JP2018122988A - Sorting conveyer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To secure a high capability of sorting articles even not using a control device having a high processing capability at a ground side.SOLUTION: A sorting conveyer is provided in which a plurality of conveying carts having conveyers for cross sorters are connected and the plurality of conveying carts are run along a conveyance route. The plurality of conveying carts are grouped for each of the prescribed number of the sorting conveyers, the groups comprises the conveying carts respectively, and one of the conveying carts is provided with a cart-side management device that manages state of operation of the conveying cart included in the same group. The cart-side management device manages, via power line and control line provided along a connection part between the conveying carts, operation of respective driving motors of the conveyers for cross sorters provided in respective conveying carts included in the same group, in such a way that forward and reverse rotation is set to be non-rotation, and calculates and memorizes the sorting destinations for each conveyer for the cross sorter and reads the memorized sorting destinations.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

  The present invention relates to a sorting conveyor for traveling a plurality of connected transport carts along a loop-shaped transport route.

  Generally, a sorting system is provided in which transported articles (conveyed items) are loaded on a traveling cart or a transport unit, and the traveling cart or transport unit is transported to a target sorting position along a loop-shaped transport route. . In such a sorting system, a traveling cart provided with a tray on which articles are placed is controlled by a control device provided on the ground side to load articles and dispense articles (see Patent Document 1), sorter There is a type in which a transport unit having a conveyor is controlled by a control device provided on the ground side to load and discharge articles (see Patent Document 2).

  For example, Patent Document 1 provides an address sensor, a speed sensor, and a ground station that sends power supply and control information at each sorting chute position on the payout side, and a control device arranged on the ground side takes in information on the address sensor and the speed sensor. In addition to ascertaining the position of the traveling carriage, the information indicating the sorting timing of the articles and the information indicating the position of the chute for dispensing the articles are also summarized as information indicating how many seconds after the transmission the tilting operation starts. It is disclosed that the control information is transmitted from each ground station to the onboard station of the corresponding traveling carriage. Therefore, in Patent Document 1, each traveling carriage that travels can tilt the tray after a predetermined time from the reception of the control information, and reliably deliver the article to the target sorting chute.

  Further, in Patent Document 2, after an introduction control device or a control process installed on the ground side determines a discharge chute that is a destination of an article to be transported, the article is loaded on a transport unit, and the transport unit is at the destination. It discloses disclosing a loaded article when it reaches a certain discharge chute.

JP 2010-265077 A Japanese Patent No. 4141846

  In the sorting system disclosed in Patent Document 1, the position of each traveling carriage and the position of an article to be dispensed are managed by a control device on the ground side, and the output of the address sensor and speed sensor on the ground side is used to determine the traveling carriage. It is necessary to grasp the position for each passage and transmit control information to each traveling vehicle. Therefore, as the number of chutes to be paid out increases, the number of address sensors and speed sensors described above increases, which increases costs and requires a high processing capacity for the control device. The control information is transmitted from the ground station to the onboard station to each traveling vehicle, but the control information merely gives an ON / OFF signal for a delayed operation together with the power supply when the traveling vehicle passing through is a payout target. The control unit on the ground side performs arithmetic processing, and the control unit on the machine has a content that only supplies power by delaying a predetermined time by a delay timer as an operation signal from the charged and charged capacitor to the rotary solenoid that is the operating device. . Further, Patent Document 2 grasps the position of an article loaded on a transport unit by a scanner provided in a conveyance path. Therefore, also in this case, as the number of discharge chutes increases, a high processing capacity is required for the control device that controls the transport unit.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a sorting conveyor that can ensure a high sorting ability of articles without using a control device having a high processing capacity on the ground side.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the sorting conveyor according to the present invention is a sorting conveyor in which a plurality of transport carts having a cross sorter conveyor are connected, and the plurality of connected transport carts travel along the transport route. A cart-side management device is provided for managing the operation status of the transport carts included in the same group in one of the transport carts included in each group in which a plurality of the transport carts traveling in a predetermined number are grouped. The trolley side management device is configured to install a drive motor operation of each of the cross sorter conveyors provided in each of the transport carts included in the same group along a connecting portion between the transport carts and a control line. And control as forward / reverse rotation / non-rotation, and the sorting destination is calculated, stored and read for each cross sorter conveyor. Characterized by managing each of the drive motor operation.

  Further, a ground side management device provided so as to be communicable with the cart side management device is provided upstream of the input conveyor of the transport route, and the cart side management device is provided for each of the transport carts in the same group. Information indicating the stock status and operation availability of the cross sorter conveyor is transmitted to the ground side management device, and the ground side management device receives the stock status and operation of the cross sorter conveyor of the transport cart from the cart side management device. In response to the reception of the information indicating the availability status, information indicating the accepting operation of the cross sorter conveyor and position information indicating the sorting destination of the objects to be fed to the cross sorter conveyor are managed on the cart side. It transmits to an apparatus.

  In addition, the plurality of transport carts is set to have a short total length of the plurality of transport carts connected to the entire length of the loop-shaped transport route, and the first of the plurality of transport carts connected. A monitoring unit that monitors the transport route as an image is provided in the transport cart, and the monitoring unit transmits information indicating a monitoring result as an image to the ground side management device.

  In addition, the cart side management device includes an acceleration detection unit that detects an acceleration during travel of the transport cart, a tension detection unit that detects a tension applied to a beam-shaped link or a connection unit that is a frame of the transport cart, or the transport Connected to at least one detection unit of a distance detection unit that detects the distance from the trolley side to the traveling rail, and the trolley side management device calculates and converts the detection result from the at least one detection unit. The transmitted information is transmitted to the ground side management apparatus.

  In addition, the number of operations of the drive motor that drives each of the cross sorter conveyors is measured by the cart side management device, and the measured value is calculated and stored for each cross sorter conveyor. It transmits to a ground side management apparatus, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  The transport route is provided with a driving device that transmits a driving force to each transport cart when the plurality of transport carts travel to travel the plurality of transport carts, and the ground-side management device includes: The driving time or the power consumed when driving the driving device is monitored.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to ensure a high sorting ability of articles without using a control device having a high processing capacity on the ground side.

It is a top view of the sorting conveyor of the present invention. It is a top view which shows one Embodiment of a structure of a conveyance trolley. It is a side view of the conveyance trolley shown in FIG. It is a figure when the conveyance trolley shown in FIG. 2 is visually recognized from the front. It is a top view of the attitude | position stabilizer provided in front of the front conveyance trolley. It is a side view of the attitude | position stabilizer shown in FIG. It is a figure when the attitude | position stabilizer shown in FIG. 5 is visually recognized from the front. It is sectional drawing which shows the connection part of the beam-shaped link of the head conveyance trolley, and the auxiliary link of an attitude | position stabilizer. It is a top view which shows an example of the positional relationship of the input conveyor installed in a conveyance route, and a 1st ground side communication unit and a 2nd ground side communication unit. It is a functional block diagram which shows an example of the sorting system which consists of the trolley | bogie side PLC and ground side PLC which were provided in the conveyance trolley | bogie. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of control of the trolley | bogie side PLC when throwing goods into one belt conveyor unit. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of control of ground side PLC when throwing goods into one belt conveyor unit. (A) is a schematic diagram showing an example of communication between the first cart side communication unit and the first ground side communication unit, and (b) is an example of communication between the first cart side communication unit and the second ground side communication unit. It is a schematic diagram shown. (A) is a schematic diagram which shows an example of communication with a 2nd trolley side communication unit and a 1st ground side communication unit, (b) is an example of communication with a 2nd trolley side communication unit and a 2nd ground side communication unit. It is a schematic diagram shown. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of control of the trolley | bogie side PLC when throwing articles | goods over each of two belt conveyor units. It is a flowchart which shows the flow of control of ground side PLC when throwing articles | goods straddling each of two belt conveyor units. (A) is a schematic diagram showing an example of communication between the first cart side communication unit and the second ground side communication unit, and a communication between the second cart side communication unit and the first ground side communication unit, and (b) is a second diagram. It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of communication with a trolley | bogie side communication unit and a 2nd ground side communication unit. It is a top view of the sorting conveyor which connected the some conveyance trolley in endless form.

  Hereinafter, this embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a top view showing an example of the sorting conveyor 10. The sorting conveyor 10 according to the present embodiment loops a plurality of transport carts 15 in which the total length of the beam-shaped links 21 that are the frames of the transport cart is connected by all the transport carts, which is shorter than the total length of the loop-shaped transport route. It is made to travel along the transport route. A pair of travel rails are installed on the loop-shaped transport route, and when the sorting conveyor 10 is driven, each connected transport cart 15 travels while its travel direction is restricted by the pair of travel rails.

  The sorting conveyor 10 is driven by driving devices 18 and 19 installed at a predetermined position on the transport route and between a pair of traveling rails. Examples of the driving devices 18 and 19 include a friction drive type driving device. Although not described in detail, the friction drive type driving device has a pair of friction belts pressed against both side surfaces of the beam-shaped link 21 of the transport carriage 15, and the beam-shaped link 21 of the transport carriage 15 is connected to the forward side of the pair of friction belts. A plurality of friction rollers that are pressed in the direction in which they are pressed against each other, and a pair of speed reducers provided to drive the friction belt drive pulley by tensioning each of the pair of friction belts with a friction belt drive pulley and a friction belt driven pulley A drive device having a motor with a machine.

