Unloading device, detection unit, and method for adjusting detection unit
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SUMITOMO HEAVY IND LTD
- Filing Date
- 2025-11-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-06
Smart Images
Figure JP2025041159_06082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Unloading device, detection unit, adjustment method of detection unit
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an unloading device and the like.
[0002] Cargo handling machines for handling cargo or freight on ships and the like are known. Cargo handling machines are roughly classified into a loading machine for loading ship cargo into a ship's hold and an unloading machine or unloading device for unloading ship cargo from the ship's hold onto land. Among the loading machines, those for loading bulk cargo or bulk freight such as coal and iron ore are also called ship loaders, and among the unloading machines, those for unloading bulk freight are also called ship unloaders. The present disclosure is applicable to any unloading machine or unloading device, but will be illustratively and representatively described mainly with respect to a ship unloader. Some ship unloaders continuously unload bulk cargo in a ship's hold and are called continuous unloaders or continuous ship unloaders (CSU). In the present disclosure, its abbreviation CSU is used.
[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-160034
[0004] Some CSUs may be provided with a distance measuring sensor for detecting a ship's hold or the bulk cargo in the ship's hold. If each movable part (a moving part, a slewing part, an unloading part, etc., to be described later) of the CSU can be accurately controlled according to the distance from the ship's hold or the bulk cargo measured by the distance measuring sensor, it is possible to prevent the unloading part inserted into the ship's hold from colliding with the ship's hold and efficiently unload the bulk cargo. However, depending on the position and / or orientation of the distance measuring sensor, the ship's hold and the bulk cargo may not be properly detected.
[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of such a situation, and an object thereof is to provide an unloading device and the like that can appropriately detect a ship, freight, etc. by a detection unit such as a distance measuring sensor.
[0006] To solve the above problems, a cargo unloading device according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a cargo unloading device for unloading cargo from a ship, comprising: a movable part that is movable relative to the ship; a swivel part that is rotatable relative to the movable part; a lifting part provided on the swivel part for lifting cargo; and a detection unit attached to a fixed mounting position on the lifting part, the detection part being capable of detecting objects in its surroundings; and a detection part adjustment mechanism that can adjust at least one of the position and orientation of the detection part without changing the fixed mounting position of the detection unit.
[0007] According to this embodiment, the position and / or orientation of the detection unit can be adjusted by the detection unit adjustment mechanism, thereby enabling proper detection of ships, cargo, etc.
[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure is a detection unit. This detection unit is mounted at a fixed mounting position on the unloading section of an unloading device, which comprises a movable section that is movable relative to a ship, a swivel section that is rotatable relative to the movable section, and an unloading section provided on the swivel section for unloading cargo from a ship, and comprises a detection section capable of detecting objects in its surroundings, and a detection section adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting at least one of the position and orientation of the detection section without changing the fixed mounting position of the detection unit.
[0009] A further aspect of the present disclosure is a method for adjusting a detection unit. The method is for adjusting a detection unit mounted on a fixed mounting position on a loading section of a loading device, which comprises a movable section movable relative to a ship, a swivel section rotatable relative to the movable section, and a loading section provided on the swivel section for unloading cargo from a ship, and performs the task of automatically adjusting at least one of the position and orientation of a detection section capable of detecting objects in its vicinity without changing the fixed mounting position of the detection unit.
[0010] Furthermore, any combination of the above components, as well as any representations thereof converted into methods, apparatus, systems, recording media, computer programs, etc., are also included in this disclosure.
[0011] According to this disclosure, ships, cargo, etc., can be appropriately detected by detection units such as distance measuring sensors.
[0012] This is a front view showing the overall configuration of the lifting machine. This is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of the lifting machine. This shows the detailed configuration of the lifting section. This shows the appearance of the distance measuring sensor. This is a top view showing an example of the arrangement of the distance measuring sensor. This schematically shows an example of the distance measuring sensor being mounted on an L-frame. This schematically illustrates a detection unit mounted at a fixed mounting position on the L-frame. This schematically shows the functional blocks of the control device responsible for controlling the detection unit adjustment mechanism, etc. This schematically shows a vertical screw type unloader.
[0013] The following describes in detail the forms for implementing this disclosure (hereinafter also referred to as embodiments) with reference to the drawings. In the description and / or drawings, identical or equivalent components, members, processes, etc., are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted. The scale and shape of the illustrated parts are set for convenience to simplify the description and are not to be interpreted restrictively unless otherwise specified. The embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the scope of this disclosure in any way. Not all features or combinations thereof presented in the embodiments are necessarily essential to this disclosure. For convenience, embodiments are presented by breaking them down into components for each function and / or group of functions that realize them. However, one component in an embodiment may actually be realized by a combination of multiple components as separate entities, and multiple components in an embodiment may actually be realized by a single component as a whole. Furthermore, multiple embodiments and modifications may be disclosed in parallel, and any components of each embodiment and / or modification may be combined in any manner as long as they do not interfere with each other's functions.
[0014] Figure 1 shows the overall configuration of a loading / unloading machine 1 as a loading / unloading device or cargo handling machine according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The loading / unloading machine 1 is a continuous unloader or shipboard continuous unloader that unloads bulk cargo M loaded on a ship 200 or as cargo onto land. Hereinafter, the loading / unloading machine 1 will also be referred to as CSU 1. The CSU 1 continuously transports bulk cargo M stored in the cargo hold 201 of a ship 200 docked at a quay 101 of a pier 102 in a port or the like to land. Examples of typical bulk cargo M include coal, coke, ore, etc. The ship 200 or cargo hold 201 is the storage location for the bulk cargo M, and is also the loading / unloading location where the CSU 1 handles or unloads the bulk cargo M.
[0015] The CSU 1 is operated by an operator in the main control room 16 located in its main body. The control room for operating the CSU 1 may be located elsewhere within the CSU 1, or it may be located anywhere on land outside the CSU 1.
[0016] The pier 102 where the ship 200 docks constitutes the land area where the bulk cargo M is unloaded, and is constructed of high-strength materials such as reinforced concrete. As shown in the perspective view of Figure 2, the pier 102 is provided with a pair of parallel rails 3 as a track along the longitudinal direction (the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1) of the ship 200 that is docked and anchored at the quay 101. The rails 3 constitute a track on which the running section 2, which is the movable part of the CSU 1, can move or travel. These rails 3 allow the CSU 1 to move relative to the anchored ship 200. As shown in Figure 2, the direction in which the rails 3 are installed preferably coincides with the longitudinal direction of the anchored ship 200 or the quay 101, but it may be any other direction. The rails 3 may also include curved sections and bends. When unloading cargo from the ship 200, the CSU 1 moves along the rails 3 and approaches the hatch 21, which is the upper opening of the cargo hold 201 to be unloaded. Subsequently, the running section 2, the slewing frame 5, the unloading section 9, etc., are driven, and the bulk cargo M is unloaded from the cargo hold 201.
