Conveyor Belt Intelligent Patrol Inspection and Safety Management System

Abstract

This conveyor belt intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system improves the operational safety and efficiency of coal transport systems, extends the service life of conveyor belts, enhances the intelligence level of coal transport systems, and contributes to reducing labor costs and improving production efficiency and safety. [Solution] The conveyor belt intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system includes a foreign object sorting and removal device and an electric eccentricity correction device. The foreign object sorting and removal device includes a conveyor belt 1, a visual detection unit 2, and an industrial robot 3, which are installed in order along the material transport direction. An encoder 4 is installed on the rotation axis of the conveyor belt. The visual detection unit is mounted above the conveyor belt and is used for detecting foreign objects and acquiring foreign object position and orientation data. The industrial robot uses the foreign object position and orientation data and the conveyor belt output by the encoder. Used to perform a foreign object gripping operation based on angular displacement data, the electric eccentricity correction device includes eccentricity correction sensors, a control unit, and an electric push rod, which are installed in pairs on both sides of the conveyor belt. The eccentricity correction sensors detect whether the center of the conveyor belt is eccentric from the center of the material conveyor and transmit eccentricity data to the control unit. The control unit outputs an adjustment electrical signal to the electric push rod based on the eccentricity data, and the electric push rod pushes or pulls the self-aligning rollers of the conveyor belt based on the adjustment electrical signal.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] This utility model relates to an intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system for conveyor belts, and belongs to the technical field of coal transport system control. [Background technology]

[0002] The coal transport system in a coal-fired power plant is a crucial component of safe operation. However, conventional coal transport systems have many problems, including high dust generation at transport transfer points, blockage of coal drop pipes, eccentric movement of conveyor belts, tearing of conveyor belts, low transport capacity of conveyor belts, frequent cleaning of piers, severe equipment corrosion, high energy consumption, severe impact damage to equipment, and high noise levels. Among these, eccentric movement of conveyor belts is one of the main causes of abnormal belt wear, and current manual eccentricity correction methods are inefficient and pose safety risks.

[0003] To address the issues of intelligent patrol inspection and safety management of conveyor belts, several utility model patents have already been filed. For example, Patent CN116553074A discloses a belt conveyor with an eccentricity correction function and a method for correcting the eccentricity of a conveyor belt. The conveyor achieves multi-degree-of-freedom eccentricity correction of carrier rollers via a cross shaft assembly and a rotational power assembly, and simultaneously achieves high-precision eccentricity correction by detecting the deflection angle through closed-loop control, thereby improving eccentricity correction efficiency and transport efficiency. However, in practical applications, further optimization of the structure and parameters of the self-aligning swing frame and rotational power assembly is necessary to improve the accuracy and efficiency of eccentricity correction.

[0004] Patent CN107720099A discloses an eccentricity correction device for a cylindrical conveyor belt. The device includes an eccentricity correction sensor, an electrical control system, and an eccentricity correction execution mechanism, enabling automated control of torsional eccentricity of a cylindrical conveyor belt, with high detection sensitivity and fast response and calculation speed. However, the patent requires further improvement in the accuracy and precision of the sensor to more accurately detect the amount and direction of eccentricity of the conveyor belt.

[0005] However, current technical proposals still suffer from problems such as not considering the impact of foreign objects on coal flow transport, and the eccentricity correction methods being unintelligent and relatively inefficient. [Overview of the project] [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To address the problems inherent in the above-mentioned conventional technologies, this utility model proposes an intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system for conveyor belts.

[0007] The technical solution of this utility model is as follows: This utility model provides an intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system for conveyor belts, comprising the following: The system includes a foreign object sorting and removal device, a conveyor belt installed sequentially along the material transport direction, a visual detection unit, and an industrial robot, wherein an encoder is installed on the rotating shaft of the conveyor belt. Here, the visual detection unit is installed above the conveyor belt and is used for detecting foreign objects and acquiring their position and orientation data. The industrial robot is used to perform a foreign object gripping operation based on the foreign object's position and orientation data and the conveyor belt's angular displacement data output by the encoder. The system includes an electric eccentricity correction device, eccentricity correction sensors installed in pairs on both sides of the conveyor belt, a control unit, and an electric push rod. The eccentricity correction sensor detects whether the center of the conveyor belt is eccentric from the center of the material conveyor, transmits eccentricity data to the control unit, the control unit outputs an adjustment electrical signal to the electric push rod based on the eccentricity data, and the electric push rod pushes or pulls the self-aligning rollers of the conveyor belt based on the adjustment electrical signal. The system further includes the following: A water-spraying fire suppression module and video surveillance / infrared cameras positioned above the conveyor belt detect smoke or flames, and the water-spraying system is activated in a chain reaction to extinguish the fire.