  The sorting conveyor 10 causes each transport carriage 15 to travel clockwise in FIG. 1 (A direction in FIG. 1) when driven. In the process in which each transport cart 15 moves in the direction A in FIG. 1, the transported material transported by the input conveyor (omitted in FIG. 1) installed at the input position of the transport route is delivered to each transport cart 15 and transported. A transported article is placed on a cross sorter conveyor unit of the carriage 15. Even after the conveyed product is placed on the cross sorter conveyor unit of the conveyance carriage 15, the conveyance carriage 15 moves in the direction A in FIG. Then, when the transport cart 15 moves to the sorting position, the cross sorter conveyor unit is driven to deliver the transported material from the transport cart 15 to the delivery conveyor (not shown in FIG. 1).

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the transport carriage 15 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. Hereinafter, of the pair of traveling rails provided on the transport route, the traveling rail disposed on the left side in FIG. 2 is denoted by reference numeral 16, and the traveling rail disposed on the right side in FIG. 2 is denoted by reference numeral 17.

  The transport carriage 15 includes a beam-shaped link 21 having a traveling direction of the transport carriage 15 as a longitudinal direction, and three support cross members 22 juxtaposed at a predetermined interval perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the beam-shaped link 21. 23 and 24 as chassis portions forming a skeleton.

  The beam-shaped link 21 is a member made of a hollow metal material having a substantially square cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The beam-shaped link 21 is a member that receives, on the side surface, the forward side portions of the pair of friction belts included in the above-described friction drive type driving device.

  The three support cross members 22, 23, and 24 are members made of a hollow metal material whose cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction has a substantially rectangular shape with the vertical direction as the long side. Of the three support cross members 22, 23, 24, the support cross member 22 holds the side frame 30, the support cross member 23 holds the central frame 31, and the support cross member 24 holds the side frame 32 on the upper surface. To do. Support members 34 and 35 are arranged between the side frame 30 and the center frame 31 with a predetermined interval. In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, a supporting member is similarly arrange | positioned at predetermined intervals between the center frame 31 and the side part frame 32. FIG.

  The conveyance carriage 15 has two belt conveyor units juxtaposed in the extending direction of the beam-shaped link 21 (the traveling direction of the conveyance carriage 15) as a cross sorter conveyor unit. Hereinafter, the belt conveyor unit provided on the front end side in the traveling direction of the transport carriage 15 is referred to as a first belt conveyor unit 36, and the belt conveyor unit provided on the rear end side in the traveling direction of the transport carriage is referred to as a second belt conveyor unit 37. Called. In the present embodiment, a case where two belt conveyor units are provided as the cross sorter conveyor unit will be described, but one belt conveyor unit may be used.

  The 1st belt conveyor unit 36 is arrange | positioned by making the side frame 30 and the center frame 31 into its own frame in the space | gap part formed between the side frame 30 and the center frame 31. As shown in FIG. In addition, the second belt conveyor unit 37 is arranged with the central frame 31 and the side frame 32 as its own frame in a gap formed between the central frame 31 and the side frame 32. Hereinafter, since the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 have the same configuration, only the first belt conveyor unit 36 will be described, and the configuration of the second belt conveyor unit 37 will be omitted. .

  The first belt conveyor unit 36 includes a drive pulley 41, a driven pulley 42, a plurality of rollers 43, an endless belt 44, a transmission mechanism 45, and a servo motor 46 in addition to a frame. Here, the driving pulley 41, the driven pulley 42, and the plurality of rollers 43 are each arranged so that the pulleys and the vertices of the rollers are located on the same horizontal plane. In the present embodiment, a case will be described in which a plurality of rollers 43 are provided between the drive pulley 41 and the driven pulley 42 as members that support the upper portion of the endless belt 44 (portion on which the conveyed product is placed) from below. Instead of providing a plurality of rollers 43, a support plate can be provided between the drive pulley 41 and the driven pulley 42.

  The drive pulley 41 is disposed at the right end in the y direction in FIG. 2 in the gap between the side frame 30 and the center frame 31. One end portion 41 a of the rotation shaft of the drive pulley 41 protrudes from the side frame 30. A toothed pulley 48 that constitutes the transmission mechanism 45 is fixed to one end portion 41 a of the rotating shaft that protrudes from the side frame 30. The drive pulley 41 has V grooves 41b and 41c at both ends of a roller portion around which the endless belt 44 is wound.

  The driven pulley 42 is disposed at the left end in the y direction in FIG. 2 in the gap between the side frame 30 and the center frame 31. Like the drive pulley 41, the driven pulley 42 has V grooves 42a and 42b at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the roller portion around which the endless belt is wound.

  The plurality of rollers 43 are disposed between the drive pulley 41 and the driven pulley 42. Further, the plurality of rollers 43 have V grooves 43a and 43b at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the roller portion where the inner surface of the endless belt 44 is slidably contacted.

  The endless belt 44 is provided with protrusions (not shown) at both ends in the belt width direction and over the entire circumference of the inner surface of the belt. When the endless belt 44 is wound around the drive pulley 41 and the driven pulley 42, these protrusions enter V grooves provided in the respective rollers. Thereby, the meandering of the endless belt 44 when the endless belt 44 travels is prevented.

  The transmission mechanism 45 includes two toothed pulleys 48 and 49 and a drive timing belt 50. Of the two toothed pulleys 48, 49, the toothed pulley 48 is fixed to one end 41 a of the rotating shaft of the drive pulley 41 protruding from the side frame 30, and the toothed pulley 49 is a rotating shaft 46 a of the servo motor 46. Fixed to. The drive timing belt 50 is wound around two toothed pulleys 48 and 49. Therefore, the toothed pulley 49 fixed to the rotating shaft 46a of the servo motor 46 is the main driving pulley, and the toothed pulley 48 fixed to the one end 41a of the rotating shaft of the driving pulley 41 protruding from the side frame 30 is the driven pulley. Become.

  The servo motor 46 is fixed to the side frame 30 via the bracket 51. The servo motor 46 is electrically connected, for example, between the central frame 31 and the side frame 32 and supplied with power from a servo amplifier 52 held on the upper surface of the beam-shaped link 21 so that a control signal can be transmitted and received. .

  The transport carriage 15 described above has guide wheel units 55 and 56 at both ends of the side frame 32 in the width direction of the transport carriage 15.

  Of the pair of traveling rails provided on the transport route, the guide wheel unit 55 includes a traveling wheel 61 that rotates while sliding in the apex of the traveling rail 16 in the straight traveling portion or the vicinity of the apex in the curved portion, and a bottom in the straight traveling portion of the traveling rail 16. A guide wheel 62 that rotates while being slidably contacted in the vicinity of the bottom point at the point or curve portion, and a guide wheel 63 that rotates while being slidably contacted from the side of the traveling rail 16 are provided. The traveling wheel 61 is fixed to the rotating shaft 65 a of the generator 65 fixed to the bracket 64. The traveling wheel 61 supports the weight of the transport carriage 15 and transmits most of the weight of the carriage to the traveling rail 16 while being in sliding contact with or near the top of the traveling rail 16. In addition, the guide wheel 62 is spaced a little wider than the outer diameter of the traveling rail 16 from the traveling wheel 61, and the rotating shaft is the rotating shaft of the traveling wheel 61 (more specifically, the rotation of the generator 65 It is pivotally supported on the bracket 64 so as to be parallel to the shaft 65a). The guide wheel 63 is pivotally supported by the bracket 64 so that the rotation axis thereof is orthogonal to the rotation axes of the traveling wheel 61 and the guide wheel 62. The bracket 64 described above is pivotally supported by a bracket 66 provided on the support cross member 24. Reference numeral 67 in FIG. 2 is a rotation shaft of the guide wheel unit 55.

  The generator 65 generates electricity in response to the traveling wheel 61 rotating while sliding in contact with or near the top of the traveling rail 16. Electric power obtained by the power generation by the generator 65 is supplied to the servomotors 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 via the servo amplifier 52.

  In the guide wheel unit 55 of the present embodiment, the guide wheel that rotates while being slidably contacted from the side of the traveling rail 16 is used as one guide wheel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and two guide wheels are used. It is also possible.

  In the guide wheel unit 55 of the present embodiment, the traveling wheel 61 is fixed to the rotating shaft 65 a of the generator 65, and electric power is generated in the generator 65 by the rotation of the traveling wheel 61. However, instead of the generator 65, a non-contact power supply mechanism may be used. Although not shown in the drawings, the non-contact power supply mechanism includes, for example, a loop coil provided obliquely above and outward of the traveling rail 16 and a pickup coil provided in the guide wheel unit of the transport carriage, through which the loop coil is inserted. And a coil portion formed. In this non-contact power supply mechanism, the loop coil functions as a primary coil, and the pickup coil included in the coil section functions as a secondary coil. Therefore, when a high frequency current is passed through the loop coil, an electromagnetic induction action occurs between the loop coil and the pickup coil included in the coil portion, and the high frequency current flowing through the loop coil is applied to the pickup coil included in the coil portion. Communicated. The high-frequency current transmitted to the pickup coil included in the coil unit is supplied to the servo amplifier 52 via an A / D converter, a converter, or the like.

