views taken along line AA shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram illustrating a modification of FIG. FIGS. 3A and 3B are structural views showing a mounting state of the protection wheel when the mechanism of FIG. 1 is implemented, wherein FIG. 3A is a plan view, FIG. 3B is a front view, and FIG. 3C is a side view. FIGS. 4A and 4B are structural views showing how the actuator is mounted in the implementation, where FIG. 4A is a plan view, FIG. 4B is a front view, and FIG. 4C is a side view. FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion B in FIG. FIG. 6 is a control system book diagram according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a control procedure in the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a control procedure performed in the vehicle position correcting means. FIG. 9 is an explanatory plan view showing a second embodiment of the track traffic system according to the present invention. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory plan view showing a third embodiment of the track traffic system according to the present invention. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. FIG. 13 is an explanatory plan view showing a fourth embodiment of the track traffic system according to the present invention. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD of FIG. FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing the movement of the steering mechanism in the third embodiment and the fourth embodiment, (a) is an explanatory view showing the movement of the Ackermann link mechanism, and (b), (c), ( d) It is explanatory drawing which shows the movement by the difference in the length of a protection arm. FIG. 16 is an explanatory plan view showing a fourth embodiment of the track-type traffic system according to the present invention. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along line EE in FIG. FIG. 18 is an explanatory plan view showing a sixth embodiment of the track transportation system according to the present invention. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along line FF in FIG. FIG. 20 is an explanatory plan view showing a seventh embodiment of the track traffic system according to the present invention. 21 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line GG in FIG. FIG. 22 is an explanatory plan view showing an eighth embodiment of the track traffic system according to the present invention. 23 is a cross-sectional view taken along line HH in FIG. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same element as the element demonstrated in the conventional apparatus (FIG. 24, FIG. 25), and description is abbreviate | omitted.

A first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 12 equipped with the track-based traffic system 10 travels along a track 01. A protective track 14 having a U-shaped cross-section is provided in a substantially central portion of the track 01 in a groove shape with respect to the road surface 15. The U-shaped protective track 14 is formed by laying U-shaped steel.
A front wheel bogie 16 and a rear wheel bogie (not shown) that support the vehicle 12 are provided in the lower part of the front and rear of the vehicle 12. An axle of a front wheel 18 is attached to the front wheel carriage 16 so as to be turnable in the left-right direction. Although not shown, the front wheel 18 is configured with a core-type rubber tire 20 attached thereto. Further, the axle of the rear wheel 22 is attached to the rear wheel carriage so as to be turnable in the left-right direction. As with the front wheel 18, the rear wheel 22 is also equipped with a core-type rubber tire 24.

Next, the steering mechanism 26 will be described focusing on the front wheel 18 side portion. The rear wheel 22 side has the same configuration.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a front steering arm 28 a connected to the left front wheel 18 a and extending forward and a rear steering arm 30 a extending rearward are provided. The right front wheel 18b is provided with a rear steering arm 30b extending rearward. Tie rods 32 are installed between rear end portions of the left and right rear steering arms 30a and 30b. The rear steering arms 30a and 30b and the tie rods 32 are rotatably joined by a spherical joint 34.

Further, the end of the movable rod 38 of the actuator 36 is joined to the front end of the front steering arm 28a by a spherical joint 34 so as to be rotatable. The actuator 36 is attached to the front wheel carriage 16. The specific structure of the actuator 36 is an electric motor and a ball screw structure, which will be described later, but may be any one that performs a translational movement, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic servo cylinder structure or a linear motor structure. .
The tie rod 32 and the rear steering arms 30a, 30b constitute a so-called Ackerman-Jant type link mechanism, and the turning angle of the left and right wheels during turning is appropriately controlled. Further, since the left front wheel 18a and the right front wheel 18b are interlocked by the tie rod 32, the left and right wheels are reliably steered.

