Conveyance system
Patent Information
- Application Number
- PCT/JP2026/010221
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2025-03-24
- Filing Date
- 2026-03-16
- Publication Date
- 2026-10-01
Smart Images
Figure JP2026010221_01102026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
Conveyance system
[0001] The present invention relates to a conveyance system.
[0002] Conventionally, as described in Patent Document 1, a bolt looseness inspection device that inspects for looseness of bolts fastening structures is known. In this device, an automatic traveling means that autonomously travels along a predetermined course at an inspection work site is provided with a bolt looseness inspection function and a communication function, an inspection head unit mounted on the automatic traveling means is positioned with respect to a target bolt to be inspected, information relating to the fastening state of the target bolt to be inspected is extracted, the presence or absence of bolt looseness is determined based on the extracted information and reference information in a normal fastening state of the target bolt to be inspected, and the determination result and the location where the bolt looseness occurs are communicated to the outside.
[0003] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei 8-278116
[0004] The above-mentioned conventional device inspects, for example, for bolt looseness in a closing plate of underfloor equipment of Shinkansen vehicles. An automated guided vehicle travels along a guideline laid at a maintenance and inspection work site to perform inspection. By the way, when considering a system for inspecting looseness of bolts, nuts and the like in a conveyance system that conveys cargo by a conveyance carriage traveling along traveling rails, a new problem arises. In the conveyance system, it is conceivable to cause an inspection carriage to travel along the traveling rails while performing normal conveyance by the conveyance carriage, and to simultaneously perform inspection by the inspection carriage.
[0005] Since the inspection carriage performs inspection instead of conveying cargo, it is difficult for the inspection carriage to travel at the same speed as the conveyance carriage. While the inspection carriage is performing inspection, the inspection carriage becomes an obstacle, and there is a possibility that the conveyance carriage cannot smoothly travel on the traveling rails. In such a case, the operation efficiency of the conveyance carriage decreases.
[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a conveyance system capable of performing inspection along traveling rails while suppressing a decrease in operation efficiency of a conveyance carriage.
[0007] [1] A transport system according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises a running rail which is a circular track, an inspection trolley that travels along the running rail and is equipped with an inspection device for inspecting the running rail, a transport trolley that travels along the running rail at a first speed and transports cargo, and a control unit that controls the inspection trolley, wherein the control unit controls the inspection trolley to perform a first control by having the inspection trolley travel at a second speed slower than the first speed in a first inspection section which is a range shorter than the entire circumference of the running rail, and then controls the inspection trolley after the first control to have the inspection trolley travel at a third speed faster than the second speed, and then controls the inspection trolley to perform an inspection in a second inspection section following the first inspection section by having the inspection trolley travel at the second speed.
[0008] According to the transport system in [1], in the first control, inspection is performed only on a partial first inspection section, not the entire circumference of the rail. The second speed during inspection is slower than the first speed, but once the inspection in the first inspection section is completed, the inspection trolley accelerates to the third speed and travels. Then, the inspection is performed in the second inspection section. In this way, the section to be inspected is divided, and the time required to inspect one inspection section (first inspection section) is shorter than the time required to inspect the entire circumference. This reduces the possibility that the inspection trolley will become an obstacle and cause congestion for subsequent transport trolleys. As a result, inspection can be performed along the rail while suppressing a decrease in the operational efficiency of the transport trolleys.
[0009] [2] In the transport system described in [1] above, the control unit may perform a first control, and after the first control, control the inspection trolley to make it travel at a third speed, and in the (N+1) inspection section following the Nth inspection section, make the inspection trolley travel at a second speed to allow the inspection trolley to perform the inspection, repeating this control multiple times (starting with N at 1 and increasing by 1 each time) to complete the inspection of the entire circumference of the running rail. In this case, the inspection of the entire circumference is performed in two or more sections, and between the inspection in one inspection section and the inspection in the next inspection section, the inspection trolley accelerates to the third speed and travels. Therefore, the inspection of the entire circumference of the running rail can be completed while suppressing a decrease in the operational efficiency of the transport trolley.
[0010] [3] In the transport system described in [1] or [2] above, the control unit may be provided on the inspection trolley. In this case, the load on the controller that controls the transport trolley is reduced.
[0011] [4] In any one of the transport systems described in [1] to [3] above, the transport trolley may transmit information regarding the interruption of an inspection to the inspection trolley that is currently performing an inspection. The control unit may then control the inspection trolley based on the received information to make it travel at a third speed, set an inspection section based on the point at which the inspection was interrupted, and have the inspection trolley travel at a second speed to perform the inspection. In this case, the inspection can be interrupted even in the middle of an inspection (depending on the transport status of the transport trolley). Such inspection interruption control by the transport trolley will, as a result, contribute to alleviating congestion.
