Bucket elevator monitoring system

Abstract

To provide a monitor system for a bucket lift, which can easily carry out inspection of the backside of an endless belt.SOLUTION: A monitor system 20 for a bucket lift 1 is configured to convey a conveyed article C placed in a bucket 8 upward by rotating and moving a bucket belt 7 having the bucket 8 fitted to the surface. The monitor system 20 comprises: a photographing unit 12 that can photograph the backside of the bucket belt 7, and a monitor unit 21 that monitors the state of the backside of the bucket belt 7 on the basis of an image captured by the photographing unit 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a monitoring system for a bucket elevator that conveys grains and the like upward.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a bucket elevator for conveying grains such as rice upward has been known. For example, the bucket elevator disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes an upper pulley and a lower pulley that are vertically spaced apart, an endless belt wound around the upper pulley and the lower pulley, and a plurality of buckets attached at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the endless belt on the surface side of the endless belt. The endless belt is circulated by the rotation of each pulley to sequentially convey the grains placed in each bucket upward. And, on the side where the endless belt moves downward, a camera capable of photographing the surface of the endless belt is disposed, and based on the image of the surface of the endless belt photographed by the camera, it is determined whether the surface of the endless belt is deteriorated.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, it is generally known that the back side of the endless belt of the bucket elevator that comes into direct contact with each rotating pulley during the circular movement is more likely to deteriorate than the front side.

[0005] However, in Patent Document 1, the camera is positioned on the surface side of the endless belt, and the endless belt can only be photographed from that surface side. Therefore, the equipment must be stopped, or the condition of the underside of the endless belt must be periodically monitored visually using an inspection window pre-installed in the equipment, which presents a problem of cumbersome work.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to provide a monitoring system for a bucket elevator that allows for easy inspection of the underside of the endless belt. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To achieve the above objective, the present invention is characterized by monitoring the condition of the back surface of the endless belt based on a captured image of the back surface of the endless belt.

[0008] Specifically, the monitoring system for a bucket lifter, which is configured to transport objects placed in buckets upwards by moving an endless belt with buckets attached to its surface in a circular motion, was addressed with the following solutions.

[0009] In other words, the first invention includes a shooting unit capable of photographing the back surface of the endless belt, and a monitoring unit that monitors the state of the back surface of the endless belt based on the image captured by the shooting unit. The bucket lifter comprises a first pulley around which the upper end of the endless belt is wrapped, and a second pulley disposed below the first pulley and around which the lower end of the endless belt is wrapped. The imaging unit is disposed inside the endless belt and in the space formed between the first pulley and the second pulley. The imaging unit comprises a main body case with a lens attached to the front end in the imaging direction, and a cover covering the upper part of the main body case. The upper surface of the cover is a downward sloping surface extending to a position corresponding to the lens. It is characterized by the following:

[0010] In the second invention, the monitoring unit determines whether or not the endless belt needs to be replaced based on the area of ​​the deteriorated portion on the back surface of the endless belt, as in the first invention.

[0011] In the third invention, in the first or second invention, the monitoring unit determines whether or not the endless belt is meandering based on the displacement area in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the endless belt.

[0012] In the fourth invention, in any one of the first to third inventions, the bucket lifter comprises an input section into which an object to be transported can be fed into the bucket lifter, and an output section into which the object to be transported can be discharged to the outside of the bucket lifter, the endless belt has a transport region that transports the object to be transported from a position corresponding to the input section to a position corresponding to the output section, and a non-transport region excluding the transport region, and the imaging unit is capable of imaging the back surface of the endless belt in the non-transport region.

[0013] In the fifth invention, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, The imaging unit is characterized in that it is positioned closer to the second pulley than to the first pulley in the vertical direction. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] In the first invention, it becomes possible to monitor for deterioration such as chips and scratches on the back surface of the endless belt using captured images. Therefore, it becomes unnecessary for workers to periodically stop the equipment or to look through an inspection window to check the condition of the back surface of the endless belt, making it easy to check the condition of the back surface of the endless belt. Furthermore, since the imaging unit is installed using the dead space between the first pulley and the second pulley, it is possible to prevent the bucket lifting mechanism from becoming larger. Furthermore, the imaging unit comprises a main body case with a lens attached to the front end in the imaging direction, and a cover that covers the upper part of the main body case. The upper surface of the cover is a downward sloping surface that extends to a position corresponding to the lens. Therefore, even if the conveyed material overflowing from the bucket falls onto the imaging unit from above, after contacting the downward sloping surface on the upper surface of the cover, it will slide down along the downward sloping surface and fall downwards over the upper part of the lens. Thus, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of conveyed material on the imaging unit and prevent the conveyed material from affecting the imaging of the back surface of the endless belt, that is, monitoring the condition of the back surface.