  Next, the protection wheel 40 will be described. The protection wheel 40 has a cylindrical shape and is rotatably supported on the lower surface side of the front and rear end portions of the protection arm 42. The guard wheel 40 is inserted into the U-shaped guard track 14 and is disposed so that the peripheral surface thereof faces the side wall of the guard track 14. As the material of the protection wheel 40, it is desirable to use a material using a rubber belt having high vibration resistance and high wear resistance or a steel belt used for rubber tires.

Further, there is a gap between the protective wheel 40 and the side wall of the protective track 14 that is smaller than an allowable range in which the vehicle 12 should not be deflected further left and right from the track 01, and the steering mechanism 26 is normal. In the meantime, the guard wheel 40 is not in contact with the side wall of the guard track 14. Usually, the clearance between the protective wheel 40 and the protective track 14 is set to about 80 mm to 100 mm.
The protection arm 42 has a shape extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, and is attached to the lower portion of the axle 44 of the front wheel 18 so that the central portion thereof is rotatably supported.

  The height of the protection wheel 40 can be arranged above the road surface 15 as shown in FIG. 2 (a), or can be arranged below the road surface 15 as shown in FIG. 2 (b). It is also possible to do. As a result, it is possible to select a structure in accordance with the existing traveling track with respect to the replacement specification, and it is possible to respond more flexibly.

  The vicinity of the end portion of the protection arm 42 and the front end portion of the front steering arm 28a are connected by an interlocking rod 46, and the interlocking rod 46 and the protection arm 42 direct the protection wheel 40 in the same direction as the steering direction of the front wheel 18. It is configured as follows.

  The steering mechanism 26 includes an actuator 36, a movable rod 38, a front steering arm 28a, and rear steering arms 30a and 30b. The interlocking mechanism 48 includes a protective arm 42 and an interlocking rod 46.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a double spherical joint 50 is provided at the front end of the front steering arm 28a, and the double spherical joint 50 allows the end of the movable rod 38 of the actuator 36 and the interlocking rod. 46 is joined to the front end of the front steering arm 28a in a state where the end of 46 overlaps with the top and bottom. The upper spherical joint 52 is connected to the end of the movable rod 38 of the actuator 36, and the lower spherical joint 54 is connected to the end of the interlocking rod 46. By using such a double spherical joint 50, space can be used effectively.
In other words, the interlocking rod 46 and the actuator 36 are disposed on the left side of the vehicle 12 where the interlocking rod 46 and the actuator 36 are disposed, so that an effective space can be secured in the right side portion. Is also possible.
Further, by disposing the interlocking rod 46 and the actuator 36 on one side, the center positions of the vehicle 12 and the protection track 14 are shifted to the left and right even when the distance between the left and right wheels is short or the actuator 36 has a large size. It is easy to cope even if it becomes the composition.

The mounting state of the steering mechanism 26, the protective arm 42, and the actuator 36 to the front wheel carriage 16 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
An axle housing 60 in which a differential mechanism portion 56 to which a driving force from a driving motor (not shown) is input and an axle portion 58 that transmits the driving force to the left and right wheels is integrally formed is provided. Above the axle housing 60 is a carriage. A frame 62 is formed.

  The protection arm 42 is mounted with a support bracket 64 that is positioned at the center of the axle axis and that supports the lower part of the differential mechanism portion 56. The support bracket 64 is attached to the carriage frame 62 at the top, extends downward along the differential mechanism portion 56, and has a protection frame portion 66 for rotatably holding the protection arm 42 at the lower end portion. Have. In the protection frame portion 66, the support shaft has a both-end support structure so that the rotation support shaft of the protection arm 42 is sandwiched from above and below. Further, the protective frame portion 66 is formed with left and right vertical walls 68, 68, and has a function of regulating the rotation range of the protective arm 42.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the actuator 36 includes an electric motor 72, a clutch 74, a ball screw 76, and a limit guide 78 assembled on the lower surface portion of a frame 70 having a substantially L-shaped cross section. ing. The frame 70 in which these parts are assembled and unitized is attached to the carriage frame 62 with bolts. One end portion of the movable rod 38 of the actuator 36 is joined to the feed nut portion 80 of the ball screw 76, and the other end portion of the movable rod 38 is joined to the upper spherical joint portion 52 of the double spherical joint 50. It is connected to the arm 28a.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the end of the protection arm 42 and the lower spherical joint portion 54 of the double spherical joint 50 are connected by an interlocking rod 46 and connected to the front steering arm 28a. A tie rod 32 is joined to the rear end of the rear steering arm 30a, and is connected to the rear steering arm 30b of the right wheel.

