Essential safety transportation system for steel coil overpass car

Abstract

The application relates to the field of automation equipment, in particular to a steel coil over-crossing vehicle essential safety transportation system, which comprises a transportation track, a steel coil over-crossing vehicle capable of running on the transportation track, a bearing saddle arranged on the adjacent side of the transportation track and used for placing a steel coil, and a transportation control system; the steel coil over-crossing vehicle is provided with a supporting mechanism capable of transferring the steel coil on the bearing saddle, and a frequency conversion control unit used for respectively controlling the working state of the supporting mechanism and the running state of the steel coil over-crossing vehicle; the bearing saddle is provided with a load detection assembly used for sensing whether the steel coil is on the bearing saddle, and a steel coil positioning assembly used for sensing whether the steel coil on the bearing saddle is inclined; the transportation control system is signal-connected with the frequency conversion control unit, the load detection assembly and the steel coil positioning assembly. The steel coil over-crossing vehicle essential safety transportation system embeds the essential safety logic of the steel coil transportation process, and the above components help to realize the essential safety of the steel coil transportation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of automated equipment, and more specifically, to an intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils in a cross-pass vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] Cross-track vehicles, also known as electric railcars, are a logistics method that uses cross-track vehicles to transfer heavy materials (such as steel coils, workpieces, equipment, etc.) within a fixed area (such as a workshop, warehouse, or cross-area).

[0003] Currently, in the process of transporting steel coils using cross-pass vehicles, these vehicles are generally operated manually by remote control, which poses significant safety hazards. To minimize damage to the steel coils, the cross-pass vehicles must enter the steel coil storage area during transport, creating a risk of overlapping operations with other overhead cranes operating in the storage area, posing a significant threat to personal safety. Furthermore, because the remote control operators typically have limited visibility, it is difficult to accurately determine the position of the steel coil placed by the overhead crane. If the overhead crane deviates too much from its designated position, and the cross-pass vehicle operator fails to notice in time and rashly lifts the coil, it can easily cause the coil to become unstable and overturn, leading to catastrophic accidents involving personal injury and equipment damage.

[0004] In summary, existing steel coil transshipment systems relying on manual remote control suffer from inherent safety hazards and equipment reliability deficiencies, making it difficult to meet the high safety, high reliability, and high efficiency requirements of modern industry. To completely overcome these inherent defects and achieve inherent safety in steel coil transshipment, there is an urgent need to develop a more intelligent, inherently safe steel coil transshipment system. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an intrinsically safe transportation system for steel coils in a cross-passage vehicle, which aims to solve the technical problem of poor safety in the transportation process of steel coils in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve this objective, the technical solution adopted in this application is: An intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils is provided, comprising a transport track, a steel coil transfer vehicle capable of traveling on the transport track, a load-bearing saddle located adjacent to the transport track for placing steel coils, and a transport control system. The steel coil transfer vehicle is equipped with a support mechanism capable of transferring the steel coil on the bearing saddle, and a frequency conversion control unit for controlling the working state of the support mechanism and the driving state of the steel coil transfer vehicle respectively. The bearing saddle is provided with a load detection component for sensing whether there is a steel coil on the bearing saddle, and a steel coil positioning component for sensing whether the steel coil on the bearing saddle is tilted. The transportation control system is connected to the frequency conversion control unit, the load detection component, and the steel coil positioning component via signals.

[0007] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils may include: the load-bearing saddles comprising a left saddle and a right saddle located on opposite sides of the transport track, and the load detection assembly comprising at least two photoelectric sensors distributed on the left saddle and the right saddle.

[0008] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils may include: the detection surfaces of the at least two photoelectric sensors are mounted vertically upward.

[0009] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils may include: the steel coil positioning assembly includes a left ranging element disposed on the left saddle and a right ranging element disposed on the right saddle, the left ranging element being used to detect the distance from the left end of the steel coil to the left ranging element, the right ranging element being used to detect the distance from the right end of the steel coil to the right ranging element, and the center of the detection surface of the left ranging element and the center of the detection surface of the right ranging element being substantially at the same horizontal level.

