Belt conveyor

Abstract

To provide a belt conveyor capable of preventing falling during movement and transfer and according to an operation condition.SOLUTION: A belt conveyor 1 includes: a belt conveyor body 10 for transporting an object to be transported; and a movable base part 20 for holding the belt conveyor body 10. It also includes: inclination sensors 24, 24 for detecting inclination of the base part 20; displacement sensors 32, 33 for detecting displacement of the belt conveyor body 10; and control means 23 for calculating the gravity center position of the belt conveyor body 10 based on a measurement signal transmitted from the displacement sensors 32, 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a belt conveyor capable of preventing tipping according to the moving and transporting states or the operating conditions.

Background Art

[0002] The crushed stones after crushing concrete waste materials, asphalt waste materials, etc. with a crushing device such as an impact crusher are carried out by a conveying device such as a belt conveyor.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a self-propelled conveying device including a foldable conveying unit and a traveling body that supports the conveying unit. This self-propelled conveying device conveys an object to be conveyed input from one end side of a belt conveyor via a hopper, and discharges it from the other end side of the belt conveyor, so that the object to be conveyed forms a deposit piled up on the ground.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, a conventional self-propelled conveying device as shown in Patent Document 1 may cause a tilt of the traveling body itself from the horizontal state, and a large deviation of the center of gravity position of the conveying unit (belt conveyor main body) in the front-rear, left-right, and upward directions due to the conveying conditions such as the weight of the object to be conveyed and the uneven distribution of the object to be conveyed on the conveyor belt. In addition, when shifting from the non-use state to the use state of the belt conveyor main body, when shifting from the use state to the non-use state, or when moving and transporting the conveying device, a deviation of the center of gravity position may also occur.

[0006] A large deviation in the inclination of the traveling body or the center-of-gravity position in the belt conveyor main body may cause the belt conveyor main body or the conveying device itself to tip over, leading to a great risk of serious accidents. However, at present, no countermeasures have been taken in conventional conveying devices. Furthermore, in the operating state of conveying the object to be conveyed, the tipping of the conveying device may scatter the object to be conveyed around, potentially causing accidents over a wider range.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a belt conveyor capable of preventing tipping according to movement, transportation, and operating conditions.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] The belt conveyor according to the present invention includes a belt conveyor main body for conveying an object to be conveyed, and a base portion that holds the belt conveyor main body and is movable. The belt conveyor also includes an inclination sensor for detecting the inclination of the base portion, a displacement sensor for detecting the displacement of the belt conveyor main body, and a control means for calculating the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body based on a measurement signal transmitted from the displacement sensor.

[0009] Thus, in the present invention, since it includes an inclination sensor, a displacement sensor, and a control means for calculating the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body, it is possible to determine the tipping risk of the belt conveyor according to the inclination degree of the base portion and the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body, and it has the effect of being able to prevent the tipping of the belt conveyor in advance.

[0010] The belt conveyor according to the present invention, if necessary, has a displacement sensor that is pivotally supported on the base portion and is a distance sensor attached to a telescopic support arm that supports the belt conveyor main body.

[0011] Thus, in the present invention, since the distance sensor is attached to the telescopic support arm that supports the belt conveyor main body, it is possible to measure the distance between the fixed arm and the telescopic arm, and always monitor the state of the support arm according to the change amount of this distance, and it has the effect that the belt conveyor can be more easily prevented from tipping over in advance.

[0012] The belt conveyor according to the present invention is provided with a weight sensor for measuring the weight of the object to be conveyed on the belt conveyor main body as needed, and the control means infers the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed based on the measurement signal transmitted from the weight sensor, and calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body by combining the inferred conveyance states.

[0013] Thus, in the present invention, since it is provided with control means for inferring the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed based on the measurement signals transmitted from the weight sensor and the speed sensor, and calculating the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body by combining the inferred conveyance states, it is possible to predict the conveyance state of the entire belt conveyor main body with reference to the weight of the object to be conveyed on a predetermined area, and calculate the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body, and it has the effect that the belt conveyor can be more accurately prevented from tipping over in advance.

