Analytical device, vehicle, and analytical system
The analysis device with a movable mechanism for electromagnetic wave acquisition improves cargo analysis efficiency by eliminating pre-processing and enabling real-time unloading location determination during transportation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2021214714
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2021-12-28
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-12
- Estimated Expiration
- 2041-12-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing cargo analysis methods require pre-treatment processes that reduce productivity and are inefficient due to the need for equipment adjustments and repeated analysis at delivery points.
An analysis device with a moving mechanism that allows for electromagnetic wave acquisition from multiple positions on a loading platform, including vertical, horizontal, and vertical movements, coupled with a control unit to optimize analysis efficiency.
Enhances cargo analysis efficiency by allowing analysis during transportation without pre-processing, reducing equipment adjustments, and enabling precise determination of unloading locations based on real-time analysis results.
Smart Images

Figure 0007768761000001 
Figure 0007768761000002 
Figure 0007768761000003
Abstract
Description
[Technical Field]
[0001] FIELD Embodiments of the present invention relate to an analytical device, a vehicle, and an analytical system. [Background technology]
[0002] When transporting cargo, it may be necessary to analyze the components of the cargo. For example, when transporting scrap to a scrap station, the unloading location within the scrap station may change depending on the type and amount of impurities in the scrap (see Patent Document 1). In such cases, it is common to perform a pre-processing process to remove impurities before loading the scrap onto a loading bay, or to perform a component analysis when delivering the scrap to the scrap station to determine the unloading location. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-204261 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] However, providing a pre-treatment process requires equipment adjustments, which may reduce productivity. Also, analyzing cargo every time it is delivered is inefficient.
[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an analysis device, a vehicle, and an analysis system that can improve the efficiency of cargo analysis work. [Means for solving the problem]
[0006] The present invention may include the following aspects. [1] An analysis device comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires electromagnetic waves from an object placed on a loading platform of a vehicle; a moving mechanism configured to be attached to the loading platform and that moves the acquisition unit relative to the loading platform; a control unit that instructs the moving mechanism to move the acquisition unit so as to acquire electromagnetic waves from the object at a plurality of positions on the loading platform; and an analysis unit that analyzes the object based on the electromagnetic waves. [2] The analysis device described in [1], wherein the movement mechanism includes a first movement mechanism that displaces the acquisition unit in a first direction along the loading surface of the loading platform, and a second movement mechanism that displaces the acquisition unit in a second direction that is along the loading surface of the loading platform and different from the first direction. [3] The analysis device described in [2], wherein the movement mechanism further includes a third movement mechanism that displaces the acquisition unit in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction so as to change the position of the acquisition unit in the vertical direction. [4] The analytical device according to [1], wherein the control unit controls the movement mechanism to move the acquisition unit to a predetermined retracted position when the acquisition unit is not performing an electromagnetic wave acquisition operation. [5] The analytical device according to [4], wherein the retracted position is located in front of the loading platform. [6] The analytical device described in [1] further comprises a memory unit that stores information regarding the size of the loading platform, and the control unit generates instructions to the movement mechanism to move the acquisition unit on the loading platform based on the size of the loading platform stored in the memory unit. [7] The analytical device according to [1], wherein the acquisition unit is a fluorescent X-ray spectrometer. [8] A vehicle comprising: a vehicle body including a cabin and a loading platform; and an analysis device according to any one of [1] to [7] attached to the loading platform. [9] An analysis system comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires electromagnetic waves from an object placed on a loading platform of a vehicle; a moving mechanism configured to be attached to the loading platform and that moves the acquisition unit relative to the loading platform; a control unit that instructs the moving mechanism to move the acquisition unit so as to acquire electromagnetic waves from the object at multiple positions on the loading platform; an analysis unit that analyzes the object based on the electromagnetic waves; and a presentation device that acquires analysis information based on the analysis and presents the analysis information.
[10] The analysis system described in [9], wherein the presentation device acquires unloading information regarding a unloading site where the object is unloaded as the analysis information based on the analysis results of the object, and presents the unloading information. [Effects of the Invention]
[0007] The present invention can provide an analysis device, a vehicle, and an analysis system that can improve the efficiency of cargo analysis work. [Brief explanation of the drawings]
[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an analysis system according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an analysis system according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen of the in-vehicle device according to the embodiment; [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a vehicle according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle according to the embodiment taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle according to the embodiment taken along line VII-VII in FIG. 5. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating a damping operation of the vehicle according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a correspondence table between vehicle sizes and movement sequences of an analysis device. [Figure 10] 1 is a flowchart showing a processing flow of an analysis system according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The analysis device, vehicle, and analysis system of the embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. The drawings are schematic or conceptual, and the relationship between the thickness and width of each part, the size ratio between parts, and the like are not necessarily the same as those in reality. Even when the same part is shown, the dimensions and ratios may be different depending on the drawing. The XYZ coordinates shown in the drawings are defined for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the invention. Terms indicating directions such as front / rear, left / right, and up / down in this specification are based on the direction as seen from the driver of the vehicle.
