Intelligent loading hopper and method for transferring materials

Abstract

The present invention discloses an intelligent loading hopper, including a loading hopper installed on the upper part of a frame, a discharging hopper outside the frame, a conveyor belt is arranged below the discharge port at the lower end of the loading hopper, a connecting arm connected to a dock gantry crane is arranged on the frame, and a traveling wheel movable on the gantry crane track is arranged at the lower end of the frame, and the track is shared with the gantry crane, so as not to occupy a work site or a storage site; a belt scale is arranged on the conveyor frame of the conveyor belt, so as to accurately measure the weight of the loaded materials, and the shipping vehicle can be directly loaded, so as to realize accurate measurement without weighing the transfer vehicle, and realize automatic and quantitative loading of goods, fast loading speed, short cycle, and effectively avoid underloading, overloading and the like. The empty vehicle weighing room, the heavy vehicle weighing room and the unloading storage and transportation device are combined into one, so as to realize one-stop completion of loading and weighing, reduce the investment in the weighing room, and improve production efficiency. The present invention also provides a method for transferring materials using the above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of methods and equipment for loading, unloading and transferring goods at docks and the like, and in particular to a method for loading a hopper and transferring materials. Background Art

[0002] Generally, the transportation method of bulk materials such as sand, fertilizer, ore, cement, coal, etc. is to load them into the ship's cabin with a large carrying capacity, transport them to the port on land via a long-distance ocean, and use the port's loading and unloading equipment to load and unload the above materials onto a large bulk cargo transport vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the transfer vehicle), and then use inland transportation to transport the materials to the production plant as production raw materials, or temporarily store the goods in the yard waiting for transfer. In order to shorten the time the ship stays in the port and save shipping time, improving the loading and unloading efficiency of the ship is the core factor, and the loading and unloading efficiency of the ship is also one of the main indicators of measuring the competitiveness of the port. The usual unloading operation is to use the gantry crane on the dock to transfer materials through the process of ship-gantry crane-transfer hopper-transfer vehicle-cargo yard. The existing loading hopper is only a mechanical device, or lacks an automated and intelligent control system, or has a low degree of automation. The degree of automation, loading and unloading efficiency and loading and unloading accuracy need to be improved. The existing loading hopper mainly has the following problems:

[0003] 1. Occupy the site. The transfer hopper needs to occupy the work site when in use, and needs to be moved to a special site at the front of the wharf for storage when not in use.

[0004] 2. Poor maneuverability, low loading efficiency and high cost. When the gantry crane needs to move, the transfer hopper needs to be powered off and cleared first, and then moved by a large forklift.

[0005] 3. Accurate loading cannot be achieved. The existing transfer hoppers (or funnels), whether open hoppers or manually controlled or automatically controlled hoppers, basically take the standard of filling the vehicle without overflowing, and cannot achieve accurate measurement.

[0006] 4. Poor safety. During the loading process, the transfer vehicle is located directly below the hopper, and the gantry crane grab bucket operates directly above the vehicle, which poses safety hazards such as overflow and burying the vehicle.

[0007] 5. Frequent handling of the hopper leads to a high failure rate.

[0008] 6. The on-site loading process and loading status cannot be remotely monitored, the on-site emergency response is not fast enough, and the on-site emergency stop process is dangerous. Summary of the invention

[0009] The purpose of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide an intelligent loading hopper and material transfer method which does not occupy work space and storage space, has high loading and unloading efficiency, accurate metering, and a high degree of automation.

[0010] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to achieve the above-mentioned purpose is:

[0011] An intelligent loading hopper comprises a frame, a loading hopper installed on the upper part of the frame for receiving materials, a discharge port is arranged at the lower end of the loading hopper, and the characteristics are: a connecting arm is arranged on the frame, a traveling wheel is arranged at the lower end of the frame, the connecting arm is connected to the dock gantry crane, and the traveling wheel can move on the dock gantry crane track; it also includes a discharge hopper arranged on the outer side of the frame for unloading materials, and a conveying device for conveying materials in the loading hopper to the discharge hopper, the space below the discharge hopper can pass through a transfer vehicle, and the transfer vehicle can be parked at the loading position below the discharge hopper for loading.

[0012] By adopting the above technical solution, a connecting arm is provided on the frame, and a traveling wheel is provided at the lower end of the frame. The connecting arm is connected to the gantry crane, and the traveling wheel can move on the gantry crane track, sharing the track with the gantry crane, and does not occupy the work site and storage site; when the gantry crane does not need to use the hopper during loading or unloading, it does not hinder the operation of the gantry crane, so frequent handling is not required. When the gantry crane needs to move the warehouse, the hopper and the associated gantry crane move synchronously, and there is no need to remove power from the hopper to clear the material, and the waiting time for loading is short, which improves the loading efficiency; the hopper moves synchronously with the gantry crane, and there is no need to use large equipment such as large forklifts, which reduces the use cost of the hopper.

