KR20230088152A - Freight sorting device using data tracking synchronization - Google Patents

Abstract

A cargo sorting device of the present invention comprises: a sorting part in which wheel sorters are arranged in multiple stages or rows capable of changing a movement direction of cargo, which is sorted into destination chutes on one side or the other in a transverse direction perpendicular to a cargo transport direction; a conveyor belt that transports cargo in the cargo transport direction and is arranged alternately with the sorting part along a cargo transport path; and a control part that compares reference data generated at upstream points of the cargo transport path and measurement data generated at a predetermined location on the cargo transport path to determine whether the cargo is delayed, and tracks and synchronizes the reference data and the transported cargo when the cargo is delayed. Thus, the present invention is provided for synchronization using data tracking of cargo to appropriately control spacing between cargoes transported at high speed before being sorted through a chute.

Description

Freight sorting device using data tracking synchronization {Freight sorting device using data tracking synchronization}

The present invention relates to a cargo sorting device using data tracking synchronization between cargo reference data and measurement data.

With the increase in logistics including cargo, high-speed processing of cargo in logistics centers is an important issue, and maintaining an appropriate distance between cargoes can be important in order to sort the increasing cargo in a short time and at high speed.

In general, the load sorting device may include a wheel sorter or a conveyor belt, and the load may be sorted through a multi-pronged chute including left or right with respect to the conveying direction according to the pivot rotation of the wheel sorter.

In a cargo sorting device in which a distance between cargoes must be maintained at a certain distance or more, classification accuracy is degraded when the interval is narrowed due to physical characteristics and irregularities of the cargo during transport. Therefore, in order to accurately classify and discharge cargoes into chutes according to cargo-specific cargo information when classifying cargoes transported at high speed, it is necessary to monitor and control the interval between transported cargoes in real time.

In the existing cargo sorting device, a wheel sorter drives multiple wheels simultaneously by a link with one motor so that the left and right rotation angles of multiple wheels located in the same row are all equally controlled, or individual wheels according to the weight of the cargo. By controlling the sorters at an optimal rotation angle, the cargo sorting accuracy can be increased, but these alone may not be sufficient to appropriately maintain/control the distance between cargoes transported at high speed.

The present invention may be synchronization using cargo data tracking to appropriately control the interval between cargoes transported at high speed before being sorted through a chute.

Cargo sorting apparatus of the present invention, a classification unit in which wheel sorters capable of changing the moving direction of cargo classified into one or the other destination chute in a transverse direction perpendicular to the cargo transport direction are arranged in multiple stages or rows, transporting cargo Conveyor belts, which are alternately arranged with the sorting unit along the cargo transport route, compare reference data generated at an upstream point of the cargo transport route with measurement data generated at a predetermined location of the cargo transport route, It may include a control unit that determines whether the cargo is delayed, and synchronizes tracking of the reference data and the transported cargo when the cargo is delayed.

The cargo sorting device of the present invention can reduce misclassification and improve classification accuracy by widening the narrowed cargo interval.

That is, in the cargo sorting device of the present invention, if the cargo is moved over a long distance in the cargo sorting line, when the cargo is out of sync with the standard data of the cargo due to phenomena such as bouncing, jamming, and slipping, data shift or interval adjustment between cargoes is performed. It can function to facilitate tracking by compensating for the position of the cargo through the

The control unit can control or adjust the speed of the conveyor belt, control the driving speed of the conveyor belt or the motor for transporting the cargo of the sorting unit, and can be disposed below the conveyor belt to synchronize the movement of the cargo and the tracking of data. Encoder signals can be input.

1 is a perspective view of a cargo sorting device of the present invention.
2 is a plan view of a cargo sorting device of the present invention.
3 is an embodiment of a configuration diagram of a cargo sorting device of the present invention.
4 is an explanatory diagram of reference data and measurement data of the present invention.
5 is an explanatory diagram of the first delay compensation of the present invention.
6 is an explanatory diagram of the second delay compensation of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this process, the size or shape of the components shown in the drawings may be exaggerated for clarity and convenience of explanation. In addition, terms specifically defined in consideration of the configuration and operation of the present invention may vary according to the intentions or customs of users and operators. Definitions of these terms should be made based on the content throughout this specification.