  According to the mounting structure of the first embodiment as described above, in order to support the protection arm 42 to which the protection wheel 40 is mounted on the lower portion of the differential mechanism portion 56 of the highly rigid axle housing 60, the carriage frame 62 is attached. Since the attached support brat 64 is used, the conventional carriage frame 62 for the front wheels can be used without modifying the carriage for attaching the protective arm 42. For this reason, it is possible to share parts of the bogie frame 62 and reduce manufacturing costs. In addition, since the actuator 36 is unitized and the unitized structure is attached to the carriage frame 62, the assembly work, the parts replacement work, and the maintenance work can be made more efficient, and the structure can be simplified by the unitization. Therefore, the weight of the apparatus can be reduced.

  In the first embodiment, the actuator 36 is normally operated by a steering command from the control means 82, and the steering force is applied to the left front wheel 18a by the actuator 36. From the front steering arm 28a to the rear steering arm 30a. From there, the steering force is transmitted to the right front wheel 18b via the tie rod 32. The steering force from the actuator 36 is also transmitted from the double spherical joint 50 to the protective arm 42 via the interlocking rod 46, and the protective wheel 40 moves in conjunction with the movement of the actuator 36, and faces the same direction as the front wheel 18. . For this reason, the protection wheel 40 moves along with the movement of the vehicle 12 without contacting the side wall of the protection track 14 in the protection track 14.

Next, vehicle operation control in the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in the control system book diagram of FIG. 6, the point signal, the vehicle position information, and the contact detection signal are input to the control means 82.
The point signal (point information) is position information sent from the ground unit 02 as described in the conventional example, and a plurality of point signals are laid along the track 01 at predetermined intervals over the entire length of the track 01. This is a signal sent from the groundless power source 02. The information sent includes the identification number 02 of each ground element, position information, orbit information, and control information. The position information includes absolute position coordinates regarding the ground element 02 and a distance from the reference point. A transponder similar to the ground unit may be used.

  The own vehicle position information is a signal indicating where the own vehicle is, and the distance between the ground unit 02 is complemented by GPS (Global Positioning System) information, a tire rotation speed pulse signal, a drive motor rotation pulse signal, or the like. It is the information that calculated the vehicle position. Further, the vehicle position information may be transmitted from a monitoring center, a command center, or the like by a radio signal.

  The contact detection signal means that the protective wheel 40 has contacted the protective track 14 by a limit sensor attached to the protective arm 42, a rotation pulse sensor of the protective wheel 40, a steering torque sensor installed in the steering mechanism 26, or the like. Is a signal for detecting

The control means 82 is roughly divided into a trajectory information determination means 84, a normal travel means 86 when the trajectory information determination means 84 determines that it is a normal linear straight line portion or a curved portion, and a normal travel means 86. Fail-safe means 88 when the steering mechanism 26 or the like breaks down during traveling, and vehicle position correcting means 90 when the track information determining means 84 determines that the station portion or branching portion is present.
The control means 82 may be installed and controlled in the vehicle, or may be installed outside the vehicle such as a monitoring center or a command center to construct a control system that performs batch command control.

  The control procedure will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, the track information determination means 84 determines track information based on a point signal (point information), own vehicle position information, and the like (S1). The track information determining means 84 determines where the vehicle is and what track information it is traveling, for example, whether it is a linear straight portion, a curved portion, a station portion, a branch portion, or the like. In addition, based on the own vehicle position information, it is possible to determine in advance, for example, the presence of a station, a branch, a sharp curve, etc. in the future meters.

