JP2001080502A - Method and device for supplying power to carrier, and carrying system using power supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To avoid the influence of an unnecessary electromagnetic wave on the outside, to enable the use in a narrow space such as a medical field, and to facilitate the transference of trays to a station by stopping the power supply in a specified block of a rail part and driving a carrier with a battery. SOLUTION: In the case where a carrier 24, which uses a C-shaped rail part opened downward, is suspended from the rail part, since a medical tool arranged under the rail part is easy to be influenced by the electromagnetic radiation from a feeder, it is effective to stop the power supply. In the traveling condition that the carrier 24 is driven by the only battery 84, a controller 88 of a station 13 receives the traveling condition with radio communication from a traveling control chamber 101 through a communication terminal 87, and a block discriminating means 88A confirms this traveling condition, and sends the control signal C3 to an inverter 91 so as to stop the output of the high frequency current to the feeder.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a power supply method and a power supply apparatus for a suspension-type carriage equipped with a battery that runs while being suspended from a C-shaped rail part with an open portion facing downward, and a power supply apparatus therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a power feeding method and a power feeding device for a transport trolley used in medical equipment and at a medical site, and a transport system using the power feeding device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there are various types of transport systems for transporting articles, but broadly speaking, one type is a belt conveyor type, and the other type is a self-propelled cart type or a monorail type. This is a transport system that is often introduced into clean rooms.

[0003] In the belt conveyor system, articles to be conveyed are mounted on a belt conveyor and articles are continuously conveyed. However, due to its structure, it is generally difficult to convey articles at high speed over a long distance. .

[0004] The latter monorail system generally uses a current collector, but such a system using a current collector is a contact system that mechanically contacts a carriage with a rail to supply power required for traveling. And a non-contact type that supplies power necessary for the carrier to travel electromagnetically.

[0005] In the contact method, electric power is obtained from a current collector provided as electric equipment necessary for running. When a current collector or the like is provided as equipment, DC or AC power can be supplied to the rail section.

[0006] In such a contact system, there is a problem that mechanical contact is required, so that the contact portion is mechanically worn, and the abrasion powder becomes dust. There is a problem on the
Those requiring mechanical contact have problems such as a short service life and an excessive maintenance cost.

Therefore, the latter non-contact type has recently come into wide use. Since the non-contact type has no contact portion, it is an advantage in increasing the speed. Among those without a contact portion, some use a linear motor, and these non-contact types have recently been used because they can run at high speed and stably.

[0008] However, in the case of the non-contact type, there is no mechanically contacting part, but there are many restrictions due to this point, and the shape of the core used for coupling with the power supply side to the transporting vehicle side, etc. There were also problems such as being determined to some extent.

In addition, since the alternating current is coupled by a transformer, unnecessary electromagnetic radiation is increased.
In order to deal with this, there was a problem that the equipment was enlarged. Further, there is a problem in that, when a predetermined route is merged or branched into another route, wiring of a portion to be merged or branched becomes very complicated.

In terms of not having a contact portion, there is also a method of simply mounting a battery on a transport trolley. However, from the viewpoint of first being heavier overall and secondly requiring charging of the battery. This is limited to the case where rails are directly installed on the ground.

In the method of mounting the battery on the carrier, the AGV (Auto) moves the carrier by being guided by a guide.
It is often used in a transport system called a Guided Vehicle. This uses a battery because the transport vehicle itself may be heavy in that the transport vehicle travels along a guide provided on the ground, and the speed does not need to be so high.

As described above, there are battery-equipped transport systems in which the transport vehicle itself is heavy and does not require high-speed traveling. However, there is no monorail that travels using a battery as a power source and can travel at high speed and safely. In addition, since a large-capacity battery needs to be charged, a battery using heavy lead is used in many cases, so that the necessary charge for a day's driving must be completed at night when the battery is not used. There was such a problem.

As a non-contact power supply method and apparatus for supplying electric power from the fixed side to the mobile body side by electromagnetic coupling in a non-contact manner, for example, there is a technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-149502. However, the moving body described here is a technology that simply supplies power to an autonomously moving object without a built-in power source, such as a machining pallet for a machining center, from the fixed part side without using electrical contacts. It's just about.

Therefore, in the technology described here,
Equipped with a battery power supply on the moving body side, effective management of this battery power supply, that is, reduction of the weight of the battery aimed at high speed running, coordination function between power supply and charging, function to effectively use the rail part to move the running body, running It is not possible to realize functions necessary for the transport system, such as a battery management system for automatically recognizing the necessary charging and performing the charging as needed.

[0015]

As described above, according to the prior art, first, when a battery is used for a monorail, the battery must be discharged so as not to stop running due to exhaustion during operation. Must be sufficiently charged, which causes a problem in that the battery is restricted, and it is not possible to realize the weight reduction required for achieving high speed. Secondly, since the power must be supplied from the power supply in a contact state by the current collector using the power supply line to the traveling carriage, the current collector wears out and disperses fine powder, and cleanliness is regarded as important. There is a problem in using it in medical settings. Thirdly, since power is continuously supplied to the transport trolley using the power supply line, unnecessary electromagnetic waves are constantly radiated from the power supply line. There is a risk of causing malfunction and causing serious trouble. Fourth, there has been a problem in that a shifter section must be provided to allow the transport trolley to move from a predetermined path to another path, and wiring at this section becomes very complicated.

Therefore, in order to solve such a conventional problem, the present invention provides power supply by electromagnetic coupling that can charge a battery while supplying power in a non-contact state even during travel, and travels only with the battery as needed. To avoid the effects of unnecessary electromagnetic radiation to the outside, and to withstand use in narrow spaces such as medical places with small curvatures, and to easily transfer trays for loading goods to stations. It is made to be.

