WO2025022491A1 - Pseudo-obstacle transporting device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a pseudo-obstacle transporting device for traveling while carrying a pseudo-obstacle, the pseudo-obstacle transporting device comprising: a travel device including wheels and a drive mechanism to drive the wheels; an enclosure covering the travel device, with a connecting unit that connects with the pseudo-obstacle; and a position fixing mechanism which is slidable with respect to the travel device and which selectively fixes the position of the travel device with respect to the enclosure, wherein the travel device has a first fixing section where the position fixing mechanism is fitted and fixed in a state with the wheels protruding downward from the lower end of the enclosure, and a second fixing section where the position fixing mechanism is fitted and fixed in a state with everything positioned above the lower end of the enclosure.

Description

Pseudo obstacle transport device

The present invention relates to a simulated obstacle transport device for use in automobile performance testing.

In order to objectively evaluate an automobile's obstacle recognition and avoidance performance, performance tests are conducted by simulating specific collision conditions to evaluate the degree of collision avoidance and damage reduction. This performance test is conducted using the automobile to be evaluated and a simulated obstacle transport device (hereinafter abbreviated as the transport device) (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The transport device runs while loaded with simulated obstacles (for example, dummies that simulate various obstacles such as people and bicycles) used in automobile performance tests, reproducing the movements of various obstacles. By conducting highly reproducible performance tests using the transport device, the automobile's collision safety can be evaluated with high accuracy.

Special table 2019-520585 publication

Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in which a preload spring causes the wheels to protrude from the housing of a transport device, the wheels are retracted into the housing when a load is applied to the housing, and when the housing is released from the load, the wheels protrude from the housing again due to the preload spring. With this configuration, if the transport device is run over by a car during a performance test, the wheels are retracted into the housing, and the housing transforms into a state in which it directly supports the weight of the car against the ground. This avoids breakdowns in the running mechanism of the transport device, and allows the transport device to be used repeatedly for performance tests.

Incidentally, the document does not provide detailed information about the configuration for attaching wheels to the housing, but to achieve this, not only a preload spring for an air chamber, but also a compressor that sends air into the air chamber, and a valve device that releases air from the air chamber when a certain level of pressure is applied, are necessary. However, the transport device needs to be extremely low-profile and thin so that it is unlikely to be recognized as an obstacle by the external recognition sensor of the vehicle being tested, and to avoid contact with the vehicle body when the vehicle collides with the simulated obstacle. For this reason, a configuration in which various devices such as an air chamber, compressor, and valve device are stored inside the housing, as in the transport device of Patent Document 1, is disadvantageous in making the transport device smaller and thinner.

The object of the present invention is to provide a pseudo obstacle transport device that can miniaturize the mechanism for storing the wheels inside the housing when, for example, they are run over by a car.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pseudo obstacle transport device that travels with a pseudo obstacle loaded on it, the pseudo obstacle transport device comprising a traveling device including wheels and a drive mechanism for driving the wheels, a housing that has a connection part for connecting the pseudo obstacle and covers the traveling device, and a position fixing mechanism that is slidable relative to the traveling device and selectively fixes the position of the traveling device relative to the housing, the traveling device having a first fixing part that is fixed with the position fixing mechanism engaged so that the wheels protrude downward from the bottom end of the housing, and a second fixing part that is fixed with the position fixing mechanism engaged so that the entirety of the traveling device is positioned above the bottom end of the housing.

The pseudo obstacle transport device of the present invention allows for a compact mechanism for storing the wheels inside the housing when, for example, they are run over by a car.

1 is a perspective view showing an external configuration of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a bottom view showing the external configuration of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a diagram showing the height relationship between the overall height of a simulated obstacle transporting device according to one embodiment of the present invention and the ground clearance of a test subject automobile. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an operation form of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing an operation form of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing an operation form of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing an operation form of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic diagram showing a performance test of an automobile using a simulated obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is an exploded view of a housing and a traveling device of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view of a traveling device of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a traveling device of a simulated obstacle transporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the belt side. 1 is a perspective view of a traveling device of a simulated obstacle transporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, seen from the opposite side to the belt. 1 is a perspective view showing a traveling device detached from a first support of a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. 9. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a position fixing mechanism provided in a pseudo obstacle transportation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a position fixing mechanism of a traveling device of the pseudo obstacle transportation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. FIG. 13B is an enlarged view of part XIIIB in FIG. 13A. 4 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the pseudo obstacle transporting device according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the traveling device is fixed by a first fixing part. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the pseudo obstacle transporting device according to one embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the traveling device is fixed by a second fixing portion. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a traveling device is displaced in the pseudo obstacle transportation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a side view of another traveling device of the pseudo obstacle transportation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a position fixing mechanism of another traveling device of the pseudo obstacle transportation device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a characteristic diagram of a position fixing mechanism with respect to the relationship between an external force acting on a pseudo obstacle transporting device and the displacement of a traveling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

The following describes an embodiment of the present invention using the drawings.

