Conveying equipment

Abstract

To provide a conveying system that can efficiently supply refrigerant to the axles of a transport trolley. [Solution] The transport equipment (10) comprises a transport trolley (20), a nozzle (31), piping (32), a valve (33), and an operating mechanism (34). The transport trolley (20) includes an axle (24) and wheels (25). The wheels (25) are rotatably supported at the end of the axle (24). The transport trolley (20) travels along a path (2). The nozzle (31) is capable of supplying refrigerant toward the end face of the axle (24). The piping (32) is connected to the nozzle (31) and through which the refrigerant flows. The valve (33) is provided in the piping (32). The operating mechanism (34) activates the valve (33) to open it when the axle (24) of the transport trolley (20) passes a specific point (A) set in the path (2) while it is traveling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to conveying equipment.

Background Art

[0002] In a steelmaking process for producing steel from pig iron and a sintering process for producing sintered ore which is one of the raw materials for a blast furnace, conveying equipment is used. The conveying equipment includes a conveying carriage including an axle and wheels. In the conveying carriage, the wheels are rotatably supported with respect to the axle via bearings. For example, in the sintering process, a pallet carriage of a sintering machine is used as the conveying carriage. The pallet carriage can load sintering raw materials and travels on a traveling path of an endless track. In the sintering machine, the sintering raw materials are ignited and hardened by an ignition furnace while the pallet carriage is traveling. Thereby, sintered ore is produced.

[0003] In the sintering process by a sintering machine, the heat of the sintering raw materials is transmitted to the axle through the frame of the pallet carriage. As a result, the axle becomes high temperature. In order to prevent dust from entering the bearing, a rubber seal member is provided at an end of the bearing. However, when the axle becomes high temperature, the seal member deteriorates early due to the radiant heat thereof. When the seal member deteriorates, dust enters the bearing and the bearing is damaged. From the viewpoint of suppressing damage to the bearing and improving the life of the bearing, it is preferable to suppress the temperature rise of the axle.

[0004] A technique for suppressing the temperature rise of the axle of a pallet carriage is described in, for example, Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 discloses a pallet carriage having a cooling opening at an end face of the axle. It is described in Patent Document 1 that the heat transmitted from the sintering raw materials loaded on the pallet carriage to the axle is radiated from the opening provided in the axle, and thus the temperature rise of the axle is suppressed.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

[0006] In transport trolleys used in high-temperature environments, such as pallet trolleys in sintering machines, a method of cooling the axle by supplying a refrigerant such as water or compressed air to the axle can be considered in order to suppress the temperature rise of the axle. Patent Document 1 describes a method of continuously supplying a refrigerant at a certain point along the path of the pallet trolley, and cooling the axle as the transport trolley passes that point. However, in this case, the device that supplies the refrigerant must be running at all times. Therefore, there is a need to efficiently supply refrigerant to the axle of the transport trolley.

[0007] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a conveying system that can efficiently supply refrigerant to the axles of a conveying trolley. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The transport equipment according to this disclosure comprises a transport trolley, a nozzle, piping, a valve, and an operating mechanism. The transport trolley includes an axle and wheels. The wheels are rotatably supported at the ends of the axle. The transport trolley travels along a path. The nozzle is capable of supplying refrigerant toward the end face of the axle. The piping is connected to the nozzle and through which the refrigerant flows. A valve is provided in the piping. The operating mechanism activates the valve to open it when the axle of the transport trolley, while traveling, passes a specific point set in the path. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the conveying equipment described herein, refrigerant can be efficiently supplied to the axle of the conveying trolley. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a sintering machine equipped with a conveying system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2]Figure 2 is a front view of the transport cart. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the transport cart shown in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a side view of the axle cooling device of the transport equipment according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 5B] Figure 5B is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 5C] Figure 5C is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 5D] Figure 5D is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 5E] Figure 5E is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 5F] Figure 5F is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 5G] Figure 5G is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the wheel contact angle and the valve opening degree when using the transport equipment according to the first embodiment. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a side view of the axle cooling device of the transport equipment according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8A] Figure 8A is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 8B] Figure 8B is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 8C] Figure 8C is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 8D] Figure 8D is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 8E] Figure 8E is a schematic diagram for explaining the operation of the axle cooling device. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of the relationship between the wheel contact angle and the valve opening degree when using the transport equipment according to the second embodiment.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] The conveying equipment according to the embodiment includes a conveying cart, a nozzle, a pipe, a valve, and an operating mechanism. The conveying cart includes an axle and wheels. The wheels are rotatably supported at the ends of the axle. The conveying cart travels on a road. The nozzle can supply a refrigerant toward the end face of the axle. The pipe is connected to the nozzle and the refrigerant flows through it. The valve is provided in the pipe. The operating mechanism operates the valve to open the valve when the axle of the traveling conveying cart passes a specific point set on the road (first configuration).