[0014] The belt conveyor according to the present invention is provided with a speed sensor for measuring the conveyance speed of the object to be conveyed and a carry-in amount sensor for measuring the weight of the object to be conveyed supplied to the belt conveyor main body as needed, and the control means predicts the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed based on the measurement signals transmitted from the speed sensor and the carry-in amount sensor, and calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body based on the predicted conveyance state.

[0015] Thus, in the present invention, since it is provided with control means for predicting the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed based on the measurement signals transmitted from the speed sensor and the carry-in amount sensor, and calculating the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body based on the predicted conveyance state, it is possible to detect the risk of tipping over of the belt conveyor in advance, and it has the effect that the risk of tipping over can be notified to the operator with a time margin.

[0016] In the belt conveyor according to the present invention, if necessary, the base portion is self-propelled.

[0017] Thus, in the present invention, by adopting a base portion that is self-propelled, the belt conveyor can be moved without the need to disassemble the belt conveyor or use a transport vehicle for the belt conveyor, and the working efficiency can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018]

Figure 1

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Also, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout this embodiment.

[0020] [First Embodiment] Hereinafter, the belt conveyor according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0021] The belt conveyor according to this embodiment includes a belt conveyor main body that conveys an object to be conveyed, and a base portion that holds the belt conveyor main body. The base portion includes an inclination sensor that measures the inclination of the base portion, and the belt conveyor main body includes a displacement sensor that measures the displacement of the belt conveyor main body.

[0022] Hereinafter, it will be described in detail with specific examples.

[0023] The belt conveyor 1 includes a belt conveyor main body 10 that conveys an object to be conveyed, and a traveling body 20 as a base portion that holds the belt conveyor main body 10.

[0024] In this way, by adopting the self-propelled traveling body 20, the belt conveyor 1 can be moved without the need to disassemble the belt conveyor 1 or use a transport vehicle for the belt conveyor 1, and the work efficiency can be improved.

[0025] The belt conveyor main body 10 includes a long frame 11, a driving roller 12 provided on the head side (the side where the object to be conveyed is unloaded) of the frame 11, a driven roller 13 provided on the tail side (the side where the object to be conveyed is loaded), a plurality of guide rollers 14 provided between the driving roller 12 and the driven roller 13, a driving motor 15 that rotationally drives the driving roller 12, and an endless conveyor belt 16 spanned between the driving roller 12 and the driven roller 13.

[0026] In this embodiment, the objects to be conveyed include various materials that can be conveyed by the belt conveyor 1, such as wood chips, crushed pieces such as concrete waste and asphalt waste, minerals such as coal and iron ore, earth and sand for landfill, and fresh concrete.

[0027] The frame 11 is divided into a head module 11A forming one end of the frame 11, an intermediate module 11B connected to the head module 11A, and a tail module 11C connected to the intermediate module 11B and forming the other end of the frame 11. The frame 11 is pivotally supported via a head side support arm 30 and a tail side support arm 31 provided before and after the traveling body 20 at the lower parts on the head side and the tail side of the intermediate module 11B.

[0028] The traveling body 20 includes a vehicle 21 that holds the belt conveyor main body 10, and crawler traveling belts 22 attached to both lower sides of the vehicle 21 and traveling on the ground. The vehicle 21 is provided with a control panel 23, inclination sensors 24, 24, a hydraulic source (not shown), a communication unit, and the like. The control panel (control unit) 23 includes a CPU, a ROM that stores and remembers a control program and the like, a RAM such as an operating area of the control program as storage means, an interface unit that interfaces with peripheral circuits, and the like. The control panel 23 performs drive control of the crawler traveling belts 22, the belt conveyor main body 10, and the like. The inclination sensors 24, 24 measure the front-rear and left-right inclinations of the traveling body 20, respectively. The hydraulic power source drives (extends and contracts) the hydraulic cylinder described later. The communication unit receives a signal transmitted from a remote control device via a wireless line and transmits management information supplied from a control panel to a management terminal via the wireless line.

[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the frame 11 is configured to take two modes: an extended state (operating state) in which the head module 11A, the intermediate module 11B, and the tail module 11C extend linearly, and a folded state in which the head module 11A and the tail module 11C are folded above the intermediate module 11B as shown in FIG. 2.

