GB2219118A - Controlling conveyor vehicles - Google Patents
Controlling conveyor vehicles Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2219118A GB2219118A GB8812542A GB8812542A GB2219118A GB 2219118 A GB2219118 A GB 2219118A GB 8812542 A GB8812542 A GB 8812542A GB 8812542 A GB8812542 A GB 8812542A GB 2219118 A GB2219118 A GB 2219118A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- rail
- conveyor
- automotive cart
- cart
- signal
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000011796 hollow space material Substances 0.000 claims 2
- 230000004907 flux Effects 0.000 description 8
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005192 partition Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000001514 detection method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002093 peripheral effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003014 reinforcing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B61—RAILWAYS
- B61L—GUIDING RAILWAY TRAFFIC; ENSURING THE SAFETY OF RAILWAY TRAFFIC
- B61L23/00—Control, warning or like safety means along the route or between vehicles or trains
- B61L23/002—Control or safety means for heart-points and crossings of aerial railways, funicular rack-railway
- B61L23/005—Automatic control or safety means for points for operator-less railway, e.g. transportation systems
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Automobile Manufacture Line, Endless Track Vehicle, Trailer (AREA)
Abstract
An overhead conveyor track includes electromagnet devices 35 which are energised when it is required to stop a vehicle 2 at that location, the magnetic field 49 generated being detected by a sensor 47 on the vehicle. The devices 35 comprise two longitudinally-spaced coils 37 between pole pieces 36 and protected by a cover 41. Two longitudinally-spaced sensors 47 are also provided on the vehicle and at an intermediate position a permanent magnet 48 is provided which is sensed by a track-mounted sensor 38 to confirm vehicle location. The track includes power-supply rails 33. <IMAGE>
Description
CONVEYOR SYSTEM USING AUTOMOTIVE CART
The present invention relates to a conveyor system using an automotive cart utilized for conveying loads in a space or factory.
This type of conveyor system has been proposed which, as in Japaneses Patent Application Laid-Open Specification No.61-125959, comprises two power supply rails and one signal rail which are laid in a conveyor rail for supporting and guiding an automotive cart, two current collectors adapted for slide contact with said power supply rails, and a single brush adapted for slide contact with said signal rail. Electric power is fed through the current collectors to the automotive cart, and transfer of various control signals is made through the brush between the signal rail and the automotive cart.
However, the conventional system described above is disadvantageous in that installing a signal rail over the entire length of the conveyor path is expensive. Further, since the brush involves slide contact, it becomes necessary to replace it when worn out, and the brush entails formation of dust particles. Further, since the conveyor rail of the automotive cart consists of a number of rail members connected together into a continuous form, the "sectioning" of the conveyor rail required for the function of the signal rail is complicated.
The present invention seeks to provide a conveyor system using an automotive cart which allows transfer of control signals without involving slide contact and which makes it possible to section the conveyor rail as desired.
According to the present invention there is provided a conveyor system using an automotive cart, comprising:
a conveyor rail for supporting and guiding an automotive cart and a pair of power supply rails installed in said conveyor rail,
said automotive cart having current collectors adapted for slide contact with said power supply rails for supplying power to the automotive cart, means for receiving a stop signal, and means for transmitting an automotive cart signal,
said conveyor rail having means for transmitting said stop signal to the receiving means on said automotive cart, and means for receiving said automotive cart signal.
According to the arrangement of the invention described above, as the current collectors are in slide contact with the power supply rails, the automotive cart, guided by the conveyor rail, travels along a given path determined by the conveyor rail. During travel, the automotive cart automatically stops as the receiving means on the automotive cart receives a stop signal from the transmitting means on the conveyor rail. As receiving means on the conveyor rail receives an automotive cart signal from the transmitting means on the automotive cart, the position where the automotive cart is in, that is, the presence of the automotive cart in a section along the conveyor path, and the stoppage of the automotive cart in a station are recognized.
Therefore, control signals can be transferred without resorting to slide contact, eliminating the need of laying expensive signal rails over the entire length of the conveyor rail and, moreover, formation of dust particles can be prevented. Further, since the parts associated with the conveyor rail have only to be attached to necessary locations, the sectioning of the conveyor rail can be made as desired.