[0010] In this specification, "based on XX" means "based on at least XX," and includes cases where it is based on other elements in addition to XX. Furthermore, "based on XX" is not limited to cases where XX is used directly, but also includes cases where it is based on XX that has been calculated or processed. "XX" is any element (for example, information).
[0011] <Summary> In the analysis system according to this embodiment, an analysis device for cargo is provided on the loading platform of a vehicle. The analysis device includes a measuring instrument for analysis and a moving mechanism for moving the measuring instrument on the loading platform. By analyzing the cargo during transportation, the efficiency of the cargo analysis work can be improved.
[0012] <Analysis System 1> Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an analysis system 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1 shows a vehicle 10 that transports scrap S (an example of an "object") from a source facility 20 to a destination facility 30. As shown in Fig. 1, the analysis system 1 includes an on-board device 40 and an analysis device 50 mounted on the vehicle 10, and a management device 32 and a destination terminal 34 at the destination facility 30. Each device is capable of wireless or wired communication with each other.
[0013] The source facility 20 is a facility that stores and ships the scrap S. For example, the source facility 20 is a scrap storage facility managed by a scrap supplier. The destination facility 30 is a facility to which the scrap S is delivered. For example, the destination facility 30 may be a scrap S collection and storage facility (e.g., a stockyard) or a scrap S processing facility (e.g., a steel mill). In FIG. 1, the destination facility 30 has a first unloading area P1, a second unloading area P2, and a third unloading area P3 as unloading areas for the scrap S.
[0014] At the source facility 20, the scrap S to be transported is loaded onto the loading platform 14 of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 travels from the source facility 20 to the destination facility 30. A manager 36 at the destination facility 30 instructs the driver 16 of the vehicle 10 at which unloading area the scrap S should be unloaded. For example, the manager 36 instructs the driver 16 to transport the scrap S to either the first unloading area P1, the second unloading area P2, or the third unloading area P3. The manager 36 may give instructions directly to the driver 16 after his arrival, or may operate the destination terminal 34 or management device 32 at the destination facility 30 to send instructions regarding the unloading area to the in-vehicle device 40, etc.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the analysis system 1 according to this embodiment. 4(a) to 4(c) are diagrams showing examples of screens of the in-vehicle device 40 according to this embodiment. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment taken along line VI-VI in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment taken along line VII-VII in FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the damping operation of the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment.
[0016] <Vehicle 10> As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle 10 may be a freight vehicle of any type. For example, the vehicle 10 may be a truck, a dump truck, a trailer, or the like. Specifically, the vehicle 10 may be composed of a front cabin 12 and a rear loading platform 14. A driver 16 rides in the cabin 12. The cabin 12 is equipped with an on-board device 40 and a printer 90. The loading platform 14 is provided with a roof 14a, on which an analysis device 50 is attached. The roof 14a covers at least the front of the loading platform 14. The vehicle 10 is equipped with a vehicle battery 18. The on-board device 40 and the analysis device 50 provided in the vehicle 10 will be described below.
[0017] <In-vehicle device 40> The in-vehicle device 40 (an example of a "presentation device") is any terminal that can be operated by the driver 16 in the cabin 12. For example, the in-vehicle device 40 may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, tablet terminal, or personal computer of the driver 16, or may be a control terminal installed in the cabin 12. The in-vehicle device 40 can receive operation input from a user and present information to the user, as shown in, for example, FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c).
[0018] A specific configuration of the in-vehicle device 40 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. The in-vehicle device 40 includes an operation unit 42, a processing unit 44, a display unit 46, and a storage unit 48 as its functional units.
[0019] The operation unit 42 receives operation inputs from the user and transmits the received operations to the processing unit 44. The form of the operation unit 42 as a hardware configuration is not particularly limited, and any configuration can be used, such as buttons provided on the in-vehicle device 40, a touch panel provided on a display, an external input device such as a mouse or keyboard, or buttons provided on the cabin 12 or the loading platform 14.
[0020] The processing unit 44 performs predetermined arithmetic processing on the information acquired by the in-vehicle device 40. Specifically, the processing unit 44 reads and executes a program stored in the storage unit 48 to perform various processes such as generating commands for the analysis device 50 and controlling the display of the display unit 46.
[0021] In terms of hardware configuration, the processing unit 44 may be composed of, for example, an arithmetic processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), an MPU (Micro-Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory).
[0022] The display unit 46 displays text, images, and the like to the user based on the output of the processing unit 44. As shown in FIGS. 4(a) to 4(c), the display unit 46 displays operation images that accept input from the user, and displays instructions and notifications to the user. For example, the display unit 46 can display the analysis results of the analysis device 50 acquired by the on-board device 40, and unloading information regarding the unloading location received from the management device 32 or the destination terminal 34 of the destination facility 30. The driver 16 can check the analysis results and unloading information displayed on the display unit 46 from within the cabin 12. Specifically, the display unit 46 can be configured with any display device, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display.
[0023] The storage unit 48 stores various programs executed by the processing unit 44, various data used in the processing in the processing unit 44, etc. Specifically, the storage unit 48 may be configured with a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk. The program may be provided in a state recorded on a computer-readable non-volatile recording medium.
