JPH0331062A - On-spot supervisory device for moving unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform accurate on-spot supervision even at the time of power interruption by providing detecting means, which detects passing of a moving unit with no power supply and stores the detection information of the moving unit with no power supply, in start end and final end parts of an on-spot supervisory zone. CONSTITUTION:Start end side and final end side detecting means S3, 23, which can detect passing of a moving unit V with no power supply and store the detection information of the moving unit with no power supply, are respectively provided in start and final end parts of an on-spot supervisory zone Z in the running route L of the moving unit V. Based on the moved-passing completion information of the detecting means 23 in the final end side, the detection information, stored in each of detecting means S3, 23, is released by an electrically- operated release means 22. As the detecting means S3 on the start end side, a self-holding lead switch is used. While the detecting means 23 on the final end side is composed of the first sensor S1 formed by a self-holding read switch and the second sensor S2 formed by a proximity switch having a detection area A2 larger than the detection are A1 of this sensor S1.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention provides a presence monitoring device for a moving object that detects whether or not the moving object is present in a presence monitoring zone on the travel route of the moving object. Regarding.

[Conventional technology]

BACKGROUND ART In order to improve productivity, assembly lines for automobiles, home appliances, etc., transportation and sorting lines, etc. are increasingly using mole rail type equipment in which a large number of moving objects are arranged on the same travel route.

In the above-mentioned equipment, a presence monitoring zone may be provided in a station portion, a curved route portion, or the like. In other words, a presence monitoring device is installed that detects whether or not a preceding moving object is present in the monitoring zone, and if so, it stops the following moving object before the monitoring zone. The vehicle was controlled to run.

Conventionally, presence monitoring devices have been configured as follows.

(1) A sensor such as a proximity sensor that detects the passage of a moving object is provided at the starting end and rear end of the occupancy monitoring zone, and when the sensor at the starting end detects the passage of a moving object, a occupancy signal is sent. The vehicle was also configured to output a non-occupancy signal when a sensor on the rear end side detected the passage of a moving object.

(2) Furthermore, in the case of a mole rail type in which power is supplied from a power supply rail to a mobile vehicle, a so-called pressure division method may be used in which a portion of the power supply rail belonging to the monitoring zone is separated from other portions.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The above conventional technology has the following drawbacks.

In the configuration (1), if the mobile vehicle passes the start or end of the monitoring zone by coasting during a power outage,
The passage information cannot be stored. Therefore, accurate presence monitoring cannot be performed.

In the configuration (2), since it is necessary to divide the power supply rail, it is not possible to cope with an increase or decrease in the number of zones or a change in the zone length.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, to provide a presence monitoring device for a mobile object that can accurately monitor presence even in the event of a power outage, and that can easily accommodate equipment modification.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve this object, a first characteristic configuration of the mobile object presence monitoring device according to the present invention is to detect the passage of the mobile object at the starting end of the monitoring zone without a power supply, and to A detection means on the start end side capable of storing information without a power source is provided at the end of the monitoring zone, detecting passage of the moving object without a power source, and storing the detected information without a power source. A motor-operated motor is provided with a possible rear-end detection means, and releases the stored detection information of the start-end and terminal-side detection means based on moving body passage completion detection information of the terminal-side detection means. A release means is provided.

A second characteristic configuration is that the detection means on the terminal side includes a first sensor whose detection information is canceled by the cancellation means, and a first sensor that detects passage of the moving body only while the moving body is passing. 2 sensors, the detection area of the second sensor along the travel route direction is configured to be larger than the detection area of the first sensor along the travel route direction, and the release means is configured such that the detection area of the second sensor is larger than the detection area of the first sensor along the travel route direction. storing information, and storing the second information.
The sensor is configured to perform a release operation when the sensor does not detect the moving object.

[For production]

The effects of the first characteristic configuration are as follows.

Even if a moving object passes through the starting end of a monitoring zone during a power outage due to coasting or the like, the passing can be reliably detected and stored. Accordingly, the presence of a moving object can be detected. Similarly, when passing through the terminal part,
The passage can be memorized. Then, after the power is restored, the presence information of the mobile object can be canceled. In other words,
It is possible to reliably monitor whether a moving object is present or not.