[0010] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coil transfer vehicles may include: the transport control system comprising a main controller, multiple remote I / O stations, and multiple local controllers, wherein the main controller is signal-connected to each of the remote I / O stations, the number of remote I / O stations being consistent with and corresponding to the number of transport tracks; the number of local controllers corresponding to the number of steel coil transfer vehicles and located on the corresponding steel coil transfer vehicles, and the local controllers being signal-connected to the frequency converter control unit on the corresponding steel coil transfer vehicle; each remote I / O station being signal-connected to the load detection component and the steel coil positioning component on the corresponding transport track, and signal-connected to the local controller of the steel coil transfer vehicle on the transport track.

[0011] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils may include: a vehicle limiting assembly comprising a mechanical stop and a travel limiting module, the travel limiting module being used in conjunction with the mechanical stop to limit the start and end positions of the steel coil crossing vehicle on its transport track, the travel limiting module being signal-connected to a remote I / O station corresponding to the transport track.

[0012] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for the steel coil transfer vehicle may include: the travel limiting module includes a front limiting block located at the front end of the steel coil transfer vehicle, a rear limiting block located at the rear end of the steel coil transfer vehicle, an end-point trigger switch located at the end of the transport track and used to cooperate with the front limiting block to limit the termination position of the steel coil transfer vehicle on its transport track, and a start-point trigger switch located at the start of the transport track and used to cooperate with the rear limiting block to limit the starting position of the steel coil transfer vehicle on its transport track; the end-point trigger switch and the start-point trigger switch are respectively connected to the remote I / O station signal corresponding to the transport track.

[0013] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-track may include: a safety fence installed around the transport track, the safety fence having a safety gate and a gate control module for controlling the opening and closing of the safety gate, the gate control module being signal-connected to a remote I / O station corresponding to the transport track.

[0014] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a straddle vehicle may include: a control box further provided on the safety fence, the door control module being located within the control box; the control box further provided with multiple function buttons, including a vehicle emergency stop function button, a request to open the door function button, and a request to close the door function button.

[0015] In addition to one or more features described herein, or as an alternative, further embodiments of the intrinsically safe transport system for the coil transfer vehicle may include: a coil detection element disposed on the coil transfer vehicle for sensing whether there is a coil on the vehicle, the coil detection element being signal-connected to a local controller on the coil transfer vehicle.

[0016] One of the above technical solutions has the following advantages or beneficial effects: The solution proposed in this application achieves steel coil transportation safety through multiple inherently safe design features, specifically including: by setting a load detection component on the bearing saddle, the presence or absence of a steel coil can be automatically detected; by setting a steel coil positioning component, the placement of the steel coil can be monitored in real time to ensure it is not tilted, effectively eliminating the risk of human error. Furthermore, the transportation control system is connected to the frequency converter control unit, the load detection component, and the steel coil positioning component, respectively, allowing it to directly receive the detection signals from these components and link them with the frequency converter control unit of the steel coil transfer vehicle to form a closed-loop control. This means that the system only instructs the supporting mechanism to perform the movement operation when it confirms that there is a steel coil on the bearing saddle and that it is not tilted, thus eliminating the risk of transporting empty saddles or tilted steel coils at the source. Simultaneously, the frequency converter control unit ensures smooth vehicle start-up and shutdown and smooth steel coil lifting and lowering movements, reducing the risk of steel coil displacement or tipping due to mechanical impact. The aforementioned inherently safe steel coil transfer vehicle transportation system embeds inherently safe logic into the steel coil transportation process, achieving inherent safety in steel coil transportation through proactive prevention strategies.