[0024] The on-board device 40 is connected to a printer 90 provided in the cabin 12. The printer 90 (an example of a "presentation device") can print information output from the on-board device 40 as text or images. For example, the on-board device 40 outputs to the printer 90 analysis results obtained from the analysis device 50, unloading information received from the destination facility 30, and the like. The printer 90 prints out information received from the on-board device 40. The driver 16 can check the analysis results and unloading information printed by the printer 90 from within the cabin 12.
[0025] <Analyzer 50> (Configuration of the analysis device 50) The analysis device 50 performs analysis on cargo (an example of an "object") such as scrap S loaded on the loading platform 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the analysis device 50 includes a control unit 52, a movement mechanism 54, a component analyzer 56, a memory unit 58, and a battery 59.
[0026] The control unit 52 controls the moving mechanism 54 and the component analyzer 56. Specifically, the control unit 52 reads and executes programs stored in the storage unit 58 to perform various processes such as generating instructions for the moving mechanism 54 and the component analyzer 56. In terms of hardware configuration, the control unit 52, like the processing unit 44, can be configured with, for example, an arithmetic processing unit such as a CPU, an MPU, or a GPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like.
[0027] 2, the moving mechanism 54 is attached to the loading platform 14 of the vehicle 10. The moving mechanism 54 can move the component analyzer 56 relative to the loading platform 14, as shown in FIGS.
[0028] The component analyzer 56 performs component analysis of the scrap S loaded on the loading platform 14. For example, the component analyzer 56 can perform component analysis of the scrap S by detecting electromagnetic waves from the scrap S on the loading platform 14 and analyzing the detection results. Specifically, the component analyzer 56 performs X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF), which performs component analysis of an object from the energy and intensity of fluorescent X-rays generated by irradiating the object with X-rays.
[0029] The component analyzer 56 includes a detection unit 56a (an example of an "acquisition unit") that detects electromagnetic waves from the scrap S, and an analysis unit 56b that analyzes the detection results of the detection unit 56a. Specifically, the detection unit 56a is an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer that includes an X-ray source for electron excitation and an X-ray detector. The analysis unit 56b performs component analysis of the target object based on the energy and intensity of the fluorescent X-rays detected by the detection unit 56a.
[0030] The storage unit 58 stores various programs executed by the control unit 52, various data used in the processing in the control unit 52, etc. Specifically, the storage unit 58 can be configured as a large-capacity storage device such as a hard disk.
[0031] The battery 59 is a power source for the analysis device 50. The battery 59 can supply power to each element of the analysis device 50, such as the control unit 52, the movement mechanism 54, the component analyzer 56, and the memory unit 58. Each element of the analysis device 50 may be powered by the vehicle battery 18. For example, the analysis device 50 may be powered by the vehicle battery 18 when electrically connected to the vehicle battery 18, and may be powered by the battery 59 when electrically disconnected from the vehicle battery 18. For example, if the vehicle 10 is a dump truck, the analysis device 50 may be electrically connected to the vehicle battery 18 when not dumping (see FIG. 2), and may be disconnected from the vehicle battery 18 when dumping (see FIG. 8). In such a case, each element of the analysis device 50 may be powered by the vehicle battery 18 when not dumping, and may be powered by the battery 59 when dumping. The battery 59 may be charged by the vehicle battery 18 when not dumping.
[0032] (Movement mechanism details) Next, the movement mechanism 54 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7. The movement mechanism 54 includes a front-rear movement mechanism 60 (an example of a "first movement mechanism") that displaces the component analyzer 56 along the front-rear direction (an example of a "first direction," the X direction in the drawings), a left-right movement mechanism 70 (an example of a "second movement mechanism") that displaces the component analyzer 56 in the left-right direction (an example of a "second direction," the vehicle width direction, the Y direction in the drawings), and a up-down movement mechanism 80 (an example of a "third movement mechanism") that displaces the component analyzer 56 in the up-down direction (an example of a "third direction," the height direction, the Z direction in the drawings). For example, the front-rear and left-right directions are directions that follow (preferably substantially parallel to) the loading surface of the loading platform 14, and the up-down direction is a direction that intersects (preferably substantially perpendicular to) the loading surface of the loading platform 14.
[0033] 2 and 5, the front-rear movement mechanisms 60 are provided in pairs on both the left and right sides of the loading platform 14. The following description focuses on one of the paired front-rear movement mechanisms 60, but the same description also applies to the other. The front-rear movement mechanism 60 includes a front fixed end 61, a rear fixed end 62, a front-rear rack 63 between the front fixed end 61 and the rear fixed end 62, and a front-rear movable part 64 on the front-rear rack.
[0034] 5 and 6, the front fixed end 61 is supported by a vertical movement mechanism 80 (described later) at a front corner of the loading platform 14 and fixed at a predetermined position. The rear fixed end 62 is supported by a vertical movement mechanism 80 (described later) at a rear corner of the loading platform 14 and fixed at a predetermined position. It is preferable that the front fixed end 61 and the rear fixed end 62 are fixed at a position higher than the upper end of the loading platform 14, as this reduces physical interference between the scrap S loaded on the loading platform 14 and the longitudinal movement mechanism 60.
