TRANSPORT SYSTEM AND CARGO VEHICLE

A transport system transports luggage between a cargo vehicle and a transport robot. The transport system includes: container unit that accommodates the luggage in a luggage compartment to be arranged in a longitudinal direction; a door unit that opens and closes in a lateral direction; a conveyor unit that retrieves the luggage from the luggage compartment in the lateral direction through the door unit to transfer the luggage to the transport robot; and a control unit that controls an opening operation and a closing operation of the door unit and a displacement of the luggage by the conveyor unit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to techniques for transporting multiple packages.

BACKGROUND

A conceivable technique teaches a technique for transporting multiple pieces of luggage by accommodating them in a luggage compartment of a container unit mounted on the load bed of a cargo vehicle so that the pieces of luggage can be transferred to the outside of the vehicle.

SUMMARY

According to an example, a transport system transports luggage between a cargo vehicle and a transport robot. The transport system may include: container unit that accommodates the luggage in a luggage compartment to be arranged in a longitudinal direction; a door unit that opens and closes in a lateral direction; a conveyor unit that retrieves the luggage from the luggage compartment in the lateral direction through the door unit to transfer the luggage to the transport robot; and a control unit that controls an opening operation and a closing operation of the door unit and a displacement of the luggage by the conveyor unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the technique according to the conceivable technique, multiple pieces of luggage are lined up in the longitudinal direction of the cargo vehicle, which is longer than the horizontal direction, and in the height direction of the cargo vehicle, and the luggage is transferred through a door unit of the cargo vehicle that is opened in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, it may be inefficient and time-consuming to load and unload the luggage to and from a loading position of the luggage that is spaced from the door unit in the luggage compartment along the longitudinal direction.

The technique according to the conceivable technique is executed under a condition that the luggage to be displaced is displaced in response to human operation. For example, in recent years, in order to solve the last one-mile difficulty, there have been expectations for a transport system in which luggage is transferred from a cargo vehicle to a transport robot, so that the efficiency of luggage transferring is improved to shorten the transfer time and transport time.

An object of the present embodiments is to provide a transport system that improves the efficiency of the transferring of luggage from a cargo vehicle to a transport robot.

Hereinafter, technical means of the present embodiments for solving the difficulties will be described.

According to a first example embodiment, a transport system mounted on a load bed of a cargo vehicle for transferring a plurality of pieces of luggage to a transport robot, the transport system includes:a container unit in which the plurality of pieces of the luggage are arranged in a longitudinal direction of the cargo vehicle, which is longer than a lateral direction of the cargo vehicle to accommodate the plurality of pieces of the luggage in a luggage compartment;a door unit that opens and closes in the lateral direction with respect to the container unit;a conveyor unit that retrieves the plurality of pieces of the luggage from the luggage compartment in the lateral direction through the door unit which is opened to transport the plurality of pieces of the luggage to a transport robot; anda control unit that controls an opening operation and a closing operation of the door unit and a displacement operation of the plurality of pieces of the luggage by the conveyor unit.

A second example of the present embodiments is a cargo vehicle on which the transport system of the first example is mounted.

According to the first and second examples, the door unit is opened and closed according to the control of the control unit in the lateral direction with respect to the container unit in which the plurality of pieces of the luggage are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the cargo vehicle, which is longer than the lateral direction of the cargo vehicle to accommodate the plurality of pieces of the luggage in the luggage compartment. Therefore, when the conveyor unit retrieves the plurality of pieces of the luggage from the luggage compartment in the lateral direction through the door unit which is opened to transport the plurality of pieces of the luggage to the transport robot, according to the control of the control unit, the transfer time can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to automate the transfer of the luggage from the cargo vehicle to the transport robot, thereby improving efficiency.

The following will describe embodiments of the present disclosure with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the same reference symbols are assigned to corresponding components in the respective embodiments, and repeated descriptions may be omitted. When only a part of the configuration is described in each embodiment, the configurations of the other embodiments described above can be applied to remaining part of the configuration. Further, not only the combinations of the configurations explicitly shown in the description of the respective embodiments, but also the configurations of the multiple embodiments can be partially combined together even if the configurations are not explicitly described under a condition that there is no difficulty in the combination in particular.

First Embodiment

A transport system1of a first embodiment shown inFIG.1is mounted on a load bed5of a cargo vehicle4to transport a plurality of pieces of luggage2so as to be able to transfer the plurality of pieces of luggage2to at least one transport robot3. Here, a plurality of pieces of the luggage2are loaded onto the load bed5in a logistics warehouse Wd, and then transported to at least one delivery area Ad by the travelling with the cargo vehicle4. The transported luggage2is automatically loaded from and unloaded to the transport robot3by the transport system1, and is delivered to the delivery destination Dd within the delivery area Ad by the autonomous driving operation of the transport robot3. The transport system1and the transport robot3share delivery information required for delivering the luggage2through at least one of mutual communication and communication between each of the transport system1and the transport robot3and the management center6.