[0008] In a preferred embodiment, the visual detection unit includes a camera and an image processing module, the camera captures an image of a foreign object on the conveyor belt surface, the image processing module acquires position and orientation information of the foreign object in the visual coordinate system based on the image of the foreign object on the conveyor belt surface, converts the position and orientation information in the visual coordinate system into the position and orientation of the foreign object in the robot world coordinate system via a coordinate transformation matrix, and the industrial robot reads the angular displacement data of the conveyor belt output by the encoder in real time. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] Compared to conventional technology, the intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system for conveyor belts provided by this utility model has the following beneficial effects: 1. We have achieved intelligent management and control of the coal transport system, enabling automatic detection and sorting / removal of foreign objects via visual detection units and industrial robots, thereby improving the operational safety and efficiency of the coal transport system and solving the problem of conventional coal transport systems relying on manual inspections. 2. Automatic eccentricity correction function is realized via an eccentricity correction sensor, control unit, and electric push rod, improving eccentricity correction accuracy and efficiency, effectively solving the problem of abnormal wear caused by eccentric movement of the conveyor belt, and extending the service life of the conveyor belt. 3. The system integrates two major functions: foreign object sorting and removal, and automatic eccentricity correction, to create a complete intelligent unmanned patrol inspection and safety management system for coal transport systems. This enables comprehensive intelligent management and control of coal transport systems, improving the completeness of operational maintenance patrol inspection information and the comprehensiveness of management and control. 4. By acquiring angular displacement data of the conveyor belt via an encoder and combining it with the position and orientation data of foreign objects acquired by the visual detection unit, the industrial robot can position and grasp foreign objects with high precision, improving the accuracy and efficiency of foreign object sorting and removal. 5. The system employs advanced visual detection and robotics technologies to improve the intelligence level of the coal transport system, contributing to reduced labor costs and improved production efficiency and safety.

[0010] Other aspects and advantages of this utility model are described below, some of which can be understood from the description or grasped through the implementation of this utility model. Furthermore, each aspect and advantage of this utility model can be realized and obtained through the method steps specifically indicated in the attached claims. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is an example diagram of foreign matter sorting and removal using the system of Utility Model Example 1. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram of the partial configuration of the electric eccentricity correction device in the system of the first embodiment of this utility model. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] The following describes the technical solutions in the embodiments of this utility model, linking them to the drawings. Clearly, the embodiments described are only a subset of the embodiments of this utility model, not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by a person skilled in the art without any creative work based on the embodiments of this utility model are all within the scope of protection of this utility model.

[0013] It should be understood that the step numbers used in this text are for convenience of description only and do not limit the execution order of the steps.

[0014] It should be understood that the terms used in the specification of this utility model are for the purpose of simply describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this utility model. As used in the specification of this utility model and the appended claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms "one", "a" and "the" are intended to include the plural forms.

[0015] The terms "comprising" and "including" indicate the presence of the described features, wholes, steps, operations, elements and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, wholes, steps, operations, elements, components and / or their combinations.

[0016] The term "and / or" refers to any one or more of the related listed items and all possible combinations, and includes these combinations.