The cargo sorting device 1 of the present invention includes at least one of the scanning unit 100, the sorting unit 200, the conveyor belt 300, the sensing unit 400, the destination chute 500, or the control unit 600. may contain one.

1 to 3, the cargo transport direction A in which the cargo 10 is transported as a whole is a first direction (x-axis direction), a conveyor belt perpendicular to the first direction and transporting the cargo 10 ( 300) or the direction traversing the classification unit 200 may be referred to as a second direction (y-axis direction), and a reverse direction of gravity perpendicular to the first and second directions may be referred to as a third direction (z-axis direction).

The cargo sorting device 1 may include a spacer 50 that widens a gap between cargoes at an input portion into which the cargo 10 is put into the cargo sorting device 1 of the present invention. The spacer 50 may control the cargoes 10 in such a way that the cargoes 10 exit one at a time while maintaining a predetermined separation distance between the cargoes.

The cargo sorting device 1 of the present invention may include a typical courier distribution center, and courier cargo in each region may be obtained randomly in bulk units of the entire pallet. Therefore, a separation device 50 capable of maintaining a certain distance between cargoes may be required before the cargoes 10 are transferred to the classification unit 200 or the conveyor belt 300 of the present invention.

In the cargo sorting device 1, a plurality of sorting units 200 in which wheel sorters 220 capable of changing the moving direction of the cargo 10 to the left or right in the cargo transport direction A are arranged in several rows and columns are conveyor belts It can be connected in a straight line with (300) in between. That is, the sorting unit 200 and the conveyor belt 300 may be alternately disposed along the cargo transport path.

The sorting unit 200 may include a plurality of wheel sorters 220, each wheel sorter 220 may individually pivot in place, and the wheel sorter 220 may include a cargo 10 to be transported. can at least partially support. Cargo 10 transported by this may be classified into a target destination chute 500 .

That is, in the cargo sorting device 1 according to the embodiment, the sorting unit 200 including the plurality of wheel sorters 220 and the conveyor belt 300 each have a predetermined length and may be alternately disposed. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the cargo 10 conveyed on the sorting unit 200 and the conveyor belt 300 from being separated from the cargo sorting device 1, and to be classified into a non-set destination chute 500 that can be prevented

In detail, when the load sorting device 1 does not include the conveyor belt 300 disposed between the plurality of sorting units 200, the load 10 is included in the wheel sorter included in the sorting unit 200 ( 220) and point contact. In this case, up and down and/or left and right vibrations may occur while the cargo 10 passes through the sorting unit 200, and as a result, it may be separated from the cargo sorting device 1 or misclassified.

However, in the embodiment, the sorting unit 200 in point contact with the cargo 10 and the conveyor belt 300 in surface contact may be alternately disposed. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the aforementioned vibration from occurring in the cargo 10, and to effectively control the transfer direction of the cargo 10, so that the cargo 10 is classified as an unset destination chute 500. can prevent it from happening.

At this time, the length of the conveyor belt 300 based on the cargo transfer direction (A) may be different from the length of the classification unit 200. For example, the length of the conveyor belt 300 in the conveying direction A may be shorter than the length of the sorting unit 200 in the conveying direction A. Accordingly, the embodiment can minimize the distance between the plurality of destination chutes 500 in addition to the above-mentioned effects, thereby reducing the overall length of the cargo sorting device 1 for sorting the cargo 1. there is.

The plurality of wheel sorters 220 or the conveyor belt 300 each individually include a controller 700 capable of exchanging data with the control unit 600, or the control unit 600 and the plurality of wheel sorters 220 or conveyors Data between the belts 300 may be transmitted via the controller 700 .

