Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Corporation

Fumihiro Matsuura

Nobutoshi Tsujimoto

Takurou Miyamoto

Norito Fujihara

Hiroki Osawa

Hiroto Isome

A coupling device that couples with a cart includes a coupling portion that couples with the cart, a base portion that guides the coupling portion, and a driving motor that drives the coupling portion. The driving motor drives and controls the coupling portion so as to be changeable among a first state in which the coupling portion is housed, a second state in which the coupling portion is capable of coupling with the cart, and a third state in which the coupling portion couples with the cart. With the coupling portion and a side frame of the cart facing each other, the coupling portion changes from the second state to the third state, thereby causing the coupling portion and the side frame to be coupled to each other.

Coupling device, automatic towing vehicle, and automatic towing system

A coupling device includes a coupling device body that includes a coupling pin. The coupling pin projects upward from the coupling device body. The coupling device body includes a support mechanism that supports the coupling pin so as to be freely movable in the direction of one line in a horizontal plane. The coupling device is included in the carrier. During coupling between the carrier and a carried object, the coupling pin is freely movable in the direction of at least one line in the horizontal plane and enabled to smoothly move to a position at which the coupling is performed.

Growing community of inventors

Sakai, Japan

Fumihiro Matsuura