[0012] In the conveying equipment of the first configuration, the operating mechanism operates the valve provided in the pipe to open the valve when the axle of the conveying cart passes a specific point on the road. Thereby, the refrigerant is supplied from the nozzle to the end face of the axle. Thus, in the conveying equipment of the first configuration, the refrigerant is supplied from the nozzle according to the position of the axle. Therefore, compared with the case where the refrigerant supply device is always operated regardless of the position of the axle, the refrigerant can be efficiently supplied to the axle of the conveying cart.

[0013] In the conveying equipment of the first configuration, the axle may include cooling holes. The cooling holes extend in the axial direction of the axle and open to the end face of the axle (second configuration).

[0014] In the conveying equipment of the second configuration, cooling holes are provided in the end face of the axle. In this case, when the axle of the conveying cart passes a specific point on the road, the refrigerant is supplied into the cooling holes by the nozzle. Thereby, the axle can be cooled more efficiently, and as a result, the temperature rise of the axle can be further suppressed.

[0015] In the conveying equipment of the first or second configuration, the operating mechanism may include a wheel detection rod. The wheel detection rod extends in the vertical direction and is arranged to be able to move up and down at a specific point on the road. The wheel detection rod moves up and down when the lower end contacts the outer peripheral surface of the wheel (third configuration).

[0016] In the third configuration of the conveying equipment, the operating mechanism may further include an arm and a lever. The arm rotates in accordance with the raising and lowering of the wheel detection rod. The lever rotates in accordance with the rotation of the arm and opens and closes a valve (fourth configuration).

[0017] In the fourth configuration of the conveying equipment, when the conveying trolley passes a specific point along its path, the outer surface of the wheel comes into contact with the lower end of the wheel detection rod. This causes the wheel detection rod to move up and down, and the arm of the operating mechanism rotates in accordance with this movement of the wheel detection rod. Furthermore, the lever of the operating mechanism rotates in accordance with the rotation of the arm, opening and closing a valve. In this way, the fourth configuration of the conveying equipment makes it possible to supply refrigerant according to the position of the axle using a mechanical structure. In this case, there is no need to use electrical control, and costs can be reduced compared to cases where the supply of refrigerant is controlled electrically.

[0018] In any of the first to fourth configurations of the conveying equipment, the conveying trolley may be a pallet trolley used in a sintering machine (fifth configuration).

[0019] Embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or equivalent components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the same description will not be repeated.

[0020] <First Embodiment> Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a sintering machine 1 equipped with a conveying equipment 10 according to this embodiment. The conveying equipment 10 conveys materials along a predetermined path (conveyor path) in a high-temperature environment. In the example shown in Figure 1, the conveying equipment 10 is used in the sintering process by the sintering machine 1 and plays the role of conveying sintering raw materials and sintered ore. The conveying equipment 10 can also be used in, for example, a steelmaking process. Referring to Figure 1, in addition to the conveying equipment 10, the sintering machine 1 includes a path 2, an ore supply section 3, an ignition furnace 4, a plurality of wind boxes 5, and an ore discharge section 6.

[0021] The transport equipment 10 includes a transport trolley 20. In this embodiment, the transport trolley 20 is a plurality of pallet trolleys used in the sintering machine 1. The transport trolley 20, that is, the plurality of pallet trolleys, can carry sintering raw materials and travel along the path 2 in a line.

[0022] Path 2 is an endless track transport path. Path 2 is a circular circuit and includes a forward path 2a, a return path 2b, a curved track 2c, and a sprocket 2d. The forward path 2a and return path 2b are rails extending horizontally. The forward path 2a is positioned above the return path 2b. The curved track 2c is a rail connecting the downstream end of the forward path 2a and the upstream end of the return path 2b. In a side view of the sintering machine 1, the curved track 2c is curved in a roughly circular arc shape. The sprocket 2d connects the upstream end of the forward path 2a and the downstream end of the return path 2b. The central axis 2da of the sprocket 2d is connected to a drive device (not shown). The drive device allows the sprocket 2d to rotate in a direction from the downstream end of the return path 2b toward the upstream end of the forward path 2a. The sprocket 2d is provided with multiple teeth 2db along the circumferential direction. Each tooth 2db has a shape that is convex radially outward.