  Of the pair of travel rails provided on the conveyance route, the guide wheel unit 56 is a travel wheel 71 that rotates while sliding in the vicinity of the apex at the straight portion of the travel rail 17 or the vicinity of the apex at the curve portion, and the straight travel portion of the travel rail 17. A guide wheel 72 that rotates while being slidably contacted in the vicinity of the bottom point and a guide wheel 73 that is rotated while being slidably contacted from the side of the traveling rail 17 are provided at the bottom point or the curve portion. The traveling wheel 71 is pivotally supported by the bracket 75. The traveling wheel 71 supports the weight of the transport carriage 15 and transmits most of the carriage weight to the traveling rail 17 while being in sliding contact with or near the top of the traveling rail 17. The guide wheel 72 is spaced from the traveling wheel 71 by a distance slightly wider than the outer diameter of the traveling rail 17, and the rotating shaft is parallel to the rotating shaft of the traveling wheel 71. Is pivotally supported. The guide wheel 73 is pivotally supported by the bracket 74 so that the rotation axis thereof is orthogonal to the rotation axis of the traveling wheel 71 and the rotation axis of the guide wheel 72. The bracket 74 described above is pivotally supported by a bracket 75 provided on the support cross member 24. Reference numeral 76 in FIG. 2 is a rotation shaft of the guide wheel unit 56.

  In the guide wheel unit 56 of the present embodiment, the guide wheel that rotates while being slidably contacted from the side of the traveling rail 17 is one guide wheel. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and two guide wheels are used. It is also possible.

  The guide wheel unit 55 is slidably contacted at the apex at the straight part of the traveling rail 16 or near the apex at the curved part, and the guide wheel 62 is at the bottom or the curved part at the straight part of the traveling rail 16. By sliding contact in the vicinity of the bottom point, the position of the transport carriage 15 in the vertical direction with respect to the traveling rail 16 is regulated. In addition, the guide wheel 63 is brought into sliding contact with the side of the travel rail 16 to restrict the transport carriage 15 from moving toward the travel rail 17.

  The guide wheel unit 56 is in sliding contact with the traveling wheel 71 at the apex at the straight portion of the traveling rail 17 or near the apex at the curved portion, and the guide wheel 72 is at the bottom or curved portion at the straight portion of the traveling rail 17. By being in sliding contact in the vicinity of the bottom point, the position of the transport carriage 15 with respect to the traveling rail 17 in the vertical direction is regulated. Further, the guide wheel 73 is brought into sliding contact with the side of the traveling rail 17 to restrict the transport carriage 15 from moving toward the traveling rail 16.

  Therefore, in the process in which the transport cart 15 travels, the transport cart 15 is regulated by the guide wheel units 55 and 56 such that the travel direction of the transport cart 15 is extended in the extending direction of the pair of travel rails installed along the transport route. Further, when the transport cart 15 travels, the transport cart 15 is prevented from falling off the pair of travel rails.

  In the multiple transport carts 15 constituting the sorting conveyor 10 of the present embodiment, two adjacent transport carts 15 are connected via a connecting mechanism 80. Although not described in detail, the coupling mechanism 80 has a mechanism that rotates in three axial directions, ie, the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis directions. Therefore, when two adjacent transport carts 15 are connected using the connection mechanism 80, one of the two transport carts 15 has one transport cart 15 with respect to the other transport cart 15 in the x-axis, y-axis, and It becomes possible to rotate around at least one of the z-axis. Further, when two adjacent transport carts 15 are connected using the connecting mechanism 80, the rotation center E around the z axis is the guide wheel of the leading transport cart 15 of the two transport carts 15. It is located on a straight line G connecting the center 67a of the rotation shaft 67 of the unit 55 and the center 76a of the rotation shaft 76 of the guide wheel unit 56. Thereby, when the guide wheel units 55 and 56 of the leading transport carriage 15 of the two transport carriages 15 move from the straight line of the transport route to the curve, or when the guide wheel units 55 and 56 move from the curve of the transport route to the straight line. It is possible to prevent the connection portion between the two transport carriages 15 from dropping. Further, at that time, the connecting mechanism 80 at the tip and the guide wheel units 55 and 56 at the both ends are supported at three points, and the triangular surface is not twisted. Does not cause noise.

  A first carriage side communication unit 82 is provided on the side frame 30 of the transport carriage 15 described above via a bracket 81. Further, a second cart side communication unit 84 is provided on the central frame 31 of the transport cart 15 via a bracket 83. The first cart side communication unit 82 is provided corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit 36, and the second cart side communication unit 84 is provided corresponding to the second belt conveyor unit 37. The first cart side communication unit 82 and the second cart side communication unit 84 may be attached from the beam-shaped link 21 via the bracket 81 or the bracket 83 instead of the side frame 30 and the center frame 31.

  The first cart side communication unit 82 and the second cart side communication unit 84 face each other between the first ground side communication unit 145 and the second ground side communication unit 146 provided on the side of the transport route. Send and receive information.

  Of the plurality of transport carts 15 that connect the beam-shaped links forming the frame of each transport cart, but the beam-shaped links at both ends form ends and are shorter than the entire length of the loop-shaped transport route, the first transport cart 15 Is provided with a posture stabilization device 85 that stabilizes the posture of the leading transport carriage 15 during travel.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the posture stabilizing device 85 includes a main body link 86, a holding cross member 87, and guide wheel units 88 and 89. The main body link 86 is a member made of a hollow metal material having a substantially square cross section perpendicular to the extending direction. The main body link 86 has a shape that tapers from the vicinity of the center in the extending direction toward one end on the distal end side. By forming the main body link 86 to be tapered toward the one end on the front end side, the transport carriage 15 is interposed between the pair of friction belts of the friction drive type driving devices 18 and 19 via the main body link 86. It is possible to reliably guide the beam-shaped link 21 that is provided.

  The body link 86 is provided with a shielding plate 90 at the other end of both ends in the extending direction. A screw hole 90 a is formed in the center of the shielding plate 90. On the other hand, a shielding plate 92 for connecting the coupling mechanism 80 described above is formed at the tip of the beam-shaped link 21. An insertion hole 92 a is formed in the shielding plate 92, and a slide bearing 93 is press-fitted from the side facing the main body link 86. Reference numeral 94 denotes a collar inserted through the slide bearing 93.

  The top surface of the tip of the beam-like link 21 connected to the main body link 86 described above is opened. Bolts 97 inserted into the spring washer 95 and the washer 96 from this opening are inserted into the collar 94. The bolt 97 inserted through the collar 94 is screwed into a screw hole 90 a provided in the shielding plate 90 of the main body link 86. Therefore, the beam-shaped link 21 and the main body link 86 can be rotated relatively with the extending direction of the beam-shaped link 21 as a rotation axis (the main body link 86 is twisted with respect to the beam-shaped link 21). .

  The holding cross member 87 is a member made of a hollow metal material whose cross section perpendicular to the extending direction has a substantially rectangular shape having a long side in the vertical direction. The holding cross member 87 is fixed to the upper part of the main body link 86 so that the extending direction is orthogonal to the extending direction of the main body link 86.

  The guide wheel unit 88 is in sliding contact with the traveling wheel 100 that rotates while sliding on the upper surface of the traveling rail 16 provided on the conveyance route, the guide wheel 101 that rotates while sliding on the lower surface of the traveling rail 17, and the side surface of the traveling rail 17. A guide wheel 102 that rotates while rotating. The traveling wheel 100 is pivotally supported by the bracket 103. Further, the guide wheel 101 is spaced from the traveling wheel 100 at a distance slightly larger than the outer diameter of the traveling rail 17 and the rotation axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the traveling wheel 100. It is pivotally supported. The guide wheel 102 is pivotally supported on the bracket 103 such that each of the rotation axes is orthogonal to the rotation axes of the traveling wheel 100 and the guide wheel 101. The bracket 103 described above is pivotally supported by a bracket 104 provided on the holding cross member 87. Note that reference numeral 105 in FIG. 5 is a rotation shaft of the bracket 103.

  Similarly, the guide wheel unit 89 includes a traveling wheel 110 that rotates while sliding on the upper surface of the traveling rail 17 provided on the conveyance route, a guide wheel 111 that rotates while sliding on the lower surface of the traveling rail 17, and the traveling rail 17. A guide wheel 112 that rotates while sliding on the side surface is provided. The traveling wheel 110 is pivotally supported by the bracket 113. Further, the guide wheel 111 is spaced from the traveling wheel 110 by a distance that is slightly wider than the outer diameter of the traveling rail 17, and the rotation axis is parallel to the rotation axis of the traveling wheel 110. It is pivotally supported. The guide wheel 112 is pivotally supported by the bracket 113 such that each of the rotation axes is orthogonal to the rotation axes of the traveling wheel 110 and the guide wheel 111. The bracket 113 described above is pivotally supported by a bracket 114 provided on the holding cross member 87. In addition, the code | symbol 115 in FIG.

  The derailment prevention stopper 121 includes a holding bracket 122 provided at one end in the extending direction of the holding cross member 87 and an L-shaped bracket 123 fixed to the lower end of the holding bracket 122. The stopper 121 for preventing the wheel from coming off is positioned so that the bottom surface of the L-shaped bracket 123 is slightly higher than the top of the traveling rail 16, that is, the guide wheel unit 88 is not in contact with the traveling rail at the normal position. It is provided floating. The stopper 121 for preventing the wheel from coming off prevents the running wheel 100 of the guide wheel unit 88 from coming off the running rail 16 even if the contact surface is peeled off or deviated from the rotating shaft. In addition, although the stopper 121 for preventing wheel removal is constituted by two members of the holding bracket 122 and the L-shaped bracket 123, it can also be constituted by one member.

