Method for operating a system with a conveyor device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023726314
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-06-07
- Filing Date
- 2023-05-09
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-16
AI Technical Summary
Existing conveyor systems face challenges in achieving efficient, low-stress, and time-optimized conveyance, particularly in transferring objects between different drives without positional offsets, leading to potential slippage and inefficiencies.
The method employs a conveyor device with a first rotary electric motor drive and a second linear actuator, where both drives are aligned parallel, with position detection and regulation using time-dependent target position curves and manipulated variables to ensure synchronous speed and jerk-limited movement, allowing for smooth transfer without slippage and maintaining exact positional alignment post-safety interruptions.
This approach enables efficient, slip-free transfer of objects between drives, maintaining exact positional alignment and optimizing movement speed and acceleration, preventing slippage and ensuring continuous operation without positional offsets, even after safety-related interruptions.
Smart Images

Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Method for operating a system with a conveying device
[0002] Description:
[0003] The invention relates to a method for operating a system with a conveying device.
[0004] It is generally known that an object can be conveyed in a conveying direction by means of a conveyor belt, in particular a conveyor belt or conveyor roller conveyor.
[0005] From DE 10 2004 047 018 B4, the closest prior art is a device for the precise transfer of objects from a conveyor belt to a mobile transport device.
[0006] EP 2 505 528 A1 discloses a method for transferring articles in a transport system.
[0007] EP 1 431 237 A1 discloses a load-bearing frame for a storage and retrieval machine.
[0008] The invention is therefore based on the object of making efficient, low-stress and time-optimized conveying feasible.
[0009] According to the invention, the object is achieved by the method according to the features specified in claim 1, 2 or 5.
[0010] Important features in the method for operating a system with, in particular, a storage and retrieval machine and a conveyor device are that the conveyor device has a first drive and a second drive, in particular wherein each drive is an electric motor drive, in particular wherein the first drive has a rotary electric motor, in particular of a conveyor track, and the second drive is a linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveying direction effected by the first drive is aligned parallel, in particular collinear, to the conveying direction of the second drive, in particular wherein the conveying section driven by the first drive and the conveying section driven by the linear actuator are arranged adjacent to one another and / or next to one another, in particular so that a first object conveyed by the first drive can be taken over by the linear actuator, wherein the position, in particular the conveying position, of the first drive is detected and the position,in particular conveying position, of the second drive is detected, wherein the position, in particular angular position, of the first drive is controlled to a first time-dependent target position curve by specifying a first target speed to the first drive as a manipulated variable, in particular to which the first drive regulates by adjusting its torque or motor current, wherein the position, in particular linear position, of the second drive is controlled to a second time-dependent target position curve by specifying a second target speed to the second drive as a manipulated variable, in particular to which the second drive regulates by adjusting its torque or motor current,in particular, wherein the respective current time derivative of the first target position curve is applied as a feedforward control of the manipulated variable of the first drive and the respective current time derivative of the second target position curve is applied as a feedforward control of the manipulated variable of the second drive, in particular, wherein a first object is movable by means of the conveying device, wherein, in particular before or during commissioning, the first target position curve is determined in such a way that at a first time a transfer position is reached with a synchronous speed, in particular with a first value of the quotient from,
[0011] Target position change per magazine is reached, and wherein, in particular before or during commissioning, the second target position curve is determined in such a way that at the first time the transfer position is also reached at the synchronous speed, in particular thus with the first value of the quotient of the target position change per magazine, and wherein the first target position curve and the second target position curve are determined in such a way that from the first time to a second time, in particular at which both drives reach a takeover position, the first target position curve always has identical position changes per magazine as the second target position curve, in particular wherein the system has a safety device which, upon detection of a safety-relevant event, interrupts the control of the first drive and the control of the second drive by the manipulated variable,in particular the first setpoint speed of the first drive is set to zero and the manipulated variable, in particular the second setpoint speed, of the second drive is set to zero, wherein after the safety-relevant event has ceased, at least for a period of time, the two pilot controls are switched off and the control is thus continued without the pilot controls, in particular without a position offset between the two drives and / or wherein after the safety-relevant event has ceased, in particular after an emergency stop has ceased, alignment movements are carried out based on the actual positions of the drives in order to restore the positional relationship of the drives to one another and thus to terminate the process with precise positioning.
[0012] The advantage of this is that after a safety-related interruption, such as an emergency stop or similar, the movement continues with precise positioning. This prevents a positional offset between the two axes, as occurs with current technology. This prevents slippage under the object, which would otherwise occur if one of the drives maintained a positional offset. By temporarily deactivating the feedforward control, the control can be temporarily stabilized.