[0017] Other advantages of this application and the technical effects of preferred embodiments will be further described in the detailed embodiments below. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a front view schematic diagram of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils in the cross-pass vehicle provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a top view schematic diagram of the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils in the cross-pass vehicle provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a top view of the steel coil transfer vehicle provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 This is a front view schematic diagram of the support mechanism provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 5 This is a top view of the load-bearing saddle (without steel coil) provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a top view of the load-bearing saddle (with steel coil) provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the steel coil passing through the cross car when uncoiling at the No. 3 saddle, as provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the steel coil passing through the cross car when the coil is unwinding from the No. 3 saddle with a coil on the No. 1 saddle provided in this application embodiment; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the operation of the steel coil passing through the cross car when the coil is lowered to the No. 3 saddle, provided in the embodiment of this application, when both No. 1 saddle and No. 2 saddle have coils. Figure 10 This is a plan view of a safety fence (with the safety gate in a closed state) provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a plan view of a safety fence (with the safety gate in the open state) provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0020] The following are the labeling elements in the figure: 1-Mechanical stop; 101-Front limit stop; 102-Rear limit stop; 103-Laser rangefinder; 104-Steel coil detection element; 105-Upper limit stop; 106-Lower limit stop; 2-Trigger switch; 201-1# Saddle left distance measuring element; 202-1# Saddle left load detection element; 203-2# Saddle left distance measuring element; 204-2# Saddle left load detection element; 205-3# Saddle left distance measuring element; 206-3# Saddle left load detection element; 207-4# Saddle left distance measuring element; 208-4# Saddle left load detection element; 3-Laser reflector; 301-1# Saddle right ranging element; 302-1# Saddle right load detection element; 303-2# Saddle right ranging element; 304-2# Saddle right load detection element; 305-3# Saddle right ranging element; 306-3# Saddle right load detection element; 307-4# Saddle right ranging element; 308-4# Saddle right load detection element; 4-Electrical control box; 401-Safety fence; 402-Slide rail; 403-Post; 404-Hex socket head cap screw; 405-Cassette wheel; 406-Alarm light; 407-Control box; 408-Electronic safety door lock; 408.1-Locking buckle; 408.2-Locking mating parts; 5-Bearing saddle; 6-Transportation track. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0023] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0024] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0025] Furthermore, in the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0026] by Figures 1 to 11 Taking this application as an example, an intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils using a transfer vehicle is described and introduced. This application provides an intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils using a transfer vehicle, including a transport track 6, a steel coil transfer vehicle, a support saddle 5, and a transport control system. The steel coil transfer vehicle can travel on the transport track 6, and at least one steel coil transfer vehicle can travel on each transport track 6. The support saddle 5 is located adjacent to the transport track 6 and is used to place the steel coil. Each transport track 6 can have at least one support saddle 5. Each support saddle 5 can be located on one side of the transport track 6 or distributed on both sides, depending on the structure and support method of the support mechanism on the steel coil transfer vehicle used to transfer the steel coil on the support saddle 5. It can be understood that the support saddle 5 can be divided into a temporary support saddle 5 for temporarily placing the steel coil and a target support saddle 5 located at the end point of the transport on the transport track 6. The main function of the steel coil transfer vehicle can be understood as transferring the steel coil from the temporary support saddle 5 to the target support saddle 5.

[0027] The specific structure and method of supporting the steel coil on the trolley are not specifically limited here. For example, the support mechanism could be a lifting structure that raises the steel coil to lift it and lowers it to lower it to the target position. Figure 4 As shown, the lifting structure may include an upper limit member 105 and a lower limit member 106 to achieve lifting height limit; for example, the support mechanism may also be a hoisting grabbing structure, which achieves the position transfer by grabbing the steel coil from the top, etc. The specific implementation method of the support mechanism is not limited here.

[0028] The coil transfer trolley is also equipped with a frequency converter control unit for controlling the working status of the supporting mechanism and the traveling status of the coil transfer trolley. The operation of the frequency converter control unit can be explained as controlling the speed and torque of the power source of the supporting mechanism and the power source of the coil transfer trolley by changing the AC frequency of the regulating motor. The bearing saddle 5 can be equipped with a load detection component for sensing whether there is a coil on the bearing saddle 5 and a coil positioning component for sensing whether the coil is tilted on the bearing saddle 5. The load detection component can be selected from inductive proximity switches, capacitive proximity switches, pressure sensors or weighing sensors, etc., without limitation. The coil positioning component can be selected from photoelectric sensors, ultrasonic sensors, laser ranging elements 103, displacement sensors or area scanning sensors, etc., also without limitation.

[0029] Meanwhile, the transport control system can be connected to the frequency converter control unit, load detection component and steel coil positioning component respectively. In this way, the transport control system can directly receive the detection signals of the load detection component and steel coil positioning component, and link the frequency converter control unit of the steel coil transfer vehicle to form a closed-loop control. That is, only when the system confirms that there is a steel coil on the bearing saddle 5 and there is no deviation, it will instruct the supporting mechanism to perform the movement operation, thus eliminating the risk of moving empty saddles or tilted steel coils from the root.

[0030] Furthermore, the inherently safe steel coil transport system provided in this application, by installing a load detection component on the load-bearing saddle 5, can automatically detect the presence or absence of steel coils. By installing a steel coil positioning component, it can monitor in real time whether the steel coils are tilted, effectively eliminating the risk of human error. Simultaneously, the frequency converter control unit ensures smooth vehicle start-up and shutdown and smooth steel coil lifting and lowering movements, reducing the risk of steel coil displacement or tipping due to mechanical impact. The aforementioned inherently safe steel coil transport system embeds inherently safe logic for the steel coil transport process, achieving inherent safety in steel coil transport through proactive preventative strategies.