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front view, in section, of the principal portion of a conveyor system using an automotive cart according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the conveyor system shown in Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a side view of the conveyor system shown in
Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a conveyor rail with no parts mounted thereon;
Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a first operating state of the conveyor system according to the invention; and
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a second operating state of the conveyor system according to the invention.
In Figs. 1 through 3, the numeral 1 denotes a conveyor rail of vertically elongated cross section for an automotive cart 2 to travel therealong.
The automotive cart 2 has a vertically extending frame 3 positioned on one side of the conveyor rail 1 and is provided at the upper end thereof with a gear case 4.
Attached to the gear case 4 are a motor 5 and a drive wheel 6 driven through reduction gears (not shown) in the gear case 4. The drive wheel 6 has a groove 7 on its outer periphery adapted to fit on the head 8 of the conveyor rail 1. The lower portion of the frame 3 is attached thereto a bracket 9 projecting at a level below the conveyor rail 1.
The bracket 9 is attached thereto a pair of sway-preventive rollers 11 and 12 adapted to hold the bottom 10 of the conveyor rail 1 therebetween from opposite sides. The swaypreventive rollers are provided at two locations (not shown), two rollers each, lengthwise of the conveyor rail 1; thus, four rollers hold the bottom 10 of the conveyor rail 1, so that the automotive cart 2 is prevented from swaying.
The bracket 9 is provided with a holder 13 for supporting one end 15 of a connecting rod 14. The connecting rod 14 is used to connect the automotive cart 2 to a free cart (not shown) movably supported, for example, by the conveyor rail 1. The automotive cart 2, the free cart and the connecting rod 14 constitute a conveyor cart, and a load can be conveyed along the conveyor rail 1 as by suspending said load from the connectiong rod 14.
The conveyor rail 1 is attached to a ceiling beam 16 and is,supported at a predetermined level in the air by brackets 17 arranged at suitable intervals lengthwise of the conveyor rail 1. More particularly, the conveyor rail 1 has said head 8, bottom 10 and a connecting wall 18 which connects them together, said head 8, bottom 10 and connecting wall 18 being of hollow construction. The head 8 and bottom 10 are internally formed with reinforcing partition walls 19 and 20, respectively. The connecting wall 18 is formed of a pair of lateral walls 21 and 22 and a pair of upper and lower partition walls 23 which connect said lateral walls 21 and 22 together.
The upper and lower opposite lateral sides of the connecting wall 18 are formed with engaging projections 24 and 25 projecting toward each other lengthwise of the conveyor rail 1. Each bracket 17 is provided at its front end with an attaching plate 26 to which a fixing plate 28 is fixed by a bolt 27 to clamp the engaging projections 24 between the attaching plate 26 and the fixing plate 28, whereby the conveyor rail 1 is fixed to the bracket 17.
The side of the connecting wall 18 opposite the bracket 17 is constructed as follows: A base plate 29 and inner and outer support plates 30 and 31 are clamped together by bolts 32 with the engaging projections 25 being clamped between the base plate 29 and the inner support plate 30, whereby the base plate 29 and the inner and outer support plates 30 and 31 are fixed to the conveyor rail 1. A pair of upper and lower power supply rails 33 are clamped between the inner and outer support plates 30 and 31 and thereby fixed in position.
The inner and outer support plates 30 and 31, base plate 29 and the lateral wall 22 of the connecting wall 18 are formed with openings 34 extending therethrough and arranged at suitable positions lengthwise of the conveyor rail 1. Installed in the openings 34 and internally of the connecting wall 18 are rail-associated devices 35. Each rail-associated device 35 comprises a pair of upper and lower magnetic pole plates 36, a pair of coils 37 spaced from each other lengthwise of the conveyor rail 1 and interposed between the magnetic pole plates 36, and a magnetic sensor 38 disposed between said coils 37. The magnetic pole plates 36 engage projections 39 integrally formed on the inner surface of the lateral plate 21, whereby the rail-associated device 35 is positioned.The inner peripheral edge of the opening 34 in the outer support plate 31 is formed with engaging projections 40 through which an insulating cover 41 for covering the rail-associated device 35 is removably installed. This insulating cover 41 has convex portions 42 for covering the front ends of the magnetic pole plates 36, and a concave portion 43 formed between the magnetic pole plates 36.
