Auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hopper carriage

Abstract

The auxiliary positioning device comprises a hopper structure and a vehicle pedal structure, a hopper door in the hopper structure is movably connected with an electric push rod and a synchronous telescopic rod, a pedal of the vehicle pedal structure is fixed to a telescopic bag, and a piston rod on the bottom face of the pedal is communicated with the synchronous telescopic rod through an output connecting pipe. Meanwhile, the device is provided with various sensors such as a radio frequency identification reader-writer, a 2D laser scanner, a pull rope encoder, a hopper monitor and a hopper door material level radar, the device works cooperatively through a truck pedal structure and a hopper structure, the opening degree of a hopper door is accurately controlled through truck weight feedback, and overload of the truck is avoided; the functions of automatic identification of vehicle information, accurate guiding and positioning, real-time monitoring of the loading process and the like are achieved by means of multiple sensors, the loading efficiency and coherence are greatly improved, the efficient operation requirement of a port is met, in addition, the labor intensity of workers and the operation risk are reduced through the unmanned automatic loading technology, the intrinsic safety degree of the port is improved, and the labor cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of loading and unloading equipment, specifically an auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hopper carriages. Background Technology

[0002] The port loading and unloading hopper auxiliary positioning device adopts multi-sensor fusion and automatic control technology, and has the functions of automatic vehicle identification, vehicle guidance and auxiliary positioning, and fixed-point automatic loading. It can greatly improve the loading quality and efficiency of various bulk cargoes (such as ore, coal, grain, fertilizer, etc.) at the terminal, reduce the number of on-site operators, and reduce operating costs.

[0003] However, conventional auxiliary positioning devices for loading and unloading hoppers sometimes fail to achieve rapid and accurate vehicle positioning and real-time loading control during daily loading and unloading processes. They also have shortcomings in vehicle guidance and the continuity of the loading process, resulting in limited improvement in overall loading efficiency and making it difficult to meet the needs of efficient port operations. In addition, current auxiliary positioning devices for loading and unloading hoppers cannot provide real-time feedback on load information during loading. Some vehicles may carry extra cargo on subsequent loadings, but this cannot be directly reflected or observed from the vehicle body. After loading the original amount of cargo, it may cause the truck to be overloaded.

[0004] To address this problem, the present invention provides an auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hopper carriages. Utility Model Content

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides an auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hopper carriages, which solves the aforementioned problems.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model is implemented through the following technical solution: an auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hopper trucks, including a hopper structure, with a vehicle step structure fixedly installed on the ground directly below the hopper structure corresponding to the four wheels of the truck;

[0007] The hopper structure includes a hopper gate, the lower surface of which is movably connected to two electric push rods and two synchronous telescopic rods via connectors.

[0008] The vehicle pedal structure includes a pedal, the width and length of which are set according to the truck wheel. The pedal is fixed to the bottom surface of the telescopic bladder. Two piston rods are fixedly installed on the left and right sides of the bottom surface of the pedal inside the telescopic bladder. A through hole is opened at the axial position of the piston rod, extending from the lower end to the upper end. The two piston rods are integrally connected at the upper through hole through a T-shaped output pipe. One end of the output pipe extends out of the telescopic bladder and connects with the synchronous telescopic rod through the pipe. The piston end of the piston rod is slidably sealed inside the liquid pipe, which stores safety liquid. The lower end of the liquid pipe is fixed to the bottom of the telescopic bladder. Several springs are fixedly installed between the liquid pipes inside the telescopic bladder, and the upper ends of the springs are fixed to the bottom surface of the pedal.

[0009] Preferably, the hopper structure further includes a hopper frame, and a discharge hopper is bolted to the upper part of the hopper frame. The discharge hopper has two feeding ports, and both lower ports are arc-shaped. A hopper gate is slidably provided on both the front and rear sides of the lower ports. The arc of the hopper gate is the same as the arc of the lower port of the discharge hopper. A connecting arm is integrally provided on both the left and right sides, and is rotatably connected to the surface of the discharge hopper through the connecting arm and the rotating shaft integrally provided on the surface of the discharge hopper.

