KR102671295B1 - magnetic propulsion Object conveying system with Battery-Equipped Movers - Google Patents

Abstract

The disclosed self-propelled object transport system includes a circular transport line including a stator; and a plurality of movers installed to carry the object to be transported and move it along the circular transport line, wherein the movers include permanent magnets, and the stator includes the permanent magnets to move the mover along the circular transport line. It includes an armature winding that acts with.

Description

Magnetic propulsion Object conveying system with Battery-Equipped Movers}

The present invention relates to a self-propelled object transport system with a mover propelled by magnetic force, and in particular, to a self-propelled object transport system with a battery-mounted mover that can be advantageously used in a factory automation system.

General object transport systems of the past were able to provide certain efficiency in transporting objects (or logistics) during production, classification, inspection, or distribution, but had several limitations in terms of scalability and flexibility. In particular, as object transport systems, which have been used limitedly in warehouse logistics, are expanded into the field of factory automation systems, several studies and attempts are being made to overcome various limitations of existing object transport systems.

Since a general object transport system is always configured to transport objects along a single, fixed path, it has been difficult to adapt to applications that require multiple processes or tasks along a variable automated production line or automated processing line. In other words, the existing general object transport system has a constant route within the logistics space, making flexible arrangement and process changes difficult, expensive additional systems and adjustments are required to handle products of various sizes and shapes, and automated production within the factory is difficult. There are many limitations, and in particular, there is a problem that it is difficult to respond flexibly in a process that involves multiple operations on transported objects.

In response to this, a self-propelled transport system has been proposed in which movers equipped with magnets along a line including a stator are propelled by electromagnet control installed on the stator.

However, in the prior art, it is difficult to position or fix an object on a mover in a transport system in which a mover carries and moves an object along a transport line including a stator, so a process of performing precise work on the object while moving the object is performed. There is a high risk that the precision of the process will decrease due to the shaking of the object, and objects that are not accurately fixed in the correct position may fall during transportation, causing risks. Additionally, if objects are not positioned accurately, productivity for movement and handling tasks can be reduced.

In this regard, a power supply system is provided between the mover and the stator to supply power to the mover in real time, and the object fixing means and/or object position adjustment means provided in the mover use the supplied power in real time to provide the object fixing means and/or Alternatively, a technology for fixing and/or positioning an object by driving it with an object positioning means is proposed. However, the current that can be supplied and used in real time is extremely limited to 1~2 A, so this technology is highly effective as a means of fixing objects, but it is also useful as a means of adjusting the position of objects and for use in vacuum pumps that require large current/power. There is a problem that it is difficult to use step motors that require large current/power.

Publication number 10-2014-0132874 (November 19, 2014)

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to load an object along a transport line including a stator and include a mover that moves by magnetic force generated between the stator and a drive source for fixing the object that is driven by electricity in the mover. and/or self-propelled with a battery-mounted mover that is equipped with a drive source for adjusting the position of the object and a battery that can constantly supply power to them, allowing safe and precise transportation involving multiple processes for the object. To provide an object transport system.

A self-propelled object transport system according to one aspect of the present invention includes a circular transport line including a stator; and a plurality of movers installed to carry the object to be transported and move it along the circular transport line, wherein the movers include permanent magnets, and the stator includes the permanent magnets to move the mover along the circular transport line. It includes an armature winding that acts with.

The stator includes a power transmission unit installed along the entire circular transport line or at a designated location of the circular transport line, and the mover includes a battery mounted on one side and a power transmission unit provided on the mover side. A power receiving unit that receives the power and stores it in the battery, a position adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the object loaded on the mover by an actuator driven by the power charged in the battery, and a position adjustment unit that is driven by the power charged in the battery It includes a fixing unit that fixes the object whose position has been adjusted by the position adjusting unit.

The self-propelled object transport system further includes a battery replacement unit installed at a designated location of the circulation transport line, the mover is detachably mounted on one side, and the discharged battery is charged by the battery replacement unit at the designated location. A battery whose battery is replaced, a position adjustment unit that adjusts the position of an object loaded on the mover by an actuator driven by the power charged in the battery, and a position adjustment unit driven by the power charged in the battery It includes a fixing unit that fixes the object whose position has been adjusted by.

The present invention includes a mover that loads an object along a transport line including a stator and moves it by magnetic force generated between the stator, and can efficiently transport the object without restrictions in automated production in a factory. , it is possible to respond flexibly in a process that involves multiple tasks for transported objects. In particular, the battery-mounted mover has a drive source for fixing objects and/or a drive source for adjusting the position of objects that are driven by electricity, and power is provided to them at all times. Since it can be supplied, it provides the advantage of allowing transportation involving multiple processes for the transported object to be performed safely and precisely.