[0017]

According to the present invention, there is provided a C-shaped rail in which a loop-shaped power supply line is fixed and an open portion thereof is directed downward, as a configuration of a power supply method for a transport vehicle for solving the above problems. Part, and a suspended carriage mounted with a battery suspended through the opening and traveling on the rail part, and the carrier carriage electromagnetically couples with the power supply line while traveling on the rail part. The battery is charged while power is supplied in a tightly coupled manner, and power supply from the power supply line is stopped in a designated section of the rail section, so that the carriage is driven by the battery.

According to the present invention, as a configuration of a power supply device of a transport vehicle for solving the above-mentioned problems, a battery running while being suspended from a C-shaped rail portion containing a power supply line supplied from a power supply portion is provided. A power supply device for supplying power to a suspension-type carriage provided with a magnetic core, wherein the magnetic core provided in the carriage and a magnetic member disposed on the rail portion are provided with the power supply line therein, and electromagnetically coupled. Separation means for controlling the degree of coupling at the time, and section identification means for identifying whether or not the carriage is in a designated section of the rail section. In sections other than the designated section, the electromagnetic coupling is performed by the separation means. The battery is charged while power is supplied as a tightly coupled power supply, and power supply from the power supply unit is stopped during the specified section.

Further, the present invention provides a first transport system using the above-mentioned power supply device for solving the above-mentioned problems, wherein the first transport system has a loop-like shape fixed to a C-shaped rail portion with an open portion directed downward. A plurality of stations having a power supply unit that supplies power via a power supply line, and a plurality of suspension-type transport carts mounted on a battery that is charged via a power receiving unit that receives the power and running on the rail unit. A transport system comprising: a section identifying means for identifying whether or not the transport vehicle is in a designated section; and the power feeding section and the power receiving section being electromagnetically controlled based on a result of identification by the section identifying means for a section other than the designated section. And electromagnetic coupling means coupled to supply power from the power supply unit to the power receiving unit.

Secondly, the present invention provides, as a second transport system using the above-mentioned power supply device, a loop fixed to a C-shaped rail portion with an open portion directed downward. A plurality of stations having a power supply unit for supplying electric power through a power supply line, and a plurality of suspension-type carriages mounted on a battery and loaded with a battery charged via the power receiving unit for receiving the electric power. And a section identification means for identifying whether or not the transport vehicle is in a designated section, and stopping power supply from the power supply line based on a result of the identification by the section identification means within the designated section. Then, the vehicle runs by the battery.

Thirdly, the present invention provides a third transport system using the above-mentioned power supply device for solving the above-mentioned problems, wherein a loop fixed to a C-shaped rail portion with an open portion directed downward is provided. A plurality of stations each having a power supply unit for supplying electric power through the power supply line for each of the rails, and a battery that is charged through a power receiving unit that receives the electric power and is mounted on the open part of the rail unit. A transfer system comprising a suspended carriage that travels in a suspended state, wherein the carriage is powered by the battery in a shifter section in which the carriage moves away from a predetermined rail and moves to another rail. It is designed to run as a source.

Fourth, the present invention provides a fourth transport system using the above-mentioned power supply device for solving the above-mentioned problems, in which one loop is divided into a predetermined distance and the opening is directed downward. A plurality of C-shaped rail portions directed toward the vehicle, a suspension-type transport vehicle that runs on these rail portions, mounts a battery, and is suspended through the opening portion, and a power supply line is provided for each of the rail portions. A transport system comprising a plurality of stations having a power supply unit for transmitting power to these power supply lines, wherein a non-feeding section is provided between the divided rail sections, and each rail section is removed except for the non-feeding section. The transport vehicle travels in the loop while forming electromagnetic coupling means capable of charging the battery from the power supply unit to the battery via a power receiving unit.

[0023]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a power supply method according to the present invention, a power supply apparatus for performing the method, and a transport system using the power supply apparatus. FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one embodiment of a transport system according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view when a transport system is installed in a building having a plurality of floors, for example, in a hospital, and this is generally called a perspective view. Loop L1 and Loop L
2 is, for example, disposed on the ground floor, the loop L3 is disposed on the first floor, the loop L4 is disposed on the second floor, and the loop L5 is disposed on the third floor.
These loops L1 to L5 are loops for horizontally moving each floor.

In the loop L1, a small-sized transmission / reception place R11 of a conveyed article is set, and in the loop L2, similar transmission / reception places R21, R21 are set.
22, R23 are the same transmission / reception location R31 in the loop L3.
However, in the loop L4, similar transmission / reception locations R41 and R42 are:
In the loop L5, similar transmission / reception locations R5A and R5B are provided.

Then, these loops L1 to L5 are
Although it has a curved shape that is bent by drawing an arbitrary curve corresponding to each sending and receiving place of the conveyed articles, specifically, a later-described for a carriage to be suspended and run as following these loops It has a C-shaped rail having an open portion below and a built-in power supply line.

The shaft 10 is a device arranged so as to be able to move vertically through each floor. The articles to be conveyed are mounted on a carriage that runs on horizontally moving loops L1 to L5 arranged on each floor. Let it.

In particular, the different loops L1 and L2, which are arranged on the basement and move horizontally, are fed separately, and the connections interposed between these loops L1 and L2 are:
Although called a shifter 11, power is not supplied to any part of the shifter 11.

