Transport system and electron beam irradiation system including same

Abstract

Provided are a transport system and an electron beam irradiation system in which a desired rotation speed of a pulley can be achieved without providing a brake mechanism for the pulley with respect to a rotation shaft, and loosening or the like of a transported object with respect to the pulley can be reduced.　The transport system comprises a transport device (4) that transports a transported object W1, and a control device (6). The transport device (4) has a pair of rotation shafts (41), a pair of winding parts (5) rotatably supported by the respective rotation shafts (41), and a drive device (42) for driving the pair of rotation shafts (41). The winding parts (5) have a plurality of pulleys (51) arranged along the rotation shafts (41). Bearings (7) are interposed between the plurality of pulleys (51) and the rotation shafts (41), and each of the plurality of pulleys (51) is independently rotatable. The control device (6) can control the drive device (42) to change the rotational speed of the rotation shafts (41). During acceleration of the transported object W1, the control device (6) controls the drive device (42) such that the rotational speed of the rotation shafts (41) is higher than a target rotational speed of the plurality of pulleys (51) on the basis of the transport speed of the transported object W1 being transported by an external feeding device (3).

Description

Transport system and electron beam irradiation system equipped with same

[0001] The present invention relates to a transport system and an electron beam irradiation system including the same.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a conventional conveying device. The conveying device described in Patent Document 1 includes a pair of pulley groups arranged at a distance from each other. Each pulley included in the pulley group is rotatably supported on a rotating shaft via a bearing, and the multiple pulleys are configured to be independently rotatable.

[0003] A long transported object, such as a coated electric wire, is wound around a pair of pulleys. The transport device is installed so that the electron beam irradiation area of ​​the electron beam irradiation device is located above the transported object. As the pair of pulleys rotate around the rotation axis, the transported object travels back and forth through the electron beam irradiation area multiple times. This allows an appropriate amount of electron beam to be irradiated onto the transported object, even if the concentration of electron beams irradiated from the electron beam irradiation device is low.

[0004] A bearing is interposed between the rotating shaft and the pulley, so the rotational power of the rotating shaft is not transmitted directly to the pulley. For this reason, the conveying device is provided with a brake mechanism that can be switched between a relative rotation lock state, which stops the rotation of the pulley relative to the rotating shaft, and a relative rotation allowance state, which releases this state. When transmitting power from the drive device to the pulley, switching the brake mechanism to the relative rotation lock state allows the power from the drive device to be transmitted to the pulley via the rotating shaft.

[0005] On the other hand, when a pair of pulleys rotates with a long object wound around them, a difference in rotation speed between the pulleys and the rotating shaft can occur, especially during acceleration and deceleration. Therefore, by switching the brake mechanism to a relative rotation-permitting state, the pulleys can rotate independently, absorbing the difference in rotation speed between the pulleys. This reduces loosening or disengagement of the object (hereinafter referred to as loosening).

[0006] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-36595

[0007] In this way, the brake mechanism of Patent Document 1 is controlled by a control device to switch to a relative rotation locked state during the acceleration / deceleration period of the pulley group, and to switch to a relative rotation permitted state during the constant speed period. However, the control to switch the brake mechanism according to the acceleration of the pulley group is relatively complicated, and in the relative rotation locked state, the pulley group does not rotate independently, so ultimately there is a problem that the effect of reducing slack, etc., occurring in the transported object is limited.

[0008] The object of the present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and is to provide a conveying system and an electron beam irradiation system that can set the rotation speed of a pulley to a desired rotation speed without providing a brake mechanism for the pulley on the rotating shaft, and can reduce slack in the conveyed object relative to the pulley.