[0035] 6, the longitudinal rack 63 has one end fixed to the front fixed end 61 and the other end fixed to the rear fixed end 62, and extends in the longitudinal direction between the front fixed end 61 and the rear fixed end 62. The longitudinal rack 63 has a regularly formed uneven portion 63a from one end to the other. Providing the uneven portion 63a on the underside of the longitudinal rack 63 is preferable compared to providing the uneven portion 63a on the upper surface, as it provides better protection from rain and scrap S during loading.
[0036] The front-rear movable unit 64 includes a main body 65, a motor 66 provided inside the main body 65, and a pinion gear 67 that operates in conjunction with the motor 66. The main body 65 has a through hole 68 that extends in the front-rear direction. The front-rear rack 63 extends through the through hole 68 and functions as a rail that guides the movement of the front-rear movable unit 64. The pinion gear 67 is disposed so as to mesh with the uneven portion 63a of the front-rear rack 63.
[0037] When the motor 66 rotates, the pinion gear 67 connected to the motor 66 rotates in conjunction with the rotation. When the pinion gear 67 rotates, the front-rear direction movable part 64 moves in the front-rear direction along the front-rear direction rack 63 meshing with the pinion gear 67. When the motors 66 of the pair of front-rear direction movement mechanisms 60 operate in conjunction with each other, the pair of front-rear direction movable parts 64 move so as to maintain the same front-rear direction position, as shown in FIG. 5. When the pair of front-rear direction movable parts 64 move in the front-rear direction, the left-right movement mechanism 70 supported between the front-rear direction movable parts 64 and the component analyzer 56 attached to the left-right movement mechanism 70 also move in the front-rear direction in conjunction with the rotation of the pinion gear 67.
[0038] 5 and 7, the left-right movement mechanism 70 is provided between the pair of front-rear movable parts 64. The left-right movement mechanism 70 includes a left-right rack 71 and a left-right movable part 72. The component analyzer 56 is attached to the left-right movable part 72 so as to face the scrap S on the loading platform 14.
[0039] 7, the horizontal rack 71 has one end fixed to one of the front-rear movable parts 64 and the other end fixed to the other front-rear movable part 64, and extends in the horizontal direction between the two front-rear movable parts 64 on both sides of the loading platform 14. Like the front-rear rack 63, the horizontal rack 71 has a regularly-formed uneven portion 71a from one end to the other. Providing the uneven portion 71a on the underside of the horizontal rack 71 is preferable compared to providing the uneven portion 71a on the upper surface, as it provides better protection from rain and scrap S during loading.
[0040] Similar to the front-rear movable unit 64, the left-right movable unit 72 includes a main body 73, a motor 74 provided inside the main body 73, and a pinion gear 75 that operates in conjunction with the motor 74. The main body 73 has a through-hole 76 that extends in the left-right direction. The left-right rack 71 extends through the through-hole 76 and functions as a rail that guides the movement of the left-right movable unit 72. The pinion gear 75 is positioned to mesh with the uneven portion 71 a of the left-right rack 71.
[0041] As with the front-rear direction movable unit 64, when the motor 74 of the left-right direction movable unit 72 rotates, the pinion gear 75 connected to the motor 74 rotates in conjunction with the rotation. When the pinion gear 75 rotates, the left-right direction movable unit 72 moves left and right along the left-right rack 71 that meshes with the pinion gear 75. As the left-right direction movable unit 72 moves left and right, the component analyzer 56 attached to the left-right direction movable unit 72 also moves left and right in conjunction with the rotation.
[0042] In this way, the component analyzer 56 can be moved two-dimensionally (for example, along the loading surface of the loading platform 14) by the forward / backward movement mechanism 60 and the left / right movement mechanism 70. This allows the scrap S loaded on the loading platform 14 to be analyzed at various positions.
[0043] Next, the vertical movement mechanism 80 will be described. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the vertical movement mechanism 80 is provided below each of the four fixed ends 61, 61, 62, 62 located at the four corners of the loading platform 14. The following description focuses on one vertical movement mechanism 80, but the same description applies to the other three. The vertical movement mechanism 80 includes a lower fixed end 81, a vertical rack 82, and a height adjustment unit 83.
[0044] 6, the lower fixed end 81 is supported at a predetermined height. One end of the vertical rack 82 is fixed to the underside of the front fixed end 61 or the rear fixed end 62, and the other end is fixed to the upper surface of the lower fixed end 81, and the vertical rack 82 extends in the vertical direction between the front fixed end 61 or the rear fixed end 62 and the lower fixed end 81. The vertical rack 82 has regularly-formed uneven portions 82a on at least one surface from one end to the other.
[0045] The height adjustment unit 83 is attached and fixed to the side wall of the loading platform 14. The height adjustment unit 83 includes a main body 84, a motor 85 provided within the main body 84, and a pinion gear 86 that operates in conjunction with the motor 85. The main body 84 has a through-hole 87 that extends in the vertical direction. The vertical rack 82 extends through the through-hole 87. The pinion gear 86 is positioned to mesh with the uneven portion 82a of the vertical rack 82.