A small shaft 12 is disposed at one end of the loop L1. Here, a loading / unloading operation for loading / unloading a load is performed. Will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

The loop L4 disposed on the second floor portion has a movement route on a floor on which facilities that directly affect human life such as a life support device or an operating room are disposed.
If the battery is charged from the power supply line during the traveling on the floor on which the transport vehicle travels in the designated section AT, there is a possibility that the operation of the device may be impaired due to the electromagnetic waves radiated from the power supply line. You.

Further, a loop L5 is provided on the third floor, in which small shafts 14 and 15 which can move in the vertical direction share the loop L5 and constitute stations 16 and 17, respectively. ing.

However, here, for example, one loop L5 is divided into a predetermined distance and the two rails L5A, L5
5B, a non-feeding section L is provided between these rail portions L5A and L5B, and each rail portion L5A,
The L5B is provided with individual power supply lines, and illustrates a transport system including a plurality of stations that transmit power from the power supply units of the stations 16 and 17 to these power supply lines. It is assumed that the vehicle runs on the top by battery driving.

Next, the configuration near the station 13 shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to a perspective view schematically shown in FIG. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the tray is carried out from the carrier guided along the rail.

The rail portion 20 is a C-shaped rail 2
1 and a feeder line 22 housed in the rail 21 and have the same configuration as the rails forming the loops L1 to L5. Under the C-shaped downwardly facing open portion 23, a transport carriage 24 is mounted so as to be inserted from the open portion 23 and suspended on both sides thereof, and travel along the rail 21 in the direction indicated by the arrow F. I do.

Power supply line 22 housed in rail 21
Is, for example, a feed point 25 provided on the upper part of the rail 21.
In the above, it is pulled out from the power supply unit 27, introduced into the rail 21 through the substantially circular introduction hole 25A, extended rightward along the rail 21, and provided at the turning point 26 while being held by a holding mechanism (not shown). The wire is once turned back to the upper part of the rail 21 at the turn-back hole 26A and is led out.

Thereafter, it is folded back at the return hole 26B and led out into the rail 21, and then returns to the left along the rail 21 to form a substantially circular lead provided on the upper surface of the rail 21 near the introduction hole 25A. It is led out through the hole 25 </ b> B and is connected to the power supply unit 27 in the station 13.

As described above, the C-shaped metal rail 21
Is configured to house the power supply line 22 inside the
2 is shielded by the rail 21, so that unnecessary electromagnetic radiation to the outside can be reduced.

The transport vehicle 24 is composed of a drive control unit 28 and a drive control unit 28 and a suspension unit 29 that is rotatably suspended. As will be described later, in the case shown in FIG. 2, the suspension portion 29 will be mainly described.

The suspension portion 29 has a fixed plate 30 on the upper portion, a cage 31 locked by the fixed plate 30 and formed of a rod-shaped member having a U-shaped cross section and a duct shape, and a bottom center of the cage 31. Roller base 32 extending in the traveling direction
Telescopic arms (telescopic arms) 33 and 34 are provided on both side surfaces of the roller base 32 in two stages and can be extended by an attached motor. Are provided with stoppers 35 and 36.

Although not shown, the roller table 32
A plurality of rollers driven by a motor are provided, and a tray 37 for storing articles to be conveyed is placed on the rollers, and the rotation of the rollers allows the tray 37 to move along the roller table 32. It has become. C-shaped bumpers 38 and 39 for preventing collision are provided at the front end and the rear end of the car 31, respectively, such that their open portions face the car 31 side.

A flange 40 is fixed to the center of the fixed plate 30. The flange 40 is rotatably connected to a flange 41, which will be described later, provided at the bottom of the drive control unit 28. The rotary motor 4 fixed to the flange 40 by an arm 42, for example,
3 allows it to be turned through 90 degrees through the belt 44.

Next, a series of operations of the cargo handling work of the station 13 configured as described above will be described. This series of operations is executed, for example, by a wireless sequence operation from the operation unit 46. First, a case will be described in which the tray 37 in which the conveyed articles are stored is carried out from the conveyance trolley 24 and stored in the shelf 45.

After the transport trolley 24 reaches a predetermined position in the station 13 and stops, the rotary motor 43 is rotated by a wireless command from the operation unit 46, for example, to turn 90 degrees in the direction of the shelf 45.

After that, the motors attached to the telescopic units 33 and 34 are operated by a command from the operation unit 46 to extend their arms, and then a plurality of rollers on the roller base 32 are driven by the motors to drive the tray 37. Is pushed out in the direction of arrow Z to place the tray 37 on the shelf 45.

Thereafter, the stoppers 35 and 36 are tilted horizontally so that the trays 37 do not touch the trays 33 and 34.
Is stored in the original length, and the car 31 is turned in the traveling direction of the rail 21 by turning the rotary motor 43 by 90 degrees to prepare for traveling.

Next, a case where the tray 37 containing the articles to be conveyed is carried out from the shelf 45 to the carrier 24 will be described. First, prior to unloading the tray 37, the rotating motor 4
3 is turned 90 degrees and the car 31 is directed toward the shelf 45,
The telescopic motors 33 and 34 are operated to extend the motors.

Next, the tray 37 is placed between the telesco 33 and the telesco 34. Thereafter, the stoppers 35, 36
And hold the side of the tray 37,
By storing the trays 3 and 34 in the car 31, the tray 37 can be carried out.

Next, the configuration of the transport carriage 24 will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be specifically described with reference to FIGS. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA 'at the center of the transport vehicle shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a view taken along the line BB' at a position slightly deviated from the center of the transport vehicle shown in FIG. The cross-sectional configuration in each direction is shown.

