Carrier conveying method for horizontal conveying line

Abstract

The invention discloses a horizontal conveying line carrier conveying method which can be applied to the technical field of shoemaking. The problems that in the carrier conveying process of an existing conveying line, carriers are not arranged on a branch rail according to functional areas, so that the carriers are stacked, and the safety and stability of the carriers are affected are solved. An in-station area, a machining area and an out-station area are sequentially formed on a branch rail in the advancing direction of a carrier, and blocking and releasing mechanisms are arranged at the downstream ends of the in-station area and the machining area correspondingly. A first sensor used for sensing whether a carrier exists or not is arranged at the position of the station entering area; a second sensor used for sensing whether the carrier exists or not is arranged at the position of the machining area; a third sensor used for sensing whether the carrier exists or not is arranged at the outbound area; the first inductor, the second inductor and the third inductor are in communication connection with the main controller so that the carrier can move in the vacant position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a method for transporting vehicles via a horizontal conveyor line. Background Technology

[0002] Conveyor lines are used for long-distance transport of workpieces. Some conveyor lines have several workstations to facilitate workpiece processing, each with one or more processing positions to complete workpiece handling procedures. In some conveyor lines, where large-sized workpieces need to be transported via these workpieces, the spacing between the pushers on the main drive unit must be adapted to the size of the workpiece, with the distance between the pushers slightly greater than the distance in the direction of travel. In horizontally configured conveyor lines, the workpiece cannot change track using its own power; external power is required for smooth track changes. Such large workpieces require force-bearing rods at both ends. The front force-bearing rod receives the thrust from the pushers, allowing the workpiece to travel on the main rail. During track changes, the front end of the workpiece deviates towards the support rail, while the rear end remains on the main rail. The pushers disengage from the front force-bearing rod, and the rear force-bearing rod at the rear end receives the thrust from the downstream pushers to achieve a smooth track change. The excessively large spacing between the pushers on the main drive unit forces the vehicle to pause and wait at the track change position. When the downstream pusher applies force to the rear force bar on the vehicle again, the vehicle will experience a large impact force, affecting its stability. On the other hand, the slow track change speed of the vehicle can also easily obstruct following vehicles, thus increasing the likelihood of rear vehicles colliding with front vehicles, which can easily cause damage and instability.

[0003] Chinese patent document (publication number: CN219468781U) discloses a conveying device for an assembly line, including a driven component, a frame disposed above the driven component, and a loading device disposed on the frame. The driven component comprises a pulley assembly connected below the frame, a connecting block connected below the pulley assembly, and a drive block rotatably connected to the connecting block. A drive rail is provided below the drive block, and the drive rail has protrusions that, when the drive block abuts against the protrusions, drive the driven component forward. This invention allows for smooth material flow, improves material conveying and storage efficiency, and maximizes the storage of materials in limited space.

[0004] In this type of conveying device, when the vehicle autonomously merges onto the support rail, there is no control over the distribution of the vehicle on the support rail. This can easily cause the vehicle to accumulate and collide on the support rail, which can affect the stability and safety of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a method for transporting carriers on a horizontal conveyor line, wherein after the carrier enters the branch rail from the main rail, the carrier is reasonably distributed and the carrier has good stability on the branch rail.

[0006] To solve the aforementioned technical problem, the present invention provides a method for conveying a carrier on a horizontal conveyor line. The conveyor line includes a main controller, a horizontally arranged main rail, and several branch rails. A main drive device is provided at the position of the main rail, and independent branch drive devices are provided at the positions of the branch rails. A front force-bearing rod and a rear force-bearing rod are movably provided at the front and rear ends of the carrier, respectively. When the conditions for changing tracks are met, the main controller controls the entry device to start, so that the vehicle on the main rail can be forced to change tracks onto the branch rail; when the conditions for changing tracks are met, the main controller controls the exit device to start, so that the vehicle can be forced to change tracks onto the main rail. Its features are, Along the direction of the vehicle's movement, a station entry area, a processing area, and a station exit area are sequentially formed on the support rail. A blocking and release mechanism is set at the downstream end of the station entry area and the processing area, respectively. A first sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle is set at the station entry area. A second sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle is set at the processing area. A third sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle is set at the station exit area. The first, second, and third sensors are communicatively connected to the main controller. The main controller controls the station entry device, the station exit device, and the blocking and release mechanism to move the vehicle to the available space based on the signals from the sensors.