[0023] The ore supply unit 3 is positioned above the upstream end of the forward path 2a. The ore supply unit 3 supplies sintering material to the transport trolley 20 traveling along the forward path 2a. The ignition furnace 4 is positioned above the forward path 2a and downstream of the ore supply unit 3. The ignition furnace 4 ignites the sintering material on the transport trolley 20. This causes the sintering material to burn. Multiple wind boxes 5 are positioned below the forward path 2a and above the return path 2b. Each wind box 5 draws in air from around the forward path 2a, promoting the combustion of the sintering material on the transport trolley 20 traveling along the forward path 2a.

[0024] The sintering material is sintered and solidified into sintered ore while the transport trolley 20 travels along the outbound path 2a. The sintered ore falls from the transport trolley 20 while the transport trolley 20 travels along the curved track 2c. The ore discharge unit 6 is located near the curved track 2c and below the return path 2b. The ore discharge unit 6 collects the sintered ore that falls from the transport trolley 20.

[0025] Figure 2 is a front view of the transport trolley 20. A front view means a view of the transport trolley 20 as seen along the direction of travel. Referring to Figure 2, the transport trolley 20 includes a frame 21, two side walls 22, a grate bar 23, an axle 24, and wheels 25.

[0026] The frame 21 constitutes the lower part of the transport trolley 20. The side wall portions 22 project upward from the frame 21 so as to face each other in the width direction of the transport trolley 20. The grate bar 23 extends in the width direction of the transport trolley 20 and is positioned between the two side wall portions 22. The grate bar 23 is connected to the lower part of each side wall portion 22. The transport trolley 20 is capable of loading sintering material onto the grate bar 23.

[0027] The axles 24 are provided on both sides of the transport trolley 20 in the width direction and are fixed to the frame 21. Each of the axles 24 extends in the width direction of the transport trolley 20. The wheels 25 are rotatably supported at the ends of the axles 24.

[0028] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the transport trolley 20 shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 shows a cross-section of the transport trolley 20 when cut by a plane perpendicular to the direction of travel. Referring to Figure 3, the transport trolley 20 further includes an inner bearing 26 and an outer bearing 27.

[0029] The frame 21 is provided with mounting holes 21a. The axle 24 is inserted into the mounting holes 21a and fixed to the frame 21. The axle 24 includes a frame mounting portion 241, an inner bearing mounting portion 242, and an outer bearing mounting portion 243. The frame mounting portion 241, the inner bearing mounting portion 242, and the outer bearing mounting portion 243 are arranged in this order from the inside to the outside in the width direction of the transport trolley 20.

[0030] The frame mounting portion 241 is inserted into the mounting hole 21a of the frame 21 and fixed to the frame 21 so as not to rotate. The inner bearing 26 is mounted on the inner bearing mounting portion 242. The outer bearing 27 is mounted on the outer bearing mounting portion 243. The wheel 25 is mounted on the outer bearing 27. As a result, the wheel 25 is rotatably supported on the axle 24 fixed to the frame 21 via the outer bearing 27. When the transport trolley 20 reaches the downstream end of the return path 2b (Figure 1), the inner bearing 26 of the transport trolley 20 catches on the teeth 2db (Figure 1) of the sprocket 2d.

[0031] In this embodiment, the axle 24 further includes a cooling hole 24a and a lubrication hole 24b. The cooling hole 24a extends in the axial direction of the axle 24 (the width direction of the transport trolley 20) and opens to the axially outer end face of the axle 24. In this embodiment, the cooling hole 24a penetrates the axle 24 in the axial direction. Viewed along the axial direction, the cooling hole 24a is preferably located on the central axis of the axle 24. The cross-sectional shape of the cooling hole 24a perpendicular to the axial direction is circular. However, the cross-sectional shape of the cooling hole 24a is not particularly limited and may be, for example, elliptical or polygonal.