The rail 21 has a C-shape, and its open portion 23 is provided below.
The drive wheels 50 for running the carrier 24,
Wheel running surfaces 52 and 53 on which 51 runs are provided. These drive wheels 50, 51 are connected from both sides to a differential gear 56 disposed at the center by drive shafts 54, 55.

The drive shafts 54 and 55 are rotatable using, for example, bearings at right angles to the center axis of, for example, a rectangular support frame 57 provided at the center of the drive control unit 28. It is supported through.

Further, above the support frame 57, as shown in FIG. 3, a guide auxiliary shaft 5 bent downward in an L-shape.
8 and 59 are provided, and these guide auxiliary shafts 58 and 59 are provided.
Steering wheels 60 and 61 are fixed to the tip of the rail so as to be in contact with the side wall surface of the rail 21 so as to be rotatable, thereby providing travel assistance so that the transport vehicle 24 can travel stably even when rolled. .

The guide auxiliary shafts 58, 5
9, as shown in FIG. 3, steering wheels 64, 63 are attached to auxiliary shafts 62, 63 fixed horizontally to a support frame 57.
The steering wheels 64, 65 rotate in contact with the horizontal surface on the upper part of the C-shaped rail 21, and assist in stable running against pitching.

Although the drive wheels 50 and 51 have a diameter and a width enough to withstand the rotational force, the drive wheels 50 and 51 are required for steering.
Since it is somewhat unreliable to run with only 51,
A plurality of wheels are added as 4 and 65. At a curve or the like, the attitude of the transport carriage 24 is lost, so that the steered wheels 64 and 65 function to correct this.

Further, if an absorber is used in combination, the vehicle can withstand high-speed running. However, for running, frictional force, air resistance (cross section in the running direction), posture of the transport vehicle (shift of center of gravity, etc.) ) Etc., but in general, we are trying to eliminate it.

The drive control unit 28 is provided with a gear head 67 which is rotated by a motor 66 driven by a battery described later as a power source and is connected to the motor 66. The gear head 67 has a drive frame to which a support frame 57 is fixed. The control unit 28 is connected to the differential gear 56 via a rotary shaft 69 that penetrates upward through an upper central opening 68.

In this manner, the rotational force of the motor 66 driven by the battery is transmitted in a substantially orthogonal direction through the gear head 67, and the driving wheels 5 are transmitted through the differential gear 56.
The driving force is applied to 0 and 51 in the same direction.

Although only two drive wheels 50 and 51 are shown in FIG. 3, in actuality, four wheels are provided similarly to the automobile, and the front and rear of the carrier 24 are respectively provided. It has become a pair. The drive system of the drive wheels includes front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, and four-wheel drive. However, here, an example is shown in which two front or rear wheels can be driven as drive wheels.

Further, the drive control unit 28 is also provided with a controller 70 for controlling the motor 66 and controlling the power supply. The controller 70 also responds to a wireless operation control command transmitted from the station 13, for example. Works.

Next, the configuration of a section taken along the line BB 'shown in FIG. 2 will be described. Above the support frame 57, FIG.
As shown in the figure, there are provided guide auxiliary shafts 71 and 72 bent downward in an L-shape, and these guide auxiliary shafts 71 and 7 are provided.
Steering wheels 73 and 74 are fixed to the end of the rail 2 so as to be rotatable in contact with the side wall surface of the rail 21, thereby assisting traveling so that the transport vehicle 24 can travel stably even when it rolls. Do.

The guide auxiliary shafts 71, 7 of the support frame 57
4, as shown in FIG. 4, auxiliary wheels 73 and 74 fixed to the support frame 57 in the horizontal direction,
The steering wheels 75, 76 rotate while contacting the horizontal plane on the upper part of the C-shaped rail 21, and assist in stable running against pitching.

As shown in FIG. 4, an E-shaped magnetic core 77 is provided inside the support frame 57 with its open end facing the upper part of the rail 21. A magnetic tape 78 as a magnetic member is fixed to the upper part of the rail 21, and the support 7 is placed on the magnetic tape 78 so as to be housed in the open end of the magnetic core 77.
A power supply line 22 supported at 9, 80 is provided. Here, if the magnetic tape 78 is used as the magnetic member, it is possible to provide elasticity, and the traveling carriage 24
There is an advantage that the gap between the two can be reduced.

Further, detection windings 81 and 82 are wound around the E-shaped magnetic core 77, and these detection windings 81 and 8 are wound.
2 is connected to an input terminal of a rectifier circuit 83 functioning as a power receiving unit, and an output terminal thereof is connected to a battery 84.

The magnetic core 77 is connected to a cylinder 85 functioning as a separating means by a connecting rod 86, and adjusts the distance from the magnetic tape 78 according to a command from the controller 70 to control the feed line 22 and the detection winding. The degree of electromagnetic coupling between 81 and 82 is controlled to be tightly coupled or loosely coupled. In addition, an electromagnetic switch etc. other than a cylinder can also be adopted as a separating means.

While the station and the carrier have been described above in terms of their structural aspects, in FIG. 5, their mutual relations will be described in more detail from a functional aspect while adding a configuration that has not appeared in the above description. . In addition,
In order to facilitate understanding, the same parts as those described so far are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In practice, as shown in FIG.
4 is suspended below the rail section 20, but for the sake of clarity, in FIG.
4 is described. However, the transport vehicle 24 is the drive control unit 2
Although a suspension portion 29 is suspended from the drive control portion 8, a newly added portion is the drive control portion 28.
Are representatively shown.