1 is a plan view illustrating a self-propelled object transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is divided into the N floor and the N+1 floor;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a self-propelled object transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is divided into the N floor and the N+1 floor;
Figure 3 is a configuration diagram to explain the main configuration for adjusting and fixing the object position of the battery-mounted mover and the main configuration for supplying power therefor,
Figure 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of Figure 1;
Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the elements mounted on the mover so that they are clearly visible,
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the elements mounted on the mover so that they are clearly visible;
Figure 7 is a diagram for explaining another embodiment of the fixing unit and position adjustment unit shown in Figures 5 and 6;
Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining a self-propelled object transport system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawings.

Prior to this, the terms described below are defined in consideration of their functions in the present invention, and should be interpreted as concepts consistent with the technical idea of the present invention and meanings commonly used or commonly recognized in the relevant technical field.

Additionally, if it is determined that a detailed description of a known function or configuration related to the present invention may obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description will be omitted.

The drawings attached herein are exaggerated or simplified in some parts for the convenience and clarity of explanation and understanding of the composition and operation of the technology, and each component does not exactly match the actual size and shape.

In addition, in this specification, the term and/or refers to a combination of a plurality of related described items or includes any item among a plurality of related described items, and when a part is said to include a certain element, this is a specially opposed description. This does not mean excluding other components unless there is a , but means that other components can be included in addition.

In other words, it means that the features, numbers, steps, operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof described in this specification exist, but one or more other features, numbers, step operations, components, parts, or combinations thereof exist. It should be understood as not excluding the possibility of existence or addition of things.

In addition, terms such as top, bottom, upper surface, lower surface, or upper, lower, upper, lower, etc. are used for convenience to distinguish the relative positions of each component. For example, the upper part of the drawing may be referred to as upper and the lower part of the drawing may be referred to as lower.

Additionally, terms such as first and second may be used to describe various components. That is, terms such as first, second, etc. may be used only for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component. For example, the first component may be named the second component as long as it does not deviate from the scope of protection of the present invention, and the second component may also be named the first component.

Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating a self-propelled object transport system according to an embodiment of the present invention, which is located separately on the N floor and the N + 1 floor, and Figure 2 is a plan view showing the present invention, which is located separately on the N floor and the N + 1 floor. It is a cross-sectional view for explaining a self-propelled object transport system according to an embodiment of, FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing elements mounted on the mover so that the elements mounted on the mover are clearly visible, Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the elements mounted on the mover so that they are clearly visible.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the self-propelled transport system may be a multi-layer object transport system divided into an N layer and an N+1 floor. However, this does not limit the present invention, and a single-layer object transport system is also within the scope of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the object transport system for each layer is formed by connecting a plurality of stators 100 and includes two straight line parts parallel to each other and a pair of left and right arc line parts connecting both ends of the two straight line parts. It is formed by connecting a circulation transport line (1) and a plurality of stators (100) and a straight external bypass transport line (2) arranged parallel to the straight line portion, and the object to be transported (M) is placed on it. A plurality of movers (200) installed to move along the circular transport line (1) and a stator (100) located at one end of one of the two straight line parts are installed at one end of the external bypass straight transport line (2). A first transfer conveyor 310 installed to move the stator 100 to the side or vice versa, and a stator 200 located at the other end of one of the two straight line parts are connected to an external bypass straight transport line ( A second transfer conveyor 320 installed to move the stator 100 located at the other end of 2) to the side or vice versa, the stator 100, the first transfer conveyor 310, and the second transfer conveyor Signally connected to (320), movement along the first transfer conveyor 310 and or second transfer conveyor 320 of the stator 100 and the circulation transport line (1) of the N layer and N + 1 layer or It includes a controller 900 that controls the movement of the mover 100 along the external bypass transport line 2. Note that the controller 900 is installed on the N layer, but this does not limit the present invention. In addition, although a structure in which several stators 100 are gathered together to form one transport line is described, a structure in which one stator forms one transport line is also within the scope of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the stators 100 disposed on the first transfer conveyor 310 and the second transfer conveyor 320 are in the circulation transport line 1, the mover 200 moves along the circulation transport line 1. ) It becomes possible to move along the entire area. On the other hand, when the stator 200 placed in the circular transport line 1 moves to one end of the external bypass straight transport line 2, a part of the circular transport line 1 becomes empty, and the mover 200 and Together, the mover 100 can be moved along the external bypass straight transport line 2, where the stator 100 is attached to one end.