[0010] Preferably, the other ends of the electric push rod and the synchronous telescopic rod are both connected to the crossbeam surface of the bucket frame via connectors, and the two synchronous telescopic rods are equidistantly spaced between the two electric push rods. The main body surface of the synchronous telescopic rod has an interface integrally provided near the connection end.

[0011] Preferably, the front and rear sides of the unloading hopper are bolted with a pull rope encoder, and the rope end of the pull rope encoder is connected to a rope hole pre-drilled on the side of the hopper gate facing the hopper frame.

[0012] Preferably, lighting lights are fixedly installed on the left and right supports of the front side of the bucket frame at the position facing the right entrance, and an exit side indicator light and an entrance side indicator light are fixedly installed on the left and right supports of the front side of the bucket frame respectively below the lighting lights. The left front support of the bucket frame is fixedly installed with an RFID reader and a horn on the side of the exit side indicator light facing the direction of truck entry, and the RFID reader is located above the horn.

[0013] Preferably, three hopper monitoring devices and four hopper gate level radars are fixedly installed on the sides of the front and rear crossbeams facing the truck. Two hopper monitoring devices are installed corresponding to each discharge port to monitor the material discharge from the hopper and the loading status inside the truck bed. One hopper monitoring device is installed near the front of the truck to monitor the truck's entry and overall status. The four hopper gate level radars are set in pairs corresponding to each hopper gate and are installed on the left, middle, and right sides of the two discharge ports, respectively. 2D laser scanners are fixedly installed on the surfaces of the two supports on the right side of the bucket frame near the rear of the vehicle.

[0014] Preferably, the telescopic bag is provided with ramps on both the left and right sides, and the height of the ramp on the inlet side is higher than the height of the ramp on the outlet side.

[0015] Beneficial effects

[0016] This utility model provides an auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hopper carriages. Compared with the prior art, it has the following advantages:

[0017] (1) The auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hoppers is equipped with a variety of sensors such as radio frequency identification readers, 2D laser scanners, pull rope encoders, hopper monitoring, and hopper gate level radar. It realizes functions such as automatic vehicle information identification, precise vehicle position guidance and positioning, real-time monitoring of the loading process, precise control of hopper gate opening, and timely reminders to drivers. It greatly improves loading efficiency and continuity, meets the needs of efficient port operations, and the use of unmanned automated loading technology reduces the labor intensity of workers, reduces operational risks, improves the inherent safety of the port, and avoids safety hazards in human-machine cooperation. In particular, when loading and unloading corrosive powdery media, it can directly avoid direct contact between personnel and goods, effectively protect the life, health and safety of port staff, alleviate the shortage of loading and unloading personnel, and reduce labor costs.

[0018] (2) The auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hoppers, by setting up a tread structure and a hopper structure to work together, utilizes the pressure feedback of the vehicle weight on the tread, and through the linkage of the piston rod, liquid pipe and synchronous telescopic rod, realizes real-time and precise control of the hopper door opening according to the load of the truck, avoids overloading of the truck, and effectively improves the safety and accuracy of loading. Attached Figure Description

[0019] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the hopper structure of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the bicycle pedal structure of this utility model.

[0022] In the diagram: 1. Hopper structure; 11. Hopper frame; 111. RFID reader; 112. Outlet side indicator light; 113. Inlet side indicator light; 114. Horn; 115. Lighting; 116. Hopper monitoring; 117. Hopper gate level radar; 118. 2D laser scanner; 12. Unloading hopper; 121. Pull rope encoder; 13. Hopper gate; 131. Electric push rod; 132. Synchronous telescopic rod; 2. Vehicle pedal structure; 21. Pedal; 211. Piston rod; 212. Output connecting pipe; 22. Telescopic bladder; 221. Spring; 222. Liquid pipe; 23. Slope. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0024] Please see Figures 1-3 An auxiliary positioning device for loading and unloading hopper trucks includes a hopper structure 1, and a vehicle step structure 2 is fixedly installed on the ground directly below the hopper structure 1 corresponding to the four wheels of the truck.

