Drive isolation systems and methods for conveyors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9873566-B2
Application number	US-201514631489-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2015
Priority date	Feb 25, 2014
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable medium containing instructions for operating a conveyor. One method includes receiving, by a controller, a signal from each of a plurality of substations. Each of the plurality of substations provides power to a motor drive unit driving a conveyor belt of the conveyor. The signal received by the controller indicates whether an isolation switch associated with each substation has been manually operated. The method also includes, when the signal received from one of the plurality of substations indicates that the isolation switch associated with the one of the plurality of substations has been manually operated, transmitting, by the controller, a signal to each of the plurality of substations, the signal instructing each of the plurality of substations to isolate the motor drive unit from a power source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for operating a conveyor, the system comprising:
a plurality of motor drive units positioned along a length of the conveyor, each of the plurality of motor drive unit driving a sprocket that drives a conveyor belt of the conveyor;
a plurality of substations, each of the plurality of substations configured to provide power from a power source to one or more of the plurality of motor drive units and each of the plurality of substations including a circuit breaker;
a switch associated with each of the plurality of substations, the switch manually operable to an open condition and a closed condition; and
a controller configured to communicate with each of the plurality of substations, the controller configured to
receive a signal from the switch associated with each of the plurality of substations,
identify, based on the signals, when the switch associated with one of the plurality of substations is in the open condition, and
when the switch associated with one of the plurality of substations is in the open condition, transmit a signal to each of the plurality of substations instructing the circuit breaker to open in each of the plurality of substations.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to communicate with each of the plurality of substations over a fibre optic communication channel.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of substations further includes a protection device for regulating power supplied to the one or more motor drive units.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the protection device includes a contactor.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of substations further includes a detection device configured to detect when the protection device is open.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of substations further includes a detection device configured to detect when the circuit breaker is open.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the detection device includes a voltage detection device.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to,
after transmitting the signal to each of the plurality of substations, monitor signals received from the detection device of each of the plurality of substations,
determine, based on the signals received from the detection device of each of the plurality of substations, when the circuit breaker of at least one of the plurality of substations is not open, and
retransmit the signal to the at least one of the plurality of substations.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller includes a belt starter controller.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive a configuration for each of the plurality of substations, the configuration including a unique identifier of each of the plurality of substations and a location of each of the plurality of substations along the conveyor.

11. A method of operating a conveyor, the method comprising:
receiving, by a controller, a signal from each of a plurality of substations providing power to a motor drive unit driving a conveyor belt of the conveyor, the signal indicating whether an isolation switch associated with each substation has been manually operated; and
when the signal received from one of the plurality of substations indicates that the isolation switch associated with the one of the plurality of substations has been manually operated, transmitting, by the controller, a signal to each of the plurality of substations, the transmitted signal instructing each of the plurality of substations to isolate the motor drive unit from a power source.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the signal from each of the plurality of substations including receiving a signal from the isolation switch associated with each sub station.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein transmitting the signal to each of the plurality of substations includes transmitting a signal to a motorized switch device included in each of the plurality of substations, the signal instructing the motorized switch device to open.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising receiving, after transmitting the signal to each of the plurality of substations, a signal from each of the plurality of substations, the signals indicating whether each substation has successfully isolated the motor drive unit from the power source and retransmitting the signal when, based on the signal received after transmitting the signal, one of the plurality of substations has not successfully isolated the motor drive unit from the power source.

15. Non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing unit to operate a conveyor, the medium comprising instructions for:
receiving a signal from each of a plurality of substations providing power to a motor drive unit driving a conveyor belt of the conveyor, the signal indicating whether an isolation switch associated with each substation has been manually operated; and
when the signal received from one of the plurality of substations indicates that the isolation switch associated with the one of the plurality of substations has been manually operated, transmitting a signal to each of the plurality of substations, the signal instructing each of the plurality of substations to isolate the motor drive unit from a power source.

16. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the signal to each of the plurality of substations instructing the circuit breaker to open in each of the plurality of substations by transmitting a first signal to a previous substation positioned before the one of the plurality of substations associated with the switch in the open condition and transmitting a second signal to a subsequent substation positioned after the one of the plurality of substations associated with the switch in the open condition.

17. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to
receive a second signal from the switch associated with each of the plurality of substations,
identify, based on the second signals, when the switch associated with a second one of the plurality of substations is in the closed condition, and
when the switch associated with the second one of the plurality of substations is in the closed condition, transmit a reconnect signal to each of the plurality of substations instructing the circuit breaker to close in each of the plurality of substations,
wherein the controller is configured to transmit the reconnect signal to each of the plurality of substations by transmitting a first reconnect signal to a previous substation positioned before the second one of the plurality of substations associated with the switch in the closed condition and transmitting a second reconnect signal to a subsequent substation positioned after the second one of the plurality of substations associated with the switch in the closed condition.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to,
after transmitting the reconnect signal to each of the plurality of substations, monitor signals received from a detection device included in each of the plurality of substations, wherein the detection device included in each of the plurality of substations and is configured to detect when the circuit breaker is closed,
determine, based on the signals received from the detection device of each of the plurality of substations, when the circuit breaker of at least one of the plurality of substations is not

Assignees

• Joy Mm Delaware Inc

Inventors

• De Lore Andrew
• Fitzpatrick Peter

Classifications

• B65G23/36 Primary

  comprising two or more driving motors each coupled to a separate driving element, e.g. at either end of the conveyors · CPC title

• B65G43/00

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

• B65G23/22

  Arrangements or mountings of driving motors {(B65G23/08 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65G23/08 Primary

  with self-contained driving mechanisms, e.g. motors and associated gearing · CPC title