[0017] At the pier 102, a belt conveyor 45 is provided between a pair of rails 3 to transport the unloaded bulk cargo M in a constant direction. As shown in Figure 2, it is preferable that the installation direction of the belt conveyor 45, i.e., the transport direction, coincides with the installation direction of the rails 3, but it may be any other direction. The belt conveyor 45 may also include curved sections and bends. The belt conveyor 45 needs to be provided between the pair of rails 3 where it receives the bulk cargo M unloaded from the CSU 1, but it may be provided outside the pair of rails 3 at other locations.
[0018] The CSU 1 comprises a traveling section 2 as a mobile section that can move relative to the ship 200, a slewing frame 5 as a slewing section that can rotate relative to the traveling section 2, and a lifting section 9 provided at the tip of the slewing frame 5 as a cargo handling section for unloading bulk cargo M. The slewing frame 5 is supported on the traveling section 2 so as to be able to rotate around a slewing axis in the vertical direction (up and down direction in Figure 1). The slewing frame 5 is provided with a boom 7 that extends laterally and intersects the slewing axis, and a bucket elevator 90, which constitutes the main part of the lifting section 9 as a conveying or unloading section, is supported at its tip.
[0019] The lifting section 9 maintains a vertical position regardless of the luffing angle of the boom 7 (the angle of rotation around the luffing axis perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 1) through a parallel link mechanism formed between the slewing frame 5, the boom 7, and the parallel link 8. A counterweight 13 is provided at the rear end of the slewing frame 5 opposite to the tip of the boom 7. The counterweight 13 is connected to the tip of the boom 7 via a balancing lever 12. Due to the action of this counterweight 13, the lifting section 9 becomes virtually unloaded, achieving a stable load balance. The main components of the slewing section, such as the slewing frame 5, boom 7, balancing lever 12, and counterweight 13, will collectively be referred to as the main body below.
[0020] A cylinder 15 is provided to adjust the luffing angle of the boom 7. When the cylinder 15 is at its standard length, the luffing angle is 0 degrees, meaning the boom 7 is parallel or horizontal to the ground (left-right direction in Figure 1). Extending the cylinder 15 beyond its standard length causes the tip of the boom 7 to rise, resulting in a positive luffing angle. Reducing the cylinder 15 beyond its standard length causes the tip of the boom 7 to lower, resulting in a negative luffing angle. The lifting section 9, supported at the tip of the boom 7, rises while maintaining a vertical position when the luffing angle of the boom 7 increases, and lowers while maintaining a vertical position when the luffing angle of the boom 7 decreases. In this way, the lifting section 9, as a cargo handling or lifting device, moves up and down integrally with the luffing of the boom 7.
[0021] The main control room 16 for operating the CSU 1 is located in the CSU 1 or the main body of the slewing section. In the example shown in Figure 1, the main control room 16 is located on the lifting section 9 side of the slewing frame 5. The operator in the main control room 16 can safely operate the CSU 1 while visually monitoring the lifting section 9. Alternatively, the operator in the main control room 16 may operate the CSU 1 while viewing images or videos of the cargo hold 201, captured by a camera or other imaging device, on a monitor. In response to the operation of the CSU 1 through the main control room 16, parameters related to the position, posture, and operation of the CSU 1 (hereinafter collectively referred to as the CSU state), such as the position of the traveling section 2, the slewing angle of the slewing frame 5, and the elevation angle of the boom 7, are controlled. Furthermore, the loading operation of bulk cargo M by the lifting section 9 can also be operated through the main control room 16.
[0022] The lifting section 9 includes a scraping section 11 at its lower end that scrapes bulk cargo M from within the cargo hold 201, a bucket elevator 90 as a transport or unloading section that transports or unloads the bulk cargo M scraped by the scraping section 11 upward or toward the upper end to outside the cargo hold 201, and an L-frame 91 connected to the tip of the boom 7 that pivotably supports the bucket elevator 90. The L-frame 91 includes a connecting member 91a connected to the tip of the boom 7 and a flange portion 91b that pivotably supports the bucket elevator 90. The scraping section 11 is provided at the lower part of the lifting section 9. Bulk cargo M from within the cargo hold 201 is continuously excavated and scraped off by a number of buckets 27 (see Figure 3) that are movable in a single direction (W in Figure 1) along the outer circumference of the scraping section 11. The bulk load M scraped off by the scraping section 11 is transported upward together with the bucket 27 by the bucket elevator 90.
[0023] Figure 3 shows the detailed configuration of the lifting section 9. The bucket elevator 90 comprises a cylindrical elevator body 14 extending vertically and a chain bucket 29 that rotates along the outer circumference of the elevator body 14 and the scraping section 11. The chain bucket 29 comprises a pair of roller chains 25, each composed of an endless chain, and a plurality of buckets 27, both sides of which are supported by the pair of roller chains 25. Specifically, the pair of roller chains 25 are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 3(B), and each bucket 27 is mounted so as to be suspended between the pair of roller chains 25.
[0024] The bucket elevator 90 includes a drive roller 31a that rotationally drives a stretched roller chain 25, driven rollers 31b and 31c, and a turning roller 33. The drive roller 31a is located at the top 9a of the bucket elevator 90 and is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown) or the like to cause the chain bucket 29 to rotate. The driven roller 31b is located in front of the scraping section 11 (to the left in Figure 3(B)), and the driven roller 31c is located behind the scraping section 11 (to the right in Figure 3(B)), and they each guide the rotating chain bucket 29. The turning roller 33 is a driven roller located below the drive roller 31a and guides the rotating chain bucket 29 and changes its direction of motion. An extendable cylinder 35 is provided between the driven roller 31b and the driven roller 31c. When the cylinder 35 extends or retracts, the distance between the axes of the two driven rollers 31b and 31c changes, altering the trajectory of the chain bucket 29's orbital motion. The extension and retraction of the cylinder 35 may be controlled by operation through the main control room 16, or it may be controlled automatically by a computer built into the CSU 1 according to a program. In addition, corresponding to the provision of two roller chains 25, two drive rollers 31a, two driven rollers 31b and 31c, and two turning rollers 33 are each provided and arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in Figure 3(B).
