Conveyor condition monitor for a conveyor with linked trollies

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11014761-B2
Application number	US-201716311677-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 26, 2017
Priority date	Jun 27, 2016
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A conveyor condition monitor, for use with a conveyor comprising a plurality of trollies (12) running along a conveyor rail (14) and linked to one another by a chain link system, is disclosed. The monitor comprises a conveyor monitoring station (3) and a first deformation sensor (5a, 5b). The deformation sensor (5b) is in communication with the conveyor monitor, and is adapted to notify the conveyor monitor of the presence of a deformed (13b) trolley (12) in the conveyor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Conveyor condition monitor coupled to a conveyor, the conveyor comprising a plurality of trollies running along a conveyor rail and linked to one another by a chain link system, comprising:
a conveyor monitoring station; and
a first deformation sensor comprising a light source, an optical detector configured to detect light from the light source, and a reflector configured to reflect light incident from the light source towards the optical detector,
wherein the first deformation sensor is in communication with the conveyor monitoring station, wherein the first deformation sensor is configured to detect a deformed trolley among the plurality of trollies based on an amount of light detected by the optical detector, and wherein the first deformation sensor is configured to notify the conveyor monitoring station of the presence of the deformed trolley in the conveyor.

2. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first deformation sensor is adapted to have a first state and a second state, the first state indicating that a trolley, among the plurality of trollies, is not deformed and a second state indicating that the trolley is deformed.

3. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second deformation sensor, wherein the first and the second deformation sensors are arranged so as to be positionable symmetrically about the conveyor rail.

4. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second deformation sensor is adapted to have a first state and a second state, the first state indicating that a trolley is not deformed and a second state indicating that a trolley is deformed.

5. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second deformation sensor comprises at least one of a mechanical sensor, an electrical sensor, a magnetic sensor, a harmonic sensor, and an ultrasonic sensor.

6. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the second deformation sensor comprises an optical sensor.

7. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the optical sensor is arranged such that when a trolley is in the second state it interrupts a light beam.

8. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the optical sensor comprises a light curtain.

9. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second deformation sensor comprises a mechanical sensor.

10. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 9 , wherein in a first state, the mechanical sensor is undeflected, and in a second state the mechanical sensor is deflected, the first state indicating that a trolley is not deformed and a second state indicating that a trolley is deformed.

11. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the mechanical sensor is a moveable arm.

12. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the moveable arm is mounted rotatably, flexibly, or resiliently.

13. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the deformation sensor comprises an electrical circuit.

14. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 13 , wherein in a first state, the electrical circuit is unbroken, and in a second state the electrical circuit is broken, the first state indicating that a trolley is not deformed and a second state indicating that a trolley is deformed.

15. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second deformation sensor comprises a magnetic field.

16. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 15 , wherein in a first state, the magnetic field is continuous, and in a second state the magnetic field is interrupted, the first state indicating that a trolley is not deformed and a second state indicating that a trolley is deformed.

17. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second deformation sensor comprises a harmonic sensor.

18. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the harmonic sensor is adapted to detect vibrations of wheels of a trolley, among the plurality of trollies.

19. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 18 , wherein in a first state, vibrations of the wheels of a trolley are present, and in a second state the vibrations of the wheels of a trolley are reduced, the first state indicating that a trolley is not deformed and a second state indicating that a trolley is deformed.

20. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 19 , wherein when the trolley is deformed, a trolley wheel is bent, stationary or missing.

21. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 18 , wherein in a first state, vibrations of the wheels of a trolley are present, and in a second state the vibrations of the wheels of a trolley are absent, the first state indicating that a trolley is present and a second state indicating that a trolley is missing.

22. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the second deformation sensor comprises an ultrasonic sensor.

23. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the ultrasonic sensor is an ultrasonic transceiver.

24. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 23 , wherein, in a first state, the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transceivers are uninterrupted, in a second state, the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic transceivers are interrupted, the first state indicating that a trolley is not deformed and a second state indicating that a trolley is deformed.

25. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 24 , wherein the strength of the reflected signal and/or the time of flight of the reflected signal are used to determine if the ultrasonic waves are interrupted.

26. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed as claim 1 , wherein the light source and the detector are arranged along with the conveyor monitoring station on one side of the conveyor trollies and the reflector is arranged on the opposite side of the conveyor trollies.

27. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 26 , wherein the light source and the reflector are arranged such that in the first state, the maximum amount of light emitted by the light source reaches the optical detector, and in the second state a portion of a trolley interrupts the light emitted by the light source, reducing the amount of light reaching the optical detector.

28. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

29. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 28 , wherein the light emitting diode emits light in the infra-red region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

30. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in 6 , wherein two detectors are provided, and wherein the light source is situated between the two detectors.

31. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the detector is a photodiode.

32. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the conveyor monitoring station is adapted to sound an alarm if the deformation sensor is in the second state.

33. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an identification device adapted to identify an individual trolley in the conveyor.

34. Conveyor condition monitor as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a marking device

Assignees

• Castrol Ltd

Inventors

• Johnson Scott Alan
• Moen Richard Allen
• Preble William Thomas

Classifications

• B65G47/60

  to or from conveyors of the suspended, e.g. trolley, type · CPC title

• B65G43/02 Primary

  detecting dangerous physical condition of load carriers, e.g. for interrupting the drive in the event of overheating · CPC title

• B65G17/38

  Chains or like traction elements (drive chains F16G13/00); Connections between traction elements and load-carriers · CPC title

• B65G39/20

  attached to moving belts or chains · CPC title

• B65G2203/042

  Sensors · CPC title