Junction Entry Control for Balancing Transport Vehicle Queues
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing article transport facilities experience traffic jams on the upstream side from pre-junction sections due to uneven distribution of entry-waiting transport vehicles, leading to decreased transport efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An article transport facility with a control system that manages entry permissions for transport vehicles at a junction, prioritizing vehicles from pre-junction sections with more entry-waiting vehicles, using the formula X=N1−N2+M to determine the number of vehicles allowed to enter, where X is the number of entry permissions, N1 and N2 are the numbers of entry-waiting vehicles in the first and second pre-junction sections, and M is an adjustment number.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If transport vehicles are allowed to enter the junction under the same condition regardless of the number of entry-waiting vehicles in each pre-junction section, then the control rule is simple, but the number of entry-waiting vehicles becomes uneven between pre-junction sections causing traffic jams on the upstream side
Solution Approach 1:
The control system applies different control rules to different pre-junction sections based on their local conditions (number of entry-waiting vehicles). Specifically, when N1≥N2, the first pre-junction section receives preferential treatment with X=N1-N2+M entry permissions, while the second pre-junction section receives Y=N2 entry permissions. This localized differentiation resolves the uneven distribution problem while maintaining operational simplicity through automated calculation.
2Productivity
If a large number of transport vehicles stop in the pre-junction section including the second stop position, then the junction can be cleared efficiently, but transport vehicles on the upstream side cannot enter causing traffic jams
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors the number of entry-waiting vehicles in each pre-junction section (N1 and N2) and dynamically adjusts the number of entry permissions (X and Y) granted to each section. This feedback mechanism ensures that when one section has accumulated many waiting vehicles, it receives more permissions to clear the backlog, while preventing upstream sections from becoming congested. The real-time adjustment based on current queue lengths optimizes both junction clearing efficiency and upstream flow.
Data Source
AI summary
An article transport facility includes a control system. The control system is configured to perform an entry permission issuing process of giving an entry permission to enter a junction to X entry-waiting transport vehicles among entry-waiting transport vehicles in a first pre-junction section, wherein X=N1−N2+M, where X is the number of entry-waiting transport vehicles receiving the entry permission, N1 is a first number indicative of the number of the entry-waiting transport vehicles in the first pre-junction section, N2 is a second number indicative of the number of entry-waiting transport vehicles in a second pre-junction section, and M is an adjustment number as a numeral of 0 or more.