[0017] (Embodiment 1) Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2. This embodiment provides an intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system for a conveyor belt, and is characterized by comprising the following: A foreign object sorting and removing device, a conveyor belt 1, a visual detection unit 2 and an industrial robot 3 installed in sequence along the material transportation direction, and an encoder 4 is installed on the rotating shaft of the conveyor belt 1. Here, the visual detection unit 2 is installed above the conveyor belt 1 and is used for detecting foreign objects and obtaining the position and posture data of the foreign objects. The industrial robot 3 is used to execute the gripping operation of the foreign objects based on the position and posture data of the foreign objects and the angular displacement data of the conveyor belt output by the encoder 4. The encoder 4 is attached to the rotation axis of the belt 1 to detect the angular displacement data of the belt 1. The visual detection unit 2 is for acquiring a foreign object photo and detecting its position. An industrial robot 3 is fixed in the forward direction of the conveyor's operating direction to track and grasp the product. It includes an electric eccentric correction device, eccentric correction sensors 5 installed in pairs on both sides of the conveyor belt 1, a control unit 6, and an electric push rod 7. The eccentric correction sensor 5 detects whether the center of the conveyor belt 1 is eccentric from the center of the material conveyor, transmits the eccentric data to the control unit 6, and the control unit 6 outputs an adjustment electrical signal to the electric push rod 7 based on the eccentric data. The electric push rod 7 pushes or pulls the self-aligning roller of the conveyor belt 1 based on the adjustment electrical signal.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of this example, the visual detection unit 2 includes a camera and an image processing module. The camera captures an image of a foreign object on the surface of the conveyor belt, and the image processing module obtains the position and orientation information PV(X V , Y V , C V ) of the foreign object in the visual coordinate system based on the foreign object image on the surface of the conveyor belt, and converts PV to the position and orientation PU(Xu, Yu u , Cu) of the foreign object in the robot world coordinate system through a coordinate transformation matrix. Here, the coordinate transformation formula is as follows:

[0019]

Equation

[0020] In the formula, (X0, Y0) are the coordinates of the origin of the visual coordinate system in the robot world coordinate system, and R 11 , R 12 , R 21 , R 22 are parameters in the rotation matrix R. The rotation matrix R describes the rotation relationship between the visual coordinate system and the robot world coordinate system, and T x and T yθ is a translation vector, and θ is the rotation angle between the two coordinate systems. The industrial robot 3 reads the angular displacement data of the conveyor belt output by the encoder 4 in real time, controls the motion of the robot end effector using a motion control model based on a PID control algorithm, and the control output of the PID control algorithm is calculated by the following formula:

[0021]

number

[0022] In the formula, K p is the proportionality constant, K i is the integral coefficient, K d is the derivative, and e(t) is the deviation value at the current time, i.e., the difference between the current end effector of industrial robot 3 and the target position of the foreign object.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment of this design, the step of the control unit 6 outputting an adjustment electrical signal to the electric push rod 7 based on eccentricity data includes the following: The control unit 6 employs a deviation calculation algorithm based on the least squares method, performs calculations on the adjustment electrical signal, and outputs the adjustment electrical signal related to the position deviation amount and direction of the deviation of the conveyor belt to the electric push rod 7. The formula for calculating the conveyor belt deviation amount based on the least squares method is as follows:

[0024]

number

[0025] In the formula, (X i ,Y i ) represents the position data of the conveyor belt collected by the eccentricity correction sensor 5, α0 and α1 are parameters of the fitting line, and △S is the deviation amount of the conveyor belt.

[0026] The operating principle of this embodiment is specifically as follows: After starting the system, the camera parameters are calibrated to set parameters such as the camera's exposure time and resolution; the encoder 4 is zero-point calibrated to ensure that the angular displacement data of the conveyor belt 1 can be accurately measured; and the industrial robot 3 is initially set up, including zero-resetting the joint angles and setting the range of motion, to ensure that each piece of equipment operates normally.

[0027] When a foreign object on the conveyor belt enters the camera's field of view, the camera detects and photographs the foreign object (a pre-trained target detection model, such as the YOLO model, deployed in the camera processor beforehand can be used for detection), and the image processing algorithm detects the foreign object's position and orientation information PV in the visual coordinate system. Simultaneously, the angular position data of the conveyor belt encoder 4 is read.

[0028] Position and orientation information (PV) in the visual coordinate system is converted to position information (PU) in the robot world coordinate system. Data from the conveyor belt encoder is collected in real time, and the end effector of industrial robot 3 is controlled using a PID control algorithm to constantly approach the foreign object. During the approach process, the robot's motion parameters are constantly updated to ensure that the foreign object can be accurately tracked.

[0029] When the robot reaches the location of a foreign object, it performs a grasping operation, grasps the foreign object, and then terminates the foreign object tracking state. The grasped foreign object is placed in the designated retrieval area, completing the sorting and removal operation.

[0030] The electric eccentricity correction device detects whether or not eccentric movement has occurred on the conveyor belt 1 during operation via eccentricity data, automatically analyzes the amount of eccentricity and the severity of the eccentricity, and makes timely adjustments to the conveyor belt 1 to enable operation along an ideal path.