The transport robot3is a small electric mobility vehicle that can move autonomously in any direction, forward, backward, left or right, by driving the wheels7with an electric motor. The transport robot3receives the luggage2from the transport system1mounted on the cargo vehicle4that has arrived at the delivery area Ad of the delivery destination Dd. The transport robot3receives the luggage2from the transport system1and accommodates the luggage2in a hollow accommodation unit8, and moves autonomously along a route to the delivery destination Dd. The transfer robot3has a built-in communication unit that controls communication between the transfer robot3and at least one of the transfer system1and the management center6. The transport robot3is controlled by an internal control unit so as to complete the process from receipt to delivery of the luggage2based on the delivery information acquired through such communication.

In order to load and unload the luggage2to and from the transport robot3at the appropriate time, the transport system1shown inFIGS.1to4includes a container unit10, a door unit20, a conveyor unit30, a lift unit40, a communication unit50, and a control unit60. In the following description, the longitudinal direction X of the transport system1is defined as the front-rear direction among the horizontal directions of the cargo vehicle4with respect to a horizontal plane. The lateral direction Y of the transport system1is defined as the left-right direction among the horizontal directions of the cargo vehicle4with respect to a horizontal plane. The height direction Z of the transport system1is defined as the vertical direction (i.e., the up-down direction) of the cargo vehicle4with respect to a horizontal plane. Under these definitions, the transport system1may be provided as one set on one side of the cargo vehicle in the lateral direction Y so as to be capable of transferring the luggage2, or provided as a plurality of sets of the transport system1disposed on both sides of the cargo vehicle in the lateral direction Y so as to be capable of transferring the luggage2with sharing at least the container unit10.

As shown inFIGS.2to4, the container unit10has a generally rectangular hollow shape as a whole and is formed mainly from, for example, metal. The container unit10is fixed onto the load bed5of the cargo vehicle4(seeFIG.1) in a detachable manner or a non-detachable manner. The container unit10has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with the longitudinal direction X being longer than the lateral direction Y, in accordance with the shape of the load bed5. The container unit10defines a luggage compartment11whose length is longer in the longitudinal direction X than in the lateral direction Y so that a plurality of pieces of the luggage2can be accommodated inside to be arranged at least in the longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, in the container unit10, the luggage compartment11is defined in such a manner that the pieces of the luggage2can be accommodated inside the luggage compartment11by arranging the pieces of the luggage2in the height direction Z on each of a plurality of layers11a,11bset in the height direction Z.

As shown inFIGS.2,3and5, in the container unit10, a plurality of conveyor elements12are arranged in the longitudinal direction X for each of the layers11aand11b. Each conveyor element12includes a belt conveyor mainly having a combination of an individual electric motor and a conveyor belt13. Each conveyor element12drives the conveyor belt13in the lateral direction Y on the upper surface side by an electric motor, thereby enabling the luggage2loaded on the conveyor belt13to displace individually in the same lateral direction Y. Hereinafter, the conveyor element12corresponding to the upper layer11awill be referred to as the upper conveyor element12a, and the conveyor element12corresponding to the lower layer11bwill be referred to as the lower conveyor element12b.

As shown inFIGS.3,4, and6to9, the door units20are arranged individually for each of the layers11a,11bat the ends of the container unit10in the lateral direction Y, and are arranged side by side in the height direction Z. Hereinafter, the door unit20corresponding to the upper layer11awill be referred to as the upper door unit20a, and the door unit20corresponding to the lower layer11bwill be referred to as the lower door unit20b.

Each of the upper and lower door units20a,20bhas a generally rectangular flat plate shape and is formed mainly from, for example, metal. Each of the upper and lower door units20a,20bis attached to the container unit10so as to be openable and closable in the lateral direction Y above the load bed5of the cargo vehicle4(seeFIG.1). An opening/closing unit21is provided on each of the upper and lower door units20a,20b. In order to drive the upper and lower door units20a,20bto open and close by swinging independently of each other, each opening/closing unit21mainly includes an individual electric motor.

Each of the upper and lower door units20a,20bcloses the luggage compartment11from one side in the lateral direction Y in a state in which each of the upper and lower door units20a,20bextends in the longitudinal direction X and the height direction Z (i.e., the vertical on the horizontal plane). In such a close state, each of the upper and lower door units20a,20bpartially constitutes a side wall portion of the container unit10in the lateral direction Y. Each of the upper and lower door units20a,20bopens the luggage compartment11toward one side in the lateral direction Y in a state in which each of the upper and lower door units20a,20bextends in the longitudinal direction X and the lateral direction Y (i.e., the horizontal on the horizontal plane).

As shown inFIGS.3and6to9, the conveyor units30are arranged individually for each of the layers11a,11bat the ends of the container unit10in the lateral direction Y, and are arranged side by side in the height direction Z. Hereinafter, the conveyor unit30corresponding to the upper layer11awill be referred to as the upper conveyor unit30a, and the conveyor unit30corresponding to the lower layer11bwill be referred to as the lower conveyor unit30b.

Each of the upper and lower conveyor units30a,30bis attached to the container unit10via the corresponding door unit20a,20bso as to be able to swing integrally with the corresponding door unit20a,20bon the load bed5of the cargo vehicle4. (seeFIG.1) Each of the upper and lower conveyor units30aand30bincludes a ball conveyor mainly having a set of a plurality of individual transport balls31and an electric drive source.