[0009] A conveying apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a conveying apparatus configured to convey a long object supplied from an external feeder, and a control device configured to control the conveying apparatus. The conveying apparatus includes a pair of rotating shafts arranged at a distance from each other, a pair of winding sections rotatably supported by each of the pair of rotating shafts and around which the long object is wound, and a drive device configured to drive the pair of rotating shafts. At least one of the pair of winding sections has a plurality of pulleys aligned along the rotating shaft, with bearings interposed between the pulleys and the rotating shaft, and each of the pulleys being configured to rotate independently. The control device is configured to control the drive device to change the rotational speed of the rotating shaft. The control device controls the drive device to change the rotational speed of the rotating shaft based on the conveyance speed of the object by the external feeder, when the object is accelerating, so that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft is faster than a target rotational speed of the pulleys.

[0010] A conveying apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a conveying apparatus configured to convey a long object supplied from an external feeder, and a control device configured to control the conveying apparatus. The conveying apparatus includes a pair of rotating shafts arranged at a distance from each other, a pair of winding sections rotatably supported by each of the pair of rotating shafts and around which the long object is wound, and a drive device configured to drive the pair of rotating shafts. At least one of the pair of winding sections has a plurality of pulleys aligned along the rotating shaft, with bearings interposed between the pulleys and the rotating shaft, and each of the pulleys being configured to rotate independently. The control device is configured to control the drive device to change the rotational speed of the rotating shaft. When the object is decelerating, the control device controls the drive device so that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft is slower than a target rotational speed of the pulleys, based on the conveying speed of the object by the external feeder.

[0011] An electron beam irradiation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the above-described conveying device, and an electron beam irradiation device that irradiates the object wrapped around the conveying device with an electron beam.

[0012] The conveying system and electron beam irradiation system of the above aspects of the present invention have the advantage that the rotational speed of the pulley can be set to the desired rotational speed without providing a brake mechanism for the pulley on the rotating shaft, and that slack in the transported object on the pulley can be reduced.

[0013] Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of an electron beam irradiation system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an electron beam irradiation system according to the embodiment; Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a rotating shaft and a pulley according to the embodiment; Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a control device; Fig. 5 is a graph showing the relationship between the rotation speed of the rotating shaft and the pulley controlled by the control device and time.

[0014] An electron beam irradiation system 1 according to this embodiment includes an electron beam irradiation device 2 that generates and emits electron beams, and a conveying system. The conveying system includes a conveying device 4 around which a long transported object W1 is wound, an external feeder 3 that supplies at least the transported object W1 to the conveying device 4, and a control device 6 that controls the conveying device 4 and the external feeder 3. The electron beam irradiation device 2 can irradiate the transported object W1 wound around the conveying device 4 with an electron beam.

[0015] 1 and 2, the conveying device 4 includes a pair of rotary shafts 41 that rotate using power from a drive device 42, and a pair of winding portions 5 rotatably supported on each rotary shaft 41. At least one of the pair of winding portions 5 has a plurality of pulleys 51 aligned along the rotary shaft 41, as shown in FIG. 3. A bearing 7 is interposed between the pulley 51 and the rotary shaft 41, and the pulley 51 can also rotate with respect to the rotary shaft 41 (sometimes referred to as "relative rotation"). This allows each of the plurality of pulleys 51 to rotate independently.

[0016] The control device 6 is configured to be able to change the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 by controlling the drive device 42. When the transported object W1 is accelerating, the control device 6 controls the drive device 42 based on the transport speed of the transported object W1 by the external feed device 3 so that the rotation speed of the rotating shaft becomes faster than the target rotation speed of the plurality of pulleys 51.

[0017] In addition, when the transported item W1 is decelerating, the control device 6 controls the drive device 42 so that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft is slower than the target rotational speed of the multiple pulleys 51 based on the transporting speed of the transported item W1 by the external feeding device 3.

[0018] With this configuration, even if the rotation of the rotating shaft 41 by the drive device 42 is not directly transmitted to the pulley 51 by the bearing 7, the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 is faster or slower than the rotation speed of the pulley 51, making it easier to transport the transported item W1 at the target speed. Furthermore, if the transported item W1 stretches when accelerating or decelerating, or if the transported item W1 stretches due to its high temperature, each pulley 51 can rotate relative to the rotating shaft 41 because the bearing 7 is interposed between the pulley 51 and the rotating shaft 41.

