Guide Wheel Pre-Urging for High-Speed Rail Transitions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article transport facilities face inefficiencies due to the need to decelerate transport vehicles to shift guide wheels in the width direction, particularly at intersections or curves, which reduces overall transportation efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An article transport facility with a control system that performs pre-urging to promptly shift guide wheels from one side surface of a guide rail to another, allowing the wheels to pass through unguided sections without decelerating the vehicle, by using a pair of travel rails and guide rails with alternating guide and unguided sections, and guide wheel drivers to manage the position change.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the transport vehicle is decelerated to create time for shifting guide wheels in the width direction, then the guide wheels can be positioned accurately, but the transportation efficiency of the overall facility is lowered
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wheel driver starts moving the guide wheel in the width direction before the transport vehicle reaches the guide rail section. By performing the positioning action in advance during the unguided section, the guide wheel is already in the correct position when entering the guide rail section, eliminating the need to decelerate the transport vehicle and maintaining high transportation efficiency while ensuring accurate positioning
2Productivity
If the guide wheels are shifted rapidly in the width direction, then the transportation efficiency is maintained, but the shifting process may be delayed or inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wheel driver initiates the width-direction movement in advance during the unguided section before the transport vehicle enters the guide rail section. This preliminary action allows the guide wheel to be positioned accurately without rushing the process, as the vehicle is already in motion and the positioning is completed proactively rather than reactively, maintaining both speed and accuracy
3Ease of operation
If the guide wheels are positioned using traditional methods at intersections or curves, then the transport vehicle can follow the path, but the shifting process causes delays and reduces overall facility efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The guide wheel is positioned in the width direction before the transport vehicle reaches the guide rail section by using the guide wheel driver. This allows the transport vehicle to maintain its speed and follow the path smoothly without pauses or decelerations for positioning, as the guide wheel is already in the correct position when the vehicle enters the guide rail section, thereby maintaining both ease of operation and high productivity
Data Source
AI summary
A control system performs pre-urging to control a guide wheel driver to urge a guide wheel from a first position toward a second position when the guide wheel in a first width direction in a first guide section is in contact with a first side surface of a guide rail before entering an unguided section. The control system continuously performing the pre-urging allows the guide wheel to pass through the unguided section to move the guide wheel from the first position to the second position in the unguided section, and places the guide wheel in a second width direction in a second guide section into contact with a second side surface of the guide rail.