Method and system for identifying anomalies when operating a conveying system, in particular an airport baggage carousel

Abstract

Airport baggage carousels typically operate in a failure-prone manner, inevitably leading to malfunctions. This invention discloses a method and system for identifying anomalies (A) during the operation of a conveyor system comprising a circular drive chain (4), drive units, and conveyor sections. The drive chain (4) transmits the forces and motions of the drive units to the conveyor sections and includes links (6) and pins (8') connecting these links. At least one of the pins (8') is a force-measuring pin (8) that records the forces acting on the drive chain (4) as it moves. The recorded forces are wirelessly transmitted from the force-measuring pin (8) along with a timestamp and / or a location stamp and an identifier of the force-measuring pin (8) to a back-end system. In the back-end system, the transmitted data is analyzed, and anomalies (A) are identified in the event of deviations, and signals are issued via reports. Evaluation of the measurement results allows for targeted maintenance measures to be developed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of conveying systems for transporting items and cargo, particularly in the field of conveying systems for baggage and items within airports. Background Technology

[0002] The goal of every airport operator is to minimize disruptions during baggage handling. In practice, this means keeping the baggage handling system "active" during operation and performing time-based maintenance outside of operating hours. Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, using computer systems to monitor and control processes, are commonly used when monitoring airport baggage handling systems. SCADA enables airports and other system operators to monitor the operational status of the entire system.

[0003] SCADA systems can display failures in parts of a conveyor system, such as when those parts are no longer available for baggage handling. Minor problems, such as disruptions in the material flow caused by baggage jamming, can be resolved very quickly, allowing the affected parts to return to normal operation. However, component failures due to wear and tear often cannot be eliminated without a significant impact on system availability and capacity. These failures can cause significant problems for airport operators and other system operators.

[0004] To minimize failures, baggage handling systems can be monitored using so-called "preventive maintenance," which involves performing preventative maintenance on components at predetermined intervals. However, this time-based maintenance strategy is costly. Furthermore, performing maintenance on individual components is often unnecessary. Additionally, uneven wear on identical components leads to some components being maintained too frequently while others are maintained too late, resulting in failures despite regular maintenance intervals. Due to the vast length of airport conveyor systems, accurate inspection is extremely time-consuming and costly; moreover, not all parts are visible, making maintenance difficult and, while time- and cost-intensive, failing to completely prevent failures. Therefore, in some conveyor systems, the maintenance of all components is, on average, more expensive than the damage caused by failure.

[0005] Therefore, time-based or preventative maintenance procedures are increasingly being replaced by corrective maintenance procedures, known as run-to-failure (RTF) or reactive maintenance. Reactive maintenance results in component failures that must be repaired or replaced during operation, leading to system downtime and penalties for delayed baggage delivery. These penalties are paid by the airport operator to the airline. Furthermore, the high cost of repair or replacement due to sudden failures is a significant factor, primarily because maintenance personnel must be readily available, much like a fire department.

[0006] An airport baggage reclaim carussel is used to return checked baggage to arriving passengers. Baggage is typically conveyed from above or below to the carussel via a conveyor belt and then distributed onto a moving, circular reclaim belt. Commonly, this type of system has two conveyor belts, thereby increasing the conveying capacity for baggage to be delivered to the circular reclaim belt and then to passengers. The circular reclaim belt of the baggage reclaim carussel typically consists of friction-running conveyor belts assembled into a loop using modular units. The circular reclaim belt is typically moved by a drive chain driven by at least one drive unit.

[0007] For redundancy, baggage distribution carousels are typically driven by two drive units connected via a free-rotating coupler (bicycle principle). Each drive unit is sized to drive a conveyor belt up to 75m in length along a closed, circular track. Typically, the conveyor belt has a rubber sheet 1200mm long and 8mm thick. Pressed steel sheet support members or moving mechanisms (Fahrwerk) are spaced 250mm apart at each link and support support wheels with polyurethane tires and guide wheels for quiet, frictionless operation. Rubber sheets and support cushions are positioned at each support member to achieve a continuous bearing surface.

[0008] The baggage carousel is located in the arrival hall, and its worn parts, such as rollers and tracks, are hidden behind partitions. Access is time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially due to the large number of parts to be inspected, making it difficult for preventative maintenance.

