JP3183082B2 - Transport system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a system for transporting small articles using a linear induction motor (hereinafter referred to as a linear motor).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In hospitals, small articles such as prescriptions, medicines, specimens (blood, urine, etc.) are carried by nurses.
Most of the work of nurses is occupied by these transport operations. Under such circumstances, a transport system for transporting small articles instead of nurses has been introduced to hospitals so that nurses can concentrate on their primary bedside nursing tasks. As one of such transport systems, there is a linear motor-type transport system that uses a linear motor for a traveling drive unit of a carrier to transport small articles at high speed and quietly.

In such a transport system, stations for transmitting and receiving carriers are provided in each examination room and medical office. These stations are connected by a branch track to a main running track provided behind the ceiling or the like. In addition, each station is provided with an operation panel for inviting an empty carrier (a carrier on which a conveyed article is not mounted) or instructing a destination of an actual carrier (a carrier on which a conveyed article is mounted).

[0004] When an operator instructs a station to fetch an empty carrier, a control device for controlling the transport system causes the empty carrier waiting in the storage buffer to travel to the station. Then, when the operator mounts the small article on the empty carrier and inputs the station number of the travel destination, the carrier travels from the branch track to the target station via the main travel track.

[0005]

By the way, in such a transport system, a plurality of storage buffers are provided in a bypass shape with respect to the main traveling path, and each station transmits empty carriers from the nearest storage buffer. Receive supply. Replenishment of each carrier buffer with empty carriers is performed only when empty carriers are returned from the corresponding nearest station. Therefore, in a storage buffer corresponding to a station that frequently transmits carriers, there may be no empty carriers waiting. In such cases, conventionally,
Either a storage buffer located farther than the storage buffer replenishes the storage buffer with empty carriers, or empty carriers are directly supplied from the storage buffer located farther to the station. However, such a method has a problem that it takes time to attract empty carriers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has as its object to provide a transport system capable of equalizing the time required to attract carriers.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport system comprising: a linear motor;
Calibration comprising a carrier, a travel destination driven cars by
A plurality of stations for instructing rear running, and
Position to detect the position of the carrier
A running track on which a number of sensors are arranged, and branch to the running track
And a plurality of waiting stations where the calling carrier waits.
Machine trajectory and a travel block that virtually divides the travel trajectory.
That control the traveling of the carrier.
Traveling control means, and carrier traveling control by the control means.
A traveling management means for managing the control, the running control means
Is based on the travel destination and the detection signal of the position sensor.
Of a carrier in a traveling block under their control
Control the line, and
If a destination is specified, the
The travel information including the carrier identification number and the travel destination is described below.
Travel that has jurisdiction over the travel block on which the carrier travels
Transmit to the control means and
Transmitting device state information indicating a working state to the traveling management means, wherein the traveling management means
If the number of carriers for use becomes less than the specified number, another waiting
Running control to replenish the carrier for invocation from orbit
It is characterized by instructing means .

[0008]

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

According to the transport system of the present invention, the traveling control means
Next, enter the carrier identification number and the destination device number next.
Travel control over which travel block the carrier travels
Means to control the travel of the carrier.
Next, control the traveling block on which the carrier travels.
Take over to travel control means. And the traveling of the carrier
The traveling control means that has taken over the control performs traveling of the carrier.
Based on the destination and the identification number,
Control the traveling of the carrier. In other words, traveling of the carrier
Control oversees the travel block in the carrier travel direction
By the traveling control means
The rear travels between multiple traveling blocks to perform transport work.
U. Further, when the number of call carriers in the nearest standby track assigned to the station becomes equal to or less than a predetermined number , the traveling control means replenishes the call carrier from another standby track to the nearest standby track. Therefore, a certain number or more of the carriers for invocation always stand by in the standby track, and the invocation time of the carriers for invocation is always constant.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the transport system of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a transport path in the present embodiment. In the figure, reference numerals 1a to 1d denote carriers, 2 denotes a main running track, and 3a to 3c.
Is a branch track, 4a to 4c is a station, 5a to 5g is a branching device, 6a to 6g is a standby buffer, and 7a and 7b.
Is a storage buffer. Carriers 1a-1d
Is provided with a container for accommodating an object to be conveyed and a secondary-side conductor (not shown) of a linear motor, and conveys the object to be conveyed by traveling along the main traveling track 2 and the branch tracks 3a to 3c. . The main running track 2 includes the stations 4a to
This is a running track connecting between 4c, and is attached to the back of the ceiling or the like.
The branch tracks 3a to 3c are running tracks connecting the main running track 2 and the stations 4a to 4c, respectively. On these running tracks, a primary coil (not shown) of a linear motor and a position sensor (not shown) for detecting the position of a carrier are provided.
Are arranged at regular intervals. Here, the primary coil and the secondary conductor fixed to the carriers 1a to 1d form a linear motor, and the carriers 1a to 1d
Is driven by the current flowing through the primary coil.