When the trajectory information determining means 84 determines that it is a normal linear straight line portion or curved portion, control by the normal traveling means 86 is performed.
The normal traveling means 86 detects where the vehicle is traveling from the vehicle position information, and compares the vehicle position with the traveling track data stored in the storage unit of the control unit 82 in advance. A steering pattern is determined (S3). Then, automatic steering is turned on (S5), an automatic steering command based on the steering pattern is sent to the actuator 36, and automatic steering is started (S7). Thereafter, the vehicle is guided by turning the front wheel 18 via the actuator 36.

  During traveling by automatic steering, it is determined whether the protective wheel 40 has contacted the protective track 14 based on the contact detection signal (S9). That is, when the steering mechanism 26 breaks down, for example, when the vehicle 12 tries to deviate from the track 01, the protective wheel 40 contacts the protective track 14 and a contact detection signal is generated. In the case of Yes, it is determined that the steering mechanism 26 has failed, and control by the fail safe means 88 is performed. In the case of No, the steering mechanism 26 determines that it is operating normally, continues the automatic steering command based on the steering pattern (S10), and continues the automatic steering.

In the control by the fail safe means 88, first, the automatic steering is turned off (S11), the steering by the actuator 36 is released, and the steering mechanism 26 is brought into a free state. Thereafter, the protective wheel 40 comes into contact with the protective track 14 and acts to turn the front wheel 18 by the movement of the protective arm 42 along the side wall of the protective track 14 to steer the vehicle 12. That is, the vehicle 12 is guided by mechanical FB (feedback) by the protective wheel 40 and the protective track 14 (S13). Then, the steering command value is reset (S15).
Thus, even if a failure or the like occurs in the steering mechanism 26 of the vehicle, the fail-safe means 88 can safely protect the vehicle and reliably carry passengers, and can ensure safety and reliability.

When the trajectory information determination means 84 determines that the station portion, the branch portion, or the station portion, or before the branch portion, control by the vehicle position correction means 90 is performed.
In the control by the vehicle position correcting means 90, first, automatic steering is turned off (S17). Next, as shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle 12 is provided with a vehicle position provided with position adjusting members 92 on both side surfaces of the protection track 14. When reaching the correction section 94, the vehicle 12 is forcibly set on the movement locus formed by the position adjustment member 92 via the protective wheel 40. That is, the initial position is set in the steering system by mechanical forcing FB (feedback), and the vehicle 12 is set at a predetermined position on the track surface (S19). Then, the steering command value for automatic steering is reset (S21). Thereafter, when it is determined by the point signal from the ground element 02 that the vehicle 12 has passed the vehicle position correction section 94 (S23), a new steering pattern is determined based on the vehicle position information (S25). Then, automatic steering is turned on (S27), an automatic steering command based on a new steering pattern is sent to the actuator 36, and automatic steering is started (S29).

  The width between both side walls of the protection track 14 of the vehicle position correction section 94 in the vehicle position correction means 90 is set to a width that makes contact with the protection wheel 40, specifically, 1 mm to 5 mm larger than the protection wheel 40. Has been. Further, the length of the protection track 14 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle position correction section 94 is set to at least the vehicle length, preferably 1 to 3 times the vehicle length.

Therefore, when the vehicle 12 passes through the vehicle position correction section 94, the protective wheels 40 are corrected so as to pass through the movement track formed by the protection track 14 by contacting the position adjusting members 92 on both side walls of the protection track 14. Is done. For this reason, when the vehicle 12 has caused a position shift to the left or right or a yaw angle (inclination of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle with respect to the traveling direction of the vehicle) due to various disturbances, the vehicle position correcting means 90 Thus, the initial origin position or a desired set position is corrected.
The vehicle position correction section 94 is preferably a point before entering each station, a point before a branching point, a point before a curve, or the like in order to match the distance from the station platform 96.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the trajectory information determining means 84 determines whether the trajectory information is a straight line portion, a curved portion, a station portion, a branch portion, or the like, and the normal traveling means 86 Since driving, driving by the vehicle position correcting means 90, and further driving by the fail safe means 88 are performed, safety and reliability of automatic steering traveling are improved, and efficient driving and high speed driving are enabled. Can do.

