JPS63176214A - Ball transfer device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the constitution so as to enable failure prevention and remote control by providing a roller capable of rocking between branched passages at a branchpoint of a ball transfer passage. CONSTITUTION:A ball 12 moves inside a transfer passage 10a and reaches a branchpoint. Then a branch device 14 is located at a position of a line segment 1 and the ball surely collides a roll 20. At that time, the roller 20 is rotated in the specified direction by a motor not shown in the figure. For example, if the roller 20 is rotated anticlockwise, a rod 18 rotates clockwise to close a transfer passage 10b by the revolving force of the roller 20 and the reactive force of the ball and the ball 12 moves in the arrow B direction. If the roller 20 is rotated reversely, the ball 12 moves in the arrow C direction inside a branch passage 10b. By this constitution, the constitution becomes simple, the trouble is decreased and the remote control becomes possible.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a ball conveying device, and more specifically, a ball conveying device capable of bifurcating the moving direction of the ball 1 by a rotating roller.
Regarding general transport equipment.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, as a method for branching the direction of balls moving in a conveying path shaped like a pipe or a gutter, a partition plate is provided at a branching point of a 1ift conveying path to control the direction of the balls. is being carried out.

A mechanical mechanism using a solenoid is used to operate the partition plate.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the above conventional branching method has the following problems.

Mechanically moving the partition plate requires a complicated mechanism and increases production costs. At the same time, there is a problem in that troubles are likely to occur due to the complicated mechanism.

Another problem with mechanical mechanisms is that remote control is difficult.

Furthermore, the use of solenoids generates a lot of noise and vibration, which can easily cause trouble.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following configuration.

That is, it is characterized by comprising a roller provided at a branch point of a conveyance path for transferring the ball, and a power device for rotating the roller in the direction of sending the ball into the branch path.

(effect) The operation will be explained with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the ball 12 in the conveyance path 10a advances in the direction of arrow A. At that time, the rod 18 of the branching device 14
is located at the intermediate position, that is, at the position of the line segment 1, and the roller 20 is rotating counterclockwise about the shaft 34 in response to the rotational force of the motor, which is a power device. When ball 12 contacts roller 20, rod 18 rotates about axis 16 to the position shown in solid line in FIG. Then the ball 12 is moved to the roller 20
) moves in the direction of arrow B within the general transport path 10a.

Conversely, when the roller 20 is rotating clockwise at the intermediate position, when the ball 12 comes into contact with the rod 18, the rod 18 rotates to the position shown by the broken line, and the ball 12 receives the rotational force of the roller 20 and moves along the intersecting conveyance path 10b. Proceed inside in the direction of arrow C.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, the configuration will be explained.

In FIG. 1, IQa is a conveyance path for conveying the ball 12, and has a pipe shape. Note that the conveyance path may be of any shape other than a pipe, such as a gutter-like shape, a rod-like conveyance path, or the like.

10b is also a conveyance path, and intersects with the conveyance path 10a at the center of the drawing.

14 is a branching device, and a rod 18 is pivotally attached to a shaft 1G provided at the branching point of the transport paths 10a and 10b. A roller 20 is disposed at the tip of the rod 18 and rotates by receiving rotational force from a motor to be described later. Note that the rod 18 is normally located at an intermediate position, that is, at a position indicated by line segment 1, due to the biasing force of a spring to be described later.

The branching device 14 will be explained with reference to FIG.

A pair of rods 18a and 18b are attached to the shaft 16, and the rods 18a and 18b are connected to springs 22a and 22b.
, they are each biased with an equal elastic force so as to rotate toward the center. Furthermore, the roller 20 is connected to both rods 18a.
, 18b, both rods 13a and 18b can be stopped at the position shown by the line segment β in FIG. 1 at normal times, as described above. Spring 22a, 22b
-1 ends are hooked to the sides of the rods 18a and 18b, and the other ends are hooked to a hooking member 24 fixed midway through the shaft 16.
It is hung on. In addition, two springs 22a and 22b
Alternatively, one coil spring may be fitted onto the shaft 16 and its diameter expanding force may be utilized. In addition, the spring 22a,
22b does not necessarily need to be provided.

