Traveling vehicle and method of controlling the traveling vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10266097-B2
Application number	US-201715836996-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2017
Priority date	Dec 26, 2016
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

When a vehicle body is on board an escalator, a control device makes an ejection determination by use of an external sensor. The control device makes an ejection determination by use of front-wheel rotation sensors. The control device makes an ejection determination by use of an inclination detecting unit. The control device switches a control mode from a boarding control mode to an ejection control mode, when at least one of the above three ejection determinations is affirmatively made.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A traveling vehicle capable of riding on an escalator, comprising:
a vehicle body having a drive wheel;
a controller that controls movement of the vehicle body; and
at least two of at least one first detecting device, a second detecting device, and a third detecting device, which are used when the controller controls movement of the vehicle body, or a plurality of types of first detecting devices as said at least one first detecting device configured to detect different conditions of the drive wheel, said at least one first detecting device being configured to detect a condition of the drive wheel, the second detecting device being configured to detect a condition surrounding the vehicle body, the third detecting device being configured to detect an inclination angle when the vehicle body is located at a place having a height difference, the inclination angle corresponding to the height difference, wherein
the controller is able to switch a control mode between a first control mode in which the drive wheel is controlled so as to be pressed against a riser of the escalator when the drive wheel rides on a tread of the escalator, and a second control mode in which the drive wheel is controlled so as to eject the vehicle body from the escalator,
the controller uses at least two determinations of at least one first determination, a second determination, and a third determination, or at least two first determinations as said at least one first determination, as ejection determinations on ejection from the escalator, said at least one first determination being made by using said at least one first detecting device and determining that an amount of change of the condition of the drive wheel exceeds a predetermined amount of change, as the vehicle body approaches a landing platform of the escalator, and the riser is retracted relative to the tread, in a condition where the drive wheel rides on the tread in the first control mode, the second determination being made by using the second detecting device and determining that the vehicle body approaches the landing platform of the escalator, in the condition where the drive wheel rides on the tread in the first control mode, the third determination being made by using the third detecting device and determining that an inclination angle of the escalator becomes smaller than a predetermined inclination angle as the vehicle body approaches the landing platform of the escalator, in the condition where the drive wheel rides on the tread in the first control mode, and
the controller is configured to switch the control mode from the first control mode to the second control mode for control of the drive wheel, when any of at least two ejection determinations as the ejection determinations is affirmatively made, and it is determined that timing of ejection of the vehicle body from the escalator is reached.

2. The traveling vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller uses at least three of a plurality of first determinations as said at least one first determination, which are made by using a plurality of first detecting devices as said at least one first detecting device, or at least three of said at least one first determination, the second determination, and the third determination, as the ejection determinations on ejection from the escalator, and
the controller is configured to switch the control mode from the first control mode to the second control mode for control of the drive wheel, when more than half of said at least three ejection determinations are affirmatively made, and it is determined that the timing of ejection of the vehicle body from the escalator is reached.

3. The traveling vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller uses at least two of the first determination, the second determination, and the third determination, as the ejection determinations on ejection from the escalator; and
the controller is configured to switch the control mode from the first control mode to the second control mode for control of the drive wheel, when any of at least two ejection determinations as the ejection determinations are affirmatively made, and it is determined that the timing of ejection of the vehicle body from the escalator is reached.

4. A method of controlling a traveling vehicle capable of riding on an escalator, the traveling vehicle including a vehicle body having a drive wheel, and at least two of at least one first detecting device, a second detecting device, and a third detecting device, which are used for controlling movement of the vehicle body, or a plurality of first detecting devices as said at least one first detecting device configured to detect different conditions of the drive wheel, said at least one first detecting device being configured to detect a condition of the drive wheel, the second detecting device being configured to detect a condition surrounding the vehicle body, the third detecting device being configured to detect an inclination angle when the vehicle body is located at a place having a height difference, the inclination angle corresponding to the height difference, the traveling vehicle being switchable between a first control mode in which the drive wheel is controlled so as to be pressed against a riser of the escalator when the drive wheel rides on a tread of the escalator, and a second control mode in which the drive wheel is controlled so as to eject the vehicle body from the escalator, the method comprising:
using at least two determinations of at least one first determination, a second determination, and a third determination, or at least two first determinations as said at least one first determination, as ejection determinations on ejection from the escalator, said at least one first determination being made by using said at least one first detecting device and determining that an amount of change of the condition of the drive wheel exceeds a predetermined amount of change, as the vehicle body approaches a landing platform of the escalator, and the riser is retracted relative to the tread, in a condition where the drive wheel rides on the tread in the first control mode, the second determination being made by using the second detecting device and determining that the vehicle body approaches the landing platform of the escalator, in the condition where the drive wheel rides on the tread in the first control mode, the third determination being made by using the third detecting device and determining that an inclination angle of the escalator becomes smaller than a predetermined inclination angle as the vehicle body approaches the landing platform of the escalator, in the condition where the drive wheel rides on the tread in the first control mode, and
switching the traveling vehicle from the first control mode to the second control mode for control of the drive wheel, when any of at least two ejection determinations as the ejection determinations is affirmatively made, and it is determined that timing of ejection of the vehicle body from the escalator is reached.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd
• Univ Tokyo

Inventors

• Takahata Tomoyuki
• Ishikawa Masaru
• Senba Yoshiyuki
• Izuo Takashi
• Kosaka Yusuke

Classifications

• A61G2203/38

  for torque · CPC title

• A61G5/06 Primary

  with obstacle mounting facilities, e.g. for climbing stairs, {kerbs or steps} · CPC title

• B60P3/423 Primary

  from transport of persons to transport of goods · CPC title

• A61G2203/42

  for inclination · CPC title

• B66B21/04

  linear type · CPC title