[0012] [5] In the transport system described in [1] above, the control unit includes a first inspection mode including first control and second control when the inspection trolley is to inspect the entire circumference of the running rail, and a second inspection mode including area reference control which determines the start and end of the inspection based on a specific area set on the running rail, the control unit stores a reference point for the start of the inspection, a pre-point one distance before the reference point, and an end point two distances after the reference point, and when the second inspection mode is selected, the control unit may start the inspection when it determines that the inspection trolley is located within the start area from the pre-point to the reference point, and after the start of the inspection, it may end the inspection when it determines that the inspection trolley has passed through a mandatory continuation area that includes the start area and is at least two distances after the reference point, and further determines that the inspection trolley is located within the end area from the reference point to the end point.
[0013] According to the area-based control described above, the start and end timings of the inspection can be determined with simple control. In other words, it is easy to determine that the train has completed one full circuit along the rail.
[0014] According to the present invention, inspections can be performed along the rails while suppressing a decrease in the operational efficiency of the transport trolley.
[0015] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a transport system according to one embodiment. Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the transport system. Figure 3(a) is a diagram showing an example of the fastener and fastening part viewed from a direction perpendicular to the travel direction of the inspection trolley, and Figure 3(b) is a diagram showing an example of the fastener and fastening part viewed from the travel direction of the inspection trolley. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the rail T and the inspection trolley. Figure 5 is a diagram showing a method for calculating the amount of displacement of the nut. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of inspection control by the control unit of the inspection trolley 130. Figures 7(a), 7(b), and 7(c) are diagrams for sequentially explaining embodiments of the first control and the second control. Figures 8(a), 8(b), and 8(c) are diagrams for sequentially explaining embodiments of area reference control. Figure 9 is a flowchart showing an example of area reference control by the control unit of the inspection trolley 130. Figure 10 is a diagram for explaining an example of area reference control according to a modified example.
[0016] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions will be omitted.
[0017] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing a transport system 100 (inspection system 1) according to one embodiment. As shown in Figure 1, the transport system 100 is a system for transporting goods using a transport trolley 120 that can move along a rail (running rail) T. The rail T is a component on which the transport trolley 120 runs and is suspended from the ceiling. The rail T is a circular track having a predetermined distance. The layout and distance of one circuit of the rail T are not particularly limited and can be appropriately determined according to the arrangement of goods (arrangement in a warehouse or factory, etc.).
[0018] Figure 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the transport system 100. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the transport system 100 includes a higher-level controller 110, a transport trolley 120, and rails T. Although Figure 1 shows two transport trolleys 120, the transport system 100 may include one or more transport trolleys 120. In the transport system 100, power is supplied to the transport trolleys 120 non-contact from a power supply line (not shown) provided along the rails T.
[0019] The higher-level controller 110 manages the transport system 100. The higher-level controller 110 outputs transport commands to each transport cart 120. The higher-level controller 110 can communicate (wirelessly) with each transport cart 120.
[0020] The transport trolley 120 is an overhead transport vehicle or an overhead traveling vehicle. Examples of transport trolleys 120 include OHTs (Overhead Hoist Transfers) and overhead suspended cranes. The cargo includes examples of containers for storing multiple semiconductor wafers, containers for storing glass substrates, reticle pods, and general components.
[0021] The transport cart 120 travels along the rail T at a first speed V1 (see Figure 7(a), etc.). When transferring goods between shelves or stations, each transport cart 120 stops at an appropriate position corresponding to the shelf or station. While traveling at the first speed V1, each transport cart 120 is equipped with sensors, etc., at the front and rear of the vehicle body frame (not shown) and prevents collisions with each other through inter-cart communication. Each transport cart 120 equipped with the collision prevention function decelerates, stops, or re-accelerates as appropriate depending on the distance to another transport cart 120 in front of it.
[0022] The transport system 100 is equipped with an inspection trolley 130. The inspection trolley 130 is an overhead vehicle. In the inspection mode described later, the inspection trolley 130 determines the looseness of a plurality of nuts N provided along the rail T of the transport system 100. The inspection trolley 130 constitutes the inspection system 1. To determine the looseness of the nuts N, the inspection trolley 130 only needs to enter the rail T. That is, the inspection trolley 130 is located in an area outside the rail T when not performing those operations. When the inspection trolley 130 receives a command from the higher-level controller 110 to execute the collection mode or the inspection mode, it enters the rail T and performs the work according to each mode. Note that the transport trolley 120 that performs normal transport may be equipped with a camera or the like for data collection and inspection. In that case, the transport trolley 120 normally performs transport, but operates as an inspection trolley only when performing inspection and performs a predetermined inspection (the same inspection as the inspection trolley 130).