[0009] Baggage distribution carousels operate like conveyor belts on closed, circular tracks up to hundreds of meters long. Each carousel contains two tracks, with a polyurethane roller acting as a transport roller approximately every half meter on each track. Large airports operate up to 100 or more of these carousels. Compared to other components used for baggage handling, baggage distribution carousels are highly reliable in operation. Therefore, for cost-effectiveness, they are typically completely maintenance-free and run continuously until failure occurs during operation.

[0010] Abrasive wear occurs when the material of the solid object has the same or higher hardness as the material of the conveyor roller or track. Adhesive wear occurs due to friction between the surfaces at the transition points. If these transition points are made of materials with different hardnesses, the softer material bears the shear force and, as a result, it is transferred to the harder material.

[0011] Wear at the track is caused by deposition, which is attributed to high load losses. Abrasive wear occurs if the wear particles are additionally crushed during wear. Furthermore, conveyor rollers obstructed by objects will wear. Obstructed, i.e., improperly rolling conveyor rollers experience strong friction, which in turn leads to high temperatures and material loss. The drive chain used also experiences increased loads here. The less wear, the faster the disturbance can be identified and eliminated.

[0012] Therefore, it is crucial to identify impending failures in transmission system components early on, thereby preventing operational failures during operation and enabling immediate repairs at the onset of an interruption. This maintenance strategy is particularly important for airports and system operators, yet it is not currently commercially available.

[0013] Other conveyor systems typically also have conveyor segments driven by drive chains. On a baggage carousel, baggage items are conveyed lying flat on a sheet. These items are pulled by drive chains within the carousel. The drive chains are in turn driven by one or more drive units, and the drive units(s) and drive chains comprise a chain drive mechanism.

[0014] For the baggage carousel to operate correctly, the drive chain must be set to the correct tension. Excessive tension results in increased force, while insufficient tension leads to inaccurate operation. Both will cause unnecessary wear.

[0015] In addition, the following problems may occur during operation. Falling, obstructing parts can block the rollers of the conveyor system or fall between sheets or other parts. Wear increases, and damage, particularly to the working surface, can occur, especially when the obstructing parts are dragged along the conveyor section. Sheets can jam, especially under overload conditions, as often happens in baggage carousels. This can cause material fatigue and even drive chain breakage. There is a risk of injury if someone is nearby. Furthermore, if multiple drive units are involved in driving the drive chain, the introduced power will be unevenly distributed. Therefore, the drive chain, and the drive stations under heavier loads, will be overloaded. This can happen, for example, when the drive belt of a drive unit wears.

[0016] Existing technology involves checking chain tension after the conveyor system is installed and during scheduled maintenance intervals. Chain tension can be checked using a spring scale, which is monitored at various points on the stationary turntable. Dynamic additional loads (e.g., blocked rollers) are not identified. Dynamic measurements are not performed during operation. Wear is manually searched for during inspection after it has appeared and may have caused damage. To locate blocked rollers, the entire conveyor turntable must be opened. This is not done for every maintenance. Wear, safety risks, and other issues that may arise during operation are tolerated.

[0017] To date, methods for measuring chain tension have been performed statically after installation or during maintenance. Forces during operation have not been determined.

[0018] Force-measuring pins exist for identifying overloads in quasi-static applications, such as in the case of cranes. However, in these applications, only overloads or near-overload loads are recorded and displayed. Dynamic force measurements are not performed.

[0019] Therefore, transmission system anomalies are often only discovered after they have caused excessive wear, damage, and / or failure. Summary of the Invention

[0020] Therefore, the present invention aims to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. This objective is achieved by a method and system having the features of the present invention. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described below.

[0021] In terms of method, the aforementioned objective is achieved by a method for identifying anomalies during operation of a conveyor system used for transporting goods, such as baggage, the conveyor system comprising a circular drive chain, drive units, and conveyor sections, wherein the drive chain is used to transmit the forces and motions of the drive units to the conveyor sections, and the drive chain includes links and pins connecting these links, wherein at least one of the pins is a force-measuring pin, constituting a method for non-contactly transmitting the forces acting thereon to a back-end system. The method includes the following method steps:

[0022] a) During the movement of the drive chain, the force measuring pin records the force acting on it.

[0023] b) Wirelessly transmit the recorded force from the force measuring pin along with the timestamp and / or location stamp and the force measuring pin's identifier to the back-end system.

[0024] c) In the background system, the data transmitted in step b) is analyzed, and in the event of deviation, it is identified as an anomaly (A) and signaled by means of a report.

[0025] Since the circumferential velocity and starting position of the force-measuring pin are known, the timestamp and the position stamp are essentially synonymous, as they can be converted to each other through simple calculations.

