Conveying system
The conveying system addresses the risk of falling bodies by using a movable third rail and control mechanisms to manage gaps, ensuring safe passage of movable members and preventing obstruction or damage.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- DAIFUKU CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2024-03-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-23
AI Technical Summary
Conventional conveying systems with detachable sections on rails are prone to gaps that can cause the conveying body to fall, especially when a fire shutter or similar movable member needs to pass through, posing a risk of obstruction or damage.
A conveying system with a movable third rail that can switch between relay and retraction positions, controlled by drive mechanisms and sensors, to prevent the conveying body from falling by blocking its movement and forming a gap only when necessary, using control units to manage the system's operation based on emergency or normal conditions.
Effectively prevents the conveying body from falling through gaps, ensuring safe and timely passage of movable members like fire shutters while minimizing potential damage, enhancing system reliability and safety.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a conveying system.
Background Art
[0002] Conventionally, a conveying system is known in which a detachable section is provided in a rail on which a traveling carriage moves, and in an emergency or the like, a gap is formed when the section detaches, and a fire shutter can enter the gap (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to this conveying system, for example, at a location where the rail of the conveying system passes, the fire shutter can be closed in a state of intersecting the rail without interfering with the rail.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0003]
Patent Document 1
Summary of the Invention
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0004] Even in a conveying system in which a conveying body moves along a rail by the gravity (self-weight) acting on the conveying body, a configuration in which a gap as described above is provided in a part of the rail can be adopted. However, in that case, it is not preferable for the conveying body to fall from the rail through the gap.
[0005] Therefore, one of the problems of the present invention is to configure a novel and improved conveying system that can avoid an inconvenient situation such as the fall of a conveying body when a gap as described above is provided in a part of the rail in a conveying system in which a conveying body that conveys an article moves along the rail by gravity.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0006] The present invention provides a transport system that includes, for example, a first rail on which a transport body for transporting articles moves by gravity, a second rail on which the transport body moves by gravity, and a third rail on which the transport body moves by gravity, the third rail being movable between a relay position that relays the transport body from the first rail to the second rail and a retraction position that forms a gap between the first rail and the second rail, a first drive mechanism that moves the third rail between the relay position and the retraction position, a movable stopper being movable between a blocking position that prevents the transport body from moving from the first rail to the third rail and a permitting position that allows the transport body to move from the first rail to the third rail, and the The system includes a second drive mechanism for moving a movable stopper between the blocking position and the allowable position; a first control unit for controlling the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves between the relay position and the retraction position; a second control unit for controlling the second drive mechanism so that the movable stopper moves between the blocking position and the allowable position; and a signal receiving unit for receiving an external signal output from an external device. The second control unit controls the second drive mechanism so that the movable stopper moves from the allowable position to the blocking position in response to the external signal, and the first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves from the relay position to the retraction position after the movable stopper has moved to the blocking position. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing a part of the conveying system of the first embodiment and a plurality of conveyed objects conveyed by the conveying system. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an illustrative and schematic side view of the transport system of the first embodiment, showing the movable rail in the closed position (relay position). [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an illustrative and schematic side view of the transport system of the first embodiment, showing the movable rail in the open position (blocked position). [Figure 4]Figure 4 is an illustrative and schematic plan view of the transport system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is an illustrative and schematic front view of the transport system of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 5, showing the movable stopper in a non-operating state. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of Figure 5, showing the operating state of the movable stopper. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a control block diagram of the transport system according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the control procedure for the operation of the third rail by the transport system of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is an exemplary and schematic side view showing a part of the transport system of the second embodiment and an example of a transported object falling from the third rail by the transport system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0008] The following describes exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The configurations of the embodiments shown below, as well as the operations and results (effects) obtained from such configurations, are examples only. The present invention can also be realized by configurations other than those disclosed in the following embodiments. Furthermore, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain at least one of the various effects (including derived effects) that can be obtained by the following configurations.
[0009] In this specification, ordinal numbers may be assigned for convenience to distinguish directions, parts, locations, components, mechanisms, members, etc. However, ordinal numbers do not necessarily indicate priority or order, nor do they specify a number.
[0010] Each diagram shows arrows indicating direction. The X, Y, and Z directions intersect with each other and are approximately perpendicular to one another. The Z direction is roughly vertically upward, while the X and Y directions intersect with the vertical direction and are roughly horizontal. The D1 direction is the longitudinal direction of the rail 10, the direction of movement of the transporter 200, and can also be called the transport direction. The Y direction is the width direction of the rail 10 and can also be called the lateral direction. The D2 direction intersects with and is approximately perpendicular to the D1 and Y directions, and is the height direction of the rail 10.
[0011] [First Embodiment] [Overview of the transport system] Figure 1 is a side view showing a plurality of transport bodies 200 moving along the transport system 100A(100) and rail 10A(10) of the first embodiment.
[0012] The conveying system 100 includes rails 10 that constitute a track on which the conveyed body 200 moves. The rails 10 are inclined downwards (opposite to the Z direction) as they move along one longitudinal direction (D1 direction). The conveyed body 200 has rollers (not shown in Figure 1) that can roll along the rails 10. In this configuration, gravity acting on the conveyed body 200, i.e., its own weight, causes the rollers to roll along the inclined rails 10, thereby causing the conveyed body 200 to move along the rails 10 in the D1 direction. The inclination angle of the rails 10 with respect to the horizontal direction is, for example, approximately 3°, but is not limited to this.