[0007] The main drive unit applies force to the front support rod of the workpiece-loaded carrier, transporting the carrier from the main rail to the target support rail. Before the carrier reaches the target support rail, under the condition of track change, the main controller activates the inbound device to create a path between the main rail and the support rail. The front support rod on the carrier disengages from the main drive unit, and the force-bearing end of the rear support rod is compressed and lowered. The main drive unit applies force to the force-bearing end of the rear support rod on the carrier, causing the carrier to change track onto the support rail. The support drive unit applies force to the carrier, causing it to move on the support rail. After the workpiece on the carrier completes the corresponding process at the support rail position, under the condition of track change, the main controller activates the outbound device to create a path between the support rail and the main rail, and the carrier changes track onto the main rail under force.

[0008] The main drive unit and the auxiliary drive unit are generally chain-link drive chains. The main drive unit is responsible for propelling the vehicle on the main rail, and the auxiliary drive unit is responsible for propelling the vehicle on the auxiliary rail. The main drive unit and the auxiliary drive unit are physically independent of each other and are powered by their own power sources.

[0009] The aforementioned empty space movement refers to the situation where, during the operation of the carrier on the conveyor line, the carrier needs to move to the next specific position where no carrier is currently present, creating an empty space that the carrier can naturally enter. The aforementioned fulfillment of the track change condition means that there is an empty space at the next target position the carrier intends to travel to, allowing the carrier to enter smoothly. When the carrier changes track to a branch rail, the first sensor detects whether there is an empty space in the branch rail entry area. When the carrier changes track to the main rail, this can be achieved through a combination of the fourth sensor and the push block sensor, or through calculations by the main controller to determine that there is no carrier in front of a certain push block on the main drive device, thus fulfilling the track change condition from the branch rail to the main rail.

[0010] Furthermore, a front waiting area and a rear waiting area are sequentially formed along the vehicle's direction of travel in the entry area, with two first sensors positioned corresponding to the positions of the front and rear waiting areas, respectively. The establishment of these two waiting areas allows for more refined control of the vehicle, effectively meeting actual operational needs.

[0011] Furthermore, a card reader is installed in the processing area to interpret vehicle information; buttons in the processing area, based on information from a third sensor, control the blocking and release mechanism in the processing area via the main controller, allowing vehicles in the processing area to enter the exit area. The card reader allows for the interpretation of information on the vehicles, enabling operators to verify information before operation and preventing erroneous work.