[0026] A force-measuring pin should be understood as any device capable of measuring—either unidirectionally or multidirectionally—the force acting upon it and transmitting it to a back-end system. Both force-measuring pins and regular pins connect two links.

[0027] The solution according to the invention can identify wear at components of a conveying system before system failure occurs and can also initiate maintenance work in a timely manner. Even if a system failure has already occurred, the location of the disturbance can subsequently be identified based on recorded forces. The solution according to the invention is particularly suitable for conveying systems in which the drive chain is concealed and can only be inspected and repaired by opening the cover. Wear can also be identified at a later stage in the case of static inspection, while overload can only be identified during operation, i.e., during dynamic measurement. Therefore, the solution according to the invention is particularly well-suited for logistics conveying systems with different weights of goods and no spacing requirements, such as aircraft baggage carousels. The solution according to the invention can be applied anywhere the drive chain moves or drives something.

[0028] The solution according to the invention can be further improved by different design schemes, each of which is advantageous to itself and can be arbitrarily combined with each other unless otherwise stated. These design schemes and their associated advantages are discussed below.

[0029] According to one implementation, deviations can be identified through statistical comparison with previous records or by comparison with a fixed variable. Comparison with a fixed variable typically requires calibration, which determines the magnitude of the force acting on the drive chain as it moves under fault-free operation—when the conveyor section is under load or loading. When comparing with previous records, the previous measurements are used as reference values.

[0030] In order to enable instantaneous assessment, thereby identifying interference in the transmission system immediately upon commencement and minimizing subsequent damage caused by interference (damage caused by the moving parts, increased wear, etc.), according to another embodiment, the force-measuring pin can simulate or continuously or approximately continuously record the force acting on it at a high sampling rate.

[0031] According to one implementation, the force-sensing pin can be battery-powered or powered via cabling. Battery-powered systems are particularly suitable for airport baggage carousels, while cabling-based solutions are particularly suitable for sorting machines.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the force-measuring pin may include a shaft having a Wheatstone bridge for measuring shear strain. The Wheatstone bridge measures double the shear strain with high accuracy and high reproducibility. A design where the force-measuring pin measures only a single shear stress is also feasible; however, it has lower accuracy when measuring force, which may be sufficient depending on the application.

[0033] According to one embodiment, for the recorded force, status data for each force-measuring pin can be transmitted, such as remaining battery capacity and its temperature. According to another embodiment, a report according to method step c) can also be sent when the battery capacity falls below a specified level or when the temperature exceeds a certain level. Therefore, the battery can be replaced or recharged before it runs out of power (e.g., during routine maintenance), and higher measurement accuracy is achieved if the force measurement is correlated with the status data. This also ensures monitoring of the force-measuring pins themselves, further reducing maintenance costs.

[0034] According to one implementation, data transmission from the force-measuring pin to the back-end system can be carried out via a gateway, wherein the gateway is installed at a fixed position on the transmission system and a zero time is set each time the force-measuring pin approaches to its maximum extent.

[0035] In terms of equipment, the aforementioned objective is achieved through a system for identifying anomalies during operation of a conveyor system used for transporting goods, such as baggage, comprising a circular drive chain, drive units, and conveyor sections. The drive chain transmits the forces and motions of the drive units to the conveyor sections and includes links and pins connecting these links, wherein at least one of the pins is a force-measuring pin, constituting a mechanism for non-contactly transmitting the forces acting thereon to a back-end system. The equipment includes mechanisms for performing the method, particularly steps a) to c), especially a back-end system.

[0036] As long as it is adaptable, the system has similar implementation methods and the same advantages as those detailed above.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the conveying section may include a sheet constituting the conveying surface, the drive unit and drive chain may be included by a chain drive device, and the drive chain may be configured as a traction sheet.

[0038] The force sensor can be configured to continuously or nearly continuously record the force acting on it at a high sampling rate and transmit the force to a back-end system. The force sensor may include a battery or be configured to be powered via a cable.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the force-sensing pin may include a mechanism for detecting status data, such as remaining battery capacity and its temperature, and is configured to transmit the detected status data to a background system.