[0025] Driven by rotation through the drive roller 31a, the chain bucket 29 revolves along the outer circumference of the elevator body 14 and the scraping section 11. For example, the chain bucket 29 revolves counterclockwise along the arrow W shown in Figure 3(B). During this movement, the chain bucket 29 reciprocates between the scraping section 11 located at the bottom of the bucket elevator 90 and the drive roller 31a located at the top 9a of the bucket elevator 90.
[0026] Each bucket 27 of the chain bucket 29 rises along the elevator body 14 while maintaining an orientation with its opening facing upward. As each bucket 27 passes the drive roller 31a at the uppermost part 9a of the bucket elevator 90, its direction of motion changes from upward to downward, and the openings of each bucket 27 also rotate from upward to downward. Below the openings of each bucket 27 that have rotated downward in this manner, a discharge chute (not shown) is provided, to which the bulk load M scraped up by each bucket 27 is discharged. The discharge chute discharges the bulk load M onto a rotating feeder 37 (Figure 1) provided on the outer circumference of the upper part of the lifting section 9.
[0027] The rotary feeder 37 rotates around the rotation axis in the extension direction, i.e., the vertical direction, of the elevator body 14, and transfers the bulk load M discharged from the discharge chute to the boom conveyor 39 on the boom 7. The boom conveyor 39 transports the bulk load M along the boom 7 to the vicinity of the rotation axis of the slewing frame 5, and supplies it to a hopper (not shown) located there. An internal conveyor 43 for receiving the bulk load M is provided in the running section 2 below the discharge opening of this hopper. The internal conveyor 43 transfers the bulk load M to the aforementioned belt conveyor 45 located on the pier 102, which is land.
[0028] Next, the basic unloading operation of the CSU1 having the above configuration will be explained. In this unloading operation, the unloading unit 9 and / or CSU1 transport the bulk cargo M (ship cargo) from the ship's hold 201 to the outside of the ship's hold 201.
[0029] The operator of the CSU1 operates the CSU1 from the main control room 16. First, the running section 2 is moved along the rails 3 to a position close to the hatch 21 of the cargo hold 201 to be unloaded. Next, the slewing frame 5 is rotated around a vertical slewing axis located in a position overlapping with the running section 2 in the top view in Figure 1, moving the lifting section 9, located at the tip of the boom 7, above the hatch 21 of the cargo hold 201 to be unloaded. Here, it is preferable that the boom 7 is raised and lowered in the positive direction (clockwise in Figure 1) so as not to collide with the pier 102 or the ship 200, and that the running and slewing operations are performed when the lifting section 9 is sufficiently raised. Next, the boom 7 is raised and lowered in the negative direction (counterclockwise in Figure 1), and the scraping section 11, located at the tip of the lifting section 9, is inserted into the cargo hold 201 through the hatch 21. Furthermore, the movement of the travel unit 2, the rotation of the slewing frame 5, and the raising and lowering of the boom 7 may be performed simultaneously if there are no safety issues.
[0030] After the scraping section 11 is inserted into the cargo hold 201, the roller chain 25 begins to rotate along the arrow W. The multiple buckets 27 attached to the roller chain 25 excavate and scrape up the bulk cargo M stored in the cargo hold 201 as they rotate together with the roller chain 25. The bulk cargo M scraped up by each bucket 27 is transported upward along the elevator body 14 as the roller chain 25 rotates.
[0031] The scraping unit 11 may change its three-dimensional position within the cargo hold 201 as appropriate in order to efficiently scrape bulk cargo M from various locations within the cargo hold 201. For example, if the surface position of the bulk cargo M becomes lower as the unloading operation progresses, the boom 7 is raised and lowered in the negative direction, causing the scraping unit 11 to descend. Also, in order to scrape bulk cargo M near the walls of the cargo hold 201, the position of the scraping unit 11 in the horizontal plane may be changed to be closer to the wall through the operation of the traveling unit 2 and / or the slewing frame 5. The scraping unit 11 may change not only its three-dimensional position but also its posture and shape. For example, the scraping unit 11 is rotatable around the axis of rotation in the extension direction, i.e., the vertical direction, of the elevator body 14, and its orientation can be changed arbitrarily. Also, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 3(B), the scraping unit 11 can take on an inclined shape or a horizontally elongated shape that contracts vertically and extends horizontally. This allows the scraping section 11 to be brought closer to the wall, even in a cargo hold 201 with a large horizontal distance from the hatch 21 to the wall, enabling efficient scraping of bulk cargo M.
[0032] The control of the CSU state, such as the position, posture, operation, and shape of the scraping section 11 or the unloading section 9 within the cargo hold 201, in relation to the unloading operation of the CSU 1, may be performed autonomously by the CSU 1 using a camera or other imaging device or a detection unit such as a distance measuring sensor described later (i.e., the unloading section 9 and / or the CSU 1 may be operated automatically), or it may be performed manually by an operator in the main control room 16 while communicating with workers in the cargo hold 201.
[0033] As described above, the bucket 27 that has scooped up the bulk cargo M from the cargo hold 201 rises along the elevator body 14, and as it passes the drive roller 31a at its uppermost point 9a, it rotates from upward to downward. The bulk cargo M that falls due to the rotation of the bucket 27 enters the discharge chute and is discharged onto the rotating feeder 37. Thereafter, the bulk cargo M is transported via the boom conveyor 39 and the in-machine conveyor 43 to the belt conveyor 45 located at the pier 102, which serves as land. This unloading operation is repeated by multiple buckets 27, thereby continuously unloading the bulk cargo M from the cargo hold 201.
[0034] Next, we will describe a distance measuring sensor, which is an example of a detection unit provided in the CSU1 to improve the safety and efficiency of cargo unloading. The distance measuring sensor constitutes a cargo hold detection unit or position measuring unit that detects the position of a part of the cargo hold 201, for example, the edge of the opening 21, the upper / side surface facing the edge, the ceiling / walls / bottom of the cargo hold 201, structures inside the cargo hold 201, etc.
