JPH0281817A - Sorting equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce a system-down time in a sorting equipment for delivering loads classified by stores by making a signal bypass a sub-station in which an abnormality occurred in its controller unit and inputting a signal while delaying the passing time of a load to a sub-stations on the lower course side thereof. CONSTITUTION:At the time of the abnormality of a control unit, an abnormality signal p0 is outputted from an abnormality detecting portion 14 to a setting device 15. A sorting data setting means 13 sets a sorting data signal r1 according to a load data signal r0 inputted from a host computer while being synchronized with a load detecting signal j0 inputted from a load detecting device 7, and outputs the same to an abnormality judgement outputting means 12. The abnormality judgment outputting means 12 which has received abnormality signals p1, p2... from sorting controllers 16a, 16b... cuts off the sorting data signal r1 and outputs a system stopping signal s0 to the host computer. Then, the means 12 forms a sub-station abnormality signal (t), outputs a starting signal s1 to the host computer and outputs the sorting data signal r1 and the load sorting data signal l' to the sorting controller 16a to return to an ordinary operation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a control means for sorting equipment, particularly for a dispensing device.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, loads are sorted using a plurality of belt conveyors 1a to 1h (7 in the figure) arranged on the sides of the belt conveyors 1a to 1h that constitute a conveyance line.
chute 23-2g of the stand), and chute 2a-2g
Loads 4 are delivered to each of the chutes 2a to 2g, for example, by store, by delivery roller devices 3a to 3g disposed between the belt conveyors 1a to lh corresponding to the entrances of the stores. The dispensing roller devices 3a to 3g are shown in FIG. 7(a) and (
As shown in υ, for example, belt conveyors la, lb
A plurality of drive rollers 5 (five in the drawing) that can be raised and lowered and whose directions can be changed are arranged in the gap, and when the load 4 passes, the drive rollers 5 are on the same plane as one surface of the belt conveyor 1a. When unloading the load 4, the drive roller 5 is driven to protrude from the upper surface of the belt conveyor 1a and is directed toward the chute 2a, so that the load 4 being conveyed in the conveyance direction M is , and convey it toward the chute 2a as shown by the imaginary line.

Further, in FIG. 6, reference numeral 6 denotes a merging section control controller h roller corresponding to the parent station of sorting controllers 8a and 8b, which will be described later.
For sorting, input the data and send it to the most upstream belt conveyor 1a.
The load 4 passing under the first load detection device 7 is synchronized with the load detection signal j0 of the load 4 from the first load detection device 7 disposed in the
The sorting unit outputs the data signal l to the controller 8a for the upstream sorting line.

The sorting controllers 8a and 8b correspond to slave stations of the merging section control controller 6. The sorting controller 8a controls (drives) the dispensing roller devices 3a, 3b, 3c of the three chutes 2a, 2b, 2c constituting the first tracking zone upstream of the conveyance line. The load detection signal j1 of the second load detection device 7a disposed on the belt conveyor 1a in the tracking zone is collated with the data signal l from the merging section controller 6 in order to sort the load 4. , 2b, 2c are determined, and the corresponding dispensing roller devices 3a, 3b, 3c are driven by the output drive signal 11 k2 + k3.

Further, the sorting controller 8a is used to sort the cargo 4 from the merging section control controller 6 through the chute 2a in which the data signal 1 constitutes the first tracking zone.

2b, 2 (if not corresponding to chutes 2d, 2e forming a second tracking zone downstream of the line).

The sorting that controls the discharging roller devices 3d, 3e, and 3f of 2f is performed after the load detection signal j1 of the load 4 of the load detection device 7a of the first tracking zone is input to the controller 8b. The data signal g of this load 4 immediately before it is detected by the load detection device 7b in the tracking zone of
1 is being transferred. Further, the data signal q of the load 4 of the controller 8b for sorting is sent to the chutes 2d, 2e, which constitute the second tracking zone.
2f, the sorter further downstream in the line transfers the data signal q2 of the load 4 to the controller.

In addition, these merging section controller 6 and sorting controllers 8a and 8b are as shown in FIG.
They are composed of the same controller unit 9, and if the controller unit 9 goes down, the cylinder data signal N+Qtlq2 will not be transferred, so the sorter will completely stop the equipment as a system error and replace it with a new controller unit 9 to restore it. ing.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the conventional configuration, when the controller unit 9 goes down, it takes time to recover, especially when there is no spare controller unit 9 on hand, which increases the system down time and makes work difficult. The efficiency was very poor.