The stations 4a to 4c are provided in each examination room and medical office, and one stop berth (carrier stop position) is set. In addition to the dead-end stations 4a to 4c as shown in FIG. 1, there are also pass-through stations having an entrance and an exit. A plurality of stop berths are provided in such a passing station. Each of the stations 4a to 4c is provided with an operation panel for instructing a transfer operation. Here, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation panel. As shown in the figure, the operation panel 4-1 is provided with the following operation buttons. Call button 4-1a for instructing carrier call Return button 4-1b for instructing carrier return Start button 4-1c for instructing carrier start Numeric button 4-1d for inputting the device number of the destination of the carrier The operation panel 4-1 is provided with a liquid crystal display 4-2 for displaying various messages related to the transport operation. Further, an interphone (not shown) connecting the stations 4a to 4c is installed in each of the stations 4a to 4c.
The communication between c is available.

The branching devices 5a to 5g move the carriers 1a to 1d from the main running track 2 to the branch track 3a to 3c or from the branch track 3a to 3c to the main running track when a part of the track moves. This is a device for switching to 2.
Note that the branching devices 5a to 5g change the traveling direction of the carriers 1a to 1d by moving a part of the track horizontally (horizontal shifter), and the branching devices 5a to 5g vertically move a part of the track. There is a type that changes the traveling direction of the carriers 1a to 1d vertically (vertical shifter). The standby buffers 6a to 6g are temporary stop points of the carriers 1a to 1d, and are provided before and after the branching devices 5a to 5g. The storage buffers 7a and 7b are provided in a bypass shape with respect to the main traveling track 2 and are standby places for empty carriers. Although not shown, the storage buffers 7a and 7b are provided with a large number of standby buffers, each of which can hold a plurality of empty carriers.

Here, the main traveling track 2 includes branching devices 5a to 5a.
It is virtually divided into a plurality of traveling zones with the boundary before and after g. The branch track 3a forms one travel zone together with the connected station 4a, the branch track 3b forms one travel zone together with the station 4b, and the branch track 3c forms one travel zone together with the station 4c. Then, three traveling blocks A to C as shown in the drawing are configured by several traveling zones adjacent to each other. The traveling blocks A to C are provided corresponding to control units A ′ to C ′ described below.

FIG. 3 is a control block diagram of the transport system according to the present embodiment. In the figure, reference signs A ′ to C ′
Is a control unit, and the control unit A 'is provided in the travel block A, the control unit B' is provided in the travel block B, and the control unit C 'is provided in the travel block C. The control units A ′ to C ′ are control units that control the traveling of the carrier staying in the corresponding traveling blocks A to C. The control unit A ′ is provided with each device in the traveling block A, the local controller 1
0a and a driver 11a. The local controller 10a controls traveling of the carrier staying in the traveling block A by controlling the driver 11a and the branching device 5a based on various transport instructions input from the station 4a and detection signals of the position sensor. . Also, the local controller 10a
Monitors the operating state of each device in the control unit A ′. The driver 11a directly controls the traveling of the carriers 1a to 1d by controlling the current flowing through each primary coil in the traveling block A. The configuration of the control units B ′ and C ′ is the same as the configuration of the control unit A described above.

Each of the local controllers 10a to 10c
Are connected to each other by the optical communication line 12, and when the carriers 1a to 1d travel toward another traveling block, the identification number of the carrier and the device number indicating the traveling destination (predetermined for each device) ) And the traveling blocks A to which the carriers 1a to 1d will travel next.
Local controllers 10a to 10c that control C
Send to In addition, each of the local controllers 10a to 10a
0c is connected to the central controller 14 via the communication line 13, and periodically transmits the operating state of each device under its control to the central controller 14 as device state data. The central controller 14 controls the carriers 1a to 1 throughout the transport system based on the device status data.
The running management of d is performed. Also, this central controller 14
Is a storage buffer (7a or 7b) that receives a supply of a call carrier for each of the stations 4a to 4c.
) And the minimum number of empty carriers (reference standby carrier number) to be made to wait in each of the storage buffers 7a and 7b is stored in an internal memory.