When the movers 200 move in one direction while keeping the order, one stator 100 and the preceding mover 200 located there move to the external bypass transport line 2 and then within the external bypass transport line 2. If waiting on any stator 100, the trailing mover 200 moves first, with the missing stator 100 filling the empty area of the circulation transport line 1, and moves between the movers 200. The order may change.

The straight line part of the circulation transport line 1 consists only of a stator 100 with a straight path to allow only straight movement of the mover 200, and the arc line part consists of a stator 100 with a straight path and a stator with a curved path ( 100') can be included on both sides.

Additionally, an elevator 400 is disposed in the arc line portion to raise the stator 100. In this elevator 400, three upper and lower stators 100 are coupled so that they can be raised and lowered at regular intervals. The above-described circulation transport line 1 and external bypass transport line 2 are installed on multiple floors (in this embodiment, two floors), and the elevator 400 elevates and lowers the three stators 100, Among the stators 100 that are raised and lowered, two stators 100 are always in the two circulation transport lines 1, 1 located above and below, and one stator 100 is always in a standby state.

In other words, the circulation transport line 1 and the external bypass transport line 2 are arranged on the N and N + 1 floors, respectively, adjacent to each other up and down, and three stators 100 arranged at regular intervals above and below are used. By installing the elevator 400 to raise and lower the elevator 400, the elevator 400 moves the three stators 100 and moves two of the three stators 100 to the N floor and N+1 floor. While integrating it into the circulation transport line (2) in It is possible to allow movement of the placed object (M) between floors, while having little influence on the transport of the object on each floor.

It is advantageous for the controller 900 to synchronously control the stators and movers installed on the N and N+1 floors, respectively, in the same state, always or in a selected mode.

In this embodiment, the straight line portion on one side of the circulation transport line 1 provided on each floor includes a plurality of process processing units 500A that sequentially process arbitrary processes for the object M transported on the corresponding mover 200. , 500B, and 500C) are disposed, and the above-described first transfer conveyor 310 and second transfer conveyor 320 are disposed on the straight line portion on the opposite side. In addition, in the circulation transport line 1, the mover 200, which has passed through a plurality of process processing units 500A, 500B, and 500C, is moved at a random position before it reaches the stator 200 connected to the first transfer conveyor 310. 200) An inspection unit 500D may be disposed to inspect the quality of the process processed by the above-described process processing units 500A, 500B, and 500C with respect to the object M on the object M.

In the external bypass transport line (2), the stator 100 is moved by the first transfer conveyor 310 and integrated into the external bypass transport line (2), and then there is a mover (200) that moves along the external bypass transport line (2). One or more auxiliary process processing units 600A, 600B, and 600C are disposed to process an arbitrary process for the object M on the image. At this time, the auxiliary process processing units (600A, 600B, 600C) perform the processes of the process processing units (500A, 500B, 500C) in order to correct defects or omissions in process processing by the above-described process processing units (500A, 500B, 500C). It may be a process processing department that replaces or heals.

Now, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6, a configuration in which the battery-mounted mover 200 receives and stores power by a non-contact power supply system to position and fix the object M will be described.

3 to 6, the self-propelled object transport system includes a power receiving unit 261 provided on the mover 200 side and a stator 300 side or adjacent to the stator 300, and the power receiving unit (261) a power transmission unit 361 that supplies power in a non-contact manner, a battery 262 mounted on the mover 200 and storing power supplied through the power reception unit 261, and the mover ( Based on the position detection unit 263, which detects the position of the object M loaded in 200), and the position detection signal of the position detection unit 263, the position of the object M is determined in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. It includes a position adjustment unit 270 that adjusts the position, and a fixing unit 280 that fixes the object M whose position is adjusted by the position adjustment unit 270 on the mover 200.

The control unit controls the position adjustment unit 270 according to the signal from the position detection unit 263 to precisely position the object at the intended position, and when the position is adjusted, it controls the fixing unit 280. Control is performed to fix the position-adjusted object (M).

At this time, the power transmission unit 361 and the power reception unit 261 are each provided with a transmission coil and a power reception coil, so that non-contact power can be supplied using the magnetic induction phenomenon between the transmission and reception coils, and the battery 262 is a mover (200). ) is installed on one side and is charged with power supplied through the power receiver 261. The power transmission unit 261 uses a wireless power supply system provided throughout the entire transport path of the mover 200, that is, the transport line including the stator 300, to provide a battery ( 262) can be configured to charge in real time, and alternatively, when the mover 200 moves to a specific location, the battery 200 can be charged at that location. In this case, the power transmission unit 361 is installed limited to a characteristic location, and after detecting that the discharge level of the battery 262 falls below a certain level, the power transmission unit 361 can charge the battery 262.