As shown in FIG. 5, in addition to the power supply unit 27 and the operation unit 46, the station 13 has a drive control unit 28
Communication terminal 87 for receiving a radio signal such as an operation command from the controller, a controller 8 for controlling the operation of the power supply unit 27 and the operation unit 46
The power supply unit 27 further includes an AC power supply 89 such as a commercial power supply, a rectifier 90 for rectifying a voltage from the AC power supply, and a DC rectified by the rectifier 90 to convert the DC to a high-frequency AC and supply a power to the power supply line 22. And an inverter 91 for supplying power to the
, And an identification mark 92 for identifying the station is added to the station 13.

The drive control unit 28 of the transport carriage 24
An operation detector 93 for determining whether or not the station has stopped, a detection resistor 94 for measuring the magnitude of the load current and the flowing time, a temperature sensor 95 for measuring the temperature of the battery, and a detection resistor 94 are provided. An analog-to-digital converter 96 that converts the detected voltage and the voltage detected by the temperature sensor 95 into a digital signal and transmits the digital signal to the controller 70; a communication unit 98 that exchanges data between the controller 70 and the communication terminal 97; A communication terminal 97 for transmitting and receiving wireless data relating to the operation management of the battery, a remaining amount detector 99 for detecting the state of charge of the battery, a temperature sensor 100 for measuring the temperature of the electrolyte of the battery 84, and the like are added as components.

Further, as shown in FIG. 5, in addition to the station 13 and the transport vehicle 24, the operation management of the entire transport system is instructed wirelessly via the communication terminal 87 or the communication terminal 97, or information is collected. Operation management room 101
Is added.

First, the power supply operation in a state in which the transport carriage 24 stops at the station 13 will be described. The controller 70 of the transport vehicle 24 on which the battery 84 is mounted and which runs on the rail portion 20 using the battery 84 as a power source, operates at the station 13 to determine whether or not the transport vehicle 24 has stopped. It monitors whether or not the identification mark 92 of the station 13 has been detected via 93, and by detecting this identification mark 92, issues an instruction to the motor 66 via the controller 70 to stop at the position. .

At the same time, the controller 70 outputs a control signal C1 so that the magnetic core 77 functioning as the electromagnetic coupling means is brought into close contact with the magnetic member 78 to the cylinder 85 functioning as the separating means. In response to this instruction, the cylinder 85 brings the magnetic core 77 and the magnetic member 78 into close contact with each other to perform electromagnetic coupling.

The result of the close contact is transmitted to the controller 70 as an answer back signal C2 from the cylinder 85 as the separating means, but is not transmitted as the answer back signal C2 from the cylinder 85, but other checking means such as a contact switch. May be used to transmit the contact signal.

Based on the result of the close contact, the controller 7
0 transmits a wireless signal to the station 13 via the communication unit 98 and the communication end 97, for example. When receiving the wireless signal via the communication terminal 87, the controller 88 of the station 13 sends a control signal C3 to the inverter 91 to instruct the inverter 91 to send a high-frequency current to the power supply line 22.

Since the electromagnetic coupling means composed of the magnetic core 77 and the magnetic member 78 is already tightly coupled, the power supplied from the feeder line 22 is transmitted through the detection windings 82 and 81 by electromagnetic coupling. Rectifier circuit 83 functioning as a power receiving unit.
The battery is charged by the DC voltage rectified in step 3.

After the start of charging, the controller 70 recognizes the completion of charging of the battery 84 through the analog / digital converter 96 based on the detection result of the remaining amount detector 99, and then, through the communication unit 98 and the communication terminal 97. A wireless signal indicating that charging has been completed is transmitted to the station 13 side.

The controller 88 of the station 13
When the wireless signal is received via the communication terminal 87, the control signal C3 is transmitted to the inverter 91 to instruct the inverter 91 to stop transmitting the high-frequency current to the power supply line 22.

The controller 70 includes a cylinder 85
, The magnetic core 77 is pulled up by the cylinder 85 and separated from the magnetic member 78, the electromagnetic coupling is loosely coupled, and the charging of the battery 84 is stopped.
In this state, the transport trolley 24 is separated from the rail section 20, so that the transport trolley 24 can run.

Next, a description will be given of a state in which the transport trolley 24 is traveling. In the state in which the transport trolley 24 is traveling, the case where the vehicle is driven only by the power source from the battery 84 in the designated section AT, There is a case where the vehicle is driven while supplying power to the transport vehicle 24 from the power supply line 22 outside the AT.

First, in the designated section AT, the battery 84
In the former case, the high-frequency current is supplied from the power supply line 22 to the carrier trolley 24, the power supply line 22, that is, the rail portion 2
It is adopted in the case of an area that gives an obstacle to a medical instrument or the like existing near zero.

When a C-shaped rail portion having a built-in feeder line is employed, electromagnetic radiation from the feeder line to the outside is shielded by the rail portion and is considerably reduced. In the case of a type in which the rail 20 of the mold is adopted and the transport cart 24 is suspended from the rail 20, the rail 20 is used.
If a medical device or the like is provided below the
It is effective to stop the power supply because it is more susceptible to electromagnetic radiation.

In the traveling state in which the carriage 24 is driven only by the battery 84, the controller 8 of the station 13
8 receives a running state as a radio signal from the operation control room 101 via the communication end 87, confirms this by the section identification means 88A, sends a control signal C3 to the inverter 91, and sends the control signal C3 to the power supply line 22. The transmission of the high-frequency current is stopped.

When the transport carriage 24 starts running, the controller 70 detects this state by, for example, wirelessly transmitted from the station 13.
4, it is possible to detect that the load current starts flowing.

This load current is converted to a load voltage by the detection resistor 94, output to the analog / digital converter 96 and input to the controller 70, where the controller 70 starts supplying power from the battery 84 to the motor 66. The elapsed time from the start to the present is measured by a built-in time measurement program.