[0012] Furthermore, the main drive unit includes a flexible main power line with several push blocks on it. These push blocks include high push blocks and low push blocks, with multiple low push blocks positioned between adjacent high push blocks. The protrusion height of the high push blocks on the main power line is greater than that of the low push blocks. The high push blocks apply force to the front support rod, causing the vehicle to move along the main rail. When the vehicle changes track from the main rail to the branch rail, the low push blocks apply force to the rear support rod, causing the vehicle to change track from the main rail to the branch rail. If the vehicle does not need to enter a workstation on the main rail, the entry device does not need to be activated. The vehicle directly passes the workstation position under the push of the high push blocks. Although the rear support rod on the vehicle will lower due to the presence of pressure blocks, since the relative positions of the vehicle and the main drive unit generally do not change, the force-bearing end of the rear support rod will not be subjected to the pushing force of the low push blocks. Alternatively, the pressure block can be positioned strategically. For example, by placing the pressure block at the entry point of the conveyor, only the rear force-bearing rod on the vehicle requiring track change can be pressed by the pressure block. This lowers the force-bearing end of the rear force-bearing rod, allowing it to receive the thrust from the rear low-profile pusher. By placing multiple low-profile pushers between adjacent high-profile pushers on the main drive unit, the downstream low-profile pushers can quickly abut against the force-bearing end of the rear force-bearing rod on the vehicle during track change, thus providing timely track-change power and effectively meeting the power requirements for track change in horizontally configured conveyor lines. Because the vehicle receives thrust promptly during track change, it has an initial velocity and low potential energy. When the corresponding low-profile pushers apply force to the rear force-bearing rod on the vehicle, it does not cause a large impact force, effectively ensuring the stability of the vehicle during track change. There are multiple short push blocks between two adjacent high push blocks, which effectively shortens the time it takes for the short push blocks to apply force to the rear force-bearing rod, ensuring the operating efficiency of the conveyor line. When the vehicle is traveling normally on the main rail, the height difference between the high push blocks and the short push blocks on the main drive device also ensures that the presence of the short push blocks will not apply force to the front force-bearing rod of the vehicle, and the presence of the short push blocks will not affect the normal travel of the vehicle on the main rail.

[0013] Furthermore, a blocking and releasing mechanism is also installed at the downstream end of the processing area. By installing the blocking and releasing mechanism here, the vehicles in the processing area can be automatically controlled, enabling the vehicles to move stably.

[0014] Furthermore, a fourth sensor and a pusher sensor are installed on the main rail downstream of the entry device. The pusher sensor detects the high pusher block, and the fourth sensor detects whether there is a vehicle in front of the high pusher block. The blocking and releasing mechanism at the exit area determines whether to allow a vehicle in the exit area to pass through the exit device and enter the main rail based on the information from the fourth sensor and the pusher sensor. By setting up the fourth sensor and the pusher sensor, the vehicle can directly receive the thrust provided by the high pusher block after entering the main rail, preventing collisions on the main rail and resulting in a high degree of automation for the conveyor line.

[0015] Furthermore, a magnetic block is installed on the high-push block on the main power line, and the push block sensor is a magnetic sensor. By setting up the magnetic block and magnetic sensor, the position of the high-push block can be sensed, and the structure and control mode are simple.

[0016] Furthermore, an information binding device is installed at the exit area. This device communicates with the main controller and is used to bind the target high-push block to the vehicle within the exit area that is to be switched onto the main rail. By binding the target high-push block and the vehicle together, subsequent control of the vehicle's flow direction only requires interpreting the target high-push block's information to determine the vehicle's position. This effectively improves the automation level of the conveyor line and facilitates the correct flow of vehicles on the conveyor line.

[0017] Furthermore, the first, second, third, and fourth sensors are all photoelectric switches. Photoelectric switches have a simple structure, low manufacturing cost, are easy to install, and are highly sensitive to the position of the vehicle.

[0018] Compared with existing technologies, the present invention has the following advantages: In this conveying method, by forming an entry area, a processing area, and an exit area on the support rail, and setting corresponding sensors at the locations of each area to detect the presence of vehicles within that area, it facilitates the entry of vehicles from the upstream side, allowing vehicles to enter the target location with available space, thus ensuring reasonable and stable vehicle conveying. Through the setting of the blocking and releasing mechanism and the corresponding sensors, combined with the control of the main controller, the movement of vehicles on the support rail is easily controlled, resulting in good order of vehicle movement and reducing the likelihood of collisions between vehicles, thereby improving the operational safety and stability of the vehicles. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a structural diagram of the conveyor line involved.

[0020] Figure 2 This is an enlarged structural diagram of the workstation.

[0021] Figure 3 This is an enlarged structural diagram of the inbound and outbound devices.

[0022] Figure 4 This is a simplified structural diagram of the workstation.

[0023] Figure 5 It is a structural diagram showing the relative positions of the vehicle and the main drive unit.