[0013] In the above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper, a working platform is provided on the frame, and the conveying device includes a conveying frame arranged on the working platform, and a head conveying roller and a tail conveying roller are respectively provided at both ends of the conveying frame, and a conveying belt for conveying materials is sleeved between the head conveying roller and the tail conveying roller. The conveying frame is also provided with a driving device connected with the tail conveying roller, which drives the conveying belt to rotate reciprocatingly to realize the transportation of materials; a plurality of groups of rollers are provided between the head conveying roller and the tail conveying roller, and each group of rollers includes two side conveying rollers that are oppositely and upwardly inclined and a middle conveying roller located between the two side conveying rollers, and each group of rollers is connected to the conveying frame through a roller frame; a belt scale is provided on the conveying frame, and the belt scale is connected to the control system, and the weight of the loaded materials is accurately measured by the belt scale.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, the conveyor belt is used to transfer the materials to the transfer vehicle, avoiding safety hazards such as overflow burying the vehicle and cross operation of the gantry crane grab bucket. The weight of the loaded materials can be accurately measured by the belt scale, and the shipping vehicle can be loaded directly, achieving accurate measurement without weighing the transfer vehicle, realizing automatic and quantitative loading of goods, fast loading speed, short cycle, and effectively avoiding underloading and overloading.

[0015] In the above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper, the head conveying roller is located in the unloading hopper, which can improve the loading accuracy and avoid material spillage.

[0016] In the above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper, the conveyor belt is located directly below the loading hopper, and the width of the discharge port at the lower end of the loading hopper is smaller than the width of the conveyor belt; a flow regulating valve is provided on the side of the discharge port close to the unloading hopper, and rubber guide plates are provided at the lower ends of the other three sides.

[0017] By adopting the above technical solution, a flow regulating valve is provided on the side of the discharge port near the discharge hopper to adapt to materials of different particle sizes. A rubber guide plate is provided at the lower end of the loading hopper to avoid material overflow and help keep the working environment clean.

[0018] In the above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper, a vibration motor is arranged on the outer wall surface of the loading hopper. When the vibration motor is turned on, the material can be displaced by vibration to prevent the material from being blocked in the loading hopper.

[0019] The above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper also includes a control system, which further includes a vehicle identification subsystem, an automatic loading subsystem, and a local manual control subsystem; the local manual control subsystem can operate independently from the vehicle identification subsystem and the automatic loading subsystem, as a supplement to the automatic loading subsystem, and is used for manual control to complete the loading process under special circumstances.

[0020] Furthermore, the vehicle identification subsystem includes vehicle identification software, an information data platform, a wireless transmission device CPE, an LED display screen, a card reader, a radio frequency card, and a switch. The information data platform stores the transfer vehicle information and material information. The card reader reads the radio frequency card information of the current transfer vehicle. The vehicle identification software obtains the vehicle information and material information stored in the information data platform based on the wireless transmission device CPE, and matches the radio frequency card information with the vehicle information stored in the information data platform to determine the vehicle information (including length, width, height, height of the bottom of the compartment, etc.) of the current transfer vehicle. The vehicle guidance information can be displayed on the LED display screen;

[0021] The information data platform is set up in the information management center of the terminal. The card reader, LED display screen, and wireless transmission equipment CPE are set on the frame and close to the loading space. The switch uses an industrial dedicated switch and is set in the main control box.

[0022] By adopting the above technical solution, the vehicle identification module automatically identifies the type of transfer vehicle and automatically sets the loading level height of the carriage according to the vehicle information.

[0023] The automatic loading subsystem includes a PLC controller, a touch screen, a guide signal light, a vehicle positioning sensor, and a material level sensor in the carriage;

[0024] The wireless network transmission equipment CPE and the information data platform exchange data in real time through the wireless network. The vehicle identification software, based on the wireless network transmission equipment CPE, transmits the vehicle information obtained from the information data platform to the PLC controller. The PLC controller collects parking space detection, material level detection signals and belt scale material weight measurement signals in real time; the PLC controller has a built-in intelligent control program, which can automatically determine the current vehicle loading status based on vehicle information, parking space information, material level information in the vehicle, and belt scale material weight measurement information; based on the current vehicle loading status, the PLC transmits the vehicle guidance information to the LED display screen and controls the guidance signal lights. The transfer vehicle driver can complete the corresponding actions based on the guidance information on the LED display screen and the prompts of the guidance signal lights; the PLC controller controls the vibration motor and the conveyor belt operation according to the vehicle position and the material level in the vehicle;

[0025] The PLC controller is arranged in the main control box; the material level sensor includes a first material level sensor and a second material level sensor arranged before and after the discharge port of the discharge hopper, which detect the material level in the carriage in real time and judge whether the transfer vehicle enters under the discharge hopper; the vehicle positioning sensor includes a first vehicle positioning sensor and a second vehicle positioning sensor arranged before and after the discharge port, which are used to measure the position of the transfer vehicle entering under the discharge hopper; the guide signal light is arranged on the conveyor frame, below one side of the discharge hopper;

[0026] By adopting the above technical solution, an LED display screen and guide signal lights are set on the frame to achieve human-computer interaction, timely reminding the driver of the position and loading status of the transfer vehicle he is driving, and reducing misoperation.

[0027] Furthermore, the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor adopt ultrasonic material ranging radar; the first vehicle positioning sensor and the second vehicle positioning sensor adopt ultrasonic ranging sensors.

