Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a zone controller and a conveyor device which facilitate identification of a defective part when a defect occurs in a distributed control type conveyor device. There is provided a zone controller (10) which is used for a conveyor device (1) in which a plurality of zone conveyors (2) are arranged in series, which manages one or a plurality of the zone conveyors (2) to control an operation thereof, and which is configured to receive a signal from a different zone controller (10) and transmit a signal to the outside.

Abstract: There is provided a roller conveyor that has a function capable of specifying a failure part or a defective part. When a signal for executing a failure detection operation is transmitted from a host controller (50) to each zone controller (10), each zone controller (10) immediately activates the corresponding motor-incorporating roller (5a). Then, after a certain time, the motor-incorporating roller (5a) is stopped. A pulse interval thereafter is detected by a pulse interval monitoring program (36) to determine whether a delay phenomenon has occurred. The delay phenomenon is a phenomenon in which the pulse signal generation interval is temporarily extended.

Abstract: In a transfer apparatus, a lifting unit has a lifting mechanism having a plurality of combined members and a motor. The lifting mechanism converts the rotation force of the motor to movement in the lifting direction, transmits the movement to at least one of first and second conveyors, raises or lowers at least one of first and second conveyors, and stops rotation of the motor when one of conveying paths reaches a predetermined height. In that process, a physical limit identification operation is executed in which the motor is rotated to operate the lifting mechanism to a physical operation limit and is then stopped, and control of the motor is changed so that the motor is rotated at low speed until the lifting mechanism reaches the physical operation limit.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a zone controller and a conveyor device which facilitate identification of a defective part when a defect occurs in a distributed control type conveyor device. There is provided a zone controller (10) which is used for a conveyor device (1) in which a plurality of zone conveyors (2) are arranged in series, which manages one or a plurality of the zone conveyors (2) to control an operation thereof, and which is configured to receive a signal from a different zone controller (10) and transmit a signal to the outside.

Abstract: A fault diagnosis method for a roller conveyor including rollers, brushless motors, and zone controllers for controlling the brushless motors, the brushless motors and/or the rollers each having a rotation detector, the zone controllers each having a driver containing a logic circuit, a memory, which contains a program, and a micro computer is proposed. The program includes a fault diagnosis program and a criterial parameter. The zone controllers each obtain an operating parameter of the brushless motors and/or the rollers so as to perform comparison of the operating parameter with the criterial parameter and determine a failure of the roller conveyor in a case where a result of the comparison is above a predetermined level.

Abstract: A transfer device including a main conveyor part having a first conveying surface and a subsidiary conveyor part having a second conveying surface and arranged at the same area as the main conveyor part, the main conveyor part being designed to convey an article placed on the first conveying surface in one conveying direction, the subsidiary conveyor part being designed to convey an article placed on the second conveying surface in another direction transverse to the conveying direction of the main conveyor part, the main conveyor part and/or the subsidiary conveyor part being a roller conveyor having rollers, at least one of the rollers being a braking roller equipped with a brake, and the brake being designed to prevent the article from proceeding at least to the direction transverse to the conveying direction of the roller conveyor by a frictional force acting between the article and the braking roller.

Abstract: A fault diagnosis method for a roller conveyor including rollers, brushless motors, and zone controllers for controlling the brushless motors, the brushless motors and/or the rollers each having a rotation detector, the zone controllers each having a driver containing a logic circuit, a memory, which contains a program, and a micro computer is proposed. The program includes a fault diagnosis program and a criterial parameter. The zone controllers each obtain an operating parameter of the brushless motors and/or the rollers so as to perform comparison of the operating parameter with the criterial parameter and determine a failure of the roller conveyor in a case where a result of the comparison is above a predetermined level.

Abstract: A transfer device including a main conveyor part having a first conveying surface and a subsidiary conveyor part having a second conveying surface and arranged at the same area as the main conveyor part, the main conveyor part being designed to convey an article placed on the first conveying surface in one conveying direction, the subsidiary conveyor part being designed to convey an article placed on the second conveying surface in another direction transverse to the conveying direction of the main conveyor part, the main conveyor part and/or the subsidiary conveyor part being a roller conveyor having rollers, at least one of the rollers being a braking roller equipped with a brake, and the brake being designed to prevent the article from proceeding at least to the direction transverse to the conveying direction of the roller conveyor by a frictional force acting between the article and the braking roller.

Abstract: A conveyor, which has an area in its conveyor line and for adjusting intervals between articles, includes (1) a plurality of zones constituting the area and each having at least one driving motor and an article sensor, (2) structure for measuring either an interval between adjacent articles in the conveying direction or a difference of time points when adjacent articles in the conveying direction pass the sensor, and (3) a motor controller for each of the zones and for varying a rotational speed of the driving motor. When the measuring structure measures either the interval or the difference upon reception of signals from the sensor, the motor controller either accelerates or slows down the rotational speed of the driving motor in a zone where the article is placed.

Abstract: A brake-controllable brushless motor has a rotor and a stator having polyphase coils; a polar position detector whereby electric power is supplied to the coil selected by its phase in response to the polar positions of the rotor detected by the polar position detector; a driver division for controlling the electric supply to the coils; a motor pulse identifier for recognizing motor pulse signals fed from the polar position detector; and a delayed pulse generator for producing phase-delayed pulse signals in response to the pulse signals fed from the motor pulse identifier, thereby ensuring that when the brushless motor is braked, the phase delay of the delayed pulse signals is progressively and continuously enlarged, and that the coils receive a controlled electric supply from the driver division in response to the delayed pulse signals.