- Pseudo obstacle transport device -
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a simulated obstacle transporting device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the height relationship between the overall height of the simulated obstacle transporting device shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the minimum ground clearance of a test subject automobile, and Figs. 4A to 4D are schematic diagrams showing the operating form of the simulated obstacle transporting device. The right, left, bottom, and top of Fig. 2 correspond to the front, rear, left, and right of the simulated obstacle transporting device 1 (hereinafter abbreviated as transporting device 1) of this embodiment.

The transport device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that stops or runs with a pseudo obstacle B, which is a dummy obstacle used in a performance test of an automobile (test vehicle) A, loaded on it, simulating a static or dynamic obstacle. The body of the pseudo obstacle B is generally made of a soft material such as a balloon, so that even if the automobile A collides with the pseudo obstacle B during a performance test, the pseudo obstacle B and the automobile A are unlikely to be damaged. In the performance test, for example, the functions of the AD (Autonomous Driving) and ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) of the automobile A are tested. The transport device 1 is configured to be low-profile and thin so that it is unlikely to be recognized as an obstacle by the external recognition sensor of the automobile A to be tested, and to avoid contact with the body of the automobile A when the automobile A collides with the pseudo obstacle B. As shown in FIG. 3, the overall height of the transport device 1 from the ground surface is lower than the minimum ground clearance H of the automobile A, for example, about 100 mm.

The components of the transport device 1 include a running device 2, a housing 3, and connection parts 4 and 5.

The running device 2 is a device that allows the transport device 1 to travel under its own power, and the transport device 1 is equipped with multiple (three in this embodiment) running devices 2L, 2R, 2F (Figure 2). Each of these running devices 2L, 2R, 2F is configured to include one wheel 21. The running device 2F is a front wheel unit located in the front center of the housing 3, the running device 2L is a left rear wheel unit located in the rear left side of the housing 3, and the running device 2R is a right rear wheel unit located in the rear right side of the housing 3. More specifically, the running devices 2L and 2R are located in the rear corners of the main body 3a of the housing 3, and the running device 2F is located near the front inner wall of the main body 3a of the housing 3, ensuring the maximum wheelbase and tread in the limited space inside the main body 3a of the housing 3 and improving straight-line stability. In this embodiment, the transport device 1 is driven to travel by the rear running devices 2L and 2R, and steered by the front running device 2F. In order to further improve the straight-line stability of the transport device 1, an area X for mounting relatively heavy control devices is provided in the triangular area S surrounded by the travel devices 2L, 2R, and 2F. In front of the left and right travel devices 2L and 2R, left and right areas Y for mounting batteries and left and right areas Z for mounting other electronic devices are arranged on either side of the area X and the travel device 2F. The transport device 1 is a tricycle that runs on a total of three wheels 21 on each of the travel devices 2F, 2L, and 2R, and since the three wheels 21, which are spaced apart in three places, are always in contact with the ground, no height adjustment mechanism for the wheels 21 is required. The configuration of the travel devices 2L, 2R, and 2F will be described later.

The housing 3 is the body of the transport device 1, has connection parts 4 and 5 that connect the dummy obstacle B, and covers the traveling device 2. In this embodiment, the housing 3 is configured to include a main body part 3a (core block) and a slope part 3b (cover). The housing 3 can be configured as an assembly of the main body part 3a and the slope part 3b, with the main body part 3a and the slope part 3b being separate structures, or the main body part 3a and the slope part 3b can be configured as a single unit molded structure.

In this embodiment, the main body 3a has a thin box-like shape that is rectangular (square in the example shown) in plan view, has front, rear, left and right sides and a top surface, and is open on the bottom. In this embodiment, the top surface (top surface) of the main body 3a is a horizontal plane, but this is not necessarily the case. The main body 3a is made of metal and has high strength to withstand the load even if it is run over by the automobile A. Although not shown in Figure 2, ribs can be provided appropriately inside the main body 3a (the volumetric space surrounded by the front, rear, left and right sides and the top surface) to improve the strength of the main body 3a.

The sloped surface 3b is located on the outer periphery of the main body 3a and surrounds the entire circumference of the main body 3a. In this embodiment, the sloped surface 3b is detachably attached to the front, back, left and right of the main body 3a. The upward surface of the sloped surface 3b is a sloped surface that slopes downward from the horizontal center of the housing 3 toward the outside, and descends from the upper surface of the main body 3a toward the ground surface. The inclination angle, etc. of this sloped surface is set so that the wheels of the car A can smoothly ride up onto the transport device 1 when the car A collides with the simulated obstacle B. The sloped surface 3b is a replaceable part and is made of lightweight resin. Figure 2 shows an example of a structure in which the sloped surface 3b has been hollowed out to reduce weight.