[0028] In the above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper, the local manual control subsystem includes a manual control box, a touch screen and a remote control; the frame is provided with a manual control box, and the manual control box is provided with a manual / automatic mode conversion button for the conveyor belt and the vibration motor, a manual control button, an emergency stop button, a touch screen and a remote control wireless control module. When an emergency occurs and the conveyor belt and the vibration motor need to be shut down urgently, the emergency stop button or the emergency stop function key on the touch screen is pressed, and the conveyor belt and the vibration motor are shut down urgently; the manual / automatic mode conversion button is switched to the manual control mode, and remote operation can be performed through the on-site manual control button or the movable wireless controller / remote control. The operator can command the operation of the transfer vehicle and manually control the operation of the conveyor belt and the vibration motor to complete the entire loading process;

[0029] The touch screen can display the current loading status, vehicle information, material information, loading weight, conveyor belt operation status, vibration motor status and other parameters through intuitive graphics and animations. When the vehicle identification subsystem fails, the vehicle information can be set on site to ensure the smooth completion of the entire loading process.

[0030] By adopting the above technical solution, a manual control box is provided on the frame. During debugging or manual operation, it can be operated through the main control box or through the manual control box on the ground. During normal operation, the control system automatically controls according to the set procedures and parameters; and safety patrol personnel can also use a handheld wireless controller for remote operation and manual intervention.

[0031] The frame includes at least four columns, namely a left front column, a right front column, a left rear column and a right rear column. A crossbeam is connected between the tops of every two adjacent columns. The upper end of the loading hopper is connected to the crossbeam. The loading hopper is welded from steel plates and is in the shape of an inverted quadrangular pyramid as a whole. The traveling wheels are arranged at the lower ends of the columns.

[0032] The present invention also provides a method for transporting materials using the above-mentioned intelligent loading hopper, comprising the following steps:

[0033] a) In the automatic loading mode, the vehicle identification subsystem and the automatic loading subsystem are started at the same time; the vehicle identification subsystem reads the radio frequency card information of the transfer vehicle, and matches the radio frequency card information with the corresponding vehicle information stored in the database through the vehicle identification software. After the match is successful, the vehicle's length, width, height, compartment bottom height, load, material type and other parameters are sent to the on-site PLC controller;

[0034] b) The on-site PLC controller collects parking detection signals, material level detection signals and belt scale weight measurement signals in real time; through the built-in intelligent control program, it automatically calculates the loading height, i.e. the height of the "full material area", and automatically determines the current vehicle loading status, including the reverse "in place" status, the vehicle lifting "in place" status and the unloading port "vehicle in place" status;

[0035] c) The gantry crane driver continuously discharges materials into the hopper when the hopper is not full. When the transfer vehicle is unloaded under the discharge port, the on-site PLC controller determines that there is a "vehicle" under the discharge port, and the guide signal light turns on the "yellow light". At the same time, the LED display screen displays "Please reverse", prompting the transfer vehicle to continue to reverse;

[0036] d) When the first vehicle positioning sensor 26 detects the front plate of the carriage of the transfer vehicle, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has reversed "in place", the guide signal light turns on "red light", and the LED display screen displays "please stop", the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading, and at the same time, the on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to start loading, and the belt scale accurately measures the loading weight, and the vibration motor runs intermittently;

[0037] e) The on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to continuously load materials to the transfer vehicle according to the "full material area" height requirements of different transfer vehicles. When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the belt conveyor stops running, the guide signal light turns on "red light" and "yellow light", and the LED display screen displays "Please pick up the vehicle", prompting the transfer vehicle to move forward;

[0038] f) The transfer vehicle moves forward according to the guidance signal. When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is not in the "full material area" height, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has "arrived" for the first time, and the guidance signal light turns on the "red light". At the same time, the LED display screen displays "please stop", and the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading. At the same time, the on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to run and load again, and the loading weight is accurately measured by the belt scale, and the vibration motor runs intermittently;

[0039] g) The belt continuously loads the transfer vehicle. When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the belt conveyor stops running, the guide signal light turns on "red light" and "yellow light", and the LED display screen displays "Please pick up the vehicle", prompting the transfer vehicle to move forward;

[0040] h) When the transfer vehicle is loading forward, before entering the last loading process, the process described in step e and step f is repeated to complete the loading process of picking up the vehicle - parking for loading - picking up the vehicle;

[0041] i) The transfer vehicle moves forward. When the second vehicle positioning sensor cannot detect the bottom plate of the transfer vehicle compartment, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has entered the last loading process, the guide signal light turns on "red", and the LED display screen displays "please stop", and the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading;

[0042] j) The first material level sensor or the second material level sensor detects that the current material level is not in the "full material area" height, and the on-site PLC controls the belt conveyor to start the last loading, and the loading weight is accurately measured by the belt scale, and the vibration motor runs intermittently;

[0043] k) When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the on-site PLC controls the belt conveyor and the vibration motor to stop running, the guide signal light turns on the "green light", and the LED display screen displays "Please drive out";

[0044] l) The driver drives away from the bottom of the discharge hopper, and the loading process is completed;

[0045] m) Repeat the above steps c to l to load the next transfer vehicle;

[0046] n) In all the above steps, the operating status of the on-site hopper is monitored and recorded in real time through remote configuration, realizing remote monitoring and centralized management of the on-site hopper working status and operating data; when an emergency occurs on site, the system has an alarm prompt function, and the remote monitoring function can be used to quickly handle the emergency on site.