[0046] When the motor 85 rotates, the pinion gear 86 connected to the motor 85 rotates in conjunction with the rotation. Because the height adjustment unit 83 is fixed to the side wall of the loading platform 14, when the pinion gear 86 rotates, the vertical rack 82 meshing with the pinion gear 86 moves up and down. As the motors 85 of the four height adjustment units 83 operate in conjunction with each other, the four vertical racks 82 move up and down to maintain the same height. Similarly, the four front fixed ends 61 and the four rear fixed ends 62 at the upper ends of the vertical racks 82 also move up and down to maintain the same height. As a result, the front-rear movement mechanism 60, the left-right movement mechanism 70, and the component analyzer 56 attached to the left-right movement mechanism 70 also move up and down in conjunction with each other.
[0047] In this way, the vertical movement mechanism 80 can move the forward / backward movement mechanism 60, the left / right movement mechanism 70, and the component analyzer 56 in the vertical direction. This allows the height position of the component analyzer 56 to be adjusted. Therefore, for example, when the amount of scrap S is large, physical interference between the component analyzer 56 and the scrap S can be avoided by moving the component analyzer 56 upward. For example, the driver 16 or a worker at the source facility 20 can check the amount of scrap S loaded on the loading platform 14 before the vehicle 10 departs and instruct the movement mechanism 54 to move the component analyzer 56 up or down as necessary, for example, by inputting information into the on-board device 40 (e.g., the "Measurement Unit UP" button 402 and the "Measurement Unit DOWN" button 404 in FIG. 4(a)).
[0048] (Creating an analysis sequence) The analysis device 50 can analyze the scrap S at multiple positions on the loading platform 14 by having the moving mechanism 54 move the component analyzer 56 on the loading platform 14. Specifically, the detection unit 56a can detect electromagnetic waves from the scrap S at multiple positions on the loading platform 14. The positions on the loading platform 14 where the component analyzer 56 performs the analysis are not particularly limited. For example, the control unit 52 can generate a movement sequence, as an instruction to the moving mechanism 54, that includes information on the analysis positions where the component analyzer 56 will perform the analysis. Such a movement sequence includes, for example, information on the analysis positions on the loading platform 14 and information on the movement route that passes through each analysis position.
[0049] For example, the control unit 52 can generate a movement sequence by the following process. (1) The in-vehicle device 40 receives input from the user to obtain information about the size of the loading platform 14. (2) The in-vehicle device 40 transmits the acquired information about the size of the loading platform 14 to the analysis device 50. (3) The storage unit 58 stores information about the size of the loading platform 14 received from the in-vehicle device 40. (4) The control unit 52 determines the number of measurement points to be measured by the component analyzer 56 based on input from the user and information about the size of the loading platform 14 stored in the storage unit 58. (5) The control unit 52 determines the analysis positions (i.e., the positions of the measurement points) on the loading platform 14 and the movement path of the component analyzer 56 based on the determined number of measurement points.
[0050] In the above (5), the control unit 52 can set the analysis positions to positions that are substantially equal divisions of the measurement area on the loading platform 14 (e.g., the entire loading surface of the loading platform 14) so that the analysis positions are arranged at substantially equal intervals on the loading platform 14. The control unit 52 can determine the intervals between the analysis positions based on, for example, the angle of view of the detection unit 56a. The control unit 52 can set the movement path of the component analyzer 56 so that the set analysis positions are traced via the shortest route. However, the method for setting the analysis positions and the movement path is not limited to the above example, and any method can be used. For example, the control unit 52 can set the analysis positions randomly or based on the image recognition results of an image of the scrap S on the loading platform 14. In this way, the control unit 52 can generate instructions to the movement mechanism 54 for moving the component analyzer 56 on the loading platform 14 based on the size of the loading platform 14 stored in the memory unit 58.
[0051] The control unit 52 may determine the movement sequence by referring to a correspondence table 900 stored in the memory unit 58. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the correspondence table 900 between the size of the vehicle 10 and the movement sequence of the analysis device 50. The correspondence table 900 associates the vehicle type of the vehicle 10 and the size of its bed 14 (i.e., the length in the front-rear direction, the width in the left-right direction, and the height in the up-down direction), the number of measurement points, and a specific movement sequence. Therefore, the control unit 52 can refer to the correspondence table 900 to obtain the movement sequence corresponding to the size of the bed 14 stored in the memory unit 58, and generate instructions for the movement mechanism 54 based on the movement sequence.
[0052] (Move to evacuation position) The control unit 52 can control the movement mechanism 54 to move the component analyzer 56 to a predetermined retracted position RP when the component analyzer 56 is not performing an analysis (specifically, when the detection unit 56a is not detecting X-rays from the scrap S). In FIG. 5, the measurement position MP where the detection unit 56a of the component analyzer 56 performs a measurement is indicated by a solid line, and the retracted position RP is indicated by a dashed line. The retracted position RP is preferably located in front of the loading platform 14. In FIG. 5, the retracted position RP is located at the front right end of the loading platform 14. When the component analyzer 56 is located in the retracted position RP, physical interference between the component analyzer 56 and the scrap S can be avoided when loading or unloading the scrap S onto or from the loading platform 14. In particular, when the retracted position RP is located in front of the loading platform 14, physical contact between the component analyzer 56 and the scrap S falling rearward during dumping can be prevented, as shown in FIG. 8. 2 and 6, the configuration in which the loading platform 14 has a roof 14a above the retracted position RP is preferable in that it can prevent physical contact between the scrap S and the component analyzer 56 when the scrap S is loaded onto the loading platform 14 from above using a crane or the like. By moving the component analyzer 56 to the retracted position RP in this way, it is possible to suppress or prevent damage to the component analyzer 56 when loading or unloading cargo.