Note that in addition to the magnetic induction method described above, other non-contact power supply methods such as magnetic resonance method or electromagnetic wave method may be used for non-contact power supply between the transmitting unit 361 and the power receiving unit 261.

The position detection unit 263 may specify the point by a sensor that detects contact or weight when the object (M) is placed at a random position on the X-Y coordinates on the mover 200. Alternatively, a vision camera, etc. The location may be measured using a means of. At this time, the sensor constituting the position detection unit 263 may be activated using the power charged in the battery 262 in a non-contact manner.

In addition, the position adjustment unit 270 is for accurately adjusting the position of the object M loaded on the mover 200, and includes a first actuator participating in the X-axis coordinate movement of the object M and the object M ) may include a second actuator that participates in Y-axis coordinate movement. More specifically, the object position adjustment unit 270 includes a lower block 272 in the form of a plate installed to be slidably movable in the X-axis direction by the X-axis guide 271 on the main body 210 of the mover 200, and A first transfer screw 273 coupled to the lower block 272 in a screw-transfer manner and a first motor 274 that rotates the first transfer screw 273 to move the lower block 272 in the X-axis direction. ), an X-axis transfer unit consisting of a first actuator including a It includes a second transfer screw 277 coupled to the block 276 in a screw-transfer manner and a second motor 278 that rotates the second transfer screw 277 to move the upper block 276 in the Y-axis direction. It may include a Y-axis transfer unit composed of a second actuator. However, if it is a position adjustment unit that can adjust the position of an object between movers using the power supplied from the battery 262, it is not limited by the above-described configuration and can be modified or changed in various ways. In this case, the power If it is driven by and adjusts the position of the object (M), it is not limited by its form or method and can be broadly included in the actuator described in the patent claims.

In this embodiment, the upper block 276 is the portion where the object M is substantially loaded and in contact with the object M.

On the other hand, the fixing unit 280 is used to fix the object M whose position is adjusted after being loaded on the mover 200, more specifically, the upper block 276 provided on the uppermost side of the mover 200. As a means, it includes a suction hole 282 formed in the upper block 276 and a vacuum pump 284 that fixes the position of the object M by sucking air through the suction hole 282 and generating vacuum pressure through the suction hole 282. . As described above, the vacuum pump 284 is driven by power supplied from the charged battery 262 through a non-contact power supply method. The vacuum pump 284 is preferably disposed on the upper block 276 or a portion extending integrally therewith, and is preferably adjacent to the above-described battery 262 adjacent thereto.

Meanwhile, each of the stators 100 includes a stator body 110 with a built-in driver, an armature winding portion 120 installed on the upper side of the stator body 110 and extending laterally, and the armature winding portion 120. ) and includes a guide rail 130 installed on the lower side of the stator body 110 in parallel. Additionally, a position sensor 140 is installed at the lower part of the stator body 110.

The guide rail 130 is installed on the support member 131. along the transport direction. The mover 200 is configured to slide on the guide rail 130, has an upper permanent magnet 220A and a lower permanent magnet 220B that interact with the armature winding part 120, and moves the armature by a controller. It is configured to move along the guide rail 130 by controlling the winding unit 120 and changing the magnetic force between the armature winding unit 120 and the upper permanent magnet 220A and the lower permanent magnet 220B accordingly. .

As mentioned above, a plurality of stators 100 may be sequentially connected along the moving direction of the mover 200. The armature winding unit 120 is fixedly installed on the stator 110. The armature winding unit 120 includes a plurality of U-phase armature coils, V-phase armature coils, and phase armature coils, and forms armature coils at different positions by periodically energizing the armature coils at different positions. The armature winding 120 generates a magnetic field that acts with the permanent magnets 220A and 220B of the mover 200 to drive the movement of the mover 200 on the stator 100. The mover 200 ensures high repeatable positioning accuracy within the system.

The main body of the mover 200 has absolute position accuracy during movement, and the absolute position accuracy is used to ensure the movement accuracy of the mover 200.