[0019] As a result, according to the conveying system of this embodiment, even if the conveyed object W1 is stretched, the pulley 51 can rotate independently, which reduces the loosening of the conveyed object W1 relative to the pulley 51, while also reducing the delay in the rotational speed of the pulley 51. Therefore, the speed of the conveyed object W1 by the conveying device 4 can be matched to the speed of the conveyed object W1 sent from the external feeding device 3, thereby reducing the loosening of the conveyed object W1, the falling off of the conveyed object W1 from the pulley 51, and the like.

[0020] The conveyed object W1 in this specification means an object to be conveyed that is wound around the conveying device 4. The conveyed object W1 is a long object, and examples thereof include wires such as coated electric wires, wires, optical cables, rubber hoses, and tubes.

[0021] The electron beam irradiation system 1 and the transport device 4 according to this embodiment will be described in more detail below. In this specification, "parallel" refers not only to two lines, surfaces, etc. (hereinafter referred to as "lines") that do not intersect when extended, but also to two lines, etc. that intersect at an angle of 10° or less. Furthermore, "orthogonal" refers to two lines, etc. that intersect at an angle of 90°±10°. However, even if two lines, etc., do not intersect directly, they are included in the term "orthogonal" if they intersect when extended.

[0022] (Electron beam irradiation device 2) In the electron beam irradiation device 2, the open surface below the scan tube is covered with an electron beam irradiation window foil 21. As shown in FIG. 2 , the area below the electron beam irradiation window foil 21 is an electron beam irradiation area D1 (electron beam irradiation region), and the electron beam irradiation area D1 is located between a pair of winding portions 5. The electron beam irradiation device 2 can emit electron beams toward the electron beam irradiation area D1. Therefore, by irradiating the transported object W1 wrapped around the pair of winding portions 5 with electron beams while moving the transported object W1, the entire length of the transported object W1 can be irradiated with electron beams.

[0023] (External Feeding Device 3) The external feeding device 3 supplies the transported object W1 to the conveying device 4. The external feeding device 3 can also retrieve the transported object W1 wound around the conveying device 4 after it has been irradiated by the electron beam irradiation device 2. The external feeding device 3 includes a sending-out device 31 (FIG. 4) that sends out the transported object W1 using a pulley, a winding device 32 (FIG. 4) that retrieves the transported object W1 using a pulley, and a speed control device 33 that controls the conveying speed of the transported object W1 sent out from the external feeding device 3 and / or the transported object W1 retrieved. The sending-out speed of the transported object W1 by the sending-out device 31, the winding speed of the transported object W1 by the winding device 32, and the conveying speed of the transported object W1 by the speed control device 33 are controlled by a control device 6 (external feeding device control unit 61) described later so as to match the rotational speed of the winding unit 5 of the conveying device 4.

[0024] (Conveying Device 4) The conveying device 4 can convey the conveyed object W1 wound around a pair of winding parts 5. In the electron beam irradiation system 1 according to this embodiment, the conveyed object W1 is irradiated with an electron beam from the electron beam irradiation device 2 during conveyance. As shown in FIG. 1 , the conveying device 4 includes a pair of rotating shafts 41, a plurality of support columns 43 that rotatably support each rotating shaft 41, a plurality of driving devices 42 that drive each rotating shaft 41, and a pair of winding parts 5.

[0025] The rotating shaft 41 is the rotation axis of the winding portion 5. The pair of rotating shafts 41 are arranged at an interval in a direction perpendicular to the rotating shaft 41 and are parallel to each other. Both longitudinal ends of the rotating shaft 41 are rotatably supported by supports 43. As shown in FIG. 3 , a driven pulley 411 is fixed to one longitudinal end of the rotating shaft 41. As shown in FIG. 1 , the driven pulley 411 is connected to a driving pulley 421 fixed to the output shaft of the driving device 42 via a power transmission body 422 so that power can be transmitted thereto. In other words, the driven pulley 411 rotates by power from the driving device 42. As a result, the rotating shaft 41 can be rotated by power from the driving device 42.