In this time measurement program, a portion to which the load current is supplied in the program is described by, for example, an IF statement. If the portion described by the IF statement is yes,
By creating a program that performs counting, it can be realized in software.

At the same time, since the magnitude of the load current is also input to the controller 70 via the analog / digital converter 96, the magnitude of the load current can be known. In this way, since the battery voltage is almost constant, the controller 70 can know the power flowing to the motor 66 as the load and the time.

The battery 84 is provided with a temperature sensor 100 for measuring the temperature of the electrolytic solution of the battery 84. Temperature data from the temperature sensor 100 is output to an analog / digital converter 96 and converted into a digital signal. It is converted and output to the controller 70,
Can always grasp the temperature of the battery 84.

The load information is transmitted to the communication unit 98,
If the transmission is wirelessly transmitted to the station 13 or the operation control room 101 via the communication end 97, the battery management of the transport vehicle 24 can be performed at the station 13 or the operation control room 101, and the battery is discharged and the transport vehicle is discharged. It can avoid accidents such as getting stuck.

Next, a description will be given of a case where the transport vehicle 24 is traveling and travels while supplying power to the battery 84 of the transport vehicle 24 from the power supply line 22. In a traveling state in an area other than the designated section AT in which the transport cart 24 is driven while being supplied with power from the battery 84, the station 1
The controller 88 of the third unit receives, for example, a traveling state from the operation management room 101 by a radio signal via the communication terminal 87, confirms the traveling state with the section identification means 88 A, sends a control signal C 3 to the inverter 91, and sends the control signal C 3 to the power supply line 22. The high-frequency current is transmitted.

Further, the controller 88 of the station 13 sends the designated section AT via the communication end 87 and the communication end 97.
When the controller 70 communicates with the controller 70 that the area is other than the area, the controller 70
And the cylinder 85 adjusts the distance between the magnetic core 77 and the magnetic member 78 so that there is a slight gap between the magnetic core 77 and the magnetic member 78 so that the vehicle can run. Charge the battery.

In this way, the battery 8 can be operated in the running state.
4 can be charged, so that the consumption of the battery 84 can be minimized. In some cases, the battery 84 can be reduced in size, thereby enabling high-speed traveling.

Here, when it is known in advance that the transport vehicle 24 travels only in an area other than the designated section AT, the designated area is recorded in advance in the section identifying means 88A, and the designated area is designated by radio. It is also possible to travel with reference to this without depending on the situation.

In the case where only a specific section is designated as the designated section AT in one loop, the section identification means 88A confirms the information by radio from the operation control room 101 or the like, and arbitrarily switches to battery-only travel. You can also switch.

Further, the section identifying means 88A is provided in the section shown in FIG.
Is provided inside the station 13, but is not necessarily provided inside the station 13, but is provided, for example, inside the operation management room 101, and is identified by identifying the designated section AT in the operation management room 101. Communication end 87
The power supply from the power supply unit 27 may be controlled via the.

Up to now, the description has been given of the power supply method and the power supply device in a one-to-one relationship between the station and the transport vehicle. Configuration. Even in this case, the technology in which the station 13 feeds power to the transport carriage 24 can be basically applied.

In this case, C with the opening 23 turned downward
Loop-shaped power supply line 22 fixed to a V-shaped rail portion 20
A plurality of stations having a power supply unit 27 for supplying electric power via the power supply unit, and a plurality of suspension-type carriages mounted with a battery 84 charged via the power receiving unit for receiving the electric power and traveling on the rail unit 20. Is premised on the transport system provided with the section identification means 88A. The section identification means 88A identifies whether or not the transport vehicle is in a designated section.
The electromagnetic coupling means electromagnetically couples the power supply unit and the power receiving unit, supplies power from the power supply unit 27 to the battery 84, and travels while charging the battery 84 according to the identification result of the section other than the designated section AT. is there.

The case where the first transport system according to the present invention is included has been described above. Next, the second transport system according to the present invention will be described. The second transport system is a transport system composed of a plurality of stations and a plurality of transport vehicles. When the transport vehicle 24 is identified as being in the designated section AT by the section identification means 88A, the power supply line 22 is used. The transport system stops power supply and travels using only the battery.

In the second transport system that travels only by the battery, similarly to the first transport system, the value of the current flowing out of the battery 84 is measured via the detection resistor 94 as shown in FIG. The elapsed time after the start of power supply from the battery 84 to the load is measured by the controller 70, and the temperature of the electrolytic solution in the battery 84 is measured by the temperature sensor 100. By managing the battery 84 by wirelessly transmitting the measurement data to the station 13 or the operation control room 101 via the communication terminal 97, a stable and reliable transport system can be provided.

With such a configuration, even in a large-scale transport system in which a loop is formed over a plurality of floors, a medical device composed of electronic equipment by high-frequency electromagnetic waves from the feeder line 22 leaking from the rail 21 Can be arbitrarily avoided as necessary, so that the possibility of using the transport system according to the present invention in a hospital or the like can be expanded.

Next, a third transport system according to the present invention will be described. This relates to a transport system having a plurality of stations. For example, in the transport system shown in FIG. 1, the opening portion 23 is directed downward to different loops L1 and L2 which are disposed on the ground floor and move horizontally. A loop-shaped feed line 22 fixed to the C-shaped rail portion 20 is separately provided, and power is supplied from a plurality of stations via the feed portion.

