Meandering correction device and meandering correction method

Abstract

To provide a meandering correction device or the like capable of correcting meandering of a belt by controlling an angle or a position of a roller supporting the belt.SOLUTION: A meandering correction device that corrects meandering of a belt of a belt conveyor includes a detection unit that detects a meandering state of the belt, an adjustment mechanism that adjusts a position of the belt by changing an angle or a position of a roller that supports the belt, and a control unit that controls the position of the belt via the adjustment mechanism according to the meandering state detected by the detection unit. The adjustment mechanism may adjust an angle at which the driving direction of the belt and the axis of the roller intersect.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a meandering correction device and a meandering correction method. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a meandering correction device that corrects meandering of a belt of a belt conveyor by pressing the surface of the belt with an elevator device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6863775 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1 does not correct the meandering of the belt by controlling the angle or position of the rollers that support the belt.

[0005] Therefore, in one aspect, the present invention aims to provide a meandering correction device or the like that can correct the meandering of a belt by controlling the angle or position of a roller that supports the belt. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In one embodiment, A meandering correction device for correcting meandering of a belt of a belt conveyor, a detection unit for detecting a meandering state of the belt; an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the belt by changing the angle or position of a roller supporting the belt; a control unit that controls the position of the belt via the adjustment mechanism in accordance with the meandering state detected by the detection unit; A meandering correction device is provided, comprising: [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] In one aspect, the present invention makes it possible to correct belt meandering by controlling the angle or position of the rollers that support the belt. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a meandering correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] 1 is a front view showing a configuration example of a belt conveyor to which a meandering correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. [Figure 3] 1 is a top view showing a configuration example of a belt conveyor to which a meandering correction device according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied; [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are top views of a belt conveyor showing an example of operation of the meandering correction device. [Figure 4A] 10A and 10B are top views of a belt conveyor showing an example of operation of the meandering correction device. [Figure 5] 10 is a flowchart showing an example of operation when the movement amount of the drive unit is set in stages. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the meandering correction device of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a front view showing an example of the configuration of a belt conveyor to which the meandering correction device of this embodiment is applied, and FIG. 3 is a top view showing an example of the configuration of a belt conveyor to which the meandering correction device of this embodiment is applied.

[0010] 1, meandering correction device 30 of this embodiment includes detection unit 31 that detects the meandering state of belt 40 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of a belt conveyor, adjustment mechanism 20 that adjusts the position of belt 40, and control unit 32 that controls the position of belt 40 via motor 21 (FIG. 3) of adjustment mechanism 20 in accordance with the meandering state detected by detection unit 31. Adjustment mechanism 20 adjusts the position of belt 40 by changing the angle or position of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C (FIGS. 2 and 3) that support belt 40.

[0011] 1 and 2, the detection unit 31 detects the position of the belt 40, i.e., the meandering state of the belt 40, based on an image acquired by a camera 50 installed above the belt 40. For example, the detection unit 31 detects the position of the belt 40 by image processing of the image acquired by the camera 50. The meandering state of the belt 40 may be detected using a trained model that has been trained by associating the meandering state of the belt 40 with the image.

[0012] Any method can be used to detect the meandering state of the belt 40. For example, instead of using an image captured by the camera 50, the meandering state of the belt 40 may be detected using a sensor using millimeter waves or a laser.

[0013] The belt conveyor shown in Figures 2 and 3 includes rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C that support belt 40 from below, and roller stand 11 on which rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C are rotatably attached. As shown in Figure 2, rollers 10A and 10C are attached at an angle in a direction that raises them at both ends in Figure 2, thereby curving belt 40 and allowing conveyed materials such as soil and sand to be held on belt 40. The axes of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C extend along the longitudinal direction of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C in Figures 2 and 3, respectively.