[0030] The head side support arm 30 and the tail side support arm 31 are configured to be extendable and contractible according to the extended state and the folded state of the frame 11.

[0031] The head side support arm 30 includes a fixed arm 30A pivotally supported at the front lower part of the traveling body 20 and a telescopic arm 30B slidably housed in the fixed arm 30A and pivotally supported at the head side lower part of the intermediate module 11B of the frame 11. An ultrasonic distance sensor 32 as a displacement sensor is provided on the telescopic arm 30B. The distance sensor 32 measures the distance d1 between the distance sensor 32 and the frame member of the fixed arm 30A disposed opposite thereto.

[0032] The tail side support arm 31 includes a fixed arm 31A pivotally supported at the tail side lower part of the intermediate module 11B of the frame 11 and a telescopic arm 31B slidably housed in the fixed arm 31A and pivotally supported at the rear lower part of the traveling body 20. An ultrasonic distance sensor 33 as a displacement sensor is provided on the fixed arm 31A. The distance sensor 33 measures the distance d2 between the distance sensor 33 and the frame member of the telescopic arm 31B disposed opposite thereto.

[0033] As described above, since the distance sensors 32 and 33 are attached to the telescopic support arms 30 and 31 that support the belt conveyor main body 10, it is possible to measure the distance between the fixed arms 30A and 31A and the telescopic arms 30B and 31B, and always monitor the state of the support arms 30 and 31 according to the change amount of this distance. Thus, it is possible to more easily prevent the belt conveyor 1 from tipping over in advance.

[0034] Next, a method for shifting the belt conveyor main body 10 from the folded state to the extended state and a method for shifting from the extended state to the folded state will be described.

[0035] First, to change the belt conveyor main body 10 from the folded state to the extended state, the hydraulic cylinders 40 and 41 attached to both side surfaces of the head side support arm 30 and the tail side support arm 31 are extended to raise the head side support arm 30 and the tail side support arm 31 while extending them, and the intermediate module 11B in a state where the head module 11A and the tail module 11C are stacked on top of each other is raised above the traveling body 20. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the extension states of the hydraulic cylinders 40 and 41 are controlled so that the head side of the intermediate module 11B rises more than the tail side, and the intermediate module 11B is made to have a downward slope from the head side to the tail side. Note that the belt conveyor main body 10 can freely change its vertical position and tilt angle even after the shift is completed (during operation of the belt conveyor 1).

[0036] Next, by contracting the hydraulic cylinders 42 attached to both side surfaces of the head side of the intermediate module 11B, the head module 11A is rotated starting from the connection portion between the head module 11A and the intermediate module 11B via the link mechanism 44 provided at the connection portion between the head module 11A and the intermediate module 11B, and after passing through a state of standing up with respect to the intermediate module 11B, it is arranged on the extension line of the head side of the intermediate module 11B. At the same time, by contracting the hydraulic cylinders 43 respectively attached to both side surfaces on the tail side of the intermediate module 11B, via the link mechanism 45 provided at the connecting portion between the intermediate module 11B and the tail module 11C, the tail module 11C is rotated starting from the connecting portion between the intermediate module 11B and the tail module 11C, and after passing through the state of standing up with respect to the intermediate module 11B, it is arranged on the extension line on the tail side of the intermediate module 11B, so that the head module 11A, the intermediate module 11B, and the tail module 11C are linearly extended, that is, in the operating state.

[0037] Conversely, to change the belt conveyor main body 10 from the extended state to the folded state, by extending the hydraulic cylinders 42 and 43, via the link mechanisms 44 and 45, the head module 11A and the tail module 11C are rotated starting from the connecting portion between the head module 11A and the tail module 11C and the intermediate module 11B, and after passing through the state of standing up with respect to the intermediate module 11B, the head module 11A and the tail module 11C are stacked above the intermediate module 11B.

[0038] Next, the hydraulic cylinders 40 and 41 are contracted to tilt the head side support arm 30 and the tail side support arm 31 toward the running surface side while contracting them, and the intermediate module 11B is lowered toward the upper surface of the running body 20 so as to be substantially horizontal, and the belt conveyor main body 10 is set in the folded state.