The present invention solves the above problems, and aims to provide sorting equipment that can reduce system down time.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a master station consisting of the same controller unit and a plurality of slave stations, and each slave station transmits data from the master station via the master station or upstream of the conveyance line. The sorter is configured to drive a payout device in a zone in charge of the load being conveyed on the conveyance line in response to a data signal of the incoming load, to pay it out to a chute, and to transfer the data signal of the tube to a slave station downstream of the line. is equipment, and the master station has
Abnormality determination output means for outputting, when a controller unit abnormality signal from the slave station is input, a slave station abnormality signal consisting of the number of the slave station that has caused the abnormality, together with the data signal of the load, to the slave station at the most upstream side of the line. The slave station detects an abnormality in the controller unit and outputs a controller unit abnormality signal to the master station, and sends the data signal of the load and the slave station abnormality signal directly downstream of the line without going through the controller unit. An abnormality detection means configured with hardware separate from the controller unit and transmitted to a slave station in an adjacent zone; and a delay means for delaying the load data signal by the time the load passes through an adjacent zone upstream of the line. and determine the slave station abnormal signal,
When an abnormality is detected in a slave station in a zone adjacent to the upstream side of the line, the data signal for the load delayed by the delay means is sent out in place of the data signal for the load sent via the slave station upstream on the line. The device is provided with abnormal slave station determining means for outputting a slave station abnormality signal to a slave station in an adjacent zone downstream of the line, using a load data signal for specifying the device.

Effect With the above configuration, when the controller unit of a slave station has an error, the master station outputs a slave station error signal consisting of the number of the slave station that has caused the error together with the load data signal, and the slave station that has caused the error is sent to the adjacent upstream line The load data signal and slave station abnormal signal sent from the slave station or master station in the zone are transferred as they are to the slave station in the zone adjacent downstream of the line, and the normal slave station is transmitted to the slave station in the zone adjacent upstream of the line. The slave station abnormality signal sent from the station or the master station is determined, and when an abnormality in the slave station in the zone adjacent to the upstream side of the line is detected, the load passes through the zone adjacent to the upstream side of the line based on the data signal of the load. The data signal of this load is inputted with a delay of time, the data signal of this load is used to specify the payout device, the payout device in the zone is operated, and the data signal of this load and the slave station are input to the slave station of the zone adjacent downstream of the line. Transfer abnormal signals.

Therefore, the slave station that has caused an error in the controller unit bypasses the signal, and the slave station that is downstream of the slave station that has caused the error transmits the load data by delaying the time that the load passes through the zone adjacent to the line upstream. By inputting a signal, a data signal synchronized with the load can be obtained, and a dispensing device can be driven in accordance with the data signal. Note that the dispensing device which is driven by the slave station that has caused the abnormality is not driven, and the cargo to be dispensed to the chute in this zone is sent to the miss line and sorted manually.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings. Note that the same components as those of the conventional example shown in FIG. 6 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a controller for controlling a merging section of sorting equipment according to the present invention. The merging section control controller 11 shown in FIG. When the control unit 9 is abnormal, the abnormality detection section 14 sends an abnormality signal p to the setting device 15. is output. The sorting data setting means 13 inputs the sorting data from the first load detection device 7 at the most upstream side of the line shown in FIG. In synchronization with load detection signal j0,
The data signal r1 is set and outputted to the abnormality determination output means 12 for sorting the load 4 passing through the first load detection device 7 based on the number of the sorting chute.

The operation of the abnormality determination output means 12 will be explained according to the flowchart shown in FIG. The categories corresponding to slave stations, which will be described later, are abnormal signals of the respective controller units 9 from the controllers 16a, 16b, .
When H... is input (step 21), the sorter cuts the data signal r, and outputs a system stop signal s0 to the host computer (step 22). Step 23: Form a slave station abnormality signal t consisting of a number.
), a (re)start signal s1 is output to the host computer (step 24), and the sorting data signal r from the data setting means 12 and the slave station abnormal signal t are serially formed.The sorting of the load 4 is performed using the data signal. For sorting the most upstream part of the line, l' is output to the controller 716a and the process returns to normal operation (step 25). Sorting is done by controllers 16a, 161)
If there is no abnormality in . . . , the sorting data signal r1 is output as the sorting data signal da.

In addition, if an abnormality occurs in the control unit 9 of the merging section controller 11, recovery is performed according to the flowchart in FIG. 4. When an abnormality occurs in the control unit 9, the output of the abnormality determination output means 12 is stopped, and the host computer detects this and stops the system (step 31). is displayed (step 32). Replaced with a normal control unit 9 (
In step 33), when the restart signal S is input from the setting device 15 to the abnormality determination output means 12 (step 34), normal operation is returned to and restored (step 35).

Next, the sorting controllers 16a, 16b, . . . will be explained based on the block diagram of FIG.

The description will be made on the assumption that the controller is responsible for sorting, for example, the controller 16b is responsible for driving the delivery roller devices 3 (1, 3e, 3f) in the second tracking zone.