[0014] Roller stand 11 is supported by a pair of supports 12 extending in the driving direction of belt 40 (upward in FIG. 3). Roller stand 11, to which rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C are attached, is arranged at a predetermined interval along the driving direction of belt 40, and belt 40 is guided in the driving direction together with the transported object by rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C.

[0015] In the example shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, one end of the roller stand 11 (the right end in FIGS. 2 and 3) is attached to the support 12 via a shaft member 13 so as to be rotatable around a support shaft 13X (FIG. 2).

[0016] An adjustment mechanism 20 is installed on the other end (left end in FIGS. 2 and 3) of roller stand 11. Adjustment mechanism 20 includes a motor 21 fixed to support portion 12, a male screw 22 driven to rotate by motor 21, and a drive unit 23 threadedly engaged with male screw 22. When motor 21 drives male screw 22 to rotate, drive unit 23 moves in a direction (either up or down in FIG. 3) that corresponds to the drive direction of belt 40 (the vertical direction in FIG. 3) and the rotation direction of male screw 22. Drive unit 23 engages with the other end of roller stand 11, and as drive unit 23 moves, roller stand 11 rotates around support shaft 13X. This changes the angle and position of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C relative to the drive direction of belt 40, making it possible to adjust the angle between the drive direction of belt 40 and the axes of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C.

[0017] Next, the operation of the meandering correction device 30 of this embodiment will be described.

[0018] 4 and 4A are top views of a belt conveyor showing an example of the operation of the meandering correction device.

[0019] Fig. 4 shows an example in which belt 40 meanders to the left in Fig. 4. In this case, when external screw 22 is driven to rotate in a predetermined direction by motor 21 from the state shown in Fig. 3, drive unit 23 moves downstream in the driving direction of belt 40 (upward in Fig. 4), and roller stand 11 rotates clockwise in Fig. 4. As a result, rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C also change direction in the same direction, and a force acts to move belt 40 to the right in Fig. 4, thereby correcting the meandering of belt 40.

[0020] Fig. 4A shows an example in which belt 40 meanders to the right in Fig. 4A. In this case, when motor 21 rotates male screw 22 in the direction opposite to the predetermined direction from the state shown in Fig. 3, drive unit 23 moves upstream in the driving direction of belt 40 (downward in Fig. 4), and roller stand 11 rotates counterclockwise in Fig. 4. As a result, rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C also change direction in the same direction, and a force acts to move belt 40 to the left in Fig. 4A, thereby correcting the meandering of belt 40.

[0021] In this way, by controlling the angle of roller stand 11 according to the meandering state of belt 40, feedback control can be performed so that the position of belt 40 converges to a predetermined position (for example, the center position in FIGS. 4 and 4A). Note that parameters such as control gain and response characteristics in feedback control may be incorporated into a trained model to optimize the feedback control.

[0022] In this embodiment, one of the movement amounts of the drive unit 23 set in stages may be selected in accordance with the deviation width of the belt 40.

[0023] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of operation when the movement amount of the drive unit is set in stages.

[0024] In step S102 of FIG. 5, the detection unit 31 detects the current deviation width of the belt 40 based on the image captured by the camera 50.

[0025] In step S104, the control unit 32 determines whether the deviation detected in step S102 exceeds a predetermined threshold, and if the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step S106, and if the determination is negative, the process proceeds to step S102. Here, for example, the deviation of the belt 40 that is determined to be abnormal can be set as a predetermined threshold (e.g., 20 cm).

[0026] In step S106, the control unit 32 sends an email informing the user of the abnormality to a predetermined destination, and the process proceeds to step S108. Note that in step S106, for example, the belt conveyor may be stopped instead of or in addition to sending the email.

[0027] In step S108, the control unit 32 selects the movement amount of the drive unit 23 that corresponds to the deviation width detected in step S102, and drives the motor 21 so that the drive unit 23 moves by the selected movement amount.