[0031] In some embodiments, each load-bearing saddle 5 includes a left saddle and a right saddle located on both sides of the transport track 6, and the load detection assembly on each load-bearing saddle 5 may include at least two load detection elements, which may be distributed on the left and right saddles. This enables simultaneous monitoring of the steel coil from both sides, effectively avoiding misjudgments caused by single-sided detection and significantly improving detection reliability. Furthermore, the dual-element redundancy design ensures basic functionality is maintained even if a load detection element on one side fails, enhancing system fault tolerance.

[0032] For clarity, please refer to the following explanation. Figure 1 and Figure 2 In a more specific embodiment, the number of load-bearing saddles 5 on the transport track 6 is four, as shown in the figure, namely saddle 1, saddle 2, saddle 3 and saddle 4. The load detection assembly may specifically include load detection element 202 on the left of saddle 1, load detection element 302 on the right of saddle 1, load detection element 204 on the left of saddle 2, load detection element 304 on the right of saddle 2, load detection element 206 on the left of saddle 3, load detection element 306 on the right of saddle 3, load detection element 208 on the left of saddle 4 and load detection element 308 on the right of saddle 4.

[0033] As an optional but non-limiting implementation, each load detection element can be selected as a photoelectric sensor. Furthermore, the detection surfaces of at least two photoelectric sensors can be mounted vertically upwards. For example... Figure 5 As shown, taking saddle #1 as an example, when the left load detection element 202 and the right load detection element 302 of saddle #1 simultaneously detect that the optical signal is blocked, it can be determined that the bearing saddle 5 is in a "rolled" state.

[0034] In at least one embodiment, combined Figure 5 and Figure 6 The steel coil positioning assembly may include a left ranging element located on the left saddle and a right ranging element located on the right saddle. The left ranging element is used to detect the distance from the left end of the steel coil to the left ranging element, and the right ranging element is used to detect the distance from the right end of the steel coil to the right ranging element. The center of the detection surface of the left ranging element and the center of the detection surface of the right ranging element are basically at the same horizontal height. The center of the detection surface can be understood as the reference point for the ranging element to transmit or receive signals. Since any value inherently contains some errors, it is here defined that the center of the detection surface of the left ranging element and the center of the detection surface of the right ranging element are basically at the same horizontal height. This design makes the left and right ranging references consistent, which can accurately calculate the lateral offset or axial position of the steel coil and avoid errors introduced by height differences. In addition, if the center heights of the detection surfaces of the left and right ranging elements are different, it is necessary to compensate for the data deviation caused by the height difference. The horizontal alignment design can reduce the complexity of calculation.

[0035] like Figure 6 As shown, taking saddle #1 as an example, the left ranging element 201 and the right ranging element 301 of saddle #1 can be installed at the same horizontal height. During installation, a vertical plate can be placed at the midpoint of the connection line between their detection surfaces to level and correct the two sensors, ensuring the consistency of the measured values. After the steel coil is unwound and stably placed on saddle #1, the left ranging element 201 and the right ranging element 301 of saddle #1 will measure the distance data on the left and right sides respectively, and calculate the difference between the data. When the difference exceeds a set threshold, an alarm can be generated and the peripheral system can be interlocked, such as... Figure 10 or Figure 11 The safety fence 401 shown.

[0036] Based on this Figure 2 The left distance measuring element 203 and right distance measuring element 303 of saddle #2, the left distance measuring element 205 and right distance measuring element 305 of saddle #3, and the left distance measuring element 207 and right distance measuring element 307 of saddle #4 shown are also preferably installed at the same horizontal height.

[0037] In at least one embodiment, the transport control system includes a main controller, multiple remote I / O stations, and multiple local controllers. This can be understood as the transport control system including a large PLC and multiple smaller PLCs (local controllers) for controlling the coil transfer vehicles. The large PLC consists of a master station (i.e., the main controller) and multiple slave stations (i.e., remote I / O stations). Further, the main controller is signal-connected to each of the remote I / O stations, and the number of remote I / O stations corresponds to the number of transport tracks 6. The number of local controllers corresponds to the number of coil transfer vehicles and is located on the corresponding coil transfer vehicles. The local controllers are signal-connected to the frequency converter control unit on the corresponding coil transfer vehicle. Each remote I / O station is signal-connected to the load detection component and the coil positioning component on the corresponding transport track 6, and is also signal-connected to the local controller of the coil transfer vehicle on that transport track 6. The frequency converter control unit and local controller on the coil transfer vehicle can be arranged as follows: Figure 3 In the electrical control box 4 shown.