A DC motor 26 is a power device for applying rotational force to the roller 20, and its lower part is supported by a supporter 28.

A rod 18a is inserted into the supporter 28 through a through hole 30 that extends downward and is bored in the ceiling surface of the first general feed path 10 and is formed in an elongated shape over the movement range of the supporter 28.
An extension pipe 32 connected to the motor 26 is provided, and a rotating shaft 34 of the motor 26 extends downward through the extension pipe 32 and is pivotally attached to the tips of the rods 18a and 18b.

The roller 20 is fixed to the rotating shaft 34 between the rods 18a and 18b, and rotates together with the rotating shaft 34.

Spacers 36a and 36b adjust the height of the roller 20.

Next, the operation will be explained with reference to FIG.

The ball 12 moves in the direction of arrow A within the transport path 10a. At this time, the rod 18 of the branching device I4 is in the intermediate position, that is, the position shown by the line segment 1, so that the ball 12 always comes into contact with the roller 20. At that time, the roller 20 is
If it receives the rotational force of and rotates counterclockwise,
The rod 18 rotates clockwise about the shaft 16 in response to the rotational force of the roller 20 and the reaction force from the ball 12, and moves to the position shown by the solid line against the force of the springs 22a and 22b. Therefore, the branching device 14 closes the entrance of the conveyance path 10b, and the ball 12 advances in the direction of arrow B within the conveyance path 10a.

If the ball 12 comes into contact with the roller 20, the roller 2
0 is rotating clockwise, the branching device 14 moves to the position shown by the broken line, contrary to the above, and the ball 12 advances in the direction of the arrow C.

The direction of rotation of the roller 20 can be changed by simply changing the direction of the current flowing through the motor 26.

Next, other embodiments will be described.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is a system in which a roller 52 is fixed at a branching point of the conveyance paths 50a and 50b, and the direction of branching of the ball 54 is changed by changing the direction of rotation of the roller 52. In this case, a guide wall 56 is provided to ensure that the ball 54 comes into contact with the roller 52, and the ball 54 that advances in the direction of the arrow is guided by the guide wall 56 and always comes into contact with the roller 52. If the rotation direction of the roller 52 is counterclockwise, the ball 54 will advance in the direction of arrow E, and if the rotation direction of the roller 52 is clockwise, the ball 54 will advance in the direction of arrow F.

In this embodiment, an idler roller may be provided instead of the guide wall 56.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 4 has rollers 60a, 60 at the branch point.
This is an example in which two b are provided, and is a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. By providing two rollers 60a and 60b, it is possible to send the ball 62 in the opposite direction and to perform branch processing in multiple directions.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, a through hole 72 is bored at the bottom of the intersection of the conveyance paths 70a and 70b, and a roller 74 is fixed to the tip of a shaft (not shown) inserted into the through hole 72. The tip of the roller 74 is slightly closer to the conveyance path 70a than the edge of the M through hole 72.
It protrudes inside.

Therefore, the ball 76 moving in the direction of arrow G rides on the roller 74. At this time, if the rotation direction of the roller 74 is counterclockwise, the ball 76 advances in the direction of the arrow H, and if the rotation direction of the roller 74 is clockwise, the ball 76 advances in the direction of the arrow I.

At this time, if a weir 78 that is slightly raised is provided to prevent the ball 76 from retreating, the ball 76 can be prevented from retreating.

Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. For example, the rotor is not rotated by a direct drive of a motor, but by a belt drive or a chain drive. It goes without saying that many more modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, such as rotation by, etc., without departing from the spirit of the invention.

(Effects of the Invention) When the ball conveying device according to the present invention is used, since a rotating roller is used as a branching device, the mechanism becomes simpler than the conventional one, and it becomes possible to realize a mechanism that is inexpensive and has fewer troubles.

Since the control is mainly carried out electrically, remote control is easy, and since no solenoids are used, vibration and noise can be prevented, which is a remarkable effect.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a plan sectional view showing the main parts of the ball conveying device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front sectional view of the same, and FIGS. 3 to 5 are plan views showing other embodiments. FIG.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A ball conveyance device comprising: a roller provided at a branch point of a conveyance path for conveying the ball; and a power device for rotating the roller in a direction in which the ball is fed into the branch path.