[0013] Important features of the method for operating a system with a conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the conveying device has a first drive and a second drive, in particular wherein each drive is an electric motor drive, in particular wherein the first drive has a rotary electric motor, in particular of a conveyor track, and the second drive is a linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveying direction effected by the first drive is aligned parallel, in particular collinear, to the conveying direction of the second drive, in particular wherein the conveying section driven by the first drive and the conveying section driven by the linear actuator are arranged adjacent to one another and / or next to one another, in particular so that a first object conveyed by the first drive can be taken over by the linear actuator and vice versa, wherein the position, in particular conveying position, of the first drive is detected and the position, in particular conveying position,of the second drive is detected, in particular wherein a first object is movable by means of the conveying device, wherein,
[0014] - in a first method step, the first drive is moved from its starting position with a first temporal speed profile such that a transfer position with a synchronous speed is reached in the shortest possible time, and the second drive is moved from its starting position with a second temporal speed profile such that a transfer position with a synchronous speed is reached in the shortest possible time at the same time as the first drive, wherein the first temporal speed profile is determined in such a way that the jerk, the acceleration and the speed of the first drive do not exceed a respective limit value that can be specified for the first drive, in particular for jerk, acceleration or speed, and wherein the second temporal speed profile is determined in such a way that the jerk,the acceleration and the speed of the second drive do not exceed a respective limit value, in particular for jerk, acceleration or speed, which can be specified for the second drive, in particular so that the transfer of the first object from the first drive, in particular from the conveyor track, to the second drive, in particular to the linear actuator, can be started without slippage, in particular wherein the time integral of the first speed curve equals the distance between the start position of the first drive and the transfer position and wherein the time integral of the second speed curve equals the distance between the start position of the second drive and the transfer position,
[0015] - in a second method step, the first and second drives are moved synchronously, in particular for the slip-free transfer of the first object from the first drive to the second drive, in particular from the conveyor track to the linear actuator, in particular wherein the limit values are again not exceeded in terms of amount, and in a third method step, in particular after the complete transfer of the first object from the first drive to the second drive, the first drive is moved at a third temporal speed profile such that the first drive is brought to a standstill at an end position of the first drive in the shortest possible time, and the second drive is moved at a fourth temporal speed profile such that an end position of the second drive is reached in the shortest possible time, in particular wherein the limit values are again not exceeded in terms of amount,in particular, wherein the time integral of the third speed curve equals the distance between the takeover position and the end position of the first drive, and wherein the time integral of the fourth speed curve equals the distance between the start position of the second drive and the transfer position.
[0016] The advantage here is that in the first process step, the two drives can be controlled separately from each other, so that the synchronous speed is reached in a timely manner while maintaining the limit values. The absorbed mass remains constant in each case, i.e., the mass of the first object is entirely absorbed by the first drive and no mass is absorbed by the second drive. In the second process step, the mass of the first object is then advantageously absorbed more and more by the second drive, thus moving a variable mass at an accelerated rate, while still moving both drives synchronously with each other.
[0017] In an advantageous embodiment, in the second method step, the quotient of the torque generated by the first drive and the acceleration is a strictly monotonically decreasing function of time and the quotient of the force generated by the second drive acting on the first object in the conveying direction and the acceleration is a strictly monotonically increasing function of time.
[0018] The advantage here is that the synchronous movement is carried out despite changes in the mass to be conveyed. The first drive has a rotary electric motor that drives a conveyor belt or chain, or a conveyor roller on a roller conveyor. Therefore, the first drive generates a torque to convey the first object. The second drive, in turn, acts as a linear actuator and generates a force acting on the first object in the conveying direction.
[0019] If the conveyed mass were constant, then the respective quotient would be a constant function of time. According to the invention, however, the respective quotient is not a constant function of time. In an advantageous embodiment, in the second method step, after reaching a first position, the first drive and the second drive are negatively accelerated as strongly as possible, in particular decelerated, whereby the limit values are not exceeded in terms of absolute values, whereby the distance between the first position and the end position of the first drive equals the time integral of the speed curve that is applied after exceeding the first position up to the end position of the first drive.
[0020] The advantage here is that the end position of the first drive can be selected in such a way that the braking distance is very short and thus it can be prevented that a second object, which can be conveyed by the first drive, is taken over by the second drive.
[0021] Important features of the invention in the method according to claim 4 are that the method is provided for operating a system with a conveyor device, wherein the conveyor device has at least one conveyor track and a linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveying direction of the conveyor track is aligned parallel to the conveying direction of the linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveyor track and the linear actuator are arranged adjacent to each other and / or next to each other, in particular so that a first object conveyed by the conveyor track can be taken over by the linear actuator, wherein the position, in particular conveying position, of the conveyor track, in particular of a drive of the conveyor track, is detected and the position, in particular conveying position, of the linear actuator is detected, in particular wherein a first object is movable by means of the conveyor device, wherein in a first method step the conveyor track is accelerated in such a way and after a period of time is braked in such a way,that a transfer position is reached at a synchronous speed, and the linear actuator is accelerated in such a way that the transfer position is also reached at the synchronous speed, in particular so that the transfer of the first object from the conveyor track to the linear actuator can be started without slippage, in a second method step the conveyor track and linear actuator are moved synchronously, in particular for the slip-free transfer of the first object from the conveyor track to the linear actuator, and in a third method step the conveyor track is braked and the linear actuator is accelerated and then, in particular depending on the remaining distance, is moved at a particularly uniform speed and then braked, or wherein in a first method step the linear actuator is accelerated and after a period of time is braked such that a transfer position is reached at a synchronous speed,and the conveyor track is accelerated in such a way that the transfer position is also reached at the synchronous speed, in particular so that the transfer of the first object from the linear actuator to the conveyor track can be started without slippage, in a second method step the conveyor track and linear actuator are moved synchronously, in particular for the slip-free transfer of the first object from the linear actuator to the conveyor track, and in a third method step the linear actuator is braked and the conveyor track is accelerated and then moved at a uniform speed and then braked. The advantage here is that a jerk-free and slip-free transfer of the object conveyed by the conveyor track and thus a low-load transfer can be carried out. Maximum acceleration and maximum speed can be achieved. This is because at the start of the transfer, i.e. the first contact of the first object with the linear actuator,A synchronous speed is achieved by both the conveyor track and the linear actuator. This enables smooth transfer, and during transfer, both drives can even be accelerated, as they are accelerated synchronously. As long as the first object is moved only on the conveyor track or only on the linear actuator, asynchronous operation is possible.
[0022] In particular, or alternatively, the movements in the first process step are executed in an energy-optimized manner. Thus, the linear actuator can be started simultaneously with the conveyor track and then reaches the transfer position with a significantly lower or negligible acceleration. The movement of the drive whose movement is time-critical forms the basis for determining the position progression of the drive whose movement is not time-critical. In the second process step, however, both drives are moved synchronously, which is not the case in the first and third process steps.
[0023] In particular, the features of the previously mentioned procedures are also applicable to this procedure.
[0024] In an advantageous embodiment, the conveyor track and linear actuator are moved in the second process step, in particular accelerated synchronously, then moved at a uniform speed, and then decelerated. The advantage here is that the first object does not have to be moved uniformly, since the two drives are operated synchronously.
[0025] In an advantageous embodiment, the conveyor track and the linear actuator are not operated and / or moved synchronously in the first process step, in particular asynchronously. This is advantageous because, at the start time, the conveyor track may be at a different distance from the transfer position than the linear actuator.
[0026] In an advantageous embodiment, a temporal progression of target positions is specified for the conveyor track, in particular for the drive of the conveyor track, and the conveyor track, in particular for the drive of the conveyor track, regulates its currently detected actual position to the current target position by determining and / or setting a corresponding value of a manipulated variable, in particular speed or torque, of the conveyor track, in particular for the drive of the conveyor track. The advantage here is that an optimized position progression can be determined in advance, which is calculated in such a way that the maximum permitted speed and the maximum permitted acceleration are not exceeded. Thus, the movement sequence is time-optimized, i.e., can be executed as quickly as possible.
[0027] In an advantageous embodiment, a temporal progression of target positions is specified for the linear actuator, in particular the drive of the linear actuator, and the linear actuator, in particular the drive of the linear actuator, regulates its currently detected actual position to the currently specified target position by determining and / or setting a corresponding value of a manipulated variable, in particular the speed or force of the linear actuator, in particular the drive of the linear actuator. The advantage here is that the position progression can be determined in advance while maintaining the maximum permitted speed and the maximum permitted acceleration.
[0028] In an advantageous embodiment, the temporal target position curves are determined by a higher-level control system of the system and transmitted to the conveyor track, in particular to the conveyor track drive, and to the linear actuator, in particular to the linear actuator drive. The advantage here is that highly precise and fast determination can be carried out. In a further development, even the position control can be carried out using the higher-level control system.
[0029] In an advantageous embodiment, the conveyor track, in particular the drive of the conveyor track, is controlled by adjusting its detected actual position to the currently valid target position of the respective target position curve by setting a control variable for the conveyor track. This allows for efficient control, particularly with a PI controller.
[0030] In an advantageous embodiment, the linear actuator, in particular the drive of the linear actuator, adjusts its detected actual position to the currently valid target position of the respective target position curve by setting a manipulated variable of the linear actuator. The advantage here is that, depending on the control quality of a controller, the target position curve is automatically traversed. In an advantageous embodiment, the conveyor track and linear actuator are operated in master-slave control in the second process step. The advantage here is that severe disturbances can be better taken into account, in particular with the smallest possible deviation from the target position curve.
[0031] In an advantageous embodiment, the axis that has to travel the shorter remaining distance after synchronous operation, particularly after the second process step, acts as the master, and the other axis as the slave. The master transmits its current actual position as a setpoint to the slave, which determines a control value such that its actual position is adjusted to the setpoint. This is advantageous in that disturbances can be better taken into account, and despite disturbances, the position sequences to be executed synchronously are executed as precisely as possible.
[0032] In an advantageous embodiment, the conveyor track comprises a drive-driven conveyor belt, a drive-driven conveyor chain, and / or a conveyor roller conveyor. The advantage here is that the conveyor track can be implemented simply and cost-effectively. In particular, the conveying path of the conveying device comprises, on the one hand, the section operable by the conveyor track and, on the other hand, the section operable by the linear actuator. An object can thus be conveyed along the conveyor track, with the conveying position of the object to be conveyed being located in the section located by the conveyor track in the first method step, and in the third method step, in the section operable by the linear actuator.However, in the second process step, the object is conveyed by the linear actuator at its front edge, since the conveying position after passing the transfer position is located in the section served by the linear actuator; however, the object is still conveyed by the conveyor track at its rear edge, since this rear edge is still located in the section served by the conveyor track.
[0033] In an advantageous embodiment, the maximum accelerations of the linear actuator and the conveyor track are equal. This is advantageous in that the object can be transferred smoothly and the determination of the target position curves is very simple. In an advantageous embodiment, the maximum speeds of the linear actuator and the conveyor track are equal. This is advantageous in that the object can be transferred smoothly and without slippage and the determination of the target position curves is very simple.
[0034] In an advantageous embodiment, the conveyor track and linear actuator are operated in the first and third process steps in a time-optimized manner, particularly as quickly as possible, but especially asynchronously. The advantage here is that the overall movement is carried out as quickly as possible.
[0035] In an advantageous embodiment, in the second process step, the conveyor track and linear actuator are operated in a time-optimized manner, particularly as quickly as possible, but especially synchronously. This is advantageous because the movement is slip-free, particularly because there is no significant difference in speed between the conveyed object and the respective section of the track, thus resulting in static friction rather than sliding friction. This results in improved adhesion.
[0036] Important features of the system are that the conveying device is arranged on a storage and retrieval machine of the system, in particular on a lifting axis of the storage and retrieval machine, in particular such that the conveying device can be moved in the vertical direction from the lifting axis, in particular wherein the conveying direction of the linear actuator is aligned parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor track, in particular wherein the conveying direction of the linear actuator and / or the conveying direction of the conveyor track is aligned horizontally, in particular wherein a first object conveyed by the conveyor track can be taken over by the linear actuator.
[0037] An advantage here is that, in the third process step or thereafter, the conveyor device can be lowered vertically, allowing the object to be supported on a double rail of a warehouse. The storage and retrieval machine, including the conveyor device, can then be guided out parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor device. It is important that the conveyor device can be moved through a system using the storage and retrieval machine and can be moved vertically using a lifting axis of the storage and retrieval machine. This allows the conveyor device to be used for storing or retrieving objects in a rack warehouse.
[0038] Further advantages emerge from the dependent claims. The invention is not limited to the combination of features in the claims. Further possible combinations of claims and / or individual claim features and / or features of the description and / or the figures will become apparent to those skilled in the art, particularly from the problem and / or the problem posed by comparison with the prior art.
[0039] The invention will now be explained in more detail using schematic illustrations:
[0040] Figure 1 shows the operation of a conveying device based on four positions (S1, S2, S3, S4) of a working sequence of the conveying device, wherein the conveying device has a linear actuator 3, in particular a telescopic drive, and a conveyor track 4.
[0041] Figure 2 shows the temporal speed sequences of the linear actuator 3 and the conveyor track 4 associated with the sequence shown in Figure 1.
[0042] Figure 3 shows a process in the reverse direction.
[0043] Figure 4 shows the temporal speed sequences of the linear actuator 3 and the conveyor track 4 associated with the sequence shown in Figure 3.
[0044] As shown in the figures, the conveying device comprises a linear actuator 3, with which a picked-up object 1 can be moved linearly, and a conveyor track 4, which moves picked-up objects (1, 2) in the conveying direction. The conveying device of the conveyor track 4 is parallel, in particular collinear, to the linear direction of the linear actuator 3.
[0045] As shown in Figure 1, in the first position S1 the linear actuator, in particular the telescope, has a distance B to a transfer position and the first object 1 picked up on the conveyor track 4 has a distance A to this transfer position.
[0046] In Figure 2, the hatched area, which is marked with the reference symbol A in the area between S1 and S2, represents the distance A, which can be determined by temporal integration of the temporal velocity profile.
[0047] In Figure 2, the hatched area, which is designated by reference symbol B in the area between S1 and S2, represents the distance B, which can be determined by temporal integration of the temporal velocity profile. The first object 1 is preferably arranged directly adjacent to the second object 2. Both objects (1, 2) are arranged one behind the other in the conveying direction of the conveyor track 4 and are accommodated on the conveyor track 4.
[0048] The conveyor track 4 has a converter-fed drive, wherein the respective current actual position is also detected by a sensor and fed to the drive, which sets a control variable, in particular the torque or the speed of the drive, in such a way that the actual position is controlled towards a target position.
[0049] The target positions are specified by a higher-level control system, which also specifies target positions for the inverter-fed drive of the linear actuator 3, to which the actuator adjusts its actual position by setting a corresponding manipulated variable, in particular the torque or the speed of the drive.
[0050] The entire movement sequence is therefore controlled by the fact that the temporal progression of the target positions for the conveyor track 4 and the linear actuator 3 is determined in the higher-level control and then transmitted to the inverter-fed drives.
[0051] When determining the temporal progression of the target positions, the progressions are determined in such a way that the respective acceleration does not exceed a specified negative or positive acceleration limit, and the respective speed does not exceed a specified speed limit. Furthermore, the temporal progression of the acceleration is designed to be jerk-limited, meaning that a specified maximum jerk is not exceeded.
[0052] The position S2 marks the transfer position at which the first object 1 reaches the transfer position at the same time as the linear actuator 3 and then the transfer of the first object 1 to the linear actuator 3 begins.
[0053] In order to reach the transfer position while simultaneously reaching a synchronous speed V_sync, the conveyor track is accelerated from the start time with maximum acceleration, in particular with the acceleration limit value, and then a braking process is initiated in such a timely manner that after covering the distance A the first object 1 reaches the transfer position with the synchronous speed V_sync.
[0054] To reach the transfer position at the same time as conveyor track 4, linear actuator 3 is accelerated with a time delay at maximum acceleration and then reaches the transfer position at the same time with the same synchronous speed V_sync. This allows the first object 1 to be transferred from conveyor track 4 to linear actuator 3 without slippage.
[0055] From the transfer position, both the conveyor track 4 and the linear actuator 3 continue to accelerate until the first object 1 is completely taken over, in particular until the takeover position is reached at which the first object is completely taken over by the linear actuator 3, in particular position S3. This maximum permitted speed is held constant for a period of time, and then a braking process is initiated until the takeover position, i.e. position S3, is reached, i.e. the first object 1 is completely taken over by the linear actuator 3.
[0056] During the movement from the transfer position until complete takeover by the linear actuator 3, the higher-level control system specifies the position of the conveyor track 4 and the linear actuator 3. Thus, both move synchronously, in particular, synchronously with each other.
[0057] The transfer is completed when position S3 is reached, whereby this position is referred to here as the transfer position, since the object has now been completely transferred.
[0058] In any case, after the first object 1 has been completely taken over, the linear actuator is moved to an end position as quickly as possible, whereby the linear actuator is first accelerated to its maximum, then the speed is kept constant and then decelerated.
[0059] The conveyor device is mounted, for example, on a storage and retrieval machine and can thus be raised or lowered using a lifting axis. After reaching the end position, the first object 1 can be unloaded onto a receiving rail by lowering the lifting axis and thus the entire conveyor device.
[0060] After the first object 1 has been completely taken over, the conveyor track 4 is braked, for which the braking distance C is required.
[0061] The final position is reached at position S4.
[0062] In Figure 2, the hatched area, which is marked with the reference symbol B in the area between S1 and S2, represents the distance B of the conveyor track 4 to the transfer position, which can be determined by temporal integration of the temporal speed curve.
[0063] B Distance of the linear actuator 3 to the transfer position
[0064] C Braking distance of the second object 2, in particular the stopping distance of the conveyor track 4
[0065] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a corresponding process is also possible in reverse.
[0066] In the above-mentioned end position, i.e. in position S4, which now functions as the starting position, the first object 1 has a distance AA to the transfer position.
[0067] First, the linear actuator 3 is accelerated at the maximum permitted acceleration in the opposite direction to the direction used in Figures 1 and 2, until the maximum permitted speed is reached. This speed is then maintained and, after a period of time has elapsed, decelerated at the maximum permitted braking acceleration until position S3, i.e., the takeover position that now serves as the start of the takeover, is reached at the synchronous speed V_sync, particularly in terms of speed.
[0068] In order to reach the takeover position at the same time at the synchronous speed V_sync, particularly in terms of magnitude, the conveyor track is accelerated in advance from a starting position, which is a distance BB from the transfer position, at the maximum permitted acceleration. From the takeover position, i.e., position S3, both drives are accelerated at the maximum permitted acceleration until the maximum permitted speed is reached. Both drives then continue to move at the maximum permitted speed and then decelerate at the maximum permitted deceleration acceleration until they both reach the transfer position, i.e., position S2, at the same speed.
[0069] Thus, the movement between position S3 and position S2 is again synchronized.
[0070] After reaching the transfer position, i.e. position S2, at which the first object 1 is completely taken over by the conveyor track 4, the linear actuator 3 is braked and comes to a standstill at a position which has the braking distance CC as the distance from the transfer position.
[0071] However, after reaching the transfer position, i.e. position S2, the conveyor track 4 is accelerated with maximum acceleration and then decelerated in such a way that the first object 1 reaches its target position, in particular at position S1.
[0072] The final distance DD of the first object 1 to the transfer position, i.e. position S2, is again obtained by temporal integration of the temporal speed curve between position S2 and position S1.
[0073] In further embodiments according to the invention, in order to eliminate the distance between the first object 1 and the second object 2, a limiting means (not shown in the figures) is preferably arranged at the end of the conveyor track, against which the second object 2 is moved, so that the conveyor belt continues to move below the second object 2 with slippage. In this way, the first object 1 is then moved against the side of the second object 2 facing away from the limiting means, so that there is no distance between the first object 1 and the second object 2.
[0074] In Figure 4,
[0075] - AA is the distance of the first object 1 to the takeover position, i.e. position S3, BB is the acceleration path of the second object 2,
[0076] CC is the braking distance of the linear actuator and
[0077] DD is the final distance of the first object 1 to the transfer position, i.e. position S2.
[0078] In further alternative embodiments of the invention, the actual positions of each of the two drives are detected and fed to a control device located within the higher-level controller. The control device then determines the deviation from the temporal target position profile and, from this, determines a control value, in particular a respective target speed, which is transmitted to the drives. The drives each adjust their torque in such a way that the respective actual speed is adjusted to the current target speed.
[0079] The target position curve is determined in such a way that the speed curve, in particular as shown in the figures, has a maximum value for speed and a synchronous section in which the temporal target position changes of both drives are always exactly the same.
[0080] Thus, in this embodiment, the two drives are controlled synchronously by centrally specifying the target position curve and individually determining the control deviation of the drives, and from this, the control value is also individually determined.
[0081] Although the position control has a feedforward control, whereby the time derivative of the respective target position curve, in particular formed in a discretized manner, is added as a feedforward control to the respective manipulated variable of the respective drive, the control can be continued after an emergency shutdown or after another shutdown triggered by a safety-relevant event, whereby the feedforward controls are switched off at least intermittently and thus a stable re-adjustment is possible.
[0082] Alternatively, in synchronous operation, i.e. during the outward travel from position S2 to position S3 and during the return travel from position S3 to position S2, master-slave control can also be implemented, in which the conveyor track acts as the master and the linear actuator as the slave. Master-slave control can also be implemented in the other movement sections. The master receives the temporal target position curve, towards which it steers its actual positions by determining a corresponding control value, in particular speed or torque. The master also transmits its current actual position to the slave, which adopts this as the target value and steers its actual positions accordingly by also determining a control value, in particular speed or torque. The data is preferably transmitted via the higher-level controller, which is connected to both drives for data exchange.
[0083] In particular, the end position depends on the positioning and / or distance of the storage and retrieval machine relative to a storage location in the system. This is because the first object 1 is to be moved to a final position by the linear actuator or picked up from the final position, with the storage location designated for the first object 1 being located at the final position. For example, the first object 1 is picked up or placed at the storage location by moving a vertical axis of the storage and retrieval machine, with the entire conveyor device being moved by the vertical axis, i.e., the linear actuator together with the conveyor track.
[0084] In further embodiments according to the invention, a master-slave control is used in the second method step, in which the linear actuator follows the conveyor track. Thus, the actual positions of the conveyor track are detected, adjusted to the setpoint curve, and these detected actual positions of the conveyor track are specified as the setpoint positions for the linear actuator. In the first and third method steps, the drives can be controlled separately. This allows for improved consideration of different acceleration levels.
[0085] List of reference symbols
[0086] 1 first object
[0087] 2 second object
[0088] 3 Linear actuator, especially telescope
[0089] 4 Conveyor track, in particular conveyor belt or conveyor roller conveyor
[0090] 51 first position
[0091] 52 second position
[0092] 53 third position
[0093] 54 fourth position
[0094] A Distance of the first object 1 to the transfer position
[0095] B Distance of the linear actuator 3 to the transfer position
[0096] C Deceleration distance of the second object 2
[0097] AA Distance of the first object 1 to the transfer position
[0098] BB Acceleration path of the second object 2
[0099] CC braking distance of the linear actuator,
[0100] DD Final distance of the first object 1 to the transfer position
Claims
Patent claims:
1. Method for operating a system with a conveying device, in particular a system with a storage and retrieval machine that is, in particular, autonomously movable within the system and which has a conveying device, in particular wherein the conveying device is arranged on a vertical axis of the storage and retrieval machine, in particular is arranged to be movable back and forth in the vertical direction, wherein the conveying device has a first drive and a second drive, in particular wherein each drive is an electric motor drive, in particular wherein the first drive has a rotary electric motor, in particular of a conveyor track, and the second drive is a linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveying direction effected by the first drive is aligned parallel, in particular collinear, to the conveying direction of the second drive.in particular wherein the conveying section driven by the first drive and the conveying section driven by the linear actuator are arranged adjacent and / or neighboring each other, in particular such that a first object conveyed by the first drive can be taken over by the linear actuator, wherein the position, in particular conveying position, of the first drive is detected and the position, in particular conveying position, of the second drive is detected, wherein the position, in particular angular position, of the first drive is controlled to a first time-dependent target position profile by specifying a first target speed as a control variable to the first drive, in particular to which the first drive controls by adjusting its torque or motor current, wherein the position, in particular linear position, of the second drive is controlled to a second time-dependent target position profile by specifying a second target speed as a control variable to the second drive, in particular to which the second drive controls its torque or motor current, in particular wherein the respective current time derivative of the first target position profile is used as feedforward control of the control variable of the first drive and the respective current time derivative of the second target position profile is used as feedforward control of the control variable of the second drive, in particular wherein a first object can be moved by means of the conveying device, characterized in that, in particular before or during commissioning, the first target position profile is determined in such a way that a transfer position with a synchronous speed is reached at a first time point in time,in particular, therefore, with a first value of the quotient, The target position change per journal is achieved, and that, especially before or during commissioning, the second target position progression is determined in such a way that at the first time the transfer position is also aligned with the Synchronous speed is achieved, in particular with the first value of the quotient of target position change per magazine, and that the first target position profile and the second target position profile are determined in such a way that from the first time point until a second time point, in particular at which both drives reach a takeover position, the first target position profile always has identical position changes per magazine as the second target position profile. In particular, the system includes a safety device which, upon detection of a safety-relevant event, interrupts the control of the first drive and the control of the second drive by setting the manipulated variable, in particular the first target speed, of the first drive to zero and the manipulated variable, in particular the second target speed, of the second drive to zero, wherein, after the safety-relevant event ceases, in particular after the emergency stop ceases, the two feedforward controls are switched off for at least a certain period of time and the control is thus continued without the feedforward controls, in particular without positional offset between the two drives and / or wherein, after the safety-relevant event ceases, in particular after the emergency stop ceases, alignment movements are carried out based on the actual positions of the drives.to restore the positional relationship between the drives and thus to end the process with precise positioning.
2. Method for operating a system with a conveying device, in particular wherein the conveying device is arranged on a vertical axis of a storage and retrieval machine comprising the conveying device, in particular is arranged to be movable back and forth in the vertical direction, wherein the conveying device has a first drive and a second drive, in particular wherein each drive is an electric motor drive, in particular wherein the first drive comprises a rotary electric motor, in particular of a conveyor track, and the second drive is a linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveying direction effected by the first drive is aligned parallel, in particular collinear, to the conveying direction of the second drive, in particular wherein the conveying section driven by the first drive and the conveying section driven by the linear actuator are arranged adjacent and / or neighboring to each other.in particular such that a first object conveyed by the first drive can be taken over by the linear actuator, wherein the position, in particular conveying position, of the first drive is detected and the position, in particular conveying position, of the second drive is detected, in particular wherein a first object can be moved by means of the conveying device, characterized in that, - in a first process step, the first drive is moved from its starting position with such a first temporal velocity profile that a transfer position with synchronous velocity is reached in the shortest possible time, and the second drive is moved from its starting position with such a second temporal velocity profile that in the shortest possible time a transfer position is reached at a synchronous speed at the same time as by the first drive, wherein the first temporal velocity profile is determined such that the jerk, acceleration and speed of the first drive do not exceed a respective limit value, in particular for jerk, acceleration or speed, that can be specified for the first drive, and wherein the second temporal velocity profile is determined such that the jerk, acceleration and speed of the second drive do not exceed a respective limit value, in particular for jerk, acceleration or speed, that can be specified for the second drive, in particular so that the transfer of the first object from the first drive, in particular from the conveyor, to the second drive, in particular to the linear actuator, can be started without slippage.in particular wherein the time integral of the first velocity profile equals the distance between the starting position of the first drive and the transfer position, and wherein the time integral of the second velocity profile equals the distance between the starting position of the second drive and the transfer position, - in a second process step, the first and second drives are moved synchronously, in particular for the slip-free transfer of the first object from the first drive to the second drive, in particular from the conveyor track to the linear actuator, in particular where the limit values are again not exceeded in magnitude, and in a third process step, in particular after the complete transfer of the first object from the first drive to the second drive, the first drive is moved with such a third temporal velocity profile that the first drive is brought to a standstill at an end position of the first drive in the shortest possible time, and the second drive is moved with such a fourth temporal velocity profile that a The final position of the second drive is reached, in particular where the limit values are not exceeded in absolute terms, in particular where the time integral of the third velocity profile is equal to the distance between the takeover position and the final position of the first drive, and where the time integral of the fourth velocity profile is equal to the distance between the starting position of the second drive and the transfer position, in particular where the final position depends on the positioning and / or the distance of the depends on the storage and retrieval machine relative to a storage location of the system.
3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that in the second method step the quotient of the torque generated by the first drive and the acceleration is a strictly monotonically decreasing function of time and the quotient of the force generated by the second drive acting on the first object in the conveying direction and the acceleration is a strictly monotonically increasing function of time.
4. Method according to claim 3 or 2, characterized in that in the second method step, after reaching a first position, the first drive and the second drive are subjected to the strongest possible negative acceleration, in particular deceleration, without exceeding the absolute limits, wherein the distance between the first position and the end position of the first drive corresponds to the time integral of the velocity profile applied after exceeding the first position until reaching the end position of the first drive.
5. Method for operating a system with a conveying device, wherein the conveying device has at least one conveying track and a linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveying direction of the conveying track is aligned parallel to the conveying direction of the linear actuator, in particular wherein the conveying track and the linear actuator are arranged adjacent to and / or neighboring each other, in particular such that a first object conveyed by the conveying track can be taken over by the linear actuator, wherein the position, in particular conveying position, of the conveying track, in particular of a drive of the conveying track, is detected and the position, in particular conveying position, of the linear actuator, in particular of a drive of the linear actuator, is detected, in particular wherein a first object can be moved by means of the conveying device, characterized in that either in a first process step the conveying track is accelerated in such a way and after a time interval is decelerated in such a way,that a transfer position is reached at a synchronous speed, and the linear actuator is accelerated in such a way that the transfer position is also reached at a synchronous speed, in particular so that the transfer of the first object from the conveyor track to the linear actuator can be started without slippage, in a second process step the conveyor track and linear actuator are moved synchronously, in particular for the slip-free transfer of the first object from the conveyor track to the linear actuator, and in a third process step the conveyor is decelerated and the linear actuator is accelerated and then moved at a uniform speed and then decelerated, or that in a first process step the linear actuator is accelerated and after a time interval decelerated in such a way that a transfer position is reached at a synchronous speed, and the conveyor is accelerated in such a way that the transfer position is also reached at the synchronous speed, in particular so that the transfer of the first object from the linear actuator to the conveyor can be started without slippage, in a second process step conveyor and linear actuator are moved synchronously, in particular for the slip-free transfer of the first object from the linear actuator to the conveyor,and in a third process step the linear actuator is decelerated and the conveyor track is accelerated and then moved at a uniform speed and then decelerated.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the second method step the conveyor track and linear actuator are moved, in particular accelerated synchronously, then moved at a uniform speed and then decelerated.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the first process step and in the second process step the conveyor track and linear actuator are not operated synchronously, in particular asynchronously, and / or moved.
8. A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a temporal sequence of target positions is specified to the conveyor, in particular to the drive of the conveyor, and the conveyor, in particular to the drive of the conveyor, adjusts its respective detected current actual position to the respective current target position by determining and / or setting a corresponding value of a manipulated variable, in particular speed or torque, of the conveyor, in particular to the drive of the conveyor, and a temporal sequence of target positions is specified to the linear actuator, in particular to the drive of the linear actuator, and the linear actuator, in particular to the drive of the linear actuator, adjusts its respective detected current actual position to the respective specified current target position by setting a corresponding value of a manipulated variable, in particular speed or force of the linear actuator, in particular to the drive of the linear actuator.is determined and / or set.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the temporal target position profiles are determined by a higher-level control system of the plant and are transmitted to the conveyor, in particular to the drive of the conveyor, and to the linear actuator, in particular to the drive of the linear actuator.
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor, in particular the drive of the conveyor, is adjusted from its detected actual position to the currently valid target position of the respective target position profile by setting a control variable of the conveyor, and / or that the linear actuator, in particular the drive of the linear actuator, is adjusted from its detected actual position to the currently valid target position of the respective target position profile by setting a control variable of the linear actuator.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the second method step the conveyor and linear actuator are operated in master-slave control.
12. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor acts as master and the linear actuator as slave, wherein the master transmits its current actual position as a setpoint to the slave, which determines a setpoint such that its actual position is adjusted to the setpoint.
13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor track comprises a conveyor belt driven by a drive, in particular a conveyor belt and / or a roller conveyor, and / or that the maximum accelerations of the linear actuator and the conveyor track are equal, and / or that the maximum speeds of the linear actuator and the conveyor track are equal.
14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the first and third process steps the conveyor and linear actuator are operated in a time-optimized manner, in particular as quickly as possible, but especially asynchronously, and / or that in the second process step the conveyor and linear actuator are operated in a time-optimized manner, in particular as quickly as possible, but especially synchronously.
15. System for carrying out a method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveying device is arranged on a storage and retrieval machine of the system, in particular wherein the conveying device is arranged on a vertical axis of the storage and retrieval machine, in particular is arranged to be movable back and forth in the vertical direction, in particular wherein the storage and retrieval machine is movable in the system, in particular is movable autonomously in the system, in particular on a lifting axis of the storage and retrieval machine, in particular such that the conveying device is movable in the vertical direction from the lifting axis, in particular wherein the conveying direction of the linear actuator is aligned parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor track, in particular wherein the conveying direction of the linear actuator and / or is aligned horizontally with the conveying direction of the conveyor track, in particular wherein a first object conveyed by the conveyor track can be picked up by the linear actuator.