[0047] Beneficial effects of the present invention:

[0048] 1. A connecting arm is provided on the frame, which is connected to the gantry crane. The running wheels provided at the lower end of the frame can move on the gantry crane track and share the track with the gantry crane, so as not to occupy the operation site and storage site. When the gantry crane does not need to use the hopper during loading or unloading, it does not hinder the operation of the gantry crane, so frequent handling is not required. When the gantry crane needs to move the warehouse, the hopper and the associated gantry crane move synchronously, and there is no need to remove power from the hopper to clear the material, which improves the loading efficiency. The hopper moves synchronously with the gantry crane, so there is no need to use large equipment such as large forklifts, which reduces the use cost of the hopper.

[0049] 2. Use conveyor belts to transfer materials to transfer vehicles, avoiding safety hazards such as overflow and burying vehicles, and cross-operation of gantry crane grab buckets. The weight of the loaded materials can be accurately measured by the belt scale, and the shipping vehicle can be loaded directly to achieve accurate measurement without weighing the transfer vehicle, realizing automatic and quantitative loading of goods, fast loading speed, short cycle, and effectively avoiding underloading and overloading. The empty vehicle weighing room, the heavy vehicle weighing room and the unloading storage and transportation device are combined into one, realizing one-stop loading and weighing, reducing the construction investment of the vehicle weighing room, and no need for secondary weighing, avoiding repeated measurement, reducing process links, and improving production efficiency.

[0050] 3. The vehicle identification module automatically identifies the type of transfer vehicle and automatically sets the loading height of the carriage according to the vehicle information; it is equipped with an LED display screen and guide signal lights to achieve human-computer interaction and timely remind the driver of the location and loading status of the transfer vehicle he is driving to reduce misoperation.

[0051] 4. The operating status of the on-site hopper can be monitored and recorded in real time through remote configuration, which can realize remote monitoring and centralized management of the on-site hopper; when an emergency occurs on site, the system has an alarm prompt function and can quickly handle the emergency on site through the remote monitoring function. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0052] Figure 1 It is a front view schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 2 It is a right side schematic diagram of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of a conveyor frame, a roller frame, rollers, and a conveyor belt at the outlet side of the charging hopper in the present invention.

[0055] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of the vehicle positioning sensor and the material level sensor in the present invention.

[0056] In the figure: 1 loading hopper, 2 cross beam, 3 vibration motor, 4 discharge port, 5 tail conveyor roller, 6 main control box, 7 belt scale and instrument, 8 roller, 8-1 side conveyor roller, 8-2 middle conveyor roller, 9 conveyor belt, 10 head conveyor roller, 11 unloading hopper, 12 working platform, 13 wireless transmission equipment, 14 electric telescopic rod, 15 guide signal light, 16 card reader, 17 LED display, 18 manual control box, 19 connecting arm, 20 guardrail, 21 rubber guide plate, 22 flow regulating valve, 23 roller frame, 24 conveyor frame, 25 walking wheel, 26 first vehicle positioning sensor, 27 first material level sensor, 28 second material level sensor, 29 second vehicle positioning sensor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0057] It should be noted that, in the absence of conflict, the embodiments of the present invention and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other. The present invention will be further described below by non-limiting embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Example

[0058] See also Figures 1 to 4, an intelligent loading hopper, comprising a frame, a loading hopper 1 installed on the upper part of the frame for receiving materials, a discharge port 4 is provided at the lower end of the loading hopper 1, and a vibration motor 3 is provided on the outer wall surface of the loading hopper 1. A connecting arm 19 is provided on the frame, and a traveling wheel 25 is provided at the lower end of the frame. The connecting arm 19 is connected to the dock gantry crane, and the traveling wheel 25 can move on the dock gantry crane track; it also includes a discharge hopper 11 provided on the outer side of the frame for unloading materials, and a conveying device for conveying materials in the loading hopper 1 to the discharge hopper 11. A discharge port is provided at the lower part of the discharge hopper 11, and the space at the lower part of the discharge hopper 11 can pass through a transfer vehicle, and the transfer vehicle can be parked at the loading position below the discharge hopper 11 for loading.

[0059] A working platform 12 is provided on the frame, and the conveying device includes a conveying frame 24 provided on the working platform 12. The two ends of the conveying frame 24 are respectively provided with a head conveying roller 10 and a tail conveying roller 5. A conveying belt 9 for conveying materials is sleeved between the head conveying roller 10 and the tail conveying roller 5. The conveying frame is also provided with a driving device connected to the tail conveying roller 5, which drives the conveying belt 9 to rotate back and forth to realize the transportation of materials. The head conveying roller 10 is located in the discharge hopper 11. A plurality of rollers 8 are provided between the head conveying roller 10 and the tail conveying roller 5. Each group of rollers 8 includes two side conveying rollers 8-1 that are opposite and inclined upward and a middle conveying roller 8-2 located between the two side conveying rollers 8-1. Each group of rollers 8 is connected to the conveying frame 24 through a roller frame 23. A belt scale is provided on the conveying frame 24. The belt scale and the instrument 7 are connected to the control system, and the weight of the loaded materials is accurately measured through the belt scale.

