Vibration conveying device, control device

Abstract

The object of the present invention is to provide a vibratory conveying device capable of controlling the groove to a predetermined vibration angle to transport the object without detecting the phase of the vibratory motor. An acceleration sensor (60) is installed in the groove (50) of the vibratory conveying device (100). The control unit (12) equipped with the vibratory conveying device (100) calculates the angle of the groove (50) when it vibrates, i.e., the vibration angle estimation value, based on the physical quantity detected by the acceleration sensor (60). In order to make the vibration angle estimation value close to the target angle, the first inverter circuit (20) and the second inverter circuit (21) adjust at least one of the rotational speed of the first vibratory motor (30) and the rotational speed of the second vibratory motor (31).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This invention relates to a technique for transporting objects by vibrating a trough. [Previous Technology]

[0002] Japanese Patent Publication No. 11-511106 (Patent Document 1) discloses a vibrating conveying device that conveys a conveyed object supplied to the tank by vibrating a tank through the rotation of two vibrating motors. Each vibrating motor includes an eccentric body eccentric to a rotation axis; rotation of the eccentric body applies an excitation force to the tank. Patent Document 1 describes how the phase of the mechanical angle synchronization in the eccentric bodies of each vibrating motor is adjusted by using the phase difference detected from the two vibrating motors, thereby controlling the vibration angle of the tank. [Summary of the Invention]

[0003] The problem to be solved by the invention

[0004] In vibratory conveying devices, in structures that use the phase difference of an eccentric body in a vibratory motor to control the vibration angle, for example, the relationship between the phase difference and the vibration angle changes due to interference with the groove, sometimes making it impossible to control the vibration angle of the groove to the desired angle. Furthermore, since a sensor is required to detect the phase of the vibratory motor, there are concerns that the structure of the vibratory motor may become more complex.

[0005] The present invention was made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to control the groove to a predetermined vibration angle to transport the transported object without detecting the phase of the vibration motor.

[0006] Solutions for solving the problem

[0007] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention relates to a vibratory conveying device, comprising: a trough for conveying an object along a predetermined conveying direction by vibration; a vibratory motor for applying an excitation force to the trough for trough vibration by rotating an eccentric body eccentric to a rotation axis; a drive unit for driving the vibratory motor to rotate; a control unit for controlling the rotation of the vibratory motor driven by the drive unit; and a sensor mounted on the trough for detecting a physical quantity, which is at least one of acceleration, velocity, and position change accompanying the vibration of the trough. The vibratory motor equipped in the vibratory conveying device includes at least a first vibratory motor and a second vibratory motor, which are mounted on the trough with their rotation axes oriented in a horizontal direction intersecting the conveying direction, and the rotation direction of the rotation axis in the first vibratory motor is opposite to the rotation direction of the rotation axis in the second vibratory motor. The control unit calculates the angle of the groove vibration, i.e. the vibration angle estimation value, based on the physical quantity detected by the sensor. In order to make the vibration angle estimation value close to the target angle, the drive unit adjusts at least one of the rotational speeds of the first vibration motor and the second vibration motor.

[0008] In the vibration conveying device with the above structure, the vibration motors that apply the excitation force to vibrate the trough include at least a first vibration motor and a second vibration motor. The first and second vibration motors are mounted on the trough with their rotation axes facing the same direction in a direction intersecting the conveying direction. The control unit calculates the angle of trough vibration, i.e., the vibration angle estimation value, based on physical quantities detected by sensors. To make the calculated vibration angle estimation value close to the target angle, the control unit causes the drive unit to adjust at least one of the rotational speeds of the first and second vibration motors. Thus, by adjusting the phase of the eccentric bodies of the first and second vibration motors when they form the same mechanical angle based on the vibration angle estimation value calculated according to the physical quantities of the trough, the vibration angle of the trough can be made close to the target angle. As a result, the trough can be controlled to a predetermined vibration angle to convey the conveyed object without detecting the phase of the vibration motors.

[0009] The present invention can be realized in various ways, in addition to the invention of a vibration conveying device, it can also be realized as an invention of a control device applied to a vibration conveying device.

[0010] Effects of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, the groove can be controlled to a predetermined vibration angle to transport the object without detecting the phase of the vibration motor.