Further, the protective wheel 40 comes into contact with the protective track 14 and the vehicle 12 is steered by the protective wheel 40. That is, since the vehicle 12 is guided by the protective wheel 40 and the protective track 14, even when a failure or the like occurs in the steering mechanism 26 of the vehicle, the vehicle can be safely protected and the passengers can be reliably transported, Reliability can be secured.
Further, since the tie rod 32 and the front and rear steering arms 28, 30 constitute a steering mechanism and the actuator 36 is applied to one front wheel 18, the left and right wheels are reliably steered.

  Further, the protection arm 42 to which the protection wheel 40 is attached is supported as a unit at the lower portion of the differential mechanism portion 56 of the highly rigid axle housing 60, and the actuator 36 is unitized and attached to the carriage frame 62. Therefore, the efficiency of assembly work, parts replacement work, and maintenance work can be achieved, and the structure can be simplified by unitization, so that the weight of the apparatus can be reduced.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 2nd Embodiment shows the modification of the steering mechanism 26, About the same element as 1st Embodiment, it abbreviate | omits description using the same code | symbol.
As shown in the plan view of FIG. 9, the basic steering mechanism 26 is the same as that of the first embodiment. However, the position of the interlocking rod 46 is disposed on the side opposite to the side where the actuator 36 is disposed.

  In this way, the left and right spaces are sacrificed by the arrangement, but depending on the size of the actuator 36, it is effective when the interlocking rod 46 and the actuator 36 cannot be arranged vertically on one side. Moreover, since it is not necessary to use components like the double spherical joint 50 used in the first embodiment, it can be configured at low cost.

Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The third embodiment shows a modification of the steering mechanism 26.
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the rear end of the protection arm 42 and the rear end of the left and right rear steering arms 30a and 30b are connected by left and right side tie rods 98a and 98b. The part has a structure of a spherical joint 34. An actuator 36 is provided at the rear end of the protective arm 42 so that the protective arm 42 is directly rotated. The actuator 36 is a linear motor or the like.

According to the present embodiment, since the actuator 36 directly operates the protective arm 42, the rotating force from the actuator 36 is transmitted to the protective arm 42 via the interlocking rod 46 as in the first and second embodiments. Compared with this, it is possible to prevent backlash due to wear of the rod end and rotating part, and deflection of the rod, and to reduce control delay and control error, thereby enabling higher system control.
Further, since the interlocking rod 46 is not required, it is advantageous in terms of maintenance and weight reduction can be achieved.

As shown in FIG. 15, in order to construct an Ackerman-Jant type link mechanism by the left and right side tie rods 98a and 98b and the left and right rear steering arms 30a and 30b, the protection arm 42 and the side tie rod are connected. It is necessary to satisfy a predetermined condition for the position of the point.
Fig.15 (a) is explanatory drawing which shows the standard motion of an Ackerman link mechanism, and is the top view which looked at the vehicle from the top. This shows the movement of the link when turning in the direction of the downward arrow, and when the left and right steer arms with a vertical length of H are connected by tie rods with a length of L, the wheel on the inner track side is θ when the _first rotation angle, a relationship that the wheels of the curve outside is theta ₂ of the turning opening.
FIG. 15B and FIG. 15D show the relationship when the protective arm 42 of the present embodiment is interposed.

