CONTROL UNIT FOR A CONVEYOR WITH HARDWARE DETECTION

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for configuring a control unit in a conveyor, wherein a control unit controls one or more conveyor segments and each conveyor segment comprises a conveyor drive for conveying an object through the conveyor segment, said conveyor drive being in signal communication with the control unit via a motor connection socket, and a sensor for detecting an object at a position within the conveyor segment, said conveyor being in signal communication with the control unit via a sensor connection socket. According to the invention, the control unit self-configures itself, said self-configuration comprising the steps of i) activating a configuration mode in the control unit, ii) receiving a signal from each motor connection socket or sensor connection socket of the control unit in a processor unit of the control unit, iii) comparing the received signal(s) with a comparative value stored in the control unit, and iv) determining whether a conveyor drive or a sensor is connected to a motor connection socket or a sensor connection socket of the control unit, respectively, based on the comparison of the signal(s) with the comparative value.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a control unit in a conveyor, wherein a control unit controls one or more conveyor segments and each conveyor segment comprises a. a conveyor drive for conveying an object through the conveyor segment, said conveyor drive being in signal communication with the control unit via a motor connection socket, and b. a sensor for detecting an object at a position within the conveyor segment, said conveyor being in signal communication with the control unit via a sensor connection socket, characterised in that the control unit self-configures itself, said self-configuration comprising the steps of: i) activating a configuration mode in the control unit, ii) receiving a signal from each motor connection socket or sensor connection socket of the control unit in a processor unit of the control unit, iii) comparing the received signal(s) with a comparative value stored in the control unit, and iv) determining whether a conveyor drive or a sensor is connected to a motor connection socket or a sensor connection socket of the control unit, respectively, based on the comparison of the signal(s) with the comparative value.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterised in that: each motor connection socket is polled in step ii) by the processor unit for an interference signal, as the signal, a comparison is made in step iii) to determine whether an interference signal has been received or whether no interference signal has been received, and it is determined in step iv) for each motor connection socket that a conveyor drive is connected to the motor connection socket if no interference signal has been received, and that no conveyor drive is connected to the motor connection socket if an interference signal is received, or all the conveyor drives connected to the control unit are activated in step i), an activity signal, in particular a motor operating current or a signal from a gyro sensor mechanically coupled to the conveyor drive, is received at each motor connection socket in the processor unit in step ii), the received activity signal is compared in step iii) with a reference value as the comparative value, and, in step iv), if an activity signal is present, it is determined that a conveyor drive is connected to the motor connection socket, and if there is no activity signal it is determined that no conveyor drive is connected to the motor connection socket The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the control unit has a plurality of motor connection sockets and that an assignment plan for the motor connection sockets is calculated after step iv) and compared with a reference assignment plan comprising a reference assignment pattern for every possible number of connected conveyor drives, and that in the event of any divergence from the reference assignment plan, an error message, in particular a visual or acoustic signal, is outputted by the control unit.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that each sensor connection socket is polled in step ii) by the processor unit for an interference signal, as the signal, a comparison is made in step iii) to determine whether an interference signal has been received or whether no interference signal has been received, and it is determined in step iv) for each sensor connection socket that a sensor is connected to the sensor connection socket if no interference signal has been received, and that no sensor is connected to the sensor connection socket if an interference signal is received, or in step i), all the sensors connected to the control unit are activated, in step ii) a sensor signal is received at each sensor connection socket in the processor unit, in step iii) the received sensor signal is compared with a reference value as the comparative value, and in step iv), if a sensor signal is present, it is determined that a sensor is connected to the sensor connection socket and in the absence of a sensor signal it is determined that no sensor is connected to the sensor connection socket.

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control unit has a plurality of sensor connection sockets and that an assignment plan for the sensor connection sockets is calculated after step iv) and compared with a reference assignment plan comprising a reference assignment pattern for every possible number of connected sensors, and that in the event of any divergence from the reference assignment plan, an error message, in particular a visual or acoustic signal, is outputted by the control unit.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the processor unit compares the number of detected sensors with the number of detected conveyor drives and generates an error message if the number of detected sensors is greater than the number of detected conveyor drives.

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control unit is adapted to connect and to process sensor signals from different types of sensor and that the sensor type is determined by the processor unit applying a predetermined output signal to each sensor connection socket, the processor unit receiving an input signal from each sensor connection socket, the received input signal being compared with a predetermined reference value, and the sensor type being determined on the basis of a comparison of the received sensor signal with the predetermined reference value.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterised in that the sensor types differ in that one sensor type has an NPN configuration and another sensor type has a PNP configuration and/or in that the sensor types differ by one sensor type having a normally open configuration and another sensor type having a normally closed configuration.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the predetermined output signal is applied by programming the sensor connection socket to positive switching logic and PNP, and that the input signal is interpreted into a logic value by the processor unit and that a comparison with a predetermined reference value is made on the basis of said logic value, and that all the sensor connection sockets from which an input signal corresponding to the logic value “1” are specified as sensor type PNP, normally closed.

9. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the sensor is monitored by the processor unit, the sensor is idle in a first configuration step and a first input signal from the sensor is received by the processor unit, and in a second configuration step the sensor is busy with an object located in the conveyor segment, and a second input signal from the sensor is received by the processor unit, and the sensor type is determined by the processor unit by performing a logic analysis on the first and the second input signal.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the control unit has a plurality of sensor connection sockets and a plurality of motor connection sockets, and after step iv) a plan for assigning the connected sensors to the connected conveyor drives is calculated, said method comprising the steps of: placing an object into a conveyor segment and activating the conveyor drive of the conveyor segment in a first conveying direction, monitoring of the sensor signals by the processor unit, and assigning, by the processor unit, of the conveyor drive to a sensor which changes its signal after activation of the conveyor drive.

11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that an additional drive of the conveyor segment is detected and assigned, by performing the steps in which the processor unit signals the non-assigned additional drive to an operator by outputting a visual or acoustic signal, in particular a predetermined sequence of start-stop operations of the additional drive, the processor unit monitors the sensor signals, the operator manually triggers the sensor, and the processor unit assigns the manually triggered sensor to the additional motor.

12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 9 to 11, characterised in that, during monitoring of the sensor signals, the sensor activation is continually switched between sensor type PNP and sensor type NPN.

13. A method for configuring a control unit in a conveyor, wherein a control unit controls one or more conveyor segments and each conveyor segment comprises a. a conveyor drive for conveying an object through the conveyor segment, said conveyor drive being in signal communication with the control unit via a motor connection socket, and, if necessary, b. a sensor for detecting an object at a position within the conveyor segment, said conveyor being in signal communication with the control unit via a sensor connection socket, characterised in that the control unit self-configures itself, and that a visual signal is outputted to a user during said self-configuration to signal an incorrect or a correct installation state, wherein the visual signal takes the form of a predetermined sequence of movements by the conveyor drive.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterised in that the self-configuration is carried out in accordance with a method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 13, and the visual signal preferably forms the error message according to claim 3, 5, or 6, or the visual signal according to claim 12.

15. A control unit for a conveyor, wherein the control unit is adapted to control one or more conveyor segments and each conveyor segment comprises a. a conveyor drive for conveying an object through the conveyor segment, said conveyor drive being in signal communication with the control unit via a motor connection socket, and b. a sensor for detecting an object at a position within the conveyor segment, said conveyor being in signal communication with the control unit via a sensor connection socket, characterised in that the control unit includes an electronic processor unit which is adapted to self-configure itself, said self-configuration comprising the steps of: i) activating a configuration mode in the control unit, ii) receiving a signal from each motor connection socket or sensor connection socket of the control unit in a processor unit of the control unit, iii) comparing the received signal(s) with a comparative value stored in the control unit, and iv) determining whether a conveyor drive or a sensor is connected to a motor connection socket or a sensor connection socket of the control unit, respectively, based on the comparison of the signal(s) with the comparative value.

16. A control unit for a conveyor, wherein the control unit is adapted to control one or more conveyor segments and each conveyor segment comprises a. a conveyor drive for conveying an object through the conveyor segment, said conveyor drive being in signal communication with the control unit via a motor connection socket, and, if necessary, b. a sensor for detecting an object at a position within the conveyor segment, said conveyor being in signal communication with the control unit via a sensor connection socket, characterised in that the control unit is designed to self-configure itself, and that a visual signal is outputted to a user during said self-configuration to signal an incorrect or a correct installation state, wherein the visual signal is formed by a predetermined sequence of movements by the conveyor drive.

17. A conveyor comprising one or more conveyor segments, wherein each conveyor segment comprises a. a conveyor drive for conveying an object through the conveyor segment, said conveyor drive being in signal communication with the control unit via a motor connection socket, and b. a sensor for detecting an object at a position within the conveyor segment, said conveyor being in signal communication with the control unit via a sensor connection socket, characterised by a control unit according to claim 15 or 16 or a control unit which is adapted to carry out a method according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

Description

[0057] Preferred embodiments of the invention shall now be described with reference to the attached Figures, in which

[0058] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a conveyor line comprising three conveyor segments according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention,

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a conveyor line comprising a control unit with connector sockets for four conveyor segments according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention,

[0060] FIG. 3 shows an example of a flow diagram for hardware detection by the control unit,

[0061] FIG. 4 shows an overview of the possible sensor types and their switching logic.