The connection part 4 is a mechanism for fixing the pseudo obstacle B to the housing 3, and is provided at the top of the housing 3, for example, at the center of the top surface. The configuration of the connection part 4 is appropriately adopted according to the mechanism for attaching and detaching the pseudo obstacle B to the transport device 1. The connection part 4 illustrated in FIG. 1 is a mechanism like a clamp that holds down the base plate of a pole (pipe, etc.). The pseudo obstacle B is fixed to the transport device 1 by attaching it to a pole supported by the connection part 4 or by fastening the pseudo obstacle to the pole. In addition, the connection part 4 can be configured with a screw hole into which a bolt for fixing the pseudo obstacle B is screwed, and the configuration of the connection part 4 can be variously changed in design. In addition, the connection part 5 uses a magnet and fixes the pseudo obstacle B by attracting an iron plate provided at the bottom of the pseudo obstacle B. It is not necessary to provide both the connection parts 4 and 5, and either one may be omitted. In addition, the layout of the connection parts 4 and 5 can also be changed as appropriate. The dummy obstacle B is attached to the top of the housing 3 of the transport device 1 via these connections 4 and 5, and the transport device 1 travels in this state, causing the transport device 1 to reproduce the movement of the obstacle that the dummy obstacle B imitates.

The dummy obstacle B is selected in a shape appropriate for the purpose of the performance test and attached to the transport device 1. Figure 4A shows an example in which a dummy obstacle B simulating a pedestrian B1 is mounted on the transport device 1. Figure 4B shows an example in which a bicycle B2 is mounted on the transport device 1, Figure 4C shows an example in which a motorcycle B3 is mounted on the transport device 1, and Figure 4D shows an example in which a car B4 is mounted on the transport device 1. The transport device 1 travels in response to, for example, a radio signal in response to an operator's remote control operation, a radio signal remotely controlled by a control device, or a predefined program, and reproduces the specified movement of the loaded dummy obstacle B.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a performance test of automobile A using a transport device 1. In the performance test, the transport device 1 loaded with a simulated obstacle B stops or runs under the test conditions specified in the performance test. The automobile A being tested runs relative to the simulated obstacle B loaded on the transport device 1, recognizing the simulated obstacle B as a real obstacle using its obstacle recognition function, and activating collision avoidance functions, etc. as necessary. If the test conditions make it difficult to avoid a collision with the simulated obstacle B, the body of automobile A will collide with the simulated obstacle B as shown in Figure 5. Participants in the performance test observe the collision situation between automobile A and simulated obstacle B from a location that is an appropriate distance away from automobile A and the transport device 1.

In such performance tests of automobile A, when automobile A collides with simulated obstacle B, the transport device 1 often gets under the body of automobile A or gets run over by the wheels of automobile A. Due to this usage environment, it is necessary to ensure that the running device 2 and other parts are not damaged even if the transport device 1 is run over by automobile A, so that it can be used repeatedly for performance tests.

-Running gear (rear wheel unit)-
Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the housing 3 and the traveling device 2 of the transport device 1, Fig. 7 is a side view of the traveling device 2R, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the traveling device 2R seen from the belt side, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the traveling device 2R seen from the opposite side to Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the traveling device 2R removed from the first support, and Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in Fig. 9. The right traveling device 2R will be described using Figs. 6-11 and 6-16, but the left traveling device 2L has substantially the same configuration as the right traveling device 2R. Strictly speaking, in this embodiment, the traveling devices 2L and 2R have a symmetrical configuration.

The running device 2R is provided with a second support 23 (swing arm) rotatably connected to a first support 22 (rear stand) fixed to the housing 3. The first support 22 is fixed to the back surface (downward surface) of the upper surface of the main body 3a of the housing 3 with screws, bolts, etc. The second support 23 is a member that serves as a frame of the running device 2R, and supports the wheels 21 and a drive mechanism 24 that drives the wheels 21. The drive mechanism 24 of the wheels 21 includes a motor 24a and a belt 24b. The wheels 21 are supported rotatably at the rear of the first support 23, and the motor 24a is fixed to the front of the first support 23. The belt 24b is wound between the output shaft of the motor 24a and the wheels 21, and transmits the driving force of the motor 24a to the wheels 21. The belt 24b is surrounded and protected by a belt cover 24c at the portion of the belt 24b that hangs on the output shaft of the motor 24a. In this way, the wheels 21 and the drive mechanism 24 that drives them are all fixed to the second support (swing arm) 23, which is a movable member. In this embodiment, the power of the motor 24a is transmitted to the wheels 21 via the belt 24b, which has the advantage that lubrication is not required or is required less frequently. However, other drive transmission mechanisms such as gears can be used instead of the belt 24b.

The first support 22 has a base 22a fixed to the housing 3 and a fork 22b protruding downward from the base 22a. A plurality of forks 22b (two in this embodiment) are provided in a line in the direction (left-right direction) in which the rotation axis (rotation center line C) of the wheel 21 extends. The second support 23 has fork holes 23a corresponding to the forks 22b, into which the forks 22b are inserted.