In the second characteristic configuration, even if the first sensor detects a moving object, the second sensor cannot detect the moving object until the moving object passes through the point where the moving object cannot be detected, that is, the moving object completely passes through the monitoring zone. The mobile object's presence information will not be released until the

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the first characteristic configuration, it is possible to obtain a highly safe mobile object presence monitoring device that can reliably monitor the presence or absence of a mobile object in the surveillance zone, thereby reliably avoiding collisions of mobile objects, etc. can. Further, since it is sufficient to attach the detection means to the starting end and the ending end of the monitoring zone, it is possible to easily accommodate modification of the equipment.

In the second characteristic configuration, the presence information is not released until the mobile object completely passes through the monitoring zone, so that higher safety can be achieved.

〔Example〕

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a conveyance facility will be described based on the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 4, a guide rail (1) that movably supports a vehicle body (V) for unmanned transportation is provided, thereby forming a travel path (L) for the vehicle body (V) as a moving body. ing. The vehicle body (V) is driven in the direction of the arrow by an electric motor (M) to transport articles.

As shown in FIG. 5, the guide rail (1) has a power supply rail (2) installed on its lateral side.

As shown in Figure 1, this power supply rail (2) has three power lines (R), (S), (T) and two signal lines (
K).

(J) is provided. Further, the vehicle body (V) is provided with a current collector (3) that is in sliding contact with the power supply rail (2). This supplies power to the motor (M) that drives the wheels (4), and also connects the master station (5) on the ground side and the slave station (6) on the vehicle body side.
) to send and receive signals.

To further explain the traveling route (L), as shown in FIG. 4, a presence monitoring zone (Z) is provided in a curved route portion. Each surveillance zone (Z) is assigned an address, and the vehicle body (V) detects the address of the surveillance zone (Z) using the address code board (7) installed upstream of the surveillance zone (Z). It is now possible to do so.

At the starting end and the ending end of each monitoring zone (Z), there is a starting end side detection unit (8) that detects passage of the vehicle body (V) without a power source, respectively.
and a terminal side detection section (9). These detection units (8) and (9) are connected to the master station (5). Note that (11) in the figure is a striker for stopping the vehicle body.

A description will be added regarding the travel control configuration of the vehicle body (V).

As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle body (V) is provided with a sub-controller (SC) using a microcomputer, and the sub-controller (SC) is equipped with an optical sensor (SC) for detecting approach to the preceding vehicle body (V). 10), a proximity switch (12) for detecting the striker (11), a code reader (13) for reading and detecting the address on the address code plate (7), and a signal exchange with the master station (5). Each of the slave stations (6) for carrying out the operation is connected.

In addition, (15) in the figure is a magnet for giving passage information of the vehicle body (V) to the detection parts (8) and (9), and (14)
is a communication interface.

The sub-controller (SC) controls the transmission (16) based on command information and various input information from the ground-side main controller (MC) to control the running of the vehicle body (V). It is composed of

Further, a main controller (MC) is provided on the ground side, and the main controller (MC) receives signals from the starting end side detection unit (8), the rear end side detection unit (9), and each sub-controller (SC). Each of the master stations (5) for sending and receiving is connected. In addition, the main controller (M
C) is designed to receive commands from the host computer (18).

Further, (17) in the figure is a communication interface.

The detection units (8) and (9) will be explained below.

The starting end side detection unit (8) is connected to the vehicle body (V
) is equipped with a self-holding reed switch (S, ) as a detection means on the starting end side, which can detect the passage of the reed switch and store the detected information without a power source.

The reed switch (S,), as shown in FIG.
It includes a contact holding magnet (19) and a reset coil (20). In other words, the vehicle body (V) is in the surveillance zone (Z
) As it passes through the starting end, the contact (21) becomes closed due to the action of the magnet (15). Then, the reset coil (
20) is kept closed until it is energized and opened.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rear end side detection (9) includes a self-holding reed switch (S1) as a first sensor configured similarly to the reed switch (S3), and a detection along the travel path direction. Area (A2) is the first sensor (S1)
is larger than the detection area (A1) along the traveling path of
The magnet (15) is inserted only while the vehicle body (V) is passing.
The proximity switch (S2) as a second sensor and the first sensor (S1) configured to be in the closed state by the vehicle memorize detection information, and the second sensor (S2)
A reset circuit (22) generates a one-shot pulse when V) is not detected.