[0023] Commands to the inspection trolley 130 may be transmitted from the higher-level controller 110, or from a terminal 200 or the like held by the operator. The inspection mode may be executed based on manual operation by the operator or a management center, or it may be executed automatically according to a pre-planned schedule. Various information obtained during the execution of the inspection mode may be transmitted sequentially to the server 150 and stored. That is, the information obtained by the inspection is stored in the storage unit 133 of the inspection trolley 130, but the server 150 may also store this information.
[0024] The inspection trolley 130 performs inspections on divided sections of the circular track T in order not to interfere with operations at factories where goods are handled or warehouses where goods are stored and transported. In other words, the inspection of one full circle of rail T is performed in multiple stages. The divided sections are called the first inspection section and the second inspection section (the (N+1) inspection section (where N is an integer of 1 or more)) in the order in which the inspections are performed. The (N+1) inspection section is one or a series of consecutive inspection sections. In most cases, N is multiple. Each inspection section is shorter than the entire circumference of rail T.
[0025] The inspection trolley 130 completes the inspection of the entire circumference of the rail T by performing (N+1) inspections. Alternatively, a portion of the inspection range (inspection section) of the entire circumference of the rail T may be predetermined. In that case, the inspection trolley 130 completes the inspection of that inspection range of the rail T by performing (N+1) inspections. Each of the multiple inspection sections may be predetermined. For example, each of the multiple inspection sections is inspected until the inspection trolley 130 has traveled at the second speed V2 described later for a predetermined time (several seconds). The second speed V2 is known, and the predetermined time is also known. Therefore, each inspection section may be determined based on distance, or it may be the same as being determined based on speed and time. Each of the multiple inspection sections may be determined based on the interruption point (details will be described later), which is the end point of the immediately preceding inspection section.
[0026] Each of the multiple inspection sections may be adjacent to the immediately preceding inspection section without any overlap, or it may overlap with the preceding inspection section. That is, each of the multiple inspection sections may overlap with the immediately preceding inspection section by a small length. Alternatively, each of the multiple inspection sections may be separated from the immediately preceding inspection section by a small distance. However, in that case, it is desirable that there are no fasteners or other objects to be inspected within the range of that separation distance. That is, two inspection sections may be separated by a distance so short that it does not include the object to be inspected.
[0027] As shown in Figure 2, the inspection trolley 130 includes a communication unit 131, an imaging unit 132 (inspection device), a storage unit 133, a sensor 134, a position acquisition unit 135, a trolley controller 136, and an inspection controller 137.
[0028] The communication unit 131 communicates with the higher-level controller 110. The communication unit 131 receives travel commands transmitted from the higher-level controller 110. The communication unit 131 transmits the judgment results output from the inspection controller 137 to the higher-level controller 110. The communication unit 131 also communicates with the communication unit 121 of the transport trolley 120.
[0029] The inspection trolley 130, like the transport trolley 120, can travel along the rail T at a first speed V1. The inspection trolley 130 and the transport trolley 120 travel along a common rail T (they travel on the same track). In addition, during inspection, the inspection trolley 130 travels at a second speed V2, which is slower than the first speed V1. While traveling at the first speed V1 or the second speed V2, the inspection trolley 130 is equipped with sensors, etc., at the front and rear of its vehicle frame (not shown), and prevents collisions with the transport trolley 120 through inter-trolley communication. The inspection trolley 130, equipped with a collision prevention function, decelerates, stops, or re-accelerates as appropriate depending on the distance to the transport trolley 120 in front of it.
[0030] The imaging unit 132 is an inspection device for inspecting the rail T. The imaging unit 132 is integrally attached to the inspection trolley 130 and moves and takes pictures as the inspection trolley 130 moves. The imaging unit 132 may be a two-dimensional camera or a monocular camera (CCD, etc.). As shown in Figure 4, the imaging unit 132 is provided on the vehicle body 140 of the inspection trolley 130. The imaging unit 132 is positioned to photograph the nut N. Although Figure 4 shows two imaging units 132, for example, four imaging units 132 are provided on the inspection trolley 130. Specifically, four imaging units 132 are provided on the vehicle body 140 of the inspection trolley 130: two on the left and right of the front (left and right in the direction of movement of the inspection trolley 130) and two on the left and right of the rear. The imaging unit 132 takes pictures, for example, 30 images per second. The imaging unit 132 outputs the captured image data to the inspection controller 137.