Here, in this embodiment, the traveling device 2R is allowed to rotate only in the pitch direction and is not allowed to rotate in the roll direction or yaw direction, so that the first support 22 and the second support 23 are configured so that their opposing surfaces facing each other in the extension direction (left-right direction) of the rotation shaft 25 (swing pin) of the second support 23 are in surface contact. The center line of the rotation shaft 25 of the second support 23 is parallel to the rotation center line C of the rotation shaft of the wheel 21. As an example, in this embodiment, the left-right dimensional tolerances of the forks 22b and the fork holes 23a are set so that both the left and right surfaces of each of the two forks 22b are in surface contact with the opposing surfaces of the fork holes 23a. A gap is secured between the opposing surfaces of the forks 22b and the fork holes 23a at the front and rear as shown in FIG. 7, and rotation of the second support 23 in the pitch direction relative to the first support 22 is allowed. In this way, the forks 22b and the fork holes 23a come into surface contact on multiple surfaces, and the left-right movement of the second support 23 relative to the first support 22 and the rotation in the roll and yaw directions are restricted by the contact surfaces, and only rotation in the pitch direction is permitted. As a result, the left-right movement of the traveling device 2R relative to the housing 3 and the rotation in the roll and yaw directions are restricted, and only rotation in the pitch direction is permitted.

As described above, the second support 23 is attached to the first support 22 by inserting the fork 22b into the fork hole 23a, and can be detached by sliding up and down relative to the first support 22. In other words, by detaching the second support 23 from the first support 22, not only the second support 23 but also the running device 2R including the wheels 21 and drive mechanism 24 attached thereto can be detached from the housing 3. At this time, the first support 22 and the second support 23 are connected by the rotating shaft 25, and when the rotating shaft 25 is removed from the first support 22 and the second support 23, the first support 22 and the second support 23 are released from the connection, and the running device 2R can be removed as a unit. The running device 2R can be removed from the housing 3 simply by removing the rotating shaft 25, and the running device 2R can be easily removed for maintenance when the wheels 21 wear out or the motor 24a breaks down.

In this embodiment, the shaft hole 23b and fork hole 23a in the second support 23 through which the rotating shaft 25 passes are provided between the rear part of the second support 23 that supports the wheels 21 and the front part that supports the motor 24a. In other words, the second support 23 and thus the traveling device 2R are configured to swing like a seesaw around the rotating shaft 25. In addition, since it is assumed that the transport device 1 will run on a flat running road (ground), in this embodiment no suspension mechanism is installed to further reduce the size.

- Position fixing mechanism -
Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the position fixing mechanism provided in the transport device 1, Fig. 13A is an explanatory diagram of the position fixing mechanism, Fig. 13B is an enlarged view of part XIIIB in Fig. 13A, Fig. 14 is an enlarged view of the main part showing a state in which the traveling unit 2R is fixed by the first fixing part, and Fig. 15 is an enlarged view of the main part showing a state in which the traveling unit 2R is fixed by the second fixing part.

The transport device 1 is provided with a position fixing mechanism 30 that is slidable relative to the running device 2R and selectively fixes the position of the running device 2R relative to the housing 3. The running device 2R is provided with a first fixing part P1 to which the position fixing mechanism 30 is fitted and fixed in a state in which the wheels 21 protrude downward from the bottom end 3c of the housing 3, and a second fixing part P2 to which the position fixing mechanism 30 is fitted and fixed in a state in which the entire part is positioned above the bottom end 3c of the housing 3. The first fixing part P1 is a part that determines the position of the running device 2R in normal operation (when running), and the second fixing part P2 is a part that determines the position of the running device 2R when stored in the housing 3, where the running device 2R is stored.

The first fixed part P1 and the second fixed part P2 are arranged side by side on top of each other on the second support 23 (the rear surface in this embodiment), which is the frame of the traveling device 2R. In this embodiment, the first fixed part P1 and the second fixed part P2 are arranged on the same side (rear side) as the wheels 21 with respect to the rotating shaft 25, so the first fixed part P1 is laid out higher than the second fixed part P2. If the first fixed part P1 and the second fixed part P2 were to be arranged on the opposite side (motor 24a side) of the rotating shaft 25 to the wheels 21, the second fixed part P2 would be laid out higher than the first fixed part P1.

The first fixing part P1 and the second fixing part P2 that engage with the position fixing mechanism 30 are, specifically, spherical recesses (depressions) formed in the second support 23, which is the frame of the traveling device 2R, and as shown in FIG. 13B, the depth D2 of the second fixing part P2 is shallower than the depth D1 of the first fixing part P1. The depth D1 of the first fixing part P1 referred to here corresponds to the maximum dimension of the maximum cross section of the first fixing part P1 passing through the center line of the rotation shaft 25 of the traveling device 2R, taken in a direction perpendicular to the center line of the rotation shaft 25. Similarly, the depth D2 of the second fixing part P2 corresponds to the maximum dimension of the maximum cross section of the second fixing part P2 passing through the center line of the rotation shaft 25 of the traveling device 2R, taken in a direction perpendicular to the center line of the rotation shaft 25.

In this embodiment, the position fixing mechanism 30 is a ball plunger, and the running device 2R is fixed selectively to the first fixing part P1 or the second fixing part P2 by the spring force of the ball plunger. The ball plunger is equipped with an adjustment mechanism (for example, a tension adjustment screw 34 described below) that adjusts the spring force, and the force that holds the running device 2R at the first fixing part P1 can be adjusted as necessary.