[0032] The lubrication hole 24b is a supply passage for supplying lubricant to the outer bearing 27. The lubrication hole 24b is located at a different position from the cooling hole 24a. The lubrication hole 24b opens on both the axially outer end face of the axle 24 and the outer circumferential surface of the outer bearing mounting portion 243. Specifically, the lubrication hole 24b extends axially from the axially outer end face of the axle 24 to the position of the outer bearing mounting portion 243. The lubrication hole 24b bends at the position of the outer bearing mounting portion 243 and extends radially to the outer circumferential surface of the outer bearing mounting portion 243.

[0033] In the sintering machine 1 (Figure 1), the heat from the sintering material during combustion is transferred to the axle 24 through the frame 21 of the transport trolley 20, causing the axle 24 to become hot. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1, the transport equipment 10 according to this embodiment is further equipped with an axle cooling device 30. The axle cooling device 30 cools the axle 24 of the transport trolley 20 as it travels along the path 2. The axle cooling device 30 is positioned at a location corresponding to a specific point A set in the path 2. From the viewpoint of cooling efficiency, it is preferable that the axle cooling device 30 be positioned in a location in the direction of travel of the transport trolley 20 where the axle 24 of the transport trolley 20 is likely to become hot. Therefore, the specific point A is preferably located on the ore discharge section 6 side of the outbound path 2a or the return path 2b.

[0034] The axle cooling device 30 cools the axle 24 of the transport trolley 20 when it detects that the transport trolley 20 traveling along path 2 is passing a specific point A. However, the axle cooling device 30 may cool the axle 24 of the transport trolley 20 that is passing a specific point A, or it may cool the axle 24 of a transport trolley 20 that is different from the transport trolley 20 that is passing a specific point A.

[0035] Figure 4 is a side view of the axle cooling device 30 of the conveying equipment 10 according to this embodiment. A side view means a view along a direction perpendicular to both the direction of travel and the vertical direction of the conveying trolley 20. Referring to Figure 4, the axle cooling device 30 includes a nozzle 31, piping 32, a valve 33, and an operating mechanism 34.

[0036] The nozzle 31 is capable of supplying a coolant toward the end face of the axle 24. The coolant is, for example, water, air (compressed air), or a mixture of water and air (mist). The pressure of the compressed air is 30 N / cm². 2 More than 40N / cm 2 The following is also possible: The nozzle 31 may be fixed in a position that allows it to supply refrigerant to the axle 24. Alternatively, the nozzle 31 may be provided so as to be movable along the direction of travel of the transport trolley 20. If the nozzle 31 is provided so as to be movable, it is configured to continuously supply refrigerant to the axle 24 while moving, for example, from a predetermined position to follow the transport trolley 20, and to return to the predetermined position after the transport trolley 20 has passed.

[0037] Piping 32 is connected to nozzle 31, through which refrigerant flows. Specifically, nozzle 31 is connected to the end of piping 32, and a refrigerant source (not shown) is connected to the rear end of piping 32. Refrigerant sent from the refrigerant source flows through piping 32. Valve 33 is provided in piping 32. When valve 33 is open, refrigerant flows through piping 32 and is injected from nozzle 31. When valve 33 is closed, the refrigerant is blocked by valve 33, and the injection of refrigerant from nozzle 31 stops. The amount of refrigerant injected from nozzle 31 increases or decreases depending on the opening of valve 33.

[0038] The operating mechanism 34 activates the valve 33 to open it when the axle 24 of the transport trolley 20, while it is in motion, passes a specific point A set in the path. The operating mechanism 34 includes a wheel detection rod 341, an arm 342, a connecting member 343, and a lever 344.

[0039] The wheel detection rod 341 extends vertically and is positioned to be able to move up and down at a specific point A in the path. The horizontal movement of the wheel detection rod 341 is restricted by a restraining member 345 fixed to the path 2 (Figure 1), and it is only able to move vertically. The lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341 can come into contact with the wheels 25 of the transport trolley 20 (Figures 2 and 3). The wheel detection rod 341 moves up and down as the lower end 341a comes into contact with the outer surface of the wheel 25 and slides along the outer surface of the wheel 25 as the transport trolley 20 moves.