That is, the first sensor (S1) and the second sensor (S2) correspond to the detection means (23) on the termination side, and the reset circuit (22) corresponds to the release means.

To explain the operation of the detection units (8) and (9), as the vehicle body (V) passes the starting end of the monitoring zone (Z), the reed switch (S3) on the starting end side becomes closed. . Also, when the vehicle body (V) passes the rear end part and the second sensor (
A self-holding reed switch (S1) when it reaches outside the detection area (A2) of S2).

(S3) is reset and becomes open. However, if the vehicle body (V) passes through the rear end of the monitoring zone (Z) due to coasting during a power outage, etc., a reset operation is performed after the power is restored. That is, the main controller (MC) can detect whether or not the vehicle body (V) is present in the monitoring zone (Z) based on the contact signal of the reed switch (S,) on the start end side.

In other words, the detection units (8) and (9) constitute a presence monitoring device.

Travel control of the vehicle body (V) on the travel path (L) will be briefly described.

In the straight section of the travel route (L), each vehicle body (V)
is the preceding vehicle body (V) by the optical sensor (lO).
Detect. When the vehicle approaches a set distance, it will automatically stop to prevent a collision.

When passing through the surveillance zone (Z), the procedure is as follows.

The sub-controller (SC) of the vehicle body (V) detects that it is approaching the surveillance zone (Z) by the address code plate (7). Therefore, the sub-controller (SC) tells the main controller (MC) its monitoring zone (Z).
) is checked to see if the preceding vehicle (V) is present. If the answer from the main controller (MC) is that the person is present, the striker (11) stops at the position of the striker (11) and waits until a non-occupancy signal is received. If the person is not present, the person can pass through the surveillance zone (Z) as is.

[Another example]

In the above embodiment, the detection means (23) on the terminal side is composed of the first sensor (S1) and the second sensor (S2), but the second sensor (S2) may be omitted. good.

In the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to a mole rail type in which the movable body is supported by a guide rail, but the present invention can also be applied to a case where a movable body traveling on a floor autonomously travels along a guidance guide.

The specific configuration of each part can be changed in various ways, such as using a Hall element as the detection means.

Incidentally, although reference numerals are written in the claims section for convenient comparison with the drawings, the present invention is not limited to the structure shown in the accompanying drawings.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the presence monitoring device for a moving object according to the present invention, in which Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the control configuration, Fig. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a self-holding reed switch, and Fig. 3 is an illustration of the end-side detection section. FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of the traveling route, and FIG. 5 is a side view of the conveyance equipment. (S3)...Detection means on the starting end side, (23)...
...Detection means on the terminal side, (22) ...Release means, (V) ...Moving body, (L) ...
Travel route, (Z)...Presence monitoring zone, (S1
)...First sensor, (S2)...Second
Sensor, (AI), (A2)...Detection area.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. Presence of a moving object for detecting whether the moving object (V) is present in a presence monitoring zone (Z) in a travel route (L) of the moving object (V) A monitoring device, the monitoring zone (Z)
Detecting means (S_3) on the starting end side is provided at the starting end of the monitoring zone ( Z
) is provided with a rear end side detection means (23) capable of detecting passage of the moving object (V) without a power source and storing the detection information without a power source; an electric release means (22) for releasing the stored detection information of the start end side and end end side detection means (S_3), (23) based on the mobile object passage completion detection information of the side detection means (23); )
A presence monitoring device for a mobile object equipped with 2. The detection means (23) on the terminal side detects the release means (
22) The first sensor (S_1) whose detection information is released
and a second sensor (S_2) that detects passage of the moving body (V) only while the moving body (V) is passing, and a detection area (S_2) along the traveling path direction of the second sensor (S_2). A_2) is configured to be larger than the detection area (A_1) along the travel path direction of the first sensor (S_1), and the release means (22) is configured to be larger than the detection area (A_1) of the first sensor (S_1).
1) stores detection information, and the second sensor (S_
2) The device for monitoring the presence of a moving object according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to release the device when the device (V) is not detecting the moving object (V).