Logical Sector Control for Conveyor Movement Profiles
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Planning and controlling the movement of transport units in complex conveyor systems with multiple segments is complex and expensive, especially when requiring continuous movement and avoiding acceleration jumps, as existing technologies require separate planning for each drive axis and segment.
Innovation Solution
The use of logical sectors allows for abstract planning of movement profiles independently of hardware, where each logical sector can be viewed as a simple linear axis, enabling easy management and assignment to hardware segments, and enabling the same logical sector to be used across different hardware configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If separate planning for each drive axis and segment is implemented, then control precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conveyor system is divided into multiple segments, each with its own drive coils and segment controller. The movement profile is correspondingly divided into multiple sections, with each section assigned to a specific segment controller. This segmentation allows precise control of each segment while distributing the computational complexity across multiple controllers rather than requiring one complex centralized controller.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a hierarchical control structure with two dimensions: the segment dimension (spatial division of the conveyor) and the profile section dimension (temporal/divisional division of the movement profile). This dimensional transformation allows the system to achieve precise multi-segment control by treating the movement profile as a composite of multiple sections rather than attempting to control each axis independently in a single dimension.
2Productivity
If movement profile is planned over several conveyor segments, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movement profile is segmented into multiple profile sections, each corresponding to a specific conveyor segment. This allows the overall movement plan to span multiple segments (improving productivity) while each segment controller only needs to process its own profile section (managing complexity). The segmentation enables parallel processing of multiple segments without requiring a single complex controller to manage the entire profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The movement profile is pre-divided into multiple sections and assigned to different segment controllers in advance. Each segment controller receives and processes only its assigned profile section, which has been prepared beforehand. This preliminary segmentation and assignment allows the system to execute complex multi-segment movement plans without real-time coordination complexity, as each controller independently executes its pre-assigned section.
3Reliability
If continuous movement is ensured across segments, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The movement profile is divided into multiple continuous sections that are sequentially executed by different segment controllers. Each profile section is designed to connect smoothly with the next, ensuring continuous movement across segment boundaries. The segmentation allows this continuity to be achieved through coordinated execution of simpler profile sections rather than requiring a single complex controller to manage the entire continuous profile.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention ensures continuous movement of transport units across multiple conveyor segments by designing the movement profile as a sequence of continuous profile sections. Each section is executed by its corresponding segment controller without interruption, maintaining continuous useful action. The profile sections are coordinated to ensure smooth transitions at segment boundaries, achieving reliability through continuous execution rather than discrete restarts or interruptions.
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 approach simplifies the planning and control of movement profiles, allowing for unified planning across multiple segments and hardware configurations, reducing complexity and cost, while ensuring continuous movement without requiring detailed consideration of hardware-specific changes.
Implementation Method 1
A large number of drive coils are arranged along the conveying path, which can be controlled individually in order to generate a moving magnetic field. A moving magnetic field interacts with excitation magnets, usually permanent magnets, on a transport unit to move the transport unit according to the motor principle.
Implementation Method 2
conveyor device in the form of a long-stator linear motor, in which a large number of transport units are moved along a defined conveyor path
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
In order to plan and control the movement of a transport unit of a conveyor system along a conveyor line more easily and quickly, it is provided that at least one logical sector (LSi) is assigned to at least one part of the conveyor line (2), wherein the at least one logical sector (LSi) is assigned to one or more conveyor segments (FSi), or parts thereof, to which a movement profile for the transport unit (TEi) is assigned, the transport unit (TEi) is moved along the at least one logical sector (LSi) according to the specified movement profile, and in each cycle step of the setpoint specification a new setpoint (S) of the movement is determined, and the setpoint (S) is passed to the assigned conveyor segment(s) (FSi) for adjustment via the assignment to one or more conveyor segments (FSi), or parts thereof.