[0026] The power transmission body 422 is a component for transmitting rotational force from the drive device 42. The power transmission body 422 is preferably endless. Examples of the power transmission body 422 include a drive belt, a drive chain, a wire, a belt, and a drive shaft.

[0027] The support pillars 43 are pillars that protrude upward from the base 44. One rotating shaft 41 is hung between a pair of support pillars 43. The transport device 4 according to this embodiment has two sets of pairs of support pillars 43. As shown in FIG. 3 , the support pillars 43 have bearings 431 provided at their upper ends. The support pillars 43 support the rotating shaft 41 via the bearings 431, thereby enabling the rotating shaft 41 to be rotatably supported.

[0028] The drive unit 42 is a drive source that rotates the rotary shaft 41. An example of the drive unit 42 is a motor. Examples of the motor include an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, and a pneumatic motor. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 , the multiple drive units 42 correspond one-to-one to the multiple rotary shafts 41. In this embodiment, the multiple drive units 42 are installed on a base 44. Note that the number of drive units 42 does not need to be multiple; for example, multiple rotary shafts 41 may be rotated by a single drive unit 42.

[0029] The operation of the drive devices 42 is controlled by the control device 6. The control device 6 controls the pair of drive devices 42 so that the rotational speeds (angular velocities) of the pair of winding sections 5 are the same. The control device 6 also controls the rotational speed of the winding sections 5 so that it matches the rotational speeds of the feed pulley and recovery pulley of the external feed device 3, thereby controlling the drive devices 42 so that the conveying speed of the transported article W1 in the conveying device 4 is the same as the supply speed and recovery speed of the transported article W1 by the external feed device 3. The control of the rotational speed of the drive devices 42 by the control device 6 can be achieved, for example, by inverter control.

[0030] (Wrapping Portions 5) The wrapping portions 5 are rotatably supported by the respective rotation shafts 41. As shown in FIG. 1 , a long transported object W1 is wrapped around the pair of wrapping portions 5. In this embodiment, the transported object W1 is wrapped around the pair of wrapping portions 5 in a so-called cross-wrapping manner, in which the transported object W1 is wrapped from the upper end of one wrapping portion 5 to the lower end of the other wrapping portion 5, and then from the upper end of the other wrapping portion 5 to the lower end of the one wrapping portion 5. However, the transported object W1 may also be wrapped around the pair of wrapping portions 5 in a so-called circumferential manner, in which the transported object W1 is wrapped from the upper end of one wrapping portion 5 to the upper end of the other wrapping portion 5, and then from the lower end of the other wrapping portion 5 to the lower end of the one wrapping portion 5.

[0031] 3, each winding portion 5 is made up of a plurality of pulleys 51 arranged along the rotary shaft 41. There are no particular limitations on the material of the plurality of pulleys 51, and examples thereof include stainless steel, aluminum, steel, iron, chromium, copper, synthetic resin, and carbon.

[0032] Each pulley 51 includes a disk-shaped pulley body 511, an inner cylindrical portion 512 disposed at the center of the pulley body 511, and a plurality of grooves 513 formed on the outer periphery of the pulley body 511. The plurality of grooves 513 open toward the outside in the radial direction of the rotating shaft 41. Each groove 513 accommodates one transported article W1.

[0033] The inner cylindrical portion 512 is disposed concentrically with the rotary shaft 41. A bearing 7 is interposed between the inner cylindrical portion 512 and the rotary shaft 41. This allows each pulley 51 to rotate relative to the rotary shaft 41. In other words, each of the multiple pulleys 51 can rotate independently.

[0034] The bearing 7 may be, for example, a rolling bearing or a sliding bearing. In this embodiment, a ball bearing in which a plurality of balls are arranged between an inner ring and an outer ring is used as the rolling bearing. In the conveying device 4 according to this embodiment, two bearings 7 are used for one pulley 51. The two bearings 7 are spaced apart in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 41, with a gap between them.