  The derailment prevention stopper 125 includes a holding bracket 126 provided at the other end in the extending direction of the holding cross member 87 and an L-shaped bracket 127 fixed to the lower end of the holding bracket 126. The anti-derailing stopper 125 is such that the height of the bottom surface of the L-shaped bracket 127 is slightly higher than the top of the traveling rail 17, that is, the guide wheel unit 89 is not in contact with the traveling rail at the normal position. It is provided floating. The derailing prevention stopper 125 prevents the traveling wheel 110 of the guide wheel unit 89 from derailing from the traveling rail 17 even if, for example, the contact surface peels or comes off the rotating shaft. In addition, although the stopper 125 for preventing wheel removal is constituted by two members, that is, the holding bracket 122 and the L-shaped bracket 123, it can also be constituted by one member.

  As shown in FIG. 9, input conveyors 140 and 141 for supplying articles to the respective belt conveyor units of the transport carriage 15 are provided on the left and right of the transport route. Among these input conveyors 140 and 141, a first position for transmitting / receiving information to / from the first cart side communication unit 82 and the second cart side communication unit 84 at a predetermined position 140 upstream of the input conveyor. A ground side communication unit 145 and a second ground side communication unit 146 are provided. For example, the interval between the first ground side communication unit 145 and the second ground side communication unit 146 is the same as the interval between the first cart side communication unit 82 and the second cart side communication unit 84. Therefore, transmission / reception of information between the first ground side communication unit 145 and the second cart side communication unit 84 and transmission / reception of information between the second ground side communication unit 146 and the first cart side communication unit 82 are performed. It is possible to execute simultaneously.

  The sorting conveyor 10 of this embodiment includes a plurality of transport carts 15 traveling on a transport route as one group for each predetermined number, and a first belt conveyor provided in each of the predetermined number of transport carts 15 included in the same group. The unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 are each driven and controlled by a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) provided in one of the predetermined number of transport carts 15 included in the same group. Hereinafter, the conveyance carriage provided with the PLC will be referred to as a management conveyance carriage, and will be described with reference numeral 15A. Further, the PLC provided in the management carriage 15A is referred to as a trolley PLC, and the PLC provided on the ground is referred to as a ground PLC. Hereinafter, the sorting system of this embodiment will be described based on the functional block diagram shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the management transport carriage 15A includes a first belt conveyor unit 36, a second belt conveyor unit 37, a servo amplifier 52a for the servo motor 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36, and a second belt conveyor unit 37. Servo amplifier 52b for the servo motor 46, first cart side communication unit 82, second cart side communication unit 84, accelerometer 150, distance sensors 151, 152, strain gauge 153, monitoring camera 154, communication router 155 and cart It has a side PLC 156. Of the predetermined number of transport carts 15 in the same group, the transport cart 15 excluding the management transport cart 15A includes the first belt conveyor unit 36, the second belt conveyor unit 37, and the first belt conveyor unit 36. A servo amplifier 52a for the servo motor 46, a servo amplifier 52b for the servo motor 46 of the second belt conveyor unit 37, a first cart side communication unit 82, and a second cart side communication unit 84 are provided.

  The first cart-side communication unit 82 has two transmission units OUT1 and OUT2, and six reception units IN3, IN4, IN5, IN6, IN7, and IN8. In addition, the second cart side communication unit 84 includes two transmission units OUT1 and OUT2, and six reception units IN3, IN4, IN5, IN6, IN7, and IN8.

  The accelerometer 150 is preferably configured such that the leading transport carriage 15 is the management transport carriage 15A, and is provided on the beam-shaped link 21 of the management transport carriage 15A. The accelerometer detects accelerations in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions, respectively. The accelerometer 150 measures a representative value of the vibration of the transport carriage 15, and this representative value is suitably set as the vibration value of the leading transport carriage that is moved violently with few coupling mechanisms 80 that suppress the vibration. The detection signal from the accelerometer 150 is output to the cart side PLC 156. The threshold value of the seismic acceleration of the units and instruments mounted on the transport carriage 15 is set in the carriage side PLC 156, and the detection signal value of the accelerometer 150 is compared in the carriage side PLC 156 to determine normality / abnormality. It is possible to output by replacing with.

  The distance sensor 151 is provided in the guide wheel unit 88 of the posture stabilizing device 85 and detects the distance to the traveling rail 16. The distance sensor 151 is connected to the transport carriage 15 only on one side and measures the amount of wear of the running wheel of the lightweight posture stabilizer 85 as a representative value as a distance from the rail. This representative value is a connection that suppresses vibration. It is suitable that the distance between the posture stabilizing device 85 of the leading transport carriage 15 that is moved violently with few mechanisms 80 and the traveling rail is a representative value of wear. The distance sensor 152 is provided in the guide wheel unit 89 of the posture stabilizing device 85 and detects the distance to the traveling rail 17. The detection signals from the distance sensors 151 and 152 are output to the cart side PLC 156 as a measured value of the degree of wear of the traveling wheel. The wear limit of the traveling wheel of the transport carriage 15 is set as a threshold value in the carriage side PLC 156, and the detection signal values of the distance sensors 151 and 152 are compared and calculated by the carriage side PLC 156 to determine normality / abnormality and replaced with different signals. Can be output.

  The strain gauge 153 is provided at a connection portion between the beam-shaped link 21 of the leading transport carriage 15 and the main body link 86 of the posture stabilizing device 85. The strain gauge 153 detects strain between the beam-shaped link 21 and the main body link 86 of the leading transport carriage 15. The strain gauge 153 measures a representative value of the strain at the connecting portion of the transport carriage 15, and this representative value follows when the tension is not applied at all and is pulled into the driving devices 18 and 19 and driven. It is suitable to set the value of the connection portion between the beam-like link 21 of the leading conveyance carriage and the main body link 86 of the posture stabilization device, which is subjected to severe tension fluctuations due to the driving pulling force of the entire large number of conveyance carriages 15 being applied. . An output signal from the strain gauge 153 is output to the truck side PLC 156 as a measurement value of an abnormal degree such as a foreign object biting of the traveling wheel, a bearing failure of the traveling wheel, or a broken connection mechanism. The normal strain range due to the normal driving force of the friction drive devices 18 and 19 that drive the transport cart 15 is set as a threshold value in the cart side PLC, and the detection signal value of the strain gauge 153 is compared and calculated by the cart side PLC. Abnormality is discriminated and replaced with a different signal to enable output.

  A monitoring camera (corresponding to a monitoring unit) 154 is provided on the upper surface of the body link 86 of the posture stabilizing device 85. The monitoring camera 154 is provided for monitoring the transport route. The monitoring camera 154 is connected to the communication router 155 and transmits the acquired image signal to the ground side PLC 160. Here, the communication router 155 is a device capable of executing wireless LAN communication represented by, for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark) with the communication router 161 connected to the ground side PLC 160. is there.

  The cart side PLC 156 is a first cart provided in each of the other carts 15 in the same group in addition to the first cart side communication unit 82 and the second cart side communication unit 84 provided in the management transport cart 15A. The side communication unit 82 and the second cart side communication unit 84 are connected. The carriage side PLC 156 is connected to a servo amplifier 52a for the servo motor 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and a servo amplifier 52b for the servo motor 46 of the second belt conveyor unit 37 provided on the management carriage 15A. The Servo amplifier 52a for servo motor 46 of first belt conveyor unit 36, servo amplifier 52b for servo motor 46 of second belt conveyor unit 37, and each of other transport carriages 15 provided on management carriage 15A. The servo amplifier 52a for the servomotor 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the servo amplifier 52b for the servomotor 46 of the second belt conveyor unit 37 can transmit different power and control signals in parallel. Connected. Therefore, the transmission / reception of information between the servo motor 46 of each first belt conveyor unit 36 and the servo motor 46 of each second belt conveyor unit 37 and the carriage side PLC 156 included in each transport carriage 15 in the same group is connected to each other. The servo amplifier 52 a for the servo motor 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the servo amplifier 52 b for the servo motor 46 of the second belt conveyor unit 37 are executed.

  The trolley side PLC 156 manages the presence / absence of loading in the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 that each of the conveyance carriages 15 included in the same group has, based on the placement history and the reset history at that time, Servo motor normality / abnormality is managed by collecting information from the servo amplifiers 52a and 52b, and is driven when an article is placed on each of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 of each conveyance carriage 15. Management of forward / reverse rotation of the servo motor 46 by forward rotation input and reverse rotation input signal from the ground side, and sorting of articles placed on the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 of each transport carriage 15 Management of position information is performed by calculation from each signal and reading of the stored calculation result.

  In addition, the carriage side PLC 156 uses the management of the number of operation times of the drive servo motors in the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 respectively included in the conveyance carriage 15 included in the same group as a representative value of the number of times the belt is bent. Stored and compared with a threshold value and performed as external transmission, and the driving power when the servo motors 46 included in the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 are driven, It is managed as a representative value of normal / abnormal bearings. Information on the number of operations in the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 and information on driving power when the servo motor 46 included in the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 is driven are as follows. The analog data unit 157 is integrated.

  The cart side PLC 156 includes a storage unit 156a. The storage unit 156a has a chute at a sorting position (not shown) after optical communication between the first cart side communication unit 82 or the second cart side communication unit 84 and the first ground side communication unit 145 is performed. The chute position information indicating the elapsed time until the target belt conveyor unit arrives is stored. Therefore, the cart side PLC 156 manages the driving of each belt conveyor unit based on the chute position information and the sorting position information received by the first cart side communication unit or the second cart side communication unit.

  In addition, signals output from the accelerometer 150, the distance sensors 151 and 152, and the strain gauge 153 are input to the cart side PLC 156. The cart side PLC 156 accumulates data obtained by analyzing signals input from the respective detection units in the analog data unit 157. The analog data unit 157 transmits various accumulated data and information to the ground side PLC 160 via the communication router 155.

