CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE TRAVEL OF A GOODS TROLLEY

• US 3,738,443 A
• Filed: 11/25/1970
• Issued: 06/12/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Moritada Kubo
• Original Assignee: Moritada Kubo
• Inventors: Kubo, Moritada
• Primary Examiner(s): Friaglia, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/092,800
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 180/98,79.1 318/580,587,577,603 73/490
• US Class Current: 180/168
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0231 using optical position detecting means position-fixing by using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. optical position detecting means G01S5/16

Abstract

A control system for controlling the travel of a goods trolley comprising a first detector for control of the travelling distance of the trolley and second and third paired detectors for control of the course of the trolley, all said detectors being mounted on the trolley and a detected member located along the trolley course for generating both analog and digital control indicia so as to cause the first detector to give a digital quantity and the second and third detectors to give an analog quantity, wherein the output from the first detector is calculated by a counter, the output from said counter is compared with a reference value for control of the distance to be covered by the trolley, and outputs from the second and third detectors are conducted to a differential amplifier, the trolley course being controlled until output from the differential amplifier attains a prescribed value.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling the travel of a movable trolley along a course comprising:

a trolley;

at least one detected member located at a control location along the trolley course, each of said at least one detected member providing analog control information and each detected member including spaced elements providing digital control information;

a first detector mounted on said trolley for detecting the digital information provided by said detected member;

second and third paired detectors carried on said trolley for detecting the analog information provided by said detected member;

a counter coupled to the output of said first detector for calculating a control signal corresponding to said digital information provided by said detected member;

means for controlling the travelling distance of said trolley by comparing the output from said counter with a given reference value;

a differential amplifier coupled to the outputs of said second and third detectors; and

means responsive to the output of said differential amplifier for controlling the direction of the trolley course until the output from said differential amplifier attains a prescribed value.

2. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said detected member is positioned along said course between said second and third detectors.

3. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said detected member comprises a conductor and said spaced elements comprise, a plurality of projections arranged crosswise of said conductor at an equal spacing and a power source for introducing low frequency current through said conductor.

4. The control system according to claim 3 wherein said projections formed crosswise of said conductor extend outward from both longitudinal sides thereof.

5. The control system according to claim 3 wheRein said projections formed crosswise of said conductor extend outward only from one longitudinal side thereof.

6. The control system according to claim 3 wherein said conductor extends in a direction parallel with the direction of said trolley course.

7. The control system according to claim 1 wherein said spaced elements comprises a plurality of light sources placed at an equal spacing adjacent the trolley course.

8. The control system according to claim 7 further comprising a pair of differential colored light sources positioned at each corner of the trolley course, an additional pair of detectors for detecting beams from said different colored light sources, and means for controlling the trolley course according to the outputs from each of said additional paired detectors and previously set instructions.

9. The control system according to claim 6 wherein said light sources are located above said trolley course.

10. The control system according to claim 6 wherein said light sources are arranged in a straight line in parallel with said trolley course.