JP2015202933A - Abrasion loss measurement device for conveyor belt - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To grasp an abrasion loss of a conveyor belt automatically.SOLUTION: A belt body 20 of a conveyor belt 16 comprises: a reinforcement layer 22; a pair of cover rubber layers 24 sandwiching the reinforcement layer 22; and an abrasion visual inspection member 26A. The abrasion visual inspection member 26A has a color which can be distinguished from the belt body 20, is embedded in the upper cover rubber layer 24A, and its cross section gradually changes along a thickness direction of the upper cover rubber layer 24A. An abrasion loss detection part 34A detects an area of the abrasion visual inspection member 26A by image processing, based on image information supplied from an imaging device 32, and detects an abrasion loss of the conveyor belt 16 based on the detected area. A notification part 34B gives a command to a notification device 36 according to size of the abrasion loss of the conveyor belt 16 which is detected by the abrasion loss detection part 34A, for operating the notification device 36 for notifying of a warning.

Description

  The present invention relates to a conveyor belt wear amount measuring apparatus.

Since the conveyor belt used for the belt conveyor apparatus which conveys a to-be-conveyed object is worn as it is used, if the amount of wear of the conveyor belt exceeds a certain amount, it is necessary to replace the conveyor belt with a new one.
Conventionally, in order to grasp the amount of wear of a conveyor belt, the thickness of the conveyor belt is measured using an ultrasonic thickness measuring device (Patent Document 1).

JP 2013-279340 A

However, when the wear amount of the conveyor belt is measured using an ultrasonic thickness measuring machine, there are the following problems.
It is necessary to carry the ultrasonic thickness measuring machine to the place where the conveyor belt is installed, which takes time and effort for measurement preparation.
In the measurement, a contact medium such as glycerin is applied between the probe of the ultrasonic thickness measuring instrument and the surface of the conveyor belt, and calibration is required for each measurement.
Since the probe of the ultrasonic thickness measuring instrument has a certain size on the part to be measured, the probe should be placed in the same location when measuring the thickness of the same location on the conveyor belt. It is difficult to position accurately, and the measurement location tends to vary.
When the surface state of the conveyor belt is rough and uneven, the thickness measurement becomes difficult.
Therefore, the present applicant has a rubber belt having a color that can be distinguished from the belt body of the rubber belt, and in which the wear visualizing member formed in a shape in which the cross-sectional area gradually changes along the thickness direction of the belt body is embedded in the belt body. providing.
Such a rubber belt is advantageous for easily and surely grasping the wear amount of the rubber belt only by visually recognizing the wear visualizing member exposed from the belt body without using an ultrasonic thickness measuring machine.
The present invention has been devised by paying attention to the rubber belt, and the object of the present invention is advantageous in automatically grasping the wear amount by using a conveyor belt provided with a wear visualizing member. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for measuring a wear amount of a conveyor belt.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 has a belt main body having a reinforcing layer and a cover rubber layer covering the reinforcing layer, and a color distinguishable from the cover rubber layer, and the cover rubber layer has A wear amount measuring device that measures the amount of wear of a conveyor belt that is embedded and has a wear visualizing member whose cross-sectional area gradually changes along the thickness direction of the cover rubber layer, and is exposed to the surface of the conveyor belt An imaging unit that images the wear visualizing member to generate image information, and an area of the wear visualizing member is detected by image processing based on the image information supplied from the imaging unit, and the detected area And a wear amount detecting unit for detecting the wear amount of the conveyor belt.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises a notification unit that notifies a warning by controlling a notification device according to the amount of wear of the conveyor belt detected by the wear amount detection unit. .
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the notifying unit compares the amount of wear of the conveyor belt with a plurality of predetermined thresholds having different sizes, and notifies an alarm having contents corresponding to the comparison result. The notification device is controlled as described above.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the cover rubber layer includes an upper cover rubber layer that covers one surface in the thickness direction of the reinforcing layer and on which a transported object is placed, and the other in the thickness direction of the reinforcing layer. A lower cover rubber layer covering the surface of the upper cover rubber layer, wherein the wear visualizing member is provided on each of the upper cover rubber layer and the lower cover rubber layer, and the imaging unit is exposed on a surface of the upper cover rubber layer. An upper imaging unit that images the wear visualizing member and generates image information; and a lower imaging unit that images the wear visualizing member exposed on the surface of the lower cover rubber layer and generates image information; The wear amount detection unit detects an area of the wear visual recognition member by image processing based on the image information supplied from the upper imaging unit and the lower imaging unit, and based on the detected area, the upper part Cover rubber layer and said And detecting wear of the parts cover rubber layer, respectively.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the area of the wear visualizing member is detected by image processing based on the image information generated by imaging the wear visualizing member exposed on the surface of the conveyor belt, and the detected area is Since the wear amount of the conveyor belt is detected based on this, it is advantageous in automatically grasping the wear amount.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, an alarm is notified according to the detected amount of wear of the conveyor belt, which is advantageous in efficiently performing the maintenance work of the conveyor belt.
According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the alarm corresponding to the comparison result between the amount of wear of the conveyor belt and the plurality of threshold values is notified, it is more advantageous for smooth maintenance work.
According to the invention described in claim 4, it is advantageous to automatically and more accurately grasp the wear amount of the conveyor belt.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the whole structure of the abrasion amount measuring apparatus of the conveyor belt which concerns on 1st Embodiment, and a belt conveyor apparatus. It is sectional drawing of a belt conveyor apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the conveyor belt by which wear amount is measured by the wear amount measuring apparatus of the conveyor belt which concerns on 1st Embodiment. (A)-(E) are explanatory drawings which show the change of the cross-sectional area of the abrasion visual recognition member exposed from a conveyor belt. It is a functional block diagram of the abrasion amount measuring apparatus of the conveyor belt which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of a conveyor belt. It is an operation | movement flowchart of the abrasion loss measuring apparatus of the conveyor belt which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. It is sectional drawing of the conveyor belt by which wear amount is measured by the wear amount measuring apparatus of the conveyor belt which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows the whole structure of the abrasion amount measuring apparatus of the conveyor belt which concerns on 3rd Embodiment, and a belt conveyor apparatus. It is a functional block diagram of the abrasion amount measuring apparatus of the conveyor belt which concerns on 3rd Embodiment.

