JPH03111333A - Transportation control method for plurally connected capsules by means of linear capsule type traveling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance transportation efficiency by connecting stations by means of a linear capsule type traveling device by which magnet-fitted capsules are traveled in the inside of a nonmagnetic pipe line on the outer circumferential surface of which electromagnets are fitted at prescribed intervals, and by reciprocating purally connected capsules in the inside of the pipe line. CONSTITUTION:A linear capsule type traveling system comprises collection and delivery stations 10 (10a, 10b), and a linear capsule type traveling device 11, and the collection and delivery stations 10a, 10b are connected by the pipe line of the traveling device 11 on the outer circumference of which electromagnets are fitted. In the inside of the pipe, a plurality of capsules 1 in each of which permanent magnets and wheels are provided are connected, and they are linearly reciprocatedly traveled at high speed, and cargos are loaded on or unloaded from the capsules by loading/unloading devices provided to respective collection and delivery stations 10a, 10b. Thus, since two or more capsules 1 connected can be transferred at high speed, transportation efficiency can be significantly enhanced.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a transportation condo for multiple connected capsules using a linear capsule-type traveling device for efficiently transporting materials at high speed using pipes. It concerns the rules method.

[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 a high speed of 0 to 30 m/see or higher.

■ Floor 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.
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.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the inventors developed a linear capsule-type traveling device that can efficiently transport materials at high speed and is inexpensive to construct. This invention led to the invention of a method for efficiently transporting materials through one or more conduits using a transportable capsule.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a transportation control method for a plurality of connected capsules using a linear capsule type traveling device, which can transport materials efficiently at high speed.

[Means to solve the problem]

The gist of this invention is as follows.

■ A linear capsule-type traveling device that runs a capsule equipped with a magnet, which can move forward and backward by the action of the electromagnet, moves through a conduit in which electromagnets are attached at predetermined intervals on the outer circumferential surface of a non-magnetic pipe. A plurality of capsules using a linear capsule-type traveling device, characterized in that the collection and delivery stations are connected, one pipe is provided, and a plurality of connected capsules are reciprocated within the pipe with the same power as a single capsule. A transportation control method for connected capsules.

■ A linear capsule-type traveling device that runs a capsule equipped with a magnet, which can move forward and backward by the action of the electromagnet, moves through a conduit in which electromagnets are attached at predetermined intervals on the outer circumferential surface of a non-magnetic pipe. Two pipes are provided to communicate between the collection and delivery stations, one of the pipes is used as an outbound route for a plurality of connected capsules that run with the same power as a single capsule, and the other pipe is used as an outbound route for a plurality of connected capsules. A method for controlling the transportation of a plurality of connected capsules using a linear capsule type traveling device, characterized in that the return route of the capsules is a return trip of the capsules.

The present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall diagram of the linear capsule type traveling system, and FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram. The linear capsule traveling system includes a collection and delivery station 10 and a loading/unloading device (not shown) provided in the collection and delivery station IO of the linear capsule traveling device 11. Linear capsule type traveling device 1 between each collection/delivery station 10
Contacted by 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the linear capsule type traveling device, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A--A in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a capsule 1 having a circular cross section is inserted into a vibe 2 having a circular cross section.

The capsule 1 is made of a non-magnetic material such as SUS 304 or aluminum.

Permanent magnets 4 are annularly wound around the upstream and downstream ends of the capsule 1 in the circumferential direction of the capsule 1.

On the upstream side and downstream side of the capsule 1, there are a plurality of wheels 3 (for example, l
(approximately 0) each. Capsule l is pipe 2
It can run freely inside the pipe 2 via wheels 3 that come into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the pipe. 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 door. This inner capsule can also be opened and closed, and cargo can be loaded inside.

Pipe 2 is 5US304. aluminum 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. An electric wire 6 is connected to each coil 5. It constitutes a polarity conversion mechanism for reversing the current supplied to the coil 5 and converting the polarity of the electromagnet.

A sensor is attached to the pipe 2 at each position of each coil 5. The sensor detects the position of the capsule, changes the frequency in accordance with the speed, changes the polarity of the electromagnetic coil 5, and attracts and repels the permanent magnet 4 of the capsule 1. In addition, as another means, the first sensors 8a, 8 have different polarities.
b, and a second sensor 8C for making the polarity of the electromagnetic coil 5 the same as that of the permanent magnet 4. Second
The sensor 8c is attached at which position inside the coil 5. On the other hand, the first sensor 8a is located a predetermined distance upstream (left side in FIG. 3) from the second sensor 8c.
The sensor 8b is located a predetermined distance downstream from the second sensor 8C (the third
They are installed at separate locations on the right side (as shown in the figure). 9 is the control box 7 and the first sensor 8a
, 8b and the second sensor 8C. Signal lines 9 of these sensors are connected to electrical switches such as cyrisks 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 a control box 7.