The frame 3 of the automotive cart 2 has an attaching plate 44 fixed thereto, and a pair of current collectors 45 adapted for slide contact with the power supply rails 33 are attached to said attaching plate 44. A holder plate 46 is attached to the surface of the attaching plate 44 between the current collectors 45. The opposite ends of the holder plate 46 as viewed lengthwise of the conveyor rail 1 are provided with a pair of magnetic sensors 47. The intermediate portion of the holder plate 46 as viewed lengthwise of the conveyor rail 1 is provided with a permanent magnet 48. Each magnetic sensor 47 is capable of detecting a magnetic flux 49 formed between the magnetic pole plates 36, while a magnetic flux 50 (Figs, 5 and 6) formed.by the permanent magnet 48 can be detected by the magnetic sensor 38 of the rail-associated device 35.
Fig. 4 shows the cross-sectional construction around the conveyor rail 1 at a post ion where there is no opening 34 formed therein.
The automotive cart 2 travels as it is supported and guided by the conveyor rail 1 by the motor 5 driving the drive wheel 7 through the reduction gears in the gear case 4. At this time, the sway-preventive rollers 11 and 12 hold the bottom 10 of the conveyor rail 1, thereby preventing the automotive cart 2 from swaying when it is traveling.
During this travel, when the coils 37 are not energized, there is no magnetic flux formed between the magnetic pole plate 36; thus, the magnetic sensors 47 passing by the coils 47 disposed between the magnetic pole plates 36 receive no stop signal based on said magnetic flux. However, a magnetic flux 50, that is, automotive cart signal, formed by the permanent magnet 48 mounted on the automotive cart 2 is detected by the magnetic sensor 38, whereby the fact the automotive cart 2 passes by the location where this magnetic sensor 38 is installed, that is, the fact that automotive cart is present in a certain section is detected. The detection signal is sent to a control device (not shown).
To stop a specified automotive cart 2 at a specified station, coils 37 corresponding to the specified station are energized before said automotive cart arrives. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the magnetic flux 49 serving as a stop signal is formed between the front ends of the magnetic pole plates 36. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5, one of the magnetic sensors 47 coming in together with the automotive cart 2 detects the magnetic flux 49 at the position of one of the coils 37, thereby stopping the motor 5 and applying brakes. Thus, the automotive cart 2 stops after running some brake distance. As a result of this stoppage, as shown in Fig. 6, the permanent magnet 48 on the automotive cart 2 is opposed to the magnetic sensor 38 associated with the rail, so that the magnetic sensor detects the magnetic flux 50 formed by the permanent magnet 48.Thereby, said control device confirms the stopped state.
The rail-associated device 35 can be cleaned, inspected, replaced or displaced by removing the insulating cover 41.
In the above embodiment, magnetic sensors 47 have been attached to the front and rear of the automotive cart 2; however, only one may be installed. In addition, the provision of two ensures that the rear one will satisfactorily act in the case of overrun and makes it possible for the automotive cart 2 to travel in both forward and rearward directions satisfactorily. Further, the railassociated device 35 has been in the form of a unit comprising coils 37 and a magnetic sensor 38; however1 the magnetic sensor 38 may be separately installed.
In the above embodiment, the automotive cart 2 has been shown by way of example as one adapted to run along a monotail type conveyor rail 1; however, it may be a fourwheeled cart.
Claims (9)
1. A conveyor system using an automotive cart, comprises:
a conveyor rail for supporting and guiding an automotive cart and a pair of power supply rails installed in said conveyor rail,
said automotive cart having current collectors adapted for slide contact with said power supply rails for supplying power to the automotive cart, means for receiving a stop signal, and means for transmitting an automotive cart signal,
said conveyor rail having means for transmitting said stop signal ta the receiving means on said automotive cart, and means for receiving said automotive cart signal.
2. A conveyor system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the signal receiving means on the automotive cart is magnetic sensor means, while the signal transmitting means on the rail comprises coil means and magnetic pole plates.