[0017] In the second invention, the proportion of deteriorated material on the back surface of the endless belt can be quantitatively determined, allowing for an appropriate determination of when to replace the endless belt. This makes it possible to suppress variations in replacement timing, for example, by monitoring the condition of the back surface of the endless belt visually by workers. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the endless belt from being replaced unnecessarily, which would increase replacement costs, or prevent belt breakage due to delayed replacement.

[0018] In the third invention, since the amount of movement in the direction orthogonal to the circumferential movement direction during the circumferential movement of the endless belt can be known, the amount of meandering can be quantitatively determined, and it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the endless belt is in a meandering state.

[0019] In the fourth invention, in the non-conveying region after the conveyed object is discharged, there are fewer conveyed objects scattered around the endless belt compared to the conveying region, so it is difficult for the conveyed object to adhere to the back surface of the endless belt. Therefore, when monitoring the state of the back surface of the endless belt using the captured image of the back surface of the endless belt, by capturing the back surface of the endless belt in the non-conveying region, it is possible to prevent misjudging the conveyed object adhering to the back surface of the endless belt and reflected in the captured image as a deteriorated portion of the endless belt.

[0020] In the fifth invention, Since the camera unit will be positioned relatively close to the ground, workers can easily perform maintenance such as adjusting the angle of the camera unit without using a stepladder.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of a bucket elevator equipped with a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the lower casing as viewed from the front. [Figure 3] It is an enlarged view of the periphery of the inspection window as viewed from the arrow A in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram showing a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing the processing by the monitoring unit. [Figure 6] It is a view of the back surface side of the bucket belt through the inspection window as viewed from the arrow B in FIG. 2, showing a state where the back surface of the bucket belt is deteriorated. [Figure 7] It is a view of the back surface side of the bucket belt through the inspection window as viewed from the arrow B in FIG. 2, showing a state where the back surface of the bucket belt is not deteriorated and the bucket belt is not meandering. [Figure 8]This diagram shows the underside of the bucket belt viewed through the inspection window from arrow B in Figure 2, illustrating the state in which the bucket belt is meandering. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description of preferred embodiments is essentially illustrative.

[0025] Figure 1 shows a bucket elevator 1 equipped with a monitoring system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The bucket elevator 1 has a vertically elongated shape with an upper casing 2, an intermediate casing 3, and a lower casing 4 arranged in that order from top to bottom. It is configured to transport the material to be transported C (for example, grain such as rice) that is placed in the lower casing 4 upwards from the lower casing 4 through the intermediate casing 3 to the upper casing 2.

[0026] Inside the upper casing 2 is a first pulley 5 that is pivotally supported by the upper casing 2, and the first pulley 5 is rotationally driven by a pulley drive motor 5a (see Figure 4).

[0027] The intermediate casing 3 has a rectangular tubular shape in plan view, and a first passage section 3a and a second passage section 3b extending substantially in a straight line in the vertical direction are arranged at a predetermined distance apart in the width direction of the bucket lifter 1.

[0028] Inside the lower casing 4 is a second pulley 6 that is pivotally supported by the lower casing 4, and the second pulley 6 is located directly below the first pulley 5.

[0029] The upper and lower end regions of a bucket belt 7 (endless belt), which is a so-called flat belt forming an endless ring, are wrapped around the first pulley 5 and the second pulley 6, respectively. Multiple buckets 8, which form a roughly triangular shape when viewed from the front, are attached to the surface side of the bucket belt 7 at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction.

[0030] The first pulley 5 and the second pulley 6 are in direct contact with the back surface of the bucket belt 7, and the bucket belt 7 moves in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the front, around the first pulley 5 and the second pulley 6.