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 1 passes the first sensor 8a, the first 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. 4). 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 becomes the same polarity as the permanent magnet 4. Convert. 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 traveling direction. By repeating this process sequentially for each coil 5, the capsule l continuously runs in the running direction inside the pipe 2, while the capsule 1 moves in the opposite running direction (from the right side to the left side as shown in FIG. 3). When moving, the first sensor 8b is used and the first sensor 8a is not used. In addition, for each predetermined section (
A section sensor (not shown) is installed in the section (50 to toam),
Since the current flows in one section, the power is the same even if multiple capsules run in this section. 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 switching frequency and current supplied to the coil 5. Further, the current can also be controlled depending on the number of connected capsules 1, traveling conditions such as during firing, or according to the inclination angle of the pipe 2.

Next, the transportation control method of the present invention will be explained. The transportation control method differs depending on the number of pipeline lines, but if there is one pipeline, at a certain collection and delivery station 10a, the capsule 1 is loaded with cargo),
It is emitted to other collection and delivery stations 10b at predetermined intervals. At the collection/delivery stage tab, when the capsule 1 arrives, the cargo is unloaded), and the empty capsule 1 is left on standby for a while. The capsule 1 is composed of two or more cars connected, and the capsule 1 is a plurality of connected capsules.
is designed to pass through bends of pipe 2 with small curvature. When all the capsules 1 arrive at the collection and delivery station 10b and the transportation is completed, the capsules are transported in the opposite direction from the collection and delivery station 10h to the collection and delivery station 10a, thus repeating the transportation.

If there are two pipes, it can be transported continuously by dividing it into an outbound route and a return route. They can also be used both ways.

In addition, the collection and delivery stations are arranged in a combination of main collection and delivery stations and branch collection and delivery stations, and the main collection and delivery stations are connected to each other through multiple pipes, and the main collection and delivery stations and branch collection and delivery stations are connected to each other through one pipe. It is possible to transport goods widely and efficiently by connecting through pipelines. Capsule position and drive information is collected at the collection and delivery station and operated based on this information.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the capsule transport procedure when there is only one pipe line between collection and delivery stations.

〔Effect of the invention〕

Since this invention is configured as described above, it produces the following useful effects.

■ By using a non-contact glue near motor,
The only contact area between the pipe and capsule is the wheel (high speed is possible).

■ 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 multiple connected capsules are 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.

■ Since it uses a linear capsule-type traveling device that can move forward and backward within the pipeline, capsule transportation can be controlled using a single pipeline, and two or more pipelines can be arranged in combination. This greatly improves transportation efficiency.

■ Transport efficiency can be greatly improved by configuring the capsules to be connected to two or more cars.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an overall view of the linear capsule type traveling system, Fig. 2 is a conceptual diagram, Fig. 3 is a side view showing the linear capsule type traveling device, and Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 3. , FIG. 5 is a process diagram showing an example of a capsule transport procedure when there is only one pipe line between collection and delivery stations. In the drawings: l-, capsule, 21. -Pipe, 3--Wheel, 4-Permanent magnet, 5-Coil, 6-Electric wire, 71.・Control box, 8a, 8b---first sensor, 8C---second sensor, 9---signal line, 10.10a, 10b---collection and delivery station, 1
1...Linear capsule type traveling device. Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A linear capsule in which a capsule equipped with a magnet is moved forward and backward by the action of the electromagnet in a conduit in which electromagnets are attached at predetermined intervals on the outer peripheral surface of a non-magnetic pipe. A linear type characterized in that a plurality of collection and delivery stations are connected by a mold traveling device, one pipe is provided, and a plurality of connected capsules are reciprocated within one pipe with the same power as a single capsule. Method 2 for controlling the transportation of multiple connected capsules using a capsule-type traveling device A magnet-equipped device capable of moving forward and backward by the action of the electromagnets in a conduit in which electromagnets are attached at predetermined intervals on the outer circumferential surface of a non-magnetic pipe. A plurality of collection and delivery stations are connected by a linear capsule-type traveling device that runs capsules, two pipes are provided, and one of the pipes runs with the same power as a single capsule. A method for controlling the transportation of a plurality of connected capsules using a linear capsule type traveling device, characterized in that the other pipe line is used as an outbound route for capsules, and the other pipe line is used as a return route for a plurality of connected capsules.