[0024] In the diagram: 1. Main rail; 2. Support rail; 21. Outer support rail; 22. Inner support rail; 3. Entering device; 4. Exiting device; 5. Support drive device; 6. Swing arm; 7. Mounting base; 8. Front waiting area; 9. Rear waiting area; 10. Blocking and releasing mechanism; 11. First sensor; 12. Second sensor; 13. Third sensor; 14. Card reader; 15. Information binding device; 16. Fourth sensor; 17. Push block sensor; 18. Reader; 19. Carrier; 20. Rear force bar; 201. Upper bar; 202. Lower bar; 21. Front force bar; 22. High push block; 23. Main drive device; 24. Low push block. Detailed Implementation

[0025] Referring to the accompanying drawings, this horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method is applied to a conveyor line to control the movement of the carrier 19. The conveyor line is horizontally arranged and used to transport the carrier 19 loaded with workpieces, allowing the workpieces on the carrier 19 to be processed according to the process.

[0026] The conveyor line structure includes a main rail 11 and branch rails 2. The main rail 11 is arranged in a ring shape, and several branch rails 2 are arranged on the outside of the main rail 11. The branch rails 2 are generally U-shaped, and each branch rail 2 forms a workstation. A processing position is formed at the workstation, where the operator performs one or more processing steps on the workpiece. The main rail 11 is horizontally arranged and includes an outer main rail and an inner main rail arranged in parallel. Several breaks are formed on the outer main rail corresponding to the positions of the branch rails 2. Track sections are provided at the break positions, and the track sections are adapted to the direction of the outer main rail. Notches are formed between the two ends of the track sections and the two ends of the breaks. The two ends of the track sections are respectively equipped with swing-arm type entry devices 3 and exit devices 4, which can be rotatably provided. The entry devices 3 and exit devices 4 can be bridged within the notches to allow the carrier 19 to pass over the workstation position on the main rail 11. The branch rails 2 are also horizontally arranged, and their two ends extend towards the main rail 11. The support rail 2 includes an outer support rail 21 and an inner support rail 22 arranged in parallel. At the inlet and outlet ends of the workstation, the outer support rail 21 and the outer main rail are connected in a curved manner. The inlet device 3 bridges with the inner main rail to enable the vehicle 19 to change track from the main rail 11 to the support rail 2; the outlet device 4 bridges with the inner main rail to enable the vehicle 19 to change track from the support rail 2 to the main rail 11. The inlet device 3 and the outlet device 4 have the same structure, except that their orientation is different. Figure 3 The structure is shown in the image. The structure includes a plate-shaped mounting base 7, which is connected to the outer main rail and the outer support rail 21 at a position close to each other. A swing arm 6 is rotatably mounted on the mounting base 7. The swing arm 6 is connected by a motor or cylinder drive to bridge the inner support rail, thereby realizing the track change of the carrier 19.

[0027] This conveyor system is generally used in the shoe manufacturing industry. The carrier 19 has a front force-bearing rod 21 and a rear force-bearing rod 20 movably mounted at its front and rear ends, respectively. A flexible main drive device 23 is located under the main rail 11, adapted to the orientation of the main rail 11. The main drive device 23 has several push blocks spaced apart to propel the carrier 19 forward. These push blocks apply force to the front force-bearing rod 21 on the carrier 19, thus propelling the carrier 19 along the main rail 11. A flexible support drive device 5 is located under the support rail 2, independent of the main drive device 23. The support drive device 5 is adapted to the orientation of the support rail 2, and has several push blocks spaced apart on it. These push blocks act on the front force-bearing rod 21 on the carrier 19, propelling the carrier 19 along the support rail 2.