Implementation Method

[0019] (First Embodiment)

[0020] The vibratory conveying device of this embodiment will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, the direction horizontal to the mounting surface of the vibratory conveying device will be defined as the horizontal direction D1, and the direction in which gravity is applied will be defined as the vertical direction D2. The vertical direction D2 is also a direction orthogonal to the horizontal direction D1. In Figure 1, the right side of the horizontal direction D1 is defined as positive, and the left side is defined as negative. The object being conveyed by the vibratory conveying device is, for example, a powder or granular material of a predetermined size (materials for food, pharmaceuticals, industrial products, lime, etc.).

[0021] The vibration handling device 100 mainly includes a controller 10, an inverter circuit 20, 21, a vibration motor 30, 31, a groove 50, an acceleration sensor 60, and an anti-vibration spring 70.

[0022] The groove 50 transports the object being transported in the transport direction D3 by vibration. When viewed from either direction of the transport direction D3 (left side D31 or right side D32), the groove 50 is a portion containing a concave cross-sectional shape. Specifically, the groove 50 includes a bottom wall 51 and a pair of side walls 52 extending from both ends of the bottom wall 51 in the vertical direction D2, forming a concave cross-sectional shape with the two side walls 52 and the bottom wall 51.

[0023] In this embodiment, the bottom wall 51 of the trough 50 is held parallel to the horizontal direction D1 when the vibrating conveying device 100 stops; therefore, the conveying direction D3 is parallel to the horizontal direction D1. The conveying direction D3 is defined as positive when the left side D31 is upstream and the right side D32 is downstream, and negative when the right side D32 is upstream and the left side D31 is downstream. Furthermore, in the trough 50, the direction connecting one sidewall 52 to the other sidewall 52 is also described as the width direction. The width direction is parallel to the horizontal direction D1 and is also orthogonal to the conveying direction D3.

[0024] The slot 50 is suspended at the installation location via the anti-vibration spring 70. Specifically, the slot 50 includes hook portions on both sides in the transport direction D3, which engage with one end of the anti-vibration spring 70. The other end of the anti-vibration spring 70 engages with a mounting portion (not shown) at the installation location. Thus, the slot 50 can be installed at the installation location in a vibrating manner. Alternatively, the vibration transport device 100 can also be configured to include legs supporting the anti-vibration spring 70 from below, and the slot 50 is held in a vibrating position by placing it on the anti-vibration spring 70.

[0025] The lower surface of the groove 50 in the bottom wall 51, opposite to the surface on which the conveyed object is supplied, includes a motor mounting portion 53 for mounting the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31. The motor mounting portions 53 are located on either side of the center of gravity of the groove 50 in the bottom wall 51 of the groove 50 in the conveying direction D3. The vibration motors 30 and 31 are mounted in their respective motor mounting portions 53 with their rotation axes extending in a direction intersecting the conveying direction D3 (i.e., the width direction of the groove). Specifically, the two vibration motors 30 and 31 are mounted in their motor mounting portions 53 with their rotation axes extending in the same direction in the width direction.

[0026] In the two vibration motors, when viewed in the direction that the front end of the rotating shaft is facing (that is, the direction shown in FIG1), the vibration motor located on the left side D31 of the transport direction D3 is referred to as the first vibration motor 30, and the vibration motor located on the right side D32 of the transport direction D3 is referred to as the second vibration motor 31.

[0027] In this embodiment, the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are AC motors, and the rotating shaft includes unbalanced weights 32 and 33 eccentrically positioned in a direction intersecting the direction extending from the rotating shaft. Specifically, in the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31, the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 are mounted at both ends of the rotating shaft extending in the width direction. As the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 rotate, the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 rotate, thereby applying a centrifugal force outward from the rotating shaft to the groove 50 as an excitation force. In this embodiment, the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 are an example of eccentric bodies.

[0028] An acceleration sensor 60 is installed between the motor mounting portions 53 of the groove 50 in the transport direction D3. The acceleration sensor 60 detects the changes in acceleration in the horizontal direction D1 and the vertical direction D2 caused by the vibration of the groove 50, and uses these as acceleration detection values ​​A1 and A2. Specifically, the acceleration sensor 60 is installed in the horizontal direction D1 at a position close to the center of gravity of the groove 50, so that it can detect the acceleration of the groove 50 with minimal impact from pitch vibration caused by the vibration of the groove 50. In this embodiment, the values ​​represented by the acceleration detection values ​​A1 and A2 are examples of physical quantities generated by the vibration of the groove 50.