[0053] For example, in response to the completion of a predetermined analysis operation by the component analyzer 56, the control unit 52 can instruct the movement mechanism 54 to move the component analyzer 56 to the retracted position RP. Furthermore, in response to receiving a command from the driver 16 to stop the analysis operation of the component analyzer 56 (for example, pressing the "Stop Measurement" button 408 in FIG. 4), the control unit 52 may instruct the movement mechanism 54 to move the component analyzer 56 to the retracted position RP. Note that the component analyzer 56 does not necessarily have to be always located at the retracted position RP while not performing analysis. For example, the movement mechanism 54 may move the component analyzer 56 to the retracted position RP at a specific timing, such as when loading or unloading cargo, in response to an instruction from the driver 16, for example.
[0054] <Management device 32> Next, the management device 32 of the destination facility 30 will be described. The management device 32 manages the entire destination facility 30. Specifically, the management device 32 acquires information input by the manager 36 via the destination terminal 34, and can also acquire information from the in-vehicle device 40 and the analysis device 50 connected via the network N. Based on this information, the management device 32 can output instructions to the driver 16 and the manager 36 via the destination terminal 34 and the in-vehicle device 40.
[0055] <Destination terminal 34> Next, the destination terminal 34 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. The destination terminal 34 (an example of a "presentation device") is a terminal operated by the manager 36 at the destination facility 30. For example, the destination terminal 34 is a computer terminal installed in a monitoring room or facility management room at the entrance gate of the destination facility 30. Specifically, like the in-vehicle device 40, the destination terminal 34 includes, as its functional units, an operation unit 34a, a processing unit 34b, a display unit 34c, and a memory unit 34d. These functions and configurations are the same as or similar to the operation unit 42, processing unit 44, display unit 46, and memory unit 48 of the in-vehicle device 40. Specifically, the operation unit 34a accepts input operations from the manager 36. The processing unit 34b performs predetermined arithmetic processing on information acquired by the destination terminal 34. The display unit 34c presents the information output by the processing unit 34b to the manager 36 by displaying the information as characters or images. The storage unit 34d stores various programs executed by the processing unit 34b, various data used for processing in the storage unit 34d, etc. The destination terminal 34 can be connected to the management device 32 by wire or wirelessly. The destination terminal 34 may be connected to the in-vehicle device 40 and the analysis device 50 via the network N.
[0056] The destination terminal 34 can acquire the analysis results of the scrap S by the analysis device 50 (an example of "analysis information"). The destination terminal 34 can directly acquire the analysis results transmitted from the on-board device 40 or the analysis device 50, or can acquire the analysis results received by the management device 32. Based on the analysis results, the destination terminal 34 can acquire unloading information (an example of "analysis information") regarding the unloading sites P1, P2, and P3 where the scrap S will be unloaded. The unloading site where the scrap S will be unloaded can be determined based on the type and amount of impurities in the scrap S obtained from the component analysis. The unloading site where the scrap S will be unloaded can be determined by the management device 32 or the destination terminal 34 using a predetermined correspondence table or algorithm, or the administrator 36 can determine and input the unloading site to the destination terminal 34. The destination terminal 34 can transmit the acquired unloading information to the on-board device 40.
[0057] <Processing flow of analysis system 1> Next, the processing flow of the analysis system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. 10. Fig. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing flow of the analysis system 1 according to this embodiment.
[0058] First, in step S1001, the in-vehicle device 40 receives an instruction to start analysis from the driver 16. The driver 16 inputs the instruction to start analysis to the in-vehicle device 40, for example, by pressing the "Start measurement" button 406 on the input screen 400 shown in FIG. 4(a). Note that the instruction to start analysis may be input via an input unit such as a button provided on the vehicle 10 or the analysis device 50, rather than inputting it into the in-vehicle device 40.
[0059] In step S1002, the in-vehicle device 40 transmits the analysis instruction received from the driver 16 to the analysis device 50. In step S1003, the analysis device 50 performs the analysis by controlling the movement mechanism 54 and the component analyzer 56 based on the analysis instruction received from the in-vehicle device 40. The control unit 52 can generate a predetermined movement sequence and control the movement mechanism 54 and the component analyzer 56 based on the movement sequence. The movement mechanism 54 scans the component analyzer 56 over the loading platform 14, and the analysis device 50 obtains analysis results at multiple positions on the loading platform 14.