The main body of the mover 200 is a U-shaped body 210 that includes an upper horizontal part, a lower horizontal part, and a vertical connection part connecting them. An upper permanent magnet (220A) installed in the lower part of the upper horizontal part of this body 210 and a lower permanent magnet (220B) installed in the upper part of the lower horizontal part are provided, between the upper permanent magnet (220A) and the lower permanent magnet (220B). A gap is formed that allows the armature winding portion 120 to be inserted in a spaced apart state. The armature winding portion 120 described above is inserted into this gap in a spaced apart state. The position adjustment unit 270, fixing unit 280, and battery 262 as described above are mounted on the upper part of the mover body 210.

Meanwhile, a roller 250 having a V-shaped groove that fits into the guide rail 130 having the above-mentioned inverted V-shaped cross section is installed at the lower part of the lower horizontal part of the mover body 210. The roller 250 rotates in contact with the guide rail 130 to prevent the mover 200 from derailing from the guide rail 130. The stator 100 may include a guide rail 130 and a power generation unit 150 that generates electricity from friction energy generated between the rollers 250 that rotate while making frictional contact with the guide rail 130.

Figure 7 is a diagram showing another alternative embodiment of the object fixing unit () and the object position adjusting unit ().

Referring to FIG. 7, the fixing unit 280 includes a plurality of suction holes 282 formed in the upper plate of the mover 200 and a vacuum pump 284 that suctions air through the suction holes 282. The position adjustment unit 270 is for accurately adjusting the position of the object loaded on the mover 200 before fixing the object M. The first actuator participating in the X-axis coordinate movement of the object and the object It may include a second actuator that participates in Y-axis coordinate movement.

At this time, the first actuator includes a Y-axis transfer screw 272' parallel to the Y-axis guide 271' and a motor 273' that rotates the Y-axis transfer screw 272', and the Y-axis transfer screw By the rotation of 272', the bridge block 274' extending long in the X-axis direction is moved along the Y-axis direction. The second actuator passes through a position adjustment block 276' installed to be slidable in the X-axis direction along an X-axis guide 275' formed along the bridge block 274', and the position adjustment block 276'. It includes an X-axis transfer screw 277' installed and a motor 278' that rotates the X-axis transfer screw 277' to move the position adjustment block 276' in the X-axis direction. By cooperative driving of the first actuator and the second actuator, the position adjustment block 276 moves in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction and moves the object () loaded on the upper plate of the mover () in the You can adjust the position by moving in any direction. The remaining configuration may follow the previous embodiment.

Figure 8 is a diagram for explaining a self-propelled object transport system equipped with a battery-mounted mover according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, in the self-propelled object transport system according to this embodiment, the battery 262 is detachably mounted on the mover 200, and the battery 262 mounted on the mover 200 is installed at one point of the transport line. Separated from the mover 200 and collected, for example, in a discharged battery collection unit (C) in the form of a conveyor, for example, the pre-charged battery 262 is picked up from the rechargeable battery supply unit (F) and the mover 200 stopped at one point. It includes a battery replacement unit 800 mounted on the. The battery replacement unit 800 may include a robotic arm. The remaining configuration, such as the object fixing unit 280 and the object position adjusting unit 270, follows the previous embodiment.

The present invention is not limited by the above-described embodiments and can be implemented with various modifications.

1: Circulating transport line 100: Stator
150: armature winding part 200: mover
220A, 220B: Permanent magnet

Claims (3)

Circular conveying line including a stator; and
It includes a plurality of movers installed to carry the object to be transported and move it along a circular transport line,
The mover includes a permanent magnet,
The stator includes an armature winding portion that acts with the permanent magnet to move the mover along the circular transport line,
The stator includes a power transmission unit installed along the entire circular transport line or at a designated location of the circular transport line,
The mover,
A battery mounted on one side,
A power receiving unit provided on the mover side that receives power from the transmitting unit and stores it in the battery,
a position adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the object loaded on the mover by an actuator driven by power charged in the battery;
A self-propelled object transport system comprising a fixing unit that is driven by power charged in the battery and fixes the object whose position is adjusted by the position adjusting unit.
delete Circular conveying line including a stator; and
It includes a plurality of movers installed to carry the object to be transported and move it along a circular transport line,
The mover includes a permanent magnet,
The stator includes an armature winding portion that acts with the permanent magnet to move the mover along the circular transport line,
Further comprising a battery replacement unit installed at a designated location in the circulation transport line,
The mover,
a battery that is detachably mounted on one side and whose discharged battery and recharged battery are replaced by the battery replacement unit at the designated location;
a position adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the object loaded on the mover by an actuator driven by power charged in the battery;
A self-propelled object transport system comprising a fixing unit that is driven by power charged in the battery and fixes the object whose position is adjusted by the position adjusting unit.