[0029] The controller 10 includes an operation unit 11 and a control unit 12, and is disposed independently of the slot 50 in the installation location. The operation unit 11 is a user interface that accepts operations from the operator and outputs signals corresponding to the accepted operations. The operation unit 11 includes: a power-on button, which accepts the operation of turning on the main power supply (not shown) to the vibratory conveying device 100; a start button, which accepts the operation of starting the conveying operation of the vibratory conveying device 100; and a stop button, which accepts the operation of stopping the conveying operation. In addition, the operation unit 11 may also include a change button for accepting the operation of changing the type of the conveyed object. In this embodiment, the controller 10 is an example of a control device.

[0030] The control unit 12 is a programmable controller including a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc. Signals from the operation unit 11 and acceleration detection values ​​A1 and A2 detected by the acceleration sensor 60 are input to the control unit 12. The output port of the control unit 12 is connected to the input ports of the inverter circuits 20 and 21.

[0031] The control unit 12 executes the program stored in the ROM to realize the functions of the instruction value setting unit 13, the vibration angle calculation unit 14, the deviation calculation unit 15, the correction value calculation unit 16, and the first instruction value correction unit 17. Through the functions of the aforementioned parts 13 to 17, the control unit 12 performs speed control to control the rotational speeds of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 to a predetermined speed instruction value. Specifically, the control unit 12 outputs a first speed instruction value Ts1 for controlling the rotational speed of the first vibration motor 30 to the first inverter circuit 20, and outputs a second speed instruction value Ts2 for controlling the rotational speed of the second vibration motor 31 to the second inverter circuit 21. The various parts of the control unit 12 will be described in detail below.

[0032] When the rotation of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 is controlled to rotate counterclockwise, the phase of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 is defined as a range from 0° to 360°. On the other hand, when the rotation of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 is controlled to rotate clockwise, the phase of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 is defined as a range from -360° to 0°.

[0033] The first inverter circuit 20 outputs a first drive signal Sg1 to the first vibration motor 30 to rotate it at a rotational speed corresponding to the first speed command value Ts1. The second inverter circuit 21 outputs a second drive signal Sg2 to the second vibration motor 31 to rotate it at a rotational speed corresponding to the second speed command value Ts2. The first drive signal Sg1 and the second drive signal Sg2 are pulse signals with duty cycles corresponding to the first speed command value Ts1 and the second speed command value Ts2, respectively. In Figure 1, the first inverter circuit 20 and the second inverter circuit 21 are shown as devices different from the controller 10, but the controller 10 may also include the first inverter circuit 20 and the second inverter circuit 21.

[0034] The first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are driven to rotate in opposite directions via the first speed command value Ts1 and the second speed command value Ts2. When the object to be transported is moved from the left side D31 to the right side D32 (i.e., the positive direction) in the transport direction D3, the phase angle of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 is adjusted to make the vibration angle of the groove 50 range from 0° to 90°. On the other hand, when the object to be transported is moved from the right side D32 to the left side D31 (i.e., the negative direction) in the transport direction D3, the phase angle of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 is adjusted to make the vibration angle of the groove 50 range from 90° to 180°. When the transport speed is set to zero, the vibration angle of the groove 50 is set to 90° or 0°.

[0035] Next, the relationship between the vibration angle Yw, which indicates the vibration direction of the groove 50, and the mechanical angles of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 will be explained using FIG2. FIG2 is a diagram showing the situation observed from the side of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 (that is, the side of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33). In the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31, the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 are mounted at both ends of the rotating shaft. However, in FIG2, for ease of explanation, only one unbalanced weight is shown in the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31. FIG2 shows the vibration angle Yw when the object being transported is moved in the positive direction. In the first vibration motor 30, the mechanical angle of the unbalanced weight 32 is denoted as "Ym1", and in the second vibration motor 31, the mechanical angle of the unbalanced weight 33 is denoted as "Ym2".