[0035] As shown in Figure 1, multiple distance measuring sensors 19 are provided on the upper part of the loading section 9 to measure the distance to objects located below and to the side. In the illustrated example, any object that can be measured by the distance measuring sensors 19 is any object such as the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / walls / bottom of the cargo hold 201, bulk cargo M and other objects, people / structures inside the cargo hold 201, a bulldozer for bottom dredging, the scraping section 11, the ship 200, other parts of the CSU1 such as the boom 7 / slewing frame 5 / traveling section 2 / main control room 16, the quay 101, the dock 102, the rails 3, the belt conveyor 45, etc. Multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be arranged, for example, on the upper part of a cylindrical elevator body 14, surrounding the outer circumference of the elevator body 14. Alternatively, multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be provided on a flange portion 91b that rotatably supports the upper part of the elevator body 14, surrounding the outer circumference of the elevator body 14. It is preferable that the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 be positioned below the connection point between the lifting section 9 and the boom 7 so that the boom 7 does not fall within the measurement range below and to the side of the multiple distance measuring sensors 19. On the other hand, if the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 are positioned above the connection point between the lifting section 9 and the boom 7, it is sufficient that each distance measuring sensor 19 is positioned so as not to overlap with the boom 7 when viewed from above (as seen from above in Figure 1). An example of the arrangement of the multiple distance measuring sensors 19 in a top view will be described later. The number of distance measuring sensors 19 is arbitrary. For example, any number of distance measuring sensors 19 that measure distance mainly below the lifting section 9 and any number of distance measuring sensors 19 that measure distance mainly to the side of the lifting section 9 may be provided.
[0036] Multiple distance measuring sensors 18 are provided in the scraping section 11 at the bottom of the loading section 9 to measure the distance to objects to be measured above, to the side, and below. In the illustrated example, any object can be measured by the distance measuring sensors 18, such as the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / walls / bottom of the cargo hold 201, bulk cargo M and other objects, people / structures inside the cargo hold 201, a bulldozer for bottom scraping, and other parts of the CSU1 such as the boom 7. The distance measuring sensors 18 are provided at the front (left side in Figure 1) and rear (right side in Figure 1) of the scraping section 11, respectively. To avoid deterioration of measurement accuracy due to dust from the bulk cargo M scraped by the bucket 27 of the scraping section 11, it is preferable that the multiple distance measuring sensors 18 be provided at a position away from the location where the bucket 27 excavates the bulk cargo M (for example, the lower part of the scraping section 11) (for example, the upper part of the scraping section 11). The number of distance measuring sensors 18 is arbitrary. For example, any number of distance measuring sensors 18 that measure distances mainly to the side of the scraping section 11 and any number of distance measuring sensors 18 that measure distances mainly below the scraping section 11 may be provided.
[0037] Figure 4 shows the external appearance of the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19. The distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 are, for example, distance-measuring laser sensors and constitute a distance measuring unit that measures the distance to an object to be measured. The distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 as laser sensors include a laser light-emitting unit (not shown) that emits laser light toward the object to be measured, including the ship's hold 201, and a laser light-receiving unit (not shown) that receives the laser light reflected by the object to be measured. A light-transmitting portion 171 that can transmit laser light is formed in an endless band shape around the entire circumference of the side surface of the cylindrical housing 17 of the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19.
[0038] Multiple laser emitters are provided in the housing 17, facing the light-transmitting section 171, and emit a linear laser beam to the outside of the housing 17 through the light-transmitting section 171. Each laser emitter is arranged at a predetermined interval along the direction of the central axis A of the housing 17 (the vertical direction in Figure 4), although Figure 4 simply shows the laser beam being emitted from a single point. Also, as schematically illustrated, the emission angles of each laser emitter are provided with a difference of approximately 0.1 to 3 degrees from each other. Such distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 irradiate laser beams within a predetermined angular range above and below the reference plane S (in the illustrated example, within the range of θ- to θ+), with the plane perpendicular to the central axis A of the housing 17 as the reference plane S. θ- and θ+ can be designed arbitrarily, but in the following example, -θ- = θ+ = 15 degrees. In this case, the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 irradiate laser beams within a range of ±15 degrees centered on the reference plane S. Furthermore, these multiple laser light-emitting units can be integrally rotated 360 degrees around the central axis A of the housing 17. Therefore, the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 can irradiate laser light onto substantially all objects to be measured around (to the side of) the housing 17. Note that the laser light-emitting units of the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may irradiate laser light within any angular range smaller than 360 degrees around the central axis A of the housing 17 (for example, an angular range of 180 degrees or less or an angular range of 120 degrees or less). In addition, it is preferable to use laser light of an invisible wavelength such as near-infrared light so as not to disturb people inside or around the CSU 1 or the ship 200.
[0039] The distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 rotate multiple laser light-emitting units together, emitting pulsed laser light at predetermined rotational angles. The pulsed laser light emitted by each laser light-emitting unit is reflected or scattered by the object to be measured and returns to the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19, where it is received by a laser light-receiving unit provided together with each laser light-emitting unit within the housing 17. The calculation unit (not shown) of the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 calculates the distance to the object to be measured based on the time from when the laser light-emitting unit emits a pulse of laser light until the laser light-receiving unit receives the pulse of laser light reflected from the object to be measured. This technology is also called LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging).
[0040] While laser sensors were given as examples of distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 above, distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may also use other types of light or electromagnetic waves. For example, a millimeter-wave sensor using so-called millimeter waves with a wavelength of about 1 mm to 10 mm may be used as distance measuring sensors 18 and 19. Millimeter waves have high directivity due to their high frequency of about 30 GHz to 300 GHz, and can be handled in the same way as lasers. A millimeter-wave sensor is configured similarly to the laser sensor in Figure 4, except that a millimeter-wave transmitter (a broad-sense light-emitting unit) that emits millimeter waves toward the object to be measured is provided instead of a laser light-emitting unit, and a millimeter-wave receiver (a broad-sense light-receiving unit) that receives millimeter waves reflected by the object to be measured is provided instead of a laser light-receiving unit. Furthermore, optical sensors that use light other than laser light, such as Time of Flight (ToF) image sensors, may also be used as distance measuring sensors 18 and 19. Moreover, distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 may not have a light-emitting unit that emits light or electromagnetic waves toward the object to be measured. For example, a stereo camera capable of measuring distance by simultaneously photographing the object to be measured from different directions may be used as the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19.