As shown inFIGS.6and7, when the corresponding door units20a,20bare in an open state, each of the upper and lower conveyor units30a,30breceives the luggage retrieved from the luggage compartment11by the corresponding conveyor element12a,12bonto each transport ball31located at the retrieve destination in the horizontal direction Y. Each of the upper and lower conveyor units30aand30brotates and drives each transport ball31located at the retrieve destination by an electric drive source, thereby displacing the luggage2in one of the lateral direction Y and the longitudinal direction X, which is controlled by the control unit60(that is only the lateral direction Y in the first embodiment). In particular, the lower conveyor unit30bis capable of displacing the luggage2in the lateral direction Y above the lower door unit20bin the open state as shown inFIG.7, thereby transferring the luggage2to the transport robot3positioned in the same lateral direction Y.

As shown inFIGS.4and9, the lift units40are disposed at both ends of the container unit10in the longitudinal direction X, and are provided bridging between the layers11a,11bin the height direction Z (seeFIGS.2and3). The lift unit40is attached to the container unit10so as to be capable of lifting the upper door unit20aand its opening/closing unit21in the height direction Z above the load bed5of the cargo vehicle4(seeFIG.1). The lift unit40includes a lift component mainly having a lift mechanism and an electric drive source.

The lift unit40provides one of the lifting up and the lifting down of the upper door unit20a, which is integral with the upper conveyor unit30a, controlled by the control unit60. As shown particularly inFIG.8, the lift unit40is capable of initially pulling out the upper door unit20aat the uppermost position Ha (see two-dot chain line inFIG.8), which supports the luggage2retrieved onto the upper conveyor unit30ain the open state, in the lateral direction Y, and then lifting the luggage2down in the vertical direction Z to the lowermost position Hb corresponding to the lower layer11b. Therefore, the upper conveyor unit30ais able to transfer the luggage2to the transport robot3positioned in the lateral direction Y by displacing the luggage2supported by the upper conveyor unit30ain the lateral direction Y above the upper door unit20ain an open state lifted down to the lowermost position Hb.

The communication unit50shown inFIG.4is held by the container unit10. The communication unit50may be replaced by a communication unit mounted in the cargo vehicle4. The communication unit50mainly includes a communication device such as DSRC (i.e., Dedicated Short Range Communications) or Cellular V2X (i.e., C-V2X), which is capable of communicating with at least one of the transport robot3and the management center6. The communication unit50may include a Global Navigation Satellite System (i.e., GNSS) receiver to recognize the travel position of the cargo vehicle4.

The control unit60is held in the container unit10. The control unit60may be replaced by a control unit mounted in the cargo vehicle4. As shown inFIG.10, the control unit60is connected to the electric components12(i.e.,12a,12b),21,30(i.e.,30a,30b),40, and50of the transport system1via at least one of, for example, a LAN (i.e., Local Area Network) line, a wire harness, and an internal bus. The control unit60mainly includes a dedicated computer having at least one memory61and one processor62.

The memory61of the control unit60is at least one type of non-transitory tangible storage medium of, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic storage medium, and an optical storage medium, for non-transitory storing computer readable programs, data, and the like. For example, the processor62of the control unit60may include at least one of a central processing unit (i.e., CPU), a graphics processing unit (i.e., GPU), a reduced instruction set computer (i.e., RISC) CPU, a data flow processor (i.e., DFP), a graph streaming processor (i.e., GSP), or the like.

In the control unit60, the processor62executes a plurality of instructions included in the control program stored in the memory61to transmit and receive control-related signals between the electric components12(i.e.,12a,12b),21,30(i.e.,30a,30b),40, and50of the transport system1. As a result, the control unit60controls the opening and closing of each of the upper and lower door units20a,20b, the displacement of the luggage2by each of the upper and lower conveyor elements12a,12band each of the upper and lower conveyor units30a,30b, and the driving of the upper door unit20aby the lift unit40.

An operation example of the transport system1that operates under the control of the control unit60in the first embodiment will be described. The operation example of the first embodiment shown inFIGS.11to15is an example of the process up to the transfer of the luggage2loaded on the upper layer11ain the luggage compartment11to the transport robot3. As shown at S10inFIG.11, the transport robot3arrives at a transfer position Pr in the longitudinal direction X corresponding to the loading position of the luggage2to be transferred, and stops to receive the luggage2.

At S11shown inFIG.12, the control unit60controls the opening/closing unit21of the upper door unit20aas an opening target door unit so as to open the upper door unit20ain the lateral direction Y. At S12shown inFIG.13, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor element12a, on which the luggage2is loaded, together with the upper conveyor unit30aso as to retrieve the luggage2from the upper layer11aof the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y.

At S13shown inFIG.14, the control unit60controls the lift unit40to lift down the upper door unit20a, which supports the luggage2retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y to be in the open state, to the lowermost position Hb in the vertical direction Z. At S14shown inFIG.15, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor unit30aat the lowermost position Hb to transfer the luggage2supported by the lifted-down upper door unit20ain the open state to the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y.