Specifically, the position fixing mechanism 30, which is a ball plunger, is composed of a body 31, a ball 32, a spring 33, a tension adjustment screw 34, and an anti-loosening nut 35. The body 31 is a cylindrical member with a male thread on its outer circumferential surface, which is screwed into a tapped hole 3d (FIG. 6) that penetrates the side surface (the rear wall surface in this embodiment) of the main body 3a of the housing 3 and fixed to the housing 3. In addition, an anti-loosening nut 35 is screwed onto the outer circumferential surface of the body 31 from the inside of the main body 3a of the housing 3, and by tightening the anti-loosening nut 35, the body 31 is prevented from loosening relative to the housing 3.

A ball 32 is housed in the hollow part of the body 31 of the ball plunger. The ball 32 slides on the inner circumferential surface of the hollow part of the body 31, and its spherical part moves in and out of the body 31. A spring 33 is also housed in the hollow part of the body 31, interposed between the ball 32 and the tension adjustment screw 34. The ball 32 is pushed by the spring 33 from the tension adjustment screw 34 side, and the spherical part of the ball 32 protrudes from the tip of the body 31. The tension adjustment screw 34 has a male thread on its outer periphery, which is screwed into a female thread on the inner circumferential surface of the body 31. The spring force of the spring 33 is adjusted by adjusting the distance from the ball 32 by operating the tension adjustment screw 34.

The body 31 and tension adjustment screw 34 have a hexagonal hole 36 on their base end faces (the end faces opposite the ball 32), which can be used to rotate the body 31 and tension adjustment screw 34 with a tool such as a hexagonal wrench. The base end face of the ball plunger is exposed on the outer wall surface of the side wall of the housing 3, so the hexagonal hole 36 can be easily accessed by removing the sloped portion 3b from the main body portion 3a of the housing 3.

The position fixing mechanism 30 is disposed close to the running device 2R, and the ball 32 is pressed against the second support 23, which is the frame of the running device 2R. When the transport device 1 is in the normal form (running form), the running device 2R is held in a position in which the ball 32 of the position fixing mechanism 30 fits into the first fixed part P1. In this state, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 7, the wheels 21 of the running device 2R protrude downward from the lower end 3c of the housing 3. The same is true for the running devices 2L and 2F. In the normal form, the transport device 1 touches the ground with the running device 2. This protrusion amount h (FIG. 7) is greater than the minimum value Lmin (FIG. 13B) of the distance between the center of the first fixed part P1 and the edge of the second fixed part P2, and is less than the maximum value Lmax (FIG. 13B) of the distance between the center of the first fixed part P1 and the edge of the second fixed part P2.

When the running unit 2R of the transport device 1 is in the stored form, the running unit 2R is held in a position in which the ball 32 of the position fixing mechanism 30 fits into the second fixing portion P2. In this state, as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 7, the entire running unit 2R, including the wheels 21, is positioned above the bottom end 3c of the housing 3 and is stored inside the main body portion 3a of the housing 3. The same is true for the running units 2L and 2F. When in the stored form, the transport device 1 touches the ground on the housing 3.

For example, if the transport device 1 is stepped on by the automobile A during a performance test, the weight of the automobile A is applied to the housing 3. In such a case, when the housing 3 is pressed down with a strong load F exceeding the holding force of the position fixing mechanism 30 as shown in FIG. 16(a), this force is transmitted to the ball 32 of the position fixing mechanism 30 via the first fixing part P1 of the running device 2R, and the ball 32 retracts against the spring 33 and comes off the first fixing part P1. Then, the running device 2R rotates in the pitch direction with the rotation axis 25 as a fulcrum, and the housing 3 descends and touches the ground as shown in FIG. 16(b), and the ball 32 of the position fixing mechanism 30 fits into the second fixing part P2 (transitioning from the state of FIG. 14 to the state of FIG. 15), and the running device 2 is entirely lifted off the ground (storage form). In this state, the load of the automobile A is received by the housing 3 against the ground and does not act on the running device 2.

The stored form of the transport device 1 is maintained without automatically or naturally returning to the normal form. In this embodiment, the housing 3 has an access portion 3e (FIG. 7) for accessing the jig T for returning the traveling device 2R from a state fixed by the second fixing portion P2 to a state fixed by the first fixing portion P1. In this embodiment, the jig T is a screw, and the access portion 3e is a tapped hole provided in the housing 3. When transitioning to the stored form, as shown in FIG. 16(b), the screw (jig T) is screwed into the tapped hole (access portion 3e) to press down the wheels 21 of the traveling device 2R against the housing 3, and the transport device 1 is returned to the normal form (FIG. 16(a)). However, various types of jig T can be used, such as a pin, a curved leaf spring, a cam, a gas cylinder, etc., in addition to a screw, for the jig T, and the shape of the access portion 3e can be changed or omitted depending on the form of the jig T. The jig T is removed from the housing 3 when traveling, etc., and is used during the operation of returning from the stored form to the normal form.