(First embodiment)
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
First, the belt conveyor device will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the belt conveyor apparatus 10 is comprised including the drive pulley 12, the driven pulley 14, and the conveyor belt 16 formed in the endless shape spanned over them.
The drive belt 12 is driven to rotate by a drive force supplied from a motor (not shown), so that the conveyor belt 16 travels between the drive pulley 12 and the driven pulley 14.
The conveyor belt 16 is hung on a plurality of trawlers 18 arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt 16.
As shown in FIG. 2, the traflora 18 includes a central roller 18A disposed at the center in the width direction of the conveyor belt 16, and inclined rollers 18B and 18C disposed on both sides of the central roller 18A. 16 is moved on the central roller 18A and the inclined rollers 18B and 18C, so that the conveyed object M is conveyed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the conveyor belt 16 includes a belt body 20, and the belt body 20 includes a reinforcing layer 22, a pair of cover rubber layers 24 sandwiching the reinforcing layer 22, and a wear visualizing member 26 </ b> A. It has.
The reinforcing layer 22 is for maintaining the tension of the conveyor belt 16, and is composed of a plurality of steel cords or organic fibers and cushion rubber covering them.
Various conventionally known materials can be used for the steel cord, the organic fiber, and the cushion rubber.

The pair of cover rubber layers 24 includes, for example, an upper cover rubber layer 24A that forms a transport surface on which a material to be transported M, for example, minerals such as iron ore, coal, limestone, earth and sand, and powder are placed; The lower cover rubber layer 24 </ b> B is in contact with the troflora 18.
Therefore, the upper cover rubber layer 24A is worn by friction with the conveyed object M.
In other words, the cover rubber layer 24 covers the one surface in the thickness direction of the reinforcing layer 22 and the upper cover rubber layer 24A on which the conveyed object M is placed, and the other surface in the thickness direction of the reinforcing layer 22. The lower cover rubber layer 24B is covered.