[0038] By designing the hierarchical architecture of the aforementioned transportation control system, it is possible to realize manual, semi-automatic, and fully automatic operation modes for the steel coil transfer vehicle. For example, in fully automatic or semi-automatic mode, the main controller can generate control commands based on global tasks (manual or automatic configuration), and then send them to the local controller of the target transfer vehicle through the remote I / O station of the corresponding transportation track 6. The remote I / O station can collect data from the load detection component and steel coil positioning component of the track in real time and feed it back to the main controller for dynamic command correction. The local controller can control the drive motor of the frequency converter control unit according to the commands sent by the remote I / O station to realize vehicle speed adjustment, start-stop control, or the working status of the supporting mechanism. At the same time, the vehicle status is transmitted back to the main controller via the remote I / O station to form a control closed loop. Alternatively, in manual mode, the operator can directly send jog or fine-tuning commands through the human-machine interface of the local controller. The local controller can bypass the main station and directly control the frequency converter unit to perform actions to achieve rapid response. At this time, the remote I / O station continues to monitor the track sensor data. If abnormalities such as steel coil deviation are detected, the local controller can trigger emergency braking. The hierarchical architecture of this transportation control system avoids signal conflicts by precisely matching transportation track 6 with remote I / O stations and vehicles with local controllers. The main controller can seamlessly switch between manual and semi-automatic modes through remote I / O stations, and single-point failures (such as failure of sensors around transportation track 6 or vehicle controllers) can be isolated by the architecture to ensure the overall reliability of the system.

[0039] In at least one embodiment, the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a straddle vehicle also includes vehicle limiting components, such as... Figure 1-3 As shown, the vehicle limiting component includes a mechanical stop 1 and a travel limiting module. The travel limiting module is used in conjunction with the mechanical stop 1 to limit the starting and ending positions of the steel coil passing car on its transport track 6. The travel limiting module is connected to the remote I / O station signal corresponding to the transport track 6.

[0040] The travel limit module with communication function can trigger a switch signal when the vehicle travels beyond the set safe travel distance. This switch signal can be directly connected to the vehicle's safety circuit or drive control circuit to forcibly cut off the motor power or apply emergency braking to achieve immediate stopping, thereby effectively preventing the vehicle from passing the front and rear stops and avoiding equipment damage and safety accidents.

[0041] This embodiment achieves dual protection of the limit by using the hard limit of the mechanical stop 1 and the electrical soft limit of the travel limit module. It can accurately limit the travel range of the overpass car, prevent overtravel derailment accidents, and feed back the limit status to the remote I / O station in real time. On the one hand, it ensures that the vehicle can only operate within the safe area. On the other hand, the remote I / O station can verify the measurement error of other sensors used for positioning the steel coil overpass car when it is at the extreme position based on the signal fed back by the travel limit module.

[0042] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, a laser ranging element 103 can be installed on the steel coil transfer vehicle, and a laser reflector 3 can be installed at the starting or ending point of the transport track 6 to cooperate with the laser ranging element 103 on the vehicle to achieve vehicle positioning. During installation, the laser ranging element 103 and the laser reflector 3 ensure that the laser spot of the laser ranging element 103 remains within the reflective film coverage area of ​​the laser reflector 3 throughout the entire track's operating range, thus achieving precise positioning of the transfer vehicle. As those skilled in the art know, the laser ranging element 103 is a precision instrument. If the fixing bracket of the laser ranging element 103 is not secure, after maintenance and cleaning, there is a high probability that abnormal positioning data of the transfer vehicle or frequent malfunctions will occur during operation. In this case, maintenance personnel need to manually modify the program to correct the deviation, and the debugging is quite difficult. Depending on the difference in the technical ability of the personnel, the deviation correction effect may vary greatly. This embodiment, by setting a travel limit module connected to the remote I / O station signal corresponding to the transport track 6, can more quickly and effectively correct or compensate for the position or detection data of the laser ranging element 103.