-Running gear (front wheel unit)-
Fig. 17 is a side view of another running device of a pseudo obstacle transporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 18 is an explanatory diagram of a position fixing mechanism of another running device of a pseudo obstacle transporting device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In Fig. 17, elements that are the same as or correspond to the running device 2R are given the same reference numerals as in the previously mentioned drawings, and description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the second support 23 of the traveling device 2F is configured to slide up and down by a linear guide (not shown) serving as the first support. Like the traveling devices 2L and 2R, the traveling device 2F is configured to be held selectively at the first fixed part P1 or the second fixed part P2 by the position fixing mechanism 30. Like the traveling devices 2L and 2R, when the housing 3 is pressed down by the load F, the traveling device 2F transitions from a normal state in which it is held by the first fixed part P1 and is in contact with the ground to a stored state in which it is fixed by the second fixed part P2 and is raised above the ground.

-Characteristics of keeping the running gear in position-
FIG. 19 is a characteristic diagram of the position fixing mechanism 30 regarding the relationship between the external force acting on the pseudo obstacle transporting device and the displacement of the traveling device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, instead of holding the running device 2 with the position fixing mechanism 30 as described above to put the transport device 1 in its normal form, it is also possible to configure the running device 2 to be urged downward by a mechanical spring or air spring, causing the wheels 21 to protrude downward from the housing 3. Even with this configuration, for example, if the housing 3 is run over by the car A, the mechanical spring or air spring will contract and the wheels 21 will be stored in the housing 3. If the transport device 1 has a four-wheel structure, a configuration using mechanical springs or air springs will function as a suspension and is effective in keeping all four wheels on the ground at the same time.

However, in the present embodiment, the transport device 1 has a three-wheel structure, and does not require a suspension function to allow all the wheels 21 to touch the ground at the same time. In addition, the ground on which the transport device 1 runs is assumed to be a highly flat surface paved with asphalt, such as a test course. Therefore, a mechanism such as a suspension in which the positional relationship of the running device 2 relative to the housing 3 changes in accordance with the unevenness of the ground while running is not necessary; rather, from the standpoint of running stability, it is preferable that the housing 3 does not inadvertently displace elastically relative to the running device 2, and this is also preferable from the standpoint of weight reduction. On the other hand, in order to protect the running device 2 and the like and to prevent breakdowns, it is desirable that the running device 2 displaces relative to the housing 3 and is stored when the transport device 1 is run over by the automobile A.

In contrast, in this embodiment, the running device 2 is alternatively held at two positions, the first fixed part P1 and the second fixed part P2, by the position fixing mechanism 30 (plunger). For example, when a downward load F is applied to the housing 3 of the transport device 1, in this embodiment, the wheels 21 do not displace relative to the housing 3 until the force of the load F tending to displace the wheels 21 upward relative to the housing 3 exceeds the holding force F1 with which the position fixing mechanism 30 holds the running device 2 at the first fixed part P1. Then, at the point where the force tending to displace the wheels 21 upward exceeds the holding force F1, the running device 2 is displaced to a stored form in which the position fixing mechanism 30 is held by the second fixed part P2. At this time, when the apex of the ball 32 of the position fixing mechanism 30 passes through the gap between the first fixed part P1 and the second fixed part P2 and enters the second fixed part P2, the ball 32 is guided by the spherical shape of the second fixed part P2 and the position fixing mechanism 30 is guided to a predetermined position of the second fixed part P2, so that the wheel 21 separates from the ground and rises up. As shown in FIG. 19, in the case of a configuration in which the traveling device 2 described above is biased downward by a mechanical spring or an air spring, the amount of displacement of the wheel 21 increases monotonically as the load F increases, but in this embodiment, the amount of displacement of the wheel 21 changes almost discretely with respect to the increase in the load F.

-effect-
(1) According to this embodiment, the position fixing mechanism 30 is configured to selectively hold the traveling device 2 at the first fixing part P1 or the second fixing part P2, so no electrical device, drive device, or other device is required to hold the traveling device 2 at the normal position or the stored position. This makes it possible to realize a mechanism for storing the wheels 21 inside the housing 3 when the wheel 21 is run over by the automobile A, for example, with a simple structure, and to reduce the number of parts and make the device smaller.

In this embodiment, the running device 2 is held alternatively at the first fixing part P1 or the second fixing part P2 by the position fixing mechanism 30, and is alternatively displaced to either a normal form in which the wheels 21 protrude downward from the lower end 3c of the housing 3, or a stored form in which the entire device is located above the lower end 3c of the housing 3. This prevents the housing 3 from displacing more than necessary relative to the running device 2 while running, and allows stable running in the normal form with the simulated obstacle B on board. On the other hand, if a large load F is received, such as being run over by the car A, the running device 2 is displaced to the stored form, the running device 2 is stored in the housing 3, and the load F is supported by the housing 3, making it possible to withstand the large load F and suppress breakdowns. In addition, since the position of the running device 2 is alternatively set to two positions and is displaced discretely from the normal form to the stored form as shown in FIG. 19, it has the advantage of being more responsive to the posture displacement than the structure using the mechanical spring or air spring described in FIG. 19.