[0031] An input hopper 9 is attached to one outer surface in the width direction of the lower casing 4, with an internal passage that communicates with the interior of the lower casing 4. When the material to be conveyed C is fed into the input hopper 9, the material to be conveyed C is guided by the internal passage of the input hopper 9 and introduced into the interior of the lower casing 4, and enters the bucket 8 located inside the lower casing 4 through its opening 8a.

[0032] The object C that enters the bucket 8 is transported upward from the lower casing 4 through the first passage 3a to the upper casing 2 by the circulating motion of the bucket belt 7.

[0033] When the bucket 8 loaded with the material to be transported C reaches the first pulley 5, the bucket belt 7 causes the bucket 8 to fold back along the outer surface of the first pulley 5 and move downward. At this time, the bucket 8 moves counterclockwise around the first pulley 5, and the centrifugal force generated at this time causes the material to be transported C placed inside the bucket 8 to be discharged to the other side in the width direction. A discharge hopper 10 is attached to the other side in the width direction of the upper casing 2, and its internal passage communicates with the inside of the upper casing 2. The material to be transported C discharged from the bucket 8 is guided into the internal passage of the discharge hopper 10 and discharged to the outside of the bucket lifter 1.

[0034] After releasing the material C, the empty bucket 8 moves downward, passing through the upper casing 2 and the second passage 3b in sequence, before reaching the second pulley 6 of the lower casing 4. Upon reaching the second pulley 6, the bucket 8 moves counterclockwise along the outer surface of the second pulley 6 due to the circumferential movement of the bucket belt 7. In doing so, it scoops up the material C that has been introduced from the input hopper 9 and is filling the lower casing 4, and places the material C into the bucket 8. The bucket 8 containing the material C then moves upward again toward the upper casing 2 due to the circumferential movement of the bucket belt 7.

[0035] In this embodiment, the area in the bucket belt 7 where the material to be conveyed C is being conveyed from the position corresponding to the input hopper 9 to the position corresponding to the discharge hopper 10 is defined as the conveying area, and the area excluding the conveying area, that is, the area where the material to be conveyed C is not being conveyed, is defined as the non-conveying area. More specifically, the conveying area refers to the area from when the bucket 8 containing the material to be conveyed C moves upward from the vicinity of the second pulley 6 towards the vicinity of the first pulley 5 until the material to be conveyed C is discharged towards the discharge hopper 10, that is, the area where the opening 8a of the bucket 8 is facing upward and the area where the bucket 8 is moving counterclockwise around the first pulley 5. Furthermore, the non-conveying area refers to the area in the bucket 8 after the material to be conveyed C has been discharged towards the discharge hopper 10 and the bucket 8 is empty, from when the bucket 8 moves downward from the vicinity of the first pulley 5 towards the vicinity of the second pulley 6 until the lower casing 4 puts the material to be conveyed C into the bucket 8, that is, the area where the opening 8a of the bucket 8 is facing downward.

[0036] Next, the internal structure of the lower casing 4 will be described in detail using Figure 2. For convenience, some of the buckets 8 are omitted in Figure 2.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2, a space S is formed inside the lower casing 4, on the inside of the bucket belt 7, and between the first pulley 5 and the second pulley 6, that is, above the second pulley 6 within the lower casing 4. This space S is open upward and is formed by a first bulkhead 11a and a second bulkhead 11b that extend vertically and are spaced apart in the width direction, and a third bulkhead 11c that extends horizontally and connects the lower part of the first bulkhead 11a and the lower part of the second bulkhead 11b.

[0038] In space S, the imaging unit 12 and the lighting unit 13 are arranged from top to bottom. In other words, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 12 is positioned closer to the second pulley 6 than to the first pulley 5 in the vertical direction.

[0039] The imaging unit 12 is a camera capable of continuously capturing images, and its shooting direction is directed diagonally downward toward the second partition wall 11b. The imaging unit 12 includes a main body case 12a fixed to the first partition wall 11a via a bracket 11d, and a lens unit 12b is attached to the front end of the main body case 12a in the direction of shooting.

[0040] Furthermore, the shooting unit 12 is equipped with a cover 12c that covers the upper part of the main body case 12a, and a downward sloping surface 12d is formed on the upper surface of the cover 12c that extends to a position corresponding to the lens unit 12b of the main body case 12a.