[0043] As an optional but non-restrictive implementation, such as Figure 3 As shown, the travel limit module may include a front limit stop block 101 located at the front end of the coil transfer vehicle, a rear limit stop block 102 located at the rear end of the coil transfer vehicle, an end point trigger switch 2 located at the end of the transport track 6 and used in conjunction with the front limit stop block 101 to limit the termination position of the coil transfer vehicle on the transport track 6, and a start point trigger switch 2 located at the start of the transport track 6 and used in conjunction with the rear limit stop block 102 to limit the starting position of the coil transfer vehicle on the transport track 6; the end point trigger switch 2 and the start point trigger switch 2 are respectively connected to the remote I / O station signal corresponding to the transport track 6. This scheme uses the stop block on the vehicle to trigger the switch on the transport track 6, which can accurately convert the physical position of the vehicle reaching the start or end point into an electrical signal, and inform the main controller of the exact position of the vehicle through the remote I / O station, providing key position information for automatic scheduling and safety interlocking, and triggering system stopping actions, such as automatic coil retrieval or automatic coil unwinding.

[0044] In at least one embodiment, such as Figure 10 or Figure 11As shown, the intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils also includes a safety fence 401 installed around the transport track 6. The safety fence 401 is equipped with a safety door and a gate control module for controlling the opening and closing of the safety door. The gate control module is connected to the remote I / O station corresponding to the transport track 6. This solution isolates the hazardous area through a physical fence to prevent accidental entry by personnel. Furthermore, the connection between the gate control module and the remote I / O station allows the system to monitor the status of the safety door, thereby implementing safety interlocking logic such as "the vehicle is prohibited from starting if the door is not properly closed," ensuring personnel safety.

[0045] As an optional but non-limiting implementation, the safety fence 401 also includes a control box 407, within which the gate control module is located. The control box 407 may also include multiple function buttons, such as a vehicle emergency stop button, a gate opening request button, and a gate closing request button. By integrating the gate control module and key operation buttons into the on-site control box 407, operators can quickly execute emergency stops or request access permissions at the fence entrance. The button commands can then be transmitted to the main controller via a remote I / O station, enabling convenient and safe on-site human-machine interaction and emergency intervention.

[0046] Specifically, the safety fence 401 is formed by installing the posts 403 and the fence panel using hexagonal screws 404. The safety fence 401 includes a safety door for easy access; the safety door can be moved horizontally via a slide rail 402 and casters 405. Figure 10 or Figure 11 As shown. When personnel need to open or close the door, they can perform the corresponding operation at the control box 407. When opening the door, the locking buckle 408.1 and the locking engagement part 408.2 of the electronic safety door lock 408 will separate, and personnel can slide and push the door open to enter. After all personnel have left the area, slide the door back and perform the door closing operation at the control box 407. When closing the door, the locking buckle 408.1 and the locking engagement part 408.2 of the electronic safety door lock 408 will lock.

[0047] Meanwhile, the control box 407 can be equipped with multiple function buttons such as "Equipment Emergency Stop", "Request Door Opening", and "Request Door Closing" for equipment shutdown in emergency situations and normal door opening / closing request operations. The alarm light 406 on the control box can also effectively display the current status of the area to on-site operators and central control room managers. For example, when the alarm light 406 is red, it indicates that the equipment in the area is in an emergency stop; when the alarm light 406 is white, it indicates that the safety door in the area is open; when the alarm light 406 is blue, it indicates that the area has completed the door closing request and closed the door according to the normal procedure, but the door is not closed properly; when the alarm light 406 is green, it indicates that the safety door in the area is closed properly, and the equipment in the area can operate in fully automatic / semi-automatic / manual mode.

[0048] In at least one embodiment, the intrinsically safe transport system for the coil transfer vehicle may further include a coil detection element 104 disposed on the coil transfer vehicle and used to sense whether there are coils on the vehicle. The coil detection element 104 is signal-connected to a local controller on the coil transfer vehicle. The coil detection element 104 may be an inductive proximity switch, a capacitive proximity switch, a pressure sensor, or a load cell, etc. Figure 3 As shown, the steel coil detection element 104 can also be installed with the detection surface facing vertically upwards. By adding the steel coil detection element 104 to the vehicle body, direct, real-time steel coil loading status information is provided to the local controller. This steel coil loading status information can be used to prevent malfunctions when the vehicle is empty or to ensure the safe start and stop of loaded vehicles, thereby improving system reliability and safety.