[0039] In this way, by setting the belt conveyor main body 10 in the folded state, the belt conveyor 1 can be made compact, and convenience is achieved for the movement of the belt conveyor 1 and transportation by a trailer or the like.

[0040] Next, the anti-tipping processing operation of the belt conveyor 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a device block diagram of the belt conveyor according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the anti-tipping processing operation in the operating state of the belt conveyor according to the present embodiment. The fall prevention process operation is carried out not only in the folded state and the operating state, but also during the transition between these states.

[0041] First, the inclination sensors 24, 24 detect the inclination of the traveling body 20 and transmit the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S100).

[0042] The control unit 23 calculates the inclination degree of the traveling body 20 based on the measurement signals sent from the inclination sensors 24, 24 (step S110).

[0043] Also, the distance sensor 32 attached to the head side support arm 30 detects the distance between the fixed arm 30A and the telescopic arm 30B of the head side support arm 30 and transmits the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S120).

[0044] Similarly, the distance sensor 33 attached to the tail side support arm 31 detects the distance between the fixed arm 31A and the telescopic arm 31B of the tail side support arm 31 and transmits the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S120).

[0045] The control unit 23 calculates the change amount of the distance between the fixed arm 30A and the telescopic arm 30B, and the change amount of the distance between the fixed arm 31A and the telescopic arm 31B from the measurement signals sent from the distance sensors 32, 33, that is, the expansion and contraction rates of the head side support arm 30 and the tail side support arm 31 (step S130), and calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 from this expansion and contraction rate and the lengths and weights of the respective members constituting the belt conveyor main body 10 input in advance (step S140).

[0046] For example, when transitioning from the folded state to the operating state, the bed module 11A and the tail module 11C stand up, so the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 becomes higher. In the operating state, the center of gravity position is lower than when transitioning from the folded state to the operating state, but the center of gravity position exists in front of the traveling body 20 (when the tail module 11C is designed to be longer than the head module 11A, the center of gravity position exists behind the traveling body 20). In the folded state, the center of gravity position is lower than when transitioning from the folded state to the operating state, and the position of the traveling body 20 is approximately the center of gravity position, resulting in the most stable state.

[0047] The control unit 23 determines the risk of tipping over of the belt conveyor 1 based on the inclination of the traveling body 20 and the calculated center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 (step S150). Specifically, when the inclination of the traveling body 20 exceeds a preset threshold value and the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 is outside a predetermined region (when the center of gravity position is greatly deviated from the traveling body 20), the control unit 23 determines that the risk of tipping over of the belt conveyor 1 is high (step S150: YES). This is notified to the operator and surrounding workers by a warning sound or the like, and the high risk of tipping over is transmitted to the management terminal.

[0048] When the belt conveyor 1 is in the operating state, the drive motor 15 is stopped to stop the conveyance of the object to be conveyed by the conveyor belt 16 (step S160), and the anti-tipping processing operation ends.

[0049] Note that when the belt conveyor 1 is moving, the control unit 23 stops the traveling body 20, and when the belt conveyor main body 10 is transitioning to another state, the transition operation is aborted.

[0050] When the inclination of the traveling body 20 does not exceed a preset threshold value and the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 is within a predetermined region, the control unit 23 determines that the risk of tipping is low or non-existent (step S150: NO), and continues to repeatedly execute steps S100 to S150 to monitor the belt conveyor 1.

[0051] Note that in step S150, when the inclination of the traveling body 20 exceeds a preset threshold value, or when the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 is outside a predetermined region, the control unit 23 may determine that the risk of tipping of the belt conveyor 1 is high and stop the drive motor 15. Also, in step S160, the control unit 23 may only give a notification to the operator and surrounding workers, and have the operator or the like stop the drive motor 15, or may stop the drive motor 15 without giving a notification to the operator and surrounding workers.

[0052] In this way, since it is provided with the inclination sensors 24, 24, the displacement sensors (distance sensors) 32, 33, and the control unit 23 that calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body, it becomes possible to determine the risk of tipping of the belt conveyor according to the inclination of the base part (traveling body) 20 and the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10, and it is possible to prevent the tipping of the belt conveyor in advance.

