WO2020259727A1 - Load sensor system for a transportation unit - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a load sensor system (10) for a transportation unit (1) for conveying transportation goods (2), in particular in the form of ULDs for holding luggage, freight or mail. It has been found to be problematic that transportation units (1) such as are used in the field of airports, railway stations etc. for conveying ULDs are often left in the open air and are adversely affected, for example, by snow, ice or other environmental influences, which makes it difficult, or in some cases even impossible, to use customary weight sensors for detecting transportation goods. The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a load sensor system for a transportation unit for conveying transportation goods which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages and permits absolutely reliable detection of the transportation goods . According to the invention, the present load sensor system (10) comprises for this purpose at least one sensor (100) for detecting metal, which sensor (100) immediately detects when metallic transportation goods (2) are set down in the detectable distance range on the loading surface (11) of the transportation unit (1).

Description

Load sensors for a transport unit

PATENT CLAIMS

1 . Load sensors (10) for a transport unit (1) for the transport of transport goods (2),

characterized in that

it comprises at least one sensor (100) for detecting metal, which detects as soon as a metallic transport item (2) is placed in the detectable distance range on the loading surface (11) of the transport unit (1).

2. load sensor system (10) according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the at least one sensor (100) is designed for contactless detection of metal.

3. load sensor system (10) according to claim 1 or 2,

characterized in that

the at least one sensor (100) is an inductive sensor that detects metal by means of high-frequency oscillation, electromagnetic induction or by means of changes in capacitance.

4. loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

a transmission module (102) is provided which transmits at least one signal to at least one receiving unit as a function of the measurement carried out. Load sensor system (10) according to claim 4,

characterized in that

the at least one signal is a digital or analog status message. Load sensor system (10) according to claim 3 or 5,

characterized in that

the at least one signal is transmitted by radio to at least one receiving unit. Loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the load sensor system (10) and / or the at least one sensor (100) is embedded in a water- and / or shock-proof housing (103) which can be mounted on the loading surface (1 1) of the transport unit (1). Loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

it comprises a mobile energy supply unit (104) with at least one photovoltaic module or another energy store. Loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

it can be individually calibrated with regard to the Defekfierungsabsfand. . Load sensor system (10) according to claim 9,

characterized in that

the calibration process is carried out in two stages, whereby the zero point is calibrated † and then the hysteresis of at least one sensor (100). 1 . Loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the de † ek † † † abs † and is between 0 and 50mm. . Loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

the at least one sensor (100) for obtaining the detection distance specified by the sensor (100) is mounted on a non-metallic profile part, which is mounted on the housing (103) or in the area or on the loading area (1 1) of the transport unit (1) † is. . Loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized in that

a control (101) is provided, by means of which measurements are carried out by the at least one sensor (100) in a defined interval. . Load sensor system (10) according to claim 13,

characterized in that

the at least one sensor (100) automatically switches to standby mode after a measurement and repeats measurements in a variably parameterizable interval †. Transport unit (1) for transporting transport goods (2) with a loading sensor system (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

Load sensors for a transport unit

DESCRIPTION

Technical area

[0001] The present invention relates to a load sensor system for a transport unit for the transport of goods in accordance with the preamble of claim 1. In the following, a transport unit is understood to be any mobile and / or otherwise movable transport system that is used to transport goods, in particular in the form of pallets or containers (so-called Uni † Load Devices, hereinafter referred to as ULDs for short †) to accommodate luggage , Freight or item † is designed / suitable †.

State of the art

For the transportation of goods in the field of airports, train stations, etc., it is useful for logistical reasons to detect such transport units remotely with regard to their load in order to primarily identify unloaded transport units and make them easily accessible for use.

There are from the prior art loading sensors for Trans port units in the form of vehicles such. B. trucks or containers be known, which have a load sensor, by means of which an automated load detection is achieved †. Such load sensors, as they are known, for example, from the transport monitoring system in patent specification EP1839234B1, have a load sensor for detecting a load weight, by means of which an activation signal can also be generated as soon as the load weight † has exceeded an adjustable weight threshold †. The problem, however, is that the addressed transport units, as they are in the area of airports, train stations, efc. are used to transport ULDs, are often in the open air and are impaired, for example, by snow, ice or other environmental influences †, which makes the use of conventional weight sensors for the detection of transported goods difficult † or even impossible † if The weight sensor is covered by a snow load † and is therefore not correctly detected. Mechanical contamination and the wear and tear on the components of known sensors due to the way they function also make them unusable.