Here, each local controller 10
a to 10c are the carriers 1 in the traveling blocks A to C under their own control in addition to the device status data described above.
The following data is stored in order to control the traveling of a to 1d. (1) Map data This is data indicating the device numbers of the devices included in the control units A 'to C' under their control, and the distance between the devices indicated by the device numbers. For example, for the traveling block A, data such as the device numbers of the station 4a, the branching device 5a, and the standby buffers 6a and 6b, the distance from the station 4a to the branching device 5a, the distance from the branching device 5a to the standby buffer 6a, and the like. is there. (2) Travel pattern data This is data that is stored for each travel zone and indicates the travel speed pattern of the carrier traveling in each travel zone. For example, when the carrier 1a travels toward the standby buffer 6b in the travel zone from the branching device 5a to the standby buffer 6b, the traveling pattern data when passing the standby buffer 6b at a constant speed, and the carrier 1a in the standby buffer 6b. There is running pattern data and the like when stopping.

Each of the local controllers 10a to 10c
Controls the traveling directions of the carriers 1a to 1d based on the map data, and controls the carrier 1 based on the traveling pattern data.
The traveling speeds a to 1d are controlled. When the local controllers 10a to 10c are instructed to travel to devices other than the traveling blocks A to C under their control, the local controllers 10a to 10c move the carriers 1a to 1d on either of the main traveling tracks 2 based on the map data. It is determined whether to run in the direction. Each of the local controllers 10a to 10c controls the traveling operation of each carrier 1a to 1d so that only one carrier travels in each traveling block A to C.

Next, the operation of the above-described transport system will be described in detail. For convenience, a case will be described in which the carrier 1a travels from the station 4a to the station 4c. The central controller 14 stores a storage buffer for supplying an empty carrier to the station 4a as a storage buffer 7a, and the carrier 1a is waiting in the storage buffer 7a as an empty carrier. It is. When the operator presses the call button 4-1a at the station 4a, the local controller 10a transmits a call request signal to the central controller 14. In response to the call request signal, the central controller 14 confirms that the stop berth of the station 4a is empty, and that the traveling zone including the station 4a operates normally, and sends a call permission signal to the local controller 10a. Output. Then, the central controller 14 outputs a traveling instruction signal for instructing the local controller 10c that controls the storage buffer 7a to travel the carrier 1a toward the station 4a. At this time, the local controller 10a is in a state of waiting for the invocation of the carrier 1a to the station 4a. During this time, the operation panel 4
-1 indicates that the empty carrier is being called.

When receiving the traveling instruction signal, the local controller 10c outputs an entry request signal including the identification number of the carrier 1a and the equipment number of the traveling destination (the equipment number of the station 4a) to the local controller 10a.
Then, based on the map data, the traveling direction of the carrier 1a is determined as the direction of the standby buffer 6a, and the traveling pattern data is selected according to the content of the answer signal to the entry request signal. That is, the local controller 10c selects traveling pattern data for stopping the carrier 1a in the standby buffer 6a when entry into the traveling block A is not permitted, and switches the carrier 1a when entry into the traveling block A is permitted. The travel pattern data that passes through the standby buffer 6a at a constant speed without stopping in the standby buffer 6a is selected. Note that the case where entry into the travel block A is not permitted means that another carrier is stopped at the stop berth of the station 4a or the branching device 5a is
a is not in a state of accepting a.

Assuming that an entry permission signal has been received, the local controller 10c sends the carrier 1
"a" travels from the storage buffer 7a toward the branching device 5f, and outputs a traveling instruction to stop at the branching device 5f. Upon receiving this instruction, the driver 11c switches the switching order of the AC voltage applied to the primary coil provided in the storage buffer 7a so that the carrier 1a runs toward the branching device 5f. At the same time, the driver 11c controls the traveling speed of the carrier 1a by changing the level of the current applied to each primary coil.
Next, when the local controller 10c detects that the carrier 1a has arrived at the branching device 5f by the position sensor, the local controller 10c operates the branching device 5f to move the carrier 1a from the storage buffer 7a side to the main traveling track 2 side. Then, an instruction to cause the carrier 1a to travel toward the standby buffer 6a and travel at a constant speed to the standby buffer 6a is output to the driver 11c. In accordance with this instruction, the driver 11c controls the current flowing through the primary coil to move the carrier 1a in the same manner as described above.

On the other hand, when the local controller 10a detects that the carrier 1a has entered the traveling block A by the position sensor, the local controller 10a selects traveling data of a pattern for stopping the carrier 1a by the branching device 5a, and
For the traveling zone a, traveling pattern data for stopping the carrier 1a at the station 4a is selected. Then, based on the traveling pattern data, the driver 11a
To stop the carrier 1a by the branching device 5a.
Further, the local controller 10a activates the branching device 5a to move the branch track 3 from the carrier 1a main traveling track 2 side.
Move to a side. Then, the driver 11a is controlled again to stop the carrier 1a at the station 4a. During this time, the liquid crystal display 4-2 of the station 4a displays that the carrier is approaching, and when the carrier 1a arrives, an arrival display is displayed.