[0041] An inspection window 14 is provided at the lower part of the second bulkhead 11b. The inspection window 14 is positioned in the direction of the imaging unit 12, connecting the imaging unit 12 and the back surface of the bucket belt 7, so that the imaging unit 12 can image the back surface of the bucket belt 7 through the inspection window 14.

[0042] The lighting unit 13 is, for example, an LED light and is installed on one side in the width direction of the inspection window 14. When illumination light is shone from the lighting unit 13, the back surface of the bucket belt 7 and its surroundings are illuminated by the illumination light that passes through the inspection window 14.

[0043] Aeration 15 is provided on the other side in the width direction of the inspection window 14. As shown in Figure 3, the aeration 15 is provided on both sides in the width direction of the bucket belt 7 and is configured to blow air to remove conveyed materials, dust, etc. that have adhered to the other side in the width direction of the inspection window 14, that is, the surface facing the back surface of the bucket belt 7.

[0044] Next, a monitoring system 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4.

[0045] The monitoring system 20 consists of a monitoring unit 21, a central controller 22, and a display 23, all of which are provided on the bucket elevator 1. Various signals are transmitted and received between the monitoring unit 21 and the central controller 22, and between the central controller 22 and the display 23.

[0046] The monitoring unit 21 is configured to monitor the condition of the underside of the bucket belt 7 by controlling the pulley drive motor 5a, the imaging unit 12, the lighting unit 13, and the aeration unit 15 using a processor (not shown) provided in the monitoring unit 21. When deterioration or other issues occur on the underside of the bucket belt 7, the monitoring unit 21 transmits a signal indicating the deterioration status of the bucket belt 7 to the central controller 22. Upon receiving this signal, the central controller 22 transmits a predetermined control signal corresponding to the received signal to the display 23. When the display 23 receives the predetermined control signal, it displays a corresponding message, thereby prompting workers who view the display 23 to replace the bucket belt 7 or take other necessary actions.

[0047] Next, the processing of the monitoring unit 21 will be explained using Figure 5. Note that the processing shown in Figure 5 starts when the power supply of the bucket elevator 1 is changed from the OFF state to the ON state.

[0048] In step S1, the aeration 15 is activated. That is, in step S1, a drive signal is sent to the aeration 15 to blow air toward the inspection window 14. Upon receiving the drive signal, the aeration 15 blows air toward the inspection window 14, removing any foreign matter adhering to the bucket belt 7 side of the inspection window 14.

[0049] After activating the aeration 15 in step S1, the process proceeds to step S2 to activate the lighting unit 13. Specifically, in step S2, a drive signal is sent to the lighting unit 13 to direct illumination light toward the back side of the bucket belt 7. Upon receiving the drive signal, the lighting unit 13 emits illumination light, which reaches the bucket belt 7 through the inspection window 14, illuminating the back side and surrounding area of ​​the bucket belt 7.

[0050] After activating the lighting unit 13 in step S2, the process proceeds to step S3 to activate the pulley drive motor 5a. Specifically, in step S3, a drive signal is sent to the pulley drive motor 5a to rotate at a predetermined rotational speed. When the pulley drive motor 5a receives the drive signal and starts to rotate, the first pulley 5 connected to the pulley drive motor 5a rotates, causing the bucket belt 7 wrapped around the first pulley 5 to rotate in a circular motion.

[0051] In step S3, the bucket belt 7 is moved in a circular motion, and then the process proceeds to step S4, initiating imaging by the imaging unit 12. Specifically, in step S4, a drive signal is sent to the imaging unit 12 to begin imaging the underside of the bucket belt 7 as it moves in a circular motion. Upon receiving this drive signal, the imaging unit 12 begins imaging the underside of the bucket belt 7 and transmits the captured image to the monitoring unit 21.

[0052] When the image captured in step S4 is transmitted to the monitoring unit 21, the process proceeds to step S5, where the counting of the shooting time T for the back side of the bucket belt 7 in the shooting unit 12 begins, and then the process proceeds to step S6.

[0053] In step S6, it is determined whether the shooting time T has elapsed to a predetermined time. If the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S7; however, if the determination is No, the determination in step S6 is repeated until the shooting time T has elapsed to the predetermined time. In this embodiment, the predetermined time is set in advance to the time required for the circulating bucket belt 7 to complete one revolution around the first pulley 5 and the second pulley 6.