The wear visual recognition member 26A has a color that can be distinguished from the belt main body 20, and in this embodiment, the wear visual recognition member 26A is embedded in the upper cover rubber layer 24A, and the cross-sectional area gradually increases along the thickness direction of the upper cover rubber layer 24A. It is formed in a changing shape.
For example, if the color of the belt body 20 is black, the color of the wear visualizing member 26A may be white, yellow, or orange.
In the present embodiment, the wear visual recognition member 26A is formed so that the cross-sectional area gradually increases as the distance from the surface of the upper cover rubber layer 24A increases.
More specifically, the wear visualizing member 26 </ b> A has a conical shape in which the axis is aligned with the thickness direction of the upper cover rubber layer 24 </ b> A and the apex is directed in the direction opposite to the reinforcing layer 22.
Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 4A to 4E, the cross-sectional area of the wear visualizing member 26A exposed from the surface of the upper cover rubber layer 24A gradually increases as the wear amount of the upper cover rubber layer 24A increases.
The wear visualizing member 26A only needs to be formed in a shape in which the cross-sectional area gradually changes along the thickness direction of the upper cover rubber layer 24A, and the shape of the wear visualizing member 26A is not limited to a conical shape. Absent.

Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the wear visualizing members 26 </ b> A are provided at a plurality of locations spaced in the width direction of the conveyor belt 16.
By doing in this way, it is advantageous when grasping | ascertaining the abrasion state of several places spaced apart in the width direction of the conveyor belt 16 exactly.
In addition, what is necessary is just to determine the location and number which provide 26 A of wear visual recognition members arbitrarily. For example, if a large amount of the wear visualizing member 26A is provided in the central portion in the width direction of the conveyor belt 16 where the wear is severe, and if a small amount of the wear visualizing member 26A is provided near both sides in the width direction of the conveyor belt 16 where the wear is not so severe, This is advantageous in suppressing the number of wear visual recognition members 26A while accurately measuring the wear amount at the place where the wear is severe.
Further, since it is considered that the conveyor belt 16 wears almost evenly in the longitudinal direction, the wear visualizing member 26A does not need to be provided at a plurality of positions spaced in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt 16. What is necessary is just to provide in at least 1 place in a longitudinal direction.

  In the conveyor belt 16, the wear visualizing member 26A previously formed by a mold is disposed in the unvulcanized upper cover rubber layer 24A, and then the upper cover rubber layer 24A, the reinforcing layer 22, and the lower cover rubber layer 24B. It is manufactured by vulcanizing in a laminated state.

Next, a conveyor belt wear amount measuring device (hereinafter simply referred to as a wear amount measuring device) will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, the wear amount measuring device 30 includes an imaging device 32, a control device 34, and a notification device 36.
The imaging device 32 images the wear visualizing member 26A exposed on the surface of the conveyor belt 16, generates image information, and supplies the image information to the control device 34, and constitutes an imaging unit.

The control device 34 is configured by a microcomputer in which a CPU, a ROM that stores a control program, a RAM that provides a working area, an interface unit, and the like are connected by a bus. The interface unit is an interface between the imaging device 32 and the notification device 36.
As illustrated in FIG. 5, the CPU implements a wear amount detection unit 34A and a notification unit 34B by executing a control program.
The wear amount detection unit 34 </ b> A detects the area of the wear visualizing member 26 </ b> A by image processing based on image information supplied from the imaging device 32, and detects the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 based on the detected area.
Further, the notification unit 34B gives a command to the notification device 36 according to the magnitude of the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 detected by the wear amount detection unit 34A, thereby operating the notification device 36 to notify a warning.
In the present embodiment, the notification unit 34B notifies the notification device 36 by giving a command when the wear amount X of the conveyor belt 16 detected by the wear amount detection unit 34A exceeds a predetermined threshold A. The device 36 is operated to notify the alarm. In this case, the threshold value A is set as a wear amount sufficient to indicate that the replacement time of the conveyor belt 16 is approaching.

The notification device 36 notifies a warning regarding the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 in accordance with a command from the notification unit 34B.
The notification device 36 includes, for example, a device that visually notifies a warning such as a display device or a warning light, or a device that sounds a warning visually such as a speaker.
The alarm notification by the display device is made, for example, by displaying a message such as “the amount of wear of the conveyor belt 16 has exceeded a predetermined value. Replace the conveyor belt 16” on the screen.
For example, the warning light is notified by notifying that the replacement time of the conveyor belt 16 has arrived by turning on or blinking the warning light.
The alarm notification by the speaker is made, for example, by issuing an announcement such as “the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 has exceeded a predetermined value. Replace the conveyor belt 16”.