[0025] The hopper structure 1 includes a hopper frame 11. A discharge hopper 12 is bolted to the top of the hopper frame 11. The discharge hopper 12 has two feeding ports, both of which are arc-shaped. A hopper gate 13 is slidably mounted on each of the lower ports, with the arc of the gate 13 matching that of the lower ports of the discharge hopper 12. Connecting arms are integrally mounted on both the left and right sides of the gate 13, and these arms are rotatably connected to a rotating shaft integrally mounted on the surface of the discharge hopper 12. The lower surface of the hopper gate 13 is connected to two electric push rods 131 and two... The telescopic rod 132 is movably connected, and the other ends of both the electric push rod 131 and the synchronous telescopic rod 132 are connected to the crossbeam surface of the bucket frame 11 via connectors. The two synchronous telescopic rods 132 are equidistantly spaced between the two electric push rods 131. The main body of the synchronous telescopic rod 132 has an interface integrally formed near the connection end. The front and rear sides of the unloading hopper 12 are bolted with rope encoders 121, and the rope end of the rope encoder 121 is connected to a rope hole pre-drilled on the side of the hopper gate 13 facing the bucket frame 11. The left side of the front of the bucket frame 11... Lighting lights 115 are fixedly installed on the right support at the position facing the right entrance. Exit-side indicator lights 112 and entrance-side indicator lights 113 are fixedly installed on the left and right supports in front of the bucket frame 11, respectively, below the lighting lights 115. On the left front support of the bucket frame 11, an RFID reader 111 and a horn 114 are fixedly installed on the side facing the truck's entry direction, with the RFID reader 111 positioned above the horn 114. Three bucket monitoring devices 115 are fixedly installed on the sides of the front and rear crossbeams of the bucket frame 11, respectively, facing the truck. 16 and four hopper gate level radars 117, of which two hopper monitors 116 are installed corresponding to each discharge port to check the material discharge situation of the hopper and the loading situation in the truck body, and one hopper monitor 116 is installed near the front of the truck to check the truck entry and the overall situation. The four hopper gate level radars 117 are set in pairs corresponding to the hopper gate 13, and are respectively installed on the left, middle and right sides of the two discharge ports. 2D laser scanners 118 are fixedly installed on the surface of the two supports on the right side of the bucket frame 11 near the rear of the vehicle.

[0026] The vehicle pedal structure 2 includes a pedal 21. The width and length of the pedal 21 are set according to the wheels of the truck, and it is fixed to the bottom surface of the telescopic bag 22. Two piston rods 211 are fixedly installed on the left and right sides of the bottom surface of the pedal 21 inside the telescopic bag 22. A through hole is opened at the axial position of each piston rod 211, extending from the lower end to the upper end. The two piston rods 211 are integrally connected at the upper through hole via a T-shaped output pipe 212, and one end of the output pipe 212 extends out of the telescopic bag 22. The combined pipeline is connected to the synchronous telescopic rod 132. The piston end of the piston rod 211 is slidably sealed inside the liquid pipe 222, and the liquid pipe 222 stores safety liquid. The lower end of the liquid pipe 222 is fixed to the bottom of the telescopic bag 22. Several springs 221 are fixedly installed inside the telescopic bag 22 between the liquid pipes 222, and the upper ends of the springs 221 are fixed to the bottom surface of the pedal 21. Both sides of the telescopic bag 22 are provided with ramps 23, and the height of the ramp 23 on the inlet side is higher than the height of the ramp 23 on the outlet side.