Here, the distance H indicates the vertical distance to the connection point between the protection arm 42 and the side tie rods 98a, 98b, with the rotation center of the protection arm 42 positioned at the center on the central axis of the front wheel 18. Indicates the vertical distance from the central axis to the connection point between the steering arms 30a, 30b and the side tie rods 98a, 98b, the distance L indicates the distance between the left and right steering arms 30a, 30b, and L ₁ indicates Two division distances are shown.
FIG. 15B shows the case of H = H ′. As shown in FIG. 15B and FIG. 15C, the virtual tie rod length L2 has the relationship of the expression (1), so the outer rail side The turning angle has a relationship of θ ₂ ′ <θ ₂ , and the turning angle relationship of the Ackermann link mechanism shown in FIG. 15A cannot be obtained.
L2 = 2 × √ (L1 ² −L3 ² ) <2 × L1 (1)
FIG. 15 (d) <it shows the case of H ', as shown in FIG. 15 (d), the tie rod length L4 is L4> H L1, and the outer rail side pivot angle is theta _2. For this reason, the turning angle relationship of the Ackermann link mechanism is obtained.

Accordingly, the vertical distance H to the connection point between the protective arm 42 and the side tie rods 98a, 98b is set longer than the vertical distance H ′ from the central axis to the connection point between the steering arms 30a, 30b and the side tie rods 98a, 98b. There is a need to.
Accordingly, it is possible to configure the steering mechanism 26 in which the turning angles of the left front wheel 18a and the right front wheel 18b are appropriately set.

Next, a fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The fourth embodiment shows a further modification of the steering mechanism 26 of the third embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the actuator 36 of the third embodiment is incorporated in the rotation support shaft portion 100 of the protection arm 42. In the case of using a rotary motion type actuator such as a motor, it is necessary to use an actuator 36 having a structure in which a deceleration mechanism for decelerating is integrated.
By incorporating the actuator 36 in this way into the rotation support shaft 100 of the actuator 36 as in this embodiment, the apparatus itself can be compacted, and weight reduction, accuracy improvement, and maintainability can be improved.

Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 5th Embodiment shows the modification of arrangement | positioning of the guard ring 40 of 1st, 2nd embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, two protection wheels 40 are arranged in parallel on the left and right at both ends of the front and rear of the protection arm 42. Four guard wheels 40 are provided for each vehicle.
By arranging in this way, the side on which the protective wheel 40 contacts the side wall of the protective track 14 is determined, and if the traveling direction is determined, the rotation is always in the same direction, so the durability of the protective wheel 40 is improved. Further, since durability is improved, maintainability such as replacement of parts can be improved. In the case of the protective wheel 40 of the first and second embodiments, since the arrangement is one front and rear, the rotation direction differs depending on the side of the protective track 14 that contacts the side wall, so that the protective wheel 40 is in contact with the side. The relative rotational speed generated in the vehicle is twice the vehicle speed, and the durability tends to be shortened.

Next, a sixth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6th Embodiment shows the further modification of arrangement | positioning of the guard ring 40 of 5th Embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, two protective wheels 40 arranged on the left and right at both ends on the front and rear sides of the protective arm 42 are arranged so as to be shifted forward and backward.
By arranging in this way, if the width of the protection track 14 is the same, the diameter of the protection wheel 40 can be increased, and the durability of the protection wheel 40 can be further improved. Conversely, since the width of the protective track 14 can be reduced while obtaining equivalent durability, the weight of the protective track 14 can be reduced, and the laying workability can be improved. Furthermore, since the width can be narrowed, the accuracy of the trajectory of the curved portion can be improved.

Next, a seventh embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7th Embodiment shows the modification of a protection track | orbit.
As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the protection track 106 has an I shape, and the I shape steel is laid on the road surface 15. The left and right protection arms 42 and 42 are arranged in parallel on both sides of the protection track 106 so as to sandwich the I-shaped steel. The left and right protection arms 42, 42 are configured to operate in parallel by the protection arm connecting rod 102.
As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the link mechanism is configured based on the second embodiment. The interlocking rod 46 connects the front end portion of the front steering arm 28b of the right front wheel and the vicinity of the front end of the right protection arm 42.