According to the present embodiment, the area of the wear visualizing member 26A is detected by image processing based on the image information generated by imaging the wear visualizing member 26A exposed on the surface of the conveyor belt 16, and the detected area Since the amount of wear of the conveyor belt 16 is detected based on the above, it is advantageous for automatically grasping the amount of wear.
That is, since a large-scale ultrasonic thickness measuring machine is not required, it is not necessary to carry the ultrasonic thickness measuring machine to the place where the conveyor belt 16 is installed, which is advantageous in eliminating the labor required for measurement preparation.
Further, it is not necessary to use a contact medium such as glycerin, and calibration work for each measurement is not required, which is advantageous for easily grasping the wear amount of the upper cover rubber layer 24A.
Further, since the wear visual recognition member 26A is embedded in the upper cover rubber layer 24A, it is advantageous for reliably grasping the wear amount at the same location.
Even when the surface state of the conveyor belt 16 is rough and uneven, it is advantageous for reliably grasping the wear amount.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, an alarm is notified according to the amount of wear of the conveyor belt 16 detected by the wear amount detector 34A, so it is possible to reliably notify the replacement time of the conveyor belt 16. This is advantageous in efficiently carrying out the maintenance work of the conveyor belt 16.

As shown in FIG. 6, the cross-sectional shape of the wear visually recognizing member 26 </ b> A may be such that the cross-sectional area of the wear visually recognizing member 26 </ b> A gradually becomes smaller as the distance from the surface of the upper cover rubber layer 24 </ b> A increases.
In this case, as the wear amount of the upper cover rubber layer 24A increases, the cross-sectional area of the wear visualizing member 26A exposed from the surface of the upper cover rubber layer 24A gradually decreases, so that imaging is performed as in the embodiment. Since the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 can be detected by the friction amount detection unit based on the image information generated by the unit, it is advantageous in automatically grasping the wear amount.
However, if the wear visualizing member 26A is formed so that the cross-sectional area gradually increases as it moves away from the surface of the upper cover rubber layer 24A as in the embodiment, the wear visible when the wear amount of the upper cover rubber layer 24A increases. Since the area of the visual recognition member 26A increases, it is more advantageous in accurately detecting the area of the friction visual recognition member by image processing.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
In the second embodiment, the operation of the notification unit 34B is different from that in the first embodiment, and other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.
In the following embodiments, the same parts and members as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof is omitted.
In the second embodiment, the notification unit 34B compares the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 with a plurality of predetermined threshold values different from each other, and notifies a warning of contents corresponding to the comparison result. Thus, the notification device 36 is controlled.

More specifically, the notification unit 34B has two types of threshold values for the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16: a first threshold value A and a second threshold value B (B> A). A threshold is set.
In this case, the first threshold value A is set as a wear amount sufficient to indicate that the replacement time of the conveyor belt 16 is approaching, and the second threshold value B is required to immediately replace the conveyor belt 16. There is a set amount of wear.
As shown in FIG. 5, the notification unit 34B determines whether or not the wear amount X of the conveyor belt 16 detected by the wear amount detection unit 34A is A <X <B (step S10).
If step S10 is negative, the process returns to step S10.
If step S10 is affirmative, a command is given to the notification device 36 to notify a first alarm indicating that the replacement time of the conveyor belt 16 is approaching (step S12).
Next, the notification unit 34B determines whether or not the wear amount X of the conveyor belt 16 detected by the wear amount detection unit 34A is B <X (step S14).
If step S14 is negative, the process returns to step S14.
If step S14 is affirmative, a command is given to the notification device 36 to notify a second alarm indicating that it is preferable to immediately replace the conveyor belt 16 (step S16).