[0036] By rotating the unbalanced weights 32 and 33, an excitation force F is applied to the groove 50 with respect to the excitation point P, directed toward the vibration angle Yw. Here, the excitation point P is hypothetically defined as the position in the groove 50 where the excitation force F is applied due to the rotation of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33. The excitation force F is the resultant force of the forces generated by the rotation of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 respectively. By mounting the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 on both sides of the center of gravity of the groove 50 in the transport direction D3, the excitation force F can be expressed as a force from the excitation point P, which hypothetically exists between the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 in the transport direction D3 relative to the groove 50.

[0037] When the mechanical angles Ym of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 are synchronized, the directions of the forces generated by the rotation of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 are the same, so the excitation force F is the maximum. The mechanical angle Ym at this time is defined as the vibration angle Yw. In other words, the vibration angle Yw can also be said to be the phase in which the excitation force F applied to the groove 50 through the rotation of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 is the maximum. In this embodiment, the rotation directions of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are opposite, but since the definitions of the phase ranges of right-hand and left-hand rotation are different, they become the same angle. On the other hand, on the circular coordinates shown in FIG2, when the mechanical angles Ym of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 differ by 180°, the directions of the forces generated by the rotation of the unbalanced weights 32 and 33 become opposite, so the excitation force F is the minimum.

[0038] The vibratory conveying device 100 can control the vibration angle Yw at any angle to convey the conveyed object. For example, when conveying the conveyed object in different drive modes, the vibratory conveying device 100 conveys the conveyed object at a vibration angle Yw corresponding to the drive mode. For example, an example of a drive mode is a "conveying mode" in which the tank 50 vibrates in the vibratory conveying device 100 primarily for the purpose of conveying the conveyed object. A "stagnation mode" is, for example, a mode in which the tank 50 vibrates in the vibratory conveying device 100 primarily for the purpose of drying the conveyed object. Specifically, in the "stagnation mode," by increasing the vibration angle Yw, the flow speed of the conveyed object is slower than in the "conveying mode." In addition, the vibratory conveying device 100 can also convey the conveyed object by setting a vibration angle Yw corresponding to the type of the conveyed object.

[0039] The controller 10 adjusts the vibration angle Yw of the groove 50 to an arbitrary angle by adjusting the phase of the synchronization of the unbalanced counterweights 32 and 33. For example, in Figure 2, by making the rotational speed of the first vibration motor 30 slower than that of the second vibration motor 31, the mechanical angle Ym of the synchronization of the unbalanced counterweights 32 and 33 is increased within the range of 0° to 90°, so that the adjusted vibration angle Ywa is larger than the original vibration angle Yw. On the other hand, by making the rotational speed of the first vibration motor 30 faster than that of the second vibration motor 31, the mechanical angle Ym of the synchronization of the unbalanced counterweights 32 and 33 is decreased within the range of 0° to 90°, so that the vibration angle Yw is smaller than the original vibration angle Yw.

[0040] In order to adjust the vibration angle Yw to an arbitrary angle, it is considered to detect the phase difference between the unbalanced counterweights 32 and 33 in the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31, and use the detected phase difference to adjust the vibration angle Yw. However, the relationship between the phase difference and the vibration angle Yw changes due to interference with the groove 50, so sometimes it is impossible to control the adjusted vibration angle Yw to the desired angle command value Ty. Furthermore, since the phase of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 is detected, there is also concern that the structure of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 may become complicated. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control unit 12 uses the physical quantity of the groove 50 detected by the acceleration sensor 60 to control the vibration angle Yw to the angle command value Ty.

[0041] Next, the steps for adjusting the vibration angle Yw by the control unit 12 will be explained using Figures 3, 4, and 5. The process shown in Figure 3 is a process executed by the control unit 12 based on the operation of receiving the operation of the transported object through the operation unit 11. The main body is the control unit 12.

[0042] In step 10 (hereinafter, the step will also be referred to as S), it is determined whether the stop condition is met. For example, the stop condition is met when all drive modes of the vibratory conveying device 100 have ended, or when the vibratory conveying device 100 is stopped by the operator operating the operating unit 11. When a negative determination is made in S10, proceed to S11.

[0043] In S11, it is determined whether to control the vibration angle Yw. The controller 10 executes the program corresponding to each mode in batches, so when controlling the vibration angle, it can determine the currently executing drive mode. In addition, the controller 10 can also determine the current drive mode based on the timing of the counter. If a positive determination is made in S11, the process proceeds to S12.

