JPH03103005A - Capsule type linear traveling unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enable highly efficient high speed travelling of a capsule by providing a pipe, a capsule composed of a non-magnetic body, a permanent magnet fixed onto the outer circumferential face of the capsule, an electromagnet having invertable polarity, and a sensor for detecting the position of the capsule. CONSTITUTION:A capsule 1 is composed of non-magnetic material where permanent magnets 4 are applied annularly in the circumferential direction of the capsule 1 at the upstream and downstream ends, and the capsule 1 can travel freely through the pipe 2 through wheels 3 contactable with the inner circumferential face of the pipe 2. Further, electromagnets having invertable polarity and applied with predetermined interval on the outer circumferential face of the pipe 2 over the entire length thereof, means 7 for inverting the polarity of the electromagnets, and sensors 8a-8c for detecting the position of the capsule 1 fixed to the pipe 2 at positions of respective electromagnets are provided. Since the capsule 1 travels directly through power supply, it can travel efficiently and long distance carriage is facilitated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a linear capsule-type traveling device for efficiently transporting materials at high speed using a conduit.

[Conventional technology]

Capsule pipeline transportation systems that utilize pipelines made up of pipes have traditionally been attracting attention as a logistics system for transporting various materials such as parcels and garbage. This system transports goods to their destination by running capsules through pipelines laid between multiple points, such as between a distribution center and a distribution center.

As a conventional technology for such a capsule pipeline transportation system, a pneumatic capsule traveling system has already been developed. This system uses airflow from a large blower to move a capsule inside a pipe, and transports the materials loaded in the capsule to the destination together with the capsule.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the conventional pneumatic capsule type traveling system has the following drawbacks.

■ Because the capsule is run at high speed inside the pipe, the sealing material tends to wear out and the driving force of the capsule tends to drop.

■ In the curved portion of the pipe, the sealing performance of the capsule is likely to deteriorate, so the curvature of the pipe must be increased, which is disadvantageous in terms of pipeline design.

■ At pipe branching sections, complex switching drive equipment must be installed to maintain air pressure.

■ To move the capsule, air must flow at high speed along the entire length of the pipeline, resulting in a large pressure drop. Furthermore, when transporting over long distances, a booster is required, and a large blower is also required, requiring large-scale power and equipment.

■ Capsules cannot be fired continuously because a large pressure drop occurs when firing the capsule body.

■ When increasing the capsule speed, it is necessary to increase the flow speed higher than the set capsule speed, so the pressure drop increases as the square of the flow speed. Therefore, the speed of the capsule is 2
It is difficult to achieve high speeds of 0 to 30 m/sec or higher.

■ Blower stations are required at both ends of the pipeline to return the capsules.

In this way, the conventional pneumatic capsule type transport system has the drawbacks mentioned above, so it is possible to transport goods at higher speeds.
Although there is a strong desire to develop a capsule pipeline transportation system that can transport materials efficiently and has lower construction costs such as equipment costs, such a system has not yet been proposed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a linear capsule-type traveling device that can efficiently transport materials at high speed and is inexpensive to construct.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention provides a pipe made of a non-magnetic material, a capsule made of a non-magnetic material that can freely travel within the pipe via wheels that contact the inner peripheral surface of the pipe, and a capsule attached to the outer peripheral surface of the capsule. a permanent magnet, an electromagnet whose polarity is convertible and which is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the pipe at predetermined intervals over the entire length of the pipe, a polarity conversion mechanism for converting the polarity of the electromagnet; It is characterized by comprising a sensor for detecting the position of the capsule, which is attached to each position of the electromagnet of the pipe, and further, the sensor is attached to the upstream side of the electromagnet. It consists of a first sensor for setting the polarity of the electromagnet to be different from the polarity of the permanent magnet, and a second sensor for setting the polarity of the electromagnet, which is attached at the same position as the electromagnet, to be the same polarity as the permanent magnet. It has particular characteristics.

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line A--A in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a capsule 1 with a circular cross section is inserted into a pipe 2 with a circular cross section.

The capsule 1 is made of a non-magnetic material, for example aluminum or S
Consists of a US 3 0 4 capsule body. Permanent magnets 4 are annularly wound around the upstream and downstream ends of the capsule 1 in the circumferential direction of the capsule 1. In order to vent air, the permanent magnets 4 may be arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. A plurality of wheels 3 (for example, 10 (about W)) are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the capsule 1 on the upstream and downstream sides of the capsule 1. The capsule 1 contacts the inner peripheral surface of the pipe 2. The capsule 1 can freely travel inside the viper 2 via wheels 3. Although not shown, the capsule 1 has a single-hinged opening/closing door with a lock, and a magnetically shielded inner capsule is mounted inside this. This inner capsule can also be opened and closed, and cargo can be loaded inside.

Vipe 2 is aluminum, SUS304, or FR
A non-magnetic tube made of P or the like can be used. An electromagnetic coil 5 is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the pipe 2 in an annular manner. The coils 5 are attached at predetermined intervals along the entire length of the pipe 2.