[0031] The memory unit 133 shown in Figure 2 stores various information. The memory unit 133 stores the first inspection section and one or more second inspection sections (the (N+1)th inspection section). The inspection control performed in the first inspection section is called the first control. The inspection control performed in the second inspection section (the (N+1)th inspection section) is all called the second control. The second control is basically the same as the first control, being performed only in a limited section (each inspection section), but it includes a circular run in which the inspection trolley 130 travels along the rail T at least once.
[0032] The inspection trolley 130 travels at a relatively low speed, a second speed V2, during inspections. When the inspection trolley 130 is traveling in a circuit, it travels at a third speed V3, which is faster than the second speed V2. The third speed V3 may be faster than the first speed V1, which is the normal travel speed of the transport trolley 120 and the inspection trolley 130. Alternatively, the third speed V3 may be the same speed as the first speed V1. The storage unit 133 stores these first speed V1, second speed V2, and third speed V3.
[0033] Sensor 134 identifies position detection marks (not shown) provided on rail T. Multiple marks are provided along rail T. The marks are, for example, barcodes, two-dimensional codes, etc. Sensor 134 outputs the identification result to position acquisition unit 135.
[0034] The position acquisition unit 135 acquires the position (coordinates) of the inspection trolley 130. Based on the identification result identified by the sensor 134, the position acquisition unit 135 acquires the position of the inspection trolley 130. The position acquisition unit 135 outputs position information related to the position of the inspection trolley 130 to the trolley controller 136 and the inspection controller 137. An encoder may be further provided for acquiring the position of the inspection trolley 130.
[0035] The trolley controller 136 controls the movement of the inspection trolley 130. It may be equipped with a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), memory such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or RAM (Random Access Memory), and storage such as an SSD (Solid State Drive).
[0036] The inspection controller 137 controls the movement of the inspection trolley 130 involved in the inspection, and controls the operation of each part involved in the inspection. The inspection controller 137 determines the looseness of the nut N based on the image captured by the imaging unit 132 while the inspection trolley 130 is moving. The inspection controller 137 corresponds to a control unit that processes the image acquired by the imaging unit 132. The inspection controller 137 may include a processor such as a CPU or GPU, memory such as ROM or RAM, and storage such as an SSD. The inspection controller 137 may make the determination at the time the image is captured by the imaging unit 132, or it may make the determination at other times.
[0037] In this embodiment, each transport cart 120 has the same configuration as the inspection cart 130, except for the inspection controller 137 described above. In other words, the inspection cart 130 is a cart to which the inspection controller 137 is added to the transport cart 120. Each transport cart 120 is equipped with a communication unit 121, an imaging unit 122, a storage unit 123, a sensor 124, a position acquisition unit 125, and a cart controller 126. Each of the communication unit 121, imaging unit 122, storage unit 123, sensor 124, position acquisition unit 125, and cart controller 126 has the same function and configuration as the communication unit 131, imaging unit 132, storage unit 133, sensor 134, position acquisition unit 135, and cart controller 136 described above. Note that the imaging unit 122 of the transport cart 120 may be applied to imaging parts related to the transfer of cargo, unlike the inspection in this embodiment. The imaging unit 122 may be used to acquire information related to collision prevention. The imaging unit 122 may be omitted in the transport trolley 120.
[0038] Figure 3(a) shows an example of the fastener and fastening part viewed from a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the inspection trolley 130 (the width direction of the inspection trolley 130). Figure 3(b) shows an example of the fastener and fastening part viewed from the direction of travel of the inspection trolley 130. As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the nut N is fastened to the bolt B. The bolt B is fixed to, for example, the rail T. In the transport system 100, a plurality of nuts N are provided along the rail T. In this embodiment, a configuration in which the fastener is a nut N and the fastening part to which the bolt B to which the nut N is fastened is fixed is described as the rail T. In the following description, the term "base" may be used with the same meaning as the rail T as the fastening part. The nut N and bolt B may be used, for example, to suspend the rail T from the ceiling. The fastening part may be a part that is configured separately from the rail T and is fixed in position relative to the rail T.
[0039] As shown in Figure 3(b), the nut N and the rail T are positioned in different locations. Specifically, the nut N is positioned inside the rail T rather than on its side. In Figure 3(a), the nut N is located further back in the plane of the paper than the rail T.