Furthermore, when the luggage2loaded on the lower layer11bin the luggage compartment11is transferred to the transport robot3, the opening/closing unit21of the lower door unit20b, the lower conveyor element12b, and the lower conveyor unit30bare controlled sequentially similar to S10to S12and S14.

Operation and Effects

The operation effects of the first embodiment will be described below.

According to the first embodiment, in a cargo vehicle4, the door unit20is opened and closed in the lateral direction Y according to the control of the control unit60with respect to the container unit10accommodating the luggage2arranged in a longitudinal direction X, which is longer than a lateral direction Y. Therefore, when the conveyor unit30retrieves the plurality of pieces of the luggage2from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y through the door unit20which is opened to transport the plurality of pieces of the luggage2to the transport robot3, according to the control of the control unit60, the transfer time can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to automate the transfer of the luggage2from the cargo vehicle4to the transport robot3, thereby improving efficiency.

According to the first embodiment, in a cargo vehicle4, the control unit60controls the drive of the lift unit40, which drives the door unit20in the height direction Z, with respect to the container unit10accommodating the luggage2arranged in a longitudinal direction X and a height direction Z in a luggage compartment11. Then, the control unit60controls the lift unit40to lift down, in the vertical direction Z, the door unit20that supports the luggage2retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y to be in the open state, and then controls the conveyor unit30to transfer the luggage2supported by the door unit20to the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y. According to this feature, it is possible to improve the efficiency of the transfer of the luggage2from the luggage compartment11, which has an improved storage efficiency.

Second Embodiment

A second embodiment is a modification of the first embodiment.

As shown inFIG.16, in the second embodiment, each piece of the luggage2is individually accommodated in a rectangular hollow transport box9formed to substantially the same specified size. Therefore, as shown inFIGS.17and18, each transport box9accommodating an individual piece of the luggage2can be accommodated in the luggage compartment11with multiple transport boxes lined up in the longitudinal direction X on each layer11a,11b. In response to this feature, the conveyor unit30(i.e.,30a,30b) on the respective door units20(i.e.,20a,20b) are controlled by the control unit60so as to be able to displace the transport box9in both the lateral direction Y and the longitudinal direction X.

In accordance with the utilization of the transport box9, the transport robot3retrieves the luggage2from the transport box9accommodated in the accommodation unit8, and then, moves to the stopping position of the same or a different cargo vehicle4, thereby transferring the empty transport box9(hereinafter, represented as9eas inFIGS.19to27) to the transport system1. Therefore, the transport robot3has a built-in belt conveyor having the configuration similar to the conveyor element12or a built-in ball conveyor having the configuration similar to the conveyor unit30as a transfer unit.

An operation example of the transport system1that operates under the control of the control unit60in the second embodiment will be described. The operation example of the second embodiment shown inFIGS.19to27is an illustration of transferring a transport box9loaded with the luggage2accommodated therein on the upper layer11ain the luggage compartment11to a transport robot3, while retrieving an empty transport box9efrom the transport robot3. Therefore, at S20shown inFIG.19, the transport robot3arrives at a transfer position Pr in the longitudinal direction X, where an empty transport box9ecan be exchanged for a transport box9that accommodates the luggage2, and stops for the exchange. At this time, the transfer position Pr can be set to any position in the longitudinal direction X.

At S21shown inFIG.20, the control unit60controls the opening/closing unit21of the upper door unit20aas an opening target door unit so as to open the upper door unit20ain the lateral direction Y. At S22shown inFIG.21, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor element12a, on which the transport box9is loaded, together with the upper conveyor unit30aso as to retrieve the transport box9accommodating the luggage2in the lateral direction Y from the upper layer11ain the luggage compartment11.

At S23shown inFIG.22, the control unit60controls the lift unit40to lift down the upper door unit20a, which supports the transport box9accommodating the luggage2removed from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y in the open state before shifting the transport box9at S25(described later), to the lowermost position Hb in the height direction Z. At S24shown inFIG.23, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor unit30aat the lowermost position Hb to receive the transport box9e, which has been emptied after transporting the luggage2, in the lateral direction Y from the transport robot3at the transfer position Pr. At this time, the control unit of the transport robot3controls the transfer unit to transfer the transport box9e to the upper conveyor unit30ain the lateral direction Y by synchronizing with the control of the control unit60through communication.

At S25shown inFIG.24, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor unit30aat the lowermost position Hb to shift both the transport box9accommodating the luggage2that has been retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y and lifted down, and the empty transport box9ethat has been received in the lateral direction Y from the transport robot3, in the longitudinal direction X. At this time, the shift in the longitudinal direction X is controlled so that the transport box9accommodating the luggage2moves to the transfer position Pr.

At S26shown inFIG.25, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor unit30aat the lowermost position Hb so that the transport box9, after being shifted in the longitudinal direction X while being supported by the upper door unit20alifted-down in the open state, is transferred to the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y with accommodating the luggage2therein. At this time, the control unit of the transport robot3may synchronize with the control of the control unit60via communication to control the transfer unit to receive the transport box9accommodating the luggage2from the upper conveyor unit30ain the lateral direction Y, thereby improving the transfer efficiency.