  The ground-side PLC 160 manages the sorting position of articles to be input to the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 of each transport carriage 15 and manages the input conveyors 140 and 141 to input articles to the transport carriage 15. I do. At that time, the ground-side PLC 160 uses the first ground-side communication unit 145 and the second ground-side communication unit 146 to provide information indicating the rotation direction of the servo motor when the articles are thrown in, and the sorting of the articles to be thrown in. Send location information.

  The ground side PLC 160 displays the image signal from the monitoring camera 154 on a display unit (not shown). The ground-side PLC 160 compares the detection signal value of the accelerometer 150 with the cart-side PLC 156 to determine normality / abnormality, receives an output signal that is replaced with a different signal, and receives the output signal of the leading transport cart 15. In addition to the wear of the traveling wheel 61 and guide wheels 62 and 63 of the guide wheel unit 55, the traveling wheel 71 and guide wheels 72 and 73 of the guide wheel unit 56, the abnormalities of the traveling rails 16 and 17 are detected as the sorting conveyor 10 as a whole. .

  The ground side PLC 160 is set to the carriage side PLC 156 with the wear limit of the traveling wheel of the transport carriage 15 as a threshold, and the detection signal values of the distance sensors 151 and 152 are compared and calculated by the carriage side PLC 156 to determine normality / abnormality. In response to the output signal output by being replaced with a different signal, the wear state of each traveling wheel 100, 110 of the guide wheel unit 88, 89 is detected as the sorting conveyor 10 as a whole.

  The ground-side PLC 160 is set in the cart-side PLC 156 with a normal strain range due to the normal driving force of the friction drive driving devices 18 and 19 that drive the transport cart 15 as a threshold, and the detection signal value of the strain gauge 153 is compared in the cart-side PLC 156. The normal / abnormality is calculated to be judged, the output signal is output after being replaced with a different signal, and the foreign object is caught between the traveling wheel and the traveling rail of the guide wheel unit 88 of the posture stabilizing device 85 or the guide. A foreign object biting between the traveling wheel of the wheel unit 89 and the traveling rail is detected. At the same time, the ground-side PLC 160 compares the detection signal value of the strain gauge 153 with the cart-side PLC 156 to determine normality / abnormality, receives the output signal that is output by being replaced with a different signal, and receives the output signal from the guide wheel unit 88. In addition to breakage of the bearings in the traveling wheel 100 and guide wheels 101 and 102, breakage of the bearings in the traveling wheel 110 and guide wheels 111 and 112 of the guide wheel unit 89, the shielding plate 92 of the beam-shaped link 21 of the leading carriage 15 Damage to the slide bearing 93 press-fitted into the insertion hole 92a is detected.

  The ground-side PLC 160 manages the driving time of the driving devices 18 and 19 and also manages the power used when the driving devices 18 and 19 are driven, and breaks the guide wheel units 55 and 56 of the transport carts 15. In addition, it is detected whether or not the weight of the article placed on the transport carriage 15 exceeds the specified weight.

  The first ground side communication unit 145 includes two receiving units IN1 and IN2, and six transmitting units OUT3, OUT4, OUT5, OUT6, OUT7, and OUT8. The second ground side communication unit 146 includes two receiving units IN1 and IN2, and six transmitting units OUT3, OUT4, OUT5, OUT6, OUT7, and OUT8. In addition, the transmission part which each communication unit has has a photodiode, and the receiving part has an optical sensor.

  As described above, the trolley side PLC 156 and the ground side PLC 160 are the first trolley side communication unit 82, the second trolley side communication unit 84, the first terrestrial side communication unit 145, and the second terrestrial side PLC provided in each transport trolley 15. Information is transmitted and received using optical communication with the side communication unit 146. Hereinafter, the rotation of the servo motor 46 that is driven when the article is loaded from the loading conveyor 140 to the transport carriage 15 is rotated forward, and the rotation of the servo motor 46 that is driven when the article is loaded from the loading conveyor 141 to the conveyance carriage 15 is reversed. Rotate.

  The transmission unit OUT1 of the first cart side communication unit 82 and the transmission unit OUT1 of the second cart side communication unit 84 are informed of the presence or absence of a load on the corresponding belt conveyor unit to the reception unit IN1 of the first ground side communication unit 145. Send.

  The transmission unit OUT2 of the first cart side communication unit 82 and the transmission unit OUT2 of the second cart side communication unit 84 are connected to the reception unit IN1 of the first ground side communication unit 145 by a servo amplifier 52 that drives the corresponding belt conveyor unit. Used to send and receive information on whether or not normal.

  The receiving unit IN3 of the first cart side communication unit 82 and the receiving unit IN3 of the second cart side communication unit 84 are transmitted from the transmitting unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit 145 or the transmitting unit OUT3 of the second ground side communication unit 146, Information indicating that an article is input from the input conveyor 140 (specifically, information indicating that the rotation of the servo motor 46 when the article is input into the corresponding belt conveyor unit is a normal rotation) is received.

  The reception unit IN4 of the first cart side communication unit 82 and the reception unit IN4 of the second cart side communication unit 84 are transmitted from the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145 or the transmission unit OUT4 of the second ground side communication unit 146. Information indicating that an article is input from the input conveyor 141 (specifically, information indicating that the rotation of the servo motor 46 when the article is input to the corresponding belt conveyor unit is reverse) is received.

  The transmission units IN5, IN6, IN7, IN8 of the first cart side communication unit 82 are transmitted from the transmission units OUT5, OUT6, OUT7, OUT8 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to the transmission units OUT3, OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145. At the same time, and only from the four points of the transmission units OUT5, OUT6, OUT7, and OUT8 of the second ground side communication unit 146, the information on the sorting position (position for delivering the article) is obtained from the first ground side communication unit 145, the second It is used for receiving in the order of the ground side communication unit 146. As a result, the position information can be changed to 4 bits + 8 bits of 8 bits, and the position information can be replaced up to 256 ways.

  The transmission units IN5, IN6, IN7, and IN8 of the second cart side communication unit 84 include only the four points of the transmission units OUT5, OUT6, OUT7, and OUT8 of the first ground side communication unit 145, and the second ground side communication unit 146. Simultaneously with the transmission units OUT3, OUT4 of the second ground side communication unit 146 from the transmission units OUT5, OUT6, OUT7, OUT8, the information on the sorting position (position where the article is dispensed) is sent to the first ground side communication unit 145, the second It is used for receiving in the order of the ground side communication unit 146.

  Next, the flow of control in the cart side PLC 156 when an article is put into the first belt conveyor unit 36 provided in the transport cart 15 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. Note that the flow of control of the trolley side PLC 156 when loading articles into the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the flow of control of the trolley side PLC 156 when loading articles into the second belt conveyor unit 37 are the same. In the flowchart shown in FIG. 11, the first cart side communication unit 82 and the second cart side communication unit 84 are referred to as a cart side communication unit without being distinguished from each other.

  Step S101 is processing for determining whether or not the servo amplifier is normal. The cart side PLC 156 communicates with the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit 36 to determine whether the servo amplifier 52 is functioning normally. When the cart side PLC 156 determines that the servo amplifier 52 is functioning normally, the result of the determination process in step S101 is Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S102. On the other hand, when the cart side PLC 156 determines that the servo amplifier 52 is not functioning normally, the result of the determination process in step S101 is No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S103.

  Step S102 is processing to turn on the transmission unit OUT2 of the cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 causes the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT2 of the cart side communication unit to emit light.

  Step S103 is processing to turn off the transmission unit OUT2 of the cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 is in a state in which the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT2 of the cart side communication unit is turned off without emitting light.

  Step S104 is processing to determine whether there is a stock. The cart side PLC 156 determines whether or not an article is placed on the belt conveyor unit (whether there is a load) based on the driving history of the belt conveyor unit. When the cart side PLC 156 determines that the article is placed on the belt conveyor unit, the determination result of step S104 is Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S105. On the other hand, if the cart side PLC 156 determines that the article is placed on the belt conveyor unit, the determination result of step S104 is No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S106.

  Step S105 is processing to turn on the transmission unit OUT1 of the cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 causes the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT1 of the cart side communication unit to emit light.

  Step S106 is processing to turn off the transmission unit OUT1 of the cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 is in a state in which the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT1 of the cart side communication unit is turned off without emitting light.

  Step S107 is processing for determining whether or not the signal is received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the cart side communication unit. When the signal is received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the cart side communication unit, the cart side PLC 156 sets the determination result in step S107 to Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S108. The cart side PLC 156 stores the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 of the corresponding belt conveyor unit based on the reception result of the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the cart side communication unit.

  On the other hand, when it is not received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the cart side communication unit, the cart side PLC 156 sets the determination result of step S107 to No. In this case, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 11 ends.

  Step S108 is a process of receiving the sorting position information from the first ground side communication unit in the cart side communication unit. The receiving units used when the position information is received by the cart side communication unit are the four receiving units IN5, IN6, IN7, and IN8. These receiving units receive, from the first ground side communication unit 145, the lower 4 bits of the 8-bit data indicating the sorting position. The received lower 4-bit data is output to the cart side PLC 156.