The control unit 600 may issue a drive command for the conveyor belt 300 or the plurality of wheel sorters 220 to the controller 700 based on the data acquired by the scanning unit 100 or the sensing unit 400. there is. In the case of the wheel sorter 220, a plurality of wheel sorter rows extending in the cargo transport direction (A) may have a variable speed or change direction operation by row unit as a whole. In addition, each wheel sorter 220 may operate at different speeds or directions according to the weight or type of cargo 10 even within the same row of wheel sorters.

The controller 600 or the controller 700 may operate a driving motor included in each of the plurality of wheel sorters 220 or the conveyor belt 300, and the plurality of wheel sorters 220 or the conveyor belt 300 may operate each other. It can rotate at different speeds.

The control unit 600 may vary the speed of the conveyor belt 300 to compensate for the delay time or delay distance of the delayed cargo 10 . This may be because, due to the structure of the wheel sorter 220, bouncing, jamming, or slipping of the cargo 10 can be more caused when the speed of the wheel sorter 220 is varied. Therefore, in this case, the control unit 600 can compensate for the delay of the cargo 10 by varying only the speed of the conveyor belt 300 .

A plurality of sensing units 400 or conveyor belt 300 may be intermittently disposed along a long cargo transport distance. When the second delay compensation (C2) is performed, the controller 600 may compensate for the delay of the cargo 10 by accelerating one of the conveyor belts 300 disposed before the sensing unit 400 where the cargo delay occurs. .

The scanning unit 100 scans the recognition unit 12 attached to the cargo 10 including the barcode before the cargo 10 is put into the sorting unit 200 or the conveyor belt 300 to determine the cargo delivery location, You can check the cargo information including the type of goods in the cargo, the weight of the cargo, and precautions for handling the cargo. The control unit 600 may match the cargo 10 with the destination chute 500 where the cargo 10 is to be sorted based on the cargo information confirmed by the scanning unit 100, and accordingly, the wheel sorter 220 ) By determining the rotation direction of the cargo 10 can be discharged to the target destination chute (500).

The scan unit 100 may generate reference data SD including cargo information such as destination suit 500 information. The reference data SD may be generated by cargo information or cargo transfer interval information of the scan unit 100, and generated by a combination of cargo separation information of the separation device 50 and cargo information of the scan unit 100. It can be. In the latter case, separation information between cargoes obtained may be provided from the separation device 50, and each cargo 10 may be specified by scanning the barcode 12 of the scanning unit 100. Hereinafter, the reference data SD generated by the scan unit 100 may include a combination of information of the separation device 50 .

The sensing unit 400 may detect the cargo 10 transported on the sorting unit 200 and the conveyor belt 300, and measurement data MD may be generated by the sensing unit 400. The measurement data (MD) may include delay information (Δ) for a delay time or location of the cargo 10 based on any one sensing unit 400 .

The sensing unit 400 may detect the arrival of the transported cargo 10 by using light emission or light reception. The sensing unit 400 may be disposed above the conveyor belt 300 or the sorting unit 200 by the support 420, and receives and emits light in the forward and reverse directions of the third direction (z-axis direction). It can detect and transmit information about the arrival or delay of the cargo 10 to the control unit 600 .

Light emitted by the sensing unit 400 may be reflected by the reflecting unit 222 and collected by the sensing unit 400 again. The reflector 222 may be disposed on a part of the upper surface of the wheel sorter 220 . When the cargo 10 is transferred onto the wheel sorter 220 including the reflector 222, the light emitted from the sensing unit 400 does not reach the reflector 222, and the sensing unit 400 is the cargo ( 10) may determine that the sensing unit 400 has arrived at a lower position.

The control unit 600 may utilize an encoder signal to move the reference data SD to the movement of the cargo 10, and the control unit 600 checks the movement of the cargo 10 and determines the interval or time between the cargo and the cargo. can be calculated

When the reference data SD is generated by the scan unit 100, the controller 600 uses the distance between the sensing unit 400 and the scan unit 100 and the signal of the encoder under the conveyor belt 300. Thus, the time for the reference data SD to reach the sensing unit 400 may be calculated.

