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US 10,908,596 B2Granted
Conveyor system method of operating a conveyor system and flow devices for use in such conveyor system
AssigneeEwab Engineering AB
InventorsMats Wahrén, Roland Lundin, Anders Axman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present document discloses a conveyor system comprising a plurality of workpiece carriers, each adapted for supporting at least one workpiece during transportation, a conveyor, adapted for transporting the workpiece carriers, at least one flow device for controlling a movement of one of the workpiece carriers relative to the conveyor, the flow device comprising a local controller, at least one workpiece carrier sensor and at least one actuator, and a central controller, which is in data communication with the flow device, and having a memory containing a flow plan comprising data describing an intended flow of workpieces in the conveyor system.
Claims17
A conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of workpiece carriers, each adapted for supporting at least one workpiece during transportation;
- a conveyor adapted for transporting the workpiece carriers,
- at least one flow device for controlling a movement of one of the workpiece carriers relative to the conveyor, the flow device comprising a local controller, at least one workpiece carrier sensor and at least one actuator, and
- a central controller, which is in data communication with the flow device, and having a memory containing a flow plan comprising data describing an intended flow of workpieces in the conveyor system,
- wherein the local controller is configured to:
- receive a sensor signal via a signal interface,
- convert the sensor signal into signal data having a predetermined data format,
- communicate the sensor data to the central controller via a data interface,
- receive command data from the central controller via the data interface, and
- provide an actuator control signal to the actuator based on the command data,
- wherein the flow device is a stop device for stopping a movement of one of the workpiece carriers relative to the conveyor,
- wherein the workpiece carrier sensor comprises a stop control detection device, configured to detect a presence of a workpiece carrier, arriving at the detection device and/or to detect presence of a workpiece on the workpiece carrier, and
- wherein the actuator comprises a stop control actuation device, configured to stop the workpiece carrier's movement relative to the conveyor,
- wherein the stop device further comprises a tag reader and/or writer;
- and
- wherein the local controller is a stop local controller, operatively connected to the stop control detection device, to the stop control actuation device and to the tag reader/writer, to receive a detection signal from the stop control detection device, to send a control signal to the stop control actuation device, and to receive/send tag data from/to the tag reader/writer;
- and
- wherein the stop local controller is configured to:
- receive the sensor signal from the stop control detection device,
- receive tag data from the tag reader/writer,
- communicate the sensor data corresponding to the sensor signal and the tag data to the central controller in the form of a stop event message,
- receive a stop control command from the central controller, said command comprising an indication to release the workpiece carrier and/or an indication on data to write to the tag, and
- control the actuator to release the workpiece carrier.
20 more elements
A conveyor system, comprising:
- a plurality of workpiece carriers, each adapted for supporting at least one workpiece during transportation;
- a conveyor, adapted for transporting the workpiece carriers,
- at least one stop device, configured to stop a workpiece carrier's movement along the conveyor, and
- a central controller, which is in data communication with the stop device, and having a memory device containing a flow plan containing comprising data describing an intended flow of workpieces in the conveyor system,
- wherein the stop device comprises:
- a stop control detection device, configured to detect a presence of a workpiece carrier, arriving at the detection device and/or to detect presence of a workpiece on the workpiece carrier, and
- a stop control actuation device, configured to stop the workpiece carrier's movement relative to the conveyor,
- a tag reader and/or writer;
- and
- a stop local controller, operatively connected to the stop control detection device, to the stop actuation device and to the tag reader/writer, to receive a detection signal from the stop control detection device, to send a control signal to the stop control actuation device, and to receive/send tag data from/to the tag reader/writer;
- wherein the stop local controller is configured to:
- receive the sensor signal from the stop control detection device,
- control the stop control actuator to stop the workpiece carrier in response to the sensor signal,
- receive tag data from the tag reader/writer,
- communicate the sensor data corresponding to the sensor signal and the tag data to a central controller in the form of a stop event message,
- receive a stop control command from the central controller, said command comprising an indication to release the workpiece carrier and/or an indication on data to write to the tag, and
- control the stop control actuator to release the workpiece carrier,
- wherein the central controller is configured to:
- receive the stop event message from the stop device,
- based on the tag data and the flow plan, determine whether to release the workpiece carrier, and
- send the stop control command to the stop device.
18 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.