The transport trolley 24 carries a battery to be charged via the power receiving unit and runs while being suspended from the open portion 23. However, the transport trolley 24 separates from the predetermined loop L1 and moves to another loop L2. Is not supplied with power from any of the shifters 11, and the carriage 24 runs using the battery 84 as a power source.

In the transport system having such a configuration,
In the portion of the shifter 11, it is not necessary to lay a special power supply line, so that troublesome wiring is not required and the size of the battery can be reduced. As described above, the running with only the battery can be adopted not only in the designated section AT, but various running operations according to the scene can be performed.

The fourth transport system according to the present invention will be described. The fourth transport system is also a transport system including a plurality of stations and a plurality of transport vehicles,
In the description so far, the power supply line is laid on the entire rail portion. However, separately from this, one loop is divided into a plurality of parts at a predetermined distance as shown by a loop L5 in FIG. For simplicity, L5A and L5B are divided into two), and a feeder line is provided for each of the divided rails to supply power from the station, and one divided loop (L1 in FIG. 1)
5A), the feeding line is not provided only in the non-feeding section L of the rail moving to another loop (L5B in FIG. 1).

In the rail, the magnetic core 74 and the magnetic member 75 are fed to the respective stations by electromagnetic coupling with a slight gap therebetween. In the non-feeding section L, the battery of the rail is used as a drive source. It is intended to run.

With such a configuration, an arbitrary loop can be set by balancing the capacity and weight of the battery, that is, the speed, in accordance with the number of divisions of the loop. The transport system for transport can be designed flexibly.

[0104]

As described above, since the carrier according to the present invention as a whole is premised on a suspension type structure which travels in a manner of suspending on a C-shaped rail, it is necessary to move to a station. When loading and unloading the tray, it can be handled in a vertical state, the docking becomes easy, and when the curvature of the loop is small because of the suspension type,
In other words, there is an advantage that the vehicle can be easily turned even in a narrow place.

According to the power feeding method for a transport vehicle according to the present invention, first, a suspended transport vehicle suspended on a C-shaped rail portion is used in a section other than a designated section of the rail portion. The battery is charged while power is supplied while the electromagnetic coupling with the power supply line is tightly coupled while traveling through the section, and power supply from the power supply line is stopped in the designated section and the vehicle runs only with the battery. It is possible to provide a safe and reliable method of charging a transport vehicle while enabling the battery to run only in an area where electromagnetic interference occurs, while enabling a long-life battery travel. it can.

Next, according to the charging device for a transport vehicle according to the present invention, there is provided a section identifying means for identifying whether or not the transport vehicle is in a designated section, and when the transport vehicle is traveling in the designated section, power is supplied. The power supply from the unit is stopped and the electromagnetic coupling is tightly coupled by the separation means by checking the section other than the designated section, so that the battery life can be maintained long and unexpected damage can be prevented. And safety can be ensured. In addition, since non-contact charging is performed by magnetic coupling while traveling on a traveling body such as a transport vehicle, it is possible to contribute to downsizing of the battery, enable high-speed traveling, and improve productivity. Has an effect.

According to the first transport system of the present invention, there is provided section identification means for identifying whether or not the transport vehicle is in the designated section, and the electromagnetic coupling means identifies the result of identification of the outside of the designated section by this section identification means. Since the power supply unit and the power reception unit are electromagnetically coupled to each other to supply power from the power supply unit to the power reception unit, it is possible to continuously charge the transport trolley. There is no longer any troublesome management such as charging the transport trolley, and there is an advantage that the operation management becomes extremely simple.

According to the second transport system of the present invention, the transport system includes a plurality of stations and a plurality of transport vehicles. When the transport vehicle is identified as being in the designated section by the section identifying means, Is a system in which the power supply from the power supply line is stopped and the vehicle runs only on the battery. Therefore, even in a large-scale transport system configured as a loop over multiple floors, the Electromagnetic interference due to high-frequency electromagnetic waves can be arbitrarily avoided as necessary, and a transport system in a hospital or the like can be flexibly constructed.

According to the third transport system of the present invention, in the shifter portion where the transport vehicle separates from the predetermined rail portion and moves to another rail portion, the transport vehicle travels using the battery as a power source. Therefore, there is a merit that troublesome wiring in this part is not required.

According to the fourth transport system of the present invention, a non-feeding section is previously set between the divided rail sections, and each rail section is supplied with power from the feeding section to the battery except for the non-feeding section. While the carrier is configured to run through the loop while configuring the electromagnetic coupling means that can be charged via the unit, the capacity and weight of the battery corresponding to the number of divisions of the loop,
That is, an arbitrary loop can be set in balance with the speed, and there is an effect that the transport system can be flexibly designed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing one embodiment of a transport system according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a configuration near a station shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view as viewed from a cross section taken along line AA ′ shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view as viewed from a cross section taken along line BB ′ of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of FIGS. 2 to 4 from a functional side.