[0053] [Second Embodiment] The belt conveyor according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the main part of the intermediate module in the belt conveyor according to this embodiment. Note that in this embodiment, descriptions overlapping with the above first embodiment are omitted.

[0054] The belt conveyor 1 according to this embodiment is provided with a weight sensor 34 at a position in the intermediate module 11B to measure the weight of the object to be conveyed on a predetermined region of the intermediate module 11B.

[0055] Next, the fall prevention processing operation of the belt conveyor 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. FIG. 9 is a device block diagram of the belt conveyor according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the fall prevention processing operation in the belt conveyor according to the present embodiment.

[0056] First, similar to the first embodiment, the inclination sensors 24 and 24 detect the inclination of the traveling body 20 and transmit the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S200). The control unit 23 calculates the degree of inclination of the traveling body 20 based on the measurement signals sent from the inclination sensors 24 and 24 (step S210).

[0057] Next, the distance sensor 32 attached to the head side support arm 30 detects the distance between the fixed arm 30A and the telescopic arm 30B of the head side support arm 30, and transmits the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23. Similarly, the distance sensor 33 attached to the tail side support arm 31 detects the distance between the fixed arm 31A and the telescopic arm 31B of the tail side support arm 31, and transmits the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S220).

[0058] The control unit 23 calculates the amount of change in the distance between the fixed arm 30A and the telescopic arm 30B, and the amount of change in the distance between the fixed arm 31A and the telescopic arm 31B, that is, the expansion and contraction rates of the head side support arm 30 and the tail side support arm 31, from the measurement signals sent from the distance sensors 32 and 33 (step S230).

[0059] On the other hand, the weight sensor 34 detects the weight of the object to be conveyed on a predetermined area and transmits the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S240).

[0060] The control unit 23 estimates the conveyance status of the object to be conveyed on the conveyor belt 16 based on the measurement signal transmitted from the weight sensor 34 (step S250). Specifically, the control unit 23 calculates the weight of the object being conveyed on a predetermined area from the measurement signal transmitted from the weight sensor 34. Next, assuming that an object being conveyed having the same weight as the object being conveyed in the predetermined area is being conveyed over the entire belt conveyor main body 10, the weight of the object being conveyed on the entire belt conveyor main body 10 is calculated from the ratio between the length in the conveying direction in the predetermined area and the length of the belt conveyor main body 10.

[0061] The control unit 23 calculates the estimated weight of the object being conveyed on the belt conveyor main body 10 calculated as described above, the expansion and contraction rates of the head side support arm 30 and the tail side support arm 31, and the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 from the lengths and weights of each member constituting the belt conveyor main body 10 input in advance (step S260).

[0062] The control unit 23 determines the risk of tipping over of the belt conveyor main body 10 from the inclination of the traveling body 20 and the calculated center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 (step S270). Specifically, when the inclination of the traveling body 20 exceeds a preset threshold value and the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 is outside a predetermined area (when the center of gravity position is greatly deviated from the traveling body 20), the control unit 23 determines that the risk of tipping over is high (step S270: YES), notifies the operator and surrounding workers of this by means of a warning sound or the like, and transmits the high risk of tipping over to the management terminal.

[0063] When the belt conveyor 1 is in an operating state, the drive motor 15 is stopped to stop the conveyance of the object being conveyed by the conveyor belt 16 (step S280), and the anti-tipping process operation is terminated.

[0064] Note that when the belt conveyor 1 is moving, the control unit 23 stops the traveling body 20, and when the belt conveyor main body 10 is shifting to another state, the shifting operation is stopped.

[0065] When the inclination of the traveling body 20 does not exceed a preset threshold value and the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 is within a predetermined region, the control unit 23 determines that the risk of tipping is low or non-existent (step S270: NO), and continues to repeatedly execute steps S200 to S270 to continue monitoring the belt conveyor 1.

[0066] As described above, since the control unit 23 is provided to estimate the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed based on the measurement signal transmitted from the weight sensor 34 and calculate the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 based on the estimated conveyance state, the weight of the object to be conveyed on a predetermined region is referred to predict the conveyance state of the entire belt conveyor main body 10, and calculate the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10, it is possible to more accurately prevent the belt conveyor 1 from tipping in advance.