At S27shown inFIG.26, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor unit30ato reverse the empty transport box9eafter received from the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, toward the opposite direction to the shift direction in the longitudinal direction X, as shown by the two-dot chain line inFIG.26. At the same time, at S27, the control unit60controls the lift unit40to lift up the upper door unit20a, which supports the empty transport box9ein the open state after the empty transport box9eis received in the lateral direction Y from the transport robot3and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, from the lowermost position Hb to the uppermost position Ha in the height direction Z, as shown by the solid line inFIG.26. The reverse operation and the lift-up operation are controlled so that one of them is performed after the other of them. Here,FIG.26shows a case where the reverse operation and the lift-up operation are performed in this order.

At S28shown inFIG.27, the control unit60controls the upper conveyor unit30aat the uppermost position Ha so as to retrieve the empty transport box9eafter performing the reverse operation and the lift-up operation in the predetermined order, either in this order or the opposite order, to the upper layer11ain the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y. At this time, the control unit60may also control the upper conveyor element12acorresponding to the retrieve destination of the transport box9e, thereby improving the retrieve efficiency.

Furthermore, when a transport box9loaded with the luggage2accommodated on the lower layer11bin the luggage compartment11is transferred to the transport robot3, and an empty transport box9eis retrieved from the transport robot3, the opening/closing unit21of the lower door unit20b, the lower conveyor element12b, and the lower conveyor unit30bare controlled sequentially similar to S20to S22, S24to S26, the reverse operation of S27, and S28.

Operation and Effects

The operation and effect of the second embodiment described above will be described below.

The container unit10according to the second embodiment accommodates the luggage2in a transport box9having a specified size and accommodates the container unit10in the luggage compartment11, so that it is possible to increase the accommodation efficiency of multiple pieces of the luggage2and therefore to increase the transport efficiency.

The conveyor unit30according to the second embodiment is configured to be able to displace the luggage2accommodated in the transport box9in both the lateral direction Y and the longitudinal direction X, and the displacement in each of he lateral direction Y and the longitudinal direction X is controlled by the control unit60. According to this feature, the conveyor unit30not only retrieves the luggage2from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y, but also displaces the luggage2in the longitudinal direction X to the transfer position Pr for the transport robot3, according to the control of the control unit60, thereby it is possible to improve the efficiency of the transfer.

In the second embodiment, the control unit60controls the conveyor unit30to shift the luggage2accommodated in the transport box9, which is retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y, in the longitudinal direction X to the transfer position Pr for the transport robot3that has stopped for receipt. Therefore, the control unit60can control the conveyor unit30to transfer the luggage2that has been shifted to the transfer position Pr to the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y, thereby it is possible to improve the efficiency of the transfer.

The control unit60in the second embodiment controls the conveyor unit30to retrieve the transport box9accommodating the luggage2from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y, and to receive the transport box9eafter the luggage2has been transported from the transport box9e, from the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y. Therefore, the control unit60controls the conveyor unit30to shift in the longitudinal direction X both the transport box9retrieved in the lateral direction Y from the luggage compartment11and the transport box9ereceived in the lateral direction Y from the transport robot3. Furthermore, the control unit60controls the conveyor unit30to transfer the transport box9, after the transport box9has been retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, to the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y, and to retrieve the transport box9e, after the transport box9ehas been received from the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, to the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y. This series of controls makes it possible to efficiently not only transfer the luggage2using the transport box9, but also to efficiently retrieve the transport box9ethat has become empty after the luggage2has been transported.

According to the second embodiment, in a cargo vehicle4, the control unit60controls the drive of the lift unit40, which drives the door unit20in the height direction Z, with respect to the container unit10accommodating the transport box9to be arranged in a longitudinal direction X and a height direction Z in a luggage compartment11. The control unit60then controls the lift unit40to lift down, in the height direction Z, the door unit20that supports the transport box9in the open state before the transport box9is shifted in the longitudinal direction X after being retrieved from the cargo compartment11in the lateral direction Y, and then transfers the transport box9, after the transport box9is shifted, to the transport robot3. This makes it possible to efficiently transfer the luggage2from the luggage compartment11, which has improved accommodation efficiency, using the transport box9.

The control unit60in the second embodiment controls the conveyor unit30to reverse the transport box9ein the longitudinal direction X after the transport box9eis received from the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, and also controls the lift unit40to lift up, in the longitudinal direction X, the door unit20supporting the shifted transport box9ein an open state. Therefore, the control unit60controls the conveyor unit30to retrieve the transport box9into the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y after performing the reverse operation and the lift-up operation in a predetermined order, either in this order or the opposite order, thereby it is possible to promote the efficiency of retrieving the transport box9.

Third Embodiment

A third embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment.

As shown inFIG.28, in the third embodiment, each piece of the luggage2can be accommodated in the luggage compartment11on each layer11a,11bto arrange multiple pieces of the luggage2not only in the longitudinal direction X as in the second embodiment but also in the lateral direction Y as shown inFIG.28under a condition that each piece of the luggage2is accommodated in an individual transport box9. In response to this feature, the conveyor unit30(i.e.,30a,30b) on the respective door units20(i.e.,20a,20b) are controlled by the control unit60so as to be able to displace the transport box9in both the lateral direction Y and the longitudinal direction X also in the third embodiment.