Step S109 is processing to receive information on the sorting position from the second ground side communication unit in the cart side communication unit. The receiving units IN5, IN6, IN7, and IN8 of the cart side communication unit receive the upper 4-bit data from the second ground side communication unit 146 out of the 8-bit data indicating the sorting position. The received upper 4-bit data is output to the cart side PLC 156. The truck side PLC 156 stores 8-bit data obtained by combining the obtained upper 4 bit data and lower 4 bit data as sorting position information. That is, since the information on the sorting position obtained from each of the first ground side communication unit 145 and the second ground side communication unit 146 is 2 ⁴ = 16 kinds of information, it is possible to obtain a total of 16 bits by using 8-bit data. X16 = 256 kinds of information can be obtained.

  Step S110 is processing for instructing driving of the servo motor. Control of the cart side PLC 1563 instructs the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit 36 to drive the servo motor 46. At this time, the cart side PLC 156 transmits the information on the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 stored in step S107 to the corresponding servo amplifier 52. As a result, the servo motor 46 is driven, and the endless belt 44 of the corresponding belt conveyor unit travels at a predetermined timing in accordance with the transfer direction of articles transferred by either the input conveyor 140 or the input conveyor 141. .

  A control flow in the ground side PLC 160 when an article is put into the belt conveyor unit provided in the transport carriage 15 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  Step S201 is processing to be received by the receiving unit IN1 and the receiving unit IN2 of the first ground side communication unit 145. As described above, the trolley PLC 156 uses the transmission unit OUT1 of the trolley side communication unit to indicate whether the servo amplifier 52 is normal, and whether there is a load using the transmission unit OUT2 of the trolley side communication unit. Information on whether or not is transmitted. Therefore, the receiving unit IN1 of the first ground side communication unit 145 indicates information indicating whether the servo amplifier 52 is normal, and the receiving unit IN2 of the first ground side communication unit 145 is information indicating whether there is a load. Are received respectively.

  Step S202 is processing to confirm the received information. The ground side PLC 160 determines whether or not the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the belt conveyor unit is normal from the information received by the receiving unit IN1 and the receiving unit IN2 of the first ground side communication unit 145, and the article to the belt conveyor unit. To see if it is in stock. Thereby, the ground side PLC 160 can confirm the operation state of the belt conveyor unit of the transport carriage 15.

  Step S203 is processing for determining whether or not to load an article. The ground-side PLC 160 determines whether or not to load the article from the information obtained from the cart side PLC 156 and the information of the article to be thrown. Note that the information on the article to be inserted is information on the size of the article.

  For example, when the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the belt conveyor unit is normal from the information obtained from the cart side PLC 156, but the article is not in stock on the belt conveyor unit, the ground side PLC 160 determines the article to be input. With reference to the information, it is determined whether or not the size of the article is a size that can be loaded on the belt conveyor unit. When the size of the article is a size that can be loaded on the belt conveyor unit, the ground PLC 160 determines that the article is to be loaded. In this case, the result of the determination process in step S203 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S204.

  On the other hand, if the size of the article exceeds the size that can be loaded on the belt conveyor unit, the ground side PLC 160 determines that the article has not been loaded. The result of the determination process in step S203 is No. In this case, the process of the flowchart of FIG. Further, from the information obtained from the cart side PLC 156, the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the belt conveyor unit is normal, but when an article is loaded on the belt conveyor unit, or the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the belt conveyor unit. Is not normal, regardless of the result of determining the information of the article to be inserted, the cart PLC 156 determines that the article has not been input. That is, also in these cases, the processing of the flowchart of FIG.

  Step S204 is processing for determining whether or not the rotation of the servo motor at the time of article supply is normal. The rotation of the servo motor 46 is determined according to the transfer direction of the article to be input. For example, when the servo motor 46 is rotated forward at the time of article supply, the ground PLC 160 sets the result of the determination process in step S204 to Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S205. On the other hand, when the servo motor 46 is reversely rotated at the time of article insertion, the ground side PLC 160 sets the result of the determination process in step S204 to No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S206.

  Step S205 is processing to turn on the transmission unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit 145. The ground side PLC 160 turns on the photodiode of the transmission unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit 145.

  Step S205 is processing to turn on the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145. The ground side PLC 160 turns on the photodiode of the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145.

  Step S207 is processing to transmit the sorting position using the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the first ground side communication unit 145. The information indicating the sorting position is 8-bit data. Therefore, the ground PLC 160 transmits the lower 4 bits of the 8-bit data indicating the sorting position using the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the first ground communication unit 145. To do.

  Step S208 is a process of transmitting the sorting position using the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the second ground side communication unit 146. The ground side PLC 160 uses the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the second ground side communication unit 146 to transmit the upper 4 bit data among the 8 bit data indicating the sorting position.

  Step S209 is processing for instructing driving of the input conveyor. The ground side PLC 160 transmits a drive signal to the input conveyor for transferring the articles. In response to this, either the input conveyor 140 or the input conveyor 141 for transferring the article is driven to transfer the article.

  FIG. 13 shows signals from the first cart side communication unit 82, the first ground side communication unit 145, and the second ground side communication unit 146 when an article is put into the first belt conveyor unit 36 of the transport cart 15. It is a schematic diagram which shows transmission.

  As shown in FIG. 13 (a), when the transport carriage 15 travels in the T direction in FIG. 13 (a) and the first carriage side communication unit 82 and the first ground side communication unit 145 face each other, the first carriage. Information is transmitted from the transmission unit OUT1 and the transmission unit OUT2 of the communication unit 82 to the reception unit IN1 and the reception unit IN2 of the first ground communication unit 145. Thereby, in the ground side PLC160, the state of the 1st belt conveyor unit 36 is grasped | ascertained. Further, the transmission unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to the reception unit IN3 of the first cart side communication unit 82, or the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to the reception unit of the first cart side communication unit 82. Information is transmitted to IN4. At the same time, information is transmitted from each of the transmission unit OUT5 to the transmission unit OUT8 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to each of the reception unit IN8 from the reception unit IN5 of the first cart side communication unit 82. As a result, the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the lower 4 bits of the sorting destination of the articles to be input are acquired.

  As shown in FIG. 13B, when the transport carriage 15 continues to travel in the T direction in FIG. 13B and the first carriage side communication unit 82 and the second ground side communication unit 146 face each other, Information is transmitted from each of the transmission units OUT5 to OUT8 of the ground side communication unit 146 to each of the reception units IN8 from the reception unit IN5 of the first cart side communication unit 82. As a result, the upper 4 bit data of the sorting destination of the input article is acquired.

  Thereafter, the cart side PLC 156 stores the obtained 8-bit data, which is a combination of the upper 4 bit data and the lower 4 bit data, as information on the sorting position of the first belt conveyor unit 36 of the transport cart 15. After this processing, as a result, only the first belt conveyor unit 36 travels in a predetermined direction, and the articles transferred from the input conveyor 140 or the input conveyor 141 are placed on the first belt conveyor unit 36.

  The article placed on the first belt conveyor unit 36 is a time corresponding to the traveling speed of the transport carriage after the first carriage side communication unit 82 communicates information with the chute position stored in the storage unit 156a of the carriage side PLC 156. Based on the information replaced with and the information on the sorting position received by the first cart side communication unit 82, the payout is made to a predetermined chute.

  FIG. 14 shows information on the second cart side communication unit 84, the first ground side communication unit 145, and the second ground side communication unit 146 when an article is put into the second belt conveyor unit 37 of the transport cart 15. It is a schematic diagram which shows transmission.

  As shown in FIG. 14A, when the transport carriage 15 travels in the T direction in FIG. 14A and the second carriage side communication unit 84 and the first ground side communication unit 145 face each other, the second carriage. Information is transmitted from the transmission unit OUT1 and the transmission unit OUT2 of the communication unit 84 to the reception unit IN1 and the reception unit IN2 of the first ground communication unit 145. Thereby, in the ground side PLC160, the state of the 2nd belt conveyor unit 37 is grasped | ascertained. Further, the transmission unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to the reception unit IN3 of the second cart side communication unit 84, or the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to the reception unit of the second cart side communication unit 84. Information is transmitted to IN4.

  As a result, the carriage-side PLC 156 causes only the second belt conveyor unit 37 to travel in a predetermined direction at a predetermined timing, so that articles transferred from the input conveyor 140 or the input conveyor 141 are placed on the second belt conveyor unit 37. Placed.

  At the same time, information is transmitted from each of the transmission unit OUT5 to the transmission unit OUT8 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to each of the reception unit IN8 from the reception unit IN5 of the second cart side communication unit 84. Thereby, the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 included in the second belt conveyor unit 37 and the lower 4 bits of the sorting destination of the articles to be thrown are acquired.

  As shown in FIG. 14B, when the transport carriage 15 continues to travel in the T direction in FIG. 14B and the second carriage side communication unit 84 and the second ground side communication unit 146 face each other, Information is transmitted from each of the transmission units OUT5 to OUT8 of the ground side communication unit 146 to each of the reception units IN8 from the reception unit IN5 of the second cart side communication unit 84. As a result, the upper 4 bit data of the sorting destination of the input article is acquired.

  Thereby, only the 2nd belt conveyor unit 37 drive | works the predetermined | prescribed direction, and the articles | goods transferred from the input conveyor 140 or the input conveyor 141 are mounted on the 2nd belt conveyor unit 37.

  The article placed on the second belt conveyor unit 37 corresponds to the traveling speed of the conveyance carriage after the information communication of the second carriage side communication unit 84 with the chute position information stored in the storage unit 156a of the carriage PLC 156. Based on the information replaced with time and the information on the sorting position received by the second cart side communication unit 84, the payout is made to a predetermined chute.