[0044] In S12, the command value setting unit 13 sets command values ​​for controlling the rotational speeds of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31. The command value setting unit 13 can, for example, set an angle command value Ty, a first speed command value Ts1, and a second speed command value Ts2 for controlling the rotational speeds of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 based on the aforementioned drive mode and the type of object being transported. The angle command value Ty is the target angle of the vibration angle Yw of the groove 50. In this embodiment, the initial value of the first speed command value Ts1 is a value with the same absolute value but the opposite rotational direction compared to the second speed command value Ts2.

[0045] In S13, the composite acceleration A3 representing the acceleration of the slot 50 is calculated based on the acceleration detection values ​​A1 and A2 detected by the acceleration sensor 60. As shown in FIG4, the magnitude of the acceleration of the slot 50 in a certain phase can be calculated as the magnitude of the composite acceleration A3 after combining the acceleration detection value A1 of the slot 50 in the horizontal direction D1 and the acceleration detection value A2 of the slot 50 in the vertical direction D2. Specifically, the magnitude of the composite acceleration A3 can be calculated using the following (Equation 1).

[0046] |A3|=(A12+A22)(1 / 2)…(Equation 1)

[0047] In this embodiment, one cycle of the vibration motor rotation (=1 / Ts1) is calculated based on the first speed command value Ts1 set in S13. Then, the magnitude of the calculated composite acceleration A3 for one cycle is obtained sequentially.

[0048] In S14, the vibration angle calculation unit 14 calculates the vibration angle estimation value Ye. The vibration angle estimation value Ye is the value of the vibration angle Yw of the groove 50. As shown in FIG5, the resultant acceleration A3 varies according to the resultant excitation force applied to the groove 50. Here, the vibration angle Yw is the angle when the resultant excitation force applied to the groove 50 is at its maximum, and thus the angle when the absolute value of the resultant acceleration A3 is at its maximum is the vibration angle Yw. Therefore, for example, the vibration angle estimation value Ye can be calculated using the acceleration detection values ​​A1 and A2 when the resultant acceleration A3 of one cycle obtained in S15 is at its maximum, and through the following (Equation 2) and (Equation 3).

[0049] Ye=arctan(A2 / A1)…(Formula 2)

[0050] Ye=180-arctan(A2 / A1)…(Formula 3)

[0051] Equation 2 above is the formula for calculating the vibration angle inference value Ye when the acceleration detection value A1 in the horizontal direction D1 and the acceleration detection value A2 in the vertical direction D2 have the same sign (i.e., in phase). The vibration angle inference value Ye is calculated as a value greater than 0° and less than 90°. Equation 3 above is the formula for calculating the vibration angle inference value Ye when the acceleration detection value A1 in the horizontal direction D1 and the acceleration detection value A2 in the vertical direction D2 have different signs (i.e., out of phase). The vibration angle inference value Ye is calculated as a value greater than 90° and less than 180°. In addition to Equations 2 and 3 above, the vibration angle inference value Ye can also be calculated using "Ye = arcsin(A2 / A3)" and "Ye = arccos(A1 / A3)".

[0052] In S15, the deviation calculation unit 15 calculates the angle deviation (Ty-Ye), which represents the difference between the angle command value Ty set in S12 and the vibration angle estimation value Ye calculated in S14. The angle deviation is a value that represents how much the calculated vibration angle estimation value Ye deviates from the angle command value Ty.

[0053] In S16, the correction value calculation unit 16 calculates the speed correction value corresponding to the angle deviation calculated in S15. The speed correction value is a correction value for the first speed command value Ts1. The correction value calculation unit 16 calculates the speed correction value by means of known PI (Proportional-Integral) control, so that the corrected first speed command value Ts1 becomes a value that makes the angle deviation close to zero.

[0054] In S16, the correction value calculation unit 16 can also replace PI control and calculate the speed correction value based on the angle deviation through known P control (proportional control) or PID control.

[0055] In S17, the first command value correction unit 17 corrects the first speed command value Ts1 by adding the first speed command value Ts1 to the speed correction value calculated in S16.

