Sorting facility and status checking method for traveling carriage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11273992-B2
Application number	US-202117155742-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2021
Priority date	Jan 24, 2020
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A supervisory controller determines the control status of a conveyor belt by a control unit. When it is determined that the control status of the conveyor belt is abnormal, the supervisory controller prohibits loading an article onto a traveling carriage and instructs the control unit to reset the control unit. When it is determined again that the control status of the conveyor belt by the control unit subjected to the reset instruction is abnormal, the supervisory controller prohibits loading an article onto the traveling carriage and acquires an abnormality record from the control unit. When it is determined that the control status of the conveyor belt by the control unit subjected to the reset instruction is normal, the supervisory controller acquires the abnormality record from the control unit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sorting facility in which an article is sorted by a sorter device provided in a traveling carriage traveling along a closed path, the sorting facility comprising:
a driving device provided in the traveling carriage, the driving device driving the sorter device; and
a control device controlling the driving device wirelessly, wherein
the driving device includes a control unit controlling the sorter device based on an instruction from the control device,
the control unit
sends information about a control status of the sorter device to the control device as a response, according to a response instruction provided from the control device, and
retains, in a case where an abnormality occurs in controlling of the sorter device, the abnormality as an abnormality record, and

the control device
determines, based on whether information about the control status has been sent from the control unit as a response and based on content of the information about the control status, a control status of the sorter device by the control unit,
performs, when it is determined that the control status of the sorter device by the control unit is abnormal, control for prohibiting loading an article onto a traveling carriage including the control unit determined to have the abnormality and provides an instruction to reset the control unit,
performs, when it is determined again that the control status of the sorter device by the control unit is abnormal after the traveling carriage including the control unit subjected to the reset instruction makes a round of the path, control for prohibiting loading an article onto the traveling carriage including the control unit and acquires the abnormality record retained in the control unit, and
acquires, when it is determined that the control status of the sorter device by the control unit is normal after the traveling carriage including the control unit subjected to the reset instruction makes a round of the path, the abnormality record retained in the control unit.

2. The sorting facility according to claim 1 , wherein
the driving device includes a driving motor driving the sorter device,
the control unit includes a driving control inverter controlling the driving motor,
the driving control inverter
sends information about a control status of the driving motor to the control device as a response, according to a response instruction provided from the control device, and
retains, in a case where an abnormality occurs in controlling of the driving motor, the abnormality as an abnormality record, and

the control device
determines, based on whether information about the control status has been sent from the driving control inverter as a response and based on content of the information about the control status, a control status of the driving motor by the driving control inverter,
performs, when it is determined that the control status of the driving motor by the driving control inverter is abnormal, control for prohibiting loading an article onto a traveling carriage including the driving control inverter determined to have the abnormality and provides an instruction to reset the driving control inverter,
performs, when it is determined again that the control status of the driving motor by the driving control inverter is abnormal after the traveling carriage including the driving control inverter subjected to the reset instruction makes a round of the path, control for prohibiting loading an article onto the traveling carriage including the driving control inverter and acquires the abnormality record retained in the driving control inverter, and
acquires, when it is determined that the control status of the driving motor by the driving control inverter is normal after the traveling carriage including the driving control inverter subjected to the reset instruction makes a round of the path, the abnormality record retained in the driving control inverter.

3. The sorting facility according to claim 2 , wherein
the driving device includes a power generating motor generating electric power for driving the sorter device,
the control unit includes a power generation control inverter controlling the power generating motor,
the power generation control inverter
sends information about a control status of the power generating motor to the control device as a response, according to a response instruction provided from the control device, and
retains, in a case where an abnormality occurs in controlling of the power generating motor, the abnormality as an abnormality record, and

the control device
determines, based on whether information about the control status has been sent from the power generation control inverter as a response and based on content of the information about the control status, a control status of the power generating motor by the power generation control inverter,
performs, when it is determined that the control status of the power generating motor by the power generation control inverter is abnormal, control for prohibiting loading an article onto a traveling carriage including the power generation control inverter determined to have the abnormality and provides an instruction to reset the power generation control inverter,
performs, when it is determined again that the control status of the power generating motor by the power generation control inverter is abnormal after the traveling carriage including the power generation control inverter subjected to the reset instruction makes a round of the path, control for prohibiting loading an article onto the traveling carriage including the power generation control inverter and acquires the abnormality record retained in the power generation control inverter, and
acquires, when it is determined that the control status of the power generating motor by the power generation control inverter is normal after the traveling carriage including the power generation control inverter subjected to the reset instruction makes a round of the path, the abnormality record retained in the power generation control inverter.

4. The sorting facility according to claim 3 , wherein
the sorter device includes a conveyor belt,
the sorter device includes a sensor detecting rotation of a belt of the conveyor belt, and
the control device controls the driving control inverter as to whether to permit or prohibit loading an article onto the traveling carriage, based on whether there is a detection signal from the sensor.

5. The sorting facility according to claim 2 , wherein
the sorter device includes a conveyor belt,
the sorter device includes a sensor detecting rotation of a belt of the conveyor belt, and
the control device controls the driving control inverter as to whether to permit or prohibit loading an article onto the traveling carriage, based on whether there is a detection signal from the sensor.

6. The sorting facility according to claim 1 , wherein
the driving device includes a power generating motor generating electric power for driving the sorter device,
the control unit includes a power generation control inverter controlling the power generating motor,
the power generation control inverter
sends information about a control status of the power generating motor to the control device as a response, according to a response instruction provided from the control device, and
retains, in a case where an abnormality occurs in controlling of the power generating motor, the abnormality as an abnormality record, and

the control device
determines, based on whether information about the control status has been sent from the power generation control inverter as a response and based on content of the information about the control status, a control status of the power generating mo

Assignees

• Daifuku Kk

Inventors

• Ueda Yuichi
• Matsui Osamu
• Koide Hiroyuki
• Ishikura Atsushi

Classifications

• B65G43/00

  Control devices, e.g. for safety, warning or fault-correcting · CPC title

• B65G43/02

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

• B65G47/50

  according to destination signals stored in separate systems · CPC title

• G05B23/0286 Primary

  Modifications to the monitored process, e.g. stopping operation or adapting control · CPC title

• B65G2203/0291

  Speed of the load carrier · CPC title