[0041] The distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 shown in Figure 4 can be attached to the CSU shown in Figure 1 at any position and in any orientation depending on the measurement purpose. For example, the distance measuring sensor 18 installed in the scraping section 11 is mounted so that its central axis A in Figure 4 is vertical and its reference plane S is horizontal. This distance measuring sensor 18 can measure the distance inside the cargo hold 201, centering on the side of the scraping section 11. Alternatively, the distance measuring sensor 18 may be mounted so that its central axis A in Figure 4 is horizontal and its reference plane S is vertical. This distance measuring sensor 18 can measure the distance to the opening 21 above the scraping section 11 or the bulk load M below the scraping section 11. Note that the orientation of the central axis A of the distance measuring sensor 18 is not limited to the vertical or horizontal direction and may be any orientation.
[0042] The distance measuring sensor 19, installed on the upper part of the unloading section 9, may be mounted so that its central axis A in Figure 4 is horizontal and its reference plane S is a vertical plane. This distance measuring sensor 19 can measure the distance to the edge of the opening 21 of the cargo hold 201 below, or to bulk cargo M inside the cargo hold 201. Although this distance measuring sensor 19 can also emit laser light upwards, if there is no object to be measured above, the upward measurement may be disabled by covering the upper side of the distance measuring sensor 19 with a light-shielding cover. Alternatively, the distance measuring sensor 19 may be mounted so that its central axis A in Figure 4 is vertical and its reference plane S is parallel to the horizontal plane. This distance measuring sensor 19 can efficiently measure the distance to any object outside the cargo hold 201 located to the side. The orientation of the central axis A of the distance measuring sensor 19 is not limited to the horizontal or vertical direction, but in the following example, it is assumed to be horizontal.
[0043] By installing the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 described above in the unloading section 9, the position of any object to be measured can be accurately determined, such as the edge of the opening 21, the ceiling / walls / bottom of the cargo hold 201, bulk cargo M and other objects, people / structures inside the cargo hold 201, the bulldozer for bottom dredging, and the scraping section 11. Therefore, collisions between the unloading section 9 and other objects during unloading can be prevented, and bulk cargo M can be unloaded efficiently.
[0044] Figure 5 shows an example of the arrangement of the distance measuring sensor 19 in a top view. As the distance measuring sensor 19, three distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193 are arranged so as to surround the L-frame 91 (particularly, the flange portion 91b) or the outer periphery of the elevator main body 14. The distance measuring sensor 191 is arranged such that the central axis A in FIG. 4 is in the left-right direction in FIG. 5, and the reference plane S1 corresponding to the reference plane S in FIG. 4 is in the up-down direction in FIG. 5. The distance measuring sensor 191 irradiates laser light within a range of ±15 degrees centered on the reference plane S1 to measure the distance. The distance measuring sensors 192 and 193 are arranged such that the central axis A in FIG. 4 is in the up-down direction in FIG. 5, and the reference planes S2 and S3 corresponding to the reference plane S in FIG. 4 are in the left-right direction in FIG. 5. The distance measuring sensors 192 and 193 irradiate laser light within a range of ±15 degrees centered on the reference planes S2 and S3 to measure the distance. The reference planes S2 and S3 of the distance measuring sensors 192 and 193 are different planes parallel to each other and orthogonal to the reference plane S1 of the distance measuring sensor 191.
[0045] With the posture shown in FIG. 5 as the basic posture during unloading, the CSU1 unloads the bulk cargo M from the cargo hold 201. In this basic posture, the traveling unit 2 is at a position shifted from the front position of the cargo hold 201, and the swivel frame 5 and the boom 7 are in a swivel position forming an acute angle with respect to the rail 3 constituting the track of the traveling unit 2. In this case, the unloading unit 9 is above the cargo hold 201 of the ship 200, and the scraping portion 11 at its lower part is inserted into the cargo hold 201 through the opening 21.
[0046] The opening 21 of the cargo hold 201 is often rectangular in shape and long in the traveling direction of the ship 200 (the left-right direction in FIG. 5). In this case, the upper edge E11 and the lower edge E12 of the opening 21 can be detected by the distance measuring sensor 191 that irradiates laser light parallel to the short side of the opening 21 (the side in the up-down direction in FIG. 5). The points shown at the centers of the edges E11 and E12 represent the positions where the laser light on the reference plane S1 of the distance measuring sensor 191 hits the edges of the opening 21, and the small rectangle surrounding it schematically represents the range where the laser light irradiated within a range of ±15 degrees centered on the reference plane S1 hits the edges of the opening 21. The same notation is used for the distance measuring sensors 192 and 193.
[0047] Similarly, according to the distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 that irradiate laser light parallel to the long side of the opening 21 (the side in the left-right direction in FIG. 5), the edges E21, E31 of the left side and the edges E22, E32 of the right side of the opening 21 can be detected. By using the two distance measurement sensors 192 and 193, high-precision distance measurement is possible even in the long side direction where the difficulty of distance measurement is higher than in the short side direction. Thus, the arrangement of the distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193 in FIG. 5 is suitable for detecting the edges of the opening 21 having a shape elongated in one direction such as a rectangle.
[0048] Even when the CSU1 is not in the basic posture shown in FIG. 5, if the unloading part 9 is within the opening 21 in a top view, the six distance measurement point groups on the edges of the opening 21 corresponding to E11, E12, E21, E22, E31, and E32 can be acquired by the three distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193, and the position of the opening 21 can be accurately grasped.
[0049] Further, the basic posture of the CSU1 during unloading is not limited to that shown in FIG. 5. For example, the traveling part 2 may be in front of the ship's hold 201, and the turning frame 5 and the boom 7 may be at a right angle to the rail 3. In this case, since the extending direction of the boom 7 coincides with the short side direction of the opening 21, the reference plane S1 of the distance measurement sensor 191 becomes parallel to the extending direction of the boom 7, and the reference planes S2 and S3 of the distance measurement sensors 192 and 193 become perpendicular to the extending direction of the boom 7. Here, if the distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193 are integrally rotatable around the axis of the cylindrical elevator main body 14, according to the change in the basic posture of the CSU1 during unloading, the arrangement of the distance measurement sensors 191, 192, and 193 suitable for the long-shaped opening 21 as described above can be easily realized.