For sorting, the controller 16b is the control unit 9.
An abnormal slave station determining means 41, a switch 42 operated by the abnormal slave station determining means 41, a delay means 43, a chute determining means 44, a dispensing roller device driving means 45, and counter means 46a, 46b.

46c, 46d, switch 47 and logical sum (OR)
It is formed of a circuit 48, a control unit 9, and an abnormality detection means 49 constituted by another hardware, and the sorting of the goods 4 sent from the controller 16a is performed using the data signal Q>' and the data signal Q>'. Load detection signal j of load 4 from load detection device 7b of load 2! As shown in FIG. 2, a pulse encoder 5 is arranged along the belt conveyor 1a and detects the conveyance speed of the belt conveyors 1a to 1h.
A continuous pulse signal n corresponding to the conveyance speed of the belt conveyors 1a to 1h (7) from 0 is input, and 4+k is input to the drive signal for driving the dispensing roller devices 3d, 3e, and 3f.
sgk@, sorting downstream of the line outputs a data signal gz' for sorting to the controller 11b, and a controller unit abnormality signal p to the merging section control controller 11.

When the abnormality detection means 49 detects an abnormality in the controller unit 9, it bypasses the sorting data signal q!/ and directly outputs the sorting data signal q! without going through the control unit 9. The error signal p2 from the controller unit 9 is output to the merging section controller 11.

The delay means 43 is a means for delaying the sorting data signal q,' by the time for the load 4 to pass through the first tracking zone upstream of the line, and the abnormal unit determining means 41 delays the sorting data signal q,' by the time it takes the load 4 to pass through the first tracking zone upstream of the line. When the upstream sorting of the line determines that there is an abnormality in the controller 16a based on the station abnormality signal,
Via the switch 42, the delay data signal qlL of the delay means 43 is input to the shot determination means 44 in place of the data signal q,'. Shoot determination means 44
The sorting of the cargo 4 is performed by sequentially comparing the data signal q or qIL with the cargo detection signal jt of the cargo 4) 2d.

2e, 2f, each dispensing roller device 3d, 3
e.

Dispensing roller device a drive means 45 which is the drive means of 3f.
The selection signal α is output to the chute 2, and the sorting of the load 4 is
When de 2e and 2f do not apply, the data signal β of the load 4 is outputted to the counter means 46a to 46d via the switch 47. The switch 47 is configured to sequentially change its position each time the data signal β is output. In addition, the data signal β is the load detection signal j,
It is output at almost the same timing as the input. The counter means 46a to 46d each correspond to the shot determination means 44.
a memory 51 that stores the data signal β from
, an M circuit 53 that takes the logical product of the output signal of the R-S flip 7o 52 and the pulse signal n of the pulse encoder 5o, and a counter 54 that counts the output signal of the melon circuit 53, and outputs the load detection signal. When j2 is input, the pulse signal n is counted, and when the counter value reaches a set value B corresponding to the time immediately before the load 4 passes the load detection device 7c downstream of the line, it is stored in the memory 51 and the data signal is Output β as a pulsed data signal γ,
The R-S flip-flop 52 is being reset. The counter means 46a to 46d count the loads 4 sent sequentially, so that each of the dispensing roller devices 3
d, 36.If there is only one load 4 between 3f,
Four counter means 46a to 46d as shown in FIG.
is necessary. The outputs of the counter means 46a to 46d are passed through an OR circuit 48 which takes a logical sum, and together with the slave station abnormal signal detected by the abnormal unit determining means 41, are passed through the abnormality detecting means 49 to the third tracking zone adjacent to the downstream of the line. The sorting information is outputted to the controller 16c as a data signal qz'.

With the above configuration, when an abnormality occurs in the controller unit 9, the controller 16b performs sorting, and when an abnormality occurs in the controller unit 9, the sorting upstream in the line is sent from the controller 16a, and the sorting including the slave station abnormality signal uses the data signal q.

The abnormality detecting means 49 directly outputs the sort data downstream of the line to the controller 16c as data signals q,'. In addition, in the normal case, the abnormality unit determination means 41 determines the slave station abnormality signal included in the data signal q for the sorting sent from the controller 16a, and the abnormality in the controller 16a is determined for the sorting adjacent to the upstream side of the line. When detected, the delay means 43 delays the sorting data signal Qs' by the time the cargo 4 passes through the first tracking zone and inputs it to the chute determining means 44. The unloading roller device 3 is activated by the signal (1+' and the load detection signal j from the load detection device 7b).
d, 3e, and 3f are identified, and if they can be identified, the dispensing roller device driving means 45 counts the pulse signal n of the pulse encoder 50 corresponding to the distance from the load detection device 7b to the dispensing roller devices 3d, 3e, and 3f. and drives the dispensing roller devices 3d, 3e, and 3f, and if it cannot be identified, the downstream sorting of the line is performed by the controller 16c, and the slave station abnormality signal detected by the abnormality unit determination means 41 and the counting means 46a to 46d are used to sort the line downstream. The sorting which is output at the timing immediately before the load 4 passes through the load detecting device 7c is composed of a data signal, and outputs the data signal q,'.