[0056] In S18, the corrected first speed command value Ts1 is output to the first inverter circuit 20. In S19, the second speed command value Ts2 set by the command value setting unit 13 is output to the second inverter circuit 21. As a result, the rotational speeds of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are adjusted so that the vibration angle Yw of the slot 50 is close to the angle command value Ty.

[0057] If the processing in S19 is completed, return to S10. If a negative determination is made in S10, proceed to S11 to determine whether to control the vibration angle Yw. If the control of the vibration angle Yw continues, a positive determination is made in S11, and the processing in S12 to S19 is executed. Thus, the vibration angle Yw of the groove 50 is controlled to the angle command value Ty set in S12.

[0058] If a negative determination is made in S11, the process proceeds to S18. In this case, in S18, a predetermined first speed command value Ts1 is output to the first inverter circuit 20. In S19, a predetermined second speed command value Ts2 is output to the second inverter circuit 21. Thus, the tank 50 is vibrated to transport the object without forcibly controlling the vibration angle Yw of the tank 50. In this case, the mechanical angles of each unbalanced counterweight 32, 33 are synchronized by the traction torque generated by the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31, and the vibration angle Yw converges to a predetermined angle. Afterwards, when the stop condition of the vibrating transport device 100 is met, a positive determination is made in S10, and the process shown in FIG3 ends.

[0059] The following effects can be achieved in the above-described embodiment.

[0060] The vibration conveying device 100 includes an acceleration sensor 60 that detects the acceleration of the groove 50. The control unit 12 calculates the vibration angle Ye of the groove 50 based on the acceleration of the groove 50 detected by the acceleration sensor 60. To make the calculated vibration angle Ye close to the angle command value Ty, the first inverter circuit 20 controls the rotational speed of the first vibration motor 30. Thus, based on the vibration angle Ye calculated according to the physical quantities of the groove 50, the phase of the unbalanced weight 32 of the first vibration motor 30 and the unbalanced weight 33 of the second vibration motor 31 are adjusted to be the same mechanical angle Ym, enabling the vibration angle Yw of the groove 50 to approach the target angle. As a result, the groove 50 can be controlled to a predetermined vibration angle to convey the object without detecting the phase of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31.

[0061] The acceleration sensor 60 calculates and represents the acceleration detection value A1, which represents the acceleration in the horizontal direction D1, and the acceleration detection value A2, which represents the acceleration in the vertical direction D2, as the vibration angle inference value Ye. This improves the calculation accuracy of the vibration angle inference value Ye, enabling high-precision control of the vibration angle Yw of the tank 50.

[0062] The first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are installed on both sides of the center of gravity of the groove 50 in the transport direction D3. An acceleration sensor 60 is installed between the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 in the groove 50 in the transport direction D3. Therefore, by being installed close to the center of gravity of the groove 50, the acceleration sensor 60 can detect physical quantities caused by the resultant force under conditions less susceptible to pitch vibration. As a result, the reduction in the accuracy of the calculated vibration angle estimation value associated with pitch vibration can be suppressed.

[0063] The control unit 12, based on the first speed command value Ts1, causes the first inverter circuit 20 to control the rotational speed of the first vibration motor 30, and based on the second speed command value Ts2, causes the second inverter circuit 21 to control the rotational speed of the second vibration motor 31. The control unit 12 corrects the first speed command value Ts1 based on the difference between the vibration angle estimation value Ye and the angle command value Ty. In order to make the vibration angle estimation value close to the target angle, the first inverter circuit 20 adjusts the rotational speed of the first vibration motor 30 based on the corrected first speed command value. Thus, by using the vibration angle estimation value Ye to adjust the first speed command value, the vibration angle of the groove can be made to approach the target angle with high precision.

[0064] (Second Embodiment)

[0065] In the second embodiment, the structure that differs from that in the first embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the same symbols are used to mark the same parts as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0066] In the first embodiment, in order to adjust the vibration angle Yw, the control unit 12 only corrects the first speed command value Ts1. Instead, in order to adjust the vibration angle Yw, the control unit 12 corrects both the first speed command value Ts1 and the second speed command value Ts2.

