Railways – Suspended – Single-rail type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-03
2001-02-27
Morano, S. Joseph (Department: 3617)
Railways
Suspended
Single-rail type
C104S089000, C104S249000, C105S148000, C105S150000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192803
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a travel control system for a plurality of transport movers that move under their own power along a rail.
2. Description of the Related Art
A well-known transport mover travel control system is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-75982.
With this system, the following configuration is provided to stop and start a transport mover at a stopping location along a rail.
That is, a stop detection plate and a light projector for stop cancel command are provided at the abovementioned transport mover stopping location, and the abovementioned transport mover is provided with a stop proximity sensor which stops travel by detecting the abovementioned stop detection plate, and with a light receptor which cancels the detection plate detection signal of the abovementioned proximity sensor, i.e. to start the mover, by receiving light from the abovementioned light projector.
To prevent the abovementioned transport movers from colliding with one another, the following configuration is provided.
The abovementioned transport mover is provided with a bracket that protrudes forward, and this bracket is provided with a rear-end collision prevention proximity sensor and a rear-end collision prevention reflection-type photoelectric switch. The abovementioned transport mover is also provided with a rear-end collision prevention proximity sensor detection plate that protrudes rearward, and this detection plate is provided with a reflective surface for the abovementioned photoelectric switch.
However, the above-described configuration of the well-known transport mover travel control system gives rise to the following problems.
Each mover is equipped with numerous sensors, i.e. a transport mover stop proximity sensor and a light receptor, and a transport mover rear-end collision prevention proximity sensor and a photoelectric switch, and wiring is also required for these sensors, thereby increasing the costs of the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a transport mover travel control system capable of solving these problems and reducing the costs.
To achieve this object, the present invention is a travel control system for a plurality of transport movers that move under their own power along a rail, comprising: a proximity sensor provided at the front end of each of said transport movers and generating an alternating current magnetic field in the direction of the rail; a detection object of said proximity sensor provided at the rear end of each of said transport movers and entering between the rail and the proximity sensor; and a resonant circuit provided at a mover stopping location on the rail, said resonant circuit facing toward the proximity sensor and resonating at a generation frequency of the proximity sensor; said alternating current magnetic field generating a current which flows to the detection object or the resonant circuit while consuming energy, thereby allowing the proximity sensor to detect the detection object or the resonant circuit by said energy consumption.
In accordance with this configuration, the proximity sensor detects the detection object provided at the rear end of a transport mover traveling in the forward direction, and the resonant circuit provided at a mover stopping location on the rail. The alternating current magnetic field generated by the proximity sensor generates an eddy current which flows to the detection object while consuming energy due to the resistance of the detection object caused by said eddy current, whereby the proximity sensor detects the detection object by such energy consumption. Further, the alternating current magnetic field generated by the proximity sensor generates a resonance current which flows to the resonant circuit resonating at a generation frequency of the proximity sensor while consuming energy due to the resistance of the resonant circuit caused by said resonance current, whereby the proximity sensor detects the resonant circuit by such energy consumption. The detection distance of the proximity sensor increases at this time, enabling the distance between the proximity sensor and a resonant circuit to be extended, and the proximity sensor is capable of detecting a resonant circuit even when the resonant circuit is beyond the ordinary detection range.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2454687 (1948-11-01), Baughman
patent: 3281779 (1966-10-01), Yeiser
patent: 4041448 (1977-08-01), Noens
patent: 4984521 (1991-01-01), Riley
patent: 5227764 (1993-07-01), Umemoto
patent: 5233294 (1993-08-01), Dreoni
patent: 5450796 (1995-09-01), Sakagami
patent: 5519317 (1996-05-01), Guichard et al.
patent: 5535963 (1996-07-01), Lehl et al.
patent: 5619188 (1997-04-01), Ehlers
Daifuku Co. Ltd.
Jules Frantz
Morano S. Joseph
Reising Ethington Barnes Kisselle Learman & McCulloch PC
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