Overhead Vehicle Lifter Alignment Using Measured Feedback Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing overhead transport vehicles face challenges in maintaining the lifter in a parallel state with the transfer part during lifting and lowering, despite conventional methods keeping winding differences within permissible ranges, leading to potential misalignment issues.
Innovation Solution
A transport vehicle system with a measurer and controller that adjusts the lifter's state based on real-time measurements, allowing for automatic correction of set values to ensure proper alignment without human intervention, using a gripper, measurer, and controller to maintain the lifter's position and inclination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a predetermined set value is used to control lifting and lowering of the lifter, then the control process is simple, but the lifter state cannot be appropriately adjusted for each overhead transport vehicle due to machine differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements an automatic adjustment mechanism where the measurer measures the actual position of the lifter during lifting operations, compares it with the predetermined set value, and feeds back the deviation information to the controller. The controller then automatically corrects the set value based on this feedback, enabling adaptation to machine differences while maintaining automated control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-adjustment by automatically measuring its own lifter position, calculating deviations from the set value, and correcting the set value without human intervention. This self-service capability allows each overhead transport vehicle to adapt to its specific machine characteristics while maintaining simple automated operation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual adjustment of the lifter state is performed, then the lifter can be appropriately adjusted for each vehicle, but human intervention is required which reduces operational efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically measures the lifter position, calculates the deviation from the predetermined set value, and adjusts the set value without any human intervention. This self-service automation maintains the adaptability needed for each vehicle while eliminating manual adjustment time, thereby preserving high operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The automatic feedback loop continuously measures the lifter position, compares it with the set value, and adjusts the set value accordingly. This closed-loop control system provides the adaptability of manual adjustment while operating automatically, thus maintaining high productivity without human intervention.
3Device complexity
If the measurer and measured portion are integrated in one unit, then the measurement process is simplified, but the measurement capability is limited compared to separate units
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the measured portion as a multi-functional component that serves both as the object to be measured and as a measurement reference. This measured portion includes multiple measurement targets at different positions, enabling comprehensive measurement of the lifter's position and attitude using a single measurer, thus achieving both structural simplicity and measurement capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A transport vehicle system includes a measurer to measure a measurement target portion, a measured portion including the measurement target portion thereon, and a control controller to cause a lifter to be lifted and lowered according to a set value and to control the lifting and lowering of the lifter so that the measurer can measure the measured portion by one of the measurer and the measured portion being gripped by a gripper and by the other of the measurer at a predetermined position and the measured portion at a predetermined position, and to correct the set value based on a result of measurement of the measured portion by the measurer.