Accumulation Conveyor Control for Long-Object Jam Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Accumulation conveyors often jam with long objects, causing damage to products and requiring human intervention, especially when conventional sensors fail to manage the flow effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling accumulation conveyors by entering a 'long object mode' when sensors detect an object across multiple zones, synchronizing drive units to match the state of adjacent zones, and implementing sleep and jam states to prevent jams.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sensors and stop signals are used to control each zone, then short objects can be effectively managed, but long objects become stuck and cause jams
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adapts its behavior based on object length detection. When a long object is detected (blocking sensors in multiple consecutive zones), the system transitions from the conventional stop-signal mode to a synchronized drive mode, where drive units in affected zones are controlled to match the drive state of downstream zones, allowing long objects to pass through without causing jams.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from binary stop/signal commands to continuous drive state synchronization. Instead of simply stopping upstream zones when a sensor is blocked, the system adjusts the drive state of multiple zones to match downstream drive states, enabling the conveyor to accommodate both short and long objects effectively.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the conveyor stops to prevent jams, then product damage is reduced, but productivity decreases due to frequent stoppages
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensor feedback from multiple zones to detect long objects and triggers a synchronized drive response. Instead of stopping individual zones, the feedback mechanism coordinates drive units across multiple zones to maintain synchronized motion, allowing continuous operation while preventing jams that would cause product damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system detects the presence of long objects before they cause jams by monitoring sensor blocks across consecutive zones. When a long object is detected, the system proactively adjusts drive states in upstream zones to match downstream zones, preventing the jam condition from developing while maintaining continuous conveyor operation.
3Reliability
If manual intervention is used to clear jams, then conveyor reliability is maintained, but operational complexity and downtime increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system automatically detects and resolves long object conditions through synchronized drive control. When sensors detect a long object spanning multiple zones, the system self-adjusts by coordinating drive units across zones to maintain proper spacing and prevent jams, eliminating the need for manual intervention to clear obstacles.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1F
Figure 2A~2E
Figure 2F~2I
AI summary
A method of controlling an accumulation conveyor is provided. For each of a plurality of zones of the accumulation conveyor, the presence of an object is detected with a sensor associated with the zone. A long object mode is entered when the object is detected by the sensor in the zone and by the sensor in the upstream adjacent zone. When in the long object mode, instead of outputting a signal representative of whether the sensor is blocked or clear, a signal is output representing the drive state of the drive unit associated with the zone. In the long object mode, the drive unit of the upstream adjacent one of the zones receives the signal and matches the drive state.