An operation example of the transport system1that operates under the control of the control unit60in the third embodiment will be described. The operation example of the third embodiment shown inFIGS.29to39is an example of a process such that the transport box9as a transfer target is transferred to the transport robot3under a condition that the transport box9(hereinafter, referred to as9nas inFIGS.29to39), which is not the transfer target, is loaded on the lowermost door unit20bside in the lateral direction Y on the lower layer11bin the luggage compartment11. Therefore, at S30shown inFIG.29, the transport robot3arrives at a transfer position Pr in the longitudinal direction X, where an empty transport box9ecan be exchanged for a transport box9as the transfer target, and stops for the exchange.

At S31shown inFIG.30, the control unit60controls the opening/closing unit21of the lower door unit20bas an opening target door unit so as to open the lower door unit20bin the lateral direction Y. In S32shown inFIG.31, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit12b, on which the transport box9nis loaded, together with the lower conveyor unit30bso as to retrieve the transport box9nwhich is not the transfer target from the lower layer11bin the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y. At this time, the transport box9as the transfer target is displaced to the loading position Pn before the transport box9nwhich is not the transfer target is retrieved in the lateral direction Y under the control of the lower conveyor unit12b.

At S33shown inFIG.32, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit30bto receive the transport box9e, which has been emptied after the luggage2was transported, from the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y. At this time, the control unit of the transport robot3controls the transfer unit to transfer the transport box9eto the lower conveyor unit30bin the lateral direction Y by synchronizing with the control of the control unit60through communication. S33may be performed prior to or simultaneously with S32.

At S34shown inFIG.33, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit30bto shift both the transport box9nwhich is not the transfer target and has been retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y and the empty transport box9ethat was received in the lateral direction Y from the transport robot3, in the longitudinal direction X. At S35shown inFIG.34, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit12bon which the transport box9is loaded together with the lower conveyor unit30bso as to retrieve the transport box9as the transfer target from the lower layer11bin the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y through the loading position Pn of the transport box9nthat is not the transfer target.

At S36shown inFIG.35, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit30bto shift both the transport boxes9n,9retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y and the empty transport box9ethat was received in the lateral direction Y from the transport robot3, in the longitudinal direction X. At S37shown inFIG.36, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit30bto transfer the transport box9, as the transfer target after the transport box9has been retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, to the transport robot3in the lateral direction Y. At this time, the control unit of the transport robot3may synchronize with the control of the control unit60via communication to control the transfer unit to receive the transport box9as the transfer target from the lower conveyor unit30bin the lateral direction Y, thereby improving the transfer efficiency.

At S38shown inFIG.37, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit30bto retrieve the empty transport box9e, which has been received in the lateral direction Y from the transport robot3and shifted twice in the longitudinal direction X, to the lower layer11bin the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y. At this time, the control unit60may also control the lower conveyor element12acorresponding to the retrieve destination of the transport box9e, thereby improving the retrieve efficiency. S33may be performed prior to or simultaneously with S32.

At S39shown inFIG.38, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit30bto further shift in the longitudinal direction X the transport box9nthat is not the transfer target after being retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y and shifted twice in the lateral direction X. At S40shown inFIG.39, the control unit60controls the lower conveyor unit30bto retrieve the transport box9nafter being further shifted in the longitudinal direction X in this manner, to the lower layer11bin the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y. At this time, the control unit60may also control the lower conveyor element12bcorresponding to the retrieve destination of the transport box9n, thereby replacing the empty transport box9and improving the retrieve efficiency.

Furthermore, when the transport box9as the transfer target is transferred to the transport robot3under a condition that the transport box9nthat is not the transfer target and is loaded on the upper door unit20aside in the lateral direction Y on the upper layer11aof the luggage compartment11, the control is added to S30to S39. In this case, the opening/closing unit21of the upper door unit20a, the upper conveyor element12a, the upper conveyor unit30a, and the lift unit40are sequentially controlled so that the lift-up at S23and S27in the second embodiment are appropriately combined in S30to S39.

Operation and Effects

The operation and effect of the third embodiment described above will be described below.

According to the third embodiment, the transport boxes9accommodating the luggage2are accommodated in the luggage compartment11of the container unit10so as to be arranged in the longitudinal direction X and the lateral direction Y and to be replaced in the lateral direction Y. Therefore, the control unit60controls the conveyor unit30to retrieve the transport box9nthat is not the transfer target and is accommodated on the door unit20side in the lateral direction Y with reference to the transport box9as the transfer target, from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y, and then to shift it in the longitudinal direction X. Furthermore, the control unit60controls the conveyor unit30to retrieve the transport box9as the transfer target from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y through the loading position Pn before the transport box9nwhich is not the transfer target is retrieved in the lateral direction Y, and then to transfer the transport box9to the transport robot3. Thus, according to the above described series of the control, it is possible to efficiently transfer the luggage2from the luggage compartment11, which has improved accommodation efficiency, using the transport box9.