  Next, the flow of control in the cart side PLC 156 when putting one article across each of the two belt conveyor units 36 and 37 provided in the transport cart 15 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  Step S301 is processing for determining whether or not the servo amplifier corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit is normal. The cart side PLC 156 communicates with the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit 36 to determine whether the servo amplifier 52 is functioning normally. When the cart side PLC 156 determines that the servo amplifier 52 is functioning normally, the result of the determination process in step S301 is Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S302. On the other hand, if the cart side PLC 156 determines that the servo amplifier 52 is not functioning normally, the result of the determination process in step S301 is No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S303.

  Step S302 is processing to turn on the transmission unit OUT2 of the first cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 causes the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT2 of the first cart side communication unit 82 to emit light.

  Step S303 is processing to turn off the transmission unit OUT2 of the first cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 is in a state in which the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT2 of the first cart side communication unit 82 is turned off without emitting light.

  Step S304 is processing to determine whether there is a stock. The cart-side PLC 156 determines whether or not an article is placed on the first belt conveyor unit 36 based on the driving history of the first belt conveyor unit 36 (whether there is a load). If the cart side PLC 156 determines that the article is placed on the first belt conveyor unit 36, the determination result of step S304 is Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S305. On the other hand, if the cart side PLC 156 determines that the article is placed on the first belt conveyor unit 36, the determination result of step S304 is No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S306.

  Step S305 is processing to turn on the transmission unit OUT1 of the first cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 causes the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT1 of the first cart side communication unit 82 to emit light.

  Step S306 is processing to turn off the transmission unit OUT1 of the first cart side communication unit. The truck-side PLC 156 is in a state where the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT1 of the first truck-side communication unit 82 is turned off without emitting light.

  Step S307 is processing for determining whether or not the servo amplifier corresponding to the second belt conveyor unit is normal. The cart side PLC 156 communicates with the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the second belt conveyor unit 37 to determine whether the servo amplifier 52 is functioning normally. When the cart side PLC 156 determines that the servo amplifier 52 is functioning normally, the result of the determination process in step S307 is Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S308. On the other hand, if the cart side PLC 156 determines that the servo amplifier 52 is not functioning normally, the result of the determination process in step S307 is No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S309.

  Step S308 is processing to turn ON the transmission unit OUT2 of the second cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 causes the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT2 of the second cart side communication unit 84 to emit light.

  Step S309 is processing to turn off the transmission unit OUT2 of the second cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 is in a state in which the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT2 of the second cart side communication unit 84 is turned off without emitting light.

  Step S310 is processing to determine whether there is a stock. Based on the driving history of the second belt conveyor unit 37, the cart side PLC 156 determines whether or not an article is placed on the second belt conveyor unit 37 (whether there is a load). When the cart side PLC 156 determines that the article is placed on the second belt conveyor unit 37, the determination result of step S310 is Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S311. On the other hand, when the cart side PLC 156 determines that the article is placed on the second belt conveyor unit 37, the determination result in step S310 is No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S312.

  Step S311 is processing to turn ON the transmission unit OUT1 of the second cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 causes the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT1 of the second cart side communication unit 84 to emit light.

  Step S312 is processing to turn off the transmission unit OUT1 of the second cart side communication unit. The cart side PLC 156 is in a state in which the photodiode provided in the transmission unit OUT1 of the second cart side communication unit 84 is turned off without emitting light.

  Step S313 is processing to determine whether or not the signal has been received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the first cart side communication unit. When the signal is received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the first cart side communication unit 82, the cart side PLC 156 sets the determination result of step S313 to Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S314. The cart side PLC 156 stores the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 included in the first belt conveyor unit 36 based on the reception result of the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the first cart side communication unit 82.

  On the other hand, when it is not received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the cart side communication unit, the cart side PLC 156 sets the determination result of step S313 to No. In this case, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 15 ends.

  Step S314 is processing to determine whether or not the signal has been received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the second cart side communication unit. If the signal is received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the second cart side communication unit 84, the cart side PLC 156 sets the determination result in step S313 to Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S315. The cart side PLC 156 stores the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 of the second belt conveyor unit 37 based on the reception result of the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the second cart side communication unit 84.

  On the other hand, when it is not received by the receiving unit IN3 or the receiving unit IN4 of the second cart side communication unit 84, the cart side PLC 156 sets the determination result of step S314 to No. In this case, the process of the flowchart of FIG. 11 ends.

  Step S315 is a process of receiving information on the sorting position from the first ground side communication unit in the second cart side communication unit. The receiving units used when the position information is received by the second cart side communication unit 84 are the four receiving units IN5, IN6, IN7, and IN8. These receiving units receive, from the first ground side communication unit 145, the lower 4 bits of the 8-bit data indicating the sorting position. The received lower 4-bit data is output to the cart side PLC 156.

Step S316 is processing for receiving information on the sorting position from the second ground side communication unit in the second cart side communication unit. The receiving units IN5, IN6, IN7, and IN8 of the second cart side communication unit 84 receive the upper 4 bit data from the second ground side communication unit 146 out of the 8 bit data indicating the sorting position. The received upper 4-bit data is output to the cart side PLC 156. The truck side PLC 156 stores 8-bit data obtained by combining the obtained upper 4 bit data and lower 4 bit data as sorting position information. That is, since the information on the sorting position obtained from each of the first ground side communication unit 145 and the second ground side communication unit 146 is 2 ⁴ = 16 kinds of information, it is possible to obtain a total of 16 bits by using 8-bit data. X16 = 256 kinds of information can be obtained.

  Step S317 is processing to instruct driving of the servo motor. Control of the cart side PLC 156 instructs each of the servo amplifiers 52 corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 to drive the servo motor 46. At this time, the cart side PLC 156 transmits the information on the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 stored in step S313 to each of the servo amplifiers 52 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37. As a result, the servo motors 46 included in the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 are driven, and the endless belts 44 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 are transferred. The vehicle travels at a predetermined timing according to the transfer direction of the article.

  Next, the control flow in the ground side PLC 160 when an article is thrown over each of the two belt conveyor units 36 and 37 provided in the transport carriage 15 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

  Step S401 is processing that is received by the receiving unit IN1 and the receiving unit IN2 of the second ground side communication unit. As described above, the trolley PLC 156 uses the transmission unit OUT1 of the first trolley side communication unit 82 to indicate whether or not the servo amplifier 52 is normal, and the transmission unit OUT2 of the first trolley side communication unit 82. Information on whether there is a stock or not is transmitted. Therefore, the receiving unit IN1 of the second ground side communication unit 146 provides information on whether the servo amplifier 52 is normal, and the receiving unit IN2 of the second ground side communication unit 146 has information on whether there is a load. Are received respectively.

  Step S402 is processing that is received by the receiving unit IN1 and the receiving unit IN2 of the first ground side communication unit. As described above, the trolley PLC 156 uses the transmission unit OUT1 of the second trolley side communication unit 84 to indicate whether or not the servo amplifier 52 is normal, and sends the transmission unit OUT2 of the second trolley side communication unit 84. Information on whether there is a stock or not is transmitted. Therefore, the receiving unit IN1 of the first ground side communication unit 145 indicates information indicating whether the servo amplifier 52 is normal, and the receiving unit IN2 of the first ground side communication unit 145 is information indicating whether there is a load. Are received respectively.

  Step S403 is processing to confirm the received information. The ground-side PLC 160 determines whether the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit 36 is normal from the information received by the receiving unit IN1 and the receiving unit IN2 of the second ground-side communication unit 146, and the first It is confirmed whether or not an article is loaded on the belt conveyor unit 36. At the same time, the ground PLC 160 determines whether the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to the second belt conveyor unit 37 is normal from the information received by the receiving unit IN1 and the receiving unit IN2 of the first ground communication unit 145, It is confirmed whether or not an article is in stock on the second belt conveyor unit 37. By this confirmation, the ground side PLC 160 can grasp the operation status of the two belt conveyor units of the transport carriage 15 and can simultaneously operate the first belt conveyor unit and the second belt conveyor unit.

  Step S404 is processing to determine whether or not to load an article. The ground-side PLC 160 determines whether or not to load the article from the information obtained from the cart side PLC 156 and the information of the article to be thrown. Note that the information on the article to be inserted is information on the size of the article.

  For example, the servo amplifier 52 corresponding to each of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 is normal from the information obtained from the cart side PLC 156, and the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor 37 are normal. When no articles are present in each of the conveyor units 37, the ground side PLC 160 uses an article size measuring device installed on the loading conveyor side (not shown), and refers to information on the articles to be loaded. It is determined whether the size of the article is a size that can be loaded across the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37. When the size of the article is a size that can be loaded across the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37, the ground side PLC 160 determines that the article is to be loaded. In this case, the result of the determination process in step S404 is Yes, and the process proceeds to step S405.

  On the other hand, when the size of the article is not a size that can be loaded across the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37, the ground side PLC 160 determines that the article is not loaded. The result of the determination process in step S404 is No. In this case, the process of the flowchart in FIG. 16 ends. Further, from the information obtained from the cart side PLC 156, the servo amplifier corresponding to each of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 is normal, but the first belt conveyor unit 36 or the second belt conveyor unit. If an article is present in at least one of 37, or if one of the servo amplifiers 52 corresponding to the first belt conveyor unit 36 or the second belt conveyor unit 37 is not normal, the article to be thrown in Regardless of the result of determining the information, the cart side PLC 156 determines that the article is not inserted. That is, also in these cases, the processing of the flowchart of FIG. 16 ends.