[0031] By setting the corresponding time parameters in the parameter interface, the system automatically corrects the eccentric direction if eccentric movement occurs during the transport process of conveyor belt 1. For example, if the operating time for left eccentricity is set to 3S and the operating time interval for slight left eccentricity is set to 3 seconds, and the left eccentricity switch is triggered for more than 3 seconds due to left eccentricity of conveyor belt 1, the system reverses the electric push rod for a duration of 3S and stops the eccentricity correction.

[0032] The eccentricity correction sensors are installed in pairs, and their centers of symmetry coincide with the center of the conveyor. If the center of the conveyor belt 1 becomes eccentric from the center of the conveyor while it is in operation, the eccentricity correction sensors on both sides activate and output an eccentric electrical signal to the eccentricity correction control box. After calculation by the microprocessor in the control box, electrical signals related to the amount and direction of the conveyor belt's position deviation are output to the electric push rod, which pushes or pulls the self-aligning roller to return the center of the eccentric conveyor belt to the center of the conveyor. This continues until the deviation disappears, then the output from the eccentricity correction control box is stopped, the electric push rod is stopped, and the eccentricity correction is completed.

[0033] If the self-aligning rollers are adjusted to their limit position, and the conveyor belt 1 continues to travel off-center within a certain period of time and fails to correct itself, the control box outputs an alarm signal and illuminates the alarm indicator light. Once the conveyor belt has returned to normal, the alarm signal cannot be used unless it is manually deactivated.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment of this example, the system Furthermore, it is equipped with a water spraying fire extinguishing module, and when the water spraying fire extinguishing module detects smoke or flames using a video surveillance infrared camera positioned above the conveyor belt 1, it will activate the water spraying system in a chain reaction to extinguish the fire.

[0035] In a preferred embodiment of this example, the system Furthermore, it is equipped with a personnel intrusion identification module, and by installing cameras at the entrances and exits of designated areas and deploying artificial intelligence algorithms, it can identify scenarios such as not wearing a safety helmet, area intrusion, and climbing over guardrails, automatically issuing alarms, simultaneously compiling statistics on personnel entering and exiting, issuing overcrowding alarms, and outputting control commands to the conveyor. It enables the identification and automatic alarming of scenarios such as not wearing a safety helmet, area intrusion, and climbing over guardrails. Simultaneously, it performs statistics on personnel entering and exiting, enabling closed management of the area and issuing overcrowding alarms.

[0036] During the process of transporting materials by a belt conveyor, the head of the belt conveyor may become clogged with large-diameter coal slag or large-diameter materials, causing equipment damage. In a preferred embodiment of this example, the system Furthermore, it is equipped with a coal spill / overflow identification module that detects the polygonal detection area of ​​coal flow in the video screen via the visual detection unit 2. If the coal area within the calibration area exceeds a set value, it determines that there is a risk of coal clogging or that coal clogging has already occurred, and issues a system alarm. Through this embodiment, if it is discovered that the coal area within the calibration area is excessive, it is possible to determine that there is a risk of coal clogging or that coal clogging has already occurred, and issue a system alarm.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of this example, the system Furthermore, it is equipped with a tear detection module that detects the conveyor belt 1 in the video screen via the visual detection unit 2. If a tear failure of the conveyor belt 1 is detected, it outputs an alarm signal, which can promptly issue an alarm or an emergency stop signal, thereby preventing the accident from escalating and minimizing conveyor belt loss.

[0038] (Example 2) This embodiment provides an intelligent patrol inspection and safety management method for conveyor belts. The steps include installing a foreign object sorting and removal device and an electric eccentricity correction device, The process involves detecting foreign objects on a conveyor belt via a foreign object sorting and removal device, acquiring position and orientation data of the foreign objects, and controlling an industrial robot to perform a foreign object gripping operation based on the position and orientation data of the foreign objects and the angular displacement data of the conveyor belt. The process includes the steps of detecting whether the center of the conveyor belt is eccentric from the center of the material conveyor via an electric eccentricity correction device, outputting an adjustment electrical signal to the electric push rod of the conveyor belt based on the eccentricity data, and the electric push rod pushing or pulling the self-aligning roller of the conveyor belt based on the adjustment electrical signal.