[0049] Combination Figures 7 to 9 This paper introduces a specific implementation method for achieving fully automated transportation of steel coils using an intrinsically safe steel coil transport system.

[0050] As shown in the diagram, the steel coil transfer vehicle has a bidirectional automatic transport function. The specific transport direction can be controlled by the main controller. The following example shows the transport direction from #4 to #1 (i.e., Figure 7 and Figure 8 (See example of the work direction shown). Considering work efficiency, the crane generally prioritizes unwinding the coil to saddle #3. Unwinding to saddle #4 can refer to the operating logic of saddle #3. After the steel coil falls onto saddle #3 of the overpass car, the main controller can autonomously allocate task orders based on the existing saddle alarms and idle status.

[0051] like Figure 7 As shown, when saddles #1 and #2 detect no coil and there is no abnormal alarm, the system assigns saddle #3 as the start position of the work order and saddle #1 as the end position of the work order. The coil transfer vehicle starts the coil transport process in "fully automatic" mode: the coil transfer vehicle moves forward to the start position of the work order while maintaining the "descended position". Upon reaching the start position, it starts the lifting mechanism to lift the coil to the "ascended position". It then transports the coil to the end position of the work order while maintaining the "ascended position" state. After reaching the end position, it lowers the coil, the lifting mechanism returns to the "descended position" state, and the coil transfer vehicle returns to the idle waiting position set by the system, thus ending the process.

[0052] like Figure 8As shown, when saddle #1 detects a coil and saddle #2 detects no coil and there is no abnormal alarm, the system assigns saddle #3 as the start position of the work order and saddle #2 as the end position of the work order. The coil transfer vehicle determines that it is in "automatic" mode and starts the coil transport process: the coil transfer vehicle maintains "lowering position" and moves forward to the start position of the work order. Upon reaching the start position, it starts lifting, lifts the coil to "rising position", maintains "rising position" state and transports the coil to the end position of the work order. Upon reaching the end position, it lowers the coil, the lifting mechanism returns to the "lowering position" state, the coil transfer vehicle returns to the idle waiting position set by the system, and the process ends.

[0053] like Figure 9 As shown, when the No. 2 saddle detects a roll and there is no available space for transport, the system determines that transport is not possible, does not start the roll transport process, and automatically enters standby mode.

[0054] In conclusion, the inherently safe transportation system for steel coils proposed in this application has at least the following technical advantages: 1. By adding a large PLC control system to connect the control system of each individual steel coil transfer car and the peripheral system, information exchange with the peripheral system and scheduling and control of the transfer car system can be realized.

[0055] 2. By adding a small PLC control system to each steel coil transfer vehicle, semi-automatic and manual operation of the vehicle is ensured when it is in use alone, and the flexibility of maintenance operations is improved. The system enables the equipment to handle network failures and other situations that may cause interruption of equipment control commands, thereby improving the safety of equipment operation.

[0056] 3. By adding a steel coil detection element that is vertically upward to the ground on the steel coil transfer vehicle, it is possible to effectively prevent the steel coil from being lifted up and damaged when there are foreign objects on the vehicle, or from tipping over and endangering other equipment on site. This improves the reliability of the system operation and ensures the product quality during transportation.

[0057] 4. By adding laser ranging elements to the steel coil transfer car, the position of the steel coil transfer car can be digitally managed, its position information can be obtained in real time, the vehicle can be accurately positioned, the safe operating range of the vehicle can be effectively defined, and the accuracy and reliability of the equipment operation can be greatly improved.

[0058] 5. By adding two saddle load detectors vertically upwards from the ground on the left and right, the "whether there is a roll" status signal of the saddle can be effectively obtained, which improves the reliability of system operation and ensures the product quality during transportation.

[0059] 6. By adding two saddle distance measuring points perpendicular to the trolley's direction of travel, the deviation of the steel coil can be quantitatively analyzed, ensuring that the steel coil is always within a safe range when it is unwound. When the steel coil is unwound off-center, the surrounding intelligent equipment can be notified in time to take corresponding adjustment measures to straighten the steel coil, effectively avoiding accidents such as the steel coil tipping over, shifting, or being scratched after being lifted due to off-center unwound steel coil.