[0040] As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the nut N is provided with a two-dimensional code (identifier) C1. The rail T is provided with a two-dimensional code (identifier) C2. Each of the two-dimensional codes C1 and C2 also serves as a marker for visually determining the looseness of the nut N. The two-dimensional code C1 is provided at a position corresponding to the two-dimensional code C2 when the nut N is sufficiently tightened against the bolt B. The corresponding position of the two-dimensional codes C1 and C2 may be a position where the centers of the two-dimensional code C1 and the two-dimensional code C2 lie substantially on the same straight line when viewed from the direction in Figure 3(a), that is, from a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the inspection trolley 130. The two-dimensional codes C1 and C2 can be provided by attaching a plurality of seals that have been prepared in advance to correspond to each nut N.
[0041] The inspection controller 137 (see Figure 3) determines whether or not the nut N is loose based on the image captured by the imaging unit 132 and the judgment criteria regarding the amount of displacement stored in the storage unit 133. As shown in Figure 5, the inspection controller 137 obtains the center coordinates of the two-dimensional code C1 of the nut N and the two-dimensional code C2 of the rail T in the image. The inspection controller 137 performs predetermined image processing based on the position information obtained by the position acquisition unit 135 and obtains the center coordinates of the two-dimensional code C1 of the nut N and the two-dimensional code C2 of the rail T. The inspection controller 137 calculates the difference D between the center coordinates of the two-dimensional code C1 and the center coordinates of the two-dimensional code C2, and if the difference D is within a predetermined tolerance range, it determines that the nut N is not loose. If the difference D is not within a predetermined tolerance range (outside the tolerance range), the inspection controller 137 determines that the nut N is loose (NG judgment). The inspection controller 137 outputs the judgment result (NG judgment) to the communication unit 131.
[0042] Next, the inspection control according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 6 and 7. This control is an inspection control that is performed by dividing the inspection section. As shown in Figure 6, first, the integer N is set to 1 (step S01). The inspection trolley 130 performs an inspection run in the first inspection section A1. That is, the inspection controller 137 controls the inspection trolley 130 to run at a second speed V2 slower than the first speed V1 in the first inspection section A1, which is a range shorter than the entire circumference of the rail T, and causes the inspection trolley 130 to perform an inspection (first control) (step S02, see Figure 7(a)).
[0043] The inspection controller 137 determines whether the vehicle has traveled the entire circumference, that is, whether it has reached the end point of the inspection (step S03). If it determines that the vehicle has traveled the entire circumference (step S03; YES), the inspection controller 137 performs normal operation at the first speed V1 (step S08) and terminates the inspection control. If it determines that the vehicle has not traveled the entire circumference (step S03; NO), the inspection controller 137 determines whether the vehicle has traveled through the Nth inspection section (step S04). If it determines that the vehicle has not traveled through the Nth inspection section (step S04; NO), the processing by the inspection controller 137 returns to step S02. If it determines that the vehicle has traveled through the Nth inspection section (step S04; YES), the inspection trolley 130 interrupts the inspection (step S05), accelerates to the third speed V3, and travels at least one lap along the rail T. In other words, after the first control, the inspection controller 137 controls the inspection carriage 130 to make it travel at a third speed V3 for at least one lap (see step S06, Figure 7(b)).
[0044] The inspection controller 137 increments N by 1 (step S07). Subsequently, the inspection controller 137 causes the inspection trolley 130 to travel at a second speed V2 and perform inspection in a second inspection section A2 following the first inspection section A1 (step S02, see FIG. 7(c)). At this time, the inspection controller 137 causes the inspection trolley 130 to travel to the point where the previous inspection was interrupted. The "point where the previous inspection was interrupted" corresponds to the end point of the first inspection section A1 (see FIG. 7(a)). The inspection controller 137 defines the second inspection section A2 based on the interrupted point, for example. The second inspection section A2 may be predetermined.
[0045] The inspection controller 137 repeats the second control consisting of steps S05, S06 and S02 until the inspection of the entire circumference of the rail T is completed. That is, the inspection controller 137 performs first control (first step S01), and after the first control, controls the inspection trolley 130 to cause the inspection trolley 130 to travel at least one lap at a third speed V3. The inspection controller 137 completes the inspection of the entire circumference of the rail T by repeating, multiple times, the control of causing the inspection trolley 130 to travel at the second speed V2 to perform inspection in an (N+1)-th inspection section following the N-th inspection section (starting N from 1 and incrementing by 1 each time).
[0046] It should be noted that the third speed V3 in step S06 may be appropriately varied or adjusted depending on surrounding conditions.