In this way, when the controller unit 9 has an abnormality, the controller bypasses the sorting data signal, so the controller can receive and receive the sorting data signal in the downstream sorting line, and the delay means 43 allows the controller to bypass the sorting data signal. Since the data signals for sorting and sorting can be made to match, it is possible to drive the payout roller device in the assigned tracking zone and sort the articles 4 accurately.

In addition, in the case of sorting that causes an error, the unloading roller device, which is driven by the controller, is not driven, and the load that should be unloaded into the chute in this tracking zone is sent to the miss line at the rear end, where it is sorted manually. However, since most of the loads 4 are delivered automatically to other chutes, work efficiency can be greatly improved compared to the conventional case where the equipment is completely stopped for sorting. can.

In addition, if the spare controller unit 9 is not kept on hand and the controller unit 9 of the merging section control controller 11 becomes abnormal, the sorting is done by the controller unit 9.
If the controller unit 9 of the stand is removed and used as the merging section control controller 11, the sorting from which the controller unit 9 was removed will not be able to sort the loads 4 to the chute in the tracking zone that the controller is in charge of (although it will be restarted). , most of the loads 4 can be automatically sorted, and work efficiency can be improved.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, a slave station that has caused an abnormality receives the data signal and slave station abnormality signal sent from the slave station or master station in an adjacent zone upstream of the line, directly to the line. Since the data is transferred to the slave station in the adjacent zone downstream, a normal slave station downstream of the line can receive the data signal of the load, and furthermore, it is sent from the slave station or master station in the zone adjacent to the line upstream. Determines the slave station abnormality signal, and when an abnormality is detected in the slave station in the zone adjacent to the upstream side of the line, the data signal of the cylinder is delayed by the time the load passes through the zone adjacent to the upstream side of the line, and the data signal of the load is inputted. By doing so, it is possible to obtain a data signal that is synchronized with the load, and it is possible to drive the dispensing device in accordance with the data signal.

In addition, the payout device operated by the slave station that caused the error is not driven, and the loads that should be paid out to the chute in this zone are sent to the miss line and sorted manually, but most Since the cargo can be automatically sorted, work efficiency can be dramatically improved compared to the conventional method where all equipment is stopped for sorting.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a controller for controlling a confluence section of sorting equipment, and FIG.
Figure 3 shows the classification of the equipment, Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the operation of the controller when the controller is abnormal, Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the recovery procedure when the controller is abnormal, Figure 5 The figure shows a diagram of the controller's professional sorting equipment, Figure 6 shows a configuration diagram of the equipment for conventional sorting, and Figures 7 (a) and (b) show belts for dispensing 1a-%-1h, respectively. Conveyor (transport line), 2a to 2g...Chute, 3a to 3g...dispensing roller device (dispensing device), 4...-load, 7...
・First load detection device, 7a to 7c...Second load detection device, 11...Confluence section control controller (master station), 12
...Abnormality determination output means, 16a. 16b... Sorting is done by controller C slave station), 41...
Abnormal slave station determination means, 43...delay means upper °n:ζ-abnormality detection means, 5.0...pulse encoder.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A master station consisting of the same controller unit and a plurality of slave stations are provided, and each slave station is transported along the transport line by the load data signal transmitted from the master station via the master station or upstream of the transport line. The sorting equipment is configured to drive a dispensing device in a zone in charge of cargo to deliver it to a chute, and also to transfer a data signal of the cargo to a slave station downstream of the line, and the data signal from the slave station is sent to the master station. Abnormality determination output means is provided for outputting, when a controller unit abnormality signal is input, a slave station abnormality signal consisting of the number of the slave station that has caused the abnormality, together with the data signal of the load, to the slave station at the most upstream side of the line. Then, an abnormality in the controller unit is detected and a controller unit abnormality signal is output to the master station, and the data signal of the load and the slave station abnormality signal are transmitted directly to the child in the zone adjacent downstream of the line without going through the controller unit. an abnormality detection means constituted by hardware separate from the controller unit and transmitted to the station; a delay means for delaying the data signal of the load by the time the load passes through a zone adjacent to the upstream side of the line; When an abnormality signal is determined and an abnormality is detected in a slave station in an adjacent zone upstream of the line, the data signal of the load delayed by the delay means is transmitted in place of the data signal of the load sent via the slave station upstream of the line. and abnormal slave station determining means for outputting a slave station abnormality signal to a slave station in an adjacent zone downstream of the line.