By sending the carrier 1a from the storage buffer 7a, the central controller 14 determines whether the number of empty carriers waiting in the storage buffer 7a becomes smaller than the reference standby carrier number described above. The travel instruction signal for causing the carrier 1d to travel to the storage buffer 7a is output to the local controller 10b that controls the buffer 7b. The local controller 10b causes the carrier 1d to travel toward the storage buffer 7a in the same manner as the local controller 10c according to the travel instruction signal.

Next, the carrier 1a where the operator has arrived
The transported object is loaded in the station 4c as a traveling destination.
Of the local controller 10a
Transmits the identification number of the carrier 1a and the device number of the station 4c to the central controller 14. The central controller 14 is connected to each of the local controllers 10a to 10c.
Confirm the following based on the device status data that is periodically transmitted from. (1) Whether each device in the traveling zone including the station 4c is operating normally. (2) Whether each device between the station 4a and the station 4c operates normally. (3) Is there a vacancy in the stop berth of station 4c? (4) Whether there is a carrier already traveling toward the station 4c. As a result, when it is determined that the carrier 1a may be caused to travel toward the station 4c, the central controller 14
Transmits a travel permission signal to the local controller 10a.

When receiving the traveling permission signal, the local controller 10a displays on the liquid crystal display 4-2 that the transport is permitted. When the operator confirms this display and presses the start button 4-1f, the local controller 10a starts running control of the carrier 1a. When the central controller 14 determines that the traveling cannot be permitted, the central controller 14 transmits a traveling non-permission signal to the local controller 10a. In this case, the local controller 10a displays on the liquid crystal display 4-2 that the carrier cannot travel. In this case, the operator can use the intercom provided in the station 4a to contact the operator of the station 4c, thereby instructing the operator to remove the cause for which starting is not permitted.

Next, the local controller 10a sends an entry request including the device number of the station 4c on which the carrier 1a travels and the identification number of the carrier 1a to the local controller 10b which controls the traveling block B to which the carrier 1a enters next. Output a signal. Then, predetermined traveling pattern data is selected according to the content of the answer signal to the entry request signal. That is, when receiving the entry permission signal, the local controller 10a transfers the carrier 1a to the branching device 5 for the traveling zone of the branch track 3a.
The travel pattern data to be stopped is selected in a. Also,
For the traveling zone from the branching device 5a to the standby buffer 6b, traveling pattern data that passes through the standby buffer 6b at a constant traveling speed is selected. If the local controller 10a receives the entry prohibition signal,
The traveling pattern data for stopping the carrier 1a is selected in the standby buffer 6b.

Assuming that the entry permission signal has been received, the local controller 10a sends the carrier 1 to the driver 11a.
a is traveled from the station 4a toward the branching device 5a, and a traveling instruction to stop the vehicle at the branching device 5a is output. Upon receiving this instruction, the driver 11a receives the branch line track 3a.
Is switched so that the carrier 1a runs toward the branching device 5a. At the same time, the driver 11a stops the carrier 1a with the branching device 5a by changing the level of the current applied to each primary coil. Next, when the local controller 10a detects that the carrier 1a has arrived at the branching device 5a by the position sensor, the local controller 10a operates the branching device 5a to move the carrier 1a from the branch track 3a to the main traveling track 2 side. And carrier 1a
Is directed toward the standby buffer 6b, and the driver 11a issues an instruction to travel at a constant speed to the standby buffer 6b.
Output to In accordance with this instruction, the driver 11a controls the current flowing through the primary coil and causes the carrier 1a to travel toward the standby buffer 6b as described above.

Next, when the local sensor 10a confirms that the carrier 1a has left the traveling block A by the position sensor, the local controller 10a transmits an entry notice signal of the carrier 1a to the local controller 10b. Here, the local controller 10b first sends the local controller 1
When the access permission signal is transmitted to 0a, the identification number of the carrier 1a and the equipment number of the travel destination (the equipment number of the station 4c) are stored in an internal memory, and the apparatus waits for an advance notice signal. Has become. When the local controller 10b receives the entry notice signal and confirms that the traveling destination of the carrier 1a is not a device in the traveling block B, the local controller 10b gives the identification number of the carrier 1a to the local controller 10c that controls the traveling block C. And an access permission signal including the device number of the station 4c. When the local controller 10b confirms that the carrier 1a has entered the traveling block B by the position sensor, the local controller 10b transmits an entry report signal to the local controller 10a. The local controller 10a receives the entry report signal,
The traveling control operation for the carrier 1a ends, and the traveling control for the carrier 1a is taken over by the local controller 10b. At this point, the local controller 10a
It waits for the next transport request and enters the standby state.