[0067] As shown in FIG6, in the control unit 12 of this embodiment, the speed correction value calculated by the correction value calculation unit 16 is input to the first command value correction unit 17 and the second command value correction unit 18. The first command value correction unit 17 is the same as the first command value correction unit 17 in the first embodiment. In S17 of FIG3, the first speed command value Ts1 is corrected by adding the first speed command value Ts1 for the first vibration motor 30 to the calculated speed correction value. Furthermore, in S17, the second command value correction unit 18 corrects the second speed command value Ts2 by adding the second speed command value Ts2 for the second vibration motor 31 to the calculated speed correction value. In addition, since the first speed command value Ts1 and the second speed command value Ts2 are in different directions, for example, when correcting the first speed command value Ts1 towards the deceleration side, the second speed command value Ts2 is corrected towards the acceleration side.

[0068] In S18 of Figure 3, the corrected first speed command value Ts1 is output to the first inverter circuit 20. In S19, the corrected second speed command value Ts2 is output to the second inverter circuit 21.

[0069] In the above-described embodiment, the same effect as the first embodiment can also be achieved.

[0070] (Third Embodiment)

[0071] In the third embodiment, the structure that differs from that in the first embodiment will be described. In the third embodiment, the same symbols are used to mark the same parts as in the first embodiment, and their descriptions will not be repeated.

[0072] In the first embodiment, the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are driven by drive signals from the first inverter circuit 20 and the second inverter circuit 21. Instead, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG7, the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are driven by drive signals from the first servo amplifier 22 and the second servo amplifier 23.

[0073] The first servo amplifier 22 includes a speed difference calculation unit 221 and a drive signal calculation unit 222. A rotational speed signal from the first vibration motor 30 and a corrected first speed command value Ts1 from the control unit 12 are input to the speed difference calculation unit 221. In this embodiment, the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 output rotational speed signals representing their rotational speeds. The speed difference calculation unit 221 calculates the deviation after subtracting the rotational speed signal from the first speed command value Ts1. To make the deviation output from the speed difference calculation unit 221 close to 0, the drive signal calculation unit 222 generates a drive signal for the first vibration motor 30 using a known PI control. The drive signal Sg3 generated by the first servo amplifier 22 is output to the first vibration motor 30, causing the first vibration motor 30 to be driven at a rotational speed corresponding to the corrected first speed command value Ts1.

[0074] The second servo amplifier 23 includes a speed difference calculation unit 231 and a drive signal calculation unit 232. The speed difference calculation unit 231 receives a rotational speed signal from the second vibration motor 31 and a second speed command value from the control unit 12, and calculates the deviation after subtracting the rotational speed signal from the second speed command value. To make the deviation output from the speed difference calculation unit 231 close to 0, the drive signal calculation unit 232 generates a drive signal for the second vibration motor 31 using a known PI control. The drive signal Sg4 generated by the second servo amplifier 23 is output to the second vibration motor 31, causing the second vibration motor 31 to be driven at a rotational speed corresponding to the corrected speed command value.

[0075] In the above-described embodiment, the structure in which the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are driven by the first servo amplifier 22 and the second servo amplifier 23 can also achieve the same effect as the first embodiment.

[0076] (Other implementation methods)

[0077] The technology disclosed in this specification is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified in various ways without departing from its spirit, for example, the following modifications can also be made.

[0078] In the above embodiments, the vibration angle estimation value Ye is calculated using the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 60 as a physical quantity. Alternatively, the control unit 12 can also calculate the vibration angle estimation value Ye using the velocity or displacement of the groove 50 in the horizontal direction D1 and the vertical direction D2. In this case, a velocity sensor for detecting velocity or a displacement sensor for detecting displacement is installed in the groove 50. Furthermore, in S13 of FIG3, the composite value of the velocity or displacement generated by the vibration of the groove 50 is calculated instead of the composite acceleration A3. Moreover, in S14, the vibration angle estimation value Ye can be calculated using the composite value obtained in S13.

[0079] In the above embodiment, the vibratory conveying device 100 uses two vibratory motors to vibrate the trough 50 to convey the conveyed object. Alternatively, the vibratory conveying device 100 may also use three or more vibratory motors to vibrate the trough 50 to convey the conveyed object.