[0050] The number and / or arrangement of the distance measuring sensors 19 described above is merely an example, and any number and / or arrangement of distance measuring sensors 19 may be used. The number of distance measuring sensors 19 is preferably at least two, and more preferably three or more, in order to efficiently measure the position, orientation, shape, and other conditions of the cargo hold 201 surrounding the unloading section 9 in a top view. Multiple distance measuring sensors 19 may be arranged at equal intervals along the flange portion 91b or the outer circumference of the elevator body 14. In this case, the installation orientation of each distance measuring sensor 19 is arbitrary, but for example, each distance measuring sensor 19 may be installed so that its reference surface S is in contact with the flange portion 91b or the outer circumference of the elevator body 14. With such a symmetrical arrangement, the position, orientation, shape, and other conditions of the cargo hold 201 can be stably measured regardless of the orientation of the CSU 1 during unloading.
[0051] In accordance with the distance measured by the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 to the cargo hold 201 itself or to objects to be measured inside or outside the cargo hold 201, each movable part of the CSU1, namely the movable traveling part 2, the swivelable swivel frame 5, the luffing boom 7, the rotatable and deformable scraping part 11, etc., is controlled to prevent the unloading part 9 from colliding with the cargo hold 201 itself or other objects (objects to be measured) inside or outside the cargo hold 201 during unloading, and the bulk cargo M is unloaded efficiently. In addition to or instead of the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19, optical sensors such as image sensors or cameras that photograph objects to be measured may be used to detect the cargo hold 201 itself or objects inside or outside the cargo hold 201.
[0052] Next, a detection unit that attaches detection units such as distance measuring sensors 19 and optical sensors to the CSU 1 (particularly the lifting section 9) will be described. The detection unit, including the detection units, can be attached to any position on the CSU 1 (for example, the traveling section 2, the slewing frame 5, the boom 7, the lifting section 9, the scraping section 11), for example, to the positions of the distance measuring sensors 18 and 19 as detection units shown in Figure 1, or to the positions of the distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193 as detection units shown in Figure 5. Below, an example will be described in which multiple detection units, including distance measuring sensors 19 as detection units, are attached to the L-frame 91 and / or flange section 91b (Figure 1) on the lifting section 9 side at the connection point between the boom 7 and the lifting section 9, as schematically shown in Figure 6.
[0053] Figure 7 schematically illustrates a detection unit 40 that is mounted on a fixed mounting position P on the L-frame 91 of the lifting section 9. In this example, the detection unit 40, which includes a distance measuring sensor 19 as a detection unit, is mounted on a fixed mounting position P on an existing handrail 911 on the L-frame 91. The fixed mounting position P can be arbitrarily selected, and a user such as a worker on the CSU 1 can manually install the detection unit 40. After the detection unit 40 is installed at the mounting position P by the user, the mounting position P remains fixed until the detection unit 40 is removed from the mounting position P by the user. Here, the fixed mounting position P is not limited to a local connection point or connection location between the detection unit 40 and the handrail 911, but may have a spatial extent within the range where the detection unit 40 is located.
[0054] As will be described later, the distance measuring sensor 19, which is a detection unit provided in the detection unit 40, can have its position and / or orientation adjusted by one or more detection unit adjustment mechanisms 400, but the mounting position P of the entire detection unit 40 remains fixed and does not move during such adjustment. In other words, the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 can adjust the position and / or orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19, which is part of the detection unit 40, without changing the mounting position P of the entire detection unit 40.
[0055] The detection unit 40 in the example shown in Figure 7 comprises a mounting portion 410, a base 420, a first rotation mechanism 430, a holder 440, a second rotation mechanism 450, a translation mechanism 460, and a third rotation mechanism 470. Some of these components may be omitted or modified, or combined in a different manner or order than in Figure 7, as long as the detection unit 40 can achieve at least some of the operations and / or effects described below. In particular, at least one of the first rotation mechanism 430, second rotation mechanism 450, translation mechanism 460, and third rotation mechanism 470 that constitute the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 is sufficient. For example, the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 may consist only of the first rotation mechanism 430, or only of the translation mechanism 460. Thus, the type (rotation or translation), number, and arrangement (or relative relationship) of the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 are arbitrary and not limited to the example in Figure 7.
[0056] The mounting portion 410 is a member that directly attaches the entire detection unit 40 to a fixed mounting position P on the handrail 911. Preferably, the mounting portion 410 has a shape that conforms to the member to be attached (in the example of Figure 7, the handrail 911) (in the example of Figure 7, an arc shape that conforms to the outer circumference of the cylindrical handrail 911).
[0057] The base 420 is a plate-shaped member that supports the main part of the detection unit 40 (excluding the mounting part 410 and the base 420 itself), and is directly attached to the mounting part 410.
[0058] The first rotation mechanism 430 is a mechanism that rotates the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit, around a first rotation axis A1 that passes through a fixed mounting position P (or its vicinity), and in the example of Figure 7, it is directly mounted on the base 420. The first rotation mechanism 430 can be composed of any type of rotation actuator (not shown), such as a motor, that generates rotational power around the first rotation axis A1. The first rotation mechanism 430 is an example of a detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 that can adjust at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit, without changing the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40. Specifically, the first rotation mechanism 430 rotates the subsequent holder 440, the second rotation mechanism 450, the translation mechanism 460, the third rotation mechanism 470, and the distance measuring sensor 19 integrally around the first rotation axis A1.
[0059] The holder 440 is an upward-facing U-shaped (or U-shaped) member in Figure 7 that supports the rest of the detection unit 40 (for example, the second rotation mechanism 450, the translation mechanism 460, the third rotation mechanism 470, and the distance measuring sensor 19), and is directly attached to the first rotation mechanism 430.
[0060] The second rotation mechanism 450 is a mechanism that rotates the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit, around a second rotation axis A2 that intersects (orthogonal in the example of Figure 7) with the first rotation axis A1. In the example of Figure 7, it is provided by passing through a U-shaped holder 440 that opens upward in the left-right or lateral direction. The second rotation mechanism 450 can be composed of any type of rotation actuator (not shown), such as a motor, that generates rotational power around the second rotation axis A2. The second rotation mechanism 450 is an example of a detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 that can adjust at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit, without changing the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40. Specifically, the second rotation mechanism 450 rotates the subsequent translation mechanism 460, the third rotation mechanism 470, and the distance measuring sensor 19 integrally around the second rotation axis A2.