[0028] An interpreter 18 is installed on the main rail 11 upstream of the entry device 3. The interpreter 18 is positioned close to the entry device 3 and is used to interpret the information of the carrier 19, thereby controlling whether the entry device 3 is activated via the main controller. The main controller has a pre-set control program. According to the processing path set by the main controller, if the target carrier 19 needs to enter a certain workstation for processing, the entry device 3 in front of that workstation is activated, thus realizing the track change of the carrier 19. After completing a process at the workstation, the carrier 19 changes track back to the main rail 11 via the exit device 4, so that the carrier 19 can enter the next workstation according to the predetermined path for the corresponding process. Alternatively, an information binding device 15 can be installed at the workstation to indicate that the carrier 19 has completed the corresponding process, so that the main controller can re-set the subsequent path of the carrier 19 until the workpiece on the carrier 19 completes all processes.

[0029] The force-bearing ends of the front force-bearing rod 21 and the rear force-bearing rod 20 on the carrier 19 are not at the same height. When the carrier 19 passes the track-changing position, the force-bearing end of the front force-bearing rod 21 is lower than the force-bearing end of the rear force-bearing rod 20. When the carrier 19 is traveling normally on the main rail 11, the push block applies force to the front force-bearing rod 21. Due to the position of the force-bearing end, the rear force-bearing rod 20 is not subjected to the pushing force of the push block. Therefore, a pressure block with a certain length is provided on the upstream side of the main rail 11 near the station entry device 3. The pressure block is used to apply pressure to the rear force-bearing rod 20, causing the force-bearing end of the rear force-bearing rod 20 to drop. This allows the rear force-bearing rod 20 to be subjected to the force of the push block when the carrier 19 changes track from the main rail 11 to the branch rail 2. This enables the carrier 19 to change track with power.

[0030] In the conveyor line, the push blocks on the main drive unit 23 are divided into high push blocks 22 and low push blocks 24. All the high push blocks 22 on the main drive unit 23 have the same protrusion height, and all the low push blocks 24 have the same protrusion height. Multiple low push blocks 24 are provided between adjacent high push blocks 22. The protrusion height of the high push blocks 22 on the main drive unit 23 is greater than that of the low push blocks 24. The high push blocks 22 are used to apply force to the front force-bearing rod 21, and the low push blocks 24 are used to apply force to the force-bearing end of the rear force-bearing rod 20 after it has descended under the action of the pressure block. The rear force-bearing rod 20 is a split structure, including an upper rod 201 movably connected to the carrier 19 and a lower rod 202 hinged at the middle position of the upper rod 201. The lower rod 202 is inclined relative to the upper rod 201, and the lower end of the lower rod 202 is the force-bearing end. A torsion spring is provided at the hinge position of the upper end of the lower rod 202. A protruding part is formed at the lower end of the lower rod 202. The pressure block applies pressure to the protruding part, causing the force-bearing end of the lower rod 202 to descend to the position of the short push block 24 so as to receive the resisting force of the short push block 24.