[0062] FIG. 1 shows a detail of a conveyor consisting of a total of three conveyor segments 100-300. Conveyor segments 100-200 and conveyor segments 200-300 are immediately adjacent to each other and form a conveyor line.

[0063] Each conveyor segment 100-300 contains a conveyor drive 101-301, which drives the idle rollers of the conveyor segment via belts, thus conveying article 40. The conveying direction 105-305 is determined by the direction of rotation 106-306 of conveyor drives 101-301. The direction of rotation is configured in such a way that the article is conveyed downstream. Each conveyor drive 101-301 is connected for signalling purposes to a respective control unit 102-302, by a signal and voltage supply line with a motor connection plug attached thereto, which is inserted into a motor connection socket on the respective control unit.

[0064] Each conveyor segment also has a control unit 102-302, each of which has a Hall sensor 104-304 for activating the learning mode.

[0065] Each conveyor segment 100-300 has a sensor 103-303 mounted downstream from the middle of the conveyor segment. These sensors are arranged so that it is possible to detect the presence of an article in the exit area of the individual conveyor segments. Each sensor 103-303 is connected for signalling purposes to a respective control unit 102-302, by a signal and voltage supply line with a sensor connection plug attached thereto, which is inserted into a sensor connection socket of the respective control unit.

[0066] Data can be exchanged between the control units via bus communication 70.

[0067] FIG. 1 shows in a schematic view the initial state of a self-configuration process. A user has placed an article on the first conveyor segment 100 and can activate a configuration mode by moving a magnet (not shown in FIG. 1) close to a Hall sensor 104 arranged on control unit 102. As a consequence of this activation, a processor unit disposed in the control unit is put into a configuration mode and performs a series of self-analysis and self-configuration steps which shall be described in more detail below.

[0068] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a conveyor according to the invention, in which a control unit 2102 controls a plurality of conveyor segments 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400, said control being carried out by four program units 2107-2110 implemented in the control unit. Program units 2107-2110 analyse the signals from four sensors 2103, 2203, 2303, 2403. Program units 2107-2110 control four conveyor drives 2101, 2201, 2301, 2401 in the individual conveyor segments, by activating or deactivating these conveyor drives according to the signals from sensors 2103, 2203, 2303, 2403. The program units in the control unit control the direction of rotation 2106, 2206, 2306, 2406 of the conveyor drives in order to convey an article 40 downstream. By reversing the direction of rotation 2106, 2206, 2306, 2406, the program units can control conveying directions 2105, 2205, 2305, 2405 in conveyor segments 2100, 2200, 2300, 2400. The program units can exchange data within the control unit, in order to detect the direction of rotation of the conveyor drives, for example. Control unit 2102 is also integrated into bus communication 70 and allows data to be exchanged with other control units, for example.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows an example of a flow diagram for the inventive method, in the form of flow diagram 300.

[0070] After the configuration mode is activated in step 1001, the number of motors connected to a control unit is analysed in step 1002 by the processor unit of the control unit. This is done either by analysing the motor interference signals or by measuring the motor operating currents. In this step, an assignment plan for the motor connection sockets is calculated.

[0071] In test step 1004 which then follows, the previously calculated assignment plan for the motor connection sockets is compared with a reference assignment plan. More specifically, checks are performed to determine whether the motors are connected in continuous order to the motor connection sockets. If the reference assignment plan and the assignment plan of the motor connection sockets are not identical, step 1006 is carried out, in which the divergence between the assignment plan of the motor connection sockets and the reference assignment plan is signalled to the user in the form of an error message. This error message is signalled by a sequence comprising a brief forward rotary movement followed by a brief backward rotary movement and a brief forward rotary movement of the conveyor drive which is incorrectly connected. In this way, the user is prompted to adjust the connections used by the motors so that they are consistent with a reference assignment plan. Step 1002 is repeated after step 1006 to that end.

[0072] If the reference assignment plan and the assignment plan of the motor connection sockets are identical in step 1004, this is signalled by a sequence consisting of two brief forward rotary movements, after which step 1008 is carried out. In step 1008, a check is performed to determine whether the assignment of the motor connection sockets remains unchanged for a predetermined period, for example for 30 seconds. If the assignment of the motor connection sockets does not remain unchanged for 30 seconds, step 1002 is carried out again. If, in contrast, the assignment of the motor connection sockets remains unchanged for 30 second in test step 1008, step 1010 is then carried out.