Fourth Embodiment

A fourth embodiment is a modification of the second embodiment.

The control unit60of the fourth embodiment defines a plurality of transfer positions Pr divided in the longitudinal direction X as shown inFIG.40as positions for transferring the transport box9accommodating the luggage2and retrieved in the lateral direction Y to the transport robot3. Therefore, at least two or more transfer robots3serving as transfer destinations are assigned individual assigned positions Pra (seeFIGS.41and42described later) from among a plurality of transfer positions Pr.

An operation example of the transport system1that operates under the control of the control unit60in the fourth embodiment will be described. The operation example of the fourth embodiment shown inFIGS.41and42is an example of the process up to the step where the transport box9as the transfer target, which is loaded on the upper layer11ain the luggage compartment11, is transferred to the transport robot3.

Specifically, in the fourth embodiment, the control similar to S20to S28described in the second embodiment is performed simultaneously for two or more transport robots3. Of this series of controls, particularly at S24, the upper conveyor unit30ais controlled so as to receive an empty transport box9ein the lateral direction Y at the assigned position Pra of each transport robot, as shown inFIG.41. As shown inFIG.42, at S26, the upper conveyor unit30ais controlled to transfer the multiple transport boxes9accommodating the luggage2, which have been retrieved in the lateral direction Y and shifted in the longitudinal direction X, and then have reached the assigned position Pra of each transport robot3, to each of the transport robots3in the lateral direction Y.

Operation and Effects

The operation and effect of the fourth embodiment described above will be described below.

The control unit60according to the fourth embodiment controls the conveyor unit30to shift the luggage2accommodated in the transport box9, which has been retrieved from the luggage compartment11in the lateral direction Y, in the longitudinal direction X to an assigned position Pra assigned to the transport robot3as the transfer destination among a plurality of transfer positions Pr divided in the longitudinal direction X. Thus, the control unit60can control the conveyor unit30to simultaneously transfer multiple pieces of luggage2that have been shifted to the assigned positions Pra to individual transport robots3, thereby it is possible to improve the efficiency of transfer.

Other Embodiments

Although multiple embodiments have been described above, the present disclosure is not construed as being limited to these embodiments, and can be applied to various embodiments and combinations within a scope that does not depart from the gist of the present disclosure.

In the first embodiment, when the stopping position of the transport robot3is deviated in the longitudinal direction X from the transfer position Pr corresponding to the luggage2, the luggage2may be shifted in the longitudinal direction X by the amount of the deviation by the conveyor unit30(i.e.,30a,30b) in accordance with the second and third embodiments, and then may be transferred. The first and third embodiments may be implemented so that individual pieces of the luggage2are transferred to a plurality of transport robots3at a plurality of assigned positions Pra similar to the fourth embodiment. In the first to fourth embodiments, the conveyor element12(i.e.,12a,12b) may be provided by a ball conveyor similar to the conveyor unit30(i.e.,30a,30b) extending over the entire area of the loading area for multiple pieces of the luggage2in the longitudinal direction X for each layer11a,11b.

In the first to fourth embodiments, each door unit20(i.e.,20a,20b) may be lifted and driven by a lift unit40to an upper or lower position according to the relative height between the transport robot3and the container unit10, as shown inFIG.43(in a case of the lower door unit20bof the third embodiment). In the first to fourth embodiments, the lower door unit20bmay be in an open state when the upper door unit20ais lifted down as shown inFIG.44(in a case of the first embodiment), and, in such a case, the lower door unit20bmay be lifted down by the lift unit40in response to the lifting down of the upper door unit20a.

In the first to fourth embodiments, the upper layer11aand its upper conveyor element12a, the upper door unit20aand its opening/closing unit21, the upper conveyor unit30a, and the lift unit40may be omitted. In this case, the transport system1may include a container unit10having a lower conveyor element12bon the lower layer11b, a lower door unit20band its opening/closing unit21, a lower conveyor unit30b, a communication unit50, and a control unit60.

The operation of receiving an empty transport box9efrom a transport robot3according to the first to fourth embodiments may be applied to the operation of receiving the luggage2or a transfer box9accommodating the luggage2from a transport robot3in a logistics warehouse Wd. The operation of transferring the transfer box9accommodating the luggage2to the transport robot3according to the second to fourth embodiments may be applied to the operation of transfer of an empty transfer box9eto the transport robot3in the logistics warehouse Wd.

APPENDIX

The present specification discloses a plurality of technical ideas listed below and a plurality of combinations thereof.

Technical Feature 1

A transport system is mounted on a load bed of a cargo vehicle and transports a plurality of pieces of luggage so as to be able to be transferred to a transport robot.

The transport system includes:a container unit that accommodates the luggage in a luggage compartment to be arranged in a longitudinal direction that is longer than a lateral direction in the cargo vehicle;a door unit that opens and closes in the lateral direction with respect to the container unit;a conveyor unit that retrieves the luggage from the luggage compartment in the lateral direction through the door unit which is in an open state, and transports the luggage to a transport robot; anda control unit having at least one processor; and a memory storing instructions configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: control an opening operation and a closing operation of the door unit and a displacement of the luggage by the conveyor unit.