  Step S405 is processing for determining whether or not the rotation of the servo motor at the time of article supply is normal. The rotation of the servo motor 46 is determined according to the transfer direction of the article to be input. For example, when each of the servo motors 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 is rotated forward at the time of article loading, the ground side PLC 160 sets the result of the determination process in step S405 to Yes. In this case, the process proceeds to step S406. On the other hand, when each of the servo motors 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 is reversely rotated at the time of article insertion, the ground side PLC 160 sets the result of the determination process in step S405 to No. In this case, the process proceeds to step S408.

  Step S406 is processing to turn ON the transmission unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit. The ground side PLC 160 turns on the photodiode of the transmission unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit 145.

  Step S407 is processing to turn ON the transmission unit OUT3 of the second ground side communication unit. The ground side PLC 160 turns on the photodiode of the transmission unit OUT3 of the second ground side communication unit 146. When the process of step S407 ends, the process proceeds to step S410.

  If the determination result in step S405 is No, that is, if each of the servo motors 46 of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 is reversely rotated when the article is loaded, the process proceeds to step S408.

  Step S408 is processing to turn ON the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit. The ground side PLC 160 turns on the photodiode of the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145.

  Step S409 is processing to turn ON the transmission unit OUT4 of the second ground side communication unit. The ground side PLC 160 turns on the photodiode of the transmission unit OUT4 of the second ground side communication unit 146. When the process of step S409 ends, the process proceeds to step S410.

  Step S410 is a process of transmitting the sorting position using the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the first ground side communication unit. In the ground side PLC 160, the information indicating the sorting position is 8-bit data. Therefore, the ground PLC 160 transmits the lower 4 bits of the 8-bit data indicating the sorting position using the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the first ground communication unit 145. To do.

  Step S411 is a process of transmitting the sorting position using the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the second ground side communication unit. The ground side PLC 160 uses the transmission unit OUT5, the transmission unit OUT6, the transmission unit OUT7, and the transmission unit OUT8 of the second ground side communication unit 146 to transmit the upper 4 bit data among the 8 bit data indicating the sorting position.

  Step S412 is processing for instructing driving of the input conveyor. The ground side PLC 160 transmits a drive signal to the input conveyor for transferring the articles. In response to this, either the input conveyor 140 or the input conveyor 141 for transferring the article is driven to transfer the article.

  FIG. 17 shows information of the first cart side communication unit 82 and the ground side communication unit when an article is loaded across each of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 of the transport cart 15. It is a schematic diagram which shows transmission.

  As shown in FIG. 17A, when the transport carriage 15 travels in the T direction in FIG. 17A, the first carriage-side communication unit 82 faces the second ground-side communication unit 146, and the second carriage The side communication unit 84 faces the first ground side communication unit 145. At this time, information is transmitted from the transmission unit OUT1 and the transmission unit OUT2 of the first cart side communication unit 82 to the reception unit IN1 and the reception unit IN2 of the second ground side communication unit 146. Thereby, in the ground side PLC160, the state of the 1st belt conveyor unit 36 is grasped | ascertained.

  At the same time, information is transmitted from the transmission unit OUT1 and the transmission unit OUT2 of the second cart side communication unit 84 to the reception unit IN1 and the reception unit IN2 of the first ground side communication unit 145. Thereby, in the ground side PLC160, the state of the 2nd belt conveyor unit 37 is grasped | ascertained.

  Further, the transmission unit OUT3 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to the reception unit IN3 of the second cart side communication unit 84, or the transmission unit OUT4 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to the reception unit of the second cart side communication unit 84. Information is transmitted to IN4. From the transmission unit OUT3 of the second ground side communication unit 146 to the reception unit IN3 of the first cart side communication unit 82, or from the transmission unit OUT4 of the second ground side communication unit 146 to the reception unit IN4 of the first cart side communication unit 82 Information is sent. As a result, the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 included in the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the rotation direction of the servo motor 46 included in the second belt conveyor unit 37 are acquired.

  At the same time, information is transmitted from each of the transmission unit OUT5 to the transmission unit OUT8 of the first ground side communication unit 145 to each of the reception unit IN8 from the reception unit IN5 of the second cart side communication unit 84. As a result, the lower 4 bits of the sorting destination of the articles to be input are acquired.

  As shown in FIG. 17B, when the transport carriage travels in the T direction in FIG. 17B and the second carriage side communication unit 84 and the second ground side communication unit 146 face each other, the second ground side Information is transmitted from each of the transmission unit OUT5 to the transmission unit OUT8 of the communication unit 146 to each of the reception unit IN8 from the reception unit IN5 of the second carriage side communication unit 84. As a result, the upper 4 bit data of the sorting destination of the input article is acquired.

  Accordingly, the cart side PLC 156 is driven by the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 at the same time, and the articles transferred from the input conveyor 140 or the input conveyor 141 are transferred to the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 156. The belt conveyor unit 37 is loaded across each.

  It should be noted that the articles placed across each of the first belt conveyor unit 36 and the second belt conveyor unit 37 have the chute position stored in the storage unit 156a of the cart PLC 156 after the information communication with the second cart communication unit 84. Based on the information replaced with the time corresponding to the traveling speed of the transport cart and the information on the sorting position received by the second cart-side communication unit 84, the payout is made to a predetermined chute.

  In this way, communication between the trolley side PLC and the ground side PLC is performed to determine whether or not to load the article, and by managing the sorting position of the articles thrown by the trolley side PLC, With the control device installed on the ground side, it is not necessary to manage the sorting destination of the articles placed on the belt conveyor unit of each transport carriage and to control the delivery of the belt conveyor unit of each transport carriage. Therefore, the control device installed on the ground side only needs to manage the input operation of the articles to be sorted, and the processing load related to the control device installed on the ground side can be reduced. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide a configuration of a detection means such as a position sensor for detecting the position of the belt conveyor unit on the ground side on the ground side, thereby suppressing the cost of installing each sensor. it can.

  In the present embodiment, a sorting conveyor in which a plurality of transport carts are linearly connected is taken as an example, but as shown in FIG. 18, a sorting conveyor 10 ′ in which a plurality of transport carts 15 ′ are connected endlessly, It is also possible to apply the present invention. In this case, a plurality of transport carts 15 ′ connected endlessly are grouped into a predetermined number, and a cart side PLC, which is a cart side management device, is allocated to one of the carts 15 ′ included in the same group. Set up. Also in this case, as in the present embodiment, each of the transport carriages 15 'included in the same group is managed by the carriage-side PLC. Therefore, even in the sorting conveyor 10 ′ in which a plurality of transport carts 15 ′ are connected in an endless manner, it is possible to obtain the same operational effects as in this embodiment.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10,10 '... Sorting conveyor, 15, 15' ... Conveyance cart, 18, 19 ... Drive device, 36 ... First belt conveyor unit, 37 ... Second belt conveyor unit, 46 ... Servo motor, 52 ... Servo amplifier, 82 ... 1st cart side communication unit, 84 ... 2nd cart side communication unit, 145 ... 1st ground side communication unit, 146 ... 2nd ground side communication unit, 140, 141 ... loading conveyor, 156 ... cart side PLC, 160 ... Ground side PLC

Claims (6)

In a sorting conveyor for connecting a plurality of transport carts having a cross sorter conveyor, and traveling the transport carts along the transport route,
A cart side management for managing the operation status of the transport carts included in the same group in one of the transport carts included in each group obtained by grouping a plurality of the transport carts traveling on the transport route into a predetermined number of groups. Equipment,
The cart side management device includes a power line and a control line for installing the drive motor operation of each of the conveyors for the cross sorter provided in each of the transport carts included in the same group along a connecting portion between the transport carts. A sorting conveyor characterized by managing each drive motor operation by calculating, storing, and reading out a sorting destination for each conveyor for each cross sorter. The sorting conveyor according to claim 1,
Provided on the upstream side of the transfer route conveyor is a ground side management device that can communicate with the cart side management device,
The cart side management device transmits to the ground side management device information indicating the stock status and operation availability status of each cross sorter conveyor of the transport cart in the same group,
The ground side management device receives the information indicating the stock status and operation availability status of the cross sorter conveyor of the transport cart from the cart side management device, and information indicating the acceptance operation of the cross sorter conveyor And a positional information indicating a sorting destination of a material to be fed to the cross sorter conveyor, to the cart side management device. The sorting conveyor according to claim 2,
The plurality of transport carts are set to a short length that is a sum of a plurality of transport cart lengths connected to the entire length of the loop-shaped transport route,
Among the plurality of connected transport carts, a leading transport cart is provided with a monitoring unit that monitors the transport route as an image,
The said monitoring part transmits the information which shows the monitoring result as an image to the said ground side management apparatus. The sorting conveyor characterized by the above-mentioned. The sorting conveyor according to claim 2 or claim 3,
The cart side management device includes an acceleration detection unit that detects an acceleration during travel of the transport cart, a tension detection unit that detects a tension applied to a beam-shaped link or a connecting portion that is a frame of the transport cart, or the transport cart side Connected to at least one of the distance detection units for detecting the distance from the travel rail to the traveling rail,
The sorting conveyor is characterized in that the cart side management device transmits information calculated and converted as a detection result from the at least one detection unit to the ground side management device. The sorting conveyor according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The number of operations of the drive motor that drives each of the cross sorter conveyors is measured by the cart side management device, and the measured value is calculated and stored for each cross sorter conveyor. A sorting conveyor characterized by being sent to a management device. In the sorting conveyor according to any one of claims 3 to 5,
Provided on the transport route is a driving device that transmits a driving force to the transport carts during travel of the transport carts and causes the transport carts to travel,
The ground side management device monitors the driving time of the driving device or the power consumed when the driving device is driven.