[0061] The translation mechanism 460 is a mechanism that translates the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit, along the translation axis T relative to a fixed mounting position P. In the example shown in Figure 7, it is provided between the second rotation mechanism 450 and the third rotation mechanism 470. The translation axis T may be in the same direction as any of the three rotation axes A1, A2, and A3 (described later) illustrated in Figure 7, or it may intersect any of them. Furthermore, the translation axis T may or may not pass through the fixed mounting position P (or its vicinity). In the example shown in Figure 7, the translation axis T intersects or is perpendicular to any of the three rotation axes A1, A2, and A3, and does not pass through the fixed mounting position P (however, exceptionally, if the rotation angle around the second rotation axis A2 is a specific value, the translation axis T may coincide with the first rotation axis A1 and pass through the fixed mounting position P).
[0062] The translation mechanism 460 can be composed of any type of linear actuator (not shown), such as a linear motor or piezoelectric element, which generates linear power along the translation axis T. The translation mechanism 460 is an example of a detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 that can adjust the position of the distance measuring sensor 19 as a detection unit without changing the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40. Specifically, the translation mechanism 460 integrally translates the subsequent third rotation mechanism 470 and the distance measuring sensor 19 along the translation axis T.
[0063] The third rotation mechanism 470 is a mechanism that rotates the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit, around a third rotation axis A3 that intersects with the first rotation axis A1 and the second rotation axis A2, and in the example shown in Figure 7, it is provided at the tip of the translation mechanism 460. The third rotation mechanism 470 can be composed of any type of rotation actuator (not shown), such as a motor, that generates rotational power around the third rotation axis A3. The third rotation mechanism 470 is an example of a detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 that can adjust at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit, without changing the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40.
[0064] In the example shown in Figure 7, the distance sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit capable of detecting objects in the surroundings, is directly mounted on the plate-shaped or pedestal-shaped third rotating mechanism 470.
[0065] In the detection unit 40 shown in the example of Figure 7, the position and orientation of the distance sensor 19, which acts as the detection unit, in three-dimensional space can be freely or arbitrarily adjusted by the three-axis rotation mechanisms 430, 450, and 470 and the one-axis translation mechanism 460 (collectively referred to as the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400). As previously mentioned with respect to Figure 4, the distance sensor 19 may be equipped with a laser light-emitting unit that can rotate around the central axis A. In such a case, it can be said that the distance sensor 19 itself is equipped with at least one-axis rotation mechanism, so some of the three-axis rotation mechanisms 430, 450, and 470 (for example, the second rotation mechanism 450 and / or the third rotation mechanism 470) may be omitted.
[0066] As described above, the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 according to this embodiment allows for arbitrary and highly accurate adjustment of the position and / or orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19 as a detection unit without changing the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40. Since the mounting position P is fixed, there is no need to provide a drive mechanism to make the detection unit 40 itself movable. Providing such a drive mechanism would not only complicate the configuration and increase costs, but also increase the risk of failure and thus increase the maintenance workload. In contrast, in this embodiment, since the unitized detection unit 40 is fixedly installed at the mounting position P, the configuration can be simplified and costs can be reduced, and the risk of failure and the maintenance workload can be reduced.
[0067] To further enhance the maintainability of the detection unit 40 by a person, it is preferable that the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40 be accessible to a person in the loading / unloading section 9 or the unloading section. Specifically, it is preferable that the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40 be in any indoor or outdoor space, such as a room or corridor, that can be easily accessed by a person on the CSU 1 using simple tools such as a ladder as needed. For example, as shown in the examples in Figures 6 and 7, it is preferable that the fixed mounting position P of the detection unit 40 be the handrail 911 or the like facing a passage that a person can pass through in the loading / unloading section 9 or the unloading section.
[0068] Figure 8 schematically shows the functional blocks of the control device 300 according to this embodiment, which is responsible for controlling the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 and the like. The control device 300 includes a detection unit adjustment control unit 310, an operating state data acquisition unit 320, and a load unloading operation control unit 330. Some of these functional blocks may be omitted as long as the control device 300 can realize at least some of the operations and / or effects described below. These functional blocks may be realized by the cooperation of hardware resources such as the central processing unit, memory, input devices, output devices, and peripheral devices connected to the computer, and software that runs using them. Regardless of the type or location of the computer, each of the above functional blocks may be realized with the hardware resources of a single computer, or it may be realized by combining hardware resources distributed across multiple computers.
[0069] In the example shown in this figure, the distance measuring sensor 19, acting as a detection unit, detects the cargo hold 201 where the bulk cargo M is stored. In particular, as illustrated with respect to the distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193 in Figure 5, the distance measuring sensor 19 in the example in Figure 8 mainly detects the edge of the hatch 21 (or opening 21) of the cargo hold 201.
[0070] The detection unit adjustment control unit 310 automatically adjusts at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19 by the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 in accordance with the detection result of the distance measuring sensor 19 on the hatch 21. Specifically, if the number, density, range, etc. of distance measuring points on the edge of the hatch 21 that the distance measuring sensor 19 should acquire are insufficient (for example, if they fall below a predetermined threshold), the detection unit adjustment control unit 310 automatically adjusts at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19 by the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 so that the distance measuring sensor 19 can acquire a sufficient number, density, range, etc. of distance measuring points on the edge of the hatch 21 being measured.
[0071] For example, in Figure 5, if the number, density, range, etc. of distance measurement points acquired by the distance measuring sensor 191 (corresponding to the distance measuring sensor 19 in Figure 8), which measures the upper edge E11 and the lower edge E12 of the hatch 21, are insufficient for at least one of the edges E11 and E12, the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 automatically fine-tunes at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 191 around the fixed mounting position P, so that the distance measuring sensor 191 can acquire a sufficient number, density, range, etc. of distance measurement points for both the edge E11 and the edge E12 being measured.
[0072] Similarly, in Figure 5, if the number, density, range, etc. of distance measurement points acquired by the distance measuring sensor 192 (corresponding to the distance measuring sensor 19 in Figure 8), which measures the left edge E21 and the right edge E22 of the hatch 21, are insufficient for at least one of the edges E21 and E22, the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 automatically fine-tunes at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 192 around the fixed mounting position P, so that the distance measuring sensor 192 can acquire a sufficient number, density, range, etc. of distance measurement points for both the edge E21 and the edge E22 being measured.
[0073] The operating state data acquisition unit 320 acquires operating state data of the CSU 1 as an unloading device. The operating state data acquired by the operating state data acquisition unit 320 may be, for example, data representing the CSU state (for example, parameters related to the position, posture, and operation of the CSU 1, such as the position of the travel unit 2, the rotation angle of the slewing frame 5, and the elevation angle of the boom 7).