Abstract: A conveyor, which has an area in its conveyor line and for adjusting intervals between articles, includes (1) a plurality of zones constituting the area and each having at least one driving motor and an article sensor, (2) a measuring means for measuring either an interval between adjacent articles in the conveying direction or a difference of time points when adjacent articles in the conveying direction pass the sensor, and (3) a motor controller for each of the zones and for varying a rotational speed of the driving motor. When the measuring means measures either the interval or the difference upon reception of signals from the sensor, the motor controller either accelerates or slows down the rotational speed of the driving motor in a zone where the article is placed.

Abstract: A brake-controllable brushless motor has a rotor and a stator having polyphase coils; a polar position detector whereby electric power is supplied to the coil selected by its phase in response to the polar positions of the rotor detected by the polar position detector; a driver division for controlling the electric supply to the coils; a motor pulse identifier for recognizing motor pulse signals fed from the polar position detector; and a delayed pulse generator for producing phase-delayed pulse signals in response to the pulse signals fed from the motor pulse identifier, thereby ensuring that when the brushless motor is braked, the phase delay of the delayed pulse signals is progressively and continuously enlarged, and that the coils receive a controlled electric supply from the driver division in response to the delayed pulse signals.

Abstract: There is provided a material on which a minute pattern in nanometer order can be formed and capable of providing a glass having transparency and high refractive index. A material for a high refractive index glass according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a polysilane, a silicone compound, and metal oxide nanoparticles. Preferably, the polysilane includes a branched polysilane. Preferably, the polysilane and the silicone compound are contained at a weight ratio of 80:20 to 5:95. Preferably, the metal oxide nanoparticles are formed of at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of zircon oxide, titanium oxide, and zinc oxide.

Abstract: A driving system for driving a brushless motor effects a rotation control of a rotor by sequentially switching application of a current to magnetic coils disposed in a stator in response to a detection signal from a pole-position detector. The driving system comprises a controlling circuit for generating a driving signal, an inverter control circuit for controlling application of the current to the coils by adjusting opening and closing of switching devices in response to the driving signal, and a rotational speed sensor. The controlling circuit generates a braking signal when a rotational speed of the rotor is beyond a predetermined value, and transmits the braking signal to the inverter control circuit. The inverter control circuit effects a braking control in response to the braking signal by application of the current to at least one coil except those coils being excited upon reception of the braking signal.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a zone controller that enables construction of a conveyor line adapted for articles having various shapes and weights. The zone controller includes: an output terminal 15 for output of a driving status signal representing a driving status of the driving roller; an input terminal 16 for input of a driving status signal; and a controlling section 10 for generating a controlling signal for controlling the driving roller. The controlling section is capable of being switched between a master control mode and a slave control mode.

Abstract: A driving system for driving a brushless motor effects a rotation control of a rotor by sequentially switching application of a current to magnetic coils disposed in a stator in response to a detection signal from a pole-position detector. The driving system comprises a controlling circuit for generating a driving signal, an inverter control circuit for controlling application of the current to the coils by adjusting opening and closing of switching devices in response to the driving signal, and a rotational speed sensor. The controlling circuit generates a braking signal when a rotational speed of the rotor is beyond a predetermined value, and transmits the braking signal to the inverter control circuit. The inverter control circuit effects a braking control in response to the braking signal by application of the current to at least one coil except those coils being excited upon reception of the braking signal.

Abstract: A zone controller enabling flexible conveyance according to the use by simple change of setting. An aspect of the invention is a zone controller 10 for a particular zone picked from a plurality of zones for control into which a roller conveyor line 1 is divided and which are arrangeable in a row in the direction of conveyance, being capable of controlling operation of a driving roller 4a for conveyance provided in the particular zone, having a mode-setting means 14 capable of switching between a slug mode and a singulation mode. In the slug mode, operation of the driving roller is controlled so that articles in the zones are conveyed uniformly to downstream, maintaining the order of the articles in the conveying line. In the singulation mode, operation of the driving roller is controlled so that the articles are conveyed separately to downstream with a predetermined number of zones in which no article exists preserved between the zones in which the articles exist.

Abstract: Object of the present invention is to distribute signals indicating angular position of a rotor from a controller for a brush-less motor to another control device. A controller for driving a brush-less motor has a magnetic-pole detecting circuit (9) that receives from a Hall-effect semiconductor disposed in a motor roller (4) sequential (pole position-representing) signals relating to a rotor's position. These signals are converted into pulses and then supplied to a current-controlling circuit (8), so that currents to stators are controlled based on the signals from the detecting circuit (9) so as to drive the motor roller. A sequencer (20) supplies to a controlling circuit (7) “ON/OFF” and other commands, that are then processed in this circuit and fed to the current-controlling circuit (8) for driving the motor.

Abstract: The invention aims to provide a zone controller enabling flexible conveyance according to the use by simple change of setting. An aspect of the invention is a zone controller 10 for a particular zone picked from a plurality of zones for control into which a roller conveyor line 1 is divided and which are arrangeable in a row in the direction of conveyance, being capable of controlling operation of a driving roller 4a for conveyance provided in the particular zone, having a mode-setting means 14 capable of switching between a slug mode and a singulation mode. In the slug mode, operation of the driving roller is controlled so that articles in the zones are conveyed uniformly to downstream, maintaining the order of the articles in the conveying line. In the singulation mode, operation of the driving roller is controlled so that the articles are conveyed separately to downstream with a predetermined number of zones in which no article exists preserved between the zones in which the articles exist.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a zone controller that enables construction of a conveyor line adapted for articles having various shapes and weights.