Presentation of the invention

[0005] The present invention is therefore based on the object of creating a load sensor system for a transport unit for transporting cargo that eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages and that allows absolutely reliable detection of the cargo.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved according to the preamble of claim 1 in conjunction with the characterizing features. Advantageous refinements and developments of the load sensor system according to the invention are given in the dependent claims.

According to the invention, a load sensor system of the type mentioned at the outset is characterized in that it includes at least one sensor for detecting metal, which detects as soon as a metallic cargo (preferably a ULD) is in the detectable Abstandsbe on the loading surface of the transport unit is turned off †.

[0008] The loading sensor system according to the invention preferably includes an electronic sensor which, in particular in the airport area, dollies, luggage trolleys, etc., contactlessly de-

Claims

tektier †. For this purpose, the sensor according to the invention is advantageously designed as a ductile sensor which detects metal by means of high-frequency oscillation, electromagnetic induction, by means of changes in capacitance or other contactless detection methods for detecting metals. In order to meet the corresponding requirements, the at least one sensor can preferably be adjusted individually by means of calibration to the different environmental conditions such as preferably with regard to the detection distance but also with regard to the installation conditions and is able to use both steel and aluminum to detect. The calibration process is particularly advantageously carried out in two stages, the zero point being calibrated and then the hysteresis of the at least one sensor. If the sensor is not calibrated, standard values are preferably loaded for detection, but these are only suitable for functional testing. The invention preferably has a TTL-compatible output that switches in the presence of metal. The logical output signals the current measurement result. If a high level is issued, a metal object was detected, if a low level is output, no metal object was detected. It also has a TTL-compatible input, by means of which the calibration is preferably started. This logic input preferably has an internal pull-up resistor. If the contact is open, there is a defined logical high level. The input is used to control the calibration routine for the zero point and the hysteresis. [0012] Furthermore, the sensor should be designed in such a way that it works correctly in the temperature range from -40 ° C. to + 60 ° C. and under all conceivable environmental conditions such as rain, snow, ice and heat. [0013] The sensor automatically detects a load at an advantageous distance of 0 to 50mm. In this way, it is possible for the sensor to defective transported goods even if they are covered, for example by snow, dust, etc. Furthermore, the sensor preferably transmits a corresponding status message (digital or analog) to a transmission module, which transmits at least one signal to at least one receiving unit depending on the measurement carried out. The at least one signal is particularly advantageously transmitted to the at least one reception unit by radio. Furthermore, it is advantageous in an advantageous embodiment of the invention to provide a controller by means of which measurements can be carried out by the at least one sensor in a defined interval, the at least one sensor preferably again automatically following a measurement switches to standby mode and repeats measurements at a variable parameterizable interval † .. Brief description of the drawings Further goals, features, advantages and possible applications of the load sensor system according to the invention emerge from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawings. All of the features described and / or illustrated form the subject of the invention independently or in any combination from the summary in individual claims or their back-reference. Show in the drawings FIG. 1 shows the load sensor according to the invention on a transport unit in a purely schematic side view; Fig. 2 shows an advantageous embodiment of a housing. Implementation of the invention As can be seen from FIG. 1, the at least one sensor 100 for detecting metal is preferably mounted within an advantageously water- and / or shock-proof housing 103 on the loading surface 11 of a transport unit 1. Within the housing 103 or, as shown, also in a separate component, a mobile energy supply unit 104 with at least one photovoltaic module can be provided which includes the sensor 100 and the other necessary components such as transmission module 102, controller 101, etc. sufficient power supplied. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the housing 103 of the sensor is advantageously constructed so that it protects the sensor board against external mechanical influences and, together with the encapsulation, achieves protection class IP65. The "corrugated" surface is used for non-slip properties, provided the sensor is mounted directly on the deck of a dollie, for example. In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the sensor 100 is designed for use on a single-cell lithium battery. When installed in a metal-free environment, metallic objects which completely overlap the sensor surface can be detected at a distance, it being advantageous to install the sensor 100 on a non-metallic profile part in order to avoid unnecessarily reducing the detection distance, which is mounted on the housing 103 or in the loading area or on the loading area 1 1 of the transport unit 1. The load sensor system 10 according to the invention is not limited in its design to the preferred embodiments specified above. Rather, a large number of Ausgestaltungsvariati onen are conceivable, which make use of the solution shown even with a fundamentally different design. List of reference numbers 1 transport unit 2 Transport goods in the form of a ULD, here an air freight container 10 load sensors 1 1 loading area 100 sensor 101 control 102 transmission module 103 housing 104 Energy supply hot †