[0013] The rail 10 is installed, for example, suspended from the ceiling of a building. The rail 10 has a first rail 11 and a second rail 12 fixed in an inclined position, and a third rail 13 as a movable rail. The third rail 13 is configured to move between a closed position Pc between the first rail 11 and the second rail 12, and an open position Po separated from the first rail 11 and the second rail 12. In this embodiment, as an example, the third rail 13 is configured to rotate around a rotation axis Ax substantially along the Y direction between the closed position Pc and the open position Po and to move along an arc-shaped trajectory, but it is not limited to this, and may move along a trajectory other than an arc-shaped trajectory, for example.
[0014] When the third rail 13 is in the closed position Pc, the first rail 11, the third rail 13, and the second rail 12 form a series of rails 10 connected in a substantially straight line with a small gap between them. The first rail 11, the second rail 12, and the third rail 13 located in the closed position Pc are each inclined downwards as they move in the longitudinal direction (D1 direction). In this configuration, the transporter 200 can move from the first rail 11, via the third rail 13 located in the closed position Pc, to the second rail 12. In other words, in the closed position Pc, the third rail 13 can relay the transporter 200 from the first rail 11 to the second rail 12. The closed position Pc is an example of a relay position.
[0015] On the other hand, when the third rail 13 is in the open position Po, a gap G is formed between the first rail 11 and the second rail 12. When the third rail 13 is in the open position Po, a movable member M, such as a fire shutter, enters the gap G. The path Pt of the movable member M passes through the gap G between the first rail 11 and the second rail 12. The open position Po of the third rail 13 is set so as not to interfere with the path Pt. The open position Po is an example of a retraction position.
[0016] With such a configuration, even at the location where the rail 10 is provided, the third rail 13 which is temporarily a part of the rail 10 can be retracted to the open position Po, a gap G is formed in a part of the rail 10, and the movable member M can pass through the gap G. As described above, the movable member M is, for example, a fire shutter, but is not limited thereto. Further, the moving direction of the movable member M is, for example, downward (opposite direction of the Z direction), but is not limited thereto, and the movable member M may move upward (Z direction), or move laterally (Y direction or the opposite direction of the Y direction), or move in other directions.
[0017] The carrier 200 includes a moving body 201 supported movably in the longitudinal direction on the rail 10, and a support member 202 detachably connected to the moving body 201. The support member 202 has a bag portion 202a that supports the article A. The bag portion 202a has a strip-like and cloth-like shape with a substantially constant width in the Y direction, extends downward from the upper end and folds back at the lower end and extends back to the upper end, and supports the article A in a state of wrapping it at least from the front, downward, and rear in the conveying direction. In addition, at least in the lower part of the bag portion 202a, a movement restricting portion such as a gather for restricting the movement of the article A in the lateral direction, that is, the width direction, may be provided.
[0018] [Specific example of the conveying system] Figs. 2 and 3 are side views of the conveying system 100A(100), and are views seen in the direction opposite to that of Fig. 1. Fig. 2 shows the state where the third rail 13 is located at the closed position Pc, and Fig. 3 shows the state where the third rail 13 is located at the open position Po.
[0019] As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the conveying system 100 includes, in addition to the rail 10, a rail driving mechanism 20, a movable member sensor 50, a carrier sensor 40, and a moving body sensor 60.
[0020] [Rail driving mechanism] The rail drive mechanism 20 moves the third rail 13 between a closed position Pc (Figure 2) and an open position Po (Figure 3) by being controlled by a control device 110 (see Figure 8), which will be described later. As an example, the rail drive mechanism 20 has a body 21, a rod 22, and a rotating member 23. The body 21 and the rod 22 constitute, for example, an air cylinder or an electric cylinder, and the rod 22 is supported on the body 21 so as to be able to change its protruding length. The rotating member 23 is supported on a stay 101 fixed to the second rail 12 so as to be able to rotate around a rotation axis Ax. The rotating member 23 is fixed to the third rail 13. The end of the body 21 opposite to the rod 22 is supported on the stay 101 so as to be able to rotate around a rotation axis Ax1, and the end (tip) of the rod 22 opposite to the body 21 and the rotating member 23 are rotatably connected around a rotation axis Ax2. The rotation axes Ax, Ax1, and Ax2 all extend substantially along the Y direction. In this configuration, the protruding length of the rod 22 relative to the body 21 changes, causing the rotating member 23 to rotate around the rotation axis Ax, and the third rail 13 can move between the closed position Pc shown in Figure 2 and the open position Po shown in Figure 3. In the example of Figures 2 and 3, the protruding length of the rod 22 relative to the body 21 in Figure 2 is longer than the protruding length of the rod 22 relative to the body 21 in Figure 3. Note that the support structure of the rail drive mechanism 20 via the stay 101 is not limited to the configuration described above. Furthermore, the rail drive mechanism 20 is not limited to the configuration having a link mechanism with the multiple rotation axes Ax, Ax1, and Ax2 described above. The rail drive mechanism 20 is an example of a first drive mechanism.
[0021] [Movable Member Sensor] The movable member sensor 50 detects the movement of the movable member M toward the third rail 13 or the gap G along the path Pt. For this reason, the movable member sensor 50 is installed between the initial position of the movable member M before operation (before movement) and the third rail 13 or the gap G. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the movable member M approaches the third rail 13 or the gap G toward downward (opposite direction in the Z direction) from its initial position.