[0039] The method steps in this embodiment correspond to those that realize the functions of each device in Embodiment 1, and therefore will not be described again here.

[0040] (Example 3) This embodiment provides an electronic device comprising memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein when the processor executes the program, it realizes the intelligent patrol inspection and safety management method for a conveyor belt described in any embodiment of this utility model.

[0041] (Example 4) This embodiment provides a computer-readable storage medium on which a computer program is stored, and when the program is executed by a processor, an intelligent patrol inspection and safety management method for conveyor belts described in any embodiment of this utility model is realized.

[0042] In the embodiments of this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "multiple" means two or more. "and / or" describes the relationship between related objects and indicates that there may be three types of relationships. For example, A and / or B can indicate that A exists alone, A and B exist simultaneously, or B exists alone, where A and B may be singular or plural. The symbol " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship. "At least one of the following" and similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of singular or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, and c may mean a, b, c, a and b, a and c, b and c, or a and b and c, where a, b, and c may be singular or plural.

[0043] Those skilled in the art will be aware that each unit and algorithmic step described in the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented by electronic hardware, computer software, or a combination of electronic hardware. Whether these functions are ultimately implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the invention. While experts in the art may implement the described functions using different methods for each specific application, such implementations will not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0044] Engineers in the relevant field can, for the convenience and conciseness of description, refer to the corresponding processes in the previously mentioned method examples for the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above, and will clearly understand that these processes are not described again here.

[0045] In the various embodiments provided in this application, if any of the functions are implemented in the form of a software function unit and sold or used as an independent product, they can be stored on a single computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical proposal of this application, in essence or in part with respect to the prior art, or a part thereof, can be embodied in the form of a software product, the computer software product being stored on a single storage medium and containing a plurality of instructions for performing all or part of the steps of the methods described in each embodiment of this application on a single computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.). The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, mobile hard disks, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0046] The above are merely examples of the utility model, and do not limit the scope of the patent of this utility model. Any transformation of an equivalent structure or process using the specifications and drawings of this utility model, or any application directly or indirectly to other related technical fields, is similarly included within the scope of patent protection of this utility model. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 1. Conveyor belt; 2. Visual detection unit; 3. Industrial robot; 4. Encoder; 5. Eccentricity correction sensor; 6. Control unit; 7. Electric push rod.

Claims

1. An intelligent conveyor belt inspection and safety management system comprising the following: The system includes a foreign object sorting and removal device, a conveyor belt (1) installed in order along the direction of material transport, a visual detection unit (2), and an industrial robot (3), wherein an encoder (4) is installed on the rotating shaft of the conveyor belt (1). Here, the visual detection unit (2) is installed above the conveyor belt (1) and is used for detecting foreign objects and acquiring position and orientation data of the foreign objects, and the industrial robot (3) is used to perform a foreign object gripping operation based on the position and orientation data of the foreign objects and the angular displacement data of the conveyor belt output by the encoder (4). The system includes an electric eccentricity correction device, eccentricity correction sensors (5), a control unit (6), and an electric push rod (7) installed in pairs on both sides of the conveyor belt (1). The eccentricity correction sensor (5) detects whether the center of the conveyor belt (1) is eccentric from the center of the material conveyor, transmits eccentricity data to the control unit (6), the control unit (6) outputs an adjustment electrical signal to the electric push rod (7) based on the eccentricity data, and the electric push rod (7) pushes or pulls the self-aligning rollers of the conveyor belt (1) based on the adjustment electrical signal. The system further includes the following: An intelligent conveyor belt inspection and safety management system characterized by a water-spraying fire extinguishing module and a video surveillance / infrared camera positioned above the conveyor belt (1). When the water-spraying fire extinguishing module detects smoke or flames, it activates the water-spraying system in a chain reaction to extinguish the fire.

2. The conveyor belt intelligent patrol inspection and safety management system according to claim 1, characterized in that the visual detection unit (2) includes a camera and an image processing module, the camera takes an image of a foreign object on the surface of the conveyor belt, the image processing module acquires position and orientation information of the foreign object in the visual coordinate system based on the image of the foreign object on the surface of the conveyor belt, converts the position and orientation information in the visual coordinate system into the position and orientation of the foreign object in the robot world coordinate system via a coordinate transformation matrix, and the industrial robot (3) reads the angular displacement data of the conveyor belt output by the encoder (4) in real time.

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