[0060] Before or during measurement, in response to the driver 16 pressing the "measurement device UP" button 402 or the "measurement device DOWN" button 404 in Fig. 4(a), the in-vehicle device 40 can transmit an instruction for vertical movement to the control unit 52. Upon receiving the instruction for vertical movement, the control unit 52 instructs the vertical movement mechanism 80 to move the component analyzer 56, the front-to-back movement mechanism 60, and the left-to-right movement mechanism 70 in the vertical direction in accordance with the input from the driver 16.
[0061] The driver 16 can also stop the analysis by pressing the "Stop Measurement" button 408 in Fig. 4(a) during measurement. In response to the "Stop Measurement" button 408 being pressed, the in-vehicle device 40 transmits an instruction to the analysis device 50 to stop the measurement.
[0062] In step S1004, the analysis device 50 transmits the analysis results of the component analyzer 56 to the in-vehicle device 40. In step S1005, the in-vehicle device 40 presents the acquired analysis results to the driver 16. For example, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the in-vehicle device 40 displays an analysis result output screen 410 via the display unit 46. The output screen 410 includes a message 412 indicating that the analysis has been completed and the analysis results 414. The in-vehicle device 40 may output the analysis results to the printer 90. In this case, the printer 90 can print the received analysis results.
[0063] In step S1006, the analysis device 50 transmits the analysis results of the component analyzer 56 to the destination terminal 34. Note that step S1006 may be executed in parallel with step S1004, or may be executed after receiving a confirmation input from the driver 16 after step S1005. In step S1007, the destination terminal 34 presents the acquired analysis results to the manager 36.
[0064] In step S1008, the destination terminal 34 acquires unloading information related to the unloading site where the scrap S will be unloaded. For example, the manager 36 may determine the unloading site based on the presented analysis results and input the unloading information into the destination terminal 34. In step S1009, the destination terminal 34 transmits the acquired unloading information to the in-vehicle device 40.
[0065] In step S1010, the in-vehicle device 40 presents the acquired unloading information to the driver 16. For example, as shown in FIG. 4(c), the in-vehicle device 40 displays an output screen 420 of the unloading information via the display unit 46. The output screen 420 includes an instruction message 422 regarding the unloading site where unloading in step S will be performed, and a map image 424 showing the location of the unloading site. For example, the map image 424 may highlight the unloading site where unloading will be performed (here, the second unloading site P2).
[0066] The processing flow of the analysis system 1 is not limited to the above example. For example, the management device 32 may be involved in the communication between the analysis device 50 and the destination terminal 34. Alternatively, the management device 32 may receive the analysis results instead of the destination terminal 34 and transmit the unloading information to the in-vehicle device 40. The management device 32 or the destination terminal 34 may determine the unloading information from the analysis results using a lookup table or an arbitrary algorithm, in which case step S1005 may be omitted.
[0067] The transmission of the analysis results from the analysis device 50 to the in-vehicle device 40 may be omitted. In this case, the destination terminal 34 may transmit the analysis results together with the unloading information to the analysis device 50. Alternatively, the in-vehicle device 40 or the analysis device 50 may determine the unloading information from the analysis results using a lookup table or an arbitrary algorithm, without going through the destination facility 30. Any other processing flow may be used.
[0068] According to the analysis system 1 of the above embodiment, the analyzer is movably mounted on the loading platform 14, allowing the cargo to be analyzed while it is being transported. Therefore, the analysis system 1 does not require a pre-processing step before departure or an analysis step after arrival at the destination facility 30. Furthermore, before the vehicle 10 arrives at the destination facility 30, the destination facility 30 can determine unloading information, such as the location where the cargo will be unloaded, in advance based on the analysis results acquired during transport. The driver 16 can also acquire unloading information using the on-board device 40 before arriving at the destination facility 30. Therefore, the analysis system 1 does not require a step of determining the location where the cargo will be unloaded after arrival at the destination facility 30. In this way, the analysis system 1 can improve the efficiency of cargo analysis work.
[0069] Furthermore, in conventional analysis performed during unloading, spot sampling and analysis was performed using, for example, a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. This resulted in failure to detect trace amounts of impurities, resulting in a decline in quality. However, with the analysis system 1 according to this embodiment, the component analyzer 56 can be moved two-dimensionally on the loading platform 14, allowing comprehensive analysis of the cargo in all directions (X and Y directions in the figure). This makes it possible to suppress the intrusion of impurities, which is expected to improve quality.
[0070] The analysis system 1 may include a presentation device that acquires analysis information based on analysis by an analyzer installed in the loading platform 14 and presents the analysis information to the driver 16 or manager 36. The analysis information may include cargo analysis results and unloading information based on the analysis results. The presentation device may be, for example, the destination terminal 34, the in-vehicle device 40, or the printer 90. The presentation device can acquire unloading information related to the unloading site where the cargo will be unloaded as analysis information based on the cargo analysis results and present the unloading information.
[0071] In the analysis system 1 of this embodiment, the detection accuracy of the detection unit 56a may be limited by vibrations that occur while the vehicle 10 is traveling. For this reason, the control unit 52 can adjust the measurement conditions of the detection unit 56a so that the detection accuracy and sensitivity are not unnecessarily high in light of external factors such as vibrations.