[0073] In step 1010, unused motor connection sockets are deactivated.

[0074] In step 1012 that then follows, the sensor connection sockets are configured by the processor unit of the control unit to sensor type PNP and normally closed. In test step 1016 that then follows, a comparison is made to determine whether the assignment plan of the motor connection sockets is identical to the assignment plan of the sensor connection sockets. If the assignment plan of the motor connection sockets and the sensor connection sockets are identical, step 1018 is carried out. In step 1018, processor unit of the control unit configures the sensor inputs to negative switching logic. In step 1020 that then follows, the processor unit stores the sensor type PNP and the normally closed switching logic. The number of conveyor segments to be controlled, which is determined by the number of detected motors and the number of detected sensors, is stored. If the assignment of the motor connection sockets is not identical in test step 1016 to the assignment of the sensor connection sockets, step 1022 is carried out. In step 1022, the sensor inputs are switched to sensor type NPN and normally closed. In test step 1024 that then follows, the processor unit of the control unit checks whether the assignment of the motor connection sockets is identical to the assignment of the sensor connection sockets. If the assignment of the motor connection sockets is found in test step 1024 to be identical to the assignment of the sensor connection sockets, step 1026 is carried out. If the sensor connections are configured in negative switching logic, the processor unit stores sensor type NPN and normally closed switching logic in the subsequent step 1028.

[0075] The number of conveyor segments to be controlled, which is determined by the number of detected motors and the number of detected sensors, is stored. If the assignment of the motor connection sockets is found in test step 1024 to be not identical to the assignment of the sensor connection sockets, test step 1030 is carried out. In test step 1030, a check is performed to determine whether the number of assigned sensor connection sockets is greater than the number of assigned motor connection sockets. If the number of assigned sensor connection sockets is greater than the number of assigned motor connection sockets, step 1006 is carried out once again. If the number of assigned sensor connection sockets is not greater than the number of assigned motor connection sockets, then either there are more motors than sensor units in a conveyor segment, or the sensor units are of the normally open sensor type. Step 1032 is carried to allow unassigned motors to be assigned to sensors, or to determine the configuration of the sensor units. In step 1032, the sensor inputs are switched to positive switching logic.

[0076] In step 1034 that then follows, the sensor inputs are still configured in such a way that they continually alternate the sensor type between PNP and NPN.

[0077] In step 1036 that then follows, one of the motors which has not yet been assigned is activated in a predetermined motion pattern, for example it is activated for one second, then deactivated for three seconds, and then activated for one second. Which of the as yet unassigned motors is to be assigned at this moment is signalled in this way to the user. In step 1038 that then follows, a check is performed to determine whether a change of signal is triggered at any one of the sensor inputs. If no change of signal is triggered at any one of the sensor inputs in test step 1038, test step 1038 is repeated. If a change of signal is to triggered at any one of the sensor inputs in test step 1038, step 1040 is then carried out.

[0078] The triggered sensor is assigned to the activated motor in step 1040. This step is followed by step 1042, in which the assigned motor is put into continuous operation in order to acknowledge the assignment.

[0079] In test step 1044 which then follows, a check is performed to determine whether a new change of signal is triggered at the respective sensor input. If a new change of signal is triggered at the respective sensor input, test step 1044 is carried out again. If a new change of signal is carried out at the respective sensor input in test step 1044, step 1046 is carried out. In step 1046, the previously activated motor is deactivated. In step 1048 that then follows, the number of motors which have not yet been assigned is determined.

[0080] In test step 1050, a check is performed to determine whether the number of motors not yet assigned is greater than zero. If the number of motors not yet assigned is greater than zero, step 1036 is carried out once again. If the number of motors not yet assigned is not greater than zero, step 1052 is carried out. In step 1052, the sensor inputs are switched to positive switching logic. In step 1054 that then follows, the assignment of the motors to the sensors is stored, and the sensor type is stored as the detected sensor type (PNP or NPN) and the normally open switching characteristic. The method is terminated in step 1056 that then follows.

[0081] FIG. 4 shows an overview of the possible switching states of a sensor that may occur. The output stage of a sensor can be built using bipolar transistors, for example, which are available as NPN-type and as PNP-type bipolar transistors. Sensors also differ in their switching behaviour. A distinction is made in this regard between closing contacts, which are normally open, and break contacts, which are normally closed. Their switching behaviour depends on the configuration of a sensor. Sensors can be distinguished, for example, as photoelectric sensors and as photoelectric barriers. According to the various embodiments and configurations of the sensors, the switching and logic states shown in the overview can result at the output of a sensor.