[0067] Note that the weight sensor 34 does not necessarily need to be provided only in the intermediate module 11B. For example, the weight sensor 34 may be provided in each module constituting the belt conveyor main body 10. In this case, the control unit 23 estimates the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed for each module and calculates the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10. Thereby, the control unit 23 can calculate the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 more accurately.

[0068] Also, in step S270, when the inclination of the traveling body 20 exceeds a preset threshold value or the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 is outside a predetermined region, the control unit 23 may determine that the risk of tipping of the belt conveyor 1 is high and stop the drive motor 15. Furthermore, in step S280, the control unit 23 may only notify the operator and surrounding workers, and let the operator or the like stop the drive motor 15, or may stop the drive motor 15 without notifying the operator and surrounding workers.

[0069] [Third Embodiment] The belt conveyor according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the main part of the tail module in the belt conveyor according to the present embodiment. Note that the description overlapping with the first embodiment in this embodiment will be omitted.

[0070] It is also possible to construct a system in which the belt conveyor 1 according to the present embodiment includes a speed sensor 35 that measures the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 16 for conveying the object to be conveyed, which is provided in the tail module 11C, and a carry-in amount sensor 36 that measures the carry-in amount of the object to be conveyed supplied.

[0071] Next, the tipping warning processing operation of the belt conveyor 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. FIG. 12 is a device block diagram of the belt conveyor according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing the tipping prevention processing operation in the belt conveyor according to the present embodiment.

[0072] First, the speed sensor 35 detects the conveying speed of the conveyor belt 16 for conveying the object to be conveyed, and transmits the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S300).

[0073] Also, the carry-in amount sensor 36 detects the weight of the object to be conveyed supplied onto the conveyor belt 16 of the belt conveyor main body 10, and transmits the measurement result (signal) to the control unit 23 (step S310).

[0074] Based on the measurement signals sent from the speed sensor 35 and the carry-in amount sensor 36, the control unit 23 predicts the conveying state of the object to be conveyed on the conveyor belt 16 when the belt conveyor 1 operates continuously (step S320). Specifically, the control unit 23 assumes that the weight of the object to be conveyed continuously carried onto the conveyor belt 16 is the same as the weight of the object to be conveyed detected by the carry-in amount sensor 36, and predicts the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed on the conveyor belt 16. The weight of the object to be conveyed continuously carried onto the conveyor belt 16 is updated at any time based on the measurement signal transmitted from the carry-in amount sensor 36. For example, when the carry-in amount sensor 36 detects A (kg) as the weight of the object to be conveyed, it is predicted that the object to be conveyed will be conveyed in a conveyance state of "AAAAA" over the entire conveyor belt 16. After any lapse of time, when the carry-in amount sensor 36 detects B (kg) as the new weight of the object to be conveyed, it is predicted that the object to be conveyed will be conveyed in a conveyance state of "AAAAB" → "AAABB" → "AABBB" → "ABBBB" → "BBBBB". Further, after any lapse of time, for example, when the carry-in amount sensor 36 detects C (kg) as the weight of the object to be conveyed at the stage of "AABBB", it is predicted that the object to be conveyed will be conveyed in a conveyance state of "ABBBC" → "BBBCC" → "BBCCC" → "BCCCC" → "CCCCC".

[0075] The control unit 23 calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 based on the predicted conveyance state of the object to be conveyed (step S330). Specifically, the control unit 23 predicts and calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 from the predicted conveyance state and the lengths and weights of the respective members constituting the belt conveyor main body 10 input in advance.

[0076] The control unit 23 determines the risk of tipping of the belt conveyor 1 from the conveyance state of the object to be conveyed predicted in the future (step S340).

[0077] For example, when there is a bias or clogging in the supply amount of the object to be conveyed during the supply to the belt conveyor main body 10, it is predicted that the amount of the object to be conveyed on the head module 11A will be large and the amount of the object to be conveyed on the tail module 11C will be small. In this case, the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 will become high, and there is a high possibility of shifting significantly forward from the traveling body 20. The control unit 23 constantly monitors the carried-in quantity of the object to be carried by the carried-in quantity sensor 36. When it determines that if the operation state continues as it is, the center-of-gravity position will eventually be outside the predetermined range (step S340: YES), it gives a warning notice to the operator and surrounding workers by means of a warning sound or the like, and also transmits it to the management terminal (step S350). On the other hand, when it determines that the center-of-gravity position is within the predetermined range even if the operation state continues as it is (step S340: NO), it continues to repeatedly execute steps S300 to S340 and continues to monitor the belt conveyor 1.