Outside the pipe 2, an electric wire 6 for feeding power to the coil 5 from a power source (not shown) is installed in close proximity to the pipe 2 over the entire length of the pipe 2. A control box 7 is connected to the electric wire 6 at each position of each coil 5. The control box 7 constitutes a polarity conversion mechanism for reversing the current supplied to the coil 5 and changing the polarity of the electromagnet.

The control box 7 has a watertight structure and can be maintenance-free by using electronic components without moving parts.

A magnetic sensor is attached to the pipe 2 at each position of each coil 5. The magnetic sensor is a No. I sensor 8a for setting the polarity of the electromagnetic coil 5 to a polarity different from that of the permanent magnet 4.
, 8b, and a second sensor 8c for making the polarity of the electromagnetic coil 5 the same as that of the permanent magnet 4.

The second sensor 8C is attached to the middle position of the coil 5. On the other hand, the first sensor 8a is located a predetermined distance upstream from the second sensor 8c (on the left side in FIG. 1).
The first sensor 8b is located a predetermined distance downstream from the second sensor 8C (
They are respectively attached at separate positions on the right side (as shown in FIG. 1). A signal line 9 connects the control box 7 to the first sensors 8a, 8b and the second sensor 8c. Signal lines 9 of these sensors are connected to electrical switches such as thyristors or power transistors in the control box 7. Further, the electric wire 6 is connected to the coil 5 through an electric switch such as a cyrisk in the control box T.

[Effect]

Next, the principle of running the capsule 1 will be explained. It is assumed that the capsule l travels from the left side to the right side as shown in FIG. When the permanent magnet 4 attached to the capsule l passes the l-th sensor 8a, the l-th sensor 8a detects this, and immediately thereafter, a current flows so that the electromagnet of the coil 5 has a polarity different from that of the permanent magnet 4. As a result, the permanent magnet 4 is attracted by the electromagnet of the coil 5, and the capsule l moves in the running direction (to the right in FIG. 1). Next, when the permanent magnet 4 passes the second sensor 8c, the second sensor 8C detects this, and immediately after that, the current flowing through the coil 5 is reversed, and the polarity of the electromagnet in the coil 5 is converted to the same polarity as the permanent magnet 4. do. As a result, the permanent magnet 4 and the electromagnet of the coil 5 repel each other, and the capsule 1 is pushed out in the running direction. this,
By sequentially repeating the process for each coil 5, the capsule 1 runs continuously in the running direction within the pipe 2.

On the other hand, when the capsule 1 moves in the opposite running direction (from the right side to the left side in FIG. 1), the first sensor 8b
is used, and the first sensor 8a is not used. Note that a section sensor (not shown) is provided for each predetermined section (50 to 100 m), and no current flows through the electromagnet in the section where the capsule 1 does not pass.

The traveling speed of the capsule 1 can be controlled by controlling the frequency and current supplied to the coil 5. Also, depending on the driving situation such as when launching the capsule l,
Alternatively, the current can also be controlled according to the inclination angle of the pipe 2.

In this invention, only the wheels 3 of the capsule 1 come into contact with the inner circumferential surface of the pipe 2, and since no guide such as a rail is used, the capsule 1 runs smoothly and its running speed can be made quite high. possible, and the failure rate is extremely low. [Effects of the Invention] Since the present invention is configured as described above, it produces the following useful effects.

■ By using non-contact glue near mode,
The only part of contact between the pipe and capsule is the wheel, making it possible to achieve higher speeds.

■ It is efficient because the capsule is driven directly using electricity, and electricity can be easily supplied even over long distances, making it easy to transport long distances.

■ Since current is passed only to the section where the capsule is running, current consumption is low and economical.

■ It is easy to automate because it can detect the position of the capsule and control its speed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing one embodiment of the present invention. ．． ．． capsule, 2. ．． ．． Pipe, 3...Wheel, 4. ...Permanent magnet, 5,. ．． Coil, 6. ,, electric wire, 7... control box, 8a, 8b - 1st sensor, 8 c - - 2nd sensor, 9... signal line. It is a sectional view taken along the line AA in the figure.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A pipe made of a non-magnetic material, a capsule made of a non-magnetic material that can freely travel within the pipe via wheels that contact the inner circumferential surface of the pipe, and an outer circumferential surface of the capsule. a permanent magnet attached to the pipe, an electromagnet whose polarity can be changed and which is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the pipe at predetermined intervals over the entire length of the pipe, and a polarity converter for changing the polarity of the electromagnet. A linear capsule type traveling device comprising: a mechanism; and a sensor for detecting the position of the capsule, which is attached to each position of the electromagnet of the pipe. 2. The sensor includes a first sensor installed upstream of the electromagnet for setting the polarity of the electromagnet to a different polarity from the permanent magnet, and a first sensor installed at the same position as the electromagnet for setting the polarity of the electromagnet to a different polarity from the permanent magnet. 2. The linear capsule type traveling device according to claim 1, further comprising a second sensor for making the polarity the same as that of the permanent magnet. 3. The linear capsule type traveling device according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is made of aluminum. 4. The linear capsule type traveling device according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is made of SUS304. 5. The linear capsule type traveling device according to claim 1, wherein the pipe is made of FRP. 6. The linear capsule type traveling device according to claim 1, wherein the capsule is made of aluminum. 7 The capsule is S
The linear capsule type traveling device according to claim 1, which is made of US304.