4 may illustrate a relationship between reference data SD and measurement data MD for the first cargo 11, the second cargo 12, or the third cargo 13 that are sequentially transported.

A red dotted sensing line in FIG. 4 may indicate a location of the sensing unit 400 . The arrival of the reference data (SD) and the measurement data (MD) to the sensing line over time will be used in the same sense as that the reference data (SD) and the measurement data (MD) have reached the position of the sensing unit 400. can

When the first reference data SD1 reaches the sensing unit 400 , the first measurement data MD1 may also arrive at the sensing unit 400 . That is, it can be seen that both the reference data (SD) and the measurement data (MD) of each cargo arrive on time. In this case, the delay of the cargo 10 may be in a normal state, and the control unit 600 may not take any delay compensation measures.

The arrival of the reference data SD may be a flow of pre-generated data, and the measurement data MD may mean the arrival of the position of the sensing unit 400 of the actual cargo 10 . Therefore, in most cases, the measurement data MD arrives later than the reference data SD based on the sensing line.

5 may be an explanatory diagram of the first delay compensation C1.

This may be a case in which the reference data SD1 has reached the sensing unit 400 but the cargo MD1 has not yet reached the sensing unit 400 due to delay. This case may be a case where the cargo MD1 is delayed but within the first delay time ΔT1. The first delay time ΔT1 may be a short time in milliseconds, and the first delay compensation C1 may be a minute data error that may occur in each sensing unit 400 . Therefore, in the case of the first delay compensation C1, the control unit 600 may simply data shift the corresponding reference data SD1 to the corresponding measurement data MD1 without a drive command for the conveyor belt 300.

Therefore, in the case of FIG. 5 , the first reference data SD1 may be data-shifted by the delayed time Δ and tracking-synchronized with the first measurement data MD1.

6 may be an explanatory diagram of the second delay compensation C2.

This may be a case in which the reference data SD1 has reached the sensing unit 400 but the cargo MD1 has not yet reached the sensing unit 400 due to delay. This case may be a case where the cargo MD1 is delayed but the delayed time Δ exceeds the first delay time ΔT1 and is within the second delay time ΔT2. The second delay time ΔT2 may be in seconds, and the second delay compensation C2 accelerates the delayed cargo 10 by using the speed change of the conveyor belt 300 or the wheel sorter 220. it may be

Accordingly, in the case of FIG. 6 , the second delay compensation C2 may be to accelerate at least one conveyor belt 300 before each sensing unit 400 in which a cargo delay occurs. The control unit 600 may issue an acceleration drive command to at least one conveyor belt 300 on which the delayed cargo 11 is positioned to track and synchronize the delayed cargo 11 and the reference data SD1.

Therefore, in the cargo sorting device 1 of the present invention, when the cargo 10 moves over a long distance in the cargo sorting operation line, due to phenomena such as bouncing, jamming, slip, etc., between the standard data SD of the cargo and the cargo 10 When the synchronization is out of sync, it is possible to perform a function of smooth tracking by compensating for the position of the cargo 10 through data shift or adjusting the interval between cargoes.

Let's take a look at the flow of the time delay compensation method by synchronizing data tracking according to the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 4 to 6 , the method of compensating for a time delay by synchronizing data tracking according to the present invention may include a first delay compensation (C1) or a second delay compensation (C2).

The first delay compensation (C1) is to synchronize tracking between data and cargo 10 only by data shift without changing the speed of the conveyor belt 300 when the distance between the data being tracked and the cargo 10 is short. can In the second delay compensation C2, when the sensing unit 400 detects the cargo 10 by exceeding the first delay time ΔT1, the conveyor belt 300 at the front end of the cargo uses the reference data SD. It may be to synchronize tracking by compensating for the position of the cargo 10 by increasing the speed of . When the cargo does not arrive at the sensing unit 400 within the second delay time ΔT2 , the reference data SD of the corresponding cargo 10 may be deleted.