[0060] Specifically, the belt scale includes a belt scale frame, rollers 8, roller frames 23, weighing sensors, and speed sensors. The rollers 8 are rotatably connected to the roller frames 23, which are the same as the rollers 8 and roller frames 23 on the conveyor frame 24. The difference is that the roller frames 23 are arranged on the belt scale frame, the belt scale frame is arranged in the conveyor frame 24, and a weighing sensor is arranged between the belt scale frame and the conveyor frame 24. The speed sensor can be arranged above the bottom belt on the conveyor frame 24 to detect the linear speed of the conveyor belt 9, and can also be arranged on the conveyor frame 24 near the tail conveyor roller 5 to detect the rotation speed of the tail conveyor roller 5. The weighing sensor and the speed sensor are both connected to the control system.

[0061] The conveyor belt 9 is located directly below the charging hopper 1, and the width of the discharge port 4 at the lower end of the charging hopper 1 is smaller than the width of the conveyor belt 9; a flow regulating valve 22 is provided on the side of the discharge port 4 close to the unloading hopper 11, and rubber guide plates 21 are provided at the lower ends of the other three sides.

[0062] The intelligent loading hopper of this embodiment also includes a control system, which further includes a vehicle identification subsystem, an automatic loading subsystem, and a local manual control subsystem; the local manual control subsystem can operate independently from the vehicle identification subsystem and the automatic loading subsystem, and serves as a supplement to the automatic loading subsystem, and is used in special circumstances (such as clearance mode, manual loading mode, funnel mode, cleaning mode, etc.) to manually control the loading process.

[0063] Specifically, the vehicle identification subsystem includes vehicle identification software, information data platform, wireless transmission equipment 13, LED display screen 17, card reader 16, radio frequency card, switch, the information data platform stores the transfer vehicle information and material information, the card reader 16 reads the radio frequency card information of the current transfer vehicle, the vehicle identification software obtains the vehicle information and material information stored in the information data platform based on the wireless transmission equipment 13, and matches the radio frequency card information with the vehicle information stored in the information data platform to determine the vehicle information (including length, width, height, height of the bottom of the compartment, etc.) of the current transfer vehicle; the vehicle guidance information can be displayed on the LED display screen 17;

[0064] The information data platform is set up in the information management center of the terminal. The card reader 16, LED display screen 17, and wireless transmission equipment CPE13 are set on the frame and on the column close to the loading position. The switch adopts an industrial dedicated switch and is set in the main control box 6.

[0065] The automatic loading subsystem includes a PLC controller, a touch screen, a guide signal light 15, a vehicle positioning sensor, and a material level sensor in the carriage;

[0066] The wireless network transmission device CP, 13 exchanges data with the information data platform in real time through the wireless network. The vehicle identification software is based on the wireless network transmission device CPE, and transmits the vehicle information obtained from the information data platform to the PLC controller. The PLC controller collects the parking space detection, material level detection signals and belt scale material weight measurement signals in real time; the PLC controller has a built-in intelligent control program, which can automatically determine the current vehicle loading status according to the vehicle information, parking space information, material level information in the vehicle, and belt scale material weight measurement information; according to the current vehicle loading status, the PLC transmits the vehicle guidance information to the LED display screen 17 and controls the guidance signal light 15. The transfer vehicle driver can complete the corresponding actions according to the guidance information of the LED display screen 17 and the prompt of the guidance signal light 15; the PLC controller controls the vibration motor 3 and the conveyor belt 9 to operate according to the vehicle position and the material level in the vehicle;

[0067] The PLC controller is arranged in the main control box 6; the material level sensor includes a first material level sensor 27 and a second material level sensor 28 arranged before and after the discharge port of the discharge hopper 11, both of which use ultrasonic material ranging radar to detect the material level in the car in real time and judge whether the transfer vehicle enters under the discharge hopper 11; the vehicle positioning sensor includes a first vehicle positioning sensor 26 and a second vehicle positioning sensor 29 arranged before and after the discharge port, both of which use ultrasonic ranging sensors to measure the position of the transfer vehicle entering under the discharge hopper 11; the guide signal light 15 is arranged at the lower end of the electric telescopic rod 14, and the electric telescopic rod 14 is arranged on the conveyor frame 24 and located below one side of the discharge hopper 11.