[0035] In the conveying device 4 configured as described above, when the rotating shaft 41 is rotated by the driving device 42 during acceleration of the winding portion 5 (i.e., when the conveyed object is accelerating), the pulley 51 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotating shaft 41 due to frictional forces generated between the inner ring, outer ring, and ball of the bearing 7. However, because the bearing 7 is present, the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 is not transmitted directly to the pulley 51, resulting in a transmission efficiency of, for example, about 80%.

[0036] According to the conveying device 4 of this embodiment, by reciprocating the transported object W1 using the multiple pulleys 51, it is possible to irradiate the transported object W1 with an appropriate amount of electron beams even if the density of the electron beams irradiated from the electron beam irradiation device 2 is relatively low. By repeatedly reciprocating the transported object W1 using the multiple pulleys 51, it is possible to irradiate the transported object with an appropriate amount of electron beams. However, the transported object W1 is prone to becoming hot, and depending on the transported object W1, it is prone to elongation due to thermal expansion. However, because the multiple pulleys 51 of the winding portion 5 are configured to be independently rotatable, even if the transported object W1 elongates due to thermal expansion, this elongation can be absorbed.

[0037] 4, the control device 6 includes an external feeding device control unit 61 that controls the entire external feeding device 3, a let-off device control unit 611, a winding device control unit 612, a speed control device control unit 613, and a conveying device control unit 62 that controls the conveying device 4. The external feeding device control unit 61, the let-off device control unit 611, the winding device control unit 612, the speed control device control unit 613, and the conveying device control unit 62 may be housed in a single housing or in separate housings.

[0038] The external feeding device control unit 61 controls the operations of the conveying device 31 , the winding device 32 and the speed control device 33 by sending and receiving signals to and from the feeding device control unit 611 , the winding device control unit 612 and the speed control device control unit 613 .

[0039] The sending-out device control unit 611 controls the sending-out device 31. Specifically, the sending-out device control unit 611 can perform, for example, ON / OFF operation control and rotation speed control by inverter control of a motor (hereinafter referred to as a feed motor) that drives a pulley of the sending-out device.

[0040] The winding device control section 612 controls the winding device 32. The winding device control section 612 can perform, for example, ON / OFF operation control and rotation speed control by inverter control of the motor that drives the pulley of the winding device (hereinafter referred to as the recovery motor).

[0041] The speed control device control unit 613 controls the speed control device 33. The speed control device control unit 613 controls, for example, the rotational speeds of the feed motor of the let-off device 31 and the recovery motor of the winding device 32 using the speed control device 33, thereby controlling the speed of the transported object W1 sent out from the let-off device 31 and the transported object W1 recovered by the winding device 32, and can control the transport speed of the transported object W1. The speed control device control unit 613 preferably supplies the transported object W1 to the transport device 4 and recovers the transported object W1 from the transport device 4 at the same transport speed. To achieve the same transport speed for supplying and recovering the transported object W1, for example, the feed motor of the let-off device 31 and the recovery motor of the winding device 32 can be controlled so that their rotational speeds are synchronized.

[0042] The conveying device control unit 62 includes a conveying speed acquisition unit 621 that acquires the conveying speed of the conveyed object W1 by the speed control device 33, and a drive device control unit 622 that controls the drive device 42 that drives the rotation shaft 41.

[0043] The conveying speed acquisition unit 621 acquires information regarding the conveying speed of the conveyed object W1 from the external feeder device control unit 61. In this embodiment, the conveying speed acquisition unit 621 can acquire information regarding the conveying speed of the conveyed object W1 from the speed control device control unit 613 via the external feeder device control unit 61. The information regarding the rotational speed acquired by the conveying speed acquisition unit 621 is output to the drive device control unit 622.

[0044] The drive device control unit 622 controls the rotation speed of the drive device 42 based on the information regarding the speed received from the conveying speed acquisition unit 621. The drive device control unit 622 can calculate the rotation speed of the pulley 51 from the conveying speed of the transported object W1 acquired by the conveying speed acquisition unit 621. Hereinafter, the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 obtained from the external feed device control unit 61 will be referred to as the "target rotation speed."