In this case, for example, in the structure using mechanical springs or air springs described in FIG. 19, although the wheels are stored in the housing, the wheels remain in contact with the ground and do not leave the ground. However, when the conveying device is run over by automobile A, the housing does not touch the ground instantly, but in many cases actually touches the ground while skidding sideways. Therefore, in a configuration in which the wheels are in contact with the ground and do not leave the ground, a strong load can be applied to the wheels in the roll and yaw directions until the device stops after the collision.

In contrast, in the case of this embodiment, in the stored form held at the second fixing part P2 by the position fixing mechanism 30, the transport device 1 touches the ground at the housing 3, and the entire traveling device 2 including the wheels 21 is lifted off the ground, reducing the load on the wheels 21.

(2) Furthermore, the depth of the second fixing part P2 is shallower than the depth of the first fixing part P1. Therefore, when the spring 33 of the position fixing mechanism 30 is engaged with the second fixing part P2, it is in a slightly contracted state compared to when it is engaged with the first fixing part P1. In other words, by having the spring 33 already in a somewhat contracted state, it is possible to reduce the force with which the running device 2 is held by the second fixing part P2 compared to the force with which the running device 2 is held by the first fixing part P1. This allows the running device 2 to be returned from the stored position to the normal position with a small force, and the time required for this return operation can be shortened.

(3) As explained in FIG. 13B, the amount of protrusion h of the wheels 21 from the housing 3 in the normal configuration is greater than the distance Lmin and less than the distance Lm1X. Therefore, when the housing 3 is placed down by being stepped on by the car A, the amount of displacement (amount of protrusion h) of the housing 3 causes the ball 32 of the position fixing mechanism 30 to move from the first fixing part P1 to the second fixing part P2, without going beyond the second fixing part P2. This makes it easier to alternate between the normal configuration and the stored configuration of the transport device 1.

(4) In this embodiment, the position fixing mechanism 30 is a ball plunger, and the traveling device 2 is fixed to either the first fixing part P1 or the second fixing part P2 by the spring force of the ball plunger. The fact that the position fixing mechanism 30 can be easily constructed using a ball plunger, which is a general-purpose equipment element, can also contribute to making the transport device 1 smaller and less expensive.

(5) The position fixing mechanism 30 is equipped with a tension adjustment screw 34, which is an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the spring force. Therefore, for example, the force required to maintain the normal shape of the transport device 1 or the force required to return it from the stored shape to the normal shape can be easily adjusted.

(6) In the traveling devices 2L and 2R, the second support 23, which is a frame that supports the wheels 21 and the drive mechanism 24, is rotatably connected to the first support 22. This is a simple configuration in which the load F applied to the housing 3 is transmitted via the first support 22 and the second support 23, causing the traveling device 2 to displace. Because the wheels 21 and the drive mechanism 24 such as the motor 24a are fixed to the second support 23, which is the same part, the relative positions of the wheels 21 and the drive mechanism 24 remain unchanged even if the relative positions of the wheels 21 and the housing 3 change. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the drive transmission mechanism including the belt 24b and the drive mechanism 24 including the motor 24a.

(7) The first support 22 and the second support 23 are in surface contact with each other on their opposing surfaces that face the extension direction of the rotation shaft 25. This allows the traveling device 2 to move in multiple directions while restricting the movement of the traveling device 2 in the roll direction and yaw direction, and suppresses damage to the traveling device 2 caused by the torsional force applied in the event of a collision with the automobile A.

(8) The second support 23 can be detached by sliding up and down relative to the first support 22, and the entire traveling device 2 can be detached from the housing 3 by detaching the second support 23 from the first support 22. In this way, the entire traveling device 2, which is unitized by assembling the wheels 21 and the drive mechanism 24 to the second support 23, can be easily detached, making maintenance of the traveling device 2 easy. In addition, it is extremely easy to replace the traveling device 2, and recovery work in the event of a breakdown of the traveling device 2 can be performed easily and quickly.

(9) The first support 22 and the second support 23 are connected by a rotating shaft 25, and the first support 22 and the second support 23 can be disconnected by removing the rotating shaft 25 from the first support 22 and the second support 23. The above-mentioned traveling device 2 can be removed and attached very easily by inserting and removing the rotating shaft 25.

(10) The housing 3, which is the outer shell of the transport device 1, is designed with consideration for waterproofing and dustproofing, so it is highly airtight, and accessing the internal running device 2, etc., generally requires a lot of work.

In contrast, in the present embodiment, the housing 3 is provided with an access section 3e for accessing the jig T for returning the traveling device 2 from the stored form to the normal form. Using the access section 3e provided on the housing 3, an external force can be applied to the traveling device 2 from the outside of the housing 3 with the jig T to return it to the normal form. Therefore, there is no need to turn the housing 3 upside down to access the traveling device 2, and although it is a manual operation, it can be returned from the stored form to the normal form in a short time that is not much different from that of a transport device with an automatic return function. For example, when the transport device 1 is run over by the automobile A, the pseudo obstacle B mounted on the transport device 1 is damaged, and the work of replacing the pseudo obstacle B naturally occurs. The work of returning to the normal form using the jig T can be performed together with the work of replacing the pseudo obstacle B, so in reality there is almost no increase in the work time.

