Multi-Zone Conveyor System Having LAN Based Control
AssigneeMilwaukee Electronics Corporation
InventorsJames Scholler, David V. Hall
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A control system for a conveyor system having one or more upstream and downstream conveyor zones and whose operation effectuates transportation of a series of loads via operation of motors and drive arrangements associated with the respective conveyor zones. The control system includes a Local Area Network (LAN) connection between each component of the control arrangement associated with each zone control such that status and operational information associated with the configuration or operation of each conveyor zone, including the zone motor, can be communicated to other conveyor zones so that operation of each conveyor zone can be manipulated in a controlled manner in response to changes to operation of other conveyor zones.
Claims20
A conveyor control system for controlling a conveyor system configured to transport a series of loads, the conveyor system including a series of conveyor zones including at least one downstream conveyor zone and at least one upstream conveyor zone, each conveyor of each conveyor zone having at least one motor configured to control operation of the respective conveyor of the respective conveyor zone and a selectively operable drive arrangement interconnected with each conveyor zone for operating each conveyor zone to advance the loads along the conveyor system, the conveyor control system comprising:
- a control arrangement interconnected with each drive arrangement to effectuate operation of the respective motor, wherein the control arrangement is operable to manipulate operation of the upstream and the downstream conveyor zones to suspend translation of any loads carried by the upstream and downstream conveyor zones, and to resume operation of the upstream and downstream conveyor zones to achieve a desired product translation;
- and
- a Local Area Network (LAN) connection between each component of the control arrangement and each drive arrangement such that information regarding a status of each conveyor zone is communicated to other conveyor zones so that operation of each conveyor zone can be manipulated in a controlled manner in response to the status of each conveyor zone.
A conveyor system comprising:
- a series of conveyor zones that include a respective conveyor zone and at least one of a downstream conveyor zone, an upstream conveyor zone, and a parallel conveyor zone;
- at least one motor configured to control operation of a respective conveyor of each of the series of conveyor zones and a selectively operable drive arrangement connected between each motor and the respective conveyor for operating each conveyor zone to advance loads along the conveyor system;
- and
- a control system that is operable to manipulate operation of upstream, downstream, and parallel conveyor zones to manipulate translation of any loads carried by the upstream, downstream, and parallel conveyor zones in response to changes in operation of a respective conveyor zone to achieve a desired product translation, the control system comprising:
- a controller associated with each conveyor zone and configured to control operation of the drive arrangement associated with each respective conveyor, each controller be capable of being physically configured to manipulate operation of the respective conveyor;
- and
- a Local Area Network (LAN) connection extending between each controller of the control system that communicates information between each controller of the controller system as to a current operating status of each respective conveyor zone so that operation of each conveyor zone can be manipulated in a controlled manner in response to a current status of each conveyor zone.
A method of controlling operation of a conveyor system that includes multiple downstream conveyor zones and multiple upstream conveyor zones wherein the downstream and upstream conveyor zones are oriented for advancing a series of loads, the method comprising:
- communicating operating information between each conveyor zone and each of the other conveyor zones across a Local Area Network (LAN) connection connected to a control arrangement configured to manipulate operation of each of the conveyor zones in response to signals communicated across the LAN connections from any of the conveyor zones.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.