[0040] According to one embodiment, the system may further include a gateway installed at a fixed location on the transmission system to transmit recorded data from the force-measuring pin to the back-end system, wherein the gateway is configured to set a zero time each time the force-measuring pin approaches to its maximum extent. Attached Figure Description

[0041] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail, for example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. Herein are shown:

[0042] Figure 1 A portion of the drive chain is shown; and

[0043] Figure 2 Force diagrams are shown for force measuring pins with and without anomalies. Detailed Implementation

[0044] The embodiments described in detail below relate to baggage distribution carousel 2. However, the invention is not limited to airport baggage carousels, but can be applied to any type of conveyor system having a circular drive chain 4. All anomalies A exhibited when the chain tension changes can be detected, wherein the duration and / or intensity of the chain tension change is related to the type of anomaly A.

[0045] Figure 1 A portion of the drive chain 4 of a baggage conveyor according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. Various chain links 6 n-1 6 n 6 n+1 They are held together by pins 8' and 8'. In the drive chain 4, at least one of the pins 8' is a force-measuring pin 8. The force-measuring pin 8 measures the force at both links 6. n 6 n+1The forces acting on the drive chain 4 and subsequently on the force measuring pin 8 during the circular motion of the drive chain 4 are transmitted non-contactly to the back-end system. Because the drive chain 4 is circular, the force measuring pin 8 reaches all points on the baggage carousel via its circular motion. Possible over- or under-tension of the drive chain 4 is measured and transmitted to the back-end system, where over- or under-tension is a symptom of an expected anomaly A in the conveyor system 2. To achieve high accuracy and / or to enable instantaneous assessment, the force measuring pin 8 can simulate or record the forces acting on it at a high scan rate or sampling rate, thus enabling continuous or near-continuous measurements. Upon immediate transmission to the back-end system, which can be integrated into a SCADA system, the back-end system can then identify near-instantaneous anomalies A, and maintenance personnel can react to these identified anomalies A. Therefore, maintenance can be better planned, and depending on the type of anomaly identified, immediate operational interruption can be performed for maintenance to prevent more serious damage that might otherwise occur during continuous operation.

[0046] The back-end system can visualize measurement values ​​for maintenance personnel via software, enabling trained staff to identify excessively high and low tension as anomalies (A) and derive appropriate measures. If the baggage carousel has more than one drive unit, the distribution of drive force can be observed in this way.

[0047] Figure 2 Force chart F is shown, relating to the measurement location x of different force-measuring pins 8a, 8b, and 8c. Force-measuring pin 8c exhibits an anomaly A, more precisely, a fault in the drive unit. The drive unit malfunctions, thereby overloading other drive units. Other anomalies A (faults in the friction drive, obstructed rollers, the condition of the drive unit's motor, lane interference, and clamped interfering components) can also be identified, with different types of interference manifesting in different force charts. The type of anomaly A can then be inferred from the configuration of the force chart.

[0048] Typically, the force-measuring pin 8 includes a rotating part, such as a hollow shaft, and a strain gauge located inside for force measurement.

[0049] According to another embodiment, the measured force can be automatically compressed into a fault report. For this purpose, the difference between the maximum and minimum recorded forces F can also be identified. Therefore, in addition to triggering a maintenance instruction, the luggage carousel can also be protected against prolonged overload (such as when the storage compartment (Schuppen) is stuck) by automatically shutting off.

[0050] Deviations from normally occurring forces are identified through statistical comparison with previous records or by comparison with fixed variables. Comparison of force charts for different force-measuring pins 8 and / or different baggage carousels is also used to identify anomalies A. Alternatively, experienced, trained maintenance personnel or a well-programmed back-end system with parameters for the baggage carousel can also identify anomalies based on the unique force chart of the force-measuring pin 8.

[0051] Data transmission from the force-measuring pin 8 to the back-end system is carried out via a gateway installed at a fixed location on the transmission system, wherein a zero time is set each time the force-measuring pin 8 approaches to its maximum extent. The data received by the gateway, i.e., a triplet containing at least the force-measuring pin's identifier, the measured force, and a timestamp or position stamp, is transmitted to the back-end system, such as the cloud, and analyzed there by means of a signal processing server in the following manner:

[0052] - Compare with previously received triplets (same force-measuring pin 8 and / or same measurement position);

[0053] - Statistical assessment regarding time. The same signal processing server can analyze data from different baggage carousels and—at least in cases where the carousels have similar construction—compare them to each other. If a significant deviation is identified in the analysis, a report can be sent to operators indicating the location and facility of the detected anomaly so that maintenance personnel can be dispatched. Other facility parameters are stored in the background system.

[0054] The force sensor 8 preferably transmits additional status data for each force pin 8 besides the data triplets, such as remaining battery capacity and its temperature. Therefore, the status of the force pin 8 itself can be monitored in the background system via a signal processing server using this additional data. Thus, the usability of the proposed method and system for identifying anomaly A during transmission system operation is improved again and without significant additional overhead.