[0040] The arm 342 rotates in accordance with the raising and lowering of the wheel detection rod 341. The connecting member 343 connects the wheel detection rod 341 and the arm 342. The connecting member 343 is fixed to the arm 342; that is, the connecting member 343 is integral to the arm 342. The connecting member 343 is provided with an elongated hole 343a. A pin (not shown) is provided at the upper end 341b of the wheel detection rod 341, and this pin is inserted through the elongated hole 343a. In this way, the upper end 341b of the wheel detection rod 341 and the connecting member 343 are connected.

[0041] The arm 342 has one end 342a and the other end 342b. Near the end 342a of the arm 342, there is a pin (not shown) fixed to the passage 2 (Figure 1). This pin is inserted through the elongated hole 343a of the connecting member 343. The arm 342 is integral with the connecting member 343 and is rotatably supported with the pin located near the end 342a as a pivot point. The width of the end 342b of the arm 342 is greater than the width of the end 342a of the arm 342.

[0042] A groove 3421 is formed at the end 342b of the arm 342. In a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the groove 3421 includes a first curved portion 3421a, a second curved portion 3421b, a connecting portion 3421c, and a straight portion 3421d. The first curved portion 3421a is located near the end 342b of the arm 342. The second curved portion 3421b is located closer to the end 342a than the first curved portion 3421a. The connecting portion 3421c connects the first curved portion 3421a and the second curved portion 3421b. The connecting portion 3421c extends generally along the longitudinal direction of the arm 342. The connecting portion 3421c and the first curved portion 3421a are smoothly connected. The straight section 3421d is connected to the second curved section 3421b on the opposite side from the connecting section 3421c. The straight section 3421d extends generally along the width direction of the arm 342.

[0043] Lever 344 is attached to valve 33. Lever 344 rotates in response to the rotation of arm 342, opening and closing valve 33. Specifically, valve 33 opens and closes according to the angle of lever 344 with respect to the vertical direction. One end of lever 344 is connected to valve 33, and lever 344 is rotatable around this one end as a pivot point. The other end of lever 344 is provided with a pin (not shown). This pin engages with groove 3421 in arm 342, connecting lever 344 and arm 342.

[0044] [Operation of the axle cooling system] The operation of the axle cooling device 30 will be explained below with reference to Figures 5A to 5G. Figures 5A to 5G show the transport trolley 20 as it passes through a specific point A in the path 2. In each figure, the transport trolley 20 travels from left to right on the page. In each figure, only the axle 24 and wheels 25 of the transport trolley 20 are shown. In addition, in each figure, the groove 3421 and lever 344 are shown with solid lines to explain the positional relationship between the groove 3421 and the lever 344.

[0045] Figure 5A shows the state before the transport trolley 20 reaches specific point A, and when the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 is not in contact with the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341. In this specification, the transport trolley 20 reaches specific point A when the center position of the axle 24 coincides with specific point A in the direction of travel of the transport trolley 20.

[0046] The arm 342 is rotatably supported with respect to a fixed pin as a fulcrum relative to the path 2, and is supported from above by an elastic member 346 fixed to the path 2. The elastic member 346 is, for example, a coil spring. The arm 342 receives an upward tensile force from the elastic member 346. As a result, a downward force acts on the wheel detection rod 341 via the connecting member 343. Therefore, when the outer circumferential surface 25a of the wheel 25 is not in contact with the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341, the wheel detection rod 341 is at its lowest position relative to the wheel 25. However, if the mass of the wheel detection rod 341 is sufficiently large, the arm 342 does not need to be supported by the elastic member 346.

[0047] As shown in Figure 5A, the pin of the lever 344 is positioned within the first curved portion 3421a of the groove 3421. The lever 344 is supported by an elastic member 347 fixed to the passage 2. The elastic member 347 is, for example, a coil spring. The lever 344 is subjected to a tensile force from the elastic member 347 toward one end 342a of the arm 342. However, the rotation of the lever 344 is constrained by the first curved portion 3421a. Therefore, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is substantially parallel to the vertical direction. At this time, the valve 33 is completely closed.

[0048] As the transport trolley 20 moves, the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 comes into contact with the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341, as shown in Figure 5B. The wheel detection rod 341 is pushed up by the wheel 25 and rises. The arm 342 rotates in accordance with the rise of the wheel detection rod 341. At this time, the lever 344 remains constrained by the first curved portion 3421a and hardly rotates. In a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is slightly inclined in the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is almost closed.