[0022] As an example, the movable member sensor 50 is composed of a limit switch having a body 51 and a rod 52. The body 51 is fixed to a stay 105, and the stay 105 is fixed to a stay 101. The rod 52 is supported in a position protruding from the body 51. In the initial position, the rod 52 protrudes from the body 51 substantially along the opposite direction of D1, as shown by the solid line in Figure 3, and its tip extends into the path Pt above the third rail 13. The rod 52 is also supported by the body 51 so that it can change from the initial position to an inclined position, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3, where it moves toward the tip in the opposite direction of D2. The movable member sensor 50 is configured such that the connection state of an electrical switch provided in the body 51 changes in accordance with the change from the initial position to the inclined position of the rod 52. In this configuration, the rod 52 is pushed down by the movable member M moving downward along the path Pt, causing the rod 52's posture to change from its initial posture to an inclined posture. As a result, the movable member sensor 50 can detect that the movable member M is pressing against the rod 52, that is, that the movable member M is moving toward the third rail 13 or the gap G along the path Pt. Note that the support structure of the movable member sensor 50 is not limited to the configuration via the stays 101 and 105 described above. The movable member sensor 50 is an example of a second sensor.
[0023] [Conveyor Sensor] Figure 4 is a plan view of the transport system 100A(100) viewed in the opposite direction of direction D2, and Figure 5 is a front view of the transport system 100A(100) viewed in the opposite direction of direction D1. The transport sensor 40 detects the presence or absence of a transport body 200 on the third rail 13 when the third rail 13 is in the closed position Pc. As an example, the transport sensor 40 is a retroreflective photoelectric sensor and has a light-emitting / receiving unit 41 provided on the stay 102 and a reflecting unit 42 provided on the stay 103, as shown in Figures 2 to 5. In this case, if there is no object to be detected, i.e., the transport body 200, the detection light output from the light-emitting / receiving unit 41 travels through path DL1 to the reflecting unit 42, is reflected by the reflecting unit 42, and returns to the light-emitting / receiving unit 41 via path DL1 for reception. Strictly speaking, the forward and return paths of the detection light in path DL1 are offset from each other. As shown in Figure 5, the stay 102 has a substantially inverted L-shape, with a portion extending in the Y direction from the second rail 12 and a portion extending in the opposite direction to the D2 direction. On the other hand, the stay 103 has a substantially inverted L-shape, with a portion extending in the opposite direction to the Y direction from the first rail 11 and a portion extending in the opposite direction to the D2 direction. This configuration avoids interference with the transporter 200 moving along the rail 10. Furthermore, the stays 102, 103, the light-emitting / receiving unit 41, and the reflecting unit 42 are configured and arranged such that the path DL1 is blocked by the transporter 200 supported on the third rail 13. Therefore, the transporter sensor 40 can detect the presence or absence of the transporter 200 on the third rail 13 by the presence or absence of detection light received by the light-emitting / receiving unit 41. Note that the support structure of the transporter sensor 40 is not limited to the configuration via the stays 103 and 104 described above. Furthermore, the transporter sensor 40 may be a photoelectric sensor different from a retroreflective type, such as a transmissive type, or it may be a sensor different from a photoelectric sensor. The transporter sensor 40 is an example of a first sensor.
[0024] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the path DL1 is set to move in the opposite direction of the Y direction as it moves in the opposite direction of the D1 direction. That is, the path DL1 is set to follow an oblique direction inclined with respect to the D1 and Y directions. In addition, as shown in Figure 5, the path DL1 is set to intersect with the bag portion 202a. The bag portion 202a is a portion of the support member 202 and the transport body 200 in which there are no openings and objects that can shield the detection light in the Y direction, and which has a relatively large length, i.e., width, in the Y direction. With this configuration, the transport body sensor 40 can more reliably detect the presence or absence of the transport body 200. Furthermore, with this configuration, the detectable section in the D1 direction can be set to be relatively long, so it becomes possible to detect the transport body 200 located at any position on the third rail 13 which has a predetermined length in the D1 direction, in other words, at any position between the end of the third rail 13 in the D1 direction and the end in the opposite direction of the D1 direction. Furthermore, the transport sensor 40 may be configured to detect the presence or absence of the transport body 200 in a section 11e (see Figure 4) located in front of the position of the first rail 11 facing the movable stopper 32 in the D1 direction, in other words, in the section 11e between the movable stopper 32 and the third rail 13, together with the third rail 13.
[0025] [Movable stopper] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the transport system 100 is equipped with a stopper drive mechanism 30 that moves a movable stopper 32. The movable stopper 32 is a component capable of preventing the transport body 200 from moving along the rail 10. The stopper drive mechanism 30 is controlled by a control device 110 (see Figure 8), which will be described later, to move the movable stopper 32 between a retracted position Pr (Figure 6) that allows the transport body 200 to move and a protruding position Pp (Figure 7) that prevents movement. Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged views of the vicinity of the rail 10 in Figure 5, with Figure 6 showing the non-operating state of the movable stopper 32 and Figure 7 showing the operating state of the movable stopper 32.