[0055] Dynamic monitoring enables faster problem identification and reduced wear. Maintenance intervals can be planned and extended if necessary. Dynamic measurements alone can identify problems that occur only during operation. This includes wheel overload and lockouts. The risk of additional wear and chain breakage is tolerated. Automated evaluation of measurement results allows maintenance technicians to easily determine targeted maintenance actions.

[0056] List of reference numerals

[0057] 4 drive chain

[0058] 6 links

[0059] 8 force measuring pins

[0060] 8' pin

[0061] A abnormality

Claims

1. A method for identifying anomalies (A) during operation of a conveyor system for transporting goods, the conveyor system comprising a circular drive chain (4), drive units and a conveyor section, wherein the drive chain (4) is used to transmit forces and motions of the drive units to the conveyor section and the drive chain includes links (6) and pins (8') connecting the links, wherein at least one of the pins (8') is a force-measuring pin (8) configured to transmit unidirectional or multidirectional forces, including shear stresses, acting thereon to a back-end system without contact; Its features are, The following steps are included: a) As the drive chain (4) moves, the force measuring pin (8) records the force acting on it; b) The recorded force is wirelessly transmitted from the force measuring pin (8) along with a timestamp and / or a location stamp and the identifier of the force measuring pin (8) to the back-end system; c) In the background system, the data transmitted in step b) is analyzed, and if a deviation occurs, it is identified as an anomaly (A) and a signal is issued by means of a report.

2. The method according to claim 1, Its features are, The item in question is luggage.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The deviation is identified by statistical comparison with previous records or by comparison with a fixed variable.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The force-measuring pin simulates or continuously or approximately continuously records the force acting on it, either in a simulated manner or at a high sampling rate.

5. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The force-measuring pin (8) is either battery-powered or powered via a laid cable.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The force-measuring pin (8) includes a shaft having a Wheatstone bridge for measuring shear strain.

7. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, In addition to recording the force, the state data of each force measuring pin (8) is transmitted.

8. The method according to claim 7, Its features are, The status data are the remaining battery capacity and the temperature of the force measuring pin (8).

9. The method according to claim 8, Its features are, When the battery capacity is below the specified limit or when the temperature exceeds a specific limit, a report is generated according to step c) of method 1.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, Its features are, The data transmission from the force measuring pin (8) to the back-end system is carried out via a gateway, wherein the gateway is installed at a fixed position in the transmission system and is set to zero time each time the force measuring pin (8) approaches to its maximum extent.

11. A system for identifying anomalies (A) during operation of a conveyor system for transporting goods, the system comprising: A circular drive chain (4), a drive unit, and a transmission section, wherein the drive chain (4) is used to transmit the force and motion of the drive unit to the transmission section and the drive chain (4) includes links (6) and pins (8') connecting the links, wherein at least one of the pins (8') is a force-measuring pin (8), constituting a mechanism for non-contactly transmitting unidirectional or multidirectional forces, including shear stress, acting thereon to a back-end system; and a mechanism for performing the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The system according to claim 11, Its features are, The item in question is luggage.

13. The system according to claim 11, Its features are, The aforementioned organization is the back-end system.

14. The system according to claim 11, Its features are, The mechanism is configured to perform the method steps a) to c) of claim 1.

15. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, Its features are, The conveying section includes a thin sheet forming the conveying surface, the driving unit and the driving chain (4) are included by a chain drive device, and the driving chain (4) is configured to pull the thin sheet.

16. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, Its features are, The force measuring pin (8) is configured to continuously or nearly continuously record the force acting on it at a high sampling rate and transmit the force acting on it to the background system.

17. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, Its features are, The force-measuring pin (8) includes a battery or is configured to be powered via a cable.

18. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, Its features are, The force-measuring pin (8) includes a shaft having a Wheatstone bridge for measuring shear strain.

19. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, Its features are, The force-measuring pin (8) includes a mechanism for detecting status data and is configured to transmit the detected status data to the background system.

20. The system according to claim 19, Its features are, The status data are the remaining battery capacity and the temperature of the force measuring pin (8).

21. The system according to any one of claims 11 to 14, The system also includes a gateway installed at a fixed location in the transmission system for transmitting recorded data from the force measuring pin (8) to the back-end system, wherein the gateway is configured to set a zero time each time the force measuring pin (8) approaches to its maximum extent.

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