[0045] The drive device control unit 622 controls the drive device 42 so that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 is faster than the target rotational speed of the pulley 51 when the transported object W1 is accelerating, such as when the conveying device 4 is started. The set value of the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 relative to the target rotational speed of the pulley 51 is preferably 101% or more and 150% or less, more preferably 105% or more and 130% or less, even more preferably 110% or more and 125%, and even more preferably 115% or more and 120% or less. However, the set value of the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 may be set appropriately by the user depending on the transport speed of the transported object W1 and the degree of slack of the transported object W1 relative to the pulley 51.

[0046] The drive device control unit 622 controls the drive device 42 so that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 is slower than the target rotational speed of the pulley 51 when the transported object W1 is decelerated, such as when the transport device 4 ends operation. The set value of the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 relative to the target rotational speed of the pulley 51 is preferably 0% to 99%, more preferably 70% to 95%, even more preferably 75% to 90%, and even more preferably 80% to 85%. However, as with acceleration, the set value of the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 during deceleration may also be set appropriately by the user depending on the transport speed of the transported object W1 and the degree of slack of the transported object W1 relative to the pulley 51.

[0047] An example of a method for controlling the drive device 42 by the control device 6 is shown in Figure 5. In the graph, the solid line indicates the relationship between the conveying speed of the transported item W1 and time as determined by the speed control device control unit 613, and the dashed line indicates the relationship between the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 and time. By rotating the pulley 51 so that the conveying speed of the transported item W1 follows the solid line, the conveying speed of the transported item W1 can be set to a desired speed. In other words, the conveying speed of the transported item W1 indicates the target rotational speed of the pulley 51.

[0048] As shown in FIG. １ Up to this point, it is preferable to set the set value of the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 relative to the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 at a ratio (first ratio) that is larger than other parts. This is because when accelerating the pulley 51 from a stopped state, more torque is required than when accelerating from a rotating state. When the pulley 51 starts to accelerate, the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is controlled to a constant speed (T １ From T ２ ).

[0049] Thereafter, it is preferable to set the set value of the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 relative to the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 to a second ratio smaller than the first ratio (T ２ From T ３ ). Note that time T ３ The difference S1 between the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 and the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 at T ２The reason why the difference is larger than the difference in (a) is that the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is set as a ratio to the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 .

[0050] When the rotation speed of the pulley 51 reaches the target speed R1, the control device 6 controls the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 so that it matches the rotation speed of the pulley 51 (T ３ From T ４ At this time, the rotational speed of the rotary shaft 41 and the pulley 51 continues to be constant.

[0051] Next, when the rotation speed of the pulley 51 is reduced, the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is controlled so that the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is lower than the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 (T ４ ). Time T ４ The difference between the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 at time T and the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 is set to S2. After that, the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 is set to be lower than the target rotation speed of the pulley 51, and when the rotation speed of the pulley 51 reaches the target speed R2, the control device 6 controls the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 to match the rotation speed of the pulley 51 (T ５ From T ６ At this time, the rotational speed of the rotary shaft 41 and the pulley 51 continues to be constant.

[0052] Next, the rotation speed of the pulley 51 is accelerated. It is preferable that the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is set to a second ratio with respect to the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 (T ６ From T ７ ). Time T ７ When the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 and the target speed are the same R1, the difference S3 between the rotation speed of the pulley 51 and the target speed is preferably the same as the difference S1.

[0053] When the pulley 51 is stopped, the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is controlled so that the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is smaller than the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 (T ８ ). Time T ８It is preferable that the difference S4 between the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 and the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 at time T is the same as the difference S2. After that, since the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 is set to have the same ratio to the target rotation speed of the pulley 51, the difference between the rotation speed of the rotary shaft 41 and the target rotation speed of the pulley 51 gradually decreases, and the rotary shaft 41 and the pulley 51 stop simultaneously (T ８ From T ９ This reduces the occurrence of loosening or stretching of the transported object when the conveyor is stopped.