[0049] As the transport trolley 20 travels further, the wheel detection rod 341 rises further, and the arm 342 rotates further. Once the arm 342 has rotated to a certain extent, the restraint by the first curved portion 3421a is released, and the lever 344 begins to rotate. Specifically, the pin of the lever 344 begins to move within the groove 3421 along the connecting portion 3421c from the first curved portion 3421a. As a result, the pin of the lever 344 moves to the second curved portion 3421b, as shown in Figure 5C. At this time, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is tilted significantly in the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is almost open.

[0050] As the transport trolley 20 travels further and the wheel detection rod 341 rises further, the arm 342 rotates further. Consequently, the pin of the lever 344 moves within the groove 3421 so as to move away from the second curved portion 3421b. The transport trolley 20 then reaches specific point A. When the transport trolley 20 is at specific point A, as shown in Figure 5D, the wheel detection rod 341 is in its highest position relative to the wheel 25. At this time, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is completely closed. The pin of the lever 344 is away from the straight portion 3421d of the groove 3421.

[0051] When the transport trolley 20 passes point A, the wheel detection rod 341 descends along the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 while remaining in contact with the wheel 25. As a result, the arm 342 rotates in the opposite direction to before. However, the lever 344 does not rotate until its pin contacts the groove 3421, remaining substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction. Once the arm 342 has rotated to a certain extent, the pin of the lever 344 contacts the second curved portion 3421b, and the lever 344 begins to rotate as shown in Figure 5E. At this time, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is significantly inclined to the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is almost open.

[0052] As the transport trolley 20 travels further and the wheel detection rod 341 descends further, the arm 342 rotates further. Consequently, the pin of the lever 344 moves within the groove 3421 along the connecting portion 3421c from the second curved portion 3421b. As a result, the pin of the lever 344 moves to the first curved portion 3421a, as shown in Figure 5F. At this time, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is slightly inclined in the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is almost closed.

[0053] As the transport trolley 20 continues to travel, the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 separates from the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341, as shown in Figure 5G. At this time, the wheel detection rod 341 is in its lowest position relative to the wheel 25, similar to the wheel detection rod 341 shown in Figure 5A. In a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is substantially parallel to the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is completely closed.

[0054] [effect] In the conveying equipment 10 of this embodiment, the operating mechanism 34 operates a valve 33 provided in the piping 32 to open when the axle 24 of the conveying trolley 20 passes a specific point A in the path 2. As a result, refrigerant is supplied from the nozzle 31 to the end face of the axle 24. In this way, in the conveying equipment 10 of this embodiment, refrigerant is supplied from the nozzle 31 according to the position of the axle 24. Therefore, compared to the case where the refrigerant supply device is constantly running regardless of the position of the axle 24 and refrigerant is continuously supplied from the nozzle 31, refrigerant can be supplied to the axle 24 of the conveying trolley 20 more efficiently.

[0055] In the transport trolley 20, a cooling hole 24a is provided on the end face of the axle 24. The cooling hole 24a opens onto the end face of the axle 24. In this case, when the axle 24 of the transport trolley 20 passes a specific point A, a coolant is supplied to the inside of the cooling hole 24a by the nozzle 31. This allows the axle 24 to be cooled more efficiently. As a result, the temperature rise of the axle 24 can be suppressed more effectively.

[0056] When the transport trolley 20 passes a specific point A, the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 comes into contact with the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341. This causes the wheel detection rod 341 to move up and down, and the arm 342 of the operating mechanism 34 rotates in accordance with the movement of the wheel detection rod 341. Furthermore, the lever 344 of the operating mechanism 34 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the arm 342, opening and closing the valve 33. In this way, the transport equipment 10 according to this embodiment can achieve the supply of refrigerant according to the position of the axle 24 with a mechanical structure. In this case, there is no need to use electrical control, and costs can be reduced compared to when the supply of refrigerant is controlled electrically.

[0057] The refrigerant supplied from the nozzle 31 to the axle 24 may be compressed air. The pressure of the compressed air is 30 N / cm². 2 More than 40N / cm 2 The following is also possible. In this case, the compressed air can adiabatically cool the axle 24, and the cooling effect of the axle 24 is improved compared to when atmospheric pressure air is used as a refrigerant.