[0028] 4, for example, when belt 40 is misaligned to the left by a range of 0 to 10 cm, drive unit 23 can be moved upward (downstream) by 5 cm. Similarly, when belt 40 is misaligned to the left by a range of 10 to 20 cm, drive unit 23 can be moved upward (downstream) by 10 cm, and when belt 40 is misaligned to the left by more than 20 cm, drive unit 23 can be moved upward (downstream) by 20 cm. In this case, when belt 40 is misaligned to the right (FIG. 4A), drive unit 23 can be moved downward (upstream) by a similar movement amount depending on the amount of misalignment.

[0029] In step S110, the control unit 32 determines whether or not the operation of the belt conveyor has been stopped, and if the determination is affirmative, ends the processing of FIG. 5, and if the determination is negative, proceeds to step S102.

[0030] In this embodiment, any number of meandering correction devices 30 (adjustment mechanisms 20) can be provided. For example, the number of meandering correction devices 30 can be increased depending on the length of the conveying distance of the belt conveyor. Furthermore, the intervals at which the meandering correction devices 30 (adjustment mechanisms 20) are installed can also be arbitrary. For example, taking into account the effect of correcting the meandering of the belt 40, the meandering correction devices 30 (adjustment mechanisms 20) can be installed every 10 to 100 meters in the driving direction of the belt 40.

[0031] The position where the meandering state of belt 40 is detected (for example, the installation position of camera 50) can be set relatively close to adjustment mechanism 20, but the meandering state may also be detected upstream or downstream of adjustment mechanism 20 in the drive direction of belt 40. Furthermore, for one position where the meandering state of belt 40 is detected, adjustment mechanisms 20 may be provided at multiple locations along the drive direction of belt 40, and the angles of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C may be controlled simultaneously at multiple locations. In this case, the angles of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C may be controlled to be the same at multiple locations, or the angles of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C may be controlled to be different angles at multiple locations. In this case, control based on a trained model may be used to optimize the control.

[0032] A single adjustment mechanism 20 may be controlled using the detection results of the meandering state of the belt 40 at multiple points along the driving direction of the belt 40. In this case, too, the control may be optimized by control based on a trained model.

[0033] As described above, this embodiment is provided with adjustment mechanism 20 that adjusts the position of belt 40 by changing the angle or position of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C that support belt 40. Therefore, by controlling the angle or position of rollers 10A, 10B, and 10C that support belt 40, meandering of belt 40 can be corrected.

[0034] Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the claims. In addition, it is also possible to combine all or a plurality of components of the above-described embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 10A, 10B, 10C Rollers 11 Roller Stand 13X support shaft 20 Adjustment mechanism 21 Motor 30 Meandering correction device 31 Detector 32 Control Unit 40 Belt 50 cameras

Claims

1. A meandering correction device for correcting meandering of a belt of a belt conveyor, a detection unit that detects a meandering state of the belt; an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the belt by changing the angle or position of a roller supporting the belt; a control unit that controls the position of the belt via the adjustment mechanism in accordance with the meandering state detected by the detection unit; A meandering correction device comprising:

2. The meandering correction device according to claim 1 , wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts an angle between a driving direction of the belt and an axis of the roller.

3. The roller is rotatably mounted on a roller stand; 3. The meandering correction device according to claim 2, wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts an angle of the roller stand to adjust an angle at which a driving direction of the belt intersects with an axis of the roller.

4. the roller stand is attached rotatably around a support shaft that rotatably supports the roller stand, 4. The meandering correction device according to claim 3, wherein the adjustment mechanism adjusts the angle at which the driving direction of the belt intersects with the axis of the roller by rotating the roller stand around the support shaft.

5. A meandering correction method for correcting meandering of a belt of a belt conveyor, comprising: a detection step of detecting a meandering state of the belt; a control step of controlling the position of the belt in accordance with the meandering state detected in the detection step; Equipped with In the control step, the position of the belt is controlled by adjusting the angle or position of a roller that supports the belt.

Images