[0031] See Figure 4The workstation has several functional areas. Along the track 2 and the direction of travel of the carrier 19, there are sequentially formed entry area, processing area, and exit area. Each of these three areas has a blocking / releasing mechanism 10 at its downstream end. The blocking / releasing mechanism 10 is generally a blocking component connected to a cylinder. When it is necessary to block the target carrier 19, the blocking component extends to the travel position of the carrier 19 under the action of the cylinder. The blocking component blocks the front force-bearing rod 21 on the carrier 19 by contacting it. The force-bearing end of the front force-bearing rod 21 rises and moves away from the position of the high push block 22, causing the carrier 19 to lose the force applied by the upper push block of the support drive device 5, and the carrier 19 stops in the corresponding area. If the carrier 19 is to move downstream, the blocking component releases its obstruction of the front force-bearing rod 21 under the action of the cylinder. The force-bearing end of the front force-bearing rod 21 descends under gravity, and this force-bearing end receives the force applied by the upper push block of the support drive device 5, thus enabling the carrier 19 to move forward. A first sensor 11 is installed at the entrance area to detect the presence of vehicle 19; a second sensor 12 is installed at the processing area to detect the presence of vehicle 19; and a third sensor 13 is installed at the exit area to detect the presence of vehicle 19. The first sensor 11, second sensor 12, and third sensor 13 are communicatively connected to the main controller to enable vehicle 19 to move to empty spaces. The information sensed by these sensors is transmitted to the main controller, which controls the corresponding target vehicle 19 according to a preset task. If a sensor detects an empty space, the upstream vehicle 19 will be transported to the empty space. Correspondingly, the upstream blocking and release mechanism 10 will clear the way, and under the action of the corresponding drive device, the vehicle 19 moves towards the target direction. These sensors are generally photoelectric sensors, which can easily detect whether a vehicle 19 is present at a given location. The aforementioned empty space movement refers to the vehicle 19 moving to the next location where no vehicle 19 exists, creating an empty space. By dividing the area into these zones, the movement of the vehicles 19 on the workstation is made more regular, effectively preventing collisions and damage to the vehicles 19 within the workstation. A front waiting area 8 and a rear waiting area 9 are sequentially formed along the direction of travel of the vehicles 19 in the entry area. Two first sensors 11 are respectively positioned in the front waiting area 8 and the rear waiting area 9. The front waiting area 8 and the rear waiting area 9 allow two vehicles 19 to stop in the entry area, reducing the pressure on the vehicles 19 on the main rail 11. These two waiting areas can be controlled independently. When the first sensor 11 in the rear waiting area 9 detects a vehicle 19, the blocking and releasing mechanism 10 in the entry area can release the vehicle 19 from the front waiting area 8, creating an empty space in the rear waiting area 9, thereby automatically adjusting the flow of vehicles 19 on the workstation.

[0032] A card reader 14 is provided in the processing area for interpreting information about the carrier 19. The card reader 14 can be connected to a handheld or fixed display so that the operator can verify the information about the carrier 19 and complete the corresponding process of the workpiece on the carrier 19 according to the instructions on the display. A button is provided in the processing area, which is connected to the main controller. When the third sensor 13 does not detect a carrier 19 in the exit area, the operator can press the button, and the main controller will control the blocking and release mechanism 10 in the processing area to allow the carrier 19 in the processing area to enter the exit area. In order to enable the carrier 19 to leave the station with power, a pressure block is also provided at the exit device 4. The pressure block is used to press down the force-bearing end of the lower rod 202 in the rear force-bearing rod 20 of the carrier 19 that needs to leave the station, so that the force-bearing end of the lower rod 202 can receive the force of the push block on the support drive device 5. The height of the push blocks on the support drive device 5 can be set at the same height or have different heights.

[0033] A fourth sensor 16 and a push block sensor 17 are installed on the main rail 11 downstream of the entry device 3. The fourth sensor 16 is also a photoelectric switch. The push block sensor 17 is used to sense the high push block 22, and the fourth sensor 16 is used to sense whether there is a carrier 19 in front of the high push block 22. The information from the push block sensor 17 and the fourth sensor 16 are combined. A magnet is provided on the high push block 22, and the push block sensor 17 is a magnetic sensor. Different high push blocks 22 can be distinguished by setting magnets of different sizes on different high push blocks 22. Alternatively, the position of the sensed high push block 22 can be estimated based on the traveling speed of the main drive device 23, thereby confirming the position reached by the carrier 19, and recording the path traveled by the carrier 19, thus recording which processes the workpiece on the carrier 19 has completed.