[0054] In step S7, the total deteriorated area on the back surface of the bucket belt 7 is calculated from the image captured by the imaging unit 12, and then the process proceeds to step S8. In other words, in step S7, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the area of ​​the deteriorated portion of the bucket belt 7 (deteriorated area) is calculated for each predetermined detection range R set corresponding to the width of the bucket belt 7, and the total deteriorated area is calculated by accumulating the calculated deteriorated areas for one full turn of the bucket belt 7. In this embodiment, the deteriorated area is calculated for the portion of the black bucket belt 7 that has turned a color other than black (for example, white) due to deterioration such as scratches.

[0055] In step S8, it is determined whether the total deteriorated area on the back surface of the bucket belt 7, calculated in step S7, is greater than a first predetermined value. If the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S9; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S10. In this embodiment, the first predetermined value is set to a value that necessitates the replacement of the bucket belt 7.

[0056] In step S9, if the determination in step S8 is Yes, meaning that the back surface of the bucket belt 7 has a chip d1, a dent d2, and a scratch d3 as shown in Figure 6, and the bucket belt 7 is in a deteriorated state requiring replacement, a replacement signal is sent to the central controller 22, and the process proceeds to step S11. Upon receiving the replacement signal, the central controller 22 controls the display 23 to indicate that the bucket belt 7 is in a deteriorated state requiring replacement. The worker can then recognize that the bucket belt 7 is in a deteriorated state requiring replacement by visually checking the display 23.

[0057] In step S10, if the determination in step S8 is No, that is, as shown in Figure 7, there is no deteriorated portion on the back of the bucket belt 7 and the bucket belt 7 is not in a deteriorated state that requires replacement, the process proceeds to step S11 without sending a replacement signal to the central controller 22.

[0058] In step S11, the total displacement area in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the bucket belt 7 is calculated from the image captured by the imaging unit 12, and then the process proceeds to step S12. In other words, in step S12, as shown in Figure 8, the amount of movement of the bucket belt 7 in the width direction relative to the detection range R is calculated as the displacement area G for each detection range R, and the total displacement area is calculated by accumulating the calculated displacement areas G for one full turn of the bucket belt 7. In this embodiment, the displacement area G is calculated for the portion of the bucket belt 7 at each end in the width direction within the detection range R that is a different color from the bucket belt 7 (for example, white).

[0059] In step S12, it is determined whether the total displacement area of ​​the bucket belt 7 calculated in step S11 is greater than a second predetermined value. If the determination is Yes, the process proceeds to step S13; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S14. In this embodiment, the second predetermined value is set to a value that indicates the bucket belt 7 is meandering, that is, a value that requires adjustment of the meandering of the bucket belt 7.

[0060] In step S13, if the determination in step S12 is Yes, that is, as shown in Figure 8, the bucket belt 7 is in a meandering state, moving in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the bucket belt 7 with respect to the detection range R, and the meandering of the bucket belt 7 needs to be adjusted, a meandering state signal is sent to the central controller 22, and the process proceeds to step S15. Upon receiving the meandering state signal, the central controller 22 controls the display 23 to indicate that the meandering of the bucket belt 7 needs to be adjusted. The operator can then recognize that the meandering of the bucket belt 7 needs to be adjusted by looking at the display 23.

[0061] In step S14, if the determination in step S12 is No, that is, as shown in Figure 7, the bucket belt 7 is in a non-swerving state and is not moving in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the bucket belt 7 with respect to the detection range R, and therefore no meandering adjustment of the bucket belt 7 is required, a meandering state signal is not sent to the central controller 22, and the process proceeds to step S15.

[0062] In step S15, after issuing commands to stop the imaging unit 12, the lighting unit 13, and the aeration unit 15, the process proceeds to the end and ends.

[0063] As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to monitor for any deterioration such as chips d1 and scratches d3 on the back surface of the bucket belt 7 using captured images. Therefore, it is no longer necessary for workers to periodically stop the equipment or to look through an inspection window to check the condition of the back surface of the bucket belt 7, making it easy to check the condition of the back surface of the bucket belt 7.