[0054] <Modifications> The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present invention. The embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present invention can be achieved. Modifications of the embodiment are listed below. The modifications described below can be applied in appropriate combinations.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the conveying speed of the conveyed object W1 is obtained from the speed control device control unit 613 that controls the speed control device 33 of the external feeder 3, but it may also be obtained from, for example, the actual rotation speed of the pulley 51. The actual rotation speed of the pulley 51 may also be obtained from a sensor (rotation sensor) such as a rotary encoder, a resolver, or a magnetic speed sensor.

[0056] The rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 is set as a ratio to the target rotational speed of the pulley 51, but the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 per hour may be set to be faster than the target rotational speed of the pulley 51 and may be changed according to a time schedule.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the conveying speed acquisition unit 621 is included in the conveying device control unit 62, but the conveying speed acquisition unit 621 does not have to be included in the conveying device control unit 62, and may be provided, for example, between the external feeding device control unit 61 and the conveying device control unit 62.

[0058] <Summary> As described above, the conveying system according to the first aspect includes a conveying device 4 that conveys a long object W1 supplied from an external feeder 3, and a control device 6. The conveying device 4 includes a pair of rotating shafts 41 arranged at a distance from each other, a pair of winding units 5 that are rotatably supported by each of the pair of rotating shafts 41 and around which the long object W1 is wound, and a drive device 42 that drives the pair of rotating shafts 41. At least one of the pair of winding units 5 has a plurality of pulleys 51 arranged along the rotating shaft 41, with bearings 7 interposed between the plurality of pulleys 51 and the rotating shaft 41, and each of the plurality of pulleys 51 being configured to be independently rotatable. The control device 6 is configured to control the drive device 42 to change the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41. When the transported item W1 is accelerating, the control device 6 controls the drive device 42 so that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 is faster than the target rotational speed of the multiple pulleys 51 based on the transporting speed of the transported item W1 by the external feeding device 3.

[0059] According to this aspect, even if the rotation of the rotating shaft 41 by the drive device 42 is not directly transmitted to the pulley 51 by the bearing 7, the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 is faster than the rotation speed of the pulley 51, making it easier to transport the transported item W1 at the target speed. Furthermore, if the transported item W1 elongates during acceleration or deceleration, or if the transported item W1 elongates due to high temperature, the bearing 7 is interposed between the pulley 51 and the rotating shaft 41, allowing each pulley 51 to rotate relative to the rotating shaft 41. As a result, according to the transport system of this embodiment, even if the transported item W1 elongates, the pulley 51 can rotate independently, thereby reducing slack in the transported item W1 relative to the pulley 51 and reducing delays in the rotation speed of the pulley 51. Therefore, the speed of the transported item W1 by the transport device 4 can be matched to the speed of the transported item W1 sent from the external feed device 3, thereby reducing slack in the transported item W1, falling off the pulley 51, and the like.

[0060] The conveying system according to the second aspect includes a conveying device 4 that conveys a long object W1 supplied from an external feeder 3, and a control device 6. The conveying device 4 includes a pair of rotating shafts 41 arranged at a distance from each other, a pair of winding units 5 rotatably supported by each of the pair of rotating shafts 41 and around which the long object W1 is wound, and a drive device 42 that drives the pair of rotating shafts 41. At least one of the pair of winding units 5 has a plurality of pulleys 51 arranged along the rotating shaft 41, with bearings 7 interposed between the plurality of pulleys 51 and the rotating shaft 41, and each of the plurality of pulleys 51 is configured to be independently rotatable. The control device 6 is configured to control the drive device 42 to change the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41. When the object W1 is decelerated, the control device 6 controls the drive device 42 based on the conveying speed of the object W1 by the external feeder 3 so that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft 41 is slower than the target rotational speed of the plurality of pulleys 51.