According to the second embodiment, it is obvious that the same effect as the first embodiment can be obtained, the wear amount X of the conveyor belt 16 and the first and second threshold values A and B. An alarm of the content corresponding to the comparison result is notified. That is, as the wear amount X increases, the need for replacement work of the conveyor belt 16 and an alarm with increased urgency are notified, which is more advantageous for smooth maintenance work.
Further, the threshold value of the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 is set to three or more different in size, and an alarm of contents corresponding to the comparison result between the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 and the three or more threshold values. May be notified. In this case, an alarm having a content corresponding to the comparison result between the wear amount X of the conveyor belt 16 and the three or more threshold values is notified, which is further advantageous for smooth maintenance work.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG.
In the first and second embodiments, the case where the wear visualizing member 26A is provided on the upper cover rubber layer 24A that forms the conveying surface has been described, but in the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. The wear visualizing member 26A is provided on the upper cover rubber layer 24A, and the wear visualizing member 26B is also provided on the lower cover rubber layer 24B that forms the surface opposite to the conveying surface.
As shown in FIG. 9, an upper imaging device 32A (upper imaging unit) that images the wear visualizing member 26A exposed on the surface of the upper cover rubber layer 24A and generates image information, and exposed on the surface of the lower cover rubber layer 24B. A lower imaging device 32B (lower imaging unit) that images the wear visual recognition member 26B to generate and generate image information is provided.

As shown in FIG. 10, the wear amount detection unit 34A detects the areas of the wear visual recognition member 26A and the wear visual recognition member 26B by image processing based on image information supplied from the upper imaging device 32A and the lower imaging device 32B. Based on the detected area, the wear amounts of the upper cover rubber layer 24A and the lower cover rubber layer 24B are detected.
Further, the notification unit 34B gives a command to the notification device 36 according to the magnitude of the wear amount of the conveyor belt 16 detected by the wear amount detection unit 34A, thereby operating the notification device 36 to notify a warning.

According to the third embodiment, both the wear amount of the upper cover rubber layer 24A that is worn by friction with the conveyed object M and the wear amount of the lower cover rubber layer 24B that is worn by friction with the troflora 18 are both present. This is advantageous in automatically and more accurately grasping the amount of wear of the conveyor belt 16.
Of course, the second embodiment may be applied to the third embodiment.

16 Conveyor belt 20 Belt body 22 Reinforcing layer 24 Cover rubber layer 24A Upper cover rubber layer 24B Lower cover rubber layers 26A and 26B Wear visualizing member 30 Wear amount measuring device 32 Imaging device (imaging unit)
32A Upper imaging device (upper imaging unit)
32B Lower imaging device (lower imaging unit)
34 Control Device 34A Wear Amount Detection Unit 34B Notification Unit 36 Notification Device

Claims (4)

A belt body having a reinforcing layer and a cover rubber layer covering the reinforcing layer;
A wear visualizing member having a color distinguishable from the cover rubber layer, embedded in the cover rubber layer, and a cross-sectional area gradually changing along a thickness direction of the cover rubber layer;
A wear amount measuring device for measuring the wear amount of a conveyor belt comprising:
An imaging unit that images the wear visualizing member exposed on the surface of the conveyor belt and generates image information;
A wear amount detection unit that detects the wear amount of the conveyor belt based on the detected area, and detects the area of the wear visual recognition member based on the image information supplied from the imaging unit.
An apparatus for measuring the amount of wear of a conveyor belt, comprising: A notification unit for notifying the alarm by controlling the notification device according to the amount of wear of the conveyor belt detected by the wear amount detection unit;
The apparatus for measuring a wear amount of a conveyor belt according to claim 1. The notifying unit compares the amount of wear of the conveyor belt with a plurality of predetermined thresholds having different sizes, and controls the notifying device so as to notify an alarm corresponding to the comparison result. To
The apparatus for measuring a wear amount of a conveyor belt according to claim 2. The cover rubber layer includes an upper cover rubber layer that covers one surface in the thickness direction of the reinforcing layer and on which a transported object is placed, and a lower cover rubber layer that covers the other surface in the thickness direction of the reinforcing layer And
The wear visual recognition member is provided on each of the upper cover rubber layer and the lower cover rubber layer,
The imaging unit captures an image of the wear visualizing member exposed on the surface of the upper cover rubber layer to generate image information and an image of the wear visualizing member exposed on the surface of the lower cover rubber layer. A lower imaging unit that generates image information
The wear amount detection unit detects an area of the wear visual recognition member by image processing based on the image information supplied from the upper imaging unit and the lower imaging unit, and based on the detected area, the upper part Detecting the amount of wear of the cover rubber layer and the lower cover rubber layer,
The apparatus for measuring a wear amount of a conveyor belt according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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