[0064] Furthermore, the proportion of deteriorated areas on the underside of the bucket belt 7 can be quantitatively determined from the total area of ​​deteriorated areas, making it possible to appropriately determine when to replace the bucket belt 7. This makes it possible to suppress variations in replacement timing, for example, by monitoring the condition of the underside of the bucket belt 7 visually by workers. Consequently, it is possible to prevent increased costs associated with replacing the bucket belt 7 when it is not deteriorated enough to require replacement, or to prevent belt breakage due to delayed replacement of the bucket belt 7.

[0065] Furthermore, since the amount of movement of the bucket belt 7 in the direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation can be determined from the total displacement area in the direction perpendicular to the direction of rotation during the rotational movement of the bucket belt 7, the amount of meandering can be quantitatively determined, and it is possible to accurately determine whether or not the bucket belt 7 is meandering.

[0066] Furthermore, in the non-conveying area after the conveyed material C has been discharged, there is less conveyed material C scattered around the bucket belt 7 compared to the conveying area, making it less likely for the conveyed material C to adhere to the back surface of the bucket belt 7. Therefore, when monitoring the condition of the back surface of the bucket belt 7 using images of the back surface of the bucket belt 7, by photographing the back surface of the bucket belt 7 in the non-conveying area, it is possible to prevent misinterpretation of conveyed material C adhering to the back surface of the bucket belt 7 and appearing in the photographed image as a deteriorated part of the bucket belt 7.

[0067] Furthermore, the imaging unit 12 can be installed by utilizing the dead space S between the first pulley 5 and the second pulley 6. This prevents the bucket lifting device 1 from becoming larger.

[0068] Furthermore, since the camera unit 12 is positioned relatively close to the ground, workers can easily perform maintenance such as adjusting the angle of the camera unit 12 without using a stepladder.

[0069] Furthermore, even if the conveyed material C overflowing from the bucket 8 were to fall from above toward the imaging unit 12, the conveyed material C would come into contact with the downward sloping surface 12d on the upper surface of the cover 12c, then slide down along the downward sloping surface 12d, passing over the upper part of the lens unit 12b and falling downwards. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of conveyed material C on the imaging unit 12 and avoid the conveyed material C affecting the imaging of the back surface of the bucket belt 7, that is, monitoring the condition of the back surface of the bucket belt 7.

[0070] In this embodiment, the imaging unit 12 was located in the lower casing 4, but it may also be located in the upper casing 2 or the intermediate casing 3.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 12 was configured to photograph the back surface of the bucket belt 7 in the non-conveying area, but it may also be configured to photograph the back surface of the bucket belt 7 in the conveying area.

[0072] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 12 is set so that the imaging direction is diagonally downward, and is equipped with a cover 12c that covers the upper part of the main body case 12a, but the cover 12c may be omitted. In this case, the upper part of the main body case 12a of the imaging unit 12 is made into an inclined surface that extends along the imaging direction to the upper part of the lens unit 12b, so that even if the conveyed object C overflowing from the bucket 8 falls from above toward the imaging unit 12, the conveyed object C will come into contact with the inclined surface of the upper part of the main body case 12a, slide down along the inclined surface, and fall downward over the upper part of the lens unit 12b. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of conveyed object C on the imaging unit 12 and avoid the conveyed object C affecting the imaging of the back surface of the bucket belt 7, that is, monitoring the condition of the back surface of the bucket belt 7.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shooting direction of the shooting unit 12 was set to face diagonally downwards, but the shooting direction of the shooting unit 12 may also be set to face horizontally, that is, so that the inspection window 14 and the lens unit 12b face each other.

[0074] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the imaging unit 12 was positioned inside the bucket belt 7 and in the space S formed between the first pulley 5 and the second pulley 6. However, the imaging unit may be positioned at a location other than the space S, and a reflective member such as a mirror may be placed in the space S, so that the back surface of the bucket belt 7 is photographed by the imaging unit using the reflection of the reflective member.