[0027] The truck drives towards the unloading hopper 12 and reaches the pre-operation position. The driver determines whether to enter based on the entrance side indicator light 113. When the green light is on, the truck enters. The radio frequency identification reader 111 reads the vehicle information and matches it with the database to determine the size and load capacity of the truck bed. The 2D laser scanner 118 scans and determines the vehicle position. If there is a deviation, the exit side indicator light 112 and the horn 114 prompt the driver to adjust. The truck stops steadily on the pedal 21. The weight of the truck presses down on the pedal 21, which is fed back to the spring 221 and the piston rod 211. When the truck is empty, the pedal 21 is not compressed. The hopper gate level radar 117 detects the hopper cover. If it is not open, the horn 114 reminds the driver. After the hopper cover is opened, the electric push rod 131 pulls the truck. When the hopper gate 13 opens, the synchronous telescopic rod 132 retracts, and loading begins. During loading, the weight of the vehicle causes the pedal 21 to move down, and the piston rod 211 squeezes the liquid pipe 222 to allow the liquid to enter the synchronous telescopic rod 132, causing it to extend and push the hopper gate 13 to close. The electric push rod 131 is passively stretched. When the full load range is reached, the hopper gate 13 is precisely closed to prevent overload. The hopper gate level radar 117 monitors the height of the goods in real time. When the height approaches the preset height, it works with the pull rope encoder 121 to reduce the opening of the hopper gate 13 and remind the driver to move the vehicle. If the vehicle is not moved in time, the hopper gate 13 is automatically closed. The operation is repeated until loading is completed. The exit side indicator light 112 and horn 114 prompt the driver to leave.

[0028] In summary, by setting the vehicle pedal structure 2 and the hopper structure 1 to work in tandem, and utilizing the pressure feedback from the vehicle weight on the pedal 21, the opening of the hopper gate 13 is precisely controlled in real time according to the truck's load, through the linkage of the piston rod 211, the hydraulic pipe 222, and the synchronous telescopic rod 132, thus avoiding truck overloading and effectively improving the safety and accuracy of loading. Furthermore, by equipping the vehicle with multiple sensors such as the RFID reader 111, the 2D laser scanner 118, the rope encoder 121, the hopper monitoring system 116, and the hopper gate level radar 117, automatic vehicle information identification and precise vehicle positioning are achieved. Functions such as guidance and positioning, real-time monitoring of the loading process, precise control of the hopper gate opening, and timely reminders to drivers greatly improve loading efficiency and continuity, meeting the needs of efficient port operations. At the same time, the use of unmanned automated loading technology reduces the labor intensity of workers, reduces operational risks, improves the inherent safety of the port, and avoids safety hazards in human-machine cooperation. In particular, when loading and unloading corrosive powdery media, it can directly avoid direct contact between personnel and cargo, effectively protecting the life, health and safety of port staff, alleviating the shortage of loading and unloading personnel, and reducing labor costs.

[0029] Furthermore, any content not described in detail in this specification is existing technology known to those skilled in the art.