The sensing unit 400 may be intermittently installed in each predetermined section of the section including the wheel sorter 220 and the conveyor belt 300 . The cargo sorting device 1 may have a long transport route, and the cargo sorting device 1 arranges the sensing unit 400 in each of the predetermined sections according to the user's purpose so as to locate data or cargo along the long transport route. Errors can be judged or corrected.

The method for compensating for the time delay of the present invention will be specifically described as an example of successive first cargoes 11 and second cargoes 12 . This example may be a case in which the first cargo 11 arrives at the sensing unit 400 later than the reference data SD and is delayed.

When the cargo 10 is not detected by the sensing unit 400 even though the reference data SD arrives at the position of the sensing unit 400, the control unit 600 stops the movement of the reference data SD. You can wait for cargo (10).

When the sensing unit 400 detects the cargo 10 within the first delay time ΔT1, the reference data SD and the cargo 10 can be synchronized again, and tracking can resume normally. This may be referred to as a first delay compensation C1.

If the cargo 10 is not detected by the sensing unit 400 within the first delay time (ΔT1), it can be assumed that the gap between the first cargo 11 and the second cargo 12 that follows has been narrowed, , The control unit 600 may wait for an additional time (time obtained by subtracting the first delay time ΔT1 from the delayed cargo arrival time Δ) until the cargo 10 arrives.

Then, when the cargo 10 is detected by the sensing unit 400, the controller 600 may increase the speed of the conveyor belt 300 or the wheel sorter 220 so that the first cargo 11 moves quickly. Also, the control unit 600 may restore the speed to the previous transfer speed after a predetermined time.

In this way, the gap between the first cargo 11 and the second cargo 12 that are in close contact can widen and can be transported while maintaining the set interval again.

In addition, although not shown in the drawing, the embodiment may give up compensation for the delay of the cargo 10. In detail, compensation for the cargo 10 may be waived when the delay time of the cargo 10 exceeds the second delay time ΔT2. In this case, the cargo 10 may be collected or reclassified without being sorted in the current circulation step. For example, the cargo sorting device 1 may have a closed loop structure in which the separation unit 50, the sorting unit 200, and the conveyor 300 are continuously disposed. In this case, the cargo 10 for which compensation has been abandoned at the current stage may be provided to the separation unit 50 again by circulating through the closed loop structure, and may be classified through the above-described process.

Alternatively, the cargo sorting device 1 may have a separate collection unit (not shown). Here, the collection unit may be an end point of the cargo sorting device 1 . Unsorted cargo 10 may be transported to the collection unit by exceeding the second delay time ΔT2 . In this case, the cargo 10 may be collected by a separate robot (not shown) or a user and provided again to the cargo sorting device 1, and may be classified through the above-described process.

Accordingly, the cargo sorting device 1 of the present invention can reduce the misclassification of cargo 10 and improve the classification accuracy of cargo 10 by widening the narrowed cargo 10 interval. For example, the cargo sorting device 1 may separate cargoes by about 200 mm or more, thereby improving classification accuracy and increasing sorting speed when a plurality of cargoes 10 are input. .

Embodiments according to the present invention have been described above, but these are merely examples, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and embodiments of equivalent range are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true technical protection scope of the present invention should be defined by the following claims.

1 ... cargo sorting device 10 ... cargo
11... first cargo 12... second cargo
13... Third cargo 20... Recognition unit
50... spaced part 100... scan part
200 ... sorting unit 220 ... wheel sorter
222... reflector 300... conveyor belt
400... sensing unit 420... support
500... destination chute 600... control unit
700... controller SD... reference data
MD... measurement data C1... 1st delay compensation
C2... second delay compensation △... delay
△T1... first delay time △T2... second delay time
SD1... first reference data SD2... second reference data
SD3... 3rd reference data MD1... 1st measured data
MD2... 2nd measured data MD3... 3rd measured data
A... Cargo transport direction

Claims (12)