[0026] As an example, the stopper drive mechanism 30 is composed of a linear solenoid actuator having a body 31 and a movable stopper 32 configured as a rod. The body 31 is fixed to a stay 104. The stay 104 is attached to the first rail 11 so as to cover the first rail 11 in direction D2, as shown in Figure 4. The movable stopper 32 is supported on the body 31 so as to be able to change its protruding length. The movable stopper 32 can move between a retracted position Pr shown in Figure 6 and a protruding position Pp shown in Figure 7. When in the protruding position Pp in Figure 7, the movable stopper 32 prevents the transport body 200 from moving in the D1 direction. On the other hand, when in the retracted position Pr in Figure 6, the movable stopper 32 allows the transport body 200 to move in the D1 direction.
[0027] As shown in Figure 4, the movable stopper 32 is positioned facing the first rail 11. That is, when the movable stopper 32 is in the protruding position Pp, the transport body 200 supported by the first rail 11 is prevented from moving forward in the D1 direction from the movable stopper 32. Here, the third rail 13 is located in the D1 direction forward of the first rail 11 and the movable stopper 32. That is, the movable stopper 32 prevents the transport body 200 supported by the first rail 11 that is located behind the movable stopper 32 in the D1 direction from moving toward the third rail 13. The protruding position Pp is an example of a blocking position, and the retracted position Pr is an example of a permitted position. The stopper drive mechanism is an example of a second drive mechanism.
[0028] [Mobile] As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the moving body 201 has a roughly inverted E-shaped cross-section when viewed in the opposite direction to the D1 direction. The vertical wall portion 201a of the moving body 201 is spaced apart in the Y direction from the side wall 10b of the rail 10 where the slit 10a is provided, and extends roughly along the D2 direction. A projection portion 201b protrudes from approximately the middle of the vertical wall portion 201a in the opposite direction to the Y direction toward the slit 10a. A shaft 201c extending in the Y direction within the rail 10 is attached to the projection portion 201b. The shaft 201c rotatably supports a roller 201d. The roller 201d rolls on the bottom wall 10c of the rail 10 while rotating around a rotation axis Axr extending in the Y direction which roughly coincides with the central axis of the shaft 201c, thereby causing the moving body 201 and, consequently the conveyor 200, to move along the rail 10 in the D1 direction.
[0029] As shown in Figure 7, the movable stopper 32, positioned at the protruding position Pp, contacts a portion of the vertical wall 201a that is approximately midway in the vertical direction (D2 direction or Z direction) and adjacent to the protruding portion 201b. The portion to which the movable stopper 32 contacts approximately coincides with the rotation axis Axr (or its extension) of the roller 201d in the D1 direction. If the movable stopper 32 were to contact a portion far from the rotation axis Axr, a rotational moment corresponding to the distance from the rotation axis Axr (moment arm) and the inertial force of the conveyor 200 would act on the movable stopper 32 from the conveyor 200 whose movement is being blocked, resulting in a large load on the movable stopper 32. In this embodiment, the movable stopper 32 contacts a portion of the moving body 201 that coincides with or is close to the rotation axis Axr (extension of the rotation axis Axr) of the roller 201d when viewed in the D1 direction (or the opposite direction of the D1 direction). This reduces the moment arm, thereby reducing the load acting on the movable stopper 32 from the transport body 200 when the movable stopper 32 is in operation. From the viewpoint of reducing this load, it is preferable that the portion of the moving body 201 that the movable stopper 32 contacts is a portion of the moving body 201 that is closer to the rotation axis Axr than both ends in the D2 direction or the Z direction (up and down direction). The closer it is to the rotation axis Axr, the better, and it is most preferable that it is a position that coincides with the rotation axis Axr (extension of the rotation axis Axr) in the D1 direction.
[0030] [Mobile Sensor] As shown in Figure 7, the mobile sensor 60 detects a mobile object 201 whose movement is blocked by the movable stopper 32 (hereinafter simply referred to as the stopped mobile object 201) when the movable stopper 32 is in operation, i.e., when the movable stopper 32 is in the protruding position Pp. The stopped mobile object 201 is adjacent to the movable stopper 32 in the opposite direction to the D1 direction. As an example, the mobile sensor 60 is a retroreflective photoelectric sensor and has a light-emitting / receiving unit 61 and a reflecting unit 62 provided on the stay 104, as shown in Figures 4 to 7. In this case, if there is no object to be detected, i.e., a stopped mobile object 201, the detection light output from the light-emitting / receiving unit 61 travels through path DL2 to the reflecting unit 62, is reflected by the reflecting unit 62, and returns to the light-emitting / receiving unit 61 via path DL2 for reception. Strictly speaking, the forward and return paths of the detection light in path DL2 are offset from each other. In this configuration, the stay 104, the light-emitting / receiving unit 61, and the reflecting unit 62 are configured and arranged such that the path DL2 is blocked by the stationary moving body 201. Therefore, the moving body sensor 60 can detect the presence or absence of the stationary moving body 201 by the presence or absence of detection light received by the light-emitting / receiving unit 61. Note that the support structure of the moving body sensor 60 is not limited to the configuration having the stay 104 described above. Furthermore, the moving body sensor 60 may be a photoelectric sensor other than a retroreflective type, such as a transmissive type, or it may be a sensor other than a photoelectric sensor.