[0047] Furthermore, in the above-described series of inspection control by the inspection trolley 130, the transport trolley 120 may interrupt the inspection performed by the inspection trolley 130 during execution of the inspection. For example, when the trolley controller 126 of the transport trolley 120 determines that the inspection trolley 130 obstructs travel during cargo transport, it transmits an interruption command to interrupt inspection to the inspection trolley 130 that is executing inspection. Thereafter, the trolley controller 126 causes the inspection trolley 130 to travel at least one lap at the third speed V3, which is faster than the second speed V2. The inspection controller 137 sets an inspection section based on the interruption point where the inspection was interrupted, and causes the inspection trolley 130 to travel at the second speed V2 to perform inspection.
[0048] As another control example, the carriage controller 126 of the transport carriage 120 may transmit information indicating only the suspension of inspection to the inspection carriage 130 that is performing inspection (for example, information indicating the necessity of suspension, or suspension request information, etc.). The inspection controller 137 of the inspection carriage 130 may perform suspension processing for the inspection carriage 130 based on the information in the same manner as described above. As still another control example, the above information may be transmitted once from the carriage controller 126 of the transport carriage 120 to the host controller 110. Based on the information, the host controller 110 may transmit a suspension command to the inspection carriage 130. That is, the inspection suspension control based on the congestion (or predicted congestion, etc.) of the transport carriage 120 as described above may be performed by the host controller 110. Alternatively, the host controller 110 may transmit information indicating only the suspension of inspection to the inspection carriage 130 that is performing inspection, and the carriage controller 126 may perform suspension processing for the inspection carriage 130 based on the information.
[0049] According to the various controls described above, the transport carriage 120 directly or indirectly transmits information related to inspection suspension (suspension command, information indicating the necessity of suspension, or suspension request information, etc.) to the inspection carriage 130 that is performing inspection. Then, any control unit (the carriage controller 126, the inspection controller 137, or the host controller 110) performs suspension processing for the inspection carriage 130 based on the information.
[0050] According to the transport system 100 of this embodiment, in the first control, inspection is performed only on a partial first inspection section A1, rather than the entire circumference of the rail T. The second speed V2 during inspection is slower than the first speed V1, but once the inspection in the first inspection section A1 is completed, the inspection trolley 130 accelerates to a third speed V3 and travels. At this time, the inspection trolley 130 accelerates to the third speed V3 and travels, for example, at least one lap. Then, inspection is performed in the second inspection section A2. In this way, the section to be inspected is divided, and the time required to inspect one inspection section (first inspection section A1) is shorter than the time required to inspect the entire circumference. This reduces the possibility that the inspection trolley 130 will become an obstacle and cause congestion for the following transport trolley 120. As a result, inspection along the rail T can be performed while suppressing a decrease in the operational efficiency of the transport trolley 120.
[0051] The inspection controller 137 performs a first control, and after the first control, controls the inspection trolley 130 to make it run at a third speed V3. In the (N+1) inspection section following the Nth inspection section, the inspection controller 137 repeats the control of making the inspection trolley 130 run at a second speed V2 and perform the inspection multiple times (starting with N at 1 and increasing by 1 each time), thereby completing the inspection of the entire circumference of the rail T. As a result, the inspection of the entire circumference is performed in two or more stages, and between the inspection in one inspection section and the inspection in the next inspection section, the inspection trolley 130 accelerates to the third speed V3 and runs, for example, at least once around the rail. Therefore, the inspection of the entire circumference of the rail T can be completed while suppressing a decrease in the operational efficiency of the transport trolley 120.
[0052] The inspection controller 137 is installed on the inspection trolley 130. This reduces the load on the controller that controls the transport trolley 120.
[0053] The inspection is interrupted by the transport cart 120 while it is in the process of being performed by the inspection cart 130. Subsequently, the inspection cart 130 is driven at a third speed V3, which is faster than the second speed V2. The inspection controller 137 sets an inspection section based on the point at which the inspection was interrupted, and drives the inspection cart 130 at the second speed V2 to have the inspection cart 130 perform the inspection. This allows the inspection to be interrupted even in the middle of the inspection (depending on the transport status of the transport cart 120). This inspection interruption control by the transport cart 120 contributes to reducing congestion as a result.