[0075] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the monitoring unit 21 determined the timing for replacing the bucket belt 7 based on whether the total deteriorated area on the back surface of the bucket belt 7 was greater than a first predetermined value. However, for example, the unit may determine that the bucket belt 7 is in a deteriorated state requiring replacement if, for instance, the ratio of the area obtained by subtracting the total deteriorated area from the total circumferential area of ​​the back surface of the bucket belt 7 falls below a predetermined first threshold, or if the ratio of the total deteriorated area to the total circumferential area of ​​the back surface of the bucket belt 7 is equal to or greater than a predetermined second threshold. In addition, the unit may determine whether the bucket belt 7 needs to be replaced based on the number of scratches, etc., on the back surface of the bucket belt 7, or the deteriorated area in a single detection range R.

[0076] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the monitoring unit 21 determined the deteriorated portion based on the color of the back surface of the bucket belt 7, but it is also possible to determine scratches, etc., from the image captured by the imaging unit 12.

[0077] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the monitoring unit 21 sends a replacement signal to the central controller 22 when it determines that the bucket belt 7 needs to be replaced. However, instead of this, or in addition to this, the bucket lifter 1 may be automatically stopped.

[0078] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the monitoring unit 21 was configured to send a meandering state signal to the central controller 22 when it determined that the bucket belt 7 was meandering. However, instead of this, or in addition to this, the bucket lifter 1 may be automatically stopped.

[0079] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the monitoring unit 21 performs processing when the power supply of the bucket elevator 1 is changed from the OFF state to the ON state. However, in addition to this, the monitoring unit 21 may also perform processing periodically when the power supply of the bucket elevator 1 is ON, or the monitoring unit 21 may perform processing continuously when the power supply of the bucket elevator 1 is ON.

[0080] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes an example in which one bucket elevator 1 is installed, if multiple bucket elevators 1 are installed in the same facility, the monitoring system 20 may be installed on one of the multiple elevators (for example, the bucket elevator with the longest operating time). By doing so, it becomes unnecessary to install the monitoring system 20 on all bucket elevators 1, thereby suppressing the cost increase associated with the installation of the monitoring system 20. [Industrial applicability]

[0081] This invention is suitable for a monitoring system for bucket elevators that transport grains and other materials upward. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0082] 1. Bucket lift 5. First pulley 6. Second pulley 7. Bucket belt (endless belt) 8 buckets 9. Input hopper (input section) 10. Discharge hopper (discharge section) 12 Photography Department 12a Main Unit Case 12b Lens section 12c cover 12d Downhill slope 20 Monitoring Systems 21 Monitoring Department C Transported object S space

Claims

1. A monitoring system for a bucket lifter is configured to transport objects placed in buckets upward by moving an endless belt with buckets attached to its surface in a circular motion, The system includes a camera unit capable of photographing the back surface of the endless belt, and a monitoring unit that monitors the state of the back surface of the endless belt based on the image captured by the camera unit. The bucket lifter comprises a first pulley around which the upper end of the endless belt is wound, and a second pulley disposed below the first pulley and around which the lower end of the endless belt is wound. The imaging unit is disposed inside the endless belt and in the space formed between the first pulley and the second pulley. The aforementioned imaging unit comprises a main body case with a lens attached to the front end in the direction of imaging, and a cover that covers the top of the main body case. A monitoring system for a bucket elevator, characterized in that the upper surface of the cover is a downward sloping surface that extends to a position corresponding to the lens portion.

2. In the bucket elevator monitoring system according to claim 1, A bucket elevator monitoring system characterized in that the monitoring unit determines whether or not the endless belt needs to be replaced based on the area of ​​the deteriorated portion on the back surface of the endless belt.

3. In the bucket elevator monitoring system according to claim 1 or 2, A bucket elevator monitoring system characterized in that the monitoring unit determines whether or not the endless belt is in a meandering state based on the displacement area in the endless belt in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

4. In a bucket elevator monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The bucket lifter comprises an input section into which the object to be transported can be fed into the bucket lifter, and a discharge section into which the object to be transported can be discharged to the outside of the bucket lifter. The endless belt has a conveying region that conveys the object to be conveyed from a position corresponding to the input section to a position corresponding to the discharge section, and a non-conveying region excluding the conveying region. The bucket elevator monitoring system is characterized in that the imaging unit is capable of imaging the back surface of the endless belt in the non-conveying area.

5. In a bucket elevator monitoring system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, A monitoring system for a bucket elevator, characterized in that the imaging unit is positioned closer to the second pulley than to the first pulley in the vertical direction.

Images