[0034] When there are vehicles 19 waiting to exit in the exit area, if the push block sensor 17 detects a high push block 22 passing by, and there is no vehicle 19 in front of the high push block 22, the exit conditions are met. The blocking and releasing mechanism 10 in the exit area will then be activated. The blocking component in the blocking and releasing mechanism 10 will be moved aside by the cylinder. At the same time, the exit device 4 will be activated and bridged with the inner main rail. The vehicle 19 in the exit area will smoothly change track onto the main rail 11 under the push of the support drive device 5. An information binding device 15 is provided at the exit area. The information binding device 15 is communicatively connected to the main controller. The information binding device 15 is used to bind the target high push block 22 with the vehicle 19 to be exited. The decoder 18, card reader 14, and information binding device 15 are all based on the identity chip set on the vehicle 19. The identity chip is identified with the identity information of the vehicle 19, such as the number or code of the vehicle 19. The main controller has a preset travel path for the carrier 19, or all the processes that the workpiece on the carrier 19 needs to complete. The station position information is also bound to a certain process. If the carrier 19 passes a certain workstation, the main controller will assume that the workpiece on the corresponding carrier 19 has completed a certain process. There are two modes for the travel path of the carrier 19. One is that the carrier 19 strictly follows the set path. The other is based on logical operations, according to the number of carriers 19 in the conveyor line, selectively sending the carriers 19 to relatively empty workstation positions without process sequence requirements, so as to achieve the balance of carriers 19 in the conveyor line.

Claims

1. A method for conveying a carrier on a horizontal conveyor line, wherein the conveyor line includes a main controller, a horizontally arranged main rail and several branch rails, a main drive device is provided at the position of the main rail, and an independent branch drive device is provided at the position of each of the branch rails; a front force rod and a rear force rod are movably provided at the front and rear ends of the carrier, respectively. When the conditions for changing tracks are met, the main controller controls the entry device to start, so that the vehicle on the main rail can be forced to change tracks onto the branch rail; when the conditions for changing tracks are met, the main controller controls the exit device to start, so that the vehicle can be forced to change tracks onto the main rail. Its features are, Along the direction of the vehicle's movement, a station entry area, a processing area, and a station exit area are sequentially formed on the support rail. A blocking and release mechanism is set at the downstream end of the station entry area and the processing area, respectively. A first sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle is set at the station entry area. A second sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle is set at the processing area. A third sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle is set at the station exit area. The first, second, and third sensors are communicatively connected to the main controller. The main controller controls the station entry device, the station exit device, and the blocking and release mechanism to move the vehicle to the available space based on the signals from the sensors.

2. The horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the vehicle's forward direction, a front waiting area and a rear waiting area are formed sequentially at the entrance area, with two first sensors positioned corresponding to the positions of the front and rear waiting areas, respectively.

3. The horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method according to claim 1, characterized in that, A card reader is installed in the processing area to interpret vehicle information; the button in the processing area controls the blocking and release mechanism in the processing area to work through the main controller based on the information of the third sensor, so as to allow the vehicle in the processing area to enter the exit area.

4. The horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The main drive unit includes a flexible main power line with several push blocks on it. The push blocks include high push blocks and low push blocks. Multiple low push blocks are arranged between two adjacent high push blocks. The protrusion height of the high push blocks on the main power line is greater than that of the low push blocks on the main power line. The high push blocks are used to apply force to the front force rod to make the vehicle move on the main rail. When the vehicle changes track from the main rail to the branch rail, the low push blocks apply force to the rear force rod to make the vehicle change track from the main rail to the branch rail.

5. The horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method according to claim 4, characterized in that, A barrier release mechanism is also installed at the downstream end of the processing area.

6. The horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method according to claim 5, characterized in that, A fourth sensor and a push block sensor are installed on the main rail downstream of the entry device. The push block sensor is used to detect the high push block, and the fourth sensor is used to detect whether there is a vehicle in front of the high push block. The blocking and release mechanism at the exit area determines whether to allow vehicles in the exit area to enter the main rail through the exit device based on the information from the fourth sensor and the push block sensor.

7. The horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method according to claim 6, characterized in that, A magnetic block is installed on the high push block on the main power line, and the push block sensor is a magnetic sensor.

8. The method for conveying a carrier on a horizontal conveyor line according to claim 6, characterized in that, An information binding device is installed at the exit area. The information binding device is connected to the main controller and is used to bind the target high-push block with the vehicle in the exit area that is to be changed to the main rail.

9. The horizontal conveyor line carrier conveying method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first, second, third, and fourth sensors are all photoelectric switches.

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