Conveyor drive control system

• US 20080234858A1
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Linda E. Neumann
• Original Assignee: Linda E. Neumann
• Inventors: Dollens, Donald Lee
• Granted Patent: US 8,050,795 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/230
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 43/08 Control devices operated by article or material being fed, conveyed or discharged and controlling the discharging devices B65G47/42
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4189 characterised by the transport system
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/41112 Control parameter such as motor controlled by a torque signal
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45054 Handling, conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A drive control system for conveyor utilizes a dynamic chain pull calculation program that is integrated with a PLC, which communicates to a plurality of controllers. The controllers in turn automatically adjust their associated drive motors so as to maximize efficiency at moving material on a conveyor system. Sensing devices provide continuous load parameters to a PLC that in turn, processes the data and adjusts the system'"'"'s operation based upon desired conditions.

Claims

1. A drive control system for a conveyor comprising:

a conveyor device that is operable to move material;

a computer for processing data;

a dynamic chain pull calculation software program executed by said computer, said program being operable to continuously evaluate the torque requirements of the system and produce a signal responsive of actual torque demands;

a PLC operable to monitor and control all input and output devices associated with the conveyor;

a motor controller in communication with the PLC, said controller is operable to receive input data from the PLC and deliver output data to a motor; and

a motor operable to receive the output data and provide power to a primary moving element of said system.

2. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a sensing device that is operable to determine load data.

3. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the conveyor is automatically adjusted to perform at different levels based on varying conditions within the system.

4. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one zone around a perimeter of the conveyor device, said zone including sensors for sensing load transitions into and out of specified control zones as required for accuracy defined by requirements of a dynamic chain pull calculation.

5. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a zone, said zone having a device for sensing the weight of loads should those weights not be pre-defined.

6. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer continuously calculates actual torque requirements for each motor and produces a signal to the PLC indicative of torque needed.

7. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an encoder that is operable to produce a signal that, when compared to similar signals produced by other encoders within the system, can be indicative of the number of links within a predetermined zone of the conveyor.

8. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of controllers that each communicate with their own drive motor, each drive motor responds in accordance with an output from the dynamic chain pull calculation program.

9. The drive control system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the PLC provides an output to each drive controller, said output varies in accordance with dynamic run conditions of the conveyor device.

10. The drive control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said system continuously monitors the current load locations on the conveyor system and the drive controllers adjust torque output requirements.

11. A drive control system for a conveyor comprising:

one or more variable speed motors for driving a conveyor device;

a dynamic chain pull calculation program continuously interprets torque requirements for each motor in the system;

one or more sensors operable to create a signal indicative of a load position and weight and send data to a PLC;

a PLC that converts the data from said sensor and transmits a signal to a computer processing the dynamic chain pull calculation program;

a computer operable to process the signal from the PLC using the dynamic chain pull calculation program and generates drive torque data for each motor; and

a motor controller operable to control each variable speed motor so that proper torque is generated by each motor as needed.

12. The drive control system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising at least one encoder in communication with said PLC, said encoder is operable to measure a number of link segments that pass through each drive assembly over time as well as operating as a speed feedback reference device.

13. The drive control system as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a conveyor that moves material.

14. The drive control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein one of the drive motors is a master drive motor and its speed is set at a constant rate, another drive motor is a slave drive and its speed adjusts to maintain chain link positioning and drive speed control.

15. The drive control system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said variable speed motors include master and slave motors, the master motor operates at a constant rate and the slave motor adjusts so as to maintain synchronized speed with the master motor.

16. A drive control system comprising:

a computer for processing data;

a dynamic chain pull calculation software program executed by said computer, said program being operable to continuously evaluate the torque requirements of the system and produce a signal responsive of actual torque demands;

a PLC operable to monitor and control all input and output devices associated with a machine;

a motor controller in communication with the PLC, said controller is operable to receive input data from the PLC and deliver output data to a motor;

a motor operable to receive the output data and provide power to a primary moving element of the machine; and

a plurality of primary zones positioned about the machine, each said zone including a counting device near proximal ends of said zones.

17. The drive control system as claimed in claim 16, further comprising secondary zones and means for counting the number of chain links within each secondary zone.

18. The drive control system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the machine is a conveyor, said drive control system is operable to adjust torque requirements based on changing dynamics of the system.

19. The drive control system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the system is operable to move a load along a path defined by a plurality of secondary zones, each said secondary zone comprising a sensor for measuring the position of the load, said sensor being operable to communicate with said PLC.

20. A method of operating a drive control system for a conveyor comprising:

a. providing a conveyor device, conveyor chain with chain links, motor and a control system;

b. imputing predetermined load information and calculating a base line torque requirement for each motor in the system;

c. sensing dynamic load conditions on the conveyor and creating signals;

d. sending signals to a computer that operates a dynamic chain pull calculation program;

e. processing said signals with said program in order to adjust torque requirements for each motor; and

f. monitoring the number of chain links in a the conveyor chain and adjusting at least one motor so as to maintain the number of chain links as determined by the program in order to reduce tension on the conveyor chain.