Automated guided vehicle

• US 4,657,463 A
• Filed: 02/06/1986
• Issued: 04/14/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eaton-Kenway Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Eaton-Kenway Incorporated
• Inventors: Pipes, George R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Application Number:
  US06/827,186
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• Field of Search: 414/267, 414/281, 414/284, 414/279, 414/349, 414/495, 414/498, 180/19.2, 180/79.3, 280/100, 280/96, 280/113, 280/114, 280/125, 280/130, 187/24, 187/25, 254/7 C
• US Class Current: 414/495
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/24 not vehicle-mounted

Abstract

A vehicle (10) particularly adapted for use as an automated guided vehicle uses standard plastic tote boxes as a body shell (13) and as a battery carrier (20). The vehicle includes a drive wheel assembly (14) and a bogey assembly (16) which pivot about center pivot points and are steered by a single motor-driven steering assembly (18) which provides dual fifth wheel steering. Commonly-driven ball screw lift assemblies (122) engage the underside of nestable load-carrying tote boxes (22) for pickup and delivery functions. The weight of the load carrier(s) is transferred through the vehicle frame (12) to load transfer assemblies (76) on the drive and bogey assemblies.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising a frame;

a drive wheel assembly pivotally mounted on said frame, said drive wheel assembly comprising a first vertically oriented support structure, a pair of wheels mounted for rotation on opposite sides of said support structure, a drive motor attached to said first support structure and operatively connected to at least one of said wheels, first pivot means on said first support structure defining a vertical pivot axis intersecting the axes of rotation of said wheels, and a first moment arm defined by a substantially horizontal extension of said first support structure;

a bogey wheel assembly pivotally mounted on said frame, said bogey wheel assembly comprising a second vertically oriented support structure, a pair of wheels mounted for rotation on opposite sides of said second support structure, pivot means on said second support structure defining a vertical pivot axis intersecting the axes of rotation of said wheels, and a second moment arm defined by a substantially horizontal extension of said second support structure;

power steering means centrally mounted on said frame between said drive and bogey wheel assemblies, said power steering means comprising a ball screw assembly mounted transversely of said vehicle for rotation about a horizontal axis centrally located between said first and second pivot means, a rotary drive motor connected to said ball screw assembly, a ball nut received on said ball screw, and means connecting said ball nut to said first and second moment arms whereby linear movement of said ball nut along said ball screw assembly is operable to rotate said drive wheel assembly and said bogey wheel assembly in opposite directions about their respective pivot axes;

vertically movable load support means mounted on said frame; and

transfer means acting between said frame and said drive and bogey wheel assemblies to transfer loads applied to said load support means to said drive and bogey wheel assemblies, said transfer means being operable in any steered position of said drive and bogey wheel assemblies.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said load support means comprises a plurality of ball screw assemblies mounted for vertical movement on said frame, and drive means interconnecting said ball screw assemblies to effect simultaneous verticle movement thereof.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein each of said ball screw assemblies includes a vertically movable ram, said ram having an upper surface defining a load engaging surface.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the drive means interconnecting said ball screw assemblies comprises a rotary drive motor mounted on said frame, a drive sprocket on the output shaft of said motor, a sprocket wheel operatively attached to each of said plurality of ball screw assemblies, and a drive chain entrained about said drive sprocket and said sprocket wheels.

6. Apparatus is claimed in claim 1, in which said frame includes at least one horizontally disposed frame element, means on said frame element for mounting said load support means, said transfer means comprising roller means acting between said at least one frame element and said drive and bogey wheel assemblies.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which said at least one frame element comprises a first crossmember extending transversely of said vehicle and overlying said drive wheel assembly, pivot means on said first crossmember engageable with the first pivot means on said drive wheel assembly, a second crossmember extending transversely of said vehicle and overlying said bogey wheel assembly, and pivot means on said second crossmember engageable with the second pivot means on said bogey wheel assembly;

said roller means comprising first roller means mounted for rotation on said drive wheel assembly and engageable with said first crossmember, said first roller means being rotatable about an axis parallel to the axes of rotation of the wheels on said drive wheel assembly and intersecting the pivot axis of said drive wheel assembly, and second roller means mounted for rotation on said bogey wheel assembly and engageable with said second crossmember, said second roller means being rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels on said bogey wheel assembly and intersecting the pivot axis of said bogey wheel assembly.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claims 7 or 8, in which said first roller meahs comprises a first pair of rollers mounted on said first vertically oriented support structure, and said second roller means comprises a second pair of rollers mounted on said second vertically oriented support structure.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claims 1 or 2 in which said vehicle includes a body shell attached to said frame, said body shell being defined by a first plastic tote box.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which said vehicle includes a battery carrier, said battery carrier comprising a second plastic tote box stacked upon said first plastic tote box.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11, including at least one load receptacle received on said vehicle, said load receptacle comprising a third plastic tote box received on said battery carrier and engageable with said vertically movable load support means.

2. A vehicle comprising a frame having at least one horizontally disposed element thereof;

a drive wheel assembly pivotally mounted on said frame, said drive wheel assembly comprising a first vertically oriented support structure, a pair of wheels mounted for rotation on opposite sides of said support structure, a drive motor attached to said first support structure and operatively connected to at least one of said wheels, first pivot means on said first support structure defining a vertical pivot axis intersecting the axes of rotation of said wheels, and a first moment arm defined by a substantially horizontal extension of said first support structure;

a bogey wheel assembly pivotally mounted on said frame, said bogey wheel assembly comprising a second vertically oriented support structure, a pair of wheels mounted for rotation on opposite sides of said second support structure, pivot means on said second support structure defining a vertical pivot axis intersecting the axes of rotation of said wheels, and a second moment arm defined by a substantially horizontal extension of said second support structure;

power steering means centrally mounted on said frame between said drive and bogey wheel assemblies, said power steering means comprising a linear actuating means mounted on said vehicle for movement transversely thereto and connected to said first and second moment arms whereby movement of said linear actuating means is operable to rotate said drive wheel assembly and said bogey wheel assembly in opposite directions about their respective pivot axes;

vertically movable load support means mounted on said horizontally disposed element of said frame; and

transfer means acting between said frame and said drive and bogey wheel assemblies to transfer loads applied to said load support means to said drive and bogey wheel assemblies, said transfer means comprising roller means on said drive wheel assembly and on said bogey wheel assembly rotatable about axes parallel to the axes of rotation of the wheels on said drive and bogey wheel assemblies and engagable with said horizontally disposed element of said frame.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which said at least one frame element comprises a first crossmember extending transversely of said vehicle and overlying said drive wheel assembly, pivot means on said first crossmember engageable with the first pivot means on said drive wheel assembly, a second crossmember extending transversely of said vehicle and overlying said bogey wheel assembly, and pivot means on said second crossmember engageable with the second pivot means on said bogey wheel assembly;

said roller means comprising first roller means mounted for rotation on said drive wheel assembly and engageable with said first crossmember, said first roller means being rotatable about an axis parallel to the axes of rotation of the wheels on said drive wheel assembly and intersecting the pivot axis of said drive wheel assembly, and second roller means mounted for rotation on said bogey wheel assembly and engageable with said second crossmember, said second roller means being rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wheels on said bogey wheel assembly and intersecting the pivot axis of said bogey wheel assembly.