In addition, various devices are not required to achieve the automatic return function, which contributes greatly to space saving and miniaturization of the transport device 1.

(11) Because the transport device 1 is a three-wheeled vehicle, the three wheels 21 naturally come into contact with the ground at the same time. This makes it possible to eliminate the need for a position adjustment mechanism for the wheels 21 or a suspension mechanism. The road surface on which the transport device 1 runs is expected to be a paved test course or the like, so there is no particular problem even if there is no suspension mechanism, and the elimination of the suspension mechanism and the position adjustment mechanism for the wheels 21 provides greater benefits, such as space savings, compactness, weight reduction, reduced number of parts, and easier maintenance.

(Modification)
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and may include various modified examples. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to easily explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to an embodiment having all of the configurations described. For example, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration with another configuration. It is also possible to delete a part of the configuration of the embodiment, or to add another configuration.

For example, a configuration has been exemplified in which a plunger is used as the position fixing mechanism 30 that selectively holds the traveling device 2 at two positions, the first fixing part P1 and the second fixing part P2, but it is also possible to use a turnover mechanism, for example, to selectively displace the traveling device 2 between the normal form and the stored form.

1...dummy obstacle transport device, 2, 2F, 2L, 2R...traveling device, 3...housing, 3e...access part, 3c...bottom end of housing, 4...connection part, 5...connection part, 21...wheel, 22...first support, 23...second support, 24...driving mechanism, 25...rotating shaft, 30...position fixing mechanism, 34...tension adjustment screw (adjustment mechanism), B...dummy obstacle, D1...depth of first fixing part, D2...depth of second fixing part, h...projection amount of wheel, Lmax...maximum value, Lmin...minimum value, P1...first fixing part, P2...second fixing part, T...jig

Claims (13)

A pseudo-obstacle transport device that travels while carrying a pseudo-obstacle,
A running device having wheels;
A housing having a connection part for connecting the pseudo obstacle and covering the traveling device;
a position fixing mechanism that is slidable relative to the traveling device and selectively fixes a position of the traveling device relative to the housing,
The traveling device is
a first fixing portion into which the position fixing mechanism is fitted and fixed in a state in which the wheels protrude downward from a lower end of the housing;
and a second fixing portion into which the position fixing mechanism is fitted and fixed in a state in which the entire portion is positioned above the lower end of the housing. In the pseudo obstacle transport device of claim 1,
the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion are recesses that engage with the position fixing mechanism,
A pseudo obstacle transport device, wherein the depth of the second fixing portion is shallower than the depth of the first fixing portion. In the pseudo obstacle transporting device of claim 1,
A pseudo obstacle transporting device in which the amount of protrusion of the wheel downward from the lower end of the housing when the position fixing mechanism is engaged with the first fixed part is greater than the minimum distance between the center of the first fixed part and the edge of the second fixed part, and is smaller than the maximum distance between the center of the first fixed part and the edge of the second fixed part. In the pseudo obstacle transport device of claim 1,
the position fixing mechanism is a ball plunger,
The pseudo obstacle transport device, wherein the traveling device is selectively fixed to the first fixed portion or the second fixed portion by the spring force of the ball plunger. In the pseudo obstacle transporting device of claim 4,
The pseudo obstacle transport device, wherein the ball plunger is provided with an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the spring force. In the pseudo obstacle transporting device of claim 1,
A first support is provided, the first support being fixed to the housing.
The traveling device is a pseudo obstacle transport device, the pseudo obstacle transport device including a second support supporting the wheels and a drive mechanism for driving the wheels and rotatably connected to the first support. In the pseudo obstacle transporting device of claim 6,
The pseudo obstacle transport device, wherein the first support and the second support have opposing surfaces that face each other in an extension direction of a rotation axis of the second support and are in surface contact with each other. The pseudo obstacle transport device according to claim 7,
The second support is detachable from the first support by sliding up and down,
A pseudo obstacle transporting device configured to be detachable from the housing together with the traveling device by detaching the second support from the first support. The pseudo obstacle transport device according to claim 8,
the first support and the second support are connected by the rotation shaft,
A pseudo obstacle transport device configured such that when the rotating shaft is removed from the first support and the second support, the first support and the second support are disconnected from each other. The pseudo obstacle transport device according to claim 9,
A pseudo obstacle transport device, wherein the rotation axis of the second support is parallel to the rotation axis of the wheel. In the pseudo obstacle transport device of claim 1,
The housing of the pseudo obstacle transport device has an access portion for allowing a jig to access the pseudo obstacle transport device in order to return the traveling device from a state fixed by the second fixing portion to a state fixed by the first fixing portion. The pseudo obstacle transport device according to claim 11,
The jig is a screw,
The pseudo obstacle transport device, wherein the access portion is a tapped hole provided in the housing. In the pseudo obstacle transport device of claim 1,
A three-wheeled pseudo obstacle transport device.

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