[0031] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, the path DL2 is set to move in the Y direction as it moves in the opposite direction of the D1 direction. That is, the path DL2 is set to follow an oblique direction that is inclined with respect to the D1 and Y directions. In addition, as shown in Figure 7, the path DL2 is set to intersect with the lower wall 201e of the moving body 201. The lower wall 201e is a portion that is separated from the lower part of the rail 10 with a gap in the opposite direction of the D2 direction and extends in the Y direction, and is a portion of the moving body 201 that has no openings and has a continuous presence of objects that can shield the detection light in the Y direction, and is a portion with a relatively large length, i.e., width, in the Y direction. With this configuration, the moving body sensor 60 can more reliably detect the presence or absence of the moving body 201 and, consequently, the transported body 200. The support member 202 is detachably suspended and supported from the movable body 201 via a hook structure consisting of a hook portion 202b provided at the upper end of the support member 202 and a hook portion 201f provided at the lower end of the lower wall 201e of the movable body 201.
[0032] [Third rail control] Figure 8 is a control block diagram of the control device 110 related to the control of moving the third rail 13. As shown in Figure 8, the control device 110 is configured as a computer having, for example, an arithmetic processing unit 111, a main memory unit 112, an auxiliary memory unit 113, etc. The arithmetic processing unit 111 is, for example, a processor (circuit) such as a central processing unit (CPU). The main memory unit 112 is, for example, random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM), and the auxiliary memory unit 113 is, for example, a solid state drive (SSD) or a hard disk drive (HDD). Note that interfaces and drivers are not shown in Figure 8.
[0033] The arithmetic processing unit 111 includes a signal receiving unit 111a, a movable member detection unit 111b, a moving body detection unit 111c, a transport body detection unit 111d, a stopper control unit 111e, a movable rail control unit 111f, an output control unit 111g, an input control unit 111h, etc. The arithmetic processing unit 111 operates according to the installed program, functioning as the signal receiving unit 111a, the movable member detection unit 111b, the moving body detection unit 111c, the transport body detection unit 111d, the stopper control unit 111e, the movable rail control unit 111f, the output control unit 111g, the input control unit 111h, etc., and executes processing according to a predetermined algorithm defined in the program.
[0034] The signal receiving unit 111a acquires or determines the instruction content corresponding to the instruction signal received from a signal output device 300 different from the transport system 100. The signal output device 300 is, for example, an alarm device that operates in the event of a fire or earthquake, or a higher-level control device for the transport system 100. The signal output device 300 outputs various alarm signals and signals that instruct the operation of various parts. The signal output device 300 is an example of an external device, and the instruction signal is an example of an external signal.
[0035] The movable member detection unit 111b determines whether or not the movable member M is moving toward the third rail 13 or the gap G, based on the detection signal from the movable member sensor 50.
[0036] The moving object detection unit 111c determines, based on the detection signal from the moving object sensor 60, whether or not there is a moving object 201 whose movement has been blocked by the movable stopper 32.
[0037] The transporter detection unit 111d determines the presence or absence of a transporter 200 on the third rail 13 based on the detection signal from the transporter sensor 40.
[0038] The stopper control unit 111e controls the operation of the stopper drive mechanism 30 so that the movable stopper 32 moves between the retracted position Pr and the extended position Pp, and remains in either the retracted position Pr or the extended position Pp, according to a predetermined algorithm. The stopper control unit 111e is an example of a second control unit.
[0039] The movable rail control unit 111f controls the operation of the rail drive mechanism 20 so that the third rail 13 moves between the open position Po and the closed position Pc, and remains in either the open position Po or the closed position Pc, according to a predetermined algorithm. The movable rail control unit 111f is an example of the first control unit.
[0040] The output control unit 111g controls the output mechanism 120 to produce a predetermined output according to a predetermined algorithm. The output mechanism 120 is, for example, a speaker or buzzer that produces audio output, or a warning light or display that produces display output.
[0041] The input control unit 111h controls the input mechanism 130 according to a predetermined algorithm so that a predetermined input is made. The input mechanism 130 is, for example, a switch, a keyboard, a touch panel, etc. The input control unit 111h acquires or determines the information input by the input mechanism 130.
[0042] Figure 9 is a flowchart showing the procedure for controlling the movement of the third rail 13 from the closed position Pc to the open position Po.
[0043] If the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po while the transporter 200 remains on the third rail 13, there is a risk that the transporter 200 may fall from the moving third rail 13. In this case, if the transporter 200 falls to a position that overlaps with the path Pt, it may obstruct the movement of the movable member M, potentially impairing the original function of the movable member M (for example, closing an opening in a building). Furthermore, there is a risk that the item A supported by the transporter 200 may be damaged as a result of the transporter 200 falling. In other words, it is preferable that the transporter 200 does not remain on the third rail 13 when it moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po.
[0044] Therefore, in this embodiment, as described in S1 and S2 above, when the signal receiving unit 111a receives an instruction signal (S1), first the stopper control unit 111e controls the operation of the stopper drive mechanism 30 to move the movable stopper 32 from the retracted position Pr to the protruding position Pp (S2). This prevents the transport body 200 from moving from the first rail 11 to the third rail 13, and prevents the transport body 200 from remaining on the third rail 13 when the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po.