[0054] Next, with reference to Figures 8 and 9, we will describe area-based control, which, unlike the inspection control performed by dividing the inspection section as described above, determines the start and end of the inspection based on a specific area set on the rail T. The inspection controller 137 has a first inspection mode including the first and second controls and a second inspection mode including the area-based control when the inspection trolley 130 is to perform an inspection of the entire circumference of the rail T. That is, when the inspection controller 137 is to perform an inspection of the entire circumference of the rail T, it can perform area-based control (second inspection mode), which determines the start and end of the inspection based on a specific area set on the rail T, instead of the first and second controls (first inspection mode). For example, one of the inspection modes is selected in the higher-level controller 110, terminal 200, or management center. Depending on the selected inspection mode, the inspection controller 137 executes either the first inspection mode or the second inspection mode.
[0055] As shown in Figure 8(a), the inspection controller 137 stores a reference point P1 for the start of the inspection, a pre-point P0 located a distance 1 from reference point P1, and an end point P2 located a distance 2 from reference point P1. The area from pre-point P0 to reference point P1 is set as the start area B1. The area from pre-point P0 to end point P2 is set as the mandatory continuation area B2. The area from reference point P1 to end point P2 is set as the end area B3. The "first distance," i.e., the distance of the start area B1, may be a short distance of less than 1m. The "second distance," i.e., the distance of the end area B3, may be a distance of less than 10m.
[0056] The mandatory continuation area B2 includes the starting area B1, but may end at a different location than the endpoint of the ending area B3 (end point P2).
[0057] Rail T is provided with an identifier that indicates a continuous absolute position along the travel path. The inspection trolley 130 acquires position information through the identifier, but the acquired position information is discrete. When the acquired position information is discrete, if an inspection is to be started based on a specific absolute position, the inspection cannot be started until the inspection trolley 130 reads that specific absolute position. Area-based control improves upon the difficulties of such control based on absolute position.
[0058] When the second inspection mode is selected, the inspection controller 137 executes a second inspection mode, including area-based control. In area-based control, the start and end of the inspection by the inspection trolley 130 are determined simply by the position of the inspection trolley 130. As shown in Figure 9, when the second inspection mode is selected, the inspection controller 137 sets each area on the rail T (step S11). Area setting may also be performed by the higher-level controller 110. The inspection controller 137 determines whether its own vehicle is within the starting area B1 (step S12), and repeats the determination in step S12 unless its own vehicle is located within the starting area B1. When the inspection controller 137 determines that its own vehicle is within the starting area B1 (step S12; YES), it starts the inspection run (step S13).
[0059] The inspection trolley 130 acquires its own position information in area-based control. The higher-level controller 110 acquires position information from the inspection trolley 130 to understand the system status. The inspection controller 137 repeats the same decision based on the latest acquired position information. The decisions in steps S14 and S15, described below, are also made in the same manner.
[0060] During the inspection run, the inspection trolley 130 determines whether or not it has passed through the mandatory continuation area B2 (step S14), and repeats the determination in step S14 unless it has passed through the mandatory continuation area B2 (see Figure 8(b)). When the inspection controller 137 determines that it has passed through the mandatory continuation area B2 (step S14; YES), it determines whether or not it is in the termination area B3 (step S15). The inspection controller 137 repeats the determination in step S14 unless it is located in the termination area B3. During this time, the inspection trolley 130 travels along the rail T at least once while performing the inspection.
[0061] When the inspection controller 137 determines that its vehicle is within the termination area B3 (step S15; YES), it terminates the inspection run (see Figure 8(c)).
[0062] The inspection is performed through the above series of controls. In area reference control (second inspection mode), the inspection controller 137 starts the inspection when it determines that the inspection trolley 130 is located within the starting area B1, which is from the foreground point P0 to the reference point P1. After the inspection has started, the inspection controller 137 ends the inspection when it determines that the inspection trolley 130 has passed through the mandatory continuation area B2, and then determines that the inspection trolley 130 is located within the ending area B3.
[0063] According to the area-based control described above, the start and end timings of the inspection can be determined with simple control. In other words, it is easy to determine that the vehicle has traveled one full loop along rail T.
[0064] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the inspection of the entire circumference may be completed in two inspections. That is, the entire inspection may be completed by only the first inspection section A1 and the second inspection section A2. The control in step S07 in Figure 6 is not executed, and N starts at 1 and the inspection ends as is. That is, the inspection ends with N=1.
[0065] During the execution of the inspection, interruption control (interruption command) by the transport trolley 120 or the higher-level controller 110 is not required. The inspection trolley 130 travels at the second speed V2 and performs the inspection until the inspection in the designated inspection section is completed.
