US-12623855-B2 - Transfer system

US12623855B2US 12623855 B2US12623855 B2US 12623855B2US-12623855-B2

Abstract

This invention provides a transfer system capable of efficiently transferring, by use of a bidirectional conveyor, a transfer target between different points. The transfer system include a control device that: executes, in an alternate manner, a first mode in which a transfer target on a conveyor mechanism of a bidirectional conveyor device is transferred in a first direction and a second mode in which a transfer target is transferred in a second direction reverse to the first direction; and continues the first mode according to a predetermined first period defining a duration of the first mode.

Inventors

Takeshi Abe
Hiroyuki Nakagawa
Hiroyoshi TOBA

Assignees

DAIFUKU CO., LTD.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240513
Priority Date: 20230524

Claims (5)

1 . A transfer system comprising: a bidirectional conveyor device including a conveyor mechanism capable of transferring a transfer target bidirectionally; and a control device, the control device being configured to control the bidirectional conveyor device to execute a first mode and a second mode alternately, the first mode being a transfer mode for transferring a transfer target on the conveyor mechanism in a first direction, the second mode being a transfer mode for transferring a transfer target on the conveyor mechanism in a second direction reverse to the first direction, the control device being further configured to continue the first mode according to a predetermined first period defining a duration of the first mode, wherein in a case where, during the first period, there is no more transfer target which is to be transferred in the first mode and which is waiting for being transferred and there is a transfer target which is to be transferred in the second mode and which is waiting for being transferred, the control device executes, even before the first period ends, the second mode after given transfer of a transfer target which is being transferred is completed.
2 . A transfer system, comprising: a bidirectional conveyor device including a conveyor mechanism capable of transferring a transfer target bidirectionally; and a control device, the control device being configured to control the bidirectional conveyor device to execute a first mode and a second mode alternately, the first mode being a transfer mode for transferring a transfer target on the conveyor mechanism in a first direction, the second mode being a transfer mode for transferring a transfer target on the conveyor mechanism in a second direction reverse to the first direction, and the control device being further configured to continue the first mode according to a predetermined first period defining a duration of the first mode; a first device configured to deliver or receive a transfer target to or from the bidirectional conveyor device at a first position on the conveyor mechanism; and a second device configured to deliver or receive a transfer target to or from the bidirectional conveyor device at a second position on the conveyor mechanism, wherein: the control device controls the bidirectional conveyor device, the first device, and the second device so that (i) in the first mode, a transfer target which is to be transferred from the first device to the second device by use of the bidirectional conveyor device is transferred via the bidirectional conveyor device and (ii) in the second mode, a transfer target which is to be transferred from the second device to the first device by use of the bidirectional conveyor device is transferred via the bidirectional conveyor device; and in a case where, during the first period, there is no more transfer target which is to be transferred from the first device to the second device by use of the bidirectional conveyor device and there is a transfer target which is to be transferred from the second device to the first device by use of the bidirectional conveyor device, the control device executes, even before the first period ends, the second mode after the transfer target which is being transferred arrives at the second position.
3 . The transfer system according to claim 2 , wherein: in a case where, while the first mode is in execution, the first period ends and there is a transfer target which is to be transferred from the first device to the second device by use of the bidirectional conveyor device, the control device executes the second mode after the transfer target which is being transferred arrives at the second position.
4 . The transfer system according to claim 2 , wherein: a priority is set for each transfer target, the priority indicating a level of need to carry out transfer at an early timing; and in a case where, while the first mode is in execution, there occurs a transfer target which is to be transferred from the second device to the first device by use of the bidirectional conveyor device and which has a priority of not less than a predetermined threshold, the control device immediately ends the first mode and executes the second mode.
5 . The transfer system according to claim 2 , further comprising: a single-direction conveyor device capable of transferring a transfer target in a single direction from the first device to the second device, wherein in a case where the number of transfer targets to be transferred from the first device to the second device is not more than a predetermined number, the control device assumes that there is no transfer target which is to be transferred from the first device to the second device by use of the bidirectional conveyor device and the control device causes the transfer target which is to be transferred from the first device to the second device to be transferred via the single-direction conveyor device.

Description

This Nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 on Patent Application No. 2023-085767 filed in Japan on May 24, 2023, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a transfer system. BACKGROUND ART There has been known a bidirectional conveyor capable of bidirectionally transferring a transfer target. CITATION LIST Patent Literature [Patent Literature 1] International Publication No. WO 2020/090323 SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem However, a bidirectional conveyor disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is provided as a backup line for a conveyor disposed side by side therewith, and is not configured to convey a transfer target in a normal state. Thus, Patent Literature 1 does not disclose a specific control method used to transfer a transfer target between different points by use of the bidirectional conveyor. An aspect of the present invention has an object to provide a transfer system capable of efficiently transferring a transfer target between different points by use of a bidirectional conveyor. Solution to Problem In order to attain the object, a transfer system in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a bidirectional conveyor device including a conveyor mechanism capable of transferring a transfer target bidirectionally; and a control device, the control device being configured to control the bidirectional conveyor device to execute a first mode and a second mode alternately, the first mode being a transfer mode for transferring a transfer target on the conveyor mechanism in a first direction, the second mode being a transfer mode for transferring a transfer target on the conveyor mechanism in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the control device being further configured to continue the first mode according to a predetermined first period defining a duration of the first mode. A control device in accordance with each aspect of the present invention can be realized by a computer. In this case, the present invention encompasses: (i) a control program for the control device, the control program causing the computer to implement the control device by causing the computer to operate as each section (software element) provided in the control device; and (ii) a computer-readable storage medium in which the control program is stored. Advantageous Effects of Invention In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a transfer system capable of efficiently transferring a transfer target between at least two points by use of a bidirectional conveyor. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an overview of a transfer system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of the transfer system in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a state transition diagram illustrating three operation modes of the transfer system in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a state transition diagram illustrating three operation modes of a transfer system in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an overview of a transfer system in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment The following will give a detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating an overview of a transfer system 1 in accordance with a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram illustrating a configuration of the transfer system 1. The transfer system 1 includes a first device 10, a second device 20, a bidirectional conveyor device 30, and a control device 50. In the transfer system 1, these devices are mutually communicable, and can exchange information with each other. The control device 50 of the transfer system 1 is communicable with a higher system 2. The control device 50 and the higher system 2 can exchange information with each other. The higher system 2 is, for example, an information processing system that manages production of a product in a process in a factory. The higher system 2 gives, to the control device 50 of the transfer system 1, an instruction to transfer an individual article(s) such as a product(s), a semifinished product(s), a material(s), and/or a jig(s). An article for a transfer instruction is given by the higher system 2 to the control device 50 is a transfer target B in the transfer system 1. <Bidirectional Conveyor Device 30> The bidirectional conveyor device 30 includes a conveyor control section 31 and a conveyor mechanism section 32 controlled by the conveyor control section 31. The bidirectional conveyor device 30 is configured to transfer the transfer target B on the conveyor mechanism section 32 in a first directi