[0045] In this embodiment, the operation of the third rail 13 is made different in emergency situations and normal situations. An emergency situation is, for example, when it is preferable to move the movable member M into the gap G relatively quickly. Specifically, if the movable member M is, for example, a fire shutter that closes an opening in a building or partitions a space within a building, then an emergency situation would be when a fire or earthquake occurs. On the other hand, a normal situation is when there is no emergency situation and there is a relatively large amount of time available before the movable member M enters the gap G. Specifically, a normal situation would be, for example, when the operation of the transport system 100 is temporarily terminated at the end of a series of processes.
[0046] The movable rail control unit 111f determines whether it is an emergency or a normal state based on, for example, an instruction signal or a signal received separately from the instruction signal (S3). Specifically, if the instruction signal includes identification information indicating whether it is an emergency or a normal state, for example as information of a specific bit, the movable rail control unit 111f can determine whether it is an emergency or a normal state based on that identification information. On the other hand, if the signal receiving unit 111a receives an identification signal that identifies whether it is an emergency or a normal state, separately from the instruction signal, the movable rail control unit 111f can determine whether it is an emergency or a normal state based on that identification signal.
[0047] [Emergency Control] In an emergency, steps S41 and S42 are executed. In S41, if the transporter detection unit 111d determines that the transporter 200 is not detected (Yes in S41), the process proceeds to S6. In S6, the movable rail control unit 111f controls the rail drive mechanism 20 so that the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po. By proceeding to S6 when Yes is given in S41, it is possible to more reliably prevent the transporter 200 from remaining on the third rail 13 and falling as the transporter 200 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po. Furthermore, by performing S41, if the transporter 200 is not detected, the process immediately proceeds to S6, and the third rail 13 can be moved from the closed position Pc to the open position Po, which has the advantage of allowing the movable member M to move into the gap G more quickly. Note that S41 may be started after a certain period of time has elapsed after the instruction signal is received in S1. In this case, since the transporter 200 can move to the second rail 12 by its own weight within that certain time, it is possible to prevent the transporter 200 remaining on the third rail 13 from falling as the third rail 13 moves.
[0048] Furthermore, in the determination in S41, it is preferable to determine that the transport body 200 is not remaining in the section 11e (see Figure 4) of the first rail 11, along with the third rail 13. This is because it is possible to suppress the transport body 200 remaining in section 11e from falling from section 11e or the third rail 13 when the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po.
[0049] If the answer to S41 is No, the process proceeds to S42. In S42, the elapsed time T from the reception of the instruction signal in S1 is compared with a predetermined time Td. If the elapsed time T is equal to or greater than the predetermined time Td (Yes in S42), the process proceeds to S6. If the answer to S42 is No, the process returns to S41. S42 allows for a time limit to be imposed on the determination in S41 described above. That is, the movable rail control unit 111f can perform S6 in S42, regardless of whether the transport sensor 40 detects the transport body 200, once a predetermined time Td has elapsed since the reception of the instruction signal. If S42 were not provided, for example, if a malfunction in the transport sensor 40 caused a continued erroneous determination in S41 (No in S41), the process would not be able to proceed to S6. In this respect, according to this embodiment, since S6 can be performed after the predetermined time Td has elapsed, such a situation can be avoided. The predetermined time Td is an example of a second time.
[0050] Furthermore, the predetermined time Td can be set to be greater than or equal to the time Tx required for the transporter 200 to enter the second rail 12 via the third rail 13 from a position adjacent to the movable stopper 32 of the first rail 11 in the D1 direction. In this case, after the operation of the movable stopper 32, the system can proceed to S6 when it can be estimated that the transporter 200 located in section 11e of the first rail 11 and the third rail 13 has moved to the second rail 12 due to its own weight. In other words, the predetermined time Td can be said to be a waiting time after the operation of the movable stopper 32 to allow the transporter 200 located in front of the movable stopper 32 in the D1 direction to move to the second rail 12 due to its own weight.
[0051] Time Tx can be set to a value that is equal to or greater than the average value of the time Tm required for multiple transport bodies 200 to enter the second rail 12 via the third rail 13 from a position adjacent to the movable stopper 32 of the first rail 11 in the D1 direction, plus 3σ (σ: standard deviation). In this case, this value can be obtained experimentally. Alternatively, time Tx and thus the predetermined time Td may be updated based on the value accumulated by measuring time Tm during the actual transport process. Note that if the probability of the transport body 200 falling from the third rail 13 hindering the movement of the movable member M is low, the predetermined time Td may be set to be shorter than time Tx. Also, if S42 is performed, S41 may be omitted. In this case, S42 is a step in which the system waits until the elapsed time T reaches the predetermined time Td (first time). However, as mentioned above, performing S41 may allow for a faster transition to S6.
[0052] Furthermore, in the event of an emergency, although not shown in Figure 9, the movable rail control unit 111f controls the rail drive mechanism 20 so that the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po when the movable member detection unit 111b determines, based on the detection signal from the movable member sensor 50, that the movable member M is moving toward the third rail 13 or the gap G at the position of the movable member sensor 50. The movement control of the third rail 13 based on the detection signal from the movable member sensor 50 is performed separately from S41 and S42, or in other words, in parallel with S41 and S42. In this embodiment, it can be said that the movement control of the third rail 13 based on the detection signal of the transporter 200 by the transporter sensor 40 in S41, the movement control of the third rail 13 based on the elapsed time T in S42, and the movement control of the third rail 13 based on the detection signal from the movable member sensor 50 are performed in parallel. This configuration and control allows for the creation of a fail-safe function, enabling the third rail 13 to be moved more reliably from the closed position Pc to the open position Po in an emergency, while preventing the transporter 200 from falling through the gap G.
