US 9,868,594 B2Granted

Transfer device controller and transport device

AssigneeItoh Denki Co., Ltd.

InventorsKazuo Itoh, Masayuki Toma, Yoshinori Nagai

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention aims to develop a dedicated control device for a transfer apparatus and a transfer apparatus controller that enables labor-saving wiring work, and to provide a conveying apparatus that switches a destination to which a conveyed object is to be conveyed by way of the transfer apparatus controller. A transfer apparatus includes a main conveying passage 101 that conveys a conveyed object 125 in one direction, an auxiliary conveying passage 102 for conveying a conveyed object 125 in a direction crossing the main conveying passage 101, and a lifting and lowering unit 115 that generates a height difference between both conveying passages 101 and 102 by lifting or lowering at least one of the conveying passages 101 and 102. A transfer apparatus controller 50 is provided with a main conveying power transmission terminal 55, an auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal 56, a lifting and lowering power transmission terminal 57, a power feed terminal 76 to which power is fed, a signal input unit 70, and one or more drive power generation circuits 52. A discharge direction of the conveyed object 125 can be designated based on a signal input to the signal input unit 70, and when the discharge direction instruction signal is input, the conveying passage 101 or 102 located on top is driven.

Claims27

Dependent claims

In combination:

a) conveying apparatus comprising:
a first conveyer that defines a main conveying line;
a second conveyer that defines a branching line;
a branch section or convergence section;
a host control device;
a first other control device that controls the first conveyer;
and
a second other control device that controls the second conveyer;
b) a transfer apparatus that is mounted on the branch section or the convergence section, the transfer apparatus comprising:
a main conveying passage that conveys a conveyed object in one direction;
an auxiliary conveying passage that is located in a same planar region as the main conveying passage and conveys a conveyed object in a direction crossing the main conveying passage;
a lifting and lowering unit that lifts or lowers at least one of the conveying passages so as to set a conveying surface of the at least one of the conveying passages to be located above a conveying surface of the other of the conveying passages;
a main conveying motor that drives the main conveying passage;
an auxiliary conveying motor that drives the auxiliary conveying passage;
and
a lifting and lowering power source that drives the lifting and lowering unit;
and
c) a transfer apparatus controller comprising:
a main conveying power transmission terminal;
an auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal;
a lifting and lowering power transmission terminal;
a power feed terminal to which power is fed;
a signal input unit;
and one or more drive power generation circuits,
wherein the signal input unit is configured to input at least a conveyed object feed request signal, a discharge allowance signal, and a discharge direction instruction signal that includes at least a signal indicating curved conveyance for changing a conveying direction, from at least one of the host control device, the adjacent first other control device, and the adjacent second other control device,
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a feeding action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to either one of the main conveying power transmission terminal and the auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal, at least under the condition that the conveyed object feed request signal is input,
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a conveying passage switching action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to the lifting and lowering power transmission terminal, under the condition that the discharge direction instruction signal indicates the curved conveyance, and
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a discharging action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to one of the conveying power transmission terminals connected to one of the conveying motors, the one of the conveying motors driving a conveying surface of one of the conveying passages that is located upper, under the condition that the discharge allowance signal is input.

25 more elements

A transfer apparatus controller that operates only one transfer apparatus, the transfer apparatus comprising:

a main conveying passage that conveys a conveyed object in one direction;
an auxiliary conveying passage that is located in a same planar region as the main conveying passage and conveys a conveyed object in a direction crossing the main conveying passage;
a lifting and lowering unit that lifts or lowers at least one of the conveying passages so as to set a conveying surface of the at least one of the conveying passages to be located above a conveying surface of the other of the conveying passages;
a main conveying motor that drives the main conveying passage;
an auxiliary conveying motor that drives the auxiliary conveying passage;
and
a lifting and lowering power source that drives the lifting and lowering unit,
the transfer apparatus controller comprising therein:
a main conveying power transmission terminal;
an auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal;
a lifting and lowering power transmission terminal;
a power feed terminal to which power is fed;
a signal input unit;
three or more drive power generation circuits;
and a control device that includes a microcomputer,
wherein each of the drive power generation circuits is connected to the main conveying power transmission terminal, the auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal, and the lifting and lowering power transmission terminal,
wherein the signal input unit is configured to input at least a conveyed object feed request signal, a discharge allowance signal, and a discharge direction instruction signal that includes at least a signal indicating curved conveyance for changing a conveying direction, from a host control device or a control device of an adjacent conveyer,
wherein the control device activates any of the drive power generation circuits according to a signal input from the signal input unit,
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a feeding action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to either one of the main conveying power transmission terminal and the auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal, at least under the condition that the conveyed object feed request signal is input,
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a conveying passage switching action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to the lifting and lowering power transmission terminal, under the condition that the discharge direction instruction signal indicates the curved conveyance, and
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a discharging action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to one of the conveying power transmission terminals connected to one of the conveying motors, the one of the conveying motors driving a conveying surface of one of the conveying passages that is located upper, under the condition that the discharge allowance signal is input.

18 more elements

A transfer apparatus controller that operates only one transfer apparatus, the transfer apparatus comprising:

a main conveying passage that conveys a conveyed object in one direction;
an auxiliary conveying passage that is located in a same planar region as the main conveying passage and conveys a conveyed object in a direction crossing the main conveying passage;
a lifting and lowering unit that lifts or lowers at least one of the conveying passages so as to set a conveying surface of the at least one of the conveying passages to be located above a conveying surface of the other of the conveying passages;
a main conveying motor that drives the main conveying passage;
an auxiliary conveying motor that drives the auxiliary conveying passage;
and
a lifting and lowering power source that drives the lifting and lowering unit,
the transfer apparatus controller comprising therein:
a main conveying power transmission terminal;
an auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal;
a lifting and lowering power transmission terminal;
a power feed terminal to which power is fed;
a signal input unit;
one or more drive power generation circuits;
an output switching circuit;
and a control device that includes a microcomputer,
wherein the output switching circuit is connected to the drive power generation circuit and two or more power transmission terminals,
wherein the signal input unit is configured to input at least a conveyed object feed request signal, a discharge allowance signal, and a discharge direction instruction signal that includes at least a signal indicating curved conveyance for changing a conveying direction, from a host control device or a control device of an adjacent conveyer,
wherein the control device activates the output switching circuit according to a signal input from the signal input unit to supply power to any of the two or more power transmission terminals,
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a feeding action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to either one of the main conveying power transmission terminal and the auxiliary conveying power transmission terminal, at least under the condition that the conveyed object feed request signal is input,
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a conveying passage switching action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to the lifting and lowering power transmission terminal, under the condition that the discharge direction instruction signal indicates the curved conveyance, and
wherein the transfer apparatus controller performs a discharging action to supply power from the drive power generation circuit to one of the conveying power transmission terminals connected to one of the conveying motors, the one of the conveying motors driving a conveying surface of one of the conveying passages that is located upper, under the condition that the discharge allowance signal is input.

19 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/023,809Filed 25 Sep 2014
Priority: JP 2013-20498430 Sep 2013
Published: US 2016/0236873 A118 Aug 2016
Granted: 16 Jan 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

B65G 43/10
Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting: sequence control of conveyors operating in combination
B65G 47/54
Between conveyors which cross one another: at least one of which is a roller-way
B65G 2811/0673
Devices controlling the relative position of articles: control of conveying operations
B65G
Transport or storage devices