[Explanation of symbols]

10; shaft, 11; shifter, 12; shaft, 1
3; station, 14; shaft, 15; shaft,
16; station, 17; station, 20; rail section, 21; rail, 22; power supply line, 23;
4; transport carriage, 25; feeding point, 26; turning hole, 27; feeding section, 28; drive control section, 29; suspension section, 30; fixing plate, 31; car, 32; roller base, 33;
4; Telescopic, 35; Stopper, 36; Stopper, 3
7; tray; 38; bumper, 39; bumper, 40; flange, 41; flange, 43; rotary motor, 44; belt, 46; operation unit, 50; drive wheel, 51;
2; Wheel running surface, 53; Wheel running surface, 54; Drive shaft, 5
5; drive shaft, 56; differential gear, 57; support frame, 58; guide auxiliary shaft, 59; guide auxiliary shaft, 60;
1; steering wheel, 62; auxiliary shaft, 63; auxiliary shaft, 64; steering wheel, 65; steering wheel, 66; motor, 67;
69; rotating shaft, 70; controller, 77; magnetic core,
78; magnetic tape, 81; detection winding, 82; detection winding,
83; rectifier circuit, 84; battery, 85; cylinder, 8
7; communication end, 88; controller, 88A; section identification means, 90; rectifier, 91; inverter, 92; identification mark, 93; operation detector, 94; detection resistor, 95; temperature sensor, 96; Device, 97; communication end, 98; communication unit, 99; remaining amount detector, 100;
Temperature sensor, 101; operation control room

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Mitsuo Sekino F-term in Japan Shooter Co., Ltd. 1-12-3 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 5H105 BA03 BB07 CC02 CC19 DD10

Claims (15)

[Claims] 1. A C-shaped rail portion having a loop-shaped power supply line fixed and having an open portion facing downward, and a suspension-type transfer device mounted with a battery suspended through the open portion and running on the rail portion. And a carriage, wherein the carrier cart travels along the rail portion and charges the battery while supplying power by tightly coupling electromagnetic coupling with the power supply line, and power is supplied from the power supply line in a designated section of the rail portion. Wherein the battery is driven by the battery and the battery is driven. 2. The power supply method for a transport vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic coupling is performed by a magnetic member of the rail portion and a magnetic core on the transport vehicle capable of storing the power supply line therein. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the designated section is a section in an area where an electronic device whose operation state is affected by electromagnetic radiation from the power supply line is installed. 4. A power supply device for supplying power to a suspension-type carriage having a battery suspended and running on a C-shaped rail portion containing a power supply line supplied from a power supply unit. Separation means for controlling the degree of coupling when performing electromagnetic coupling between a magnetic core built in and provided on the carrier and a magnetic member provided on the rail, and a section in which the carrier is a designated section of the rail. Section identification means for identifying whether or not the power supply is in the specified section.In the section other than the designated section, the battery is charged while the electromagnetic coupling is supplied as tight coupling by the separating means. A power supply device for a transport trolley, wherein power supply from a power supply unit is stopped. 5. The power feeding device according to claim 4, wherein the magnetic member is formed of a magnetic tape, and the shape of the magnetic core is an E-shape. 6. The transport trolley according to claim 4, wherein when the electromagnetic coupling is tightly coupled, the magnetic core is fixed to the magnetic member while maintaining a slight gap by the separating means. Power supply device. 7. The power feeding device for a transport vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the designated section is a section in an area where an electronic device whose operation state is affected by electromagnetic radiation from the power supply line is installed. 8. A plurality of stations having a power supply unit for supplying power via a loop-shaped power supply line fixed to a C-shaped rail portion with an open portion facing downward, and a power receiving unit for receiving the power And a plurality of suspension-type carriages that run on the rails, mounted with a battery that is charged through the vehicle, and a section identification unit that detects whether the carriage is in a designated section. The power supply unit and the power receiving unit are electromagnetically coupled based on a detection result of the section other than the designated section by the section identification unit, and an electromagnetic coupling unit that supplies power from the power supply unit to the power receiving unit. A transport system using a power supply device. 9. A plurality of stations having a power supply unit for supplying power via a loop-shaped power supply line fixed to a C-shaped rail part with an open part facing downward, and a power receiving unit for receiving the power A plurality of suspension-type carriages carrying a battery charged via the vehicle and traveling on the rail section, and a section identification means for identifying whether or not the carriage is in a designated section. A transport system using a power supply device, wherein the power supply from the power supply line is stopped and the vehicle runs by the battery according to a result of the identification by the section identification means within the designated section. 10. The transport system according to claim 8, wherein the designated section is a section in an area where an electronic device whose operation state is affected by electromagnetic radiation from the power supply line is installed. 11. The electromagnetic coupling means according to claim 8, wherein the electromagnetic coupling means includes a magnetic tape provided on the rail portion, and an E-shaped magnetic core mounted on the carriage and capable of storing the power supply line therein. Transport system. 12. The transport system according to claim 8, wherein a separation means for fixing the magnetic core to the rail portion with a slight gap based on a result of the discrimination from a section other than a designated section is provided on the transport trolley. 13. A current measuring means for measuring a current value flowing from the battery, a measuring means for measuring an elapsed time since the start of power supply from the battery to a load, and a temperature of an electrolytic solution in the battery. 10. The transport according to claim 8, further comprising: a temperature measuring unit that performs the measurement, and a communication unit that transmits measurement data of the current value, the elapsed time, and the temperature to the station, and the unit is mounted on the transport vehicle. system. 14. A plurality of stations each having a power supply section for supplying power through a loop-shaped power supply line fixed to a C-shaped rail section with an open section facing downward, and And a suspension-type carriage that carries a battery that is charged through a power receiving unit that receives power and that is suspended from the open portion of the rail section and travels. A transport system, wherein the transport vehicle travels using the battery as a power source in a shifter section that separates from the section and shifts to another rail section. 15. A plurality of C-shaped rails, each of which is formed by dividing one loop into a predetermined distance and having an open portion facing downward, and a battery mounted on the rails running on these rails to mount the open portion. And a plurality of stations having a power supply unit provided with a power supply line for each of the rails and transmitting power to these power supply lines, comprising: A non-feeding section is provided between the rail sections, and each of the rail sections except for the non-feeding section constitutes an electromagnetic coupling means capable of charging the battery from the power supply section to the battery via a power receiving section. A transport system that runs on the loop.