[0060] 7. By fencing off the area where the vehicle travels, unintentional unauthorized intrusion is prevented. The access to and from the area is managed automatically. When the alarm light shows a non-green status indicator, the remote operation permission of the equipment is cut off, and only local operation is allowed. This eliminates the possibility of personnel in the control room operating recklessly, improves the stability of equipment operation to a certain extent, and greatly enhances the safety of personnel.

[0061] In summary, this application significantly improves the automation and intelligence levels of equipment and on-site safety management during steel coil transportation. It enables efficient control of the cross-car transport process, timely handling and feedback of abnormal conditions, and avoids damage to equipment and steel coils. This effectively reduces economic losses caused by damage to steel coils and equipment during transportation and decreases the occurrence of safety accidents. The increased automation and intelligence of the equipment also significantly reduces manual labor in corresponding positions, which is of positive significance for enterprises in reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and enhancing inherent safety.

[0062] Obviously, the above embodiments of this application are merely examples for clear illustration and are not intended to limit the implementation of this application. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An intrinsically safe transportation system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle, characterized in that, It includes a transport track, a steel coil transfer vehicle capable of traveling on the transport track, a load-bearing saddle located adjacent to the transport track for placing the steel coil, and a transport control system; The steel coil transfer vehicle is equipped with a support mechanism capable of transferring the steel coil on the bearing saddle, and a frequency conversion control unit for controlling the working state of the support mechanism and the driving state of the steel coil transfer vehicle respectively. The bearing saddle is provided with a load detection component for sensing whether there is a steel coil on the bearing saddle, and a steel coil positioning component for sensing whether the steel coil on the bearing saddle is tilted. The transportation control system is connected to the frequency conversion control unit, the load detection component, and the steel coil positioning component via signals.

2. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The load-bearing saddle includes a left saddle and a right saddle located on both sides of the transport track, and the load detection component includes at least two photoelectric sensors distributed on the left saddle and the right saddle.

3. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The detection surfaces of the at least two photoelectric sensors are mounted vertically upwards.

4. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The steel coil positioning assembly includes a left ranging element disposed on the left saddle and a right ranging element disposed on the right saddle. The left ranging element is used to detect the distance from the left end of the steel coil to the left ranging element, and the right ranging element is used to detect the distance from the right end of the steel coil to the right ranging element. The center of the detection surface of the left ranging element and the center of the detection surface of the right ranging element are basically at the same horizontal height.

5. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The transport control system includes a main controller, multiple remote I / O stations, and multiple local controllers. The main controller is connected to each of the remote I / O stations, and the number of remote I / O stations corresponds to the number of transport tracks. The number of local controllers corresponds to the number of coil transfer vehicles and is located on the corresponding coil transfer vehicle. The local controller is connected to the frequency converter control unit on the corresponding coil transfer vehicle. Each remote I / O station is connected to the load detection component and the coil positioning component on the corresponding transport track, and is also connected to the local controller of the coil transfer vehicle on that transport track.

6. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a vehicle limiting component, which includes a mechanical stop and a travel limiting module. The travel limiting module is used to cooperate with the mechanical stop to limit the start and end positions of the steel coil passing car on its transport track. The travel limiting module is connected to the remote I / O station signal corresponding to the transport track.

7. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that, The travel limiting module includes a front limiting block located at the front end of the steel coil transfer vehicle, a rear limiting block located at the rear end of the steel coil transfer vehicle, an end point trigger switch located at the end of the transport track and used to cooperate with the front limiting block to limit the termination position of the steel coil transfer vehicle on the transport track, and a start point trigger switch located at the start of the transport track and used to cooperate with the rear limiting block to limit the starting position of the steel coil transfer vehicle on the transport track; the end point trigger switch and the start point trigger switch are respectively connected to the remote I / O station signal corresponding to the transport track.

8. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a safety fence installed around the transport track, the safety fence being equipped with a safety gate and a gate control module for controlling the opening and closing of the safety gate, the gate control module being signal-connected to the remote I / O station corresponding to the transport track.

9. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 8, characterized in that, The safety fence is also equipped with a control box, and the door control module is located inside the control box; the control box is also equipped with multiple function buttons, including a vehicle emergency stop function button, a request to open the door function button, and a request to close the door function button.

10. The intrinsically safe transport system for steel coils via a cross-passage vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a steel coil detection element installed on the steel coil transfer vehicle for sensing whether there is a steel coil on the vehicle, and the steel coil detection element is signal-connected to the local controller on the steel coil transfer vehicle.

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