[0080] The control unit 12 may also be a so-called motor controller that is integrated with the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31. In this case, the control unit 12 is not installed on the controller 10, but is integrated with the first motor 30 and the second motor 31 in the motor mounting part 53 of the slot 50.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are AC motors. Alternatively, the first and second vibration motors may also be DC motors. In this case, instead of an inverter circuit, a servo amplifier is included, which outputs a DC voltage drive signal to the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 based on the signal output from the controller 10.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 are respectively configured to be lower than the bottom wall 51 of the groove 50. Alternatively, the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 may also be configured to be higher than the bottom wall 51 of the groove 50. Alternatively, one of the first vibration motor 30 and the second vibration motor 31 may be configured to be lower than the bottom wall 51 of the groove 50, and the other may be configured to be higher than the bottom wall 51 of the groove 50.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the control unit 12 executes the program stored in the ROM to realize the functions of the instruction value setting unit 13, the vibration angle calculation unit 14, the deviation calculation unit 15, the correction value calculation unit 16, and the instruction value correction unit 17. Alternatively, the control unit 12 may also include hardware circuitry that realizes the functions of the above-mentioned parts 11 to 17. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0012] Figure 1 is a structural diagram of the vibration transport device.

[0013] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the control of the vibration angle.

[0014] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the steps for controlling the vibration angle.

[0015] Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the calculation method of the vibration angle inference value.

[0016] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the calculation method of the vibration angle inference value.

[0017] Figure 6 is a structural diagram of the vibration conveying device according to the second embodiment.

[0018] Figure 7 is a structural diagram of the vibration conveying device according to the third embodiment. [Biomaterial Storage]

[0085] None

Claims

1. A vibrating conveying device, comprising: groove, It uses vibration to move the object along a predetermined transport direction; A vibration motor applies an excitation force to the groove for vibration by rotating an eccentric body that is eccentric to the rotation axis; a drive unit drives the vibration motor to rotate; and a control unit controls the rotation of the vibration motor driven by the drive unit. The system includes a sensor mounted on the tank for detecting a physical quantity, which is at least one of acceleration, velocity, and position change accompanying the vibration of the tank. The vibration motor includes at least a first vibration motor and a second vibration motor, which are mounted on the tank with their rotation axes oriented in a direction intersecting the transport direction in the horizontal direction. The rotation direction of the rotation axis of the first vibration motor is opposite to that of the rotation axis of the second vibration motor. The control unit is configured to calculate the angle of the tank vibration, i.e., the vibration angle estimation value, based on the physical quantity detected by the sensor. To make the vibration angle estimation value close to the target angle, the drive unit adjusts at least one of the rotation speeds of the first vibration motor and the second vibration motor.

2. As in claim 1, the vibratory conveying device, wherein: The sensor is used to detect a first physical quantity as a physical quantity in the horizontal direction and a second physical quantity as a physical quantity in the vertical direction, and the control unit calculates the vibration angle inference value based on the first physical quantity and the second physical quantity.

3. The vibratory conveying device as requested in item 1 or 2, wherein: The first vibration motor and the second vibration motor are installed on both sides of the center of gravity of the groove in the transport direction, and the sensor is installed in the groove between the first vibration motor and the second vibration motor in the transport direction.

4. The vibration conveying device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is configured to: control the rotational speed of the first vibration motor based on a first speed command value, and control the rotational speed of the second vibration motor based on a second speed command value; correct the first speed command value based on the difference between the vibration angle inferred value and the target angle; and adjust the rotational speed of the first vibration motor based on the corrected first speed command value in order to make the vibration angle inferred value closer to the target angle.

5. A control device applied to a vibratory conveying device, the vibratory conveying device comprising: groove, It moves the object along the transport direction through vibration; A vibration motor applies an excitation force to a groove for vibration by rotating an eccentric body eccentric to a rotation axis; and a drive unit drives the vibration motor to rotate. The vibration motor includes at least a first vibration motor and a second vibration motor, which are mounted in the groove such that their rotation axes are oriented in a horizontal direction intersecting the transport direction. The rotation direction of the rotation axis in the first vibration motor is opposite to that in the second vibration motor. Based on physical quantities detected by sensors accompanying the vibration of the groove, the angle of the groove vibration, i.e., a vibration angle estimation value, is calculated. These physical quantities are at least one of the groove's acceleration, velocity, and position change. Furthermore, to make the vibration angle estimation value approach a target angle, the drive unit adjusts at least one of the rotation speeds of the first and second vibration motors.

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