In the present embodiment, since the laying width of the protective track 106 can be narrowed, there is no problem with the connection with the signal line disposed on the track. Further, by providing the I-shaped protection track 106, the structure of the protection track 106 can be simplified, the curved portion can be easily bent, and the track can be easily laid. Also, the laying position of the protection track 106 can be shifted from the center position.
Needless to say, the position of the interlocking rod 46 is the same as that of the structure provided on the same side as the actuator as in the first embodiment.

Next, an eighth embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 8th Embodiment shows the modification of the protection arm 42 and the protection wheel 40 with respect to 7th Embodiment.
As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the guard wheels 40, 40 are arranged on the left and right so as to sandwich the I-shaped guard track 106, and the guard wheels 40, 40 on the left and right are connected by the guard wheel connecting rod 104, and The protective wheel connecting rods 104 and 104 are connected by the protective arm 42.
As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the link mechanism is configured based on the second embodiment. The interlocking rod 46 connects the front end of the front steering arm 28b of the right front wheel and the vicinity of the front end of the protective arm 42.

In this embodiment, since the number of the protection arms 42 is one, the structure of the protection arms 42 is simplified and the weight can be reduced as compared with the structure that requires two in the seventh embodiment. In addition, since the number of parts and the number of rotating parts are reduced as compared with the seventh embodiment, maintainability such as parts replacement can be improved.
Further, since the protective track 14 has an I-shaped cross-sectional shape, even if a falling moment occurs in the vehicle 12, the upper flange serves as a vertical stopper for the protective wheel 40 and functions as a safety stopper against the vehicle 12 falling over. Can have.
Needless to say, the position of the interlocking rod 46 is the same as that of the structure provided on the same side as the actuator as in the first embodiment.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to simplify the structure of a track-type traffic system that travels by automatically steering on a predetermined track without using a mechanical steering method using guide wheels, guide rails, or the like. And weight reduction can be achieved, safety can be surely ensured, and efficient driving and high-speed driving can be realized.

It is a plane explanatory view showing a 1st embodiment of a track type traffic system concerning the present invention. (A) is AA sectional drawing shown in FIG. 1, (b) is explanatory drawing which shows the modification of (a). It is structural drawing which shows the attachment state of a guard ring, (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view. It is a structural diagram which shows the attachment state of an actuator, (a) is a top view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a side view. It is the B section enlarged view of FIG. It is a control system book figure in a 1st embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure in 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the control procedure performed in a vehicle position correction means. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment of the track-type traffic system which concerns on this invention. It is BB sectional drawing of FIG. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows 3rd Embodiment of a track-type traffic system which concerns on this invention. It is CC sectional drawing of FIG. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows 4th Embodiment of a track-type traffic system which concerns on this invention. It is DD sectional drawing of FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the motion of the steering mechanism in 3rd Embodiment, 4th Embodiment, (a) is explanatory drawing which shows the motion of an Ackermann link mechanism, (b), (c), (d) is protection It is explanatory drawing which shows the movement by the difference in the length of an arm. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows 5th Embodiment of the track-type traffic system which concerns on this invention. It is EE sectional drawing of FIG. It is a plane explanatory view showing a 6th embodiment of a track type traffic system concerning the present invention. It is FF sectional drawing of FIG. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows 7th Embodiment of the track-type traffic system which concerns on this invention. It is GG sectional drawing of FIG. It is plane explanatory drawing which shows 8th Embodiment of the track-type traffic system which concerns on this invention. It is GG sectional drawing of FIG. It is a block diagram of the conventional steering system, (a) is a side view, (b) is a front view. It is a top view which shows the conventional steering device.