The local controller 10b selects travel pattern data of the carrier 1a in the travel block B based on a response signal to the entry permission signal transmitted to the local controller 10c. Then, the driver 11b is controlled based on the selected traveling pattern data to cause the carrier 1a to travel toward the traveling block C. Thereafter, the operations of the local controllers 10b and 10c are the same as the operations of the local controllers 10a and 10b described above. The station 4c where the carrier 1a travels is a station controlled by the local controller 10c. Local controller 10
When c confirms this, c selects running pattern data for stopping the carrier 1a at the station 4c. Then, based on the traveling data, the driver 11
c to stop the carrier 1a at the stop berth of the station 4c.

According to the transport system of the present embodiment, when the carrier travels over a plurality of travel blocks, the local controller that has jurisdiction over the station that has issued the transport request responds to the central controller in response to the transport request. And requests the traveling controller to output an entry request signal to a local controller that is in charge of a traveling block in which the carrier travels next. That is, at the time of starting traveling, the state of the equipment related to traveling of the carrier is double-checked. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the carrier temporarily stops in the standby buffer on the main traveling path and hinders the traveling of the other carrier, so that the carrier can travel efficiently and the transport operation can be reliably performed.

Although the above embodiment has been described with reference to a case where there are two storage buffers, the number of storage buffers may be larger. For example, when three storage buffers a, b, and c are provided, when the number of empty carriers in the storage buffer a becomes smaller than a predetermined number, the storage buffer a
May be preferentially supplied from the storage buffer b closer to the storage buffer b. In this case, by causing the storage buffer a to transmit the call carrier, the storage buffer b replenishes the call carrier from the storage buffer c when the number of the call carriers in the storage buffer b becomes equal to or less than a predetermined number. To Further, in the above-described embodiment, the transport system constituted by three traveling blocks has been described, but the number of traveling blocks may be larger. By providing the control unit corresponding to the increased traveling block, the traveling control of the carrier described above can be performed. Further, the number of carriers may be larger.

[0033]

As described above, the transport system of the present invention has the following effects. (1) The traveling control of the carrier is traveling in the traveling direction of the carrier.
It is successively taken over by the travel control means in charge of the block
Allows the carrier to run between multiple travel blocks
To carry out the transport operation. Therefore, one traveling control hand
Step controls carrier travel across the entire transport system
Compared with the case where
Load is reduced. (2) At least a certain number of carry carriers in the standby track
A waits. Therefore, the key at each station
Carrier recall time can be made uniform. (3) Increase in travel control means in response to the increase in travel blocks
To facilitate large-scale transport systems.
Can be built. In addition, to reduce travel blocks
By reducing the number of travel control means,
The stem can be easily reduced. (4) The carrier is driven and driven by the linear motor
Therefore, it can be carried at high speed and without noise or vibration.
The goods can be transported.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing one configuration example of a transport path in a transport system of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of an operation panel in the transport system of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a control block in the transport system of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1a-1d Carrier 2 Main running track 3a-3c Branch track 4a-4c Station 5a-5g Branching device 6a-6g Standby buffer 7a, 7b Storage buffer (standby path) 10a-10c Local controller 11a-11c Driver 12 Optical communication line 13 Communication line 14 Central controller A-C Travel block A'-C 'Control unit 4-1 Operation panel 4-1a Call button 4-1b Return button 4-1c Start button 4-1d Numeric buttons 4-2 Liquid crystal display

Continuation of front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B65G 43/00-43/10 G05D 1/02

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A key driven by a linear motor to travel.
Carriers and multiple stations that instruct the carrier to travel, including the destination
And ® down, the connecting between the stations, it detects the position of the carrier
A traveling track on which a large number of position sensors are disposed, and a branching path is provided on the traveling path , and
Corresponding to a plurality of standby trajectories for waiting and a traveling block virtually dividing the traveling trajectory.
Traveling control to control the traveling of the carrier
Means and a traveling pipe for managing traveling control of the carrier by the control means
The travel control means detects the travel destination and the position sensor.
Based on the outgoing signal,
Control the traveling of the carrier in
If a destination outside the travel block is specified,
The stored identification number of the carrier and the travel destination are
The travel information including the travel block
To the travel control means in charge of the
And device status information indicating the operating status of the running track
And the travel management means transmits the call waiting on the standby track.
If the number of carrier
Recruiting carrier for recalling from orbit
A transfer system for instructing a control means .