[0078] When the operator receives a warning from the control unit 23 on the management terminal, after visually confirming the conveyance status of the belt conveyor 1, the operator can manually stop the drive motor 15 according to the situation. Also, after giving the notice, if the drive motor 15 has not been stopped by the operator, the control unit 23 may stop the drive motor 15 after a predetermined time has elapsed according to the conveyance speed of the conveyor belt 16. At this time, the supply of the object to be carried onto the conveyor belt 16 may also be stopped.

[0079] Here, the fall prevention processing operation in the first and second embodiments may be carried out in parallel with the fall warning processing operation in the present embodiment.

[0080] In this way, since the control unit 23 is provided which predicts the conveyance status of the object to be carried based on the measurement signals transmitted from the speed sensor 35 and the carried-in quantity sensor 36, and calculates the center-of-gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 based on the predicted conveyance status, the risk of the belt conveyor 1 falling can be detected in advance, and the operator can be notified of the risk of falling with a time buffer.

[0081] In each of the above embodiments, the belt conveyor main body 10 has been described as a foldable type, but it may also be a telescopic belt conveyor. In the case of a telescopic type, the bed module 11A and the tail module 11C are stacked and stored so as to be alternately above and below the intermediate module 11B.

[0082] In addition, although the case where the displacement sensor is a distance sensor has been described, the present invention is not limited thereto, and it is sufficient if the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body 10 can be calculated. For example, known sensors such as strain gauges, inclination sensors, and acceleration sensors can be used.

[0083] In addition, although the base portion is a self-propelled traveling body 20, it may be a towed type that does not have a drive source.

[0084] Furthermore, the above-described embodiments can be implemented in appropriate combinations.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0085] 1 Belt conveyor 10 Belt conveyor main body 11 Frame 11A Head module 11B Intermediate module 11C Tail module 12 Driving roller 13 Driven roller 14 Guide roller 15 Driving motor 16 Conveyor belt 20 Traveling body 21 Vehicle 22 Crawler traveling belt 23 Control panel (control unit) 24 Inclination sensor 30 Head side support arm 30A Fixed arm 30B Telescopic arm 31 Tail side support arm 31A Fixed arm 31B Telescopic arm 32, 33 Distance sensor 34 Weight sensor 35 Speed sensor 36 Loading amount sensor 40 - 43 Hydraulic cylinder 44, 45 Link mechanism

Claims

1. A belt conveyor comprising a belt conveyor main body for conveying an object to be conveyed, and a base portion that holds the belt conveyor main body and is movable, an inclination sensor for detecting the inclination of the base portion, a displacement sensor for detecting the displacement of the belt conveyor main body, and control means for calculating the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body based on a measurement signal transmitted from the displacement sensor. The belt conveyor is characterized by this.

2. In the belt conveyor according to Claim 1, the displacement sensor is a distance sensor pivotally supported by the base portion and attached to a telescopic support arm that supports the belt conveyor main body. The belt conveyor is characterized by this.

3. In the belt conveyor according to Claim 1 or 2, it is provided with a weight sensor for detecting the weight of the object to be conveyed on the belt conveyor main body, and the control means infers the conveying state of the object to be conveyed based on a measurement signal transmitted from the weight sensor, and calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body by combining the inferred conveying state. The belt conveyor is characterized by this.

4. In the belt conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, it is provided with a speed sensor for detecting the conveying speed of the object to be conveyed, and a loading amount sensor for detecting the weight of the object to be conveyed supplied to the belt conveyor main body, and the control means predicts the conveying state of the object to be conveyed based on measurement signals transmitted from the speed sensor and the loading amount sensor, and calculates the center of gravity position of the belt conveyor main body based on the predicted conveying state. The belt conveyor is characterized by this.

5. In the belt conveyor according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, the base portion is self-propelled. The belt conveyor is characterized by this.

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