[0053] The movable member M is configured to start moving toward the third rail 13 or the gap G in response to an instruction signal. Specifically, the control device that controls the movement of the movable member M controls the drive mechanism of the movable member M so that the movable member M makes the movement when it receives an instruction signal output from the signal output device 300. In this case, a predetermined time interval may be provided between the reception of the instruction signal and the start of movement of the movable member M.
[0054] Furthermore, the transport system 100 may be configured such that the movable member sensor 50 detects the movable member M when a predetermined time Tp has elapsed since the signal output device 300 output an instruction signal. This predetermined time Tp can be set, for example, by adjusting the distance from the starting position of the movable member M to the movable member sensor 50, or the moving speed of the movable member M. By appropriately setting the predetermined time Tp, it is possible to realize the movement of the third rail 13 based on the detection signal of the movable member sensor 50 when it can be estimated that the transport body 200 located in section 11e of the first rail 11 and the third rail 13 has moved to the second rail 12 by its own weight after the movable stopper 32 has been activated. In other words, the predetermined time Tp can also be set as a waiting time for the transport body 200 located in front of the movable stopper 32 in the D1 direction to move to the second rail 12 by its own weight after the movable stopper 32 has been activated. The predetermined time Tp can also be set to be greater than or equal to the time Tx described above. The predetermined time Tp is an example of a third time.
[0055] In an emergency, the timing of the start of movement of the movable member M, the speed of movement, the distance traveled from the initial position to the gap G, and the predetermined times Td, Tp mentioned above can be set so that the movable member M enters the gap G after the completion of S6.
[0056] [Normal control] Under normal circumstances (No in S3), S51 to S56 are performed. In this case, first, the system waits until time Tw has elapsed since the instruction signal was received in S1 (S51), and if the transporter detection unit 111d determines that the transporter 200 is not detected (Yes in S52), the system proceeds to S6. Time Tw can also be set as a waiting time to allow the transporter 200, which is located in front of the movable stopper 32 in the D1 direction, to move to the second rail 12 by its own weight after the movable stopper 32 has been activated. Time Tw can also be set to be greater than or equal to the time Tx mentioned above. Even under normal circumstances, it is possible to suppress the state in which the transporter 200 remains on the third rail 13 when the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po.
[0057] If the answer to S52 is No, the output control unit 111g controls the output mechanism 120 to output a predetermined warning by voice or display (S53), and the input control unit 111h controls the input mechanism 130 to wait for an input of a release instruction from the operator (S54). Then, if a release instruction is input (Yes in S55), the output mechanism 120 is controlled to stop the predetermined warning output by voice or display (S56). If the answer to S55 is No, the process returns to S54. Then, after the warning output is stopped in S56, the process proceeds to S6. In this procedure, if the answer to S52 is No, the operator inputs a release instruction after confirming that there is no problem with the third rail 13 or removing any remaining conveyor 200 from the third rail 13, and S6 is performed in accordance with the release instruction input. Under normal circumstances where there is relatively ample time, the fall of the conveyor 200 from the third rail 13 can be prevented more reliably based on the operator's confirmation. Note that the normal procedure is not limited to S51-S56 described above. Also, under normal circumstances, the movement of the movable member M may be started after S6 is completed.
[0058] As described above, in this embodiment, after the movable stopper 32 is activated, the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po. This prevents the transporter 200 from moving from the first rail 11 to the third rail 13 and from falling off the rail 10 as the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po.
[0059] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the third rail 13 can be moved from the closed position Pc to the open position Po based on at least one of the elapsed time T from the detection signal of the transporter 200 by the transporter sensor 40 and the reception of the instruction signal. This prevents the transporter 200 that remained after the operation of the movable stopper 32 from falling off the rail 10 as the third rail 13 moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po.
[0060] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the movement control of the third rail 13 based on the detection signal of the transporter 200 by the transporter sensor 40, the movement control of the third rail 13 based on the elapsed time T since the reception of the instruction signal, and the movement control of the third rail 13 based on the detection signal of the movable member M by the movable member sensor 50 can be performed in parallel. This makes it possible to move the third rail 13 more reliably from the closed position Pc to the open position Po while preventing the transporter 200 from falling through the gap G.
[0061] In S2, the control to move the movable stopper 32 from the retracted position Pr to the protruding position Pp was triggered by the reception of an instruction signal by the signal receiving unit 111a in S1. However, instead of this, or in parallel with this, the control may be triggered by the detection of the movement of the movable member M to the third rail 13 or the gap G by the movable member sensor 50. In this case, the movable member sensor 50 can also function as an external device, and the detection signal from the movable member sensor 50 can also function as an external signal. When a parallel configuration is used, a dual system can be constructed for the instruction signal (external signal) that triggers the operation of the movable stopper 32.
[0062] [Second Embodiment] Figure 10 is a side view showing the transport system 100B(100) and the transport body 200 moving along the rail 10B(10) of the second embodiment. The transport system 100B of this embodiment has the same configuration as the transport system 100A of the first embodiment and operates in the same manner. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the same effects as the first embodiment can be obtained.