[0061] According to this aspect, even if the rotation of the rotating shaft 41 by the drive device 42 is not directly transmitted to the pulley 51 by the bearing 7, the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 is slower than the rotation speed of the pulley 51, making it easier to decelerate the transported item W1. Furthermore, if the transported item W1 elongates or if the transported item W1 elongates due to its high temperature during acceleration or deceleration, the bearing 7 is interposed between the pulley 51 and the rotating shaft 41, allowing each pulley 51 to rotate relative to the rotating shaft 41. As a result, according to the conveying system of this embodiment, even if the transported item W1 elongates, the pulley 51 can rotate independently, thereby reducing slack in the transported item W1 relative to the pulley 51 and reducing delays in the rotation speed of the pulley 51. Therefore, the speed of the transported item W1 by the conveying device 4 can be matched to the speed of the transported item W1 sent from the external feeding device 3, thereby reducing slack in the transported item W1, falling off the pulley 51, and the like.

[0062] In the conveyance system according to the third aspect, in the first or second aspect, when the pulley 51 reaches the target rotation speed, the control device 6 controls the drive device 42 so that the rotation speed of the rotating shaft 41 matches the rotation speed of the plurality of pulleys 51. According to this aspect, after the rotation speed of the pulley 51 reaches the target speed, it can be controlled to a constant speed, and it is possible to reduce the pulley 51 from continuing to accelerate or from decelerating too much and stopping.

[0063] An electron beam irradiation system 1 according to a fifth aspect includes the conveying device 4 according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, and an electron beam irradiation device 2 that irradiates an electron beam onto a conveyed object W1 wound around the conveying device 4. According to this aspect, even if the conveyed object W1 is heated by the electron beam from the electron beam irradiation device 2 and stretches due to thermal expansion, tension, or the like, it is possible to reduce the occurrence of loosening, etc.

[0064] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electron beam irradiation system 2 Electron beam irradiation device 4 Conveyor device 41 Rotating shaft 42 Driving device 5 Winding portion 51 Pulley 6 Control device W1 Conveyed object 7 Bearing

Claims

1. A conveying system comprising a conveying device that conveys a long conveyed object supplied from an external feeding device, and a control device that controls the conveying device, wherein the conveying device includes: a pair of rotating shafts arranged at an interval; a pair of winding portions that are rotatably supported by each of the pair of rotating shafts and around which the long conveyed object is wound; and a driving device that drives the pair of rotating shafts. At least one of the pair of winding portions has a plurality of pulleys arranged along the rotating shaft, a bearing is interposed between the plurality of pulleys and the rotating shaft, and each of the plurality of pulleys is configured to be independently rotatable. The control device is configured to be able to change the rotational speed of the rotating shaft by controlling the driving device. When the conveyed object is accelerating, the control device controls the driving device such that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft is faster than the target rotational speed of the plurality of pulleys based on the conveying speed of the conveyed object by the external feeding device.

2. A conveying system comprising a conveying device that conveys a long conveyed object supplied from an external feeding device, and a control device that controls the conveying device, wherein the conveying device includes: a pair of rotating shafts arranged at an interval; a pair of winding portions that are rotatably supported by each of the pair of rotating shafts and around which the long conveyed object is wound; and a driving device that drives the pair of rotating shafts. At least one of the pair of winding portions has a plurality of pulleys arranged along the rotating shaft, a bearing is interposed between the plurality of pulleys and the rotating shaft, and each of the plurality of pulleys is configured to be independently rotatable. The control device is configured to be able to change the rotational speed of the rotating shaft by controlling the driving device. When the conveyed object is decelerating, the control device controls the driving device such that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft is slower than the target rotational speed of the plurality of pulleys based on the conveying speed of the conveyed object by the external feeding device.

3. The conveying system according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein when the pulley reaches the target rotational speed, the control device controls the driving device such that the rotational speed of the rotating shaft matches the rotational speeds of the plurality of pulleys.

4. An electron beam irradiation system comprising: the conveyance system according to claim 1 or claim 2; and an electron beam irradiation device that irradiates an electron beam onto the conveyed object wound around the conveyance device.

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