A classification unit in which wheel sorters capable of changing the moving direction of cargo classified into one or the other destination chute in a transverse direction perpendicular to the cargo transport direction are arranged in multiple stages or rows;
a conveyor belt that transports the cargo in a cargo transport direction and alternates with the sorting unit along a cargo transport path;
It is determined whether or not the cargo is delayed by comparing reference data generated at an upstream point of the cargo transport route with measurement data generated at a predetermined location of the cargo transport route, and when the cargo is delayed, the reference data and the transport A control unit for tracking and synchronizing the cargo to be; Cargo sorting device comprising a.
According to claim 1,
A cargo sorting device comprising a scanning unit configured to scan a recognition unit attached to a cargo including a barcode before the cargo is put into the sorting unit or the conveyor belt to check cargo information necessary for specifying the cargo, and to generate the reference data.
According to claim 1,
and a sensing unit that detects cargo transported on the sorting unit or conveyor belt, generates the measurement data, and is intermittently disposed along the cargo transport path, wherein the measurement data is based on at least one of the sensing units. Cargo sorting device including delay information about the delayed time or location.
According to claim 1,
A sensing unit for detecting cargo transported on the sorting unit or conveyor belt and generating the measurement data;
When the reference data reaches the sensing unit and the cargo does not reach the sensing unit, the cargo is delayed and the delayed time of the cargo is within the first delay time, the control unit detects the conveyor belt without a driving command for the conveyor belt. The cargo sorting device for synchronizing the tracking with a first delay compensation method of data-shifting reference data to the measurement data.
According to claim 1,
A sensing unit for detecting cargo transported on the sorting unit or conveyor belt and generating the measurement data;
When the reference data reaches the sensing unit and the cargo does not reach the sensing unit, the cargo is delayed and the delayed time of the cargo exceeds the first delay time and is within the second delay time, the control unit determines the delayed time. The cargo sorting device for synchronizing the tracking with a second delay compensation method for issuing an acceleration driving command to at least one conveyor belt on which cargo is located.
According to claim 1,
A sensing unit for detecting cargo transported on the sorting unit or conveyor belt and generating the measurement data;
When the reference data reaches the sensing unit and the cargo does not reach the sensing unit, the cargo is delayed and the delayed time of the cargo exceeds the second delay time, the control unit deletes the reference data of the delayed cargo. cargo sorting device.
According to claim 1,
When the reference data is generated by the scanning unit and the measurement data is generated by the sensing unit, the control unit uses the distance between the sensing unit and the scanning unit and the signal of the encoder under the conveyor belt to determine the reference data. Cargo sorting device for calculating the time for data to reach the sensing unit.
According to claim 1,
A cargo located upstream of the cargo transport path before cargo is put into the sorting unit or conveyor belt, and including a separation portion that widens the interval between cargoes in such a way that cargoes are discharged one at a time while maintaining a predetermined separation interval between the cargoes. sorting device.
According to claim 1,
A sensing unit for detecting cargo transported on the sorting unit or conveyor belt and generating the measurement data;
A cargo sorting device including a support for positioning the sensing unit on a conveyor belt or an upper part of the sorting unit, or a reflector for reflecting light emitted from the sensing unit and receiving the light back to the sensing unit.
According to claim 9,
The reflector is located on the upper surface of the wheel sorter,
The sensing unit is located above at least one sorting unit and is intermittently disposed along a cargo transfer path.
According to claim 1,
A sensing unit for detecting cargo transported on the sorting unit or conveyor belt and generating the measurement data;
The sensing unit or conveyor belt is intermittently arranged in plurality along the cargo transport path,
The control unit compensates for the cargo delay by accelerating one of the conveyor belts disposed before the sensing unit where the cargo delay occurs.
According to claim 1,
A sensing unit for detecting cargo transported on the sorting unit or conveyor belt and generating the measurement data;
The control unit, when the cargo is not detected by the sensing unit even though the reference data arrives at the location of the sensing unit, stops the movement of the reference data and waits for the cargo,
When the delay time of the cargo exceeds the first preset delay time, the control unit accelerates the conveyor belt or wheel sorter where the delayed cargo is located so that the distance between the delayed cargo and the following cargo is equal to the reference data. A cargo sorting device that returns to the original speed after acceleration.

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