[0063] However, in this embodiment, the position and rotation direction of the rotation axis Ax of the third rail 13 differ from those of the first embodiment. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the rotation axis Ax is positioned closer to the second rail 12 than to the first rail 11, and as the rail moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po, the end of the third rail 13 closer to the first rail 11 moves further away from the rail 10 than the end of the third rail 13 closer to the second rail 12. In contrast, in this embodiment, the rotation axis Ax is positioned closer to the first rail 11 than to the second rail 12, and as the rail moves from the closed position Pc to the open position Po, the end of the third rail 13 closer to the second rail 12 moves further away from the rail 10 than the end of the third rail 13 closer to the first rail 11. This configuration also provides the same effects as the first embodiment. In both this embodiment and the first embodiment, the inclination angle of the third rail 13 with respect to the X direction in the open position Po is greater than the inclination angle of the third rail 13 with respect to the X direction (horizontal direction) in the closed position Pc.
[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, in S6 (see Figure 9), the movable rail control unit 111f controls the movable rail control unit 111f so that the third rail 13 temporarily stops or decelerates when it reaches a position Pi during its movement from the closed position Pc to the open position Po, at an inclination angle between the inclination angle with respect to the X direction at the closed position Pc and the inclination angle with respect to the X direction at the open position Po. In this case, the inclination angle or an angle near that inclination angle is temporarily maintained for the third rail 13. As a result, if the transport body 200 remains in the section 11e of the third rail 13 or the first rail 11, the transport body 200 can be dropped to a position off the path Pt, thereby preventing the dropped transport body 200 from hindering the movement of the movable member M along the path Pt. Note that position Pi can be described as the position where the inclination angle from the third rail 13 allows the transport body 200 to be dropped to a position off the path Pt.
[0065] Although embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated above, these embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The above embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, combinations, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, each configuration and specification (structure, type, orientation, model, size, length, width, thickness, height, number, arrangement, position, material, etc.) can be modified as appropriate. [Explanation of symbols]
[0066] 11…First Rail 12... Second rail 13…Third Rail 20…Rail drive mechanism (first drive mechanism) 30... Stopper drive mechanism (second drive mechanism) 32…Movable stopper 40… Carrier sensor (first sensor) 50…Movable member sensor (second sensor, external device) 100, 100A, 100B… Conveyor System 111a...Signal receiving unit 111e... Stopper control unit (second control unit) 111f...Movable Rail Control Unit (First Control Unit) 200... Carrier 300... Signal output device (external device) A...Goods M...Movable member Pc... Closed position (relay position) Po... Open position (retraction position) Pp…Protrusion position (blocking position) Pr... Retraction position (allowable position) Td...Scheduled time (first hour, second hour) Tp…Predetermined time (third time) X direction (horizontal direction)
Claims
1. A transporter that carries goods moves on a first rail due to gravity, The transporter moves by gravity on a second rail, A third rail on which the transporter moves by gravity, the third rail being movable between a relay position that relays the transporter from the first rail to the second rail and a retraction position that forms a gap between the first rail and the second rail, A first drive mechanism moves the third rail between the relay position and the retraction position, A movable stopper that can move between a blocking position that prevents the conveying body from moving from the first rail to the third rail, and a permitting position that allows the conveying body to move from the first rail to the third rail, A second drive mechanism moves the movable stopper between the blocking position and the allowable position, A first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves between the relay position and the retraction position, A second control unit controls the second drive mechanism so that the movable stopper moves between the blocking position and the allowable position, A signal receiving unit that receives external signals output from an external device, Equipped with, The second control unit controls the second drive mechanism so that the movable stopper moves from the allowable position to the blocking position in response to the external signal. The first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves from the relay position to the retraction position after the movable stopper has moved to the blocking position, in a transport system.
2. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves from the relay position to the stowed position when a first time has elapsed since the signal receiving unit received the external signal.
3. The third rail is equipped with a first sensor capable of detecting the presence or absence of the conveyed object on the third rail when the third rail is located at the relay position, The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves from the relay position to the retraction position when it is determined that there is no transport body on the third rail based on the detection signal of the first sensor after the movable stopper has moved to the blocking position.
4. The transport system according to claim 3, wherein the first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves from the relay position to the retraction position, regardless of whether the first sensor detects the transport body, when a second time has elapsed since the signal receiving unit received the external signal.
5. The system includes a second sensor that detects the movement of the movable member toward the third rail or the gap, The transport system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail moves from the relay position to the retraction position when the movement of the movable member is determined based on the detection signal of the second sensor.
6. The movable member starts moving toward the third rail or the gap in response to the external signal. The transport system according to claim 5, configured such that the movement of the movable member is detected by the second sensor when a third time has elapsed since the output of the external signal.
7. The third rail moves from the relay position toward the refuge position such that its angle of inclination with respect to the horizontal increases. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the first control unit controls the first drive mechanism so that the third rail temporarily stops or decelerates when it is moving from the relay position to the retraction position and the third rail is at an inclination angle between the inclination angle at the relay position and the inclination angle at the retraction position.
8. The system includes a second sensor that detects the movement of the movable member toward the third rail or the gap, The transport system according to claim 1, wherein when the movement of the movable member is detected by the second sensor, the second drive mechanism controls the movable stopper to move from the allowable position to the blocking position, regardless of whether or not an external signal is input to the second control unit.