[0030] Working principle: The truck drives towards the unloading hopper 12. After reaching the pre-operation position, the driver determines whether entry is permitted based on the entrance side indicator light 113. When the green light illuminates, the truck enters the unloading hopper 12 area. At this time, the RFID reader 111 reads the vehicle information and matches it with the vehicle parameters in the database to determine data such as the truck bed size and load capacity. Next, the 2D laser scanner 118 scans to determine if the vehicle position is accurate. It calculates the relative positional deviation between the truck bed and the discharge port by forming point cloud data. If the position is inaccurate, the exit side indicator light 112 and the horn 114 issue audio and visual prompts to guide the driver to adjust. For example, a flashing red light and a voice prompt to "move backward" or "move left" will be used. After the truck comes to a complete stop, its wheels will pass over ramp 23 and stop on the surface of pedal 21. The truck's weight will then be directly transmitted through pedal 21 to spring 221 and piston rod 211. In the empty state, pedal 21 will not be compressed due to the action of the liquid inside spring 221 and liquid pipe 222. Then, the hopper gate level radar 117 detects the status of the hopper hatch cover; if it is not open, it will issue a warning via horn 114. Once the hatch cover is confirmed open, electric actuator 131 will actively pull the hopper gate 13, causing it to rotate and open, while synchronous telescopic rod 132 will retract synchronously. Loading begins after the hopper gate 13 is open. As goods are loaded, the pedal 21 gradually descends under the pressure of the truck, compressing the telescopic bladder 22. As the pedal 21 descends, the piston rod 211 descends synchronously, squeezing the safety fluid inside the liquid pipe 222 into the output connecting pipe 212. This fluid then travels along the output connecting pipe 212 and through the pipeline into the synchronous telescopic rod 132. The synchronous telescopic rod 132 then passively extends due to the fluid filling, thereby pushing the hopper door 13 to rotate and close. The electric actuator 131 is passively extended until the vehicle weight reaches the designated full-load range. At this point, the synchronous telescopic rod 132, filled with safety fluid... Under the action, the hopper gate 13 will be pushed to close the material opening of the unloading hopper 12, so as to more accurately control the opening of the hopper gate 13 and avoid the truck from being overloaded. At the same time, during the loading process, the hopper gate material level radar 117 monitors the height of the goods in real time. When it approaches the preset height, it will work with the pull rope encoder 121 to reduce the opening of the hopper gate 13 and remind the driver to move the vehicle. If the green light flashes and the voice prompt is "Full, move forward", if the vehicle is not moved in time and reaches or exceeds the preset height, it will actively control the electric push rod 131 to close the hopper gate 13. Repeat the operation until the loading is completed. Finally, the outlet side indicator light 112 and the horn 114 prompt the driver to leave.

[0031] It should be noted that when a vehicle enters the identification area, the RFID reader 111 can read the vehicle number and send the data to the automatic control PLC via the communication bus. The PLC can automatically match the vehicle code in the database to identify various parameters of the vehicle, providing the basis for calculation for automatic loading. The 2D laser scanner 118 can generate point cloud data. By analyzing the point cloud data, the system can identify the relative position of the truck bed to the discharge port, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the loading position. Two radar ranging sensors are installed for verification. The 2D laser scanner 118 is equipped with a stainless steel protective cover, which can effectively prevent falling material from contaminating the scanner's detection window and improve system stability. The hopper gate level radar 117 uses high-frequency millimeter electromagnetic wave measurement, which has the characteristics of good vibration resistance, strong anti-interference ability, and minimal impact from material dust and water vapor. When the hopper gate 13 moves, the steel wire rope is retracted and extended, which drives the encoder to rotate, thereby measuring the number of encoder rotation pulses. The length of the push rod extension can be obtained by conversion.

[0032] It should be noted that the RFID reader 111 can be selected from models such as CK-FR01-A01, GRH-MS135, C216028U-R2000 eight-channel UHF RFID reader, and C216024U high-performance multi-tag RFID reader; the gantry level radar 117 uses a high-frequency millimeter-wave level radar sensor such as Rosemount5408 to meet the requirements of high precision and anti-interference; the 2D laser scanner 118 can be selected from models such as SICKTIM571, which have high-precision measurement and strong anti-interference capabilities; the pull rope encoder 121 can be selected from models such as TWK TRK58-KA4096R4096C1MK04 and SICK BTF13-J1QM0564.