Explanation of symbols

01 Track 10 Track-based Transportation System 12 Vehicle 14, 106 Protected Track 18 Front Wheel 18a Left Front Wheel 18b Right Front Wheel 22 Rear Wheel 26 Steering Mechanism 32 Tie Rod 36 Actuator 40 Protection Wheel 42 Protection Arm 46 Linking Rod 48 Linking Mechanism 82 Control Means 84 Track Information Judging means 86 Normal running means 88 Fail safe means 90 Vehicle position correcting means 98a, 98b Side tie rod 102 Protective arm connecting rod 104 Protective wheel connecting rod

Claims (12)

In an orbital transportation system for vehicles traveling along a predetermined track,
A steering mechanism for automatically steering the front and rear wheels of the vehicle with an actuator;
A protective track installed along the traveling direction on or within the traveling surface of the track; and
A protective arm that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction at the lower part of an axle installed at the front and rear of the vehicle, and whose central part is rotatably supported;
A protection wheel that is provided at both front and rear ends of the protection arm and moves in a non-contact manner along the protection track;
An interlocking mechanism for interlocking with the steering mechanism so that the protective wheel is directed in the same direction as the steering direction of the front wheel or the rear wheel during traveling of the vehicle;
There is track information determining means for determining whether the track is a straight line portion, a curved portion, a branching portion or the like from the own vehicle position information, and an automatic steering command to the steering mechanism according to the track information determined by the track information determining means And a control means for controlling on / off of the vehicle, and when the automatic steering command is off, the vehicle is steered by contact of the protective wheel with the protective track .   2. The track-based traffic system according to claim 1, wherein when the track information determining means determines that the track is a normal straight line portion or a curve portion, automatic steering control is performed according to a predetermined steering pattern.   The control means stops the automatic steering control when an abnormality occurs in the steering mechanism during the automatic steering control, and the protective wheel contacts the protective track and steers the vehicle by the protective wheel. 3. The track-type traffic system according to claim 2, further comprising fail-safe means. When the track information determining means determines that the station portion, the branching portion, or the like is in front of or before the control means, the control means stops the steering of the automatic steering and makes the protective wheel a moving locus formed by the protective track. The track system traffic system according to claim 1, further comprising vehicle position correcting means for forcibly positioning and correcting the vehicle position. A tie rod before Symbol steering mechanism for connecting the left and right wheels, is composed of said actuator to impart one steering force to the left and right wheels, consists coupling rod, wherein the interlocking mechanism for connecting the one of the left and right wheels and the protective arm The track-based transportation system according to claim 1, wherein: Before Symbol steering mechanism, the left and right side tie rod for connecting the protective arm and the left and right wheels, respectively, track-based transportation according to claim 1, characterized in that they are composed of said actuator to rotate the protective arm system.   The track system traffic system according to claim 6, wherein the actuator is incorporated in a rotation support shaft portion of the protection arm.   The center of rotation of the protection arm is positioned at the center on the center axis of the left and right wheels, and the vertical distance H from the center axis to the connection point of the left and right side tie rods with the protection arm in plan view is the center axis. 7. The track-type traffic system according to claim 6, wherein the track system is set to be longer than a vertical distance H ′ (H> H ′) from a left side tie rod to a connecting point on the wheel side of the left and right side tie rods.   The protective track is made of U-shaped steel, the protective rings are disposed in the U-shaped steel in a non-contact state on both side walls, and two protective rings are arranged side by side on both front and rear ends of the protective arm. The track-type traffic system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the track system is arranged.   The protective track is made of U-shaped steel, the protective ring is disposed in the U-shaped steel in a non-contact state on both side walls, and the protective ring is shifted left and right at both front and rear end portions of the protective arm. 7. The track system traffic system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein two are arranged in the track.   The protective track is made of I-shaped steel, the protective wheel and the protective arm are arranged so as to sandwich the I-shaped steel, the left and right protective arms are connected by protective arm connecting rods, and the left and right protective arms are The track traffic system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the track system is configured to operate in parallel.   The protective track is made of I-shaped steel, protective wheels are arranged on the front and rear sides so as to sandwich the I-shaped steel, the protective wheels on the front and rear are connected with a protective wheel connecting rod, and the protective wheels are arranged on the front and rear sides. The track system traffic system according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a connecting rod is connected by said protection arm.

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