[0058] Figure 6 shows an example of the relationship between the wheel contact angle and the opening degree of the valve 33 (valve opening degree) when using the conveying equipment 10 according to this embodiment. The wheel contact angle is the angle with respect to the horizontal direction (direction of travel of the conveying trolley 20) of the line connecting the contact point between the wheel 25 and the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341 to the center of the axle 24, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34. Since the wheel contact angle changes according to the movement of the conveying trolley 20, the horizontal axis of the graph shown in Figure 6 can also be considered as elapsed time.

[0059] Referring to Figure 6, the valve opening is very small until the wheel contact angle reaches approximately 60°, but when the wheel contact angle exceeds approximately 60°, the valve opening increases rapidly to almost fully open (100%). This is because, as long as the wheel contact angle is small, the lever 344 is constrained by the first curved portion 3421a as shown in Figure 5B, but when the wheel contact angle increases to a certain extent, the lever 344 rotates rapidly to the position shown in Figure 5C. Furthermore, the valve opening is maintained in the fully open state for a while, and then when the wheel contact angle exceeds approximately 120°, it decreases rapidly to almost fully closed (0%). This is because, from the time the valve opening is fully open (see Figure 5D) until the pin of the lever 344 contacts the groove 3421, the lever 344 rotates rapidly to the position shown in Figure 5F. Thus, in the conveying equipment 10 according to this embodiment, the switching of the valve 33 between opening and closing is performed in a short amount of time. This reduces the time the valve 33 is partially open. Conversely, it increases the time the valve 33 is fully open. Therefore, the amount of refrigerant supplied to the axle 24 can be increased.

[0060] <Second Embodiment> Figure 7 is a side view of the axle cooling device 30 of the conveying equipment 10 according to the second embodiment. As shown in Figure 7, the conveying equipment 10 according to this embodiment differs from the conveying equipment 10 of the first embodiment in the shape of the groove 3421 formed in the arm 342 of the operating mechanism 34.

[0061] Referring to Figure 7, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the groove 3421 is approximately L-shaped. Specifically, the groove 3421 includes a third curved portion 3421e, a fourth curved portion 3421f, and a connecting portion 3421g. The third curved portion 3421e is located near the end 342b of the arm 342 and extends in the width direction of the arm 342. The fourth curved portion 3421f is located on one end side of the third curved portion 3421e and extends in the longitudinal direction of the arm 342. The connecting portion 3421g connects the third curved portion 3421e and the fourth curved portion 3421f. In a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the connecting portion 3421g is approximately arc-shaped.

[0062] The operation of the axle cooling device 30 of the transport equipment 10 according to this embodiment will be explained below with reference to Figures 8A to 8E. Figures 8A to 8E show the transport trolley 20 as it passes through a specific point A in the path 2. In each figure, only the axle 24 and wheels 25 of the transport trolley 20 are shown. Also, in each figure, the groove 3421 and lever 344 are shown as solid lines to explain the positional relationship between the groove 3421 and the lever 344. In each figure, the transport trolley 20 travels from left to right on the page.

[0063] Figure 8A shows the state before the transport trolley 20 reaches specific point A, and when the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 is not in contact with the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341. The wheel detection rod 341 is in its lowest position relative to the wheel 25. The rotation of the lever 344 is constrained by the third curved portion 3421e. Therefore, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is substantially parallel to the vertical direction. At this time, the valve 33 is completely closed.

[0064] As the transport trolley 20 moves, the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 comes into contact with the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341. The wheel detection rod 341 is pushed up by the wheel 25 and rises. The arm 342 rotates in accordance with the rise of the wheel detection rod 341. When the arm 342 has not rotated much, the lever 344 remains constrained by the third curved portion 3421e and hardly rotates. When the arm 342 has rotated to a certain extent, the constraint by the third curved portion 3421e is released and the lever 344 begins to rotate. Specifically, as shown in Figure 8B, the pin of the lever 344 begins to move within the groove 3421 along the connecting portion 3421g from the third curved portion 3421e. At this time, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is slightly tilted and the valve 33 is almost closed.

[0065] As the transport trolley 20 travels further and the wheel detection rod 341 rises further, the arm 342 rotates further. Consequently, the pin of the lever 344 moves from the connecting portion 3421g toward the fourth curved portion 3421f. The transport trolley 20 then reaches specific point A. When the transport trolley 20 is at specific point A, as shown in Figure 8C, the wheel detection rod 341 is in the highest position relative to the wheel 25. At this time, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is substantially perpendicular to the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is completely closed.