[0068] The local manual control subsystem includes a manual control box 18, a touch screen and a remote control; the frame is provided with a manual control box 18, and the manual control box 18 is provided with a manual / automatic mode conversion button for the conveyor belt 9 and the vibration motor 3, a manual control button, an emergency stop button, a touch screen and a remote control wireless control module. When an emergency occurs and the conveyor belt 9 and the vibration motor 3 need to be shut down urgently, the emergency stop button or the emergency stop function key on the touch screen is pressed, and the conveyor belt 9 and the vibration motor 3 are shut down urgently; the manual / automatic mode conversion button is switched to the manual control mode, and remote operation can be performed through the on-site manual control button or the movable wireless controller / remote control. The operator can command the operation of the transfer vehicle and manually control the operation of the conveyor belt 9 and the vibration motor 3 to complete the entire loading process;

[0069] The touch screen can display the current loading status, vehicle information, material information, loading weight, running status of conveyor belt 9, status of vibration motor 3 and other parameters through intuitive graphics and animations. When the vehicle identification subsystem fails, the vehicle information can be set on site to ensure the smooth completion of the entire loading process.

[0070] The frame includes at least four columns, namely a left front column, a right front column, a left rear column and a right rear column. A crossbeam 2 is connected between the tops of every two adjacent columns, and the upper end of the loading hopper is connected to the crossbeam 2; the travel wheels 25 are arranged at the lower ends of the columns.

[0071] The controller in this embodiment adopts a PLC controller, but other types of controllers may also be used. The PLC controller is installed in the main control box 6. In order to realize manual or automatic switching control, a manual-automatic selection switch, an operation indicator light, an emergency stop button, and a conveyor belt opening and closing button are provided on the panel of the main control box 6. The manual-automatic selection switch can switch between automatic control and manual control. Example

[0072] The method for transferring materials using the intelligent loading hopper described in the first embodiment comprises the following steps:

[0073] a) In the automatic loading mode, the vehicle identification subsystem and the automatic loading subsystem are started at the same time; the vehicle identification subsystem reads the radio frequency card information of the transfer vehicle, and matches the radio frequency card information with the corresponding vehicle information stored in the database through the vehicle identification software. After the match is successful, the vehicle's length, width, height, compartment bottom height, load, material type and other parameters are sent to the on-site PLC controller;

[0074] b) The on-site PLC controller collects parking detection signals, material level detection signals and belt scale weight measurement signals in real time; through the built-in intelligent control program, it automatically calculates the loading height, i.e. the height of the "full material area", and automatically determines the current vehicle loading status, including the reverse "in place" status, the vehicle lifting "in place" status and the unloading port "vehicle in place" status;

[0075] c) The gantry crane driver continuously discharges materials into the hopper when the hopper is not full. When the transfer vehicle is unloaded under the discharge port, the on-site PLC controller determines that there is a "vehicle" under the discharge port, and the guide signal light 15 lights up the "yellow light". At the same time, the LED display screen 17 displays "Please reverse", prompting the transfer vehicle to continue to reverse;

[0076] d) When the first vehicle positioning sensor 26 detects the front plate of the carriage of the transfer vehicle, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has reversed "in place", the guide signal light 15 lights up "red", and the LED display screen 17 displays "please stop", the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading, and at the same time, the on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to start loading, and the belt scale accurately measures the loading weight, and the vibration motor 3 runs intermittently;

[0077] e) The on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to continuously load materials to the transfer vehicle according to the "full material area" height requirements of different transfer vehicles. When the first material level sensor 27 and the second material level sensor 28 both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the belt conveyor stops running, the guide signal light 15 lights up "red light" and "yellow light", and the LED display screen 17 displays "Please pick up the vehicle", prompting the transfer vehicle to move forward;

[0078] f) The transfer vehicle moves forward according to the guidance signal. When the first material level sensor 27 and the second material level sensor 28 both detect that the current material level is not in the "full material area" height, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has "arrived" for the first time, and the guidance signal light 15 lights up the "red light". At the same time, the LED display screen 17 displays "please stop", and the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading. At the same time, the on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to run and load again, and the belt scale accurately measures the loading weight, and the vibration motor 3 runs intermittently;

[0079] g) The belt continuously loads the transfer vehicle. When the first material level sensor 27 and the second material level sensor 28 both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the belt conveyor stops running, the guide signal light 15 lights up "red light" and "yellow light", and the LED display screen 17 displays "Please pick up the vehicle", prompting the transfer vehicle to move forward;

[0080] h) When the transfer vehicle is loading forward, before entering the last loading process, the process described in step e and step f is repeated to complete the loading process of picking up the vehicle - parking for loading - picking up the vehicle;

[0081] i) The transfer vehicle pulls forward. When the second vehicle positioning sensor 29 cannot detect the bottom plate of the transfer vehicle compartment, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has entered the last loading process, the guide signal light 15 turns on the "red light", and the LED display screen 17 displays "Please stop", and the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading;

[0082] j) The first material level sensor 27 or the second material level sensor 28 detects that the current material level is not in the "full material area" height, and the on-site PLC controls the belt conveyor to start the last loading, and the loading weight is accurately measured by the belt scale, and the vibration motor 3 runs intermittently;

[0083] k) When the first material level sensor 27 and the second material level sensor 28 both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the on-site PLC controls the belt conveyor and the vibration motor 3 to stop running, the guide signal light 15 lights up "green", and the LED display screen 17 displays "Please open";

[0084] l) The driver drives away from the bottom of the hopper discharge port, and the loading process is completed;

[0085] m) Repeat the above steps c to l to load the next transfer vehicle;

[0086] n) In all the above steps, the operating status of the on-site hopper is monitored and recorded in real time through remote configuration, realizing remote monitoring and centralized management of the on-site hopper working status and operating data; when an emergency occurs on site, the system has an alarm prompt function, and the remote monitoring function can be used to quickly handle the emergency on site.