3. A conveyor system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting means on the automotive cart is permanent magnet means1 while the signal receiving means on the conveyor rail is magnetic sensor means.
4. A conveyor system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting means on the automotive cart are provided on the front and rear of the automotive cart.
5. A conveyor system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the conveyor rail is provided with a rail-associated device in the form of a unit comprising magnetic sensor means serving as the signal receiving means, coil means serving as the signal transmitting means, and magnetic pole plates attached to said coil means.
6. A conveyor system as set forth in Claim 5, wherein the conveyor rail is hollow and is opened at a portion along lengthwise thereof on one side, and the rail-associated device is housed in said hollow space and said opening.
7. A conveyor system as set forth in Claim 6, wherein the inner surface of the hollow space of the conveyor rail is provided with means adpated to engage and position the rail-associated device.
8. A conveyor system as set forth in Claim 1, wherein the opening which houses the rail-associated device is covered by an insulating cover.
9. A conveyor system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompnaying drawings.
Priority Applications (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8812542A GB2219118B (en) | 1988-05-26 | 1988-05-26 | Conveyor system using automotive cart. |
| US07/375,188 US4951574A (en) | 1988-05-26 | 1989-07-03 | Conveyor system using automotive cart |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8812542A GB2219118B (en) | 1988-05-26 | 1988-05-26 | Conveyor system using automotive cart. |
Publications (3)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB8812542D0 GB8812542D0 (en) | 1988-06-29 |
| GB2219118A true GB2219118A (en) | 1989-11-29 |
| GB2219118B GB2219118B (en) | 1992-10-28 |
Family
ID=10637612
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8812542A Expired - Lifetime GB2219118B (en) | 1988-05-26 | 1988-05-26 | Conveyor system using automotive cart. |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2219118B (en) |
Citations (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1124672A (en) * | 1965-05-06 | 1968-08-21 | Ass Elect Ind | Improvements in and relating to information transfer systems |
| GB1253074A (en) * | 1967-10-31 | 1971-11-10 | ||
| GB1277112A (en) * | 1969-07-15 | 1972-06-07 | Vsesojpuzny Nauncho I I Pk I V | Improvements in monorails |
| GB1353155A (en) * | 1970-09-10 | 1974-05-15 | Gill Co Ltd Stewart | Conveyor systems |
| GB1401651A (en) * | 1971-06-14 | 1975-07-16 | Gen Signal Corp | Vehicle control system |
| GB1458659A (en) * | 1972-09-08 | 1976-12-15 | Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Ltd | Systems for automatically controlling vehicles |
| GB2027244A (en) * | 1978-07-27 | 1980-02-13 | Silec Liaisons Elec | Signalling device for guided vehicles |
| GB2123369A (en) * | 1982-06-30 | 1984-02-01 | Tsubakimoto Chain Co | Conveying apparatus |
-
1988
- 1988-05-26 GB GB8812542A patent/GB2219118B/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB1124672A (en) * | 1965-05-06 | 1968-08-21 | Ass Elect Ind | Improvements in and relating to information transfer systems |
| GB1253074A (en) * | 1967-10-31 | 1971-11-10 | ||
| GB1277112A (en) * | 1969-07-15 | 1972-06-07 | Vsesojpuzny Nauncho I I Pk I V | Improvements in monorails |
| GB1353155A (en) * | 1970-09-10 | 1974-05-15 | Gill Co Ltd Stewart | Conveyor systems |
| GB1401651A (en) * | 1971-06-14 | 1975-07-16 | Gen Signal Corp | Vehicle control system |
| GB1458659A (en) * | 1972-09-08 | 1976-12-15 | Hawker Siddeley Dynamics Ltd | Systems for automatically controlling vehicles |
| GB2027244A (en) * | 1978-07-27 | 1980-02-13 | Silec Liaisons Elec | Signalling device for guided vehicles |
| GB2123369A (en) * | 1982-06-30 | 1984-02-01 | Tsubakimoto Chain Co | Conveying apparatus |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2219118B (en) | 1992-10-28 |
| GB8812542D0 (en) | 1988-06-29 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PE20 | Patent expired after termination of 20 years |
Expiry date: 20080525 |