[0066] When the transport trolley 20 passes point A, the wheel detection rod 341 descends along the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 while remaining in contact with it. As a result, the arm 342 rotates in the opposite direction. Consequently, the pin of the lever 344 moves along the groove 3421 in the opposite direction. Once the arm 342 has rotated to a certain extent, as shown in Figure 8D, the pin of the lever 344 moves from the fourth curved portion 3421f to the connecting portion 3421g. At this time, in a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is slightly tilted and the valve 33 is almost closed.

[0067] As the transport trolley 20 continues to travel, the outer surface 25a of the wheel 25 separates from the lower end 341a of the wheel detection rod 341, as shown in Figure 8E. At this time, the wheel detection rod 341 is in its lowest position relative to the wheel 25, similar to the wheel detection rod 341 shown in Figure 8A. In a side view of the operating mechanism 34, the lever 344 is substantially parallel to the vertical direction, and the valve 33 is completely closed.

[0068] Figure 9 shows an example of the relationship between the wheel contact angle and the valve opening degree of the valve 33 when using the conveying equipment 10 according to this embodiment. Referring to Figure 9, in this example, the relationship between the wheel contact angle and the valve opening degree of the valve 33 is generally a normally distributed curve. The valve opening degree increases smoothly after the wheel detection rod 341 and the wheel 25 come into contact. Then, when the valve opening degree reaches fully open (100%), it smoothly decreases until it becomes fully closed (0%).

[0069] The operating mechanism 34 of the conveying equipment 10 in this embodiment detects when the conveying trolley 20 passes a specific point A in the path 2 and supplies refrigerant to the end face of the axle 24. Therefore, compared to the case where refrigerant is continuously supplied from the nozzle 31 regardless of the position of the axle 24, as in the conveying equipment 10 according to the first embodiment, refrigerant can be supplied to the axle 24 of the conveying trolley 20 more efficiently.

[0070] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above. However, the embodiments described above are merely examples for implementing this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and the embodiments described above can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of this disclosure.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the cooling hole 24a provided in the axle 24 penetrates the axle 24 in the axial direction. However, the cooling hole 24a only needs to open into one end face of the axle 24 and does not need to penetrate the axle 24.

[0072] In the above embodiment, the supply of refrigerant according to the position of the axle 24 is achieved by a mechanical structure without using electrical control. However, electrical control may be used in the conveying equipment 10 according to this disclosure. For example, the conveying equipment 10 may be equipped with a solenoid valve instead of a valve 33 that opens and closes according to the angle of the lever 344. In this case, the opening and closing of the solenoid valve is controlled according to the position of the axle 24. The position of the axle 24 is detected, for example, by a sensor. The sensor may be a contact type or a non-contact type. A contact type sensor may be the wheel detection rod 341 of the conveying equipment 10 in the above embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0073] 10: Conveying equipment 1: Sintering machine 2: Route 20: Transport cart 24: Axle 24a: Cooling hole 25: Wheels 25a: Outer surface 31: Nozzle 32: Piping 33: Valve 34: Operating mechanism 341: Wheel detection rod 341a: Bottom end 342: Arm 344: Lever A: Specific point

Claims

1. A transport trolley that travels along a path includes an axle and a wheel rotatably supported at the end of the axle, A nozzle capable of supplying refrigerant toward the end face of the axle, A pipe connected to the nozzle through which the refrigerant flows, A valve provided in the aforementioned piping, A transport device comprising: an operating mechanism that operates a valve to open the valve when the axle of the transport trolley, while in motion, passes a specific point set in the path.

2. The conveying equipment according to claim 1, The conveying equipment includes a cooling hole that extends in the axial direction of the axle and opens to the end face of the axle.

3. The conveying equipment according to claim 1, The operating mechanism includes a wheel detection rod that extends in the vertical direction and is arranged to be able to move up and down at the specific point, The wheel detection rod is a conveying device that moves up and down when its lower end contacts the outer surface of the wheel.

4. The conveying equipment according to claim 3, The aforementioned operating mechanism further, An arm that rotates in accordance with the raising and lowering of the wheel detection rod, A conveying device including a lever that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the arm and opens and closes the valve.

5. The conveying equipment according to claim 1, The aforementioned transport trolley is a transport equipment, specifically a pallet trolley used in a sintering machine.

Images