[0087] Except for the technical features described in the specification, all other technical features are known technologies to those skilled in the art.

[0088] The above-listed embodiments are only for the purpose of understanding the present invention and are not limitations on the technical solutions described in the present invention. Ordinary technicians in the relevant fields can make various changes or deformations based on the technical solutions described in the claims, such as using a pneumatic system instead of a hydraulic system. All equivalent changes or deformations should be covered within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent loading hopper, comprising a frame, a loading hopper mounted on the upper part of the frame for receiving materials, and a discharge port is provided at the lower end of the loading hopper, characterized in that: The frame is provided with a connecting arm, and a traveling wheel is provided at the lower end of the frame. The connecting arm is connected to the dock gantry crane, and the traveling wheel can move on the dock gantry crane track; it also includes a discharge hopper arranged outside the frame for unloading materials, and a conveying device for conveying materials in the loading hopper to the discharge hopper. The space below the discharge hopper can pass through a transfer vehicle, and the transfer vehicle can be parked at the loading position below the discharge hopper for loading; A working platform is provided on the frame, and the conveying device includes a conveying frame arranged on the working platform, and a head conveying roller and a tail conveying roller are respectively provided at both ends of the conveying frame, and a conveying belt for conveying materials is sleeved between the head conveying roller and the tail conveying roller. The conveying frame is also provided with a driving device connected with the tail conveying roller, which drives the conveying belt to rotate reciprocally to realize the transportation of materials; a plurality of groups of rollers are provided between the head conveying roller and the tail conveying roller, and each group of rollers includes two side conveying rollers that are opposite and inclined upward and a middle conveying roller located between the two side conveying rollers, and each group of rollers is connected to the conveying frame through a roller frame; a belt scale is provided on the conveying frame, and the belt scale is connected to the control system, and the weight of the loaded materials is accurately measured through the belt scale; It also includes a control system, which includes a vehicle identification subsystem, an automatic loading subsystem, and a local manual control subsystem; the local manual control subsystem can operate independently from the vehicle identification subsystem and the automatic loading subsystem, and serves as a supplement to the automatic loading subsystem, and is used for manual control to complete the loading process under special circumstances.

2. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The head conveying roller is located in the discharge hopper.

3. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The conveyor belt is located directly below the loading hopper, and the width of the discharge port at the lower end of the loading hopper is smaller than the width of the conveyor belt; a flow regulating valve is provided on the side of the discharge port close to the unloading hopper, and rubber guide plates are provided at the lower ends of the other three sides.

4. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 1 is characterized in that: A vibration motor is arranged on the outer wall surface of the charging hopper.

5. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The vehicle identification subsystem includes vehicle identification software, information data platform, wireless transmission equipment CPE, LED display screen, card reader, radio frequency card, switch, the information data platform stores the transfer vehicle information and material information, the card reader reads the radio frequency card information of the current transfer vehicle, the vehicle identification software obtains the vehicle information and material information stored in the information data platform based on the wireless transmission equipment CPE, and matches the radio frequency card information with the vehicle information stored in the information data platform to determine the vehicle information of the current transfer vehicle, the vehicle information includes length, width, height, and height of the bottom of the carriage; Vehicle guidance information can be displayed on the LED display; The card reader and LED display screen are installed on the frame and close to the loading space. The switch adopts an industrial switch and is installed in the main control box.

6. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The automatic loading subsystem includes a PLC controller, a touch screen, a guide signal light, a vehicle positioning sensor, and a material level sensor in the carriage; The vehicle identification software is based on the wireless network transmission equipment CPE, which transmits the vehicle information obtained from the information data platform to the PLC controller. The PLC controller collects the parking space detection signal, material level detection signal and belt scale material weight measurement signal in real time; the PLC controller has a built-in intelligent control program, which can automatically determine the current vehicle loading status based on the vehicle information, parking space information, material level information in the vehicle, and belt scale material weight measurement information; based on the current vehicle loading status, the PLC transmits the vehicle guidance information to the LED display screen and controls the guidance signal lights. The transfer vehicle driver can complete the corresponding actions according to the guidance information on the LED display screen and the prompts of the guidance signal lights; the PLC controller controls the vibration motor and the conveyor belt operation according to the vehicle position and the material level in the vehicle; The PLC controller is arranged in the main control box; the material level sensor includes a first material level sensor and a second material level sensor arranged before and after the discharge port of the discharge hopper, which detects the material level in the car in real time and determines whether the transfer vehicle enters under the discharge hopper; the vehicle positioning sensor includes a first vehicle positioning sensor and a second vehicle positioning sensor arranged before and after the discharge port, which are used to measure the position of the transfer vehicle entering under the discharge hopper; the guide signal light is arranged on the conveyor frame, below one side of the discharge hopper.

7. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 6, characterized in that: The first material level sensor and the second material level sensor adopt ultrasonic material ranging radar; the first vehicle positioning sensor and the second vehicle positioning sensor adopt ultrasonic ranging sensors.

8. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 1 is characterized in that: The local manual control subsystem includes a manual control box, a touch screen and a remote control; the frame is provided with a manual control box, in which a manual / automatic mode conversion button for a conveyor belt and a vibration motor, a manual control button, an emergency stop button, a touch screen and a remote control wireless control module are arranged. When an emergency occurs and the conveyor belt and the vibration motor need to be shut down urgently, the emergency stop button or the emergency stop function key on the touch screen is pressed, and the conveyor belt and the vibration motor are shut down urgently; the manual / automatic mode conversion button is switched to the manual control mode, which can be remotely operated through the on-site manual control button or the movable wireless controller / remote control, and the operator can direct the operation of the transfer vehicle and manually control the operation of the conveyor belt and the vibration motor to complete the entire loading process; The touch screen can display the current loading status, vehicle information, material information, loading weight, conveyor belt operation status, and vibration motor status parameters through intuitive graphics and animations. When the vehicle identification subsystem fails, the vehicle information can be set on-site to ensure the smooth completion of the entire loading process.

9. The intelligent loading hopper according to claim 1, characterized in that: The frame comprises at least four columns, namely a left front column, a right front column, a left rear column and a right rear column. A crossbeam is connected between the tops of every two adjacent columns, and the upper end of the loading hopper is connected to the crossbeam; the travel wheels are arranged at the lower ends of the columns.

10. A method for transporting materials using the intelligent loading hopper according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: a) In the automatic loading mode, the vehicle identification subsystem and the automatic loading subsystem are started at the same time; The vehicle identification subsystem reads the radio frequency card information of the transfer vehicle, and matches the radio frequency card information with the corresponding vehicle information stored in the database through the vehicle identification software. After a successful match, the vehicle's length, width, height, compartment floor height, load, and material type parameters are sent to the on-site PLC controller; b) The on-site PLC controller collects parking detection signals, material level detection signals and belt scale weight measurement signals in real time; through the built-in intelligent control program, it automatically calculates the loading height, i.e. the height of the "full material area", and automatically determines the current vehicle loading status, including the reverse "in place" status, the vehicle lifting "in place" status and the unloading port "vehicle in place" status; c) The gantry crane driver continuously discharges materials into the hopper when the hopper is not full. When the transfer vehicle is unloaded under the discharge port, the on-site PLC controller determines that there is a "vehicle" under the discharge port, and the guide signal light turns on the "yellow light". At the same time, the LED display screen displays "Please reverse", prompting the transfer vehicle to continue to reverse; d) When the first vehicle positioning sensor detects the front plate of the carriage of the transfer vehicle, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has reversed to "position", the guide signal light turns on "red", and the LED display screen displays "please stop", the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading, and at the same time, the on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to start loading, and the belt scale accurately measures the loading weight, and the vibration motor runs intermittently; e) The on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to continuously load materials to the transfer vehicle according to the "full material area" height requirements of different transfer vehicles. When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the belt conveyor stops running, the guide signal light turns on "red light" and "yellow light", and the LED display screen displays "Please pick up the vehicle", prompting the transfer vehicle to move forward; f) The transfer vehicle moves forward according to the guidance signal. When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is not in the "full material area" height, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has "arrived" for the first time, and the guidance signal light turns on the "red light". At the same time, the LED display screen displays "please stop", and the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading. At the same time, the on-site PLC controller controls the belt conveyor to run and load again, and the belt scale accurately measures the loading weight, and the vibration motor runs intermittently; g) The belt continuously loads the transfer vehicle. When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the belt conveyor stops running, the guide signal light turns on "red light" and "yellow light", and the LED display screen displays "Please pick up the vehicle", prompting the transfer vehicle to move forward; h) When the transfer vehicle is loading forward, before entering the last loading process, the process described in step e and step f is repeated to complete the loading process of picking up the vehicle - parking for loading - picking up the vehicle; i) The transfer vehicle moves forward. When the second vehicle positioning sensor cannot detect the bottom plate of the transfer vehicle compartment, the on-site PLC controller determines that the transfer vehicle has entered the last loading process, the guide signal light turns on "red", and the LED display screen displays "please stop", and the transfer vehicle stops and waits for loading; j) The first material level sensor or the second material level sensor detects that the current material level is not in the "full material area" height, and the on-site PLC controls the belt conveyor to start the last loading, and the loading weight is accurately measured by the belt scale, and the vibration motor runs intermittently; k) When the first material level sensor and the second material level sensor both detect that the current material level is at the "full material area" height, the on-site PLC controls the belt conveyor and the vibration motor to stop running, the guide signal light turns on the "green light", and the LED display screen displays "Please drive out"; l) The driver drives away from the bottom of the discharge hopper, and the loading process is completed; m) Repeat the above steps c to l to load the next transfer vehicle; n) In all the above steps, the operating status of the on-site hopper is monitored and recorded in real time through remote configuration, realizing remote monitoring and centralized management of the on-site hopper working status and operating data; when an emergency occurs on site, the system has an alarm prompt function, and the remote monitoring function can be used to quickly handle the emergency on site.

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