Automated guided vehicle movable in all directions
First Claim
1. An automated guided vehicle having a plurality of wheels movable in all directions, comprising:
- wheel drive means including a drive mechanism on each of said plurality of wheels for enabling the respective vehicle wheels to move said automated guided vehicle;
a steering means for each wheel for controlling a direction of the respective wheel to control a direction of movement of the automated guided vehicle without changing a heading of the automated guided vehicle; and
signal/power transmitting and receiving means for transmitting an electric power between an electric power source unit provided on a body of the automated guided vehicle and the respective wheel drive mechanisms and steering means and for transmitting control signals between a control unit provided on the body of the automated guided vehicle and the respective drive mechanisms and steering means, through a stationary electrode member provided on a member which is stationary with respect to the body of the automated guided vehicle and a rotary electrode member provided on a member which is rotatable with respect to the stationary electrode member, the stationary electrode member and the rotary electrode member being included into the signal/power transmitting and receiving means,wherein each said steering means includes means for rotating a respective said drive wheel and drive mechanism in one direction about an axis through an angle of 360° and
said means for rotating the respective said drive wheel and drive mechanism includes a steering motor,wherein the steering means further includes;
a steering shaft and a rotor on the steering shaft, the rotor being coupled with a respective drive mechanism, the rotor being positioned outside the steering shaft and movable in response to energization of a stator in response to said control signals to turn the drive mechanism and drive wheel around an axis of the steering shaft, andwherein the rotary electrode member is a slip ring provided on the steering shaft and the stationary electrode member is a brush mounted in elastic slide contact with the slip ring.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object of this invention is to provide an automated guided vehicle movable in all directions in which the cables will never be broken due to twisting, and it is unnecessary to perform a rest swing operation. The automated guided vehicle is movable in all directions and includes vehicle wheels and drive wheel mechanisms with drive mechanisms for driving the vehicle wheels, each of the drive wheel mechanisms being controlled by a steering mechanism so that the direction of movement of the automated guided vehicle is controlled with the vehicle body maintained unchanged in heading. Transmission of electric power between an electric power source unit on a vehicle body and the drive mechanism and/or steering mechanism, and transmission of signals between a control unit on the vehicle body and the drive mechanism and/or steering mechanism are carried out through a signal/power transmitting and receiving device which includes: a stationary electrode section provided on a member which is stationary with respect to the vehicle body and a rotary electrode section provided on a steering shaft of the steering mechanism in such a manner that the rotary electrode section is rotatable with respect to the stationary electrode section.
29 Citations
8 Claims
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1. An automated guided vehicle having a plurality of wheels movable in all directions, comprising:
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wheel drive means including a drive mechanism on each of said plurality of wheels for enabling the respective vehicle wheels to move said automated guided vehicle; a steering means for each wheel for controlling a direction of the respective wheel to control a direction of movement of the automated guided vehicle without changing a heading of the automated guided vehicle; and signal/power transmitting and receiving means for transmitting an electric power between an electric power source unit provided on a body of the automated guided vehicle and the respective wheel drive mechanisms and steering means and for transmitting control signals between a control unit provided on the body of the automated guided vehicle and the respective drive mechanisms and steering means, through a stationary electrode member provided on a member which is stationary with respect to the body of the automated guided vehicle and a rotary electrode member provided on a member which is rotatable with respect to the stationary electrode member, the stationary electrode member and the rotary electrode member being included into the signal/power transmitting and receiving means, wherein each said steering means includes means for rotating a respective said drive wheel and drive mechanism in one direction about an axis through an angle of 360° and
said means for rotating the respective said drive wheel and drive mechanism includes a steering motor,wherein the steering means further includes; a steering shaft and a rotor on the steering shaft, the rotor being coupled with a respective drive mechanism, the rotor being positioned outside the steering shaft and movable in response to energization of a stator in response to said control signals to turn the drive mechanism and drive wheel around an axis of the steering shaft, and wherein the rotary electrode member is a slip ring provided on the steering shaft and the stationary electrode member is a brush mounted in elastic slide contact with the slip ring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 8)
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6. An automated guided vehicle having a plurality of wheels movable in all directions, comprising:
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wheel drive means including a drive mechanism on each of said plurality of wheels for enabling the respective vehicle wheels to move said automated guided vehicle; a steering means for each wheel for controlling a direction of the respective wheel to control a direction of movement of the automated guided vehicle without changing a heading of the automated guided vehicle; and signal/power transmitting and receiving means for transmitting an electric power between an electric power source unit provided on a body of the automated guided vehicle and the respective wheel drive mechanisms and steering means and for transmitting control signals between a control unit provided on the body of the automated guided vehicle and the respective drive mechanisms and steering means, through a stationary electrode member provided on a member which is stationary with respect to the body of the automated guided vehicle and a rotary electrode member provided on a member which is rotatable with respect to the stationary electrode member, the stationary electrode member and the rotary electrode member being included into the signal/power transmitting and receiving means, wherein each said steering means includes means for rotating a respective said drive wheel and drive mechanism in one direction about an axis through an angle of 360°
,wherein said means for rotating the respective said drive wheel and drive mechanism includes a steering motor, wherein the steering means further includes; a steering shaft and a rotor on the steering shaft, the rotor being coupled with a respective drive mechanism, the rotor being positioned outside the steering shaft and movable in response to energization of a stator in response to said control signals to turn the drive mechanism and drive wheel around an axis of the steering shaft, and wherein the stationary electrode member is a slip ring provided on the steering shaft and the rotary electrode member includes brushes mounted in elastic slide contact with the slip ring. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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Specification