Article Transport Control for Deformed Storage Position Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article transport facilities face efficiency issues due to emergency stops caused by undetected detection targets, leading to reduced transport efficiency and potential damage or loss of articles when accommodation support members deform, shifting the detection targets.
Innovation Solution
An article transport facility with a control unit that sets allowed and prohibited accommodation portions, updates these designations based on detection status, and continuously selects new allowed portions to avoid deformed areas, ensuring uninterrupted transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transport apparatus makes an emergency stop when the detection target portion is not detected, then article safety is improved, but transport efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The accommodation portions are divided into prohibited accommodation portions (where articles are not transferred) and non-prohibited accommodation portions (where articles can be transferred). This segmentation allows the system to continue operating in safe zones while avoiding deformed areas, thus maintaining transport efficiency while ensuring article safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit dynamically updates the status of accommodation portions based on detection results. When a detection target portion is not detected, the corresponding accommodation portion is marked as prohibited, and this status changes over time as the system learns from detection outcomes. This dynamic adaptation allows continuous operation while avoiding problematic areas.
2Productivity
If the transport apparatus continues operation without emergency stop, then transport efficiency is improved, but article damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of the detection target portion before article transfer. By checking whether the detection target portion is properly detected in advance, the system can identify potential deformation issues before articles are transferred to problematic accommodation portions, thus preventing article damage while maintaining continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit uses feedback from the detection result to control article transfer decisions. When the detection target portion is not detected, the system receives feedback indicating potential deformation and adjusts its behavior by prohibiting transfers to that accommodation portion, thereby avoiding article damage while maintaining overall system productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration allows continuous article transport while preventing damage or loss by proactively identifying and avoiding deformed accommodation portions, maintaining transport efficiency and safety.
Implementation Method 1
a photoelectronic sensor 25...determines whether or not a detection target portion (a reflecting plate 26) is detected by a detecting portion (a photoelectronic sensor 25)
Data Source
AI summary
A control unit that controls a transport apparatus executes selection control to select one accommodation portion as a selected accommodation portion, movement control to control the transport apparatus so as to move a transport support portion to a corresponding position, determination control to determine whether or not a detection target portion is detected by a detecting portion, transfer control to control the transport apparatus so as to transfer an article from the transport support portion to an accommodation support member, and update setting control to set the selected accommodation portion and related accommodation portions as prohibited accommodation portions if it is determined, in the determination control, that the detection target portion is not detected, and after the update setting control, the control unit again executes the selection control to newly select a selected accommodation portion, and executes the movement control so as to move the transport support portion to a corresponding position corresponding to the newly selected accommodation portion.