[0033] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0034] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A loading and unloading hopper carriage auxiliary positioning device, comprising a hopper structure (1), characterized in that: The four wheels of the truck are fixedly arranged on the ground below the hopper structure (1) to form a vehicle pedal structure (2); The hopper structure (1) comprises a hopper door (13), and the lower surfaces of the hopper door (13) are movably connected with two electric push rods (131) and two synchronous telescopic rods (132) through connecting members. The vehicle pedal structure (2) comprises a pedal (21), the width and length of the pedal (21) are arranged according to the wheels of the truck, and the pedal (21) is fixed on the bottom surface of a telescopic bag (22), and the bottom surface of the pedal (21) is fixedly provided with two piston rods (211) on the left and right sides in the telescopic bag (22), the axial positions of the piston rods (211) are provided with through holes penetrating from the lower end to the upper end, the through holes at the upper end of the two piston rods (211) are integrally communicated through a T-shaped output connecting pipe (212), one end of the output connecting pipe (212) extends out of the telescopic bag (22) to communicate with the synchronous telescopic rod (132) through a pipeline, the piston end of the piston rod (211) is slidably and sealingly arranged in a liquid pipe (222), the inside of the liquid pipe (222) stores a safety liquid, and the lower end of the liquid pipe (222) is fixed on the bottom of the telescopic bag (22), and a plurality of springs (221) are fixedly arranged in the telescopic bag (22) between the liquid pipes (222), and the upper ends of the springs (221) are fixed on the bottom surface of the pedal (21).

2. A loading and unloading hopper car auxiliary positioning device according to claim 1 wherein: The hopper structure (1) further comprises a hopper frame (11), the upper part between the frame bodies of the hopper frame (11) is connected with a discharge hopper (12) through bolts, the discharge hopper (12) has two feeding ports, the two lower ports are arranged in a circular arc shape, and the hopper door (13) is slidably arranged on the front and rear sides of the lower port, the radius of the hopper door (13) is the same as that of the lower port of the discharge hopper (12), and the connecting arms are integrally arranged on the left and right sides, and the connecting arms are rotatably connected with the rotating shafts integrally arranged on the surface of the discharge hopper (12).

3. A loading and unloading hopper car auxiliary positioning device according to claim 2 wherein: The other ends of the electric push rod (131) and the synchronous telescopic rod (132) are connected to the surface of the cross frame of the hopper frame (11) through connecting members, and the two synchronous telescopic rods (132) are equidistantly arranged between the two electric push rods (131), and the interface is integrally arranged on the surface of the main pipe body of the synchronous telescopic rod (132) near the connecting end.

4. A loading and unloading hopper car auxiliary positioning device according to claim 3 wherein: The front and rear surfaces of the discharge hopper (12) are connected with a pull rope encoder (121) through bolts, and the rope end of the pull rope encoder (121) is connected to the rope hole pre-provided on the side of the hopper door (13) facing the hopper frame (11).

5. A loading and unloading hopper car auxiliary positioning device according to claim 4 wherein: The left and right branches of the front side of the said bucket frame (11) are fixedly provided with illuminating lamps (115) at the positions facing the right side entrance, and the left and right branches of the front side of the bucket frame (11) are fixedly provided with exit side indicator lamp (112) and entrance side indicator lamp (113) respectively at the lower side of the illuminating lamps (115), wherein the left front branch of the bucket frame (11) is fixedly provided with radio frequency identification read-write device (111) and loudspeaker (114) on the side of the exit side indicator lamp (112) facing the direction of the truck entering, and the radio frequency identification read-write device (111) is on the upper side of the loudspeaker (114).

6. A loading and unloading hopper car auxiliary positioning device according to claim 5 wherein: The middle cross beams of the front and back sides of the said bucket frame (11) are fixedly provided with three hopper monitors (116) and four hopper door level radars (117) respectively facing the side of the truck, wherein two hopper monitors (116) are installed respectively corresponding to each discharging port for checking the hopper discharging condition and the loading condition in the truck compartment, one hopper monitor (116) is installed at the position close to the truck head for checking the truck entering and overall condition, four hopper door level radars (117) are set in groups of two corresponding to the hopper door (13), and are installed respectively at the left, middle and right positions of the two discharging ports, the surfaces of the two branches of the right side of the said bucket frame (11) are fixedly provided with 2D laser scanners (118) at the positions close to the vehicle tail.

7. A loading and unloading hopper car auxiliary positioning device according to claim 1 wherein: The left and right sides of the said telescopic bag (22) are provided with slope blocks (23), and the height of the slope block (23) of the entrance side is higher than that of the slope block (23) of the exit side.

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