[0072] <Modification> In the above embodiment, the component analyzer 56 supported by the moving mechanism 54 on the loading platform 14 includes the detection unit 56a and the analysis unit 56b, but the detection unit 56a and the analysis unit 56b may be provided separately. The position of the analysis unit 56b is not particularly limited. The moving mechanism 54 is only required to be able to move the detection unit 56a on the loading platform 14, and is not necessarily required to move the analysis unit 56b.
[0073] In the above embodiment, the control unit 52 of the analysis device 50 and the analysis unit 56b of the component analyzer 56 are provided separately, but they may be provided as a single unit. For example, the control unit 52 may execute the function of the analysis unit 56b by acquiring the detection result of the detection unit 56a and performing an analysis process on the detection result.
[0074] In the above embodiment, the in-vehicle device 40 and the analysis device 50 each include a control unit and a memory unit. However, a common control unit and memory unit may be used. For example, the processing unit 44 of the in-vehicle device 40 can also function as the control unit 52 of the analysis device 50 described above. The memory unit 48 of the in-vehicle device 40 can also function as the memory unit 58 of the analysis device 50 described above.
[0075] In the above embodiment, a rack-and-pinion mechanism has been described as the mechanism of the moving mechanism 54, but the moving mechanism 54 is not limited to this. For example, a mechanism that converts the rotational motion of a drive source into linear motion using a timing belt or a ball screw may be adopted, a drive source that provides linear motion may be used, or any other mechanism may be used.
[0076] In the above embodiment, the movement mechanism 54 is described as moving the component analyzer 56 in three directions: forward / backward, left / right (vehicle width direction), and up / down. However, the up / down movement mechanism 80 that moves the component analyzer 56 in the up / down direction may be omitted.
[0077] The storage unit is not limited to a storage device provided in each device, and may be realized by, for example, a separate cloud server.
[0078] Each functional unit such as the control unit, operation unit, processing unit, and memory unit described in the above example is realized through the cooperation of a hardware configuration including a processor, memory, storage, input / output interface, communication interface, and buses that interconnect these, which are provided in the information processing device.
[0079] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as within the scope of the invention described in the claims and their equivalents. [Explanation of symbols]
[0080] 1...Analysis system, 10...Vehicle, 14...Loading platform, 40...In-vehicle device, 50...Analysis device, 52...Control unit, 54...Moving mechanism, 56...Component analyzer, 56a...Detection unit, 56b...Analysis unit, 58...Memory unit, 60...Forward / backward movement mechanism, 70...Left / right movement mechanism, 80...Up / down movement mechanism, S...Scrap, RP...Retraction position
Claims
1. An analytical device, comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires electromagnetic waves from an object on a loading platform of the vehicle; a movement mechanism configured to be attached to the loading platform and configured to move the acquisition unit relative to the loading platform; a control unit that instructs the movement mechanism to move the acquisition unit so as to acquire electromagnetic waves from the object at a plurality of positions on the platform; an analysis unit that analyzes the object based on the electromagnetic waves and outputs unloading information related to an unloading site where the object is unloaded; An analytical device comprising:
2. The movement mechanism includes a first movement mechanism that displaces the acquisition unit in a first direction along the loading surface of the loading platform, and a second movement mechanism that displaces the acquisition unit in a second direction that is along the loading surface of the loading platform and different from the first direction. The analytical device of claim 1 .
3. the movement mechanism further includes a third movement mechanism that displaces the acquisition unit in a third direction different from the first direction and the second direction so as to change a position of the acquisition unit in a vertical direction. The analytical device according to claim 2 .
4. the control unit controls the movement mechanism to move the acquisition unit to a predetermined retreat position when the acquisition unit is not performing an operation of acquiring electromagnetic waves. The analytical device of claim 1 .
5. The retracted position is located in front of the loading platform. The analytical device according to claim 4 .
6. Further, a storage unit is provided for storing information regarding the size of the loading platform, the control unit generates an instruction to the movement mechanism to move the acquisition unit on the loading platform based on the size of the loading platform stored in the storage unit. The analytical device of claim 1 .
7. the acquisition unit is an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer; The analytical device of claim 1 .
8. a vehicle body including a cabin and a cargo bed; The analytical device according to any one of claims 1 to 7 attached to the carrier; A vehicle equipped with:
9. 1. An analytical system comprising: an acquisition unit that acquires electromagnetic waves from an object on a loading platform of the vehicle; a movement mechanism configured to be attached to the loading platform and configured to move the acquisition unit relative to the loading platform; a control unit that instructs the movement mechanism to move the acquisition unit so as to acquire electromagnetic waves from the object at a plurality of positions on the platform; an analysis unit that analyzes the object based on the electromagnetic waves; a presentation device that acquires analytical information based on the analysis and presents the analytical information; Equipped with The presentation device is an analysis system that acquires unloading information regarding a unloading site where the object is unloaded as the analysis information based on the analysis results of the object, and presents the unloading information.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Recycling method for scrap
JP2004204261A
Containerized cargo carrying apparatus
JP2005127956A
Apparatus and method for non-contact load checking on crane equipment
JP2005514288A
Vehicle-mounted inspection system and method
JP2006527368A
Vehicle contamination inspection device
JP2018159661A