[0066] If the rail T is not a circular track (loop), the mandatory continuation area B2 in area-based control is not required. As shown in Figure 10, the necessity of starting the inspection may be determined depending on whether the inspection trolley 130 is located in the starting area B1, and the necessity of ending the inspection may be determined depending on whether the inspection trolley 130 is located in the ending area B3 (determined by points P3 and P4 on the rail T).
[0067] In the inspection control performed by dividing the inspection section as described above (see Figure 6), if the inspection is performed in an area less than one full rotation of the rail T (shorter than the entire circumference), the start timing of the inspection (start timing of the first inspection section) and the end timing of the inspection (end timing of the (N+1)th inspection section) may be determined based on the start area B1 and end area B3 shown in Figure 10.
[0068] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the inspection trolley 130 is equipped with an inspection controller 137. However, the detection of fasteners and the determination of looseness may also be performed by a higher-level controller 110. In this case, the images captured by the inspection trolley 130 are transmitted to the higher-level controller 110, and detection and determination are performed by the higher-level controller 110.
[0069] In the above embodiment, a configuration in which a two-dimensional code C1 is provided on the nut N and a two-dimensional code C2 is provided on the rail T was described as an example. However, a mark (indicator) may be provided on the nut N and a mark (indicator) may be provided on the bolt B. These marks can be provided, for example, by applying a paint such as ink.
[0070] In the above embodiment, a configuration in which the fastener is a nut N was described as an example. However, the fastener may also be a bolt B (the head of a bolt) or the like.
[0071] Identifiers such as two-dimensional codes, or markings such as symbols, may be provided only on the fastening device, or only on the fastening portion.
[0072] Other inspections may be performed in addition to determining the looseness of fasteners such as nuts N. The inspection trolley 130 may also perform inspections (confirmation of presence or absence, condition, etc.) of other parts installed or attached to the rail T.
[0073] The inspection trolley 130 may be equipped with another inspection device (an inspection device other than the imaging unit 132) for inspecting the rail T. The other inspection device may be, for example, a laser-type sensor. The inspection device may be, for example, a device intended to detect abnormalities in the rail T.
[0074] 1...Inspection system, 100...Transportation system, 120...Transportation trolley, 130...Inspection trolley, 132...Photography unit (inspection device), 133...Storage unit, 136...Trolley controller, 137...Inspection controller (control unit), A1...First inspection section, A2...Second inspection section, B1...Starting area, B2...Required continuation area, B3...Ending area, P0...Preceding point, P1...Reference point, P2...Ending point, V1...First speed, V2...Second speed, V3...Third speed, T...Rail (running rail).
Claims
1. A transport system comprising: a running rail which is a circular track; an inspection trolley that runs along the running rail and is equipped with an inspection device for inspecting the running rail; a transport trolley that runs along the running rail at a first speed and transports cargo; and a control unit that controls the inspection trolley, wherein the control unit performs a first control to control the inspection trolley so that it runs at a second speed slower than the first speed in a first inspection section which is a range shorter than the entire circumference of the running rail, causing the inspection trolley to perform an inspection; and a second control after the first control to control the inspection trolley so that it runs at a third speed faster than the second speed, causing the inspection trolley to run at the second speed in a second inspection section following the first inspection section, causing the inspection trolley to perform an inspection.
2. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the first control, and after the first control, controls the inspection trolley to travel at the third speed, and in the (N+1) inspection section following the Nth inspection section, the control unit travels at the second speed to allow the inspection trolley to perform the inspection, and this control is repeated multiple times (starting with N at 1 and increasing by 1 each time), thereby completing the inspection of the entire circumference of the running rail.
3. The transport system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit is provided on the inspection trolley.
4. The transport trolley transmits information regarding the interruption of an inspection to the inspection trolley that is performing an inspection; the control unit controls the inspection trolley based on the received information to make the inspection trolley travel at the third speed, sets an inspection section based on the point at which the inspection was interrupted, and makes the inspection trolley travel at the second speed to perform the inspection, the transport system according to claim 1 or 2.
5. The transport system according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, when causing the inspection trolley to inspect the entire circumference of the running rail, includes a first inspection mode including the first control and the second control, and a second inspection mode including area-based control which determines the start and end of the inspection based on a specific area set on the running rail, the control unit stores a reference point for the start of the inspection, a pre-point one distance before the reference point, and an end point two distance after the reference point, and when the second inspection mode is selected, the control unit starts the inspection when it determines that the inspection trolley is located within the start area from the pre-point to the reference point, and after the start of the inspection, determines that the inspection trolley has passed through a mandatory continuation area that includes the start area and is at least two distances after the reference point, and further determines that the inspection trolley is located within the end area from the reference point to the end point.