Technical Feature 2

The transport system according to the technical feature 1, further includes:a lift unit that drives the door unit in a height direction of the cargo vehicle.

The container unit accommodates the luggage in the luggage compartment by arranging each of the plurality of pieces of the luggage in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, respectively.

The control unit for controlling a driving operation of the door unit by the lift unit, performs:controlling the lift unit so as to lift down, in the height direction, the door unit in the open state that supports the luggage retrieved in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment; andcontrolling the conveyor unit so as to transfer the luggage, supported by the door unit lifted down in the open state, to the transport robot in the lateral direction.

Technical Feature 3

In the transport system according to the technical feature 1 or 2, the conveyer unit is configured to displace each of the plurality of pieces of the luggage in both the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction, and displacement in each of the lateral direction and the longitudinal direction is controlled by the control unit.

Technical Feature 4

In the transport system according to the technical feature 3, the control unit performs:controlling the conveyor unit to retrieve the luggage in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment; andcontrolling the conveyor unit to shift the luggage, retrieved in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment, to a transfer position (Pr) for the transport robot that has stopped for receipt.

Technical Feature 5

In the transport system according to the technical feature 3, the control unit performs:controlling the conveyor unit to retrieve the luggage in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment; andcontrolling the conveyor unit to shift the luggage, retrieved in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment, to an assigned transfer position (Pra) assigned to the transfer robot as a transfer destination in the longitudinal direction, the assigned transfer position being one of a plurality of transfer positions (Pr) which are divided in the longitudinal direction; andcontrolling the conveyor unit to transfer the luggage that has been shifted to the assigned transfer position to the transport robot in the lateral direction.

Technical Feature 6

In the transport system according to any one of the technical features 3 to 5, the container unit accommodates the luggage in a transport box having a predetermined size and accommodates the transport box in the luggage compartment, and the control unit performs:controlling the conveyor unit to retrieve the transport box accommodating the luggage from the luggage compartment in the lateral direction;controlling the conveyor unit to receive the transport box, in which the luggage has been transported, from the transport robot in the lateral direction;controlling the conveyor unit to shift both the transport box retrieved in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment and the transport box received in the lateral direction from the transport robot, in the longitudinal direction;controlling the conveyor unit to transfer the transport box, which has been retrieved in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment and shifted in the longitudinal direction, to the transport robot in the lateral direction; andcontrolling the conveyor unit to retrieve the transport box, which has been received in the lateral direction from the transport robot and shifted in the longitudinal direction, into the luggage compartment in the lateral direction.

Technical Feature 7

The transport system according to the technical feature 1, further includes: a lift unit that drives the door unit in a height direction of the cargo vehicle.

The container unit accommodates the transport box in the luggage compartment by arranging each of a plurality of pieces of the transport box in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction, respectively.

The control unit for controlling a driving operation of the door unit by the lift unit performs: controlling the lift unit to lift down the door unit in the height direction, which supports the transport box retrieved in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment in an open state before the transport box is shifted in the longitudinal direction.

Technical Feature 8

In the transport system according to the feature 7, the control unit performs:controlling the conveyor unit to reverse the transport box in the longitudinal direction after the transport box is received from the transport robot in the lateral direction and shifted in the longitudinal direction;controlling the lift unit to lift up the door unit in the height direction, which supports the transport box in an open state after the transport box is received in the lateral direction from the transport robot and shifted in the longitudinal direction; andcontrolling the conveyor unit to retrieve the transport box into the luggage compartment in the lateral direction after performing a reverse operation and a lift up operation in a predetermined order.

Technical Feature 9

In the transport system according to any one of the technical features 6 to 8, the container unit accommodates the transport box in the luggage compartment to be movable in the lateral direction by arranging each of the plurality of pieces of the transport box in the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction, respectively.

The control unit performs:controlling the conveyor unit to retrieve the transport box in the lateral direction from the luggage compartment, which is not the transfer target and is accommodated on a door unit side with respect to the transport box as the transfer target in the lateral direction;controlling the conveyor unit to shift the transport box in the longitudinal direction, which is not the transfer target and is retrieved from the luggage compartment; andcontrolling the conveyor unit to retrieve the transport box as the transfer target from the luggage compartment in the lateral direction through a loading position (Pn) before the transport box not the transfer target is retrieved in the lateral direction, and then, to transfer the transport box as the transfer target to the transport robot.

Technical Feature 10

A cargo vehicle equipped with the transport system according to any one of the technical features 1 to 9.

The controllers and methods described in the present disclosure may be implemented by a special purpose computer created by configuring a memory and a processor programmed to execute one or more particular functions embodied in computer programs. Alternatively, the controllers and methods described in the present disclosure may be implemented by a special purpose computer created by configuring a processor provided by one or more special purpose hardware logic circuits. Alternatively, the controllers and methods described in the present disclosure may be implemented by one or more special purpose computers created by configuring a combination of a memory and a processor programmed to execute one or more particular functions and a processor provided by one or more hardware logic circuits. The computer programs may be stored, as instructions being executed by a computer, in a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium.