Roller chain inspection device, roller chain inspection method, and roller chain

Abstract

To provide a roller chain inspection device, etc. capable of efficiently inspecting a roller chain for an unloading machine.SOLUTION: A roller chain inspection device 300 for an unloading machine for unloading cargoes from a hold by a bucket conveyor comprises: a roller chain 25 driven along a predetermined conveying path in engagement with a rotating sprocket; and a plurality of buckets attached to the roller chain 25 along a driving direction. The chain inspection device 300 comprises a roller shape measuring part 310 which continuously measures shapes of a plurality of rollers 63 in a measurement direction (a Z-axis direction) crossing a driving direction (an X-axis direction) and an opposite direction (a Y-axis direction) while driving the roller chain 25 along the conveying path.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a roller chain inspection device and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] Ship unloaders, which unload bulk cargo or bulk materials such as coal and iron ore, are known as unloading machines that unload cargo from a ship's hold onto land. While this disclosure is applicable to any unloading machine, ship unloaders will be primarily described as an example and representative. Ship unloaders are also called continuous unloaders or continuous ship unloaders, since they continuously unload bulk materials from the ship's hold. In this disclosure, the abbreviation CSU is used.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses an unloader that unloads cargo from a ship's hold using a so-called bucket elevator. The bucket elevator includes a chain that engages with a rotating sprocket and is driven along a vertical transport path, and multiple buckets that are attached to the chain along the driving direction. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2019-131394 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Each link in a bucket elevator chain wears due to contact with sprockets, etc. This wear is typically checked manually or visually for all links along the entire length of the chain during periodic inspections of the unloader, etc. This not only requires a long inspection time, but also creates the risk of variations in inspection accuracy depending on the person performing the inspection.

[0006] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of these circumstances, and aims to provide a roller chain inspection device and the like that can efficiently inspect roller chains for hoisting machines such as CSUs. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, one aspect of the roller chain inspection device disclosed herein is a roller chain inspection device for a lifting machine that unloads cargo from a hold using a bucket conveyor that has a roller chain that engages with a rotating sprocket and is driven along a predetermined transport path, and a plurality of buckets attached to the roller chain along the drive direction, in which the roller chain has pairs of outer plates that face each other in opposite directions that intersect the drive direction, and pairs of inner plates that face each other in opposite directions inside the pairs of outer plates, which are arranged alternately along the drive direction, and each end of the pair of outer plates in the drive direction is connected to each end of the pair of inner plates in the drive direction by a pin that extends in the opposite direction, and rollers that come into contact with the sprocket are rotatably provided around the pin, and the device is equipped with a roller shape measurement unit that continuously measures the shapes of the plurality of rollers in a measurement direction that intersects the drive direction and the opposite direction while driving the roller chain along the transport path.

[0008] In this embodiment, the shape of multiple rollers is continuously measured in a measurement direction that intersects with the driving direction of the roller chain while the roller chain is driven along the transport path. For example, wear on each roller due to contact with the sprocket is effectively detected as a change in the shape of each roller. In this way, this embodiment allows for efficient inspection of roller chains for hoisting machines such as CSUs.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a roller chain inspection method for a lifting machine that unloads cargo from a hold using a bucket conveyor that includes a roller chain that engages with a rotating sprocket and is driven along a predetermined transport path and has a plurality of buckets attached to the roller chain along the drive direction, the roller chain having pairs of outer plates that face each other in opposite directions intersecting the drive direction and pairs of inner plates that face each other in opposite directions inside the pairs of outer plates, the ends of each pair of outer plates in the drive direction are connected to the ends of the inner pair of inner plates in the drive direction by pins that extend in the opposite direction, and rollers that contact the sprockets are rotatably mounted around the pins, and while the roller chain is driven along the transport path, the shapes of the plurality of rollers are continuously measured in a measurement direction that intersects both the drive direction and the opposite directions.

[0010] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure is a roller chain that meshes with a rotating sprocket and is driven along a predetermined circular path, with multiple buckets attached along the driving direction, in which pairs of outer plates each consisting of two outer plates facing each other in an opposing direction intersecting the driving direction and pairs of inner plates each consisting of two inner plates facing each other in the opposing direction inside the outer plate pairs are arranged alternately along the driving direction, ends of each pair of outer plates in the driving direction are connected to ends of the inner pair of inner plates in the driving direction by pins extending in the opposing direction, and rollers that come into contact with the sprocket are rotatably provided around the pins, and a mark that can be detected by a roller shape measurement unit that continuously measures the shapes of the multiple rollers in a measurement direction intersecting the driving direction and the opposing direction while driving the roller chain along the circular path is provided on the roller chain at one position along the circular path.

[0011] Any combination of the above components, or any conversion of these expressions into methods, devices, systems, recording media, computer programs, etc., are also encompassed within the present disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to the present disclosure, roller chains for hoisting machines such as CSUs can be efficiently inspected. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a lifting machine. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a lifting machine. [Figure 3] The detailed configuration of the loading section is shown. [Figure 4] The external appearance of the distance measurement sensor is shown. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is a top view showing an example of the arrangement of distance measurement sensors. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a roller chain. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a roller chain. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a schematic functional block diagram of a roller chain inspection device. [Figure 9] 10A and 10B are schematic diagrams showing an example of measurement results of one roller by a distance measurement sensor. [Figure 10] 2A and 2B show schematic diagrams of two examples of the arrangement of the roller shape measuring unit. [Figure 11] An example of installation of the roller shape measurement unit on a chain guide is shown schematically. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present disclosure (hereinafter also referred to as embodiments) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the description and / or drawings, identical or equivalent components, members, processes, etc. are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted. The scale and shape of each part shown in the drawings are set for convenience to simplify the description and should not be construed as limiting unless otherwise specified. The embodiments are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Not all features and combinations thereof presented in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the present disclosure. For convenience, the embodiments are presented by breaking them down into components for each function and / or functional group that realize them. However, one component in an embodiment may actually be realized by a combination of multiple separate components, or multiple components in an embodiment may actually be realized by a single integrated component. Furthermore, although multiple embodiments and variants may be disclosed in parallel, any components of each embodiment and / or each variant may be combined in any manner as long as they do not interfere with each other's functions.

[0015] FIG. 1 shows the overall configuration of a lifting machine 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The lifting machine 1 is a continuous unloader or a continuous ship unloader that unloads bulk material M loaded on a ship 200 or as cargo to land. Hereinafter, the lifting machine 1 will also be referred to as a CSU 1. The CSU 1 continuously carries out bulk material M stored in a hold 201 of a ship 200 that is berthed at a quay 101 of a pier 102 at a port or the like to land. Typical examples of bulk material M include coal, coke, ore, etc.

[0016] The CSU1 is operated by an operator in a main control room 16 provided in the main body of the CSU1. The control room for operating the CSU1 may be provided elsewhere within the CSU1, or may be provided at any location on land outside the CSU1.

[0017] The wharf 102 where the ship 200 docks constitutes land where bulk cargo M is unloaded and is made of high-strength materials such as reinforced concrete. As shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the wharf 102 is provided with a pair of parallel rails 3 as tracks that run along the longitudinal direction (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1) of the ship 200 docked and anchored at the quay 101. The rails 3 form a track along which the traveling unit 2, which serves as the mobile unit of the CSU 1, can move or run. The rails 3 enable the CSU 1 to move relative to the anchored ship 200. As shown in FIG. 2, the installation direction of the rails 3 preferably coincides with the longitudinal direction of the anchored ship 200 or the quay 101, but may be any other direction. The rails 3 may also include curved or bent portions. When unloading cargo from the ship 200, the CSU 1 moves on the rails 3 and approaches a hatch 21, which serves as an upper opening of the hold 201 from which cargo is to be unloaded. Thereafter, the traveling section 2, the swivel frame 5, the lifting section 9, etc. are driven, and the bulk cargo M is lifted from the hold 201.

[0018] At the wharf 102, a belt conveyor 45 is provided between the pair of rails 3 as a conveyor for transporting the unloaded bulk goods M in a certain direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the installation direction of the belt conveyor 45, i.e., the transport direction, preferably coincides with the installation direction of the rails 3, but may be any other direction. The belt conveyor 45 may also include curved or bent portions. The belt conveyor 45 needs to be provided between the pair of rails 3 at the location where the bulk goods M unloaded from the CSU 1 are received, but may be provided outside the pair of rails 3 at other locations.

[0019] The CSU 1 comprises a traveling section 2 as a moving section that can move relative to the ship 200, a swivel frame 5 as a swivel section that can swivel relative to the traveling section 2, and a lifting section 9 as a cargo handling or lifting device that is provided at the tip of the swivel frame 5 and transports bulk cargo M. The swivel frame 5 is supported on the traveling section 2 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis in the vertical direction (the up and down direction in FIG. 1). The swivel frame 5 is provided with a boom 7 that extends laterally and intersects with the rotation axis, and a bucket elevator that serves as a transport section or bucket conveyor that constitutes the main part of the lifting section 9 is supported at the tip of the boom 7.

[0020] The lifting unit 9 maintains a vertical position regardless of the boom 7's hoisting angle (the angle of rotation around the hoisting axis perpendicular to the plane of the page in FIG. 1) thanks to a parallel link mechanism formed between the swivel frame 5, boom 7, and parallel link 8. A counterweight 13 is attached to the rear end of the swivel frame 5, opposite the tip of the boom 7. The counterweight 13 is connected to the tip of the boom 7 via a balancing lever 12. The action of this counterweight 13 places the lifting unit 9 in a substantially unloaded state, achieving a stable load balance. The main components of the swivel unit, such as the swivel frame 5, boom 7, balancing lever 12, and counterweight 13, are hereinafter collectively referred to as the main body.

[0021] A cylinder 15 is provided to adjust the boom 7's hoisting angle. When the cylinder 15 is at its standard length, the hoisting angle is 0 degrees, i.e., the boom 7 is parallel or horizontal to the ground (left-right direction in Figure 1). When the cylinder 15 is extended beyond its standard length, the tip of the boom 7 rises, resulting in a positive hoisting angle. When the cylinder 15 is retracted beyond its standard length, the tip of the boom 7 descends, resulting in a negative hoisting angle. The lifting unit 9 supported at the tip of the boom 7 rises while maintaining a vertical position when the boom 7's hoisting angle increases, and descends while maintaining a vertical position when the boom 7's hoisting angle decreases. In this way, the lifting unit 9, which functions as a cargo handling or lifting device, moves up and down integrally with the boom 7 in accordance with the hoisting of the boom 7.

[0022] A main control room 16 for operating the CSU 1 is provided in the main body of the CSU 1 or the rotating unit. In the example of FIG. 1, the main control room 16 is provided on the unloading unit 9 side of the revolving frame 5. An operator in the main control room 16 can safely operate the CSU 1 while visually checking the unloading unit 9. The operator in the main control room 16 may also operate the CSU 1 while viewing on a monitor an image or video of the inside of the hold 201 captured by a photographing device such as a camera. Parameters related to the position, attitude, operation, etc. of the CSU 1, such as the position of the traveling unit 2, the rotation angle of the revolving frame 5, and the hoisting angle of the boom 7 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the CSU state), are controlled in response to operation of the CSU 1 through the main control room 16. The unloading operation of the unloading unit 9 for bulk cargo M can also be controlled through the main control room 16.

[0023] The unloading section 9 includes a scraping section 11 as a handling section that scrapes bulk goods M from within the hold 201, and a bucket elevator as a transport section or bucket conveyor that transports the bulk goods M scraped by the scraping section 11 upward and out of the hold 201. The scraping section 11 is provided at the bottom of the unloading section 9. The bulk goods M from the hold 201 are continuously excavated and scraped away by a number of buckets 27 (see FIG. 3) that are provided movably in a single direction (W in FIG. 1) along the outer periphery of the scraping section 11. The bulk goods M scraped by the scraping section 11 are transported upward together with the buckets 27 by the bucket elevator.

[0024] Fig. 3 shows a detailed configuration of the unloading unit 9. The bucket elevator comprises a cylindrical elevator body 14 extending vertically, and a chain bucket 29 that moves in circles along the outer periphery of the elevator body 14 and the scraping unit 11. The chain bucket 29 comprises a pair of roller chains 25, each of which is an endless chain, and a plurality of buckets 27, both sides of which are supported by the pair of roller chains 25. Specifically, the pair of roller chains 25 are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Fig. 3(B), and each bucket 27 is attached so as to be suspended between the pair of roller chains 25.

[0025] The bucket elevator includes a drive roller 31a that rotates the roller chain 25 that is stretched over it, driven rollers 31b and 31c, and a diverting roller 33. At least some (preferably all) of the drive roller 31a, driven rollers 31b and 31c, and diverting roller 33 are configured as sprockets that mesh with the roller chain 25. The drive roller 31a is provided at the top 9a of the bucket elevator and is driven to rotate by a motor (not shown) or the like, causing the chain bucket 29 to move in an orbit. The driven roller 31b is provided in front of the scraping unit 11 (left side in FIG. 3(B)), and the driven roller 31c is provided behind the scraping unit 11 (right side in FIG. 3(B)). Each of these rollers guides the orbiting chain bucket 29. The diverting roller 33 is a driven roller provided below the drive roller 31a, and guides the orbiting chain bucket 29 and changes its direction of movement. An extendable cylinder 35 is provided between driven roller 31b and driven roller 31c. When this cylinder 35 extends or retracts, the distance between the axes of both driven rollers 31b and 31c changes, thereby changing the trajectory of the orbital motion of chain bucket 29. Control of extension and retraction of cylinder 35 may be performed in response to operations via main operation room 16, or may be performed automatically according to a program by a computer built into CSU 1. In addition, since two roller chains 25 are provided, two each of drive roller 31a, follower rollers 31b and 31c, and diverting roller 33 are also provided, and are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 3(B).

[0026] By being rotationally driven through the drive roller 31a, the chain bucket 29 moves in an orbit around the outer periphery of the elevator body 14 and the scraping part 11. For example, the chain bucket 29 moves in an orbit counterclockwise direction along the arrow W shown in FIG. 3(B). At this time, the chain bucket 29 moves back and forth between the scraping part 11 provided at the bottom of the bucket elevator and the drive roller 31a provided at the top 9a of the bucket elevator.

[0027] Each bucket 27 of the chain bucket 29 rises along the elevator body 14 while maintaining its orientation with its opening facing upward. When each bucket 27 passes over the drive roller 31a at the top 9a of the bucket elevator, its direction of movement changes from upward to downward, and the opening of each bucket 27 also turns from upward to downward. A discharge chute (not shown) is provided below the opening of each bucket 27 that has turned downward in this manner, and the bulk goods M scraped by each bucket 27 are discharged there. The discharge chute discharges the bulk goods M onto a rotary feeder 37 (FIG. 1) provided on the outer periphery of the upper part of the unloading section 9.

[0028] The rotary feeder 37 rotates around a rotation axis in the extension direction of the elevator body 14, i.e., the vertical direction, and transfers the bulk goods M discharged from the discharge chute to a boom conveyor 39 of the boom 7. The boom conveyor 39 transports the bulk goods M along the boom 7 to the vicinity of the rotation axis of the rotating frame 5 and supplies them to a hopper (not shown) provided there. An internal conveyor 43 that receives the bulk goods M is provided in the running section 2 below the discharge opening of this hopper. The internal conveyor 43 transfers the bulk goods M to the aforementioned belt conveyor 45 provided on the pier 102, which serves as land.

[0029] Next, we will explain the basic cargo-lifting operation of the CSU 1 having the above configuration. In this cargo-lifting operation, the cargo-lifting section 9 and / or the CSU 1 function as a cargo handling device or a cargo-lifting device that carries out bulk cargo M (ship cargo) in the hold 201 of the ship 200 to the outside of the hold 201.

[0030] The operator of the CSU 1 operates the CSU 1 from within the main operation room 16. First, the running unit 2 travels on the rails 3 until it approaches the hatch 21 of the hold 201 to be unloaded. Next, the revolving frame 5 is rotated about a vertical pivot point located at a position overlapping the running unit 2 in top view in FIG. 1 , and the lifting unit 9 at the tip of the boom 7 is moved above the hatch 21 of the hold 201 to be unloaded. To prevent the lifting unit 9 from colliding with the wharf 102 or the ship 200, it is preferable to raise and lower the boom 7 in the forward direction (clockwise in FIG. 1 ) and perform the travel and swing operations with the lifting unit 9 sufficiently raised. Next, the boom 7 is raised and lowered in the reverse direction (counterclockwise in FIG. 1 ), and the scraping unit 11 at the tip of the lifting unit 9 is inserted into the hold 201 through the hatch 21. The movement of the traveling section 2, the rotation of the rotating frame 5, and the raising and lowering of the boom 7 may be performed simultaneously if safety is not an issue.

[0031] After the scraping unit 11 is inserted into the hold 201, the roller chain 25 starts to revolve along the arrow W. As the multiple buckets 27 attached to the roller chain 25 revolve integrally with the roller chain 25, they excavate and scrape off the bulk goods M stored in the hold 201. The bulk goods M scraped off by each bucket 27 are transported upward along the elevator body 14 as the roller chain 25 revolves.

[0032] The scraping unit 11 may change its three-dimensional position within the hold 201 as needed to efficiently scrape bulk material M from various locations within the hold 201. For example, if the surface of the bulk material M becomes lower as the unloading operation progresses, the boom 7 is raised and lowered in the negative direction, lowering the scraping unit 11. Furthermore, to scrape bulk material M near the wall of the hold 201, the position of the scraping unit 11 in the horizontal plane may be changed to approach the wall by operating the traveling unit 2 and / or the rotating frame 5. The scraping unit 11 may change not only its three-dimensional position but also its posture and shape. For example, the scraping unit 11 can rotate around a rotation axis in the extension direction of the elevator body 14, i.e., the vertical direction, and its orientation can be changed as desired. Furthermore, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3(B), the scraping unit 11 can also assume an inclined or horizontally elongated shape, contracting vertically and extending horizontally. This allows the scraping section 11 to be brought close to the wall and the bulk cargo M to be scraped off efficiently even in a hold 201 where the horizontal distance from the hatch 21 to the wall is large.

[0033] The control of the CSU state, such as the position, posture, operation, and shape of the scraping unit 11 or the unloading unit 9 within the hold 201, related to the unloading operation of the CSU1 as described above may be performed autonomously by the CSU1 using a photographing device such as a camera or a ranging sensor described below (i.e., the unloading unit 9 and / or CSU1 may be operated automatically), or may be performed manually by an operator in the main control room 16 while communicating with workers within the hold 201.

[0034] After scraping out the bulk goods M from the hold 201 as described above, the bucket 27 rises along the elevator body 14 and turns from an upward to a downward direction as it passes over the drive roller 31a at its top 9a. The bulk goods M that fall as the bucket 27 turns enter a discharge chute and are discharged onto the rotary feeder 37. Thereafter, the bulk goods M are transferred via the boom conveyor 39 and the internal conveyor 43 to a belt conveyor 45 provided on the quay 102 serving as land. By repeatedly performing the above-described carrying-out operation using a plurality of buckets 27, the bulk goods M in the hold 201 are continuously unloaded.

[0035] Next, we will explain the distance measurement sensors provided inside and outside the CSU 1 to improve the safety and efficiency of unloading. The distance measurement sensors constitute a hold detection unit or position measurement unit that detects parts of the hold 201, such as the edge of the opening 21, the top / side surface facing the edge, the ceiling / wall / bottom of the hold 201, and the position of structures inside the hold 201. Furthermore, as will be described later, the distance measurement sensors provided inside and outside the CSU 1 may constitute a roller shape measurement unit that measures the shape of each roller in the roller chain 25.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1 , multiple distance measuring sensors 19 are provided on the upper part of the lifting section 9 to measure the distance to measurement targets below and to the sides. In the illustrated example, the measurement targets of the distance measuring sensors 19 include the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / wall / bottom of the hold 201, bulk cargo M or other objects, people / structures in the hold 201, a bottom-drilling bulldozer, the scraping section 11, the ship 200, other parts of the CSU 1 such as the boom 7, the rotating frame 5, the running section 2, and the main control room 16, the quay 101, the wharf 102, the rail 3, and the belt conveyor 45. The multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be disposed, for example, on the upper part of the cylindrical elevator body 14 so as to surround the outer periphery of the elevator body 14. Alternatively, the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be provided on a flange 91 that rotatably supports the upper part of the elevator body 14 so as to surround the outer periphery of the elevator body 14. It is preferable that the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 be installed below the connection between the lifting unit 9 and the boom 7 so that the boom 7 does not fall within the measurement range below and to the sides of the multiple distance measuring sensors 19. On the other hand, if the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 are installed above the connection between the lifting unit 9 and the boom 7, each distance measuring sensor 19 should be installed in a position that does not overlap with the boom 7 when viewed from above (when viewed from above in Figure 1). Examples of the arrangement of the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 when viewed from above will be described later. The number of distance measuring sensors 19 is arbitrary. For example, any number of distance measuring sensors 19 that measure distance mainly below the lifting unit 9 and any number of distance measuring sensors 19 that measure distance mainly to the sides of the lifting unit 9 may be installed.

[0037] The scraping unit 11 below the unloading unit 9 is provided with multiple distance measuring sensors 18 for measuring the distance to measurement targets above, to the side, and below. In the illustrated example, the measurement targets of the distance measuring sensors 18 include the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / wall / bottom of the hold 201, bulk goods M and other objects, people / structures inside the hold 201, a bottom-drilling bulldozer, and other parts of the CSU 1 such as the boom 7. The distance measuring sensors 18 are provided at the front (left side in FIG. 1 ) and rear (right side in FIG. 1 ) of the scraping unit 11, respectively. To avoid deterioration of measurement accuracy due to dust and the like from the bulk goods M scraped by the bucket 27 of the scraping unit 11, the multiple distance measuring sensors 18 are preferably provided at positions (e.g., above the scraping unit 11) away from the location where the bucket 27 excavates the bulk goods M (e.g., below the scraping unit 11). The number of distance measuring sensors 18 is arbitrary. For example, any number of distance measuring sensors 18 that measure distances centered on the sides of the scraping unit 11 and any number of distance measuring sensors 18 that measure distances centered on the bottom of the scraping unit 11 may be provided.

[0038] 4 shows the appearance of distance measuring sensors 18, 19. Distance measuring sensors 18, 19 are, for example, laser sensors capable of distance measurement, and constitute distance measuring units that measure the distance to a measurement object. Distance measuring sensors 18, 19 as laser sensors include a laser emitter (not shown) that serves as an emitter that emits laser light toward a measurement object including the hold 201, and a laser receiver (not shown) that serves as a receiver that receives the laser light reflected by the measurement object. A light-transmitting portion 171 that is an endless band and that allows laser light to pass through is formed around the entire periphery of the side surface of cylindrical housing 17 of distance measuring sensors 18, 19.

[0039] Multiple laser emitters are provided in positions facing the light-transmitting portion 171 inside the housing 17, and emit linear laser light to the outside of the housing 17 through the light-transmitting portion 171. The laser emitters are arranged at predetermined intervals along the direction of the central axis A of the housing 17 (the vertical direction in FIG. 4), but FIG. 4 shows the laser light emitted from a single point for simplicity. As shown in the schematic diagram, the emission angles of the laser emitters differ from each other by approximately 0.1 to 3 degrees. These distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 irradiate laser light within a predetermined angular range above and below the reference plane S, which is a plane perpendicular to the central axis A of the housing 17. (In the illustrated example, the range from θ- to θ+ is used.) While θ- and θ+ can be arbitrarily designed, in the following example, it is assumed that -θ- = θ+ = 15 degrees. In this case, the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 irradiate laser light within a range of ±15 degrees centered on the reference plane S. Furthermore, these multiple laser emitters can rotate 360 ​​degrees together around the central axis A of the housing 17. Therefore, the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 can irradiate laser light to substantially all measurement targets around (to the sides of) the housing 17. Note that the laser emitters in the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 may be configured to irradiate laser light in any angular range less than 360 degrees around the central axis A of the housing 17 (for example, an angular range of 180 degrees or less or an angular range of 120 degrees or less). Furthermore, it is preferable to use laser light of an invisible wavelength, such as near-infrared light, so as not to disturb people inside or around the CSU 1 or the ship 200.

[0040] Distance measuring sensors 18, 19 rotate multiple laser emitters together and emit pulsed laser light at predetermined rotation angles. The pulsed laser light emitted by each laser emitter is reflected or scattered by the object to be measured, returns to distance measuring sensors 18, 19, and is received by a laser receiver provided together with each laser emitter inside housing 17. A calculation unit (not shown) of distance measuring sensors 18, 19 calculates the distance to the object to be measured based on the time from when the laser emitter emits a pulsed laser light to when the laser receiver receives the pulsed laser light reflected by the object to be measured. This technology is also called LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging).

[0041] Although laser sensors have been used above as examples of distance measuring sensors 18 and 19, distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may also use other types of light or electromagnetic waves. For example, millimeter-wave sensors using so-called millimeter waves with wavelengths of approximately 1 mm to 10 mm may be used as distance measuring sensors 18 and 19. Millimeter waves have a high frequency of approximately 30 GHz to 300 GHz, making them highly directional and allowing them to be treated similarly to lasers. A millimeter-wave sensor may be configured similarly to the laser sensor shown in FIG. 4, except that instead of the laser emitter, a millimeter-wave transmitter (broadly defined emitter) that emits millimeter waves toward the object to be measured is provided, and instead of the laser receiver, a millimeter-wave receiver (broadly defined light receiver) that receives millimeter waves reflected from the object to be measured is provided. Furthermore, optical sensors that use light other than laser light, such as Time of Flight (ToF) image sensors, may also be used as distance measuring sensors 18 and 19. Furthermore, distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may not have an emitter that emits light or electromagnetic waves toward the object to be measured. For example, the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may be a stereo camera or the like that can measure distance by simultaneously photographing an object to be measured from different directions.

[0042] Distance measuring sensors 18, 19 as shown in FIG. 4 are attached to CSU 1 as shown in FIG. 1 in any position and in any orientation depending on the purpose of measurement. For example, distance measuring sensor 18 installed in scraping unit 11 is attached so that center axis A in FIG. 4 is vertical and reference plane S is horizontal. This distance measuring sensor 18 can measure distances within hold 201 with the side of scraping unit 11 as the center. Distance measuring sensor 18 may also be attached so that center axis A in FIG. 4 is horizontal and reference plane S is vertical. This distance measuring sensor 18 can measure distances to opening 21 above scraping unit 11 and bulk cargo M below scraping unit 11. Note that the orientation of center axis A of distance measuring sensor 18 may be any orientation, not limited to vertical or horizontal.

[0043] The distance measurement sensor 19 installed at the top of the unloading section 9 may be mounted so that its central axis A in FIG. 4 is horizontal and its reference plane S is vertical. This distance measurement sensor 19 can measure distances to the edge of the opening 21 of the hold 201 below, bulk cargo M in the hold 201, and the like. Note that this distance measurement sensor 19 can also emit laser light upward, but if there is no measurement target above, the upper side of the distance measurement sensor 19 may be covered with a light-blocking cover, for example, to disable distance measurement above. Furthermore, the distance measurement sensor 19 may be mounted so that its central axis A in FIG. 4 is vertical and its reference plane S is parallel to the horizontal plane. This distance measurement sensor 19 can efficiently measure distances to any measurement target outside the hold 201 to the side. The direction of the central axis A of the distance measurement sensor 19 may be any direction, not limited to horizontal or vertical, but is assumed to be horizontal in the following example.

[0044] By providing distance measuring sensors 18, 19 as described above in the unloading section 9, it is possible to accurately grasp the position of any measurement object, such as the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / wall / bottom of the hold 201, bulk cargo M or other objects, people / structures inside the hold 201, a bulldozer for raking the bottom, or the scraping section 11. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the unloading section 9 from colliding with other objects during unloading, and the bulk cargo M can be unloaded efficiently.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows an example of the arrangement of distance measurement sensors 19 from a top view. Three distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193 are arranged as distance measurement sensors 19, surrounding the outer periphery of flange portion 91 or elevator body 14. Distance measurement sensor 191 is arranged so that its central axis A in FIG. 4 is in the left-right direction in FIG. 5, and a reference plane S1 corresponding to reference plane S in FIG. 4 is in the up-down direction in FIG. 5. Distance measurement sensor 191 measures distance by emitting laser light within a range of ±15 degrees around reference plane S1. Distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 are arranged so that its central axis A in FIG. 4 is in the up-down direction in FIG. 5, and reference planes S2 and S3 corresponding to reference plane S in FIG. 4 are in the left-right direction in FIG. 5. Distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 measure distance by emitting laser light within a range of ±15 degrees around reference planes S2 and S3. The reference planes S2 and S3 of the distance measuring sensors 192 and 193 are different planes parallel to each other and perpendicular to the reference plane S1 of the distance measuring sensor 191.

[0046] The CSU 1 unloads bulk cargo M from the hold 201 with the attitude shown in Figure 5 as the basic attitude for unloading. In this basic attitude, the running unit 2 is positioned away from the front position of the hold 201, and the rotating frame 5 and boom 7 are in a rotating position that forms an acute angle with the rail 3 that forms the track of the running unit 2. In this case, the unloading unit 9 is located above the hold 201 of the ship 200, and the scraping unit 11 at its bottom is inserted into the hold 201 through the opening 21.

[0047] The opening 21 of the hold 201 is often rectangular and elongated in the direction of travel of the ship 200 (the left-right direction in FIG. 5). In this case, the upper edge E11 and the lower edge E12 of the opening 21 can be detected by a distance measurement sensor 191 that emits laser light parallel to the short sides of the opening 21 (the sides in the vertical direction in FIG. 5). Note that the points shown at the centers of the edges E11 and E12 represent the positions where the laser light on the reference plane S1 of the distance measurement sensor 191 hits the edge of the opening 21, and the small rectangle surrounding it schematically represents the range where the laser light, emitted within a range of ±15 degrees from the reference plane S1 as the center, hits the edge of the opening 21. Similar notations are used for the distance measurement sensors 192 and 193.

[0048] Similarly, distance measurement sensors 192 and 193, which emit laser light parallel to the long sides of opening 21 (the left-right sides in FIG. 5), can detect edges E21 and E31 on the left side and edges E22 and E32 on the right side of opening 21. Using two distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 enables highly accurate distance measurement even in the long direction, which is more difficult to measure distances in than the short direction. In this way, the arrangement of distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193 in FIG. 5 is suitable for detecting the edges of opening 21 that has a shape that is elongated in one direction, such as a rectangle.

[0049] Furthermore, even if the CSU1 is not in the basic position shown in Figure 5, if the loading section 9 is within the opening 21 when viewed from above, the three ranging sensors 191, 192, and 193 can acquire six ranging point groups on the edge of the opening 21 corresponding to E11, E12, E21, E22, E31, and E32, and the position of the opening 21 can be accurately determined.

[0050] 5 , the basic posture of the CSU 1 during unloading may be such that the travel unit 2 is located in front of the hold 201 and the revolving frame 5 and boom 7 are perpendicular to the rail 3. In this case, the extension direction of the boom 7 coincides with the short side direction of the opening 21, so that the reference plane S1 of the distance measuring sensor 191 is parallel to the extension direction of the boom 7, and the reference planes S2 and S3 of the distance measuring sensors 192 and 193 are perpendicular to the extension direction of the boom 7. If the distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193 are rotatable integrally around the axis of the cylindrical elevator body 14, it is possible to easily arrange the distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193 appropriately for the elongated opening 21 described above, depending on the change in the basic posture of the CSU 1 during unloading.

[0051] The above-described number and / or arrangement of distance measuring sensors 19 are merely examples, and any number and / or arrangement of distance measuring sensors 19 may be employed. The number of distance measuring sensors 19 is preferably at least two, and more preferably three or more, in order to efficiently measure the position, posture, shape, and other conditions of the hold 201 surrounding the unloading section 9 in a top view. Multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be arranged at equal intervals along the outer periphery of the flange 91 or the elevator body 14. In this case, the installation orientation of each distance measuring sensor 19 is arbitrary. For example, each distance measuring sensor 19 may be installed so that its reference plane S is in contact with the outer periphery of the flange 91 or the elevator body 14. This symmetrical arrangement allows stable measurement of the position, posture, shape, and other conditions of the hold 201 regardless of the orientation of the CSU 1 during unloading.

[0052] The movable parts of the CSU 1, namely the movable traveling part 2, the swiveling revolving frame 5, the hoistable boom 7, the rotatable and deformable scraping part 11, etc., are controlled according to the distance to the hold 201 itself or to the measurement object inside or outside the hold 201 measured by the distance measuring sensors 18, 19 as described above, thereby preventing the lifting part 9 from colliding with the hold 201 itself or other objects (measurement objects) inside or outside the hold 201 during unloading, and enabling the bulk goods M to be unloaded efficiently. Note that in addition to or instead of the distance measuring sensors 18, 19, an optical sensor such as an image sensor or camera that photographs the measurement object may be used to detect the hold 201 itself or objects inside or outside the hold 201.

[0053] Next, we will explain the roller chain inspection device 300 of this embodiment, which is equipped with a roller shape measurement unit that can be configured using the distance measurement sensor and optical sensor described above.The roller chain inspection device 300 of this embodiment is a roller chain inspection device for a CSU that unloads bulk goods M from a hold 201 using a bucket conveyor or bucket elevator that includes a roller chain 25 that meshes with a rotating sprocket (e.g., drive roller 31a) and is driven along a transportation path as shown in Figure 3, and multiple buckets 27 attached to the roller chain 25 along the driving direction.Figure 6 is a schematic exploded perspective view of the roller chain 25 described above, which is the object to be inspected by the roller chain inspection device 300.

[0054] In FIG. 6, an XYZ three-dimensional coordinate system formed by intersecting X-, Y-, and Z-axes is conveniently set in accordance with the shape and posture of roller chain 25. In particular, the X-axis direction is the direction in which roller chain 25 extends. In the example of FIG. 6, roller chain 25 extends linearly, so the X-axis direction is constant. However, because roller chain 25 bends as shown in FIG. 3, the X-axis direction may vary for each portion of roller chain 25. Similarly, the Y-axis direction and / or Z-axis direction may also vary for each portion of roller chain 25. As will be described later, the X-axis direction is also referred to as the driving direction, the Y-axis direction is also referred to as the counter direction, and the Z-axis direction is also referred to as the measurement direction. In the example of FIG. 6, the driving direction (X-axis), the counter direction (Y-axis), and the measurement direction (Z-axis) are perpendicular to each other.

[0055] The roller chain 25 is configured by connecting outer links 50 and inner links 60 alternately arranged along the driving direction at their respective ends.

[0056] The outer link 50 includes an outer plate pair 51 and a pin pair 52 that are fixed to each other by press fitting or the like.

[0057] The outer plate pair 51 is composed of two substantially identical plate-shaped outer plates 51A, 51B (hereinafter collectively referred to as outer plates 51) facing each other in a facing direction intersecting the drive direction. The outer plate 51, which is elongated in the drive direction, has a front end hole 511 at one end on the +X side (hereinafter, for convenience, also referred to as a front end) and a rear end hole 512 at the other end on the -X side (hereinafter, for convenience, also referred to as a rear end).

[0058] The pin pair 52 is composed of two substantially identical rod-shaped pins 52A and 52B (hereinafter collectively referred to as pins 52) extending in opposing directions. The pin 52A on the front side is fixed by press-fitting or the like into a front end hole 511 of the opposing pair of outer plates 51A and 51B. The pin 52B on the rear side is fixed by press-fitting or the like into a rear end hole 512 of the opposing pair of outer plates 51A and 51B.

[0059] As described above, the pair of opposing outer plates 51A, 51B are connected at the front and rear ends by the pair of pins 52A, 52B, thereby forming a single integral outer link 50.

[0060] The inner link 60 includes an inner plate pair 61 and a bushing pair 62 that are fixed to each other by press fitting or the like.

[0061] The pair of inner plates 61 is composed of two substantially identical, plate-shaped inner plates 61A and 61B (hereinafter collectively referred to as inner plates 61) facing each other in the facing direction. The inner plate 61, which is long in the driving direction, has a front end hole 611 at its front end on the +X side and a rear end hole 612 at its rear end on the -X side.

[0062] The bushing pair 62 is composed of two substantially identical tubular (preferably cylindrical) bushings 62A, 62B (hereinafter collectively referred to as bushings 62) extending in an opposing direction. The bushing 62A on the front side is fixed by press-fitting or the like into a front end hole 611 of the opposing pair of inner plates 61A, 61B. The bushing 62B on the rear side is fixed by press-fitting or the like into a rear end hole 612 of the opposing pair of inner plates 61A, 61B.

[0063] As described above, the pair of opposing inner plates 61A, 61B are integrally connected at the front and rear end portions by the pair of bushings 62A, 62B.

[0064] As schematically shown in Figure 6, the inner link 60 is connected to the outer link 50 (strictly speaking, the outer plate 51) on the inside in the opposing direction of the outer link 50. Specifically, the front-end pin 52A connecting the front end holes 511 of the pair of outer plates 51 penetrates through the rear end hole 612 of the pair of inner plates 61 and the inside of a cylindrical bush 62B, thereby connecting the front ends of the pair of outer plates 51 and the rear end of the pair of inner plates 61. Similarly, the rear-end pin 52B connecting the rear end holes 512 of the pair of outer plates 51 penetrates through the front end hole 611 of the pair of inner plates 61 and the inside of the cylindrical bush 62A, thereby connecting the rear end of the pair of outer plates 51 and the front ends of the pair of inner plates 61.

[0065] With the outer link 50 and the inner link 60 connected in this manner, each bushing 62, which is part of the inner link 60, is provided around each pin 52, which is part of the outer link 50. Furthermore, two substantially identical cylindrical (preferably cylindrical) rollers 63A, 63B (hereinafter collectively referred to as rollers 63) extending in opposite directions are provided around each bushing 62A, 62B. The rollers 63 may be interpreted as part of the inner link 60, or as a separate member from the inner link 60 and the outer link 50.

[0066] The inner diameter of the rollers 63 is equal to or greater than the outer diameter of the bushings 62, and the outer rollers 63 are rotatable relative to the inner bushings 62. The teeth of the sprockets, such as the drive roller 31a in FIG. 3, come into contact with the surfaces or outer peripheral surfaces of the rollers 63. For this reason, the sprockets do not come into contact with the bushings 62 or pins 52 provided inside the rollers 63. In this way, in the roller chain 25 according to this embodiment, the rollers 63, which come into contact with the sprockets, are rotatably provided around the pins 52 and / or bushings 62.

[0067] Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of roller chain 25. Figure 7A is an XY plan view, and Figure 7B is a ZX plan view. Figure 7A shows a schematic cross section of the connection portion between the rear end of one outer link 50 and the front end of one inner link 60. As described above with reference to Figure 6, the bushing 62A of the inner link 60 is located around the pin 52B of the outer link 50, and the roller 63A is located around the bushing 62A.

[0068] When such a roller chain 25 is driven along a typically curved conveying path (driving direction) as shown in FIG. 3, the following types of wear occur between the various components: First, wear occurs on the surface or outer periphery of roller 63 due to contact with the teeth of the sprocket, such as drive roller 31a; Second, wear occurs due to sliding between the inner periphery of roller 63, which is rotatable relative to roller 63, and the outer periphery of bushing 62; and Third, wear occurs due to sliding between the inner periphery of bushing 62, which is rotatable relative to pin 52, and the outer periphery of pin 52.

[0069] The first type of wear becomes apparent as a change in the surface shape or outer shape of the roller 63. The second type of wear and / or the third type of wear becomes apparent as a change in the pitch P, which is the distance between two adjacent outer plate pairs 51 in the driving direction (for example, as shown in FIG. 7B, the center-to-center distance between the rear pin 52B of the front outer plate pair 51 and the front pin 52A of the rear outer plate pair 51). Note that even if the pin 52 or the bushing 62 wears out, the center-to-center distance between the front pin 52A and the rear pin 52B fixed to the same outer plate pair 51 does not change. In other words, the distance or pitch (pitch P0 in FIG. 8, which will be described later) between two adjacent inner plate pairs 61 in the driving direction is approximately constant regardless of the degree of wear.

[0070] The roller chain inspection device 300 according to this embodiment efficiently detects the above-described surface wear of the rollers 63 and changes in pitch P by measuring the surface shape of the rollers 63. Figure 8 is a schematic functional block diagram of the roller chain inspection device 300 according to this embodiment. The roller chain inspection device 300 includes a roller shape measurement unit 310 and a roller distance measurement unit 320.

[0071] The roller shape measuring unit 310 measures the surface shape or outer shape of the rollers 63 located at the connection points between the outer links 50 and the inner links 60 of the roller chain 25. The roller shape measuring unit 310 can be configured using a distance measuring sensor as described with reference to FIG. 4 or an optical sensor such as an image sensor or camera. The Z-axis, which is the primary measurement direction of the roller shape measuring unit 310, intersects with the X-axis, which is the driving direction, and the Y-axis, which is the opposing direction. Specifically, the roller shape measuring unit 310 measures the surface shape of each roller 63 from approximately above and / or below in FIG. 6. On the other hand, measurement along the X-axis direction is undesirable because the roller shape measuring unit 310 physically interferes with the roller chain 25 (or because the series of rollers 63 being measured overlap), and measurement along the Y-axis direction is undesirable because the rollers 63 being measured are hidden by the outer plate 51 and inner plate 61.

[0072] A specific measurement example will be described later, but a roller shape measuring unit 310 such as a distance measuring sensor continuously measures the shapes of multiple rollers 63 in a measurement direction (Z-axis direction) that intersects with the driving direction (X-axis direction) and the opposing direction (Y-axis direction) while driving the roller chain 25 along a predetermined transport path. In the schematic example of FIG. 8 , the roller chain 25 is driven in the X-axis direction (driving direction) during measurement by the roller shape measuring unit 310. It is preferable that the roller shape measuring unit 310, which serves as the measuring subject, is substantially stationary with respect to the bucket elevator or unloading unit 9 on which the roller chain 25 to be measured is installed. In this case, the roller shape measuring unit 310 is stationary in FIG. 8 .

[0073] 8, the roller chain 25 moves along the X-axis direction in front of the stationary roller shape measuring unit 310 (above in FIG. 8). As a result, multiple rollers 63 provided at the connection portions between the outer links 50 and inner links 60 of the roller chain 25 pass in front of the roller shape measuring unit 310 in sequence. The roller shape measuring unit 310 continuously measures the shapes of the multiple rollers 63 passing in sequence in this way, in a measurement direction that intersects with the driving direction (and the opposing direction). Measurement of the shapes of the rollers 63 by the roller shape measuring unit 310 is performed over the entire length of the roller chain 25, i.e., for all of the rollers 63 provided on the roller chain 25.

[0074] When the transport path of the roller chain 25 is a circular path as shown in FIG. 3, a mark MK detectable by the roller shape measuring unit 310 is preferably provided on the roller chain 25 at at least one position along the circular path. This mark MK is provided to uniquely identify a position on the roller chain 25 along the circular path (particularly, the measurement start position and / or measurement end position). The roller shape measuring unit 310 may start measuring the shapes of the multiple rollers 63 when it detects the mark MK, and may end the measurement when it detects the mark MK again after the roller chain 25 has completed one revolution around the circular path. Such a mark MK allows the roller shape measuring unit 310 to accurately measure all of the rollers 63 provided on the roller chain 25 that is circulating around the circular path.

[0075] The marks MK may be any mark that can be detected by the roller shape measuring unit 310. For example, if the roller shape measuring unit 310 is configured with a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance to the object to be measured, the marks MK may be configured by shaping the roller chain 25 with irregularities or other shapes on any exposed surface portion of the roller chain 25 that can be measured by the distance measuring sensor (e.g., the exposed surface portions of the outer plate 51, pin 52, and inner plate 61). If the roller shape measuring unit 310 is configured with an optical sensor such as an image sensor or camera, the marks MK may be provided with any optically identifiable shape, color, pattern, or the like on any exposed surface portion of the roller chain 25 that can be measured by the optical sensor (e.g., the exposed surface portions of the outer plate 51, pin 52, and inner plate 61).

[0076] The roller shape measuring unit 310 may continuously measure the shapes of multiple rollers 63 along the opposing direction (Y-axis direction). FIG. 9 schematically illustrates an example of measurement results for one roller 63 using a distance measuring sensor as the roller shape measuring unit 310. As described above with reference to FIG. 4, the distance measuring sensor can measure or scan within a predetermined angular range (e.g., ±15 degrees) around its circumference (e.g., 360 degrees). As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, measurement results for the surface shape of the roller chain 25 including the roller 63 as the primary measurement object are obtained. This is obtained by scanning the position (hereinafter referred to as height for convenience) in the Z-axis direction (measurement direction) of the surface of the roller chain 25 at each position in the Y-axis direction (the opposing direction). As in FIG. 7A, an inner plate 61B and an outer plate 51B, which have different heights, are detected on the +Y side of the roller 63, and an inner plate 61A, an outer plate 51A, and a pin 52, which have different heights, are detected on the -Y side of the roller 63.

[0077] Based on the surface profile measurement results of the roller chain 25 shown in Figure 9, the height distribution of the rollers 63, which are the primary measurement targets, along the Y-axis can be determined. In the example shown in Figure 9, the rollers 63 have a constant height. However, in reality, the amount of wear on the rollers 63 may vary depending on their position in the Y-axis due to variations in the location, frequency, and strength of contact with the sprocket. In such cases, the roller profile measurement unit 310 may acquire any statistical value, such as the maximum, minimum, or average height of the rollers 63. By measuring and / or analyzing the height of each roller 63, the amount or degree of wear on each roller 63 can be effectively detected. For example, if a roller 63 is found to be severely worn, the roller chain inspection device 300 may notify the CSU 1 administrator or issue a message to the CSU 1 administrator, encouraging appropriate maintenance, such as repair or replacement, of the roller 63.

[0078] In addition to the height or wear distribution of the roller 63 as described above, the outer diameter of the roller 63 can also be calculated based on the measurement results shown in Figure 9. For example, the outer diameters of the inner plates 61A and 61B detected on both sides of the roller 63 are known as design values, and since these inner plates 61A and 61B are not affected by wear, these design values ​​can be used as reference values. The outer diameter of the roller 63 can be calculated by subtracting from the design value of the outer diameters of the inner plates 61A and 61B twice the difference between the height of the inner plates 61A and 61B in the measurement results shown in Figure 9 (indicated by a circled "2" in Figure 9) and the height of the roller 63 (indicated by a circled "1" in Figure 9).

[0079] 9, the width of the roller chain 25 along the Y-axis direction is also obtained based on the measurement results in FIG. 9. Furthermore, the circled "4" in FIG. 9 indicates the exposed surface portion of the pin 52. The aforementioned mark MK that can be uniquely detected by the distance measuring sensor serving as the roller shape measuring unit 310 may be formed here. For example, a shape process such as a recess or projection applied to only a specific pin 52 (preferably, one pin 52 on the entire roller chain 25 or circular path) functions as the mark MK for the distance measuring sensor.

[0080] As described above, the measurement results of the surface shape of the roller chain 25 shown in Figure 9 are obtained continuously over time while the roller chain 25 is driven along the transport path or the circulation path. Here, when one roller 63 passes in front of the distance measuring sensor serving as the roller shape measuring unit 310, the height of the roller 63 in the measurement results shown in Figure 9 gradually increases, reaches a maximum value, and then gradually decreases. This maximum value is observed when the central axis of the roller 63 (or the central axis of the bushing 62 and / or the pin 52) passes in front of the distance measuring sensor serving as the roller shape measuring unit 310. Therefore, the difference in the timing at which the continuously measured heights of the roller 63 reach their maximum value represents the time interval between two rollers 63 (or two bushings 62 and / or two pins 52) adjacent to each other in the driving direction.

[0081] As mentioned above, the pitch P0 between the inner links 60 shown in Figure 8 is not affected by wear, so a known design value can be used. The roller chain inspection device 300 can calculate the moving speed V of the roller chain 25 by dividing the design value of this pitch P0 by the time interval between rollers 63A and 63B at both ends of one outer link 50 (or the time interval between bushings 62A and 62B, or the time interval between pins 52B and 52A), which is determined from the results of continuous measurements over time, such as those in Figure 9. Note that the moving speed V of the roller chain 25 may also be determined by using a control value or measurement value of the motor that drives it.

[0082] In this way, using the moving speed V of roller chain 25 calculated based on the measurement results by roller shape measuring unit 310, roller distance measuring unit 320 in Fig. 8 can calculate pitch P between outer links 50. Specifically, the pitch P between outer links 50 can be calculated by multiplying the time interval between rollers 63B and 63A at both ends of one inner link 60 (or the time interval between bushings 62B and 62A, or the time interval between pins 52A and 52B), which is understood from the time-series measurement results such as those in Fig. 9, by moving speed V of roller chain 25. In this way, roller distance measuring unit 320 measures the distance between two adjacent rollers 63 in the driving direction based on the shapes of the plurality of rollers 63 continuously measured by roller shape measuring unit 310.

[0083] As described above, the roller chain inspection device 300 according to this embodiment can accurately detect changes in pitch P (typically elongation) due to the second and / or third wear described above. Note that the roller chain inspection device 300 does not need to include the roller distance measurement unit 320, and may detect wear of each roller 63 itself using only the roller shape measurement unit 310.

[0084] FIG. 10 shows two exemplary layouts of roller shape measuring units 310 such as distance measuring sensors and cameras.

[0085] In the first arrangement example, the roller shape measuring unit 310 is provided at least temporarily outside the CSU 1. For example, the roller shape measuring unit 310 is provided on a surface G below the bottom or lowest part of the bucket elevator in the unloading unit 9. Here, the surface G may be land or the ground, such as the wharf 102, or the bottom surface of a structure, such as the hold 201. The roller shape measuring unit 310 may also be permanently provided on the surface G, but is preferably provided only temporarily during measurement. In this case, the roller shape measuring unit 310, which is generally expensive, can be reused to inspect roller chains of various unloading machines in various locations.

[0086] The roller shape measuring unit 310 is preferably installed in a location where the track or shape of the roller chain 25 is stable. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the roller shape measuring unit 310 is preferably installed below the center of the roller chain 25 at the bottom or lowest part of the bucket elevator (approximately the midpoint between the driven rollers 31b and 31c at both the left and right ends in FIG. 10). At this measurement location, the roller chain 25 flexes stably due to gravity, and there is little influence of vibrations from the rotating driven rollers 31b and 31c, so the track or shape of the roller chain 25 is stable. In this way, the roller shape measuring unit 310 can measure the shape of each roller 63 in the roller chain 25 stably and with high accuracy.

[0087] 10, the roller shape measuring unit 310 according to the first arrangement example may be installed on a platform 330 or stand placed on a surface G. The platform 330 preferably has a function for automatically or manually adjusting the position (e.g., height) and posture of the roller shape measuring unit 310 relative to the roller chain 25 being measured.

[0088] In the second arrangement example, the roller shape measuring unit 310 is at least temporarily provided on the CSU 1. For example, the roller shape measuring unit 310, such as a distance measuring sensor or a camera, is provided on a pair of chain guides 340, 350 that guide the roller chain 25 along the transport path or the circular path in the bucket elevator.

[0089] Here, chain guide 340 is a rotatable guide roller that contacts and guides one side of roller chain 25 (the upper left side in the example of FIG. 10). Meanwhile, chain guide 350, which is provided on the other side of roller chain 25 (the lower right side in the example of FIG. 10), is a long, plate-like auxiliary guide that catches the roller chain 25 when it becomes exceptionally slack. When roller chain 25 is driven normally along its intended circular path, roller chain 25 is in contact with chain guide 340, which functions as a guide roller, but is not in contact with chain guide 350, which functions as an auxiliary guide. At this time, the relative distance and / or relative posture between chain guide 350 and roller chain 25 is maintained approximately constant.

[0090] A roller shape measuring unit 310 (not shown in FIG. 10), such as a distance measuring sensor or camera, is provided on this chain guide 350. In this case, the roller shape measuring unit 310 is provided on the opposite side of the contact-type chain guide 340, with the roller chain 25 sandwiched therebetween, without making contact with the roller chain 25. By providing the roller shape measuring unit 310 on the chain guide 350, whose distance and posture relative to the roller chain 25 being measured are stable, the shape of each roller 63 in the roller chain 25 can be measured stably and with high accuracy. Furthermore, with the roller shape measuring unit 310 permanently installed on the CSU 1 in this way, wear and other conditions of each roller 63 in the roller chain 25 can be constantly monitored.

[0091] 11 shows a schematic example of installation of roller shape measuring unit 310 on chain guide 350. Chain guide 350 includes long, plate-like roof portion 351 that receives exceptionally slack roller chain 25, and long, plate-like main body portion 352 that supports roof portion 351. Here, the normal direction of roof portion 351 is approximately the same as the measurement direction (Z-axis direction), and the normal direction of main body portion 352 is approximately the same as the opposing direction (Y-axis direction).

[0092] Roller shape measuring unit 310, such as a distance measuring sensor or camera, is provided preferably in the center of main body 352. Roof 351 facing roller shape measuring unit 310 is formed with measurement hole 353 to enable roller shape measuring unit 310 to measure roller chain 25. Measurement hole 353 is preferably formed small enough to prevent an exceptionally slack roller chain 25 from entering. In this way, roller shape measuring unit 310 can not only measure roller chain 25 through measurement hole 353, but also eliminate the risk of damage due to contact with exceptionally slack roller chain 25.

[0093] The roller shape measuring unit 310, such as a distance measuring sensor or camera, may be installed at least temporarily anywhere inside or outside the CSU 1, regardless of the two placement examples above, as long as it can properly measure the roller chain 25. However, as mentioned above, it is preferable that the location of the roller shape measuring unit 310 is such that the trajectory or shape of the roller chain 25 measured from there is stable. Furthermore, distance measuring sensors 18, 19, cameras, etc. already installed in the CSU 1 may be used as the roller shape measuring unit 310.

[0094] The present disclosure has been described above based on the embodiments. Various modifications are possible to the combinations of the components and processes in the exemplary embodiments, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such modifications are included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0095] In the above embodiment (for example, FIG. 8), all rollers 63 in the roller chain 25 are measured using one roller shape measuring unit 310, but to increase the speed and accuracy of measurement, measurements may be performed using multiple roller shape measuring units 310 (for example, distance measuring sensors or cameras).

[0096] The present disclosure is not limited to continuous unloaders equipped with vertical conveying bucket elevators as described in relation to the embodiments, but is also applicable to unloaders equipped with non-vertical conveying bucket conveyors.

[0097] The configuration, operation, and function of each device and method described in the embodiments can be realized by hardware resources, software resources, or a combination of hardware and software resources. Examples of hardware resources include processors, ROMs, RAMs, and various integrated circuits. Examples of software resources include operating systems, applications, and other programs. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1 Cargo unloading unit (CSU), 9 Unloading section, 11 Scraping section, 18 Distance measuring sensor, 19 Distance measuring sensor, 25 Roller chain, 27 Bucket, 31a Drive roller, 50 Outer link, 51 Outer plate, 52 Pin, 60 Inner link, 61 Inner plate, 62 Bush, 63 Roller, 200 Ship, 201 Hold, 300 Roller chain inspection device, 310 Roller shape measuring section, 320 Roller distance measuring section, 330 Unit, 340 Chain guide, 350 Chain guide.

Claims

1. A roller chain inspection device for a cargo lifting machine that lifts cargo from a ship's hold using a bucket conveyor that includes a roller chain that engages with a rotating sprocket and is driven along a predetermined transport path, and a plurality of buckets that are attached to the roller chain along the driving direction, In the roller chain, an outer plate pair formed by two outer plates opposing each other in an opposing direction intersecting the driving direction, and an inner plate pair formed by two inner plates opposing each other in the opposing direction inside the outer plate pair, are alternately provided along the driving direction, each end of the outer plate pair in the driving direction is connected to each end of the inner plate pair on the inside thereof in the driving direction by a pin extending along the opposing direction, A roller that comes into contact with the sprocket is rotatably provided around the pin, A roller chain inspection device comprising a roller shape measurement unit that continuously measures the shapes of the plurality of rollers in a measurement direction that intersects the driving direction and the opposing direction while driving the roller chain along the transportation path.

2. 2. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the roller shape measuring unit continuously measures the shapes of the plurality of rollers along the opposing direction.

3. 2. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 1, further comprising a roller distance measuring unit that measures the distance between two adjacent rollers in the driving direction based on the shapes of the plurality of rollers continuously measured by the roller shape measuring unit.

4. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 3 , wherein the roller distance measuring unit measures the distance between two of the outer plate pairs adjacent to each other in the driving direction.

5. 5. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the roller shape measuring unit is at least temporarily provided outside the lifting machine.

6. 6. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 5, wherein the roller shape measuring unit is provided below the bottom of the bucket conveyor.

7. 7. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 6, wherein the roller shape measuring unit is provided below a center portion of the roller chain at the bottom of the bucket conveyor.

8. 5. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the roller shape measuring unit is at least temporarily provided on the lifting machine.

9. the bucket conveyor includes a chain guide that contacts the roller chain and guides it along the conveying path; The roller shape measuring unit is provided on the opposite side of the roller chain from the chain guide, without contacting the roller chain.

9. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 8.

10. the transportation route is a circular route, a mark that can be detected by the roller shape measuring unit is provided at one position along the circular path on the roller chain; the roller shape measuring unit starts measuring the shapes of the plurality of rollers when it detects the mark, and ends the measurement when it detects the mark again.

5. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 1.

11. 5. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the roller shape measuring unit is configured by a distance measuring sensor that measures the distance to the object to be measured.

12. 5. The roller chain inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the measurement direction is perpendicular to at least one of the driving direction and the opposing direction.

13. A roller chain inspection method for a lifting machine that lifts cargo from a ship's hold using a bucket conveyor that includes a roller chain that engages with a rotating sprocket and is driven along a predetermined transport path, and a plurality of buckets that are attached to the roller chain along the driving direction, comprising: In the roller chain, an outer plate pair formed by two outer plates opposing each other in an opposing direction intersecting the driving direction, and an inner plate pair formed by two inner plates opposing each other in the opposing direction inside the outer plate pair, are alternately provided along the driving direction, each end of the outer plate pair in the driving direction is connected to each end of the inner plate pair on the inside thereof in the driving direction by a pin extending along the opposing direction, A roller that comes into contact with the sprocket is rotatably provided around the pin, A roller chain inspection method comprising: driving the roller chain along the transport path while continuously measuring the shapes of the plurality of rollers in a measurement direction that intersects the driving direction and the opposing direction.

14. A roller chain that meshes with a rotating sprocket and is driven along a predetermined circular path, and has multiple buckets attached along the driving direction, an outer plate pair formed by two outer plates opposing each other in an opposing direction intersecting the driving direction, and an inner plate pair formed by two inner plates opposing each other in the opposing direction inside the outer plate pair, are alternately provided along the driving direction, each end of the outer plate pair in the driving direction is connected to each end of the inner plate pair on the inside thereof in the driving direction by a pin extending along the opposing direction, A roller that comes into contact with the sprocket is rotatably provided around the pin, A roller chain in which a mark that can be detected by a roller shape measurement unit that continuously measures the shapes of multiple rollers in a measurement direction that intersects the driving direction and the opposing direction while driving the roller chain along the circular path is provided at one position on the roller chain along the circular path.

Images