[0074] The detection unit adjustment control unit 310 may automatically adjust at least one of the position and orientation of the distance measuring sensor 19 as a detection unit using the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400, according to the operation state data acquired by the operation state data acquisition unit 320. For example, if the control device 300 has prior knowledge of the approximate position and orientation of the hatch 21 (or the entire ship 200) as shown in Figure 5 (or the approximate position and orientation of the hatch 21 may be pre-measured by the distance measuring sensors 191, 192, and 193), it is known in advance whether each distance measuring sensor 191, 192, and 193 can appropriately detect the edge of the hatch 21 to be measured in each CSU state (especially the position and orientation of the unloading section 9).
[0075] Therefore, if the detection unit adjustment control unit 310 is in a position and / or orientation where it cannot properly detect the edge of the hatch 21 to be measured due to a change in the CSU state accompanying the driving of the CSU 1, the detection unit adjustment control unit 310 may proactively adjust the position and / or orientation of the specific detection unit using the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400 before acquiring the distance measurement point cloud with the specific detection unit.
[0076] The unloading operation control unit 330 may control the unloading operation by the CSU 1 (particularly the lifting operation by the lifting unit 9 or the scraping operation by the scraping unit 11) according to the detection result of the hatch 21 by the distance measuring sensor 19, which acts as a detection unit. For example, if the number, density, range, etc. of distance measuring points on the edge of the hatch 21 acquired by the distance measuring sensor 19 are insufficient even after adjustment by the detection unit adjustment mechanism 400, the unloading operation control unit 330 may slow down the unloading operation by the CSU 1. If the number, density, range, etc. of distance measuring points are insufficient, there is a risk that the distance measuring sensor 19 may not be able to correctly detect the hatch 21 to be detected, so safety can be enhanced by slowing down the unloading operation by the CSU 1. Furthermore, the fact that the unloading operation by the CSU 1 is slowed down due to such an insufficient group of distance measuring points may be notified to the operator in the main control room 16, etc., in any manner such as a screen display, sound, light, message, etc.
[0077] The present disclosure has been described above based on embodiments. Various modifications are possible for each component and each combination of processes in the exemplary embodiments, and it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such modifications are included within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0078] This disclosure is applicable not only to bucket elevator type continuous unloaders described in relation to embodiments, but also to vertical screw type unloaders and pneumatic type unloaders equipped with an air conveying mechanism. In the case of the vertical screw type unloader 1 schematically shown in Figure 9, the rotating intake unit 11 and the screw conveyor 90, which conveys the bulk load M taken in by the rotating intake unit 11 upward to the outside of the cargo hold 201 by the rotation of a screw (not shown), correspond to the cargo handling unit. In the case of a pneumatic type unloader, the suction nozzle corresponds to the cargo handling unit.
[0079] The configuration, operation, and function of each device and method described in the embodiments can be realized by hardware resources or software resources, or by the cooperation of hardware resources and software resources. Hardware resources include, for example, processors, ROMs, RAMs, and various integrated circuits. Software resources include, for example, operating systems and application programs.
[0080] This disclosure relates to unloading equipment, etc.
[0081] 1 Lifting machine (CSU), 2 Traveling unit, 5 Swivel frame, 7 Boom, 9 Lifting unit, 11 Scraping unit, 18 Distance sensor, 19 Distance sensor, 21 Hatch, 40 Detection unit, 91 L-frame, 200 Ship, 201 Cargo hold, 300 Control device, 310 Detection unit adjustment control unit, 320 Operating state data acquisition unit, 330 Unloading operation control unit, 400 Detection unit adjustment mechanism, 430 First rotation mechanism, 450 Second rotation mechanism, 460 Translation mechanism, 470 Third rotation mechanism.
Claims
1. A loading and unloading device for unloading cargo from a ship, comprising: a movable part that is movable relative to the ship; a swivel part that is rotatable relative to the movable part; a loading and unloading part provided on the swivel part for unloading the cargo; a detection unit mounted at a fixed mounting position on the loading and unloading part, comprising: a detection part that is capable of detecting objects in its surroundings; and a detection part adjustment mechanism that can adjust at least one of the position and orientation of the detection part without changing the fixed mounting position of the detection unit; and a loading and unloading device comprising:
2. The unloading device according to claim 1, wherein the detection unit adjustment mechanism comprises a first rotation mechanism for rotating the detection unit around a first rotation axis passing through the fixed mounting position.
3. The unloading device according to claim 2, wherein the detection unit adjustment mechanism comprises a second rotation mechanism that rotates the detection unit around a second rotation axis intersecting the first rotation axis.
4. The unloading device according to claim 3, wherein the detection unit adjustment mechanism comprises a third rotation mechanism for rotating the detection unit around a third rotation axis that intersects the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis.
5. The unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the detection unit adjustment mechanism comprises a translation mechanism for translating the detection unit along a translation axis with respect to the fixed mounting position.
6. The unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fixed mounting position of the detection unit is accessible to a person in the lifting section.
7. The unloading device according to claim 6, wherein the fixed mounting position of the detection unit faces a passage in the unloading section that is accessible to people.
8. The unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the detection unit is capable of detecting a cargo hold in which the cargo is stored, and the detection unit adjustment control unit automatically adjusts at least one of the position and orientation of the detection unit by the detection unit adjustment mechanism according to the detection result of the cargo hold by the detection unit.
9. The unloading device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising: an operating state data acquisition unit that acquires operating state data of the unloading device; and a detection unit adjustment control unit that automatically adjusts at least one of the position and orientation of the detection unit by the detection unit adjustment mechanism according to the operating state data.
10. A detection unit to be mounted on a fixed mounting position on the unloading section of a cargo unloading device, the device comprising: a movable section that is movable relative to a ship; a swivel section that is rotatable relative to the movable section; and an unloading section provided on the swivel section for unloading cargo from the ship, the detection unit comprising: a detection section capable of detecting objects in its surroundings; and a detection section adjustment mechanism capable of adjusting at least one of the position and orientation of the detection section without changing the fixed mounting position of the detection unit.
11. A method for adjusting a detection unit mounted on a fixed mounting position on the unloading section of a cargo unloading device, the device comprising a movable section movable relative to a ship, a swivel section rotatable relative to the movable section, and an unloading section provided on the swivel section for unloading cargo from the ship, the method comprising automatically adjusting at least one